Historical Record of the Twelfth, or the East Suffolk, Regiment of Foot / Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1685, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1847

by Richard Cannon

Appointed 28th May, 1745.

Henry Skelton entered the army in December, 1708, and served two campaigns in the Netherlands. He was many years an officer in the third foot guards, was promoted Major of the regiment with the rank of Colonel in the army, in 1739, and in April, 1743, he was advanced to Lieut.-Colonel in the same corps. In August following, King George II. rewarded him with the colonelcy of the thirty-second regiment; His Majesty also promoted him to the rank of Major-General, and removed him to the Twelfth foot in 1745, and advanced him to the rank of Lieut.-General in 1747. He died on the 9th of April, 1757.

Robert Napier.

Appointed 22nd April, 1757.

Robert Napier was appointed ensign in the second foot, on the 9th of May, 1722, and after performing regimental duty a few years, he was placed on the staff, and employed in the Quarter-Master-General's Department. In 1745, he was promoted to the rank of Lieut.-Colonel, and appointed Deputy Quarter-Master-General; in 1746, he was advanced to the rank of Colonel, and he was afterwards appointed Adjutant-General of the forces. In 1755, King George II. appointed him colonel of a newly-raised regiment, now fifty-first foot; in 1756 he was promoted to the rank of Major-General, and in 1757, he was removed to the Twelfth foot. In 1759, he was promoted to the rank of Lieut.-General. He died in November, 1766.

Henry Clinton.

Appointed 21st November, 1766.

Henry Clinton, grandson of Francis, sixth Earl of Lincoln, served in an independent company of foot at New York, and in 1751 he was appointed Lieutenant and Captain in the second foot guards, from which he was promoted, in 1758, to Captain and Lieut.-Colonel in the first foot guards. He served in Germany during the seven years' war, was promoted to the rank of Colonel in 1762, and in 1766 he obtained the colonelcy of the Twelfth foot. He was promoted, in 1772, to the rank of Major-General. On the commencement of the American war, in 1775, he was sent with reinforcements to Boston, with the local rank of Lieut.-General, and at the battle of Bunker's Hill he joined the troops engaged with additional forces from Boston during the conflict, and contributed materially to the gaining of the victory. He afterwards proceeded to North Carolina, with the local rank of General; assumed the command of the troops which arrived from Great Britain, and in 1776 he undertook the reduction of Charleston, but was not able to accomplish his object from the want of a sufficient force. He then joined General Sir William Howe, was engaged in the reduction of Long Island, and commanded the leading column of the army at the battle of Brooklyn. General Clinton also commanded the division which took possession of New York Island, was at White Plains and other engagements, also commanded the troops which took Rhode Island, and was rewarded with the dignity of Knight of the Bath. In 1777 he commanded at New York, and, in order to create a diversion in favour of General Burgoyne's army, he proceeded up the river and captured Forts Clinton and Montgomery. In the following spring he was nominated Commander-in-Chief in North America, and assuming the command of the army at Philadelphia, marched from thence to New York, repulsing the attacks of the enemy during the movement. In the winter of 1778, he was removed from the Twelfth foot to the command of a corps of Royal Highland Emigrants, and in 1779 he was appointed Colonel of the seventh, or Queen's Own Light Dragoons.

The departure of the French Fleet from North America enabled General Sir Henry Clinton to fit out an expedition against Charleston, which he captured in 1780, for which he received the thanks of Parliament, and this success was followed by important results in North and South Carolina; but the tide of success did not long flow in favour of the British cause, and some reverses taking place, he was succeeded as Commander-in-Chief in North America by General Carleton. He arrived in England in June, 1782, and afterwards published a vindication of his conduct. The appointment of Governor of Limerick was conferred upon General Sir Henry Clinton; he was also groom of the bedchamber to the Duke of Gloucester, and was many years a member of Parliament; in 1795, he was appointed Governor of Gibraltar. He died in December of the same year.

William Picton.