These troubles being suppressed, the governor-general conceived the idea of clearing the Indian Ocean of all that was hostile to Great Britain, and a considerable force was placed under the orders of Lieut.-Colonel Keating, of the Fifty-sixth, including a strong detachment of the first battalion of the regiment, for the capture of the Island of Bourbon. On this occasion Lieut.-Colonel Keating resolved to make his first attack on the capital, in the expectation that, with its capture, the reduction of the island would be accomplished. A landing was effected at Grand Chaloupe on the 7th of July, 1810; and Captain Hanna was detached with two companies of the Fifty-sixth to La Possessime, “the batteries of which place he took by assault in the most gallant manner[5];” and with the trifling loss of two men killed, and two wounded: thus proving the advantage of making attacks with spirit and resolution. All the troops of the expedition conducting themselves with heroic ardour, the opposition of the enemy was speedily overcome, and the conquest of the island accomplished in so short a period of time, that Lieutenant-Colonel Keating stated in his public despatch,—“In all the operations the troops evinced the native energy and gallantry of Britons, and in a few hours this rich, extensive, and valuable colony was added to the British dominions.” Lieutenant Mallet and a party of the regiment, proceeded with the French troops which had surrendered, to the Cape of Good Hope.

Additional troops arriving at this part of the Indian Ocean, Major-General J. Abercromby assumed the command, and an expedition proceeded against the Isle of France, which was afterwards restored to its original designation of the Mauritius, and the detachment of the Fifty-sixth Regiment had the honor to serve in this enterprise; the party which proceeded, under Lieutenant Mallet, in charge of French prisoners to the Cape, arriving in time to take part in this service. A landing was effected in the Bay of Mapon on the 29th of November, and the troops advanced through a thick wood, when some skirmishing occurred, and Lieut.-Colonel Keating, of the Fifty-sixth Regiment, and twelve men of the piquet, were wounded. Penetrating the open country on the following day, the troops experienced great inconvenience from the want of water, and halted at the streams of the powder-mills, five miles from Port Louis. After passing the night at this place, they resumed the march, and were opposed in their progress by a strong body of the enemy, when some severe fighting occurred, in which the British soldiers were triumphant: the Fifty-sixth Regiment had five men killed and several wounded.

Pursuing their victorious career, the British troops advanced to the enemy’s lines; and on the following morning the French Commander, General de Caen, proposed to capitulate; thus was this valuable colony wrested from the enemy, and it has continued to form part of the possessions of the British crown to the present time.

During this year the star of Britain shone bright on the naval and colonial affairs of this great maritime power, whose enemies were deprived of the last establishment which they had possessed beyond the Cape of Good Hope, and the Pompadours had the honor of sharing in these brilliant adventures.

The second battalion remained at Barachia; and so successful was the recruiting of the regiment, under the influence and zealous efforts of its colonel, Lieut.-General the Hon. Chapple Norton, that the establishment of the second battalion was augmented to one thousand three hundred and six non-commissioned officers and soldiers; making the number of the two battalions in India, two thousand six hundred and twelve, and, notwithstanding the casualties of war and climate, the effectives approximated the establishment. A strong detachment of volunteers from the militia, to the Fifty-sixth, arriving in India in May, was stationed at the Portuguese establishment at Goa.

The detachment under Lieutenant Cairnes continued to serve as marines.

In March, 1811, the party from Goa joined the head-quarters of the first battalion at Bellary; and towards the close of the year, Lieut.-Colonel Keating returned with the detachment from the capture of Bourbon and the Mauritius. The Honorable the East India Company expressed its sense of the valuable services of the regiment, by presenting the first battalion with a pair of new colours, during its stay at Bellary.

This year the second battalion returned to Bombay.

In May, 1812, Lieut.-Colonel Kingscote arrived from England, and took the command of the second battalion; which, in October, marched from the town barracks, Bombay, to the pendals on Colabah.

