On the removal of Lieut.-General Conway to the fourth Irish horse, now seventh dragoon guards, in July, 1754, Colonel John Mostyn was appointed to the colonelcy of the Thirteenth Dragoons, from the Seventh Royal Fusiliers.

Colonel Mostyn was promoted to the rank of major-general, in 1757, and was removed in 1758, to the Fifth Royal Irish Dragoons,—when His Majesty conferred the colonelcy of the Thirteenth on Archibald Douglas, from the lieut.-colonelcy of the fourth dragoons. This officer was one of the King's aides-de-camp and a member of parliament, and he was promoted to the rank of major-general in 1759, and to that of lieut.-general in 1761.

In the clothing warrant of 1768, the facings of the regiment are directed to be of deep green, and the waistcoats and breeches of buff, instead of light-green. White waistcoats and breeches were adopted a few years afterwards, and a small red and white feather was introduced into the cocked-hats.

Lieut.-General Douglas died at Dublin, in October, 1778, and was succeeded by Lieut.-General Richard Pierson, from the thirty-sixth foot. This officer was rewarded with the dignity of a Knight of the Bath.

In 1779, the regiment proceeded by forced marches to the north of Ireland, in consequence of disturbances in that quarter, and its presence soon restored order.

The Thirteenth Dragoons encamped in 1780, with the army in the neighbourhood of Ardfinnan,—and, on the breaking up of the encampment, moved into quarters at Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir, and Cappoquin.

Lieut.-General Pierson expired suddenly on the morning of the 13th of February, 1781, and was succeeded by Lieut.-General Francis Craig, from the lieut.-colonelcy of the First regiment of Foot-Guards.

In 1781 the regiment marched to Charleville and Bruff, and was subsequently stationed at Cork, where it received orders to proceed, with some other regiments and artillery under the command of Colonel Ralph Abercromby, against George Robert Fitzgerald, who had fortified his family residence near Castlebar, in the county of Mayo, and was in open rebellion against the laws. On the arrival of the forces at Castlebar, they proceeded on the service assigned to them,—but Fitzgerald had fled and quitted the country: some ship guns, which he had mounted, were seized and brought into the barracks at Castlebar,—where the Thirteenth remained,—sending detachments to Ballinrobe and Sligo.

Soon after the termination of the American war, in 1782, the regiment underwent a change of clothing and equipment, and was constituted a corps of Light Cavalry. The cocked-hats were replaced by helmets, and appointments of a lighter description than formerly worn. These alterations were completed in 1783. In the spring of this year the regiment was stationed at Belturbet and Sligo; and, in consequence of the barracks at the former place falling down in the winter, a detachment was sent to Cavan.

In 1784 the colour of the clothing was changed from scarlet to blue, and the facings to light buff.

In May the regiment—then designated the "Thirteenth Light Dragoons" in the Annual Army List—again assembled at Belturbet, and, after the usual inspection, marched into quarters at Athlone, Roscommon, and Cloghan, when the horses were turned out to grass for the first time since the commencement of the American war. After the peace the establishment had been reduced to one hundred and forty-four men, and one hundred and thirty-eight horses.

The Thirteenth were reviewed at Athlone, in June, 1785, and marched into quarters at Kilkenny, Ballyragget, and Carrick-on-Suir.

In June, 1786, the regiment assembled for inspection at Kilkenny, and marched to Mallow, Bandon, and Tallow.

During the winter of this year the troops were moved from Mallow to Cork, in consequence of disturbances; and they, as well as those at Bandon and Tallow, were constantly on duty, and greatly harassed; the gaols were filled with their prisoners of "White Boys," "Peep-o'day-Boys," &c., as the different bands of these misguided men called themselves.

In May, 1787, the regiment marched to Cashel, where it was inspected, and in June it was quartered in Maryborough, Mountmelick, and Thurles.

The regiment proceeded to Dublin in June, 1788, and subsequently moved into the Phœnix Park barrack, Navan and Man of War.

