Leaving their cantonments at the village of St. Pierre, near Bayonne, the Thirty-fourth advanced, with the troops under Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill, in the middle of February, 1814, when the French corps under General Harispe, were driven from Hellete, and afterwards forced from a position in front of Garris. The Thirty-fourth continued to follow the retreating enemy, and their gallant bearing on the 27th of February, was afterwards rewarded with the royal authority to bear the word “Orthes” on the regimental colours; Lieutenant-Colonel Worsley also received the usual honorary distinction conferred on commanding officers of battalions distinguishing themselves in action.

Pursuing the retreating enemy in the direction of Aire, the battalion took part in forcing the French to quit that town, where immense magazines were captured.

The Thirty-fourth were stationed at Aire several days, and afterwards took part in forcing the French back upon Toulouse. Two or three attempts to throw a bridge of boats across the Garonne were not attended with success; but the river was eventually passed, and the enemy driven from his positions on the 10th of April. On this occasion the troops under Sir Rowland Hill, in whose column the Thirty-fourth served, drove the enemy from his exterior works in the suburb, on the left of the Garonne, within the ancient wall. The Thirty-fourth, under Lieutenant-Colonel Worsley, took part in forcing the enemy from his redoubts, and from the houses which he occupied in force, and afterwards formed a lodgment in the ditch surrounding the suburb. The battalion had two men killed; Captain James H. Baker mortally wounded; one drummer, and ten rank and file wounded.

The enemy having quitted Toulouse, the Thirty-fourth moved through the town, and followed the retiring army some distance; but hostilities were soon afterwards terminated. Napoleon Bonaparte was forced to abdicate the imperial throne, and the Bourbon dynasty was restored to France.

Thus the gallant soldiers of the Thirty-fourth completed their career of victory and honor; and the British arms triumphed over the tyrannical power which had sprung out of the French revolution, and aimed at universal dominion.

The conquering arms of Britain had rescued nations from bondage, and restored to Europe the blessings of peace. The word “Peninsula” on the colours of the Thirty-fourth, commemorates the distinguished part the second battalion took in the achievement of these splendid results; and its commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Worsley, was afterwards honored with the dignity of Companion of the Order of the Bath.

The first battalion remained at Secunderabad until the 19th of June, 1814, when it commenced its march for the island and fortress of Seringapatam, where it arrived on the 10th of August, and relieved the first battalion of the Sixty-ninth Regiment.

After reposing in quarters a short time at the city of Toulouse, the second battalion marched to Bordeaux, where it embarked for Ireland, on the 17th of July, and landing at Cork, was stationed at Middleton, Fermoy, &c., until November, when it proceeded to Dublin, under the command of Major Barlow.

The climate of the garrison of Seringapatam not proving favourable to the health of the soldiers of the first battalion, they were moved out of that fortress a short time, and in August, 1815, commenced their march for Vellore, where they arrived on the 9th of October.

The second battalion remained in garrison at Dublin, until September of this year, when it was suddenly ordered to march into Tipperary, in consequence of the insurrectionary proceedings of the inhabitants of that part of Ireland.

In February, 1816, thirteen officers, and three hundred and thirty non-commissioned officers and soldiers, of the first battalion, proceeded from Vellore to the sea-coast, and were stationed at Cuddalore six months, for the benefit of their health.

General Sir Eyre Coote was succeeded in the colonelcy of the regiment by Lieutenant-General the Honorable Sir Galbraith Lowry Cole, G.C.B., from the Seventieth Foot, by commission, dated the 21st of May, 1816.

The incursions of the barbarous people called Pindarees, who infested the British territory in India at this period, and committed dreadful ravages wherever they appeared, occasioned the first battalion to take the field early in 1817, when it left a detachment at Vellore, under Lieutenant-Colonel Worsley, and joined the division commanded by Major-General Browne, assembled to guard the passes near Naggerry. In February the battalion returned to Vellore.

In the mean time, the peace of Europe appearing to be established upon sound and durable principles, the second battalion was ordered to be reduced, which took place in April, 1817, when the following brigade order was issued:—

“Major-General Doyle having received the warrant for the disbandment of the second battalion of the Thirty-fourth Regiment, and carried the orders of the commander of the forces into effect, it now only remains for the major-general to express, in the most unqualified manner, his perfect approbation of the sober, orderly, and soldier-like conduct of the corps in quarters, for a period of upwards of one year and a half, during which it has been under his immediate command.

“Major-General Doyle feels it his duty as well as inclination to mark particularly the zeal and attention with which Major Barlow has conducted the discipline of the corps, and in which he has been ably supported by the officers under his command, and in case the service should be deprived of so valuable an officer, the major-general trusts it may be only for a short time.