The first battalion quitted Bellary, and in September joined the field-force assembled in the southern Mahratta country, under the command of Colonel Dowse, of the East India Company’s Service, for the purpose of enforcing the payment of the arrears of the customary tribute, withheld by the Ranee of Raree; and took part in all the operations consequent upon the performance of this duty.

Two companies of the second battalion were ordered to garrison Surat, in February, 1813; and the head-quarters embarked for the Guzerat, where they arrived at the Dutch Bundes in Surat on the 9th of March; and owing to the bad and unhealthy state of these quarters, the battalion was removed in April, to Domus, where it was encamped: but re-occupied the Dutch Bundes in June, with two companies at Surat.

Four companies were detached, in the same month, under the command of Captain Barrington, to join the Guicwar’s subsidiary force, under the orders of Colonel Holmes, of the East India Company’s service. On the third day the four companies marched from Khim to Oclasceer, a distance of eighteen miles, the last six of which were across an arid plain, destitute of shelter, and exposed to an unusual degree of heat, when many men fell from complete exhaustion; three died where they fell; and seven others expired during the day, after they had been removed to quarters by the natives. These four companies were followed, in September, by two others, under Lieut.-Colonel Kingscote who assumed the command of the six companies with the force under Colonel Holmes, which was employed in operations for the re-establishment of the rightful heir to the throne, which had been usurped by the uncle. On the 15th of November this force took possession of the fort of Palampore, which the Scindians had evacuated early in the morning. The troops remained in the neighbourhood of this place until the end of the year, when the companies of the Fifty-sixth marched back to the camp at Domus, where the Guzerat fever deprived the corps of many valuable soldiers.

Notwithstanding its numerous losses, the recruiting of the regiment was conducted with great success, under the influence and zealous efforts of its colonel, and its ranks received a constant supply of young men, many of them from the county of Surrey. At this period the war in Europe had attained a crisis: the British forces had triumphed in Portugal and Spain, and had forced the barrier of the Pyrenees and penetrated France; the Emperor Napoleon had lost a numerous army in the north; the forces of Russia, Austria, Prussia, and the German States, were in arms against him; and a powerful effort promised complete success to the cause of the allies. Measures were adopted to augment the British army at this interesting period; and the facility with which the Fifty-sixth had been recruited, holding out the prospect that its establishment might be increased, a warrant was issued by the Prince Regent in the early part of November, for adding a third battalion to the corps. This battalion was embodied at Horsham, its establishment was six hundred and fifty non-commissioned officers and soldiers, and its ranks were so speedily completed with disciplined men, by volunteers from the militia, &c., that in one month from the date of the order for its formation, it was ready for foreign service. At this period a body of British troops proceeded to Holland, under Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Graham (late Lord Lynedoch), to co-operate with the forces of the allied sovereigns, and the third battalion of the Fifty-sixth embarked for this service at Ramsgate, on the 9th of December, under the orders of Lieut.-Colonel John Frederick Brown; it was posted to the third brigade, commanded by Major-General Sir Herbert Taylor; the British troops were concentrated in and near Williamstadt.

About the same period the first battalion took the field in India, and formed part of the force assembled at Goute, from whence it proceeded against Canool, where it arrived on the 25th of December, and batteries were erected during the night, but a flag of truce being sent out on the following morning, hostilities ceased. The battalion was also at the reduction of the fort of Raree, Goosecull; and passed the monsoon in quarters at Cataubaugy; afterwards returning to Goute, it was relieved in the field by the second battalion of the Royals; it had lost three hundred and fifty men from disease, and was so reduced, that it was ordered to return to Bellary; it subsequently marched to Fort St. George, Madras.

The third battalion did not remain many days in quarters in Holland before it was employed in active operations, in consequence of a request of the Prussian general, Bulow, that the British would make a forward movement upon Antwerp, to favour his operations; the English general accordingly advanced to make a reconnoissance, and approaching that fortress on the 13th of January, attacked a body of French troops at the village of Merxem. On this occasion the Fifty-sixth supported the Seventy-eighth Highlanders, in a charge with the bayonet, on a French column, which was driven from its ground. The Fifty-sixth were engaged in a sharp skirmish, and had four men killed and fourteen wounded. The object of this movement having been accomplished, the British troops marched to Rosendael.