In June, 1790, the Thirteenth were stationed at Clonmel, Clogheen, Mallow, and Charleville, and at the end of this year a draught of men was sent to the Twentieth Dragoons at Jamaica.

The regiment was inspected in June, 1791, and the detachment at Mallow was withdrawn to Clonmel.

After the inspection in May, 1792, the regiment marched to Athlone, Roscommon, and Portumna.

In the mean time a revolution had taken place in France, where the destructive principles of democracy had overthrown all legitimate authority, divested the sovereign of regal power, and threatened to involve Europe in war. Under these circumstances the British army was augmented, and five men and horses were added to each troop of the Thirteenth Light Dragoons.

The French republicans having added to their numerous atrocities the decapitation of their sovereign, war commenced in 1793, and the establishment of the Thirteenth Light Dragoons was further augmented.

After the inspection in October, the regiment changed its quarters to Belturbet and Sligo. It was called upon to furnish thirty-six mounted men to complete the cavalry regiments augmenting for foreign service.

In the beginning of 1794 the regiment marched to Ballinrobe and Castlebar, part of it remaining stationed in Sligo.

The violence of party in France soon kindled a corresponding sensation in the colonies of that country in the West Indies, where the whites, mulattoes, and blacks, became inflamed against each other, and when the decree of "Equality" passed, an open rupture followed. The blacks revolted, particularly in the island of St. Domingo. Anarchy, massacre, and devastation followed, and several planters obtained aid from the English, and transferred their allegiance from France to the British crown. Additional forces were ordered to the West Indies. Two troops of the Thirteenth Light Dragoons were withdrawn from Ireland in June, 1795; they remained a few weeks in England, and embarked, in September, for Jamaica.

The regiment, having received orders to prepare for service in the West Indies, assembled at Mallow, and there delivered over its horses for the use of other corps; it afterwards embarked at Cork and sailed to Bristol, where it met the Fourteenth Dragoons, destined for the same service. It subsequently proceeded into quarters at Warminster and Frome, thence to Salisbury, Winchester, and Southampton, where it embarked in transports; and joining other vessels containing troops belonging to the expedition, the whole proceeded to Cove Harbour, and in February, 1796, seven troops of the regiment sailed for Barbadoes, where they arrived in the beginning of April.

Captain Bolton of the Thirteenth was sent to purchase horses in America.

From Barbadoes the regiment sailed to St. Domingo; but the reduction of that island was found to be impracticable, as the health of European troops could not be preserved long enough to reduce the blacks and French revolutionists to obedience. The Thirteenth Light Dragoons, partly mounted on horses sent from America, had a few skirmishes with the armed bands which possessed the country, and a party of the regiment which accompanied the expedition against the town of Bombarde, had an opportunity of charging the enemy with great effect; but the climate soon reduced the regiment to a skeleton: it lost twenty officers, seven troop quarter-masters, and two hundred and thirty-three soldiers in six months, and the few remaining officers and soldiers were removed to Jamaica in December.

A part of the regiment, under the command of the Honorable Colonel Walpole of the Thirteenth Light Dragoons, who was promoted to the local rank of major-general, shared in the dangers and fatigues of the harassing warfare against the Maroons in Jamaica, until its successful termination, which, with the consequent safety of the island, was attributed to the talent, energy, and courage displayed by the major-general; and a sword of the value of five hundred guineas was voted to him by the house of assembly.

The regiment remained at Jamaica until July, 1798, when it transferred a few of the surviving men to the Twentieth Light Dragoons, and the remainder, amounting only to fifty-two individuals, embarked for England, where they arrived in October, and landed at Gravesend.

The Thirteenth were stationed at Trowbridge, and subsequently at York. Every exertion was made under the active superintendence of Lieut.-Colonel Bolton, to complete the establishment, which was soon effected; and in August, 1799, the regiment marched to Birmingham. It was shortly afterwards stationed at Coventry, Warwick, and Stratford-on-Avon. About this period the strength of the regiment was increased to nine troops, amounting to eight hundred and two men, and the same number of horses.

