46th (South Devonshire) Regiment of Foot

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South Devonshires ("The Red Feathers"); 46th Regiment of Foot)
Active	1741 to 1881.
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Army
Type	Line Infantry
Role	Light Infantry
Size	One battalion
Nickname	Red Feathers, Murray's Bucks, The Suprisers , Lacodemonian's.
Colors	Light Yellow Facing, Silver Braided Lace
March	Quick: Slow:
Engagements	Battle of Prestonpans, (1745), The Conquest of Canada (1756-1762), American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), Dominica (1808), Battle of the Alma (1854), Sevastopol (1855), Redan (1855)

The 46th (South Devonshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, created in 1741 and amalgamated into The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in 1881.

The regiment was raised at Newcastle in 1741 as the 57th Regiment of Foot, ranked as the 46th Regiment of Foot in 1751, and took a county title as the 46th (South Devonshire) Regiment of Foot in 1782.

The distinctive Red Feathers worn on the Shako (hat), from which they take their nickname, is a tribute to the Regiment's actions in the American War of Independence.

In 1749 the Regiment was stationed in Ireland, where they remained for eight years. Whilst they were in Ireland, the Seven Years' War broke out, and the 46th were relocated to Nova Scotia. During their time in Canada, the 46th were involved in several battles, including:

Assault on Fort Ticonderoga, July 8, 1758;
Assault and Capture of Fort Niagara, July 25, 1759;
Assault and Capture of Fort Levi, August 25, 1760;
Capture of Montreal,September 8, 1760;

in 1762 they fought in the Caribbean

The Capture of Martinique, 1762;
- Assault and Capture of the Heights of Morne Tartenson, January 24, 1762;
- Assault and Capture of the Heights of Morne Garnier, January 27, 1762;
- Capture of Fort Royal, February 4, 1762;
Capture of Havanna, Cuba, 1762;
- Storm of the Moro Fort, July 30, 1762;
- Siege and Fall of Havanna, August 13, 1762.

In the American Revolutionary War the 46th Regiment of Foot fought at Capture of Long Island, August 28, 1776; Capture of New York, 1776; Capture and Reduction of Fort Washington, 1776; Battle of Brandywine Creek, September 11, 1777; Action of Paoli's Tavern, September 20, 1777; Capture of Philadelphia, 1777; Battle of Germantown, October 4, 1777; Action of Monmouth Court-House, June 28, 1778; Assault and Capture of Bedford, September 5, 1778 Assault and Capture of Martha's Vineyard, September, 1778; Invasion and Capture of St. Lucia, December 30, 1778; Defence of La Vigie, December 18, 1778; and the Capture of St. Eustatius, 1781.

The 46th Regiment arrived in the British colony of New South Wales to replace the 73rd Regiment of Foot (1st Battalion Highlanders) in February 1814, and were relieved by the 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot in 1817. Whilst in New South Wales, the Regiment saw service in Sydney, Newcastle, Parramatta and Van Diemens Land before leaving for Madras in 1817. During their service in New South Wales, the 46th were commanded by Lieut. Colonel G. Molle.

During the Crimean War, (1854-1856) the 46th were involved at the Battle of the Alma, September 20, 1854; the Battle of Balaklava, October 25, 1854; the Battle of Inkermann, November 5, 1854; the Siege of Sebastopol, September 25, 1854 to September 8, 1855; the Trench Warfare; the Assault on the Quarries, June 7, 1855; the First Assault on the Redan, June 18, 1855 and the Final Assault on the Redan, September 18, 1855.

The 46th (South Devonshires) Regiment of Foot united with 32nd (Cornwall) Regiment of Foot to form The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry on January 7, 1881.

[edit] Colonels

1741.01.13 Brig-Gen. John Price
1743.06.23 Lt-Gen. Hon. Thomas Murray
1764.11.21 Gen. Sir William (Howe), 5th Viscount Howe, KB [also 19th Lt Dgns, 23rd Foot; CinC North America 1775-78]
1775.05.11 Lt-Gen. Hon. Sir John Vaughan, KB [also 94th Foot; CinC Leeward Is. 1779-82]
1795.08.01 Gen. Sir James Henry Craig, KB [also 22nd Foot, 78th Foot, 86th Foot; Gov. Lower Canada 1807-11, Gov. Cape 1795]
1804.01.05 Gen. John Whyte
1816.04.01 Gen. Henry Wynyard
1838.04.06 Lt-Gen. Sir John (Keane), 1st Baron Keane, GCB, GCH
1839.08.01 Lt-Gen. John Ross, CB
1843.05.31 Gen. Sir John Hamilton (Dalrymple), Bt., 8th Earl of Stair, KT
1853.01.24 Lt-Gen. Richard Egerton, CB
1854.11.19 Gen. Sir John Lysaght Pennefather, GCB [also 22nd Foot; Gov. R Hospital 1870-72]
1860.02.13 Gen. John Geddes, KH
1860.04.24 Gen. Thomas Gerrard Ball
1861.06.17 Lt-Gen. Sir Charles Ash Windham, KCB
1870.02.03 Lt-Gen. Edward Hungerford Delaval Elers Napier
1870.06.20 Gen. Charles Stuart