ara, No. 3 at Sierra Leone, and No. 6 at the Gambia.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 58: See map.]

CHAPTER XXIII.

CHANGES IN THE WEST AFRICAN GARRISONS, 1856-57--THE GREAT SCARCIES RIVER
EXPEDITION, 1859--FIRE AT NASSAU, 1859.

In January, 1856, it was determined to make a further change in the mode
of garrisoning the settlements on the West Coast of Africa, and the
following letter was issued on the subject:

"HORSE GUARDS,
"_2nd January, 1856_.

"In obedience to orders from the Secretary of State, War Department,
the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief is pleased to direct that
instead of the detachments to the western coast of Africa being
furnished, as at present, by two companies from each of the West
India regiments, the settlements in that part will be garrisoned by
a wing composed of six companies, to be furnished in succession by
each of the West India regiments.

"At the next relief the 1st West India Regiment will furnish six
companies accordingly, each company made up and kept effective to
100 rank and file, the force to be distributed as at present, viz.:

"Gambia 3 Companies.
"Sierra Leone 3 Companies.

"The remaining four companies of the 1st West India Regiment will be
stationed at Jamaica, as a depot to receive and train recruits, and
maintain the efficiency of the companies on the coast of Africa."

In anticipation of this change, and as recent events at the Gambia and
Sierra Leone had shown the necessity for an increase in the strength of
the detachments, No. 2 Company of the 1st West India Regiment, under
Captain W.J. Chamberlayne, embarked at Jamaica for Africa in the _Sir
George Pollock_ on February 19th, 1856. It arrived in the Gambia on
April 1st, and detachments to McCarthy's Island, 179 miles up the River
Gambia, and to Fort Bullen, were at once furnished from it.

No other change in the distribution of the regiment took place in this
year, with the exception that No. 5 Company, under Captain R. Hughes,
was moved from Jamaica to Barbados in December.

In January, 1857, No. 1 Company from Demerara, and Nos. 4 and 7 from
Barbados, embarked on board the troopship _Perseverance_, for Africa,
under the command of Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Clarke, and Captains
Hughes and Macauley, arriving at Sierra Leone on Feb