In 1800 part of the regiment occupied Leicester and Nuneaton, and the establishment was increased to ten troops. In the autumn of this year, the Thirteenth were quartered at Norwich, Aylsham, Walsham, Beccles, Bungay, and Wymondham.

In the beginning of 1801 the establishment was increased to nine hundred and two men and the same number of horses; the regiment was distributed, at different periods during this and the following year, in quarters at Atleborough, Dedham, Maningtree, Norwich, Colchester, Ipswich, Sudbury, Stowmarket, Needhammarket, Hadleigh, Woodbridge, and Boston.

Hostilities with France having been terminated by the treaty of Amiens, in the summer of 1802 the establishment was reduced to eight troops, amounting to five hundred and sixteen men, and four hundred and thirty-six horses. The quarters were changed to Romford and Hornchurch.

The conduct of General Bonaparte, then first consul of France, soon produced another war, which commenced in 1803, when the regiment was augmented to six hundred and four men and the same number of horses; it was quartered at Hounslow, Windsor, and Hampton Court, and held in readiness to assist in repelling the threatened French invasion by an army assembled at Boulogne.

The French armament continuing at Boulogne, and the preparations for invading England being augmented, in 1804, the regiment occupied Sandwich, Stonar, and Ramsgate, with an establishment increased to eight hundred and fifty-four men, and seven hundred and fifty-four horses, which was subsequently augmented to one thousand and sixty-four men, and the same number of horses.

In the autumn of 1805, the French army marched for Germany, and the project of invading England was laid aside. Towards the end of the year, the regiment was quartered at Canterbury; and in September, 1806, it occupied Deal, Sandwich, and Ramsgate, its strength being reduced to eight hundred and fifty-four men and horses.

In the summer of 1807, the Thirteenth were distributed in quarters at Kingston, Richmond, and Twickenham. The regiment was reviewed by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York, and, in consequence of the high opinion formed of it by their royal highnesses, the order for its march to Dorchester was countermanded, and it was detained to form, with the Twelfth Light Dragoons, a brigade, under the command of Colonel Bolton of the Thirteenth, which brigade was reviewed by His Royal Highness the Duke of York. The Thirteenth afterwards proceeded to Dorchester and Weymouth, from whence detachments were sent to Radipole, Wareham, Bridport, and, in the beginning of 1808, to Blandford, Trowbridge, and Gosport.

The regiment was reviewed by His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland at Dorchester. Its establishment of horses was reduced to seven hundred and fifty-four: it assembled at Exeter for review, and was distributed in quarters at Totness, Modbury, Truro, Taunton, Honiton, Tiverton, and Exeter.

In the summer of 1809, the regiment was quartered at Hounslow, Hampton Court, Richmond, Twickenham, Chertsey, Staines, and Egham, and was reviewed by His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, and subsequently by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, attended by their Royal Highnesses the Dukes of York, Clarence, Cumberland, and Cambridge, the Duke of Brunswick Oels, &c.

Portugal and Spain had, in the mean time, become the theatre of war; the French emperor had overrun those countries with troops, and had placed his brother Joseph on the throne of Spain; and a British army, commanded by Lord Wellington, was aiding the inhabitants of the Peninsula in their resistance to the gigantic power of Napoleon. The Thirteenth Light Dragoons were selected to join the Peninsular army. Eight troops, mustering about nine hundred officers and soldiers, embarked at Portsmouth in February, 1810, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Michael Head; they sailed to Lisbon, from whence one squadron was detached to Cadiz, which fortress was invested on the land side by the French, and the Spanish regency had solicited the aid of British troops. The other six troops landed at Lisbon,—Portugal having been delivered, by British skill and valour, from the power of the enemy.

