The 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...

. The regiment was created as the 2nd Battalion,

11th Regiment of Foot 11 (eleven) is the natural number following 10 and preceding 12. It is the first repdigit. In English, it is the smallest positive integer whose name has three syllables. Name "Eleven" derives from the Old English ', which is first atteste ...

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) The North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, which was in existence between 1881 and 1959. The 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot was created on 21 April 1758 from the 2nd Battalio ...

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 The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...

it served in the West Indies; in the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fre ...

, its role was limited, again, to the West Indies and South America. In the mid-19th century, it fought in the

Anglo-Persian War The Anglo-Persian War or the Anglo-Iranian War () lasted between 1 November 1856 and 4 April 1857, and was fought between the United Kingdom and Iran, which was ruled by the Qajar dynasty. The war had the British oppose an attempt by Iran to ...

and the

Indian Rebellion of 1857 The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the for ...

, where one of its soldiers was awarded the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previousl ...

History

Formation

The formation of the 64th Foot was prompted by the expansion of the army as a result of the commencement of the

Cook Cook or The Cook may refer to: Food preparation * Cooking, the preparation of food * Cook (domestic worker), a household staff member who prepares food * Cook (professional), an individual who prepares food for consumption in the food industry * ...

p. 1. On 25 August 1756 it was ordered that a number of existing regiments should raise a second

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions ...

; among those chosen was the

. The 2nd Battalion of the 11th Foot was raised at

Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...

on 10 December 1756 before moving to

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...

. On 21 April 1758 the

War Office The War Office was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Defence (MoD). This article contains text from ...

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. Cooper (2003) p. 29. 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,

p. 2. therefore the date seniority of the 64th Foot became 1756. The first

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

of the regiment was the Honourable John Barrington and it was he who decided that the

facings A facing colour is a common tailoring technique for European military uniforms where the visible inside lining of a standard military jacket, coat or tunic is of a different colour to that of the garment itself.René Chartrand, William Younghusb ...

of the 64th Foot should be black.

p. 3.

Seven Years' War

Almost immediately after becoming the 64th Foot, the regiment was sent to the

West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greate ...

. Cooper (2004) p. 10. Upon arrival, in 1759, it took part in the unsuccessful attempt to take

Martinique Martinique ( , ; gcf, label= Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in ...

and then in the successful invasion of Guadeloupe.

p. 6. Participation in this action earned the regiment its first

battle honour A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In European military t ...

''Guadaloupe 1759'', though this honour was not actually awarded until 1909.

Rodger Rodger is a surname, and is a variant of Roger as a first name. First name * Rodger Arneil, Scottish rugby union player * Rodger Bain, British former record producer * Rodger Bumpass, American voice actor and actor *Rodger Corser, Australian actor ...

p. 74. 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 Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most d ...

only 137 other ranks out of an establishment strength of 790 were fit for duty,

p. 8. 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.

North America and the American War of Independence

The first posting for the 64th in America was

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, at the time a centre of discontent and an unhappy posting as a result.

p. 9. In 1770 the regiment moved to

Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348,634 people in its urban area. Th ...

but in 1772 returned to Boston being stationed at

Castle William Fort Independence is a granite bastion fort that provided harbor defenses for Boston, Massachusetts. Located on Castle Island, Fort Independence is one of the oldest continuously fortified sites of English origin in the United States.Wilson, 3 ...

. As unrest grew the 64th took place in an incident which lays a claim to the first blood of the

American War of Independence 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 ...

being shed in

Salem, Massachusetts Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, located on the North Shore (Massachusetts), North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem would become one of the ...

p. 10. On 26 February 1775 a supply of weapons and ammunition was known to be in Salem. Commager p. 64. The 64th, under their commander

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colon ...

Alexander Leslie Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven (15804 April 1661) was a Scottish soldier in Swedish and Scottish service. Born illegitimate and raised as a foster child, he subsequently advanced to the rank of a Swedish Field Marshal, and in Scotland bec ...

, 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 A bayonet (from French ) is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on the end of the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar firearm, allowing it to be used as a spear-like weapon.Brayley, Martin, ''Bayonets: An Illustr ...

. 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 The siege of Boston (April 19, 1775 – March 17, 1776) was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War. New England militiamen prevented the movement by land of the British Army, which was garrisoned in what was then the peninsular town ...

. Consequently, the regiment did not take part in the

Battle of Bunker Hill The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775, during the Siege of Boston in the first stage of the American Revolutionary War. The battle is named after Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts, which was peripherally involved in ...

