63rd (West Suffolk) Regiment of Foot
| 63rd (West Suffolk) Regiment of Foot | |
|---|---|
| Active | 10 December 1756–1 July 1881 |
| Country |
 Kingdom of Great Britain (1756–1800) United Kingdom (1801–1881) |
| Branch |
 British Army
|
| Type | Line Infantry |
| Role | Infantry |
| Size | One battalion (two battalions 1804–1814) |
| Garrison/HQ | Wellington Barracks, Ashton-under-Lyne |
| Nickname(s) | "The Bloodsuckers" |
| Colors | (Scarlet until 1881) Deep Green Facings, Silver Braided Lace |
| March | Quick: Slow: |
| Engagements |
American Revolutionary War French Revolutionary Wars Napoleonic Wars Crimean War |
The 63rd Regiment of Foot, was a British Army regiment, raised in 1756. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 96th Regiment of Foot to form the Manchester Regiment in 1881.
The formation of the regiment was prompted by the expansion of the army as a result of the commencement of the Seven Years' War. On 25 August 1756 it was ordered that a number of existing regiments should raise a second battalion; among those chosen was the 8th Regiment of Foot. The 2nd Battalion of the 8th Regiment of Foot was formed on 10 December 1756 and renumbered as the 63rd Regiment of Foot on 21 April 1758. Later that year, the newly created 63rd, along with a number of other regiments and various other assets, set off for the West Indies. In January 1759 the regiment took part in the unsuccessful invasion of Martinique. Later that month the regiment took part in the invasion of Guadeloupe: after the Royal Navy bombarded Basse-Terre, the British troops landed on the west part of the island, near Fort Royal, a large citadel. By 24 January, British troops had entered the main town: the citadel there had been abandoned.
The regiment suffered a number of attacks while garrisoning the citadel, the rest of the force having moved to the more hospitable east of the island. During one attack, the regiment's commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Desbrisay was killed. The regiment remained in the West Indies for a further five years.
In 1764 the regiment reached Ireland. In 1775 the regiment arrived in America in response to a request for reinforcements due to the outbreak of the American War of Independence. The regiment took part in the Battle of Bunker Hill in June 1775, with a third attack, which ended in a bayonet charge, finally breaking the Americans. The regiment remained in Boston after the battle, the town becoming increasingly more uneasy to be in. Finally, in March 1776 the regiment, along with the rest of the forces in Boston, departed, heading for Halifax in Canada. The regiment took part in the Battle of Long Island in August 1776, a devastating blow against the Americans, though astonishingly, the American leader General George Washington, managed to reverse the blow that had been struck against much of the Continental Army's morale in this battle, soon after. Grenadier and Light companies of the regiment also took part in the Battle of Brandywine in September 1777 and the Battle of Germantown in October 1777. The main force of the regiment took part in the Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery in October 1777. The regiment then moved to Philadelphia and took part in the Battle of Monmouth in June 1778.
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