Show a dh is TOR w adwa L I 1 ak am M POP 4 ka 7 A A ar 5 V 2 M AC 2 C T V ff ap M 0 bray black watch at ticonderoga courtesy glens falls insurance company black watch at bushy run and sketch of black watch uniform f from born yale vale university press pageant of america 4 by ELMO SCOTT WATSON B F P ALL the military organizations A which served la in wars on oil the north f american continent few were more fa picturesque or had a more romantic 4 history and none probably ever engaged in more desperate forlorn hopes than those which at least twice fell to the lot of the regiment officially designated as the forty second r foot a line regiment in the armies ot of his majesty the king of 0 england also known as tile the forty second highlanders High landers but best remembered its as the black watch tile the clack black watch according to CL AI 21 bomberger editor of the jeannette pa nihls dispatch who has made a special study of this regiment and one of its famous battles was organized by the ung king of england in 1720 1729 with specially picked men from the highlands of scotland for the purpose of maintaining order la in that turbulent region and in 1739 was made a line regiment ment the forty second foot they were disbanded in 1713 1743 but were enrolled again at the outbreak of the french and indian war the uniform ot of the black watch according to a description of the grenadiers grena diers of the biegl in 1751 Is described as follows head dress a grenadier bearskin with scarlet visor white stock scarlet jacket and waistcoat with white lace face trimmings sliver silver buttons and bull buff collar and culls black leather sword belt and car touch box and belt tan leather sporran murray of athol belted plaid red and white hose and black leather shoes this was the same uniform worn by the other companies of the black during their period of service in america except the headdress was a blue bonnet with checkered border and tuft taft of feathers and black watch tartan belted plaid the reason tor for the name black watch lies in the fact that the hilts were dyed in such a manner as to include the colors of a number of scottish clans until finally it became almost black hence the name black watch incidentally they were the only regiment in which the pipers wore the stuart tartan upon its arrival in america the black watch under tinder the command of maj alaj duncan campbell campbel of 0 Inver awe was included in the army of 60 british regulars and provincial troops which bich lord pitt the great british prime minister was sending under the command of gen james abercromby a heavy man infirm in body and mind a Teri veritable table wooden pole wearing a cocked hat up the historic water route of the hudson and lake champlain to strike at the heart of new france and capture Mori montreal treal but this magnificent force was doomed to inglorious defeat and before the campaign ended the black watch was to experience a sickening and useless slaughter which was to all but wipe it out of existence for despite the fact that the french had available only about men to face ace tills this imposing array they were commanded by a military genius marquis blar quis de montcalm Blont calm although blont ealm had little hope of being able to hold fort ticonderoga the key to possession of that region he prepared to put up the best resistance si possible v ith fill his big small force arriving near ticonderoga abercrombis Abercrom bys army pushed on to find Blont calms troops behind breastworks on the crest of a small hill west ot of the main tort fort awaiting their attal attack abercromby foolishly decided to use his superior forces in trying to carry these works by storm instead of flanking the french and laying siege to tile the fort or bringing up his big artillery and reducing its defenses ile he even gave orders that not a shot was to be fired but that the works were to be carried at the point of the bayonet soon after noon one hot day just years ago july 0 1758 the british troops advanced to the attack in three solid columns the french waited until unlit the redcoats had almost reached the abat Us and then opened ore fire with muskets and cannon As the heads of the column were swept away in that sheet of 0 flame and the repeated volleys continued to deal death in the massed ranks the british were forced to tall fall back into the timber still under ore fire and still losing men at every step when word was sent back to abe abercromby re of what had happened his reply was a repetition of ills his first foolish order so they tried it again and again were hurled back by the deadly fire no less than six times that afternoon did these dauntless british and provincials match march up that hill bill of death only to be cut down by the hell bell of gunfire which swept the slope finally it wits was decided to make one last desper ate attempt upon the extreme right of the position po silon and the black watch was was selected for the as history Illg tory records ts fewer examples of daunt 0 0 I 1 I 1 1 A VP e NA 4 y ik f I 1 94 04 fri C less heroism and useless gallantry than the charge of these scottish ill highlanders High I landers flanders at ticonderoga under a scattering fire which tore holes in their ranks they steadily advanced across the clearing until they reached the abatgis abatt ls which they tore aside cut down or got over in some way major campbell was shot down but his men pressed on until they reached the breastworks and under a deadly hall of bullets sprang upon them the french gave way at that point temporarily and another campbell with some twenty officers find and men leaped down into the inclosure olure hut but montcalm hurled a body of reserve troops at the breach which the highlanders High landers had made and those inside the breastworks were trapped disdaining to ask lor for quarter with their backs to the wall they fought disparately until they were bayoneted where they stood those on the outside ho wei e attempting to climb the breastworks were hurled back and they retreated sullenly carrying their r wounded commander with them As they retreated the french cheered them for they he had seen an act ot of deathless heroism out of a thousand soldiers of the clack black watch who hurled themselves against the french defenses only Z 33 came out unwounded the total british loss in that slaughter pen was regulars regular and provincials blued and wounded Blont calms loss was only abercromby ordered a retreat to headquarters on the hudson the grand expedition which had set out from lake george so proudly two days before had find failed miserably one of the most interesting incidents connected connect el ei with the he part played by the clack black watch at ticonderoga Is the legend of Inver awe one of the most famous ghost stories in all history here Is that story as told in Park mans montcalm and wolfe the th ancient castle ot of Inver awe stands by the banks of the awe in the midst of 0 the wild and picturesque scenery of the western highlands late one evening eveylne even lne before the middle ot of the last century as the laird duncan campbell sat alone in the