After a short halt at Belem to refresh the men and horses after the voyage, the regiment marched to the Alemtejo, and was attached to the division commanded by Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill, which it joined in May, in the neighbourhood of Portalegre. At this period a powerful French army was about to invade Portugal under Marshal Massena, Prince of Esling, who boasted he would drive the English into the sea, and plant the eagles of France on the walls of Lisbon; but he was ignorant of the qualities of British soldiers, and of the abilities of their commander. The allied army withdrew, before the very superior numbers of the enemy, towards Lisbon, in front of which city the celebrated lines of Torres Vedras were forming to arrest the torrent of invasion. The movements of the Thirteenth Light Dragoons were connected with those of the division under Sir Rowland Hill, and eventually with the Portuguese cavalry under Brigadier-General Henry Fane.

After withdrawing from the frontiers of Portugal, the head-quarters were established at Escalhos de Cima, and a troop of the regiment, commanded by Captain William White, with a troop of the Fourth (Portuguese) Dragoons, were stationed at Ladoera, to watch the movements of General Reynier's corps.

On the morning of the 22nd of August, Captain White, when foraging with about fifty of his troop, received information of the approach of a reconnoitring party of about sixty French dragoons, whom he pursued, and attacking them with the most distinguished bravery, wounded several, and captured two officers, the whole of the men, and fifty-eight horses, without sustaining any loss.

Captain White, on perceiving the enemy, sent for the troop of Portuguese cavalry, who promptly advanced to his support, but they could not arrive in time to take an active share in either the conflict or capture.

The following report of this occurrence was forwarded to head-quarters.

And the following orders were subsequently published:—

The captured horses were sold by auction, and the proceeds of the sale divided among the Thirteenth Light Dragoons.

After some further retrograde movements, Lord Wellington resolved to oppose the enemy's forces on the rocks of Busaco, and during the hard-fought battle on the 27th of September, the Thirteenth Dragoons were posted in front of Alva to observe and check the movements of the French cavalry on the Mondego. The squadron detached to Cadiz had, in the mean time, returned to Portugal, and it joined the regiment about this period.

After sustaining a severe repulse at Busaco, the enemy turned the position by a flank movement, and the allied army withdrew to the lines of Torres Vedras. During the skilful performance of these difficult operations, the numerous cavalry of the enemy were effectually kept in check by the British squadrons, who, by their bold front and noble daring, whenever an opportunity occurred, succeeded in instilling into their adversaries a dread of their superior prowess. The French marshal viewed the stupendous works of Torres Vedras with astonishment and dismay, and finding it impossible to accomplish his threat of driving the English into the sea, he withdrew to Santarem, when the Thirteenth Light Dragoons advanced, and having crossed the Tagus in boats at Valada, they proceeded to Chamusca, a village, situated on the left bank of the river.

The Thirteenth Dragoons were stationed some months at Chamusca and its neighbourhood, where Marshal Sir William Carr Beresford fixed his head-quarters, having under him a strong body of troops to prevent the passage of the Tagus, and to intercept all communications between Marshal Massena and Marshal Soult. In this service the regiment was employed until the 6th of March, 1811, when the French army having retired from Santarem, it moved forward in pursuit, and the scenes of devastation, slaughter, and confusion it witnessed on the line of the enemy's disastrous retreat, exceed description. After following the French a considerable distance, the regiment was detached, with other forces under Marshal Beresford, to the relief of Campo Mayor, which fortress was besieged by a detachment from Marshal Soult's army.

