Royal Warrants and Commendations

George R.
WHEREAS we have thought fit that a regiment of foot be forthwith formed under your command, and conisit of ten companies, each to contain one captain, one lieutenant, one ensign, three serjeants, three corporals, two drummers, and one hundred effective private men; which said regiment shall be partly formed out of six independent companies of foot in the Highlands of North Britain, three of which are now commanded by captains, and three by captain-lieutenants. Our will and pleasure therefore is, that one serjeant, one corporal, and fifty private men, be forthwith taken out of the three companies commanded by captains, and ten men from each of the three companies commanded by captain-lieutenants, making one hundred and eighty men, who are to be equally distributed into the four companies hereby ordrered to be raised, and the three serjeants and three corporals drafted as aforesaid, to be placed to such of the four companies as you shall judge prroper, and the remainder of the non-commissioned officers and private men, wanting to complete them to the above number, to be raised in the Highlands with all possible speed; the men to be natives of that country, and none other to be taken.

The regiment shall commence and take place according to the establishment thereof. And of these our orders and commands, you, and the said three captains and three captain-lieutenants commanding at present the six independant Highland companies, and all others concerned, are to take notice, and yield obedience thereto accordingly.

Given, &c., (Signed) Wm. Yonge

Royal Warrant, 22 July, 1758

GEORGE R.
We being desirous to distinguish our Forty-Second Regiment of Foot, with some mark of Our Royal favour, Our Will and Pleasure therefore is, and we do hereby direct, that from henceforth Our said regiment be called, and distinguished by the title and name of Our 'Forty-Second, or Royal Highland Regiment of Foot', in all commissions, orders, and writings, that shall hereafter be made out, or issued for and concerning the said regiment.

Given at Our Court at Kensington this 22nd day of July 1758, in the thirty-second year of Our reign.

By His Majesty's command, (Signed) Barrington

Inspection Returns

42d Foot - Reviewed at Dublin 26th June, 1769. Officers-Uniform with gold embroidered buttonholes and epaulettes. Lappeled to the waist with dark blue, small round sleeve with blue cuffs. Buttons numbered. White lining. Waistcoat white. Kilted plaids in place of breeches. Blue bonnets in place of hats with black ostrich feathers. Accoutrements - Of black leather, bad, but according to King's regulations. Cartidge boxes with black leather straps to fix them on.

Reviewed at Waterford 30 May 1775. Officers - Dark Blue facings with gold laced buttonholes and epaulettes. Buttons numbered. Lappels, Cuffs, Waistcoats, Belted plaids, Hose and Blue Bonnets as per regulations. Grenadiers - Did not have swords, the Battalion men declining to wear them. All preferred the bayonets. Shoulder belts received in 1772. They had a good band of ten 1775.

Reviewed at Philadelphia, 30 Jan 1778 by Col. Stirling: (1st Bn) The arms in general not good order & wanting some reparis, the accoutrements bad. The necessities compleated to at least 4 good Shirts 2 pr. Shoes & all the small articles - the new Coats have veen on for sometime but not alter'd. - The Regt. to have white Breetches & long blue gaters, but they are not all made yet. The new Bonnets are cock'd & an, - The men wear Philabegs [Kilts] yet, made of their old Plaids. (Capt. Peebles' Diary)

Letters of commendation

Brunswick, 1st March, 1777
EARL CORWALLIS'S ORDERS.
The General desires that an extraorinary day's rum may immediately be given to the Forty-Second Regiment, for its gallant conduct in repulsing and defeatings upwards of three thousand of the enemy, with considerable loss.

Brunswick, 14th May, 1777
EARL CORWALLIS'S ORDERS.
His Excellency the commander-in-cheif has requested Earl Cornwallis to communicate his thanks to the Forty-Second Regiment, for its spirited behaviour on the 10th instant, when it defeated a body of the enemy much superior to itself in numbers; and he his much pleased with the alertness with which the second brigade got under arms to support the Forty-Second Regiment.

Head Quarters, New York, 5th October, 1779
Sir,
The commander-in-chief requests you will signify to the Forty-Second Regiment his acknowledgments for the cheerfulness whith which they have persevered in their labours at your posts; he would wish to relieve them, but the arrangements, by which the whole army have their proportion of employment, will not permit it for the present. He therefore trusts that their wonted zeal will inspire them with patience for a little time, relying on his assurance that he will give them a respite as soon as possible. (Signed) John Andre, A.A.G.
To Major Graham

Charlestown, 20th May, 1780
MAJOR-GENERAL LESLIE'S ORDERS.
Major-General Leslie begs Major Graham will make it known to the Forty-Second Regiment, how much he holds himself indebted to them for their good conduct at so critical a period as the taking of Charlestown. He embraces this opportunity to return Major Graham and the regiment his sincerest thanks, for that regularity and soldierly behaviour which has ever distinguished the Royal Highlanders, and which has been so consipicuous on their occasion.

Philadelphia, 16th October, 1766
Captain Thomas Stirling, having presented a memorial to the Commander in Chief, of the officers and men of the Detachment under his command, for an allowance to be made for them, for their extraordinary trouble and fatigue in taking possession of the Illinois; which memorial His Excellency has transmitted to His Majesty but has not recieved any answer, however Captain Stirling has this day recieved a Letter from the Commander in Chief desiring him to return his thanks to the Officers and men of that Detachment for their Services on that Expedition and mentions that he is in hopes from the reasonableness of the request that some allowances be made them; the men of the detachment to be made acquainted with this order this evening at Retreat beating. in Chief

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