Canadian Historic Sites: Occasional Papers in Archaeology and History No. 4

The Sixth Regiment of Foot at Lower Fort Garry

by William R. Morrison

Early History of the Regiment

The Sixth, or Royal First Warwickshire Regiment of Foot, had already compiled a notable military record by the time its second battalion arrived on the Red River in the summer of 1846, for the history of the regiment went back well into the 17th century.

The regiment had been originally one of those raised in England for service in a foreign country, in this case The Netherlands. A history of the regiment published in 1839 describes its origins.

During the negociations for the peace of London in the winter of 1673-4, the States General [of The Netherlands] pressed King Charles II, to recall his troops from the service of France, and solicited permission again to employ in their army a British division. The King refused to recall his regiments from France; but his majesty engaged not to permit any additional British corps to be levied for the service of Louis XIV., and to prevent the others being recruited: at the same time permission was given to the States to raise for their service a body of troops in England and Scotland, to be commanded by the Colonel of the old HOLLAND REGIMENT, SIR WALTER VANE, who was promoted to the rank of major-general in the Dutch army, and appointed colonel of one of the regiments to be raised for this service, now the SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT, his commission bearing date the 12th of December, 1673.¹

1 View of Lower Fort Garry from the opposite bank, sketched in 1847 by George Finlay (Glenbow Foundation.).

The regiment came to England with William III in 1688, and subsequently was involved in the subjugation of Ireland. The wide range of services of the regiment up to the 1840s is indicated by the honours which it bore on its colours: "Roleia," "Vittoria," "Orthes," "Vimiera," "Pyrenees," "Peninsula," "Corunna," "Nivelle," and "Niagara" (this last for the siege of Fort Erie).²