1776
In the spring of 1776, the regiment embarked for the relief of Quebec; on the arrival of the British reinforcement to the garrison, the Americans raised the siege, and made a precipitate retreat; they were pursued up the country, and driven from all the posts which they occupied in that province. After these services were performed, the ROYAL NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS were quartered at St. John's, where they were stationed during the winter.
1777
The regiment was called into active operations in the spring of 1777, with the armament commanded by Lieut.-General Burgoyne; it embarked in boats on Lake Champlain, and sailed to Crown Point, where the troops halted three days, and afterwards proceeded against Ticonderago; but the Americans quitted the fort without hazarding the events of a siege. The regiment returned on board of the flotilla, and sailing along the lake, arrived, about three o'clock on the afternoon of the 6th of July, within three miles of Skenesborough, where the Americans had a stockaded fort. The Ninth, Twentieth, and TWENTY-FIRST regiments leaped on shore, and ascended the mountains, to get behind the fort and cut off the retreat of the garrison; but the Americans made a precipitate retreat, and escaped with the loss of a few men made prisoners.
On the 8th of July, the regiment was detached towards Fort Anne, to support the Ninth, who were attacked by an American force of very superior numbers. The enemy was repulsed, and retreated towards Fort Edward.
To follow up these advantages proved a difficult undertaking; trees and other obstacles had to be removed; creeks and marshes had to be crossed; forty bridges had to be constructed; but by great exertion these difficulties were overcome, and on the 30th of July, the army arrived at the bank of the Hudson's River, which was crossed by a bridge of boats on the 13th and 14th of September, and on the 19th the army advanced against the Americans, in position on an island called Still-Water, when a severe action was fought. Lieut.-General Burgoyne stated in his public despatch,—"About three o'clock, the action began by a very vigorous attack on the British line, and was continued with great obstinacy until after sunset; the enemy being constantly supplied with fresh troops. The stress lay upon the Twentieth, TWENTY-FIRST, and Sixty-second regiments, most parts of which were engaged nearly four hours without intermission.... Just as night closed, the enemy gave ground on all sides, and left us completely masters of the field of battle."
Several other actions occurred, and the regiment sustained considerable loss in killed and wounded; among the former were Lieutenants Currie, Mackenzie, Robertson, and Turnbull; and among the latter Captain Ramsay, and Lieutenant Richardson.
The circumstances under which the troops commanded by Lieut.-General Burgoyne eventually became placed, assumed a desperate character; their numbers were reduced to about three thousand five hundred men able to bear arms; they were environed by sixteen thousand Americans; their retreat cut off, and they were short of provisions. Under these accumulated difficulties, they agreed to lay down their arms on condition of being sent to England, and of not serving again in North America during the war. These conditions were, however, violated by the American Congress, and the troops were detained some time in the provinces.
1781
The TWENTY-FIRST regiment having been liberated returned to Europe, and in 1781 it was stationed in Scotland, recruiting its numbers.