in 1761, the black watch was posted to the west indies, and murray fought with them in the capture of martinique. he was wounded during the engagement, a musket ball passing through the left lobe of his left lung and crossing under his chest to lodge under the scapula. he was at first thought mortally wounded, but was up and about in a few weeks, and had regained health and appetite by the time he was invalided home to england. however, the wound left him permanently disabled, and unable to lie down for the rest of his life, sleeping in an upright posture. he spent over six years on sick leave recovering.