64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot - Napoleonic Wars

Napoleonic Wars

Following the defeat in America, the 64th remained in Jamaica for two years, returning to England in 1783. Four years later the regiment was stationed in Ireland, before sailing once more for the West Indies in 1793 at the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars. At the end of the Seven Years' War both Martinique and Guadeloupe had been returned to France under the terms of the Treaty of Paris. From Barbados the 64th Foot took part in the invasion of Martinique in early 1794. As before the flank companies were detached from the rest of the regiment but all three elements were involved in the actions in Martinique. This short but successful campaign earned the regiment its second battle honour, Martinique 1794 —although as with the earlier Guadeloupe honour, it was not actually awarded until 1909.

The light and grenadier companies were involved in the capture, shortly afterwards, of St Lucia and the recapture of Guadeloupe. A short period as garrison duty followed and then the regiment returned to England, severely weakened by both losses in battle and sickness, mostly yellow fever. Sir Charles Grey, commander of the British forces in the West Indies, estimated that he had lost 5,000 out of 7,000 troops in less than six months.

The regiment returned to England in 1795, before moving to Gibraltar and then Ireland, where it played a minor part in suppressing the 1798 rebellion. The 64th returned to England in 1800.

Within months the 64th had returned to the West Indies for a campaign of seizing islands held by, variously, France, The Netherlands and Denmark. The first island to fall was the Franco-Dutch island of Saint Martin. This was followed by the Dutch island of St Eustatius and the Danish islands of Saint Thomas, Saint John and Saint Croix. With the signing of the Treaty of Amiens, which restored to France and its allies all territories conquered by the British, the 64th were withdrawn to Barbados. Peace did not last long and in 1803 war with France broke out again. The 64th was immediately in action being part of an expeditionary force that took St Lucia, earning the battle honour St Lucia 1803 — the award of this honour was more timely, it being awarded in 1818. The expedition continued onto the South American mainland with the capture of Dutch held Surinam in 1804. A fourth battle honour, Surinam, was awarded — again in 1818. Garrison duties kept the 64th in Surinam for the next nine years meaning that the regiment played no further part in the Napoleonic Wars.

A move to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1813 found the 64th providing the funeral guard for James Lawrence, Captain of the USS Chesapeake after the capture of the Chesapeake. In 1815 the regiment returned to Europe to be sent to France as part of the Army of Occupation after the Battle of Waterloo.