The TWENTY-FIRST regiment embarked for Gibraltar towards the end of the year 1751, in order to relieve the Eighth, or King's Regiment.
1752
Lieut.-General Campbell was removed to the Scots Greys, and King George II. nominated Colonel the Earl of Panmure, from the Twenty-fifth regiment, to the colonelcy of the ROYAL NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS, by commission dated the 29th of April, 1752.
1760
The regiment remained at Gibraltar until 1760, when it was relieved from duty at that fortress, and returned to England.
Madeley lith 3 Wellington St. Strand.
XXI.
THE ROYAL NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS.
1742
For Cannon's Military Records.
1761
In the meantime another war had commenced between Great Britain and France, and in 1761 the ROYAL NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS, mustering eight hundred men, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Edward Maxwell, sailed with the expedition under Major-General Hodgson, for the attack of the French island in the Bay of Biscay, called Belle-Isle. The fleet appeared before the island on the 7th of April; but the coast was found like a vast fortress,—the little which nature had left undone by rocks and crags, having been supplied by art. A landing was, however, effected on the following day; the TWENTY-FIRST was one of the regiments which leaped on shore, and stormed the works of Port Andro, under a heavy fire of cannon and musketry; the works were found too steep to be ascended, and although the officers and soldiers made a gallant effort, one attempting to lift another up, it was found impossible to succeed, and they were ordered to return on board of the fleet. The regiment had three serjeants, one drummer, and eight rank and file killed; eight rank and file wounded; Lieutenants Innis and Ramage, and thirty-five rank and file, prisoners;—many of the officers and soldiers taken prisoners were severely wounded, and were unable to return on board of the fleet when the order was given to retire.
A landing was effected on the 22nd of April at a rugged spot near Point Lomaria, where the difficult ascent had occasioned the enemy to be less attentive to that part of the coast; and the troops, under Brigadier-General Lambert, having landed, gained the summit of the rock, and repulsed the attempts of the enemy to dislodge them,—capturing three brass field-pieces. The cannon was afterwards landed from the ships, and dragged up the rocks; the lines which covered the town of Palais were captured, and the siege of the citadel commenced. The ROYAL NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS took part in the siege of the Citadel of Belle-Isle, which was prosecuted with so much vigour, that the governor, the Chevalier de St. Croix, was forced to surrender on the 7th of June. The capture of the island was thus effected, with the loss of about eighteen hundred men killed and wounded.