. 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 Massachusetts ( Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' E ...

during the war. Following the reorganisation of the army the 64th, like most regiments, found itself without its flank (

grenadier A grenadier ( , ; derived from the word ''grenade'') was originally a specialist soldier who threw hand grenades in battle. The distinct combat function of the grenadier was established in the mid-17th century, when grenadiers were recruited from ...

and

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 foug ...

)

companies A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared go ...

which had been detached to form part of the 2nd Grenadier and 2nd Light Infantry Battalions respectively.

p. 11. All three battalions took part in the 1776 capture of New York and the 64th was engaged in the later

Battle of Ridgefield The Battle of Ridgefield was a battle and a series of skirmishes between American and British forces during the American Revolutionary War. The main battle was fought in the village of Ridgefield, Connecticut, on April 27, 1777. More skirmishin ...

p. 13. In 1777 all three units participated in the

Philadelphia campaign The Philadelphia campaign (1777–1778) was a British effort in the American Revolutionary War to gain control of Philadelphia, which was then the seat of the Second Continental Congress. British General William Howe, after failing to dra ...

, taking part in the

Battle of Brandywine The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American Continental Army of General George Washington and the British Army of General William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, Sir William Howe on September& ...

, the

Battle of Paoli The Battle of Paoli (also known as the Battle of Paoli Tavern or the Paoli Massacre) was a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on September 20, 1777, in the area surrounding present-day Malvern, Pennsylva ...

and the

Battle of Germantown The Battle of Germantown was a major engagement in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War. It was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania, between the British Army led by Sir William Howe, and the American Con ...

p. 15. Remaining in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

over the winter and into 1778, the 64th and 2nd Grenadier Battalion formed part of the rearguard when

Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Clinton evacuated the city in June 1778.

p. 17. Returning to New York, the 64th took part in several small operations. The Light company took part in the skirmish that became known as the

Baylor Massacre The "Baylor Massacre" (also "Skirmish Near Tappan", "Rebel Post Near Old Tapan", "Tappan Massacre", and "Raid on Old Tappan") was a British attack on September 27, 1778, which surprised the 3rd Regiment of Continental Light Dragoons under the c ...

p. 18. November 1779 saw all the companies of the regiment being transferred to the Southern theatre of operations. In April 1780 the 64th was part of the covering force besieging Charleston, while the grenadier and light companies formed part of the main siege force.

p. 19. After the capture of Charleston, the grenadier and light companies were withdrawn to New York and as

Major-General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Cornwallis Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, (31 December 1738 – 5 October 1805), styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as the Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army general and official. In the United S ...

began to advance on Virginia, the 64th remained in Carolina as guard troops. In 1781 the 64th were involved in the

Battle of Eutaw Springs The Battle of Eutaw Springs was a battle of the American Revolutionary War, and was the last major engagement of the war in the Carolinas. Both sides claimed victory. Background In early 1781, Major General Nathanael Greene, commander of the ...

p. 22. and a year later in one of the last actions of the war, the Battle of the Combahee River. The grenadier company was reunited with the 64th but the light company was among the units that surrendered with Cornwallis at Yorktown. In December 1782 the regiment left America for Jamaica. Back in England, a change occurred in army policy, to hopefully increase recruiting, infantry regiments were given additional territorial titles. The 64th became the 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Foot Cooper (2003) p. 30. and began its long association with the

city of Lichfield Lichfield () is a cathedral city and civil parish in Staffordshire, England. Lichfield is situated roughly south-east of the county town of Stafford, south-east of Rugeley, north-east of Walsall, north-west of Tamworth and south-west of ...

as the depot companies moved there and soon after began to wear the Staffordshire Knot on its uniform.

p. 23.

Napoleonic Wars

An officer of the 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot

Following the defeat in America, the 64th remained in

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispa ...

for two years, returning to England in 1783. Four years later the regiment was stationed in Ireland, before sailing once more for the West Indies in 1793 at the outbreak of the

. At the end of the Seven Years' War both Martinique and Guadeloupe had been returned to France under the terms of the Treaty of Paris. From

Barbados Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estima ...

the 64th Foot took part in the invasion of

in early 1794. As before the flank companies were detached from the rest of the regiment but all three elements were involved in the actions in Martinique. This short but successful campaign earned the regiment its second battle honour, ''Martinique 1794'' —although as with the earlier Guadeloupe honour, it was not actually awarded until 1909.

p. 75. The light and grenadier companies were involved in the capture, shortly afterwards, of

St Lucia Saint Lucia ( acf, Sent Lisi, french: Sainte-Lucie) is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. The island was previously called Iouanalao and later Hewanorra, names given by the native Arawaks and Caribs, two Amerindi ...

and the recapture of Guadeloupe.

p. 26. A short period as garrison duty followed and then the regiment returned to England, severely weakened by both losses in battle and sickness, mostly

yellow fever Yellow fever is a viral disease of typically short duration. In most cases, symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains – particularly in the back – and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. ...

