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J V Meredith MC
M J Kavanagh MC

Martin Moffat

Sergeant Patrick Hackett, 1st Battalion was born in Dublin where he joined the Leinster Regiment and served with the Leinsters in West Flanders, Belgium.

He died on the 18th October 1918 and is commemorated at Dunhallow A.D.S. Cemetery, to the North of Ypres, in Plot 4, Row h, Grave 8.

I would be grateful for any information anybody has, including how he died, what battles he was involved in, any medals he gained etc.

Thank you, Patrick Hackett 15 July 2000

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In 1918 the 1st Battalion were serving in Palestine until the Armistice with Turkey on the 31st October. Sergeant Patrick Hackett was with the 2nd Battalion at the time of his death. The 2nd Battalion  formed part of the final Ypres offensive in October 1918. On the 13th October, the Battalion, as part of the 29th Division of the llnd Corps, formed the advance troops of the 88th Brigade along with the 4th Worcester's and the 2nd Hampshire's. The Leinsters attacked in the Ledeghem sector. Although hampered by fog, that attack was deemed a success, with Battalion capturing 14 officers and 240 other ranks. It was in this attack that Sergeant O'Neill and Private Martin Moffat won their Victoria Cross. The action finished on the evening of the 14th October and the Battalion suffered the loss of 2 officers and 9 other ranks, 70 other ranks were wounded & fifty other ranks listed as missing.

On the 20th October the Leinsters crossed the River Lys by Pontoon Bridge and at 6am attacked and captured the villages of Staceghem and Steenbrugge. During this action 70 other ranks were wounded & 6 other ranks were killed.

Listed as "Died of Wounds" on the 18th October 1918 was 2815 Sgt. Patrick Hackett of the 2nd Battalion, it is likely that Sgt. Hackett received his mortal wounds in the action of the 13th/14th October at Ledeghem

I am researching my ggg-grandfather WILLIAM MACKEY who I believe was with the 100th Regiment of Foot. William most likely joined the Regiment in Ireland in 1804 and served for 14 years (1818). The Regiment was raised in 1804 and sent to North America in 1805 to defend the Canada's.

As I understand it the following is an excerpt of the history of the regiment in Canada ...

The regiment left for Canada in the fall of 1805, apparently in a convoy of troop transports bound for North America. Caught in a severe gale off the coast of Nova Scotia, several of the transports were sunk and others managed to reach local fishing ports in a distressed condition. There was heavy loss of life among the troops. The survivors were eventually carried in other ships to Quebec City.

In 1807 the regiment was transferred to Lower Canada and formed the garrison at several points guarding the approaches to Montreal. When news of the outbreak of hostilities with the United States reached the British Army command in 1812, a scheduled transfer of the 100th Foot to Bermuda was cancelled. Units were involved in raids in northern New York State until the regiment was moved to the Niagara Frontier to bolster defences there, where the main American invasion was expected.

Headquartered at Fort George, Niagara-on-the-Lake, various Companies were stationed from there to the Lake Erie shore as forward detachments. In acknowledgement of the largely Irish composition of the regiment, it was granted the title of ‘HRH The Prince Regent’s County of Dublin Regiment’ on 2 May 1812.

The following actions during the War of 1812 saw elements of the 100th in battle:
· Sackett’s Harbour, 29 May 1813, Grenadier
Company.
· Isle-aux-Nois (Rouse’s Point, N.Y.), 3 June 1813,
Detachment.
· Black Rock and Buffalo, N.Y., 30 December 1813.
Flank Companies.
· Capture of Fort Niagara 19 December.
· Chippewa, 5 July 1814.
· Lundy’s Lane, 25 July 1814.
· Fort Erie, 1-31 August 1814.

The Regiment took a leading role in the capture of Fort Niagara in December 1813. A unit led by Sergeant Andrew Spearman (who settled in Richmond) approached the fort by stealth and Spearman captured the forward sentry and forced him to give up the password. They then reached the gates of the fort and, using the password, gained entry just as a warning was sounded. Nevertheless, the main body of troops stormed in and the fort was taken with very few British casualties.

The decisive encounter for the 100th Regiment of Foot occurred on 5 July 1814 at the Battle of Chippewa. Notified that the Americans had landed south of the village of Chippewa, Major General Ryall ordered up more troops to support the 1st (Royal Scots) and 100th regiments that were in contact with the enemy. He then marched his men south to the attack, confident that well-trained British Regulars were more than a match for American Militia. However, when the disciplined Americans wheeled into line, Ryall exclaimed, "Those are regulars, by God!"

The battle began, the 100th advancing along the Niagara River road with the Royal Scots on their right, halting, firing and reloading as they went. The American General, Winfield Scott, withdrew the centre of his line and pushed forward his flanks, exposing the British to murderous fire, and his artillery pieces tore holes in the British columns, which eventually began to disintegrate. Lieutenant John Stevenson of the 100th recalled "the dreadful and destructive fire" that caused men to fall "like hail." Lieutenant Colonel the Marquis of Tweeddale (who had taken command of the 100th Regiment only the day before) was wounded as were most of the other officers, including Lieutenant George Lyon (later of Richmond) whose Company lost 29 dead and wounded from its complement of 35. With such devastating casualties the Army was forced to retreat. General Drummond, writing to his superior on July 13 reported "The Royals, & the 100th Regt. are in the greatest want of Officers-The latter has but one Captain, & 3 Subalterns doing duty, and about 250 effective Men."

All told, the 100th Regiment suffered 69 dead, 134 wounded and 1 missing out of a total of 460. British casualties were 485.

American casualties were 327 killed, wounded or prisoners. The Regimental sick and wounded were transported to Kingston by ship in August. Some elements took part in the abortive Siege of Fort Erie but all eventually returned to Lower Canada and (presumably) to their main base at Fort Chambly near Sorel.

In 1818, following the success of the Military Settlement scheme at Perth, the British government offered the Regiment, which had been re-numbered as the 99th during an Army reorganisation two years earlier, similar benefits if they would take land in the newly surveyed Township of Goulbourn. The majority of the men and many of the officers (who would continue on half pay) accepted the offer and were transported with their families by bateaux (river-boat) up the Ottawa River to a point below the Chaudiere Falls. There, after an encampment was set up under canvas, the men were engaged in blazing and clearing a road through to Bell’s Corners and then south to Chapman’s Ranch on the Jock River where a store house was built.

Meanwhile, French-Canadian woodsmen employed by Philemon Wright were engaged in building accommodations at the Richmond site. Under the superintendence of Captain Burke, the men were discharged, pensions awarded and location tickets given out. The last family moved into its home on Christmas Eve of 1818.

I am trying to obtain information that will help fill in some of the missing information about my ggg-grandfather. Any help that you or your readers can supply would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you. Connie Fitzpatrick

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