Campo Mayor surrendered before the arrival of the troops sent to its relief, and the French, having dismantled the works, were marching out of the town as the British approached it on the morning of the 25th of March,—they consisted of nearly nine hundred cavalry, three battalions of infantry, some horse artillery, and a battering train of sixteen guns, under the command of their celebrated general, Latour Maubourg. One squadron of the Thirteenth Dragoons was attached to the light division on this occasion; a troop was with a brigade of Portuguese infantry, and five troops were at the head of the column. Having turned the town by the left, the regiment sent forward one troop to skirmish with the enemy, who retreated by the Badajoz road. The British pressed forward in a semi-circular form, to enclose the French, who halted with their infantry in square, and their cavalry formed in their front and rear. Colonel Michael Head was directed to attack with the two squadrons of the Thirteenth, amounting to two hundred and three officers and soldiers, and he led them forward with the most distinguished gallantry[4]; a regiment of French hussars advanced to meet the Thirteenth, and the opposing horsemen raised a loud shout and rushed upon each other. Several men were overthrown by the shock; the combatants pierced through on both sides, and facing about, charged each other again with the most heroic bravery. A sharp sword conflict ensued, in which the valour of the Thirteenth proved victorious, and many of the hussars having been cut down, the remainder fled. In the mean time, a French squadron formed on the enemy's right, wheeled inwards, and, attacking the British left, did some mischief; but the Thirteenth promptly opposed, and overthrew them after a short contest. The French continued their flight, the Thirteenth followed, and such was the ardour of these brave swordsmen, that the fire of the French infantry could not stop them; they galloped forward, cut down the French gunners, and, believing the other brigades would easily dispose of the French troops thus passed, they continued the pursuit. For some time the French dragoons resisted, but their formation soon became so completely broken, that they surrendered as soon as they were overtaken. The pursuit was continued at a rapid rate, the object being to gain the front, and capture the whole, as well as the enormous quantity of baggage on the road; but the dragoons were not aware of what was taking place in the rear. Marshal Beresford was informed that the Thirteenth Dragoons were cut off; the loss of one regiment appeared to be a serious disaster, and he did not permit the heavy cavalry to charge. The French infantry retiring steadily, recovered their artillery, and effected their retreat. Meanwhile the Thirteenth and some Portuguese squadrons, commanded by Colonel Otway, who formed as a support during the attack, were pursuing the French troopers at a rapid pace; on arriving at the bridge of Badajoz, they were fired upon by the guns of that fortress. The regiment then halted and retired to secure the prisoners, and captured artillery and baggage. Some of the French drivers, refusing to surrender, were sabred, and the mules were mounted by men of the Thirteenth. The retreat was continued several miles, the men in high spirits at their wonderful success; at length they were met by the retiring French infantry, and by all the beaten cavalry which could find refuge with it. For a few exhausted dragoons to have engaged that body of troops would have been madness, and the Thirteenth were forced to abandon their captures and make a detour to the right to join the army, which they effected, and went into bivouac in the neighbourhood of Campo Mayor. The loss of the regiment was twelve men and seven horses killed; Lieutenants William Slater Smith and Frederick Geale, Adjutant Holmes, Quarter-master Greenham, one serjeant, twenty-eight rank and file, wounded; one serjeant, nineteen rank and file, and forty-four horses missing. Three hundred French were killed, wounded, and taken prisoners; the French colonel, Chamarin, of the Twenty-sixth Dragoons, was killed in single combat by Corporal Logan, of the Thirteenth Light Dragoons, which, with many other instances of individual bravery in this sharply contested affair, is recorded in the books of the regiment[5].

The Thirteenth, on this occasion, evinced the superiority of their discipline over their equally brave and numerically superior adversaries, by their greater quickness in rallying after the different attacks,—and this circumstance, with the skilful and determined use of their weapons, greatly tended to their brilliant success in this well-fought field.

An officer, who made his escape from Badajoz a few days after this affair, reported that the French infantry had brought in a great number of severely wounded cavalry soldiers—chiefly sabre wounds[6].

Preparations were subsequently made for besieging Badajoz, and the Guadiana was passed in boats in the early part of April; on the night of the 16th of April an outpost of the Thirteenth Dragoons, which had been relieved by a squadron of Portuguese cavalry, was surprised by a body of French troops from Olivenza, and only twenty men escaped. The loss was three men wounded, Captain Morris, Lieutenant Moss, fifty soldiers, and sixty-five horses taken prisoners. The imagined security of their position, induced by the Portuguese squadron being in their front, and their consequent neglect of due precautions, led to the surprise of this party, by an overwhelming force of the enemy, when totally unprepared for resistance. This was not forgotten,—and the Thirteenth never gave occasion for the repetition of a similar severe but wholesome lesson during the remainder of the war.

