"42 Highlanders" Topic

Favorite action involving the 42nd Highlanders in the AWI.

I think mine is Long Island, with Monmouth in second place, Bill. Purely for wargaming reasons: Monmouth was the first time my 42nd saw action on a wargames table; Long Island was the game in which the 42nd managed to breach the American fortifications and almost won the war. That puts Long Island in front for me..

Monmouth: it is a very interesting battle and there are two days to the fight so, two games connected. Great fun.

I always had a fondness for an incident that occurred during the eastern assault that accompanied the Hessian attack on Fort Washington in late 1776. Apparently, one of the 42nd's officers (was it Stirling the CO?) was rather portly, and had to be carried up the steep slope on either a chair, or some mess of muskets and a blanket, by a group of his men – whilst under enemy fire, of course!

Brooklyn Heights.

Apparently, one of the 42nd's officers (was it Stirling the CO?) was rather portly, and had to be carried up the steep slope on either a chair, or some mess of muskets and a blanket, by a group of his men

No one can say we are living in a Golden Age until a manufacturer makes figures depicting this. Though in fairness to Airfix they did come pretty close:

(Image taken from the Plastic Soldier Review link )

It was, according to David Stewart of Garth, Major Murray of Lintrose. No chairs or blankets were necessary. When he got into difficulties scrambling up the bluffs in the diversionary attack on 16th November, he cried out to his men, "Soldiers, will you leave me?" Whereupon a handful of Highlanders climbed back down and gave a boost to get the Major up to the top.

It was Murray who, according to Stewart (Caveat emptor), ran into three American stragglers on the night of the Kip's Bay Landings, and after fending them off for a while with his fusil but apparently unable to reach around for his bayonet due to his large girth, grabbed a sword off one and held them off till others came to his rescue.

Strangest of all, Stewart assigns Murray to the Light Company, which doesn't add up for a number of reasons, the most obvious- being obvious.

The fights on Manhattan in 1776 are among my favourite actions of the 42nd: 'Harlem Heights,' so-called, with the sequel a month later, the attack on Fort Washington.

I believe Fort Washington was their most costly encounter in terms of overall casualties; The 42nd took more casualties there than at Monmouth CH; about 80 all told, with 11 dead; and at Harlem Heights were more heavily engaged than at Long Island, with about 55 casualties all told.

The running battles through the woods, showed the Highland Watch at their best when morale was high and the game to be won.

The fierce skirmishes in New Jersey during the so-called 'Forage War' for instance at Pisquatawa and Drake's Farm are stirring stuff as well.

'Pisquataway' – you got to love the name alone.