“The major-general requests the commanding officer will convey to the officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates, his best thanks, and his good wishes for their individual welfare. He is confident that the uniform good conduct, for which the Thirty-fourth have always been conspicuous, both in the field and in quarters, will be the same, in whatever part of His Majesty’s dominions the service of the corps may be required.”

At this period a confederacy of the native princes in India was formed against the British authority, and extensive preparations for war were made by the coalesced Mahratta States. Their designs were partly discovered and disconcerted by the governor-general, the Marquis of Hastings; but hostilities could not be avoided, and the British took the field for the preservation of their territory from unjust aggression. On this occasion the flank companies of the Thirty-fourth, mustering eight officers, eight serjeants, six drummers, and two hundred rank and file, under the command of Captain Tew, marched from Vellore, to the frontiers, and joining a division of the army assembling for field service at Adoni, were formed in a flank battalion, with the companies of the Sixty-ninth and Eighty-fourth Regiments. This battalion penetrated the southern Mahratta country, with the division under Brigadier-General Munro, to whom the fortresses of Dummul, Kooshgúl, and Darwar surrendered in succession; and the division halted during the rainy season at Darwar, where the flank companies of the Fifty-third joined the flank battalion, which was commanded by Major Giles. Leaving Darwar in October, the division penetrated the Sundoor valley, and afterwards advanced into the interior of the southern Mahratta country, Brigadier-General Pritzler commanding. The division skirmished with the enemy at Bejapoor; and overtook the rear of the Peishwa’s army at the Salpée Pass, on the 8th of January, 1818, when the Mahratta troops fled in every direction, over a difficult country, which prevented any great loss being inflicted on them. The division pursued by forced marches, under a burning sun, until the Peishwa’s army separated, and passing the flanks, marched to the north.

The battalion companies were relieved from garrison duty at Vellore, and proceeding to Bangalore, joined a division of the field force, on the banks of the Toombudra, under Major-General Long, and remained at this station during part of the Mahratta and Pindaree war; but suffering severely from dysentery, they were removed into garrison at Bellary.

Meanwhile the flank companies had joined part of the Bombay army; but after the surrender of the hill-fort of Sattarah they separated from that force, and again proceeded, with the division under Brigadier-General Pritzler, to the Salpée Pass, taking part in the siege and capture of the hill-fort of Singhur, the reduction of the fortified pagoda and village of Sassoor, the hill-forts of Uizaghur, and Poorunder, and afterwards returning through the pass, the operations of the division were followed by the surrender of a number of small fortified places. Then proceeding by Sattarah to the western ghauts and forests, the division captured the hill-fort of Woossottah, restored the family of Sevajée to its ancient dignity, and joining the division under Brigadier-General Munro, took part in the defeat of a body of hostile troops at Sholapoor, the capture of the enemy’s artillery, and the reduction of the fortress, which surrendered on the 15th of May. The flank companies of the Thirty-fourth distinguished themselves on the 10th of May, and a gallant charge made by them greatly contributed to the capture of the enemy’s artillery.

After forcing the fortress of Nepaunee to capitulate, the division was cantoned, during the remainder of the year, at Hoobly, where the soldiers suffered from cholera.

In September the battalion companies left Bellary for Bangalore, and being attacked by cholera on the march, lost thirty-seven men in nine days.

Quitting Hoobly in the beginning of 1819, the flank companies proceeded to Belgaum, and after taking part in several movements, they were engaged in the siege of the hill-fort of Copaul Droog, which was invested on the 10th of May, and captured by assault three days afterwards, after an obstinate resistance from the enemy. The following paragraph appeared in general orders, dated Madras, 22nd June, 1819.

“The conduct of three troops of His Majesty’s Twenty-second Light Dragoons, with the Artillery troop under Captain Mills, and the flank battalion commanded by Captain Tew, of His Majesty’s Thirty-fourth Regiment, employed during the siege of Capaul Droog, was such as to draw from me, (Brigadier-General Pritzler), the highest encomiums, particularly that of the Artillery troops of the Twenty-second Dragoons, which served in the batteries, and the flank battalion which protected the batteries, and led the assault of the place, in which the services of Captains Tew, Thirty-fourth; Cuppaidge, Fifty-third; Jenour and Jones, Sixty-ninth Regiment; and Lieutenant Silver, Fifty-third, were most conspicuous.”

The flank companies of the Thirty-fourth were again stationed at Belgaum, until October, when they marched, with a small native force, against Sanglee, which place they forced to submit, and afterwards returned to Belgaum.

