General Sir Charles (afterwards Earl) Grey assembled a body of troops at Barbadoes, in January, 1794, for the attack of the French islands, and the flank companies of the TWENTY-FIRST were employed on this service. A landing was effected on the island of Martinique in the early part of February, and after some sharp fighting, in which the regiment had several men killed and wounded, this valuable possession was delivered from the power of the republicans.
From Martinique the grenadiers, under Prince Edward (afterwards Duke of Kent), the light infantry, under Major-General Dundas, and three other corps, embarked on the 30th of March for St. Lucia, where they arrived on the 1st of April, and the conquest of that fine island was completed in three days.
The flank companies of the TWENTY-FIRST were afterwards employed in the reduction of the island of Guadaloupe. A determined resistance was made by the enemy; but the island was captured before the end of April. The regiment had several men killed and wounded; Captain Macdonald was also wounded on the 12th of April.
After the reduction of Guadaloupe, the flank companies of the regiment were removed to Antigua.
The loss of so many valuable colonial possessions was not regarded with indifference by the republican government of France, and in June a French armament arrived at Guadaloupe for the recovery of that island. The negroes and other men of colour flocked to the standard of republicanism; they were instantly armed and clad in uniforms; the doctrines of liberty and equality were disseminated among this motley crowd, which led to a frightful catalogue of crime and bloodshed. The flank companies of the TWENTY-FIRST were called from Antigua to aid in the defence of Guadaloupe; they arrived on the 10th of June in the Winchelsea ship of war, landed on the 19th, at Ance Canot, and were engaged in several arduous services, in which Lieutenants Harry Foley Price, Samuel Knollis, and J. S. Colepeper were wounded; also several private soldiers killed and wounded: but the British troops were not sufficiently numerous to contend with the republican forces.
Lieut.-Colonel Colin Graham of the TWENTY-FIRST was appointed to the command of the troops in Basse Terre, and he defended Beville camp until the 6th of October, when he was forced to surrender, his force having become reduced to one hundred and twenty-five rank and file fit for duty.
Three companies of the ROYAL NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS were engaged in the defence of Fort Matilda, under Lieut.-General Prescott, and the garrison made a resolute resistance, until the place became so much injured by the enemy's fire that it was not tenable, when it was evacuated during the night of the 10th of December. One company of the TWENTY-FIRST occupied the rampart,—the light company, under Lieutenant William Paterson, was stationed on the right of the breach, and the third company, under Captain Mackay, was posted along the Gallion river; they thus covered the embarkation of the garrison and stores, and afterwards retired on board of the fleet. The three companies were reduced by casualties to one captain, three lieutenants, six serjeants, and ninety-two rank and file. Lieut.-General Prescott stated in his despatch,—"During the whole progress of this long and painful siege, the officers and men under my command have conducted themselves in such a manner as to deserve my warmest praise; bearing their hardships with the utmost patience, and performing their duty with alacrity."
General the Honorable James Murray died in this year, and King George III. nominated Major-General James Hamilton from the Fifteenth regiment, to the colonelcy of the TWENTY-FIRST FUSILIERS.
1795
1796
In addition to the casualties in action, the regiment also sustained, during its services in the West Indies, severe loss from the yellow fever, and in 1796 it returned to England much reduced in numbers; it landed at Portsmouth, and proceeded from thence to Scotland, where it commenced active measures for completing its ranks with recruits.