. Sir Charles Grey, commander of the British forces in the West Indies, estimated that he had lost 5,000 out of 7,000 troops in less than six months. The regiment returned to England in 1795, before moving to

Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = "Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gibr ...

and then Ireland, where it played a minor part in suppressing the

1798 rebellion The Irish Rebellion of 1798 ( ga, Éirí Amach 1798; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ''The Hurries'') was a major uprising against British rule in Ireland. The main organising force was the Society of United Irishmen, a Irish republicanism, ...

. The 64th returned to England in 1800.

p. 27. Within months the 64th had returned to the West Indies for a campaign of seizing islands held by, variously, France, The Netherlands and Denmark. The first island to fall was the Franco-Dutch island of Saint Martin. This was followed by the Dutch island of

St Eustatius Sint Eustatius (, ), also known locally as Statia (), is an island in the Caribbean. It is a special municipality (officially "public body") of the Netherlands. The island lies in the northern Leeward Islands portion of the West Indies, sout ...

and the Danish islands of Saint Thomas, Saint John and Saint Croix. With the signing of the

Treaty of Amiens The Treaty of Amiens (french: la paix d'Amiens, ) temporarily ended hostilities between France and the United Kingdom at the end of the War of the Second Coalition. It marked the end of the French Revolutionary Wars; after a short peace it s ...

, which restored to France and its allies all territories conquered by the British, the 64th were withdrawn to Barbados. Peace did not last long and in 1803 war with France broke out again. The 64th was immediately in action being part of an expeditionary force that took St Lucia,

p. 28. earning the battle honour ''St Lucia 1803'' — the award of this honour was more timely, it being awarded in 1818.

p. 40. The expedition continued onto the South American mainland with the capture of Dutch held Surinam in 1804.

p. 30. A fourth battle honour, ''Surinam'', was awarded — again in 1818. Garrison duties kept the 64th in Surinam for the next nine years meaning that the regiment played no further part in the Napoleonic Wars. Cooper (2003) p. 31. A move to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1813 found the 64th providing the funeral guard for

James Lawrence James Lawrence (October 1, 1781 – June 4, 1813) was an officer of the United States Navy. During the War of 1812, he commanded in a single-ship action against , commanded by Philip Broke. He is probably best known today for his last words, ...

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

of the

USS Chesapeake USS ''Chesapeake'' may refer to: *, a 38-gun frigate in commission from 1800 to 1813 *USS ''Chesapeake'', a sloop renamed in 1799 while still under construction, launched in 1799, and sold in 1801 *USS ''Chesapeake'', a bark which served as a tra ...

after the capture of the Chesapeake.

p. 32. In 1815 the regiment returned to Europe to be sent to France as part of the Army of Occupation after the

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armies of the Sevent ...

Years of peace

It was to be 1856 before the regiment found itself on active service again. In the interim there had been a short spell in England, a long posting in

, several years in Ireland, another six-year tour in the West Indies — where once again fever caused much suffering. These were followed by a short three-year tour in Canada which provided one item of note.

p. 39. On the voyage home two companies, under the command of

James Draper, and about 100 women and children were on board the

barque A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts having the fore- and mainmasts rigged square and only the mizzen (the aftmost mast) rigged fore and aft. Sometimes, the mizzen is only partly fore-and-aft rigged, b ...

''Alert'' when the ship hit a reef about 100 miles out of Halifax. The ship was refloated but in a heavy sea was at risk of sinking and was taking on water. The

master Master or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles * Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans *Grandmaster (chess), National Master ...

of the ''Alert'' decided that the only course of action was to beach the vessel but was worried that the ship was becoming top heavy as the troops and their families made for the upper deck. Captain Draper and the troops were persuaded to remain on the troop deck despite the rising water level. The ship was beached on an uninhabited island and all on board were later rescued. The

Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister ...

