Page:Historical Record of the Fifty-Sixth, Or the West Essex Regiment of Foot.djvu/33

Rh place, and, advancing in front of his men, to expostulate with the rioters, he was cut down by one of the mob with a scythe; his men fired on the assassin, and several rioters were killed and wounded. A monument was erected to the memory of Major Valloton near the town of Wexford, where the occurrence took place.

In August the regiment marched to Cork, and was held in readiness to proceed on foreign service. The French republicans had added to their other atrocities the decapitation of their sovereign; war had commenced, and the Regiment was selected to join an expedition to the West Indies, under General Sir Charles (afterwards Earl) Grey, to deliver the French West India islands from the power of the republicans. The regiment embarked for this service in November, and sailed for Barbadoes [sic], where it arrived in January, 1794.

The flank companies of the regiment were formed in grenadier and light infantry battalions, and, with the battalion companies, proceeded against the island of Martinico [sic]. A landing was effected at three different points in the early part of February, 1794, and some sharp fighting occurred, in which the, particularly the flank companies, had the honor to take part, and in a short period this valuable island was captured by the British arms. Sir Charles Grey stated in his despatch,—“The general and field officers and the commanding officers of corps, have set such an example of zeal, activity, and animation in this service, which has been so laudably imitated by all the officers and soldiers of this little army, that they merit the greatest praise.”

Leaving the battalion companies at Martinico, the flank companies proceeded with the expedition against St. Lucia, the grenadiers being in the brigade under Prince Edward (afterwards Duke of Kent), and the light