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64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot
The 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army. The regiment was created as the 2nd Battalion, 11th Regiment of Foot in 1756, redesignated as the 64th Regiment of Foot in 1758, and took a county title as the 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot in 1782. Following the Cardwell Reforms the regiment amalgamated with the 98th (Prince of Wales's) Regiment of Foot to become The Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment) in 1881. In the new regiment the 64th Foot became the 1st Battalion due to its seniority over the 98th Foot.
Although the 64th Foot fought in many of the major conflicts of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it was normally in the more minor theatres of these conflicts. During the Seven Years' War it served in the West Indies; in the Napoleonic Wars, its role was limited, again, to the West Indies and South America. In the mid-19th century, it fought in the Anglo-Persian War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857, where one of its soldiers was awarded the Victoria Cross.
The formation of the 64th Foot was prompted by the expansion of the army as a result of the commencement of the Seven Years' War. On 25 August 1756 it was ordered that a number of existing regiments should raise a second battalion; among those chosen was the 11th Regiment of Foot. The 2nd Battalion of the 11th Foot was raised at Southampton on 10 December 1756 before moving to Newcastle upon Tyne. On 21 April 1758 the War Office ordered that the 2nd battalions raised two years previously should become independent regiments in their own right and on that day the 2nd Battalion 11th Foot became the 64th Foot. Shortly after King George II ordered that the dates of seniority of the 64th Foot and the other regiments created on 21 April 1758 should be backdated to the date of their raising as 2nd battalions, therefore the date seniority of the 64th Foot became 1756. The first colonel of the regiment was the Honourable John Barrington and it was he who decided that the facings of the 64th Foot should be black.
Almost immediately after becoming the 64th Foot, the regiment was sent to the West Indies. Upon arrival, in 1759, it took part in the unsuccessful attempt to take Martinique and then in the successful invasion of Guadeloupe. Participation in this action earned the regiment its first battle honour Guadaloupe 1759, though this honour was not actually awarded until 1909. The regiment returned to England in June 1759 severely reduced in numbers by men drafted to other units and by tropical disease. On arrival at Portsmouth only 137 other ranks out of an establishment strength of 790 were fit for duty, though officer strength was almost up to strength. Recovery took a long time and after a brief period in Suffolk the regiment spent three years in the Scottish Highlands and five years in Ireland before sailing for North America in 1768.
The first posting for the 64th in America was Boston, at the time a centre of discontent and an unhappy posting as a result. In 1770 the regiment moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia but in 1772 returned to Boston being stationed at Castle William.
As unrest grew the 64th took place in an incident which lays a claim to the first blood of the American War of Independence being shed in Salem, Massachusetts. On 26 February 1775 a supply of weapons and ammunition was known to be in Salem. The 64th, under their commander Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Leslie, were ordered to seize the weapons. American patriots in Salem were forewarned and tried to prevent the 64th from carrying out their orders. In the scuffle that ensued a local Salem man, Joseph Whicher, was slightly injured by a British bayonet. Negotiations prevented any further bloodshed and the 64th withdrew to Boston, their mission a failure.
On the outbreak of hostilities in April 1775, the 64th was still stationed at Castle William and remained there as the garrison throughout the Siege of Boston. Consequently, the regiment did not take part in the Battle of Bunker Hill. When, in March 1776, the British abandoned Boston, the 64th were the last regiment to depart for Halifax, giving them the distinction of being the last British unit to set foot in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts during the war.
Following the reorganisation of the army the 64th, like most regiments, found itself without its flank (grenadier and light infantry) companies which had been detached to form part of the 2nd Grenadier and 2nd Light Infantry Battalions respectively. All three battalions took part in the 1776 capture of New York and the 64th was engaged in the later Battle of Ridgefield.
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64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot AI simulator
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64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot
The 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army. The regiment was created as the 2nd Battalion, 11th Regiment of Foot in 1756, redesignated as the 64th Regiment of Foot in 1758, and took a county title as the 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot in 1782. Following the Cardwell Reforms the regiment amalgamated with the 98th (Prince of Wales's) Regiment of Foot to become The Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment) in 1881. In the new regiment the 64th Foot became the 1st Battalion due to its seniority over the 98th Foot.
Although the 64th Foot fought in many of the major conflicts of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it was normally in the more minor theatres of these conflicts. During the Seven Years' War it served in the West Indies; in the Napoleonic Wars, its role was limited, again, to the West Indies and South America. In the mid-19th century, it fought in the Anglo-Persian War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857, where one of its soldiers was awarded the Victoria Cross.
The formation of the 64th Foot was prompted by the expansion of the army as a result of the commencement of the Seven Years' War. On 25 August 1756 it was ordered that a number of existing regiments should raise a second battalion; among those chosen was the 11th Regiment of Foot. The 2nd Battalion of the 11th Foot was raised at Southampton on 10 December 1756 before moving to Newcastle upon Tyne. On 21 April 1758 the War Office ordered that the 2nd battalions raised two years previously should become independent regiments in their own right and on that day the 2nd Battalion 11th Foot became the 64th Foot. Shortly after King George II ordered that the dates of seniority of the 64th Foot and the other regiments created on 21 April 1758 should be backdated to the date of their raising as 2nd battalions, therefore the date seniority of the 64th Foot became 1756. The first colonel of the regiment was the Honourable John Barrington and it was he who decided that the facings of the 64th Foot should be black.
Almost immediately after becoming the 64th Foot, the regiment was sent to the West Indies. Upon arrival, in 1759, it took part in the unsuccessful attempt to take Martinique and then in the successful invasion of Guadeloupe. Participation in this action earned the regiment its first battle honour Guadaloupe 1759, though this honour was not actually awarded until 1909. The regiment returned to England in June 1759 severely reduced in numbers by men drafted to other units and by tropical disease. On arrival at Portsmouth only 137 other ranks out of an establishment strength of 790 were fit for duty, though officer strength was almost up to strength. Recovery took a long time and after a brief period in Suffolk the regiment spent three years in the Scottish Highlands and five years in Ireland before sailing for North America in 1768.
The first posting for the 64th in America was Boston, at the time a centre of discontent and an unhappy posting as a result. In 1770 the regiment moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia but in 1772 returned to Boston being stationed at Castle William.
As unrest grew the 64th took place in an incident which lays a claim to the first blood of the American War of Independence being shed in Salem, Massachusetts. On 26 February 1775 a supply of weapons and ammunition was known to be in Salem. The 64th, under their commander Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Leslie, were ordered to seize the weapons. American patriots in Salem were forewarned and tried to prevent the 64th from carrying out their orders. In the scuffle that ensued a local Salem man, Joseph Whicher, was slightly injured by a British bayonet. Negotiations prevented any further bloodshed and the 64th withdrew to Boston, their mission a failure.
On the outbreak of hostilities in April 1775, the 64th was still stationed at Castle William and remained there as the garrison throughout the Siege of Boston. Consequently, the regiment did not take part in the Battle of Bunker Hill. When, in March 1776, the British abandoned Boston, the 64th were the last regiment to depart for Halifax, giving them the distinction of being the last British unit to set foot in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts during the war.
Following the reorganisation of the army the 64th, like most regiments, found itself without its flank (grenadier and light infantry) companies which had been detached to form part of the 2nd Grenadier and 2nd Light Infantry Battalions respectively. All three battalions took part in the 1776 capture of New York and the 64th was engaged in the later Battle of Ridgefield.