The siege of Olivenza was undertaken by the fourth division, and the army advanced to drive the French detachments from the province of Estremadura. The British and Portuguese cavalry arrived at Los Santos on the 16th of April, and fell in with a body of French heavy cavalry, when the leading troops of the Thirteenth, under Captains Boyse and Macalister, promptly formed and checked the advance of the enemy. The remainder of the regiment, commanded by Colonel Head, quickly formed line,—charged,—cut down many of the enemy,—took two officers and a number of men and horses,—and continued in close and rapid pursuit for several miles, successfully frustrating every attempt of the French to rally, and driving them from the field in utter confusion. The enemy suffered a very severe loss in killed and wounded. The left squadron of the Thirteenth, partly formed of the men who had escaped on the 6th instant, had the satisfaction of recapturing some of their horses and accoutrements, and severely revenging their own and their comrades' mischance on some of the very authors of it, who were among their opponents on this occasion. It was observed that these men displayed the most determined gallantry: nothing daunted by the superior numbers of the enemy immediately opposed to them, they rushed fearlessly into their ranks, and committed terrible havoc with their sabres. Captain Doherty had a horse shot under him in this affair. The French commander, whose gallant bearing in leading his men to the attack was long a theme of admiration among the officers who witnessed it, was killed by private James Beard of the regiment, much to the regret of those who had observed his gallantry.

On the 19th of April eighteen men, who had escaped from the enemy, rejoined the regiment.

The Thirteenth Regiment of Light Dragoons remained in advance when the siege of Badajoz was undertaken; but withdrew, with the other cavalry, on the advance of Marshal Soult, (who had collected an army to succour that fortress,) and joined the forces under Marshal Beresford at Albuhera, at which place a general engagement was fought on the 16th of May. Two squadrons of the Thirteenth were posted near the river above the bridge, with orders to defend it, and had opportunities of making some successful charges against the enemy's cavalry, who attempted to cross the stream. The other two squadrons were posted to keep in check a considerable body of the enemy's cavalry, but they were not seriously engaged, and their loss was limited to one horse killed, and one man wounded.

Marshal Soult, having been repulsed, retired, and the Thirteenth Dragoons were sent in pursuit of the enemy. The French rear-guard having been driven from Usagre, that post was occupied, on the night of the 24th of May, by a portion of the troops under Major-General Lumley; the Thirteenth being in bivouac near the town. The French advanced on the following day, when some sharp fighting occurred, in which the third dragoon guards and fourth dragoons distinguished themselves. The conduct of Colonel Head, of the Thirteenth Dragoons, as well as of every officer and soldier present, was commended in Major-General Lumley's despatch.

The siege of Badajoz having been resumed, Marshal Soult's army, strongly reinforced, again advanced; Marshal Massena's army also marched into Estremadura, and the allies again raised the siege of Badajoz, and took up a position behind the Caya, where the enemy did not venture to attack them. When the French armies retired, the Marquis of Wellington proceeded towards the Agueda, leaving the Thirteenth Dragoons in the Alemtejo, under Lieut.-General Hill; they were formed in brigade with the ninth dragoons and second hussars, of the King's German Legion, under Major-General Long, and were stationed at Villa Viciosa, and afterwards at Monforte, a small town nineteen miles from Portalegre.

From Monforte, the Thirteenth Dragoons marched, towards the end of October, to the Spanish frontiers, and with other troops under Lieut.-General Hill, were engaged in the surprise of a French force under General Girard at Arroyo de Molinos. By forced marches, performed in stormy weather, the British arrived in the vicinity of the village at day-break on the morning of the 28th of October; a storm of rain with a thick mist concealed the advance, and the French were surprised in the act of assembling to commence their march. The cavalry marched with every precaution to avoid giving the alarm. The enemy's troops were soon broken; their artillery was captured by a squadron of the Thirteenth, commanded by Captain Mansell Bowers, and their infantry, attempting to escape by climbing steep mountains, were intercepted, and the greatest part made prisoners. Captain Bowers, with his troop of the Thirteenth, pursued a body of French cavalry, and captured a number of men and horses. The conduct of Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Muter, who commanded the regiment on this occasion, was commended in Lieutenant-General Hill's public despatch.