Commander-in-chief of the British army directed that the story of Captain Draper's detachment be read out to every regiment and corps in the army as an example of the rewards of steadiness and discipline.

p. 40. The two companies were reunited with the rest of the regiment in England, serving in England and Ireland until being posted to India. Based here until 1856 it saw no active service despite being mobilised as part of a Reserve Field Force in

Sindh Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...

in 1852. Cooper (2003) p. 32.

Anglo-Persian War

War between Britain and Persia broke out in 1856 and the 64th, together with the 20th Bombay Native Infantry, formed the 1st Brigade in the expeditionary force assembled for the campaign. Landing in Persia in late November, the regiment took place in battles at Reshire and

Bushire Bushehr, Booshehr or Bushire ( fa, بوشهر ; also romanised as ''Būshehr'', ''Bouchehr'', ''Buschir'' and ''Busehr''), also known as Bandar Bushehr ( fa, ; also romanised as ''Bandar Būshehr'' and ''Bandar-e Būshehr''), previously Antioc ...

. In 1857 the force advanced inland and defeated the Persian field army at Koosh-Ab on 8 February 1857 while the flank companies were involved in action at Ahwaz.

p. 45. Although hostilities lasted for a little over three months, four battle honours were awarded; ''Reshire'', ''Bushire'', ''Koosh-Ab'' and ''Persia''. The 64th were the only British regiment to be awarded all four.

p. 54.

Indian Rebellion

Following the Persian campaign the 64th returned to India arriving in

Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...

only two weeks after the first unrest had occurred in

Meerut Meerut (, IAST: ''Meraṭh'') is a city in Meerut district of the western part of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city lies northeast of the national capital New Delhi, within the National Capital Region and west of the state capital ...

p. 46. The regiment was immediately ordered to take part in the

Cawnpore Kanpur or Cawnpore ( /kɑːnˈpʊər/ pronunciation (help·info)) is an industrial city in the central-western part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Founded in 1207, Kanpur became one of the most important commercial and military stations ...

relief force under Major-General Sir Henry Havelock. The relief force did not reach Cawnpore before the city fell under rebel control, a forced march was therefore ordered and the first clash with the rebel forces occurred at Fatehpur.

p. 47. From there a number of skirmishes took place until the force met with the rebels in a significant engagement at Ahwera on 16 July. It was for his actions in this battle that

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

Henry Havelock Major-General Sir Henry Havelock (5 April 1795 – 24 November 1857) was a British general who is particularly associated with India and his recapture of Cawnpore during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 (First War of Independence, Sepoy Mutiny). ...

of the

10th Foot The Royal Lincolnshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army raised on 20 June 1685 as the Earl of Bath's Regiment for its first Colonel, John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath. In 1751, it was numbered like most other Army regiments ...

was awarded the

. This award created considerable discontent within the 64th as the citation inferred that it was only due to Lt Havelock's actions that the regiment advanced and achieved its objectives. The matter was referred to Sir Colin Campbell, Commander in Chief, India who upheld the complaint raised and voiced strong criticism of staff officers — Havelock was serving as Aide-de-camp to his father — interfering with regimental officers doing their duty.

p. 50. The relief force entered Cawnpore on 17 July 1857. Subsequently, elements of the regiment played a small part in the relief of Lucknow but the majority of the regiment remained in Cawnpore Cooper (2003) p. 34. and it was here that, on 28 November 1857, Drummer Thomas Flinn won the only Victoria Cross awarded to a member of the regiment for tackling two enemy artillerymen despite having been wounded himself. Subsequently, the regiment moved to

Fatehgarh Fatehgarh is a cantonment town in Farrukhabad district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located on the south bank of the Ganges River. It is the administrative headquarters of Farrukhabad District. Fatehgarh derives its name from ...

and remained there for the rest of the campaign until June 1859 when it returned to Bombay.

p. 56. A single battle honour ''Lucknow'' was awarded to the regiment.

p. 55.

Final years and amalgamation

On return from India in 1861, the regiment spent six years in England, moving to

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

in 1867, then Ireland in 1872. In 1874, as part of the

Cardwell Reforms The Cardwell Reforms were a series of reforms of the British Army undertaken by Secretary of State for War Edward Cardwell between 1868 and 1874 with the support of Liberal prime minister William Ewart Gladstone. Gladstone paid little attention ...