old hall there was a loud knocking on the gate end and opening it he saw a stranger with torn clothing cloth lne and kilt be smeared with blood who in a breathless voice begged tor for an asylum ile he went on to say that ho he had killed a man in it a fray ray and that the pursuers were at his heels campbell promised to shelter him swear on your dirk said the stranger and campbell swore ile he then led him to a secret recess in the depths of the castle scarcely was lie he hidden when again there was a loud knocking at the gate and two armed men appeared your cousin donald has been murdered and we are looking for the murder murderers erl campbell remembering his oath professed to have no knowledge of the fugitive and the men went on their way the laird in great agitation lay down to rest in a large dark room where at length ho he fell ell asleep waking suddenly in bewilderment and terror he saw the ghost of 0 the murdered donald standing by his bedside and heard a hollow voice pronounce the words Inver awe Inver awe blood his ban been abed shield not the murderer in the morning campbell went to the hiding place of 0 I 1 the he guilty man and told him that he be could harbor him no longer you have sworn on your birkl he replied and the laird of 0 Inver awe awo greatly perplexed and troubled made a compromise between conflicting duties promised not to betray his guest led him to the neighboring mountain ben bell craach an and bid him in it a cave in the next liti night lit as he lay tossing in feverish slumber the same stern voice awoke him the ghost ot of his hie cousin donald stood again at his bedside and again bo be hoard heard the same appalling words I Inver awa Inver awe blood has been shed shia shield d not the murderer at break of 0 day lie ho hastened in strange agitation to tho the cave but it was empty the stranger had gone at night as lie strove astrov I 1 in vain to sleep the vision appeared once more ghastly pale but less stern ot of aspect than before farewell it said amid farewell till we me meet et at TICONDEROGA I tho the strange name dwelt in campbells Camp bella memory lie ito had joined the black watch or forty second regiment then employed in keeping order in t tho he turbulent highlands in time he became its major and in it a year or two after the war broke out he ha went with it to america hero to his horror lie ho learned that he was ordered to the attack of Ti ticonderoga conder oga ills hla story was well known among his brother officers they combined among themselves to disarm his tears fears and when they reached the fatal spot they told him on the eve vo of 0 the battle this is ID not ticonderoga wo are not thero there yet title this la is fort george but in tho the morning ho he caha to them with haggard looks 1 I have seen himl you have deceived met he came to my tent last lama night this la Is I 1 shall die today and his bis prediction w va as fulfilled when the news of tile the heroism of 0 the clack black watch reached england the kink king as a reward for their deed renamed the regiment the royal highlanders High landers after the end of the disastrous abercromby expedition the remnants ot of tho the sli shattered clack black watch regiment were stationed in albany until the summer of vi kihen lien th they ey were ordered to pennsylvania to tale take part rt in the expedition tion cwb vi alch col henry bouquet was to lead to the relief of fort alitt which was vas then besieged siegel li by Ponti pontiacs Pon llaca acs indians bouquet set out from carlisle pa at the end ot of june with ll a force of a little more than men composed of a detachment 0 his own regiments regiment the sixtieth regiment of royal americans cans a detach detachment meni if of the sev seventy nty sev seventh bilth regiment regle regie highlander s and ad the ih e forty second reg regiment of royal e black watch and a detachment of rangers by august 5 bouquet was nearing his big goal about noon of that hat day after a forced march of 17 miles through the hot forests bouquet had reached a s place called edge hill ag I 1 miles from fort pitt when his ls advance guard wasal was attacked tacked by the indians the two light infantry companies of the black watch went to their support und and scattered the indians put but immediately the savages came swarming back and within a short time bouquets little army was surrounded and fighting for their lives behind a hastily constructed defense on top of tiie the hill when daylight came the indians resumed ned their attack more fiercely than ever ever bouquet saw that it was only a matter of time lime until the fire of fhe enemy would cut town down his big force until the few that were left could not withstand the charge charef that was sure to come deciding to wager everything on one stroke ji lie he executed oneff one of the he most daring maneuvers maneuvers in lits history forT th the tw two companies ot of highlanders High landers withdrew with drek suddenly from fr oni the line retreated across the hill and an d entered li i little rapine 1 vi alch ran filo along bg one side of the therill hIlL seeing this ih movement the indians believed that a general re treat ireat was about to begin and came whooping out into the open this was just what bouquet wanted wante d As the mass of savages struck the weakened deallen ed line that had extended across the hill when them the high landers left and forced it if back the black watch came charging out of the ravine anthe on the flaak of the enemy and as the killed soldiers bore down upon them with I 1 their heir bayonets the indians knew that they had been trapped but it was too late then for bouquet again broke his line threw two companies of light infantry try out odthe circle on tile the other flank and th e savages ae were r citi caught glit between the two forces within a few colu utes bouquet was in full possession of the held fled but at it a terrible cost A II 11 officers Oti cers and men nearly a fourth of his army was killed kil ledor or wounded the heaviest loss was wal that of the black watch which had bad 23 25 killed and ST abu but they had helped save bouquet pushed on to the relief of port fort Pit tand soan afterwards Pont lacs conspiracy collapsed gatei the black watch went on bouquets expedition into the ohio country coun try which put the wow blow to indian liosi litY and a detachment of this same regiment went down the oble to 10 fort in the illinois country to tb receive the surrender of that post from the french who had not yet given it up lip in accordance with the terms of the treaty which ended the Fren french chand and indian war tile the regiment passed the following winter in pennsylvania and mas vms then ordered home reduced to almost a ikc skeleton leton oi of its 16 original strength the black watch embarked at philadelphia for ireland in july during the seven years of the black gerilee sen ice in america and the west indies it had lost it a total of Z und mien ien killed and wounded ded but it find written on oil its banners the names of ticonderoga hill or bushy run and those linna stood ro fo two of the most gallant in all america history |