Towards the end of December Lieut.-General Hill again advanced, and the Thirteenth Light Dragoons were employed in an attempt to surprise a body of French troops under General Dombrouski at Merida. On arriving at La Nava, three hundred French infantry and a party of hussars were found in the town; they immediately retired,—the infantry in square; and the Thirteenth and second hussars of the King's German Legion pursued. Some sharp skirmishing occurred, but the ground favouring the French, they made good their retreat to Merida, and informing General Dombrouski of the approach of British troops, he retreated during the night. The regiment afterwards returned to Monforte; its loss, in the skirmish between La Nava and Merida, was three horses killed; eleven men, five officers' horses and fifteen troop horses wounded; one man missing.

On the decease of Lieut.-General Francis Craig, the colonelcy was conferred on Lieut.-General the Honorable Henry George Grey, from lieut.-colonel of the Seventh Light Dragoons, by commission dated the 30th of December, 1811.

While the regiment was occupying quarters at Monforte, Ciudad Rodrigo was besieged and captured by storm in January, 1812. When Badajoz was besieged, the regiment advanced and formed part of the covering army. During the advance and the subsequent operations, the Thirteenth were employed in the arduous outpost duties of the army, and engaged in affairs and skirmishes, which were of frequent occurrence, owing to the constant alerts occasioned by the enemy's cavalry in their front, who took every opportunity of endeavouring to cut off the foraging parties, patroles, &c.

In the advance to Merida, in March, the German hussars, having fallen in with the French cavalry, commenced skirmishing, and pushed them through the town and across the bridge. Major-General Long ordered the Thirteenth to gain the front at a gallop, which they did, and, crossing the Guadiana at a deep ford, formed and charged the enemy, who broke and fled, the regiment following, and constantly skirmishing with them till near dark, when it was ordered to discontinue the pursuit.

In April the fortress of Badajoz was taken by storm, and the army afterwards quitted Estremadura, when the Thirteenth Dragoons were again left with Lieut.-General Hill.

The regiment was employed in the enterprise against the enemy's works, which protected the bridge across the Tagus at Almaraz. These were destroyed on the 19th of May, to render the communications between the French armies more difficult. On this occasion the Thirteenth advanced to the high road by the pass of Mirabete, and were in reserve while the forts were stormed.

During the summer and autumn of this year, the services of the regiment were connected with the movements of the troops under Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill; it performed many long marches, took part in a few skirmishes, and penetrated into the interior of Spain.

In July the Thirteenth, in brigade with the ninth dragoons and second German hussars, were engaged in a second successful affair with the enemy at Usagre; and in one of the several skirmishes, Serjeant Shaw of the Thirteenth distinguished himself by his gallantry. Honourable mention is also made of the firm and orderly retreat of a squadron of the regiment, commanded by Captain Shapland Boyse, before a vastly superior body of the enemy's cavalry, by whom they were hard pressed for a considerable distance in the neighbourhood of Ocana.

A singular circumstance occurred when the regiment was bivouacked in the neighbourhood of Aranjuez: the horses, being unbridled for the convenience of feeding, were linked, and the officers and men were reposing from their fatigues, when the Second German Hussars, who had been ordered to join Lord Wellington's army, filed past; the Thirteenth immediately sprung up, and actuated by the impulse of the moment, greeted their old comrades with a hearty parting cheer, which so alarmed the horses that four troops broke loose, notwithstanding every exertion made to detain them, and dispersed over the open country, galloping about in squads, and scattering bridles, pistols, carbines, &c., in every direction. The scene was truly ludicrous; but this inconsiderate act might have been attended with serious consequences, as the enemy was in force, particularly in cavalry, in Aranjuez. The horses, some of which had strayed to a distance of four or five leagues, and had been secreted by the Spaniards, were all brought back in the course of the day, and scarcely an article of equipment was lost. The exertions of Adjutant Holmes on this occasion are particularly mentioned.