, line infantry battalions were linked in pairs, and the 64th formed a joint depot with the 98th (Prince of Wales's) Regiment of Foot at

Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2 ...

. The two regiments were assigned as district no. 20 with a new depot at

Whittington Barracks DMS Whittington, otherwise known as Defence Medical Services Whittington (formerly Whittington Barracks), is a military base in Whittington, Staffordshire, near Lichfield in England. It is home to the Staffordshire Regiment Museum, the Headquart ...

Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, the West Midlands C ...

in 1880. Up to 1879 the 64th was stationed in various parts of the United Kingdom, often performing police duties. The regiment returned to Ireland in 1879, based at

Templemore Templemore () is a town in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Eliogarty. It is part of the parish of Templemore, Clonmore and Killea in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly. The 2011 Cens ...

County Tipperary County Tipperary ( ga, Contae Thiobraid Árann) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary, and was established in the early 13th century, shortly after ...

and it was based here when it was formally amalgamated with the 98th to become the Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire) Regiment on 1 July 1881. Cooper (2003) p. 36. The regiment was renamed The North Staffordshire (The Prince of Wales's) Regiment in 1920. In 1959 the North Staffordshire and

South Staffordshire Regiment The South Staffordshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence for only 68 years. The regiment was created in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 38th (1st Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot an ...

s amalgamated to form

The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's) The Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales') (or simply "Staffords" for short) was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. The regiment was formed in 1959 by the amalgamation of the South Staffordshire Reg ...

. In September 2007 The Staffordshire Regiment amalgamated with the

Cheshire Regiment The Cheshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. The 22nd Regiment of Foot was raised by the Duke of Norfolk in 1689 and was able to boast an independent existence of over 300 years. ...

and the

Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot) (abbreviated as ''WFR'') was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. The regiment served as the county regiment for Derbyshire, Nottingha ...

to form

The Mercian Regiment The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire, Worcesters and Foresters, and Staffords) is an infantry regiment of the British Army, which is recruited from five of the counties that formed the ancient kingdom of Mercia. Known as 'The Heart of England's Infant ...

, in which the Staffords became the 3rd (Staffordshire) Battalion. The black facings worn by the 64th Foot are today commemorated by the use of black backing to chevrons and rank insignia by all

Warrant Officer Warrant officer (WO) is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ranks, the mo ...

s and

Non-commissioned officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...

s of the Mercian Regiment.

Battle honours

Battle honours awarded to the regiment were: * Guadaloupe 1759, Martinique 1794 (both awarded 1909) * St. Lucia 1803, Surinam * Anglo-Persian War: Reshire,

, Koosh-Ab, Persia * Indian Mutiny:

Lucknow Lucknow (, ) is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is also the second largest urban agglomeration in Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and divis ...

Colonels of the Regiment

Colonels of the Regiment were:

64th Regiment of Foot (1756–1782)

*1758–1759: Maj-Gen. Hon. John Barrington *1759: F.M. George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend *1759–1766: Gen. Hon. George Cary *1766–1790: Lt-Gen. John Pomeroy

64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot (1782–1881)

*1790–1808: Gen. John Leland *1808: Lt-Gen. William Anne Vilettes *1808–1816: Gen. Henry Wynyard *1816–1837: Lt-Gen. Sir

William Henry Pringle Lieutenant-General Sir William Henry Pringle GCB (21 August 1772 – 23 December 1840) was a British Army officer who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for two constituencies in Cornwall. He was born the eldest son of Maj-Gen. Henry Pringl ...

, GCB *1837–1855: Gen. Sir

Richard Bourke General Sir Richard Bourke, KCB (4 May 1777 – 12 August 1855), was an Irish-born British Army officer who served as Governor of New South Wales from 1831 to 1837. As a lifelong Whig (Liberal), he encouraged the emancipation of convicts and ...

, KCB *1855–1867: Gen. Sir

James Freeth General Sir James Freeth (5 March 1786 – 19 January 1867) was Quartermaster-General to the Forces. Military career Freeth was commissioned into the 98th Regiment of Foot in 1806. He served in the Peninsular War and in France from 1809 t ...

, KCB, KH *1867–1870: Lt-Gen. Henry Keane Bloomfield *1870–1881: Gen. Charles Algernon Lewis

References

Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment Of Foot Infantry regiments of the British Army North Staffordshire Regiment Military units and formations established in 1756 Military units and formations in Staffordshire Regiments of the British Army in the American Revolutionary War Military units and formations disestablished in 1881