On the 25th of May, 1820, the head-quarters and battalion companies of the regiment marched from Bangalore, on route for Madras, where they arrived on the 2nd of July, and were joined by the flank companies from Belgaum on the 29th of December. These companies had been absent three years and eight months, and had lost one subaltern and eighty-one rank and file. On the breaking up of the flank battalion, it was stated in orders,—

“From the period of the battalion joining the force to the present Colonel Pritzler has, in no instance, had the slightest cause of complaint, and has never had occasion to bring a non-commissioned officer or private to a court-martial; but he has had frequent opportunities of bearing testimony of the excellent conduct of this corps, which has been equally conspicuous for its gallantry in the field, as for its order and regularity in camp, and which he attributes to the unwearied attention of Major Giles, and the officers under his command, and to the excellent disposition and discipline of the non-commissioned officers and soldiers. Colonel Pritzler cannot therefore, but regret the departure of the corps from under his command.

“It has frequently fallen to Captain Tew to command the battalion, in the absence of Major Giles on other duties, which gave him an opportunity of showing that he was, in every way, competent to fill the situation, with great credit to himself and advantage to His Majesty’s service.”

The conduct of the battalion was also commended in general orders, by Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Hislop, Bart., G.C.B.

On the departure of the regiment from Madras, for Wallajabad, in 1821, when arrangements were in progress for its return to England, it was stated in general orders,—

“The Honorable the Governor cannot permit His Majesty’s Thirty-fourth Regiment to quit the garrison without expressing his entire approbation of the discipline and exemplary conduct manifested, on all occasions, by the officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers of that corps, ever since its arrival at Fort St. George, now a period of nearly two years, and his Excellency requests Lieutenant-Colonel Dickens, and the officers under his command, to accept his best thanks for the very satisfactory manner in which they have performed their respective duties.”

During the year 1822 the regiment was stationed at Wallajabad; and in January, 1823, it returned to Madras, preparatory to its embarkation for England. The prompt and active exertions of the corps on the breaking out of a fire in the Company’s stores, on the 7th of January, preserved property to a considerable amount.

Five hundred and thirty-seven non-commissioned officers and soldiers having volunteered to remain in India, and transfer their services to other corps, the remainder of the regiment, amounting to one hundred and sixteen officers and soldiers, embarked on board the Company’s ship “Coldstream,” on the 9th of March, and sailed for England under Lieutenant-Colonel Dickens. The regiment called at St. Helena, where it remained about a week, and arrived in the river Thames, in the early part of July, after an absence from England of upwards of twenty-three years, landed at Gravesend, from whence it marched to Chatham, where the establishment was fixed at six hundred and fifty officers and soldiers.

The depôt joined from Portsmouth on the 19th of July; recruiting parties were sent to various towns in the United Kingdom: and in December the regiment marched to Windsor.

After remaining two months at Windsor the regiment proceeded to Portsmouth, where it embarked for Ireland in May, 1824, and landing at Dublin, marched to Enniskillen, sending detachments to Maguires-bridge, Cavan, Killishandra, Kings-court, and Bally James Duff.

In the summer of 1825 the regiment proceeded to Boyle, and furnished nine detachments to stations in that part of the country; in August the head-quarters were removed to Longford, and in October to Athlone. At this period the establishment was augmented to eight hundred and thirty-six officers and soldiers, and the regiment was divided into six service and four depôt companies: but the service companies did not proceed abroad at this period.

From Athlone the regiment marched to Dublin, in May, 1826; and furnished a detachment of grenadiers to Hacketstown, to mount guard at the residence of the Lord-Lieutenant, during his stay in that part of the country.

Lieutenant-General the Honorable Sir G. Lowry Cole, G.C.B., was removed to the Twenty-seventh, or the Inniskilling Regiment, of Foot, and was succeeded in the colonelcy of the Thirty-fourth, by Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, Bart, G.C.B., G.C.H., by commission, dated the 16th of December, 1826.

After remaining twelve months at Dublin, the head-quarters were removed to Templemore, in May, 1827, and in September to Galway, furnishing twelve detachments to military stations in that neighbourhood. In April, 1828, the regiment was removed to Buttevant; and in July to Cork.

During the six years which had elapsed from the date of the arrival of the regiment from India, it had recruited its ranks and attained a state of discipline and efficiency, and its turn to proceed abroad having arrived in August, 1829, the service companies embarked from Cork for North America; they sailed in two divisions, the first under Major the Honorable H. S. Fane, and the second under Captain Tew, and arriving at Nova Scotia in October, landed at Halifax, where they remained nine months.

