The 76th Regiment of Foot (MacDonald's Highlanders), sometimes referred to as 'MacDonnell's Highlanders' after its colonel, John MacDonnell of Lochgarry, was a Scottish

Light Infantry Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...

regiment raised in the west of Scotland and

western isles The Outer Hebrides () or Western Isles ( gd, Na h-Eileanan Siar or or ("islands of the strangers"); sco, Waster Isles), sometimes known as the Long Isle/Long Island ( gd, An t-Eilean Fada, links=no), is an island chain off the west coast ...

of Scotland in 1777.

History

The regiment, which was raised in the west of Scotland and

of Scotland on 25 December 1777, by the

Clan MacDonald Clan Donald, also known as Clan MacDonald ( gd, Clann Dòmhnaill; Mac Dòmhnaill ), is a Highland Scottish clan and one of the largest Scottish clans. The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry i ...

, consisted of seven companies of Highlanders: two of Lowlanders and an

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

company. It was presented with its colours at Inverness in March 1778 and moved into barracks at Fort George. In March 1779 it moved to

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...

where, following a dispute over their pay and bounty payment, soldiers from the regiment took part in the Burntisland mutiny of March 1779, whilst under the command of Major

John Sinclair, 11th Earl of Caithness John Sinclair, 11th Earl of Caithness (died 1789) was a Scottish noble, Earl of Caithness and chief of the Clan Sinclair, a Highland Scottish clan. John was the eldest son of William Sinclair, 10th Earl of Caithness who died in 1779. John Sincla ...

(Lord Berridale), after which it was transferred to

Jersey Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label= Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west France. It is the l ...

in the

Channel Islands The Channel Islands ( nrf, Îles d'la Manche; french: îles Anglo-Normandes or ''îles de la Manche'') are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, ...

and embarked for New York in August 1779. Sinclair, the Earl of Caithness was himself badly wounded during the

Siege of Charleston The siege of Charleston was a major engagement and major British victory in the American Revolutionary War, fought in the environs of Charles Town (today Charleston), the capital of South Carolina, between March 29 and May 12, 1780. The Britis ...

, which took place from March to May 1780, where American and French forces were defeated. The regiment campaigned from March 1781, under the command of Major

Francis Needham, 1st Earl of Kilmorey Francis Needham, 1st Earl of Kilmorey (5 April 1748 – 21 November 1832), known as Francis Needham until 1818 and as The Viscount Kilmorey from 1818 to 1822, was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Member of Parliament. Kilmorey was the third son of Joh ...

(who was also the regimental Colonel of the 86th Foot) in the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

and fought at the Battle of Black Swamp in June 1781,Döhla, pp. 153–154 and the

Battle of Green Spring The Battle of Green Spring took place near Green Spring Plantation in James City County, Virginia during the American Revolutionary War. On July 6, 1781 United States Brigadier General "Mad" Anthony Wayne, leading the advance forces of the Ma ...

in July 1781 where they defeated the French Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette. The regiment was captured in the

Siege of Yorktown The Siege of Yorktown, also known as the Battle of Yorktown, the surrender at Yorktown, or the German battle (from the presence of Germans in all three armies), beginning on September 28, 1781, and ending on October 19, 1781, at Yorktown, Virgi ...

three months later in October. It was split up and the troops were interned at various locations throughout

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. Following the end of the war, in 1783, it returned to Scotland and was commanded by Sir Robert Stuart. The regiment was finally disbanded at Stirling Castle in March 1784.

Colonels

Colonels of the regiment were as follows: *1777–1784: Col John MacDonnell of Lochgarry ''* disbanded 1784''

References

Sources

* * * {{Regiments of Foot Infantry regiments of the British Army Scottish regiments 1777 establishments in Scotland Military units and formations established in 1777 Military units and formations disestablished in 1784 1784 disestablishments in Scotland History of the Scottish Highlands History of the Outer Hebrides