CW7FL-01
John Jenkins Designs
The Royal Fusiliers (city of London Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army which has been in continuous existence for 283 years. It was known as the 7th Regiment of Foot until the Childers Reforms in 1881.
In 1747 the regiment was known as the Royal English Fuziliers and was given the precedence of 7th in the Infantry of the Line. On 1st July 1751 it was redesignated as the 7th Regiment of Foot (Royal Fusiliers). When county titles were added in August 1782 the subtitle (Derbyshire) was added, but this was never used and was later given to a different regiment.
The Royal Fusiliers were sent to Canada in April 1773. The regiment was broken up into detachments that served at Montreal, Quebec, Fort Chambly and Fort St. Johns. In the face of the American invasion of Canada in 1775/76, the 80 man garrison of Fort Chambly attempted to resist a 400 man Rebel force but ultimately had to surrender, losing its regimental colours as a result. The bulk of the regiment was captured when St. John’s fell. A 70 man detachment under the command of Captain Humphrey Owens assisted with the Battle of Quebec in December 1775.
The men taken prisoner during the defence of Canada were exchanged in British held New York city in December 1776. Here the regiment was rebuilt and garrisoned New York and New Jersey. In October 1777, the 7th participated in the successful assaults on Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery and the destruction of enemy stores at Continental Village. In late November, 1777 the regiment reinforced the garrison of Philadelphia. During the British evacuation back to New York city, the regiment participated in a diversionary raid in the days leading up to the Battle of Monmouth in June 1778.
In April 1780, the Royal Fusiliers took part in the capture of Charleston. Once Charleston fell, the regiment helped garrison the city. Three companies were sent to Ninety-Six to assist with the training of Loyalist militia companies. An 80 man detachment was also sent to Camden, South Carolina to help build that town’s defences. The detachments were recalled to Charleston for refitting in late August 1780.
The 7th, mounted on horses, along with the two regiments of Loyalist militia, cleared the region north of Georgetown, South Carolina of partisans while en route. The Royal Fusiliers turned the horses over to Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton’s British Legion upon uniting with Cornwallis in late September and then served as the Army’s rearguard.