In July, 1830, the head-quarters were removed from Halifax to Fort Charlotte, and detachments were sent to Prince Edward’s Island, Annapolis, Windsor, York Redoubt, Sydney, Cape Breton, and St. Andrews, New Brunswick.

The regiment remained detached until August, 1832, when the head-quarters, consisting of one field officer, two captains, five subalterns, two staff, twenty-three serjeants, nine drummers, and three hundred and sixty-seven rank and file, embarked on board His Majesty’s ship “Winchester” for New Brunswick, disembarked at St. John’s, and proceeded to Fredericton, having left at the former station one field officer, one captain, two subalterns, six serjeants, one drummer, and a hundred and seven rank and file, which followed them on the 1st of September, in His Majesty’s brig “Arachne,” and arrived at St. John’s, New Brunswick, on the 4th September, 1832.

In 1834, on retiring from the command of the regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Kelly presented to the officers’ mess, a handsome snuff-box.

Lieutenant-Colonel Kelly was succeeded in the command of the regiment by Lieutenant-Colonel the Honorable Henry Fane.

The regiment remained in New Brunswick until July, 1835, when it returned in two divisions to Halifax.

In May, 1836, detachments were sent to Cape Breton, Annapolis, York Redoubt, and Prince Edward’s Island.

In this year, the red and white tuft, which had been previously worn by the battalion companies, was allowed by the following letter to be resumed.

The two flank companies, consisting of two captains, two subalterns, eight serjeants, two drummers, and one hundred and fifty rank and file, marched, under Captain Byron, for New Brunswick, 19th December, 1837.

On the 24th and 25th of December, they marched from St. John’s, New Brunswick, for Quebec, Lower Canada; they were conveyed on the ice of the St. John river, to the junction of the river Madawaska with the St. John, then up the river to the head of the Timiscouta Lake, in two-horse sleighs, each sleigh carrying eight men, with their arms and accoutrements: from the head of the Lake Timiscouta, they were conveyed in carioles, two men with their arms, &c., in each, across the Portage to the river St. Lawrence, and on reaching the village of St. André, they followed the course of the river to Point Levi, opposite Quebec, where they crossed in canoes, having suffered little from the severity of the weather, and the inhabitants aiding their progress in every way. The few men left at different places sick, were treated with every kindness, and were all sufficiently recovered to proceed with the head-quarters on their marching up, except two men left at Fredericton, but whose complaints were quite unconnected with the exposure of the march.

On the regiment being ordered to proceed to Canada, the following general order was issued by his Excellency Major-General Sir Colin Campbell, K.C.B., &c., Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia.

This year the regiment lost a valuable officer, Major Mark McLeod Tew, whose many excellent qualities occasioned him to be highly esteemed by the officers and soldiers of his corps. He entered the regiment as ensign in 1800, was promoted lieutenant in the same year, captain in 1809, major by brevet in 1830, and major in the regiment in 1837. His distinguished services with the flank battalion, during the Mahratta and Pindaree war, from 1817 to 1820, are set forth in the record of his regiment. The state of his health occasioned him to retire from the service in August, 1837; but his decease occurred in October, at Halifax, Nova Scotia, before he could embark for England.

In transmitting to his brother, Captain J. McLeod Tew, Twenty-second Regiment, an account of his effects, &c., Captain E. Broderick expressed himself in the following affectionate terms:—“One of the snuff-boxes found among his effects, has been retained by the officers, as a memento of him who had been so long the father of the regiment, and who was so deservedly loved and respected by us all: it is a wooden box, presented to him by Mr. Markham, which the officers intend to place in a case, with a suitable inscription.

“The officers intend to erect a monument to our respected friend, to be placed in one of the churches. The men of the regiment have also subscribed to the erection of this monument, and I can assure you, that every officer and soldier feels that in your late brother he has lost a friend.”

On the 8th January, 1838, the head-quarters, and remaining four companies, consisting of one field officer, three captains, four subalterns, three staff, twenty-two serjeants, eight drummers, and two hundred and eighty-one rank and file, under Major Ruxton, embarked in Her Majesty’s ship “Cornwallis,” and sailed the following day for St. John’s, New Brunswick, where they landed on the 14th of the same month.

The regiment marched from St. John’s for Quebec by companies, which were conveyed in the same manner as the flank companies had been, and were equally fortunate in escaping without casualties of any importance; they reached Quebec on the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 7th February.

The flank companies and Nos. 1 and 2, were detached to Three Rivers: they took part in various movements made in the disturbed districts, adjoining the river Richelieu; and were quartered in different villages in the neighbourhood.