A serious attack on Antwerp was afterwards concerted, and General Bulow engaged to support the British with his Prussian corps. An advance was accordingly made, and on the 2nd of February the English again approached the village of Merxem, where a numerous body of French troops were stationed, and had fortified their post. The light troops commenced skirmishing about nine o’clock in the morning; and the Fifty-sixth, having cleared the wood on the right and left, formed line and advanced; when they were ordered by Sir Thomas Graham, in person, to move to the right,—charge through the village,—ford the dike on the other side,—take the enemy’s battery,—and attack them on the left of their line. These orders were gallantly executed, and two guns, which had annoyed the advance, were captured. The Fifty-sixth sustained some loss from the enemy’s fire, and had several men drowned in crossing the dike; but they succeeded in gaining the left flank of the enemy, and were warmly engaged until the French retired under the guns of Antwerp, when they pursued until recalled, and ordered to take post under the embankment of St. Ferdinand’s dike, which was not accomplished before several round shot had passed through the ranks. The regiment had thirteen rank and file killed; Ensign Sparks, and twenty-four rank and file wounded. Lieut.-General Sir Thomas Graham stated in his despatch,—“All the troops engaged behaved with the usual spirit and intrepidity of British soldiers;” and the conduct of Lieut.-Colonel Brown of the Fifty-sixth was particularly noticed.

After this success the British troops were employed in constructing a breastwork and battery, and the Fifty-sixth took their share in this labour, the men working all night. On the 3rd of February, several pieces of heavy ordnance opened upon the city of Antwerp, and on the French shipping in the Scheldt, and the cannonade was continued until the 6th, the Fifty-sixth taking their turn in the trenches, and being under fire each day; but General Bulow having received orders to march southward, to act with the grand army of the allies, it became necessary to relinquish the attack on Antwerp, when the British retired towards Breda,—the Fifty-sixth halting a few days at Rysburg, ten miles from Breda.

In the beginning of March the battalion again moved towards Antwerp, and was employed in services connected with preventing the enemy throwing a relief into Bergen-op-Zoom, which fortress Sir Thomas Graham had resolved to attack; and the battalion afterwards made a forced march towards that place, where it arrived in time to witness the failure of the attack. The services of the battalion were afterwards connected with the operations against Antwerp, and preventing supplies of provision and troops joining the garrison.

In the mean time Napoleon was pressed on every side by overwhelming numbers, which he was not able to withstand, and he was forced to abdicate the throne of France. Peace was restored, and the battalion of the Fifty-sixth marched into Antwerp; from whence it proceeded to Ostend, where it embarked for England in September, and landing at Deal, marched to Sheerness.

The army being reduced on the restoration of peace, the third battalion was disbanded at Sheerness on the 24th of October; its men fit for service being transferred to the first and second battalions in India, for which country they embarked about three months afterwards.

The second battalion continued to suffer severely from disease at the camp at Domus; its loss from March 1813, to December 1814, amounting to three hundred and twenty-nine non-commissioned officers and soldiers. The conduct of the men, during this distressing period, called forth the approbation of the commander of the district, expressed in division orders, in the strongest terms. During the year, it proceeded to Barachia, subsequently embarked for Bombay, and after occupying the pendals at Colabah a short period, marched into Fort George barracks.

Considerable improvement having taken place in the health of the men, the second battalion embarked for Panwell in January, 1815, and mustered upwards of nine hundred non-commissioned officers and soldiers; it joined the Poonah subsidiary force under Colonel Lionel Smith, encamped on the celebrated plain of Assaye, where the troops remained until the 27th of February, when they marched northward. In May they entered cantonments at Jaulna, where they remained during the monsoon, and in August marched in three divisions to Seroor, from whence the grenadier and rifle companies proceeded to Poonah under Colonel Smith, who left Lieut.-Colonel Kingscote in command at Seroor: these companies returned in October.

