In 1755 the Duke of Cumberland, head of the British Army, laid plans to form a regiment to counter the French and their Native American allies in the vast forests of America. A Swiss-born army recruiter of somewhat dubious reputation called Jacques Prevost was approached to form the new regiment. Prevost recruited several experienced Swiss officers, but also found space for two of his brothers, Augustin and Jean-Marc, in the regiment. Raised in January 1756 and initially numbered the 62nd, the new unit was soon re-designated the 60th (Royal American) Regiment of Foot. The men were recruited from German and Swiss settlers in America, from existing British regiments, and also directly from Switzerland and the German states.
The Royal Americans were given uniforms better adapted to irregular warfare, and some of the troops were also armed with rifles. They went on to fight in the American campaigns during the Seven Years War, including with General Wolfe in Quebec. Wolfe was so impressed with the Royal Americans that he granted them the motto ‘Celer et Audax’. Their regimental successors, The Rifles, still use the English version – Swift and Bold.
The 60th, including many members of the Prevost family, fought the rebels during the American War of Independence. After the British defeat the regiment continued to garrison posts in what became Canada, and also on the islands of the Caribbean. The soldiers were a mix of foreign recruits, and also British and Irish soldiers condemned by courts martial to serve for life in the colonies. Despite being on the losing side, the Prevost family continued to serve in the British Army. In 1793 the family built Hush-Hush Farm at Greenville in Greene County, New York. When war again broke out with France that same year the Prevosts would again fight the King’s enemies.
Britain was soon in dire need of good light infantry again, and once more looked to experienced foreign officers and soldiers. In 1797 the 5th Battalion of the 60th was formed as the first fully rifle-armed battalion in the British Army. In 1806 Major General Sir George Prevost, son of Augustin Prevost, became Colonel-Commandant of the 5/60th. Sir George’s younger brothers were also serving; Thomas in the Royal Navy and William in the army.
Sir George’s older step-brother, Augustine, had also served in the 60th and had three sons in the army. One, James, was a lieutenant serving in the West Indies and seeking advancement to captain, and Sir George soon used his new position to get James a company in the 5/60th.
James wrote to his father:
“Sir George has said something to me about getting into his own Regiment (the 5th Battn. of the 60th your old Regt.) the only reason I should like it is they’re being a Rifle Corps & likely to be soon employed on active service and a captain in those corps have more frequent opportunities of being distinguished as they are generally detached and have a small command. I only hope they will not be sent to the West Indies for sometime.”
James served with his new regiment for a short while but then joined his uncle, who had been appointed Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, as his aide-de-camp. In August 1808 the 5/60th were amongst the first troops to land in Portugal with Lieutenant General Sir Arthur Wellesley’s expedition and distinguished themselves in the battles of the early part of the Peninsular War. In 1810 James rejoined the battalion. He had become enamoured with a local girl in Nova Scotia and his uncle, knowing his nephew could not afford to be married, sought to nip the romance in the bud.
James’ company was attached to the 4th Division, where is younger brother Harry was serving with the 7th Fusiliers. In November 1810 Harry wrote back home:
“Owing to the many difficulties of writing and constantly marching since we have been in this Country I have not been able to write to you before we arrived here in July & have been with the exception of a few days always on the move. On the 26th of Sept. Lord Wellington took up a position on the heights of Bussaco about two leagues from Coimbra the whole extent of which was eight miles & we could overlook the whole of the enemy’s movements of force. On the 27th they made an attack both on our right & left. The glorious result of which you will see by the dispatches.
Our Regt. unfortunately were not much engaged… We have now fallen back to our fortified lines & the French are very near; looking at us but afraid to attempt anything… James’ Company is attached to our division so we often meet – you may imagine how great was our regret in leaving Halifax one of the best Quarters in the World. Nothing would please me more than after this business is over to be ordered back. You must not find fault at my not often writing. I assure you it is impossible this bit of paper has been wet through at least a dozen times. Since I left Lisbon I have walked at least 200 leagues.”
In May 1811 James’s company was guarding the siege works around Badajoz when the French made a sortie from the town. Major General William Lumley, commanding part of the troops besieging the French, praised James:
“Captain Prevost 60th Regt. at this time in Command of about 100 Lt Infantry & Riflemen and in charge of the batteries wisely foreseeing with his great inferiority of force that the risk of suffering his flanks to be turned was of more importance than the temporary loss of the Battery fell back some paces. This had the desired effect in some degree of shaking the Enemy’s flank movements, the battery was however, in possession of their centre for a few seconds at this moment Lt Col Harcourt the Field Officer of the Trenches came up with the reserve. The whole including the detachments of the Infantry and the Riflemen and Captain Prevost again advanced the Enemy tho still greatly superior in numbers were driven down the slope with the rapidity of a Torrent. To Captain Prevost whose conduct was as conspicuous as the post in which he was placed was important I feel the greatest obligations.”
During the fighting James was shot through one arm and the other was injured by a French shell. He recovered quickly and rejoined his company in June. However, a few days after he had been injured Harry had been killed at the Battle of Albuera.
