In January 1846, the 73rd Highlanders arrived in Argentina to project British interests during the Uruguayan Civil War. The regiment then sailed on to the Cape Colony to take part in the Seventh Xhosa War. In 1852 a detachment from the regiment departed Simon's Town aboard the troopship HMS "Birkenhead" bound for Port Elizabeth. At two o'clock in the morning on 28 February 1852, the ship struck rocks at Danger Point, just off Gansbaai. The troops assembled on deck, and allowed the women and children to board the lifeboats first, but then stood firm as the ship sank when told by officers that jumping overboard and swimming to the lifeboats would mostly likely upset those boats and endanger the civilian passengers. 357 men drowned.