In the mean time occurrences in Europe had occasioned the removal of the first battalion from Madras. The sudden return of Bonaparte to France, and the astonishing facility with which he regained temporary possession of the throne of that kingdom, was followed by a manifested disposition to revolt on the part of the French settlers at the Mauritius, and the first battalion of the Fifty-sixth, which had been joined by three hundred men from the third, embarked on board the Salsette frigate, and the company’s ships Rose and Streatham, to reinforce the garrison at that station, on which occasion the following general order was issued:—

During the voyage the ships were separated by a violent hurricane, and each supposed the other lost; but they arrived safe at Port Louis, where they were stationed until November, when they marched to Mahebourg. The overthrow of Bonaparte on the field of Waterloo, and the restoration of peace, removed all cause of apprehension for the tranquillity of the Mauritius at that period.

The second battalion again took the field with the Poonah subsidiary force, in the early part of 1816; and in May it went into cantonments at Jaulna; from whence Lieut.-Colonel Kingscote, of the Fifty-sixth, was detached in September, with a light battalion, comprising part of the regiment, in pursuit of a native chief, called Trimbuckjee Dainglia, who had murdered the minister of state of Guzerat, escaped from prison, and was suspected of a design to assemble a force on the frontiers of the dominions of his late sovereign, the Peishwa. The pursuit of this chieftain occasioned the soldiers many fatiguing marches, and on one occasion the fortified village of Nimgaum, on the banks of the Peera, was surrounded in the expectation that the chief was there; but when, on the advance of the artillery, the inhabitants opened the gates, he could not be found: the pursuit was afterwards discontinued, and the detachment re-joined the Poonah subsidiary force at Seroor, whither it had been removed from Jaulna in October. At the close of active operations, Colonel Lionel Smith expressed the high opinion he entertained of the battalion, in division orders, dated Seroor, 31st of October, in the following terms:—“There is no language of praise, or thanks, Colonel Smith could feel to be too strong in describing the merits of such a corps.”

In August the first battalion returned to Port St. Louis; and about a month afterwards so serious a conflagration occurred at that place, that the destruction of the town appeared inevitable; but this calamity was averted by the efforts of the soldiers of the Fifty-sixth, who prevented the fire communicating to the government buildings, and thus saved the town: two men of the regiment lost their lives, in attempting to arrest the progress of the flames. The daring conduct of Serjeant James Hasty was particularly conspicuous and successful in checking the progress of the flames; and the governor expressed the following opinion of his merits in a letter to Colonel Barclay:—“I conscientiously believe, that it was in a great measure owing to Serjeant Hasty, of your regiment, that the whole town of Port Louis was not swallowed by the flames. His persevering fortitude and intrepid confidence enabled him to save the government house, by remaining among the flames when most others had despaired; and it is universally allowed, that had the government house been burned, the remainder of the town must immediately have followed, and the whole population of Port Louis left houseless among the smoking ruins[6].”

The peace of Europe appearing to be established upon a sound foundation, a considerable reduction was made in the strength of the British army, and the second battalions of regiments were directed to be disbanded: the second battalion of the Fifty-sixth was consequently ordered to march to Bombay in November.

On the 7th of January, 1817, the following general order was issued:—“His Majesty’s second battalion of the Fifty-sixth Regiment, being under orders for embarkation for Europe, affords an opportunity to the Right Honorable the Governor in Council, of expressing his approbation of the conduct of that valuable corps, whilst serving on the establishment of this presidency, and as a testimonial of the sense entertained of its important services in this country, is pleased to allow three months full batta to be issued to the officers of the battalion, previous to their departure from India.”

Four hundred men volunteered to remain in India, and transferred their services to the Sixty-fifth Regiment: and on the 9th of January, the battