Page:Historical Record of the Fifty-Sixth, Or the West Essex Regiment of Foot.djvu/35

Rh attained so perfect a state of discipline and efficiency, that in the early part of 1796 it proceeded to Barbadoes, from whence it was detached to St. Domingo, where it served under Major-General White, by whom it was employed at the taking of Bombarde in the district of Mole, St. Nicholas, which was captured, and the works destroyed.

On the 24th of January, 1797, Major-General Hulse was removed to the Nineteenth Regiment, and the colonelcy of the was conferred on Major-General the Hon. Chapple Norton, from the Eighty-first Regiment.

In this year the regiment was employed in the district of Grand Ance in the island of St. Domingo; it took part in the attack of Port Jack Thomas, and in the defence of Irois, under Major-General Brent Spencer, also in the attack made on the town of St. Mary’s; after which it returned to Port St. Nicholas. When the island was given up, the regiment proceeded to Jamaica, where it remained until November, 1798, when it embarked from Kingston, for England.

Arriving at Gravesend on the 31st of January, 1799, the regiment landed, and proceeded to Chatham. It was afterwards removed to different counties in England, and active measures were adopted with success to recruit its diminished numbers.

At this period a favorable opportunity appeared to present itself for rescuing Holland from the power of France, into which it had fallen during the early part of 1795, and a plan of co-operation was concerted between Great Britain and Russia, in the expectation that the Dutch would rise against the French, and, aided by the Anglo-Russian force, would exert themselves to effect their emancipation. The being selected to share in this enterprise, joined the troops at Barham Downs on the 31st of July, and in the middle of September embarked at Deal for Holland.

56.