Their elder brother Augustine, a lieutenant colonel with the 87th, wrote to their father:
“Poor James is recovering fast… The death of his dear companion and brother has nearly overcome him. I say all I can to ease his mind and I hope my dear father like myself, he has now got over the shock he must have felt at the melancholy news contained in my last letter, every voice bears testimony to the gallantry of your brave son Henry to the feelings of a father how consoling it must be to hear such praises. ‘Tell my dear father’ says James, ‘that poor Henry behaved nobly at the head of his Company in front of his Regiment when advancing to the charge within twenty paces of the Enemy, here he nobly fell’. Lt. Colonel Blakeney, his Commanding Officer speaks thus ‘Henry poor fellow received his wound nobly doing his duty on the memorable 16th May and bore his sufferings with equal manfulness, indeed the Surgeon declared him as a strong instance of what we mortals can bare when dire and fearful necessity required it.”
Later that same year, more bad news would reach Hush-Hush Farm. In September at Aldea da Ponte, James was acting as an aide to Brigadier General Edward Pakenham when he was again wounded. Pakenham wrote to James’s brother Augustine:
“My task is severe, I have to acquaint you of your Brother’s continued indisposition of the utmost danger from a wound which he received on the 27th Sept in the advance of the enemy from Ciudad Rodrigo to Aldea de Ponte. The shot passed as near as possible in a direct line through his body and although time has shown that it miraculously has made that traverse without destroying the intestines, the necessary loss of blood to prevent inflammation has reduced him to the lowest span. Captain Mair of the Fusileers and Surgeon Mahony (a young man of the most allowed talent) remains with him at Sabugal to which place he was removed and a very excellent woman as his nurse. Attentions from the people, a good constitution and the help of providence may bring him through & there my friend are the only hopes of which you are to admit toward the preservations of this most amiable & gallant young man. The first in advance the rear in retreat. His conduct whilst with the Army has been equally conspicuous in the field, as it has ever has been marked by modesty in society.
My friend I will write no more but I think I may have often to write on this subject of a young man for whom I have such an affection I shall omit no opportunity till his fate is decided.”
Surgeon George Guthrie documented James’s treatment:
“Captain Prevost, aide-de-camp to Sir E. Packenham, was wounded by a musket-ball, on the 27th September, 1811, on the heights of Saca Parte. It penetrated the chest from behind, splintering the ninth and tenth ribs of the left side, and made its exit a little below and to the right of the xiphoid cartilage. A good deal of blood was lost from the posterior wound, but be did not spit up any. He was carried to Alfaiates, and there he threw up a small quantity of bloody matter by vomiting. The posterior wound was enlarged and continued to discharge some blood, the intercostal artery being in all probability wounded. Sixteen ounces of blood were taken from the arm, giving great relief, and the bowels were opened by the sulphate of magnesia.
Sept. 29th.-Bleeding to eighteen ounces; on the 30th he was bled again to thirtytwo ounces, from which great relief was obtained; he fainted, however, on making a trifling exertion to relieve his bowels.
Oct. 1st.- Accession of symptoms as yesterday, relieved by bleeding in a similar manner; bowels open.
Oct. 3rd.- The inflammatory symptoms recurred this morning, and were again removed by the abstraction of sixteen ounces of blood. Beef-tea.
Oct. 5th.- Passed a sleepless night, and was evidently suffering from considerable internal mischief; wandered occasionally; pulse quick, 120, and small; felt very weak and desponding. A little light, red wine given, with beef-tea and bread; opium night and morning.
Oct. 6th and 7th.-Much the same; pulse always quick, with much general irritability.
Oct. 15th.- The wounds discharged considerably, particularly the posterior one; has a little cough; pulse continues very quick; spasms of the diaphragm troubled him for the first time, and caused great pain and uneasiness; they were relieved by opium in large and repeated doses.
On the 18th the spasmodic affection of the diaphragm and the pain returned with great violence, so as to threaten his dissolution, which took place on the 20th. On examination, I found that the ball had passed through the under part of the inferior lobe of the left lung, and through the pericardium under the heart, through the tendinous part of the diaphragm, and into the liver, before it made its exit. The wound in the lung was suppurating; the matter and fluid from the cavity of the chest had a free discharge by the shot-hole; the edges of the wound in the diaphragm were smooth as if cicatrized, leaving between them an elliptical opening an inch long. The injury to the liver was through the substance of the anterior part of its right lobe; the matter having a free discharge, and generally slightly yellow, as if tinged with bile in small quantity. The skin did not show a yellowish tinge, neither were the conjunctive discoloured.”
James died on 20 October. Augustine Prevost senior, himself a former officer in the 60th, had lost two of his sons in the same year. As Americans, neither had been fighting to defend their own country but each had been continuing a family tradition of service. In 1813 Sir George resigned as Colonel-Commandant, ending the Prevost’s long association with the Royal Americans.
My history of the 5/60th – Riflemen is available now from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and other book retailers, or direct from the publisher Helion & Co.
Daring, Duty & Cunning Plans 