At the close of the campaign, when the main army withdrew from Burgos, the troops under Lieut.-General Hill also fell back, and the whole were united at Salamanca.

The Thirteenth were in reserve in the affair at Alba de Tormes, and were engaged, with the rear guard, in skirmishing with the enemy during the retrograde movement of the army to the Agueda. The horses suffered severely from want of forage. After retiring beyond the confines of Spain, the regiment marched to the Alemtejo, and was quartered at Crato, where it received a reinforcement of officers, men, and horses, from England in December.

In February, 1813, the regiment was removed from Crato to Monforte, where it received a draught of one hundred and thirty-six horses from the Ninth Dragoons, who were ordered to return to England; at the same time a serjeant and ten men were attached to the staff corps of cavalry.

At the opening of the brilliant campaign of this year, the regiment marched towards Salamanca, and was employed in the operations by which the French troops were driven from that city on the 26th of May. The numbers and improved organization of the allied army enabled the British commander to drive the enemy before him with a strength and violence which the French could not withstand. Rivers were crossed, rocks and mountains were climbed, and barren tracts traversed, with so little opposition, that the power of the enemy appeared to be paralyzed; but in the plains of Vittoria Joseph Bonaparte made a stand, and the Thirteenth Dragoons took part in the engagement on the 21st of June, when the French army sustained a decisive overthrow. The regiment supported the attacks of the infantry on this occasion, and subsequently received orders to advance and act as opportunities might occur. After clearing various obstacles in their front, the Thirteenth approached Vittoria, when the royal carriages were perceived, and Major-General Long instantly ordered a squadron, commanded by Captain Doherty, to pursue them; this was promptly executed, and the whole were captured after a sharp skirmish, in which private Michael Sullivan distinguished himself, cutting down a French officer and capturing his horses. In the mean time, the remainder of the regiment had formed in front of a compact body of the enemy, whom they vigorously charged and routed. Captain Doherty, observing this movement, left the royal carriages in charge of serjeant Scriven and twelve men, and joined the regiment, with which he continued in close pursuit of the enemy during the remainder of the day. Serjeant Scriven reported his having given up the royal carriages to an officer, with a party of infantry, who said he had orders to take charge of them, but he omitted taking a receipt or demanding the officer's name. The commanding officer of the regiment, Major Patrick Doherty, received a gold medal for this battle.

Following the rear of the French army, the regiment arrived at the foot of the Pyrenees, and entering the pass through these celebrated mountains, near Pampeluna, to furnish posts of correspondence between the different divisions, it proceeded to the valley of Roncesvalles,—a place celebrated for the defeat of Charlemagne by the Duke of Gascony, assisted by the Saracens; a pillar erected on the spot, to commemorate the victory, was destroyed by the French in 1794. Up this valley the French army, commanded by Marshal Soult, advanced on the 25th of July, and some sharp fighting occurred, which ended in the retreat of the British to a position in the mountains in front of Pampeluna. The regiment, excepting one troop detached to assist in the blockade of Pampeluna, was formed in support of the sixth division during the severe contest in the Pyrenees, and when the French were repulsed they were pursued to the confines of their own country.

The passage of the Bidassoa was effected in the early part of October; the French were driven from their position on the Nivelle in November; and the Thirteenth, with the Fourteenth Dragoons, were engaged in the operations by which the passage of the Nive was effected on the 9th of December. On the following day the regiment was at Hasparen, observing the movements of the French troops under General Paris. Some fighting took place on the three subsequent days, and the posts at Hasparen were attacked on the 13th of December. The gallant conduct of private James Armstrong of the Thirteenth, on this occasion, obtained for him the distinguished honour of Sir Rowland Hill's particular notice, and he was immediately promoted. Being one of a small party posted to keep up the communication, he dashed forward and rallied some British skirmishers, who had been forced back, placed himself at their head, and attacked and repulsed the enemy, cutting down some, and taking others prisoners.