The regiment next moved by detachments to Montreal. The head-quarters then proceeded to Kingston, but were not disembarked there, proceeding on to Toronto, where they arrived on the 4th of June. In July the head-quarters, under Lieutenant-Colonel Airey, proceeded to Amherstberg.

In December a company, consisting of one captain, two subalterns, three serjeants, and fifty rank and file, under Captain Broderick, proceeded to Sandwich, in expectation of that place being attacked by brigands from the state of Michigan, from whence it returned on the 25th of that month.

The regiment remained at Amherstburg until May, 1840, when it returned in three divisions to Toronto, detaching three companies to Kingston, at which station it remained until May, 1841, when the head-quarters moved to Montreal.

On the 31st May, 1841, orders having been received for the return of the regiment to England, four serjeants, nine corporals, two drummers, and two hundred and one privates, volunteered to serve permanently in North America.

At Montreal, the head-quarters were joined by the left wing on the 3rd June, 1841, and on the 20th of that month the regiment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Airey, sailed from Quebec in the “Cornwall” transport for England, where it arrived on the 22nd July, 1841, and landed at Gosport and occupied Forton Barracks. In September, the head-quarters moved over to Portsmouth, where they remained until August, 1842, during which time the efficiency of the regiment, which had been impaired, to a certain degree, by the number of recruits which had taken the place of those who had volunteered to remain in Canada, was completely restored.

On the 13th August, 1842, the regiment received a sudden order at half-past seven o’clock P.M., to proceed to London by an early train the following morning. Accordingly, on the 14th of August, the head-quarters, consisting of one lieutenant-colonel, one major, nine captains, ten subalterns, three staff, twenty-seven serjeants, eleven drummers, and five hundred and twenty-four rank and file, left Portsmouth at eight A.M., and proceeding by the South Western Railway to London, arrived at the Nine Elms Station, marched to the Birmingham Railway Station, and proceeded forthwith to Weedon, where it arrived at twelve at night; sudden disturbances in the manufacturing districts were the cause of this unexpected movement.

On the 16th August, three companies left Weedon for the disturbed districts, and on the 17th two more companies proceeded in the same direction. These were detached at Newcastle-under-Lyme, Wolverhampton, and Stafford; other companies were detached to Birmingham, and during the autumn of 1842, the head-quarters were moved to Northampton, all the ten companies being on detachment at Newcastle-under-Lyme, Burslem, Hanley, Stafford, Wolverhampton, Bilston, Birmingham, and Coventry.

The companies were subsequently withdrawn from Bilston and Stafford; but the others remained as above described until the 4th August, when the entire regiment was collected together at Weedon. At this period the strength of the regiment was as follows, viz:—One colonel, one lieutenant-colonel, two majors, ten captains, twelve lieutenants, eight ensigns, one paymaster, one adjutant, one quartermaster, one surgeon, one assistant-surgeon, forty-seven serjeants, fourteen drummers, and eight hundred and one rank and file.

During the year 1843, political agitation was carried to such an extent in Ireland, as to induce Her Majesty’s Government to take measures for putting down the demonstrations of physical force which had been made in that country.

For this purpose, additional corps were ordered from Great Britain to Ireland. The Thirty-fourth Regiment, on this emergency, was ordered on the 4th of October to be removed by railroad to Liverpool. The regiment quitted its station at Weedon early in the morning of the 6th of October, and arrived at Liverpool on the same day. It was embarked on the afternoon of the 7th of October in steam-vessels for Dublin, where it arrived on the following morning, and being disembarked, it marched to Clontarf[16] (a village situated about two miles from the capital, on the Bay of Dublin), where a numerous public meeting had been advertised to be held, but which was prohibited by Government proclamation as illegal. A large body of troops had been concentrated in the neighbourhood in apprehension of a breach of the peace; but the assemblage having separated without disturbance, the troops returned to their quarters in the evening.

The regiment remains in Dublin at the period to which this record is brought.

The foregoing pages record the bravery, endurance, and uniformly good conduct of the Thirty-fourth Regiment, both at home and abroad: its early services during the wars in Spain and Flanders in the reign of Queen Anne; its subsequent achievements on various expeditions in Europe, Africa, America, and the West Indies; its employment, for a period exceeding twenty years, in the East Indies; and its gallantry in Portugal, Spain, and France, to the conclusion of the Peninsular War in 1814, afford the best proofs of the zealous and honorable conduct of its officers and men, who, under severe trials, have evinced a steady adherence to the rules of discipline, and a gallant bearing whenever they have been brought into contact with the enemies of their country: nor has the conduct of the regiment been less conspicuous on home, than on foreign, service; but has been, at all times, such as to merit the approbation of the Sovereign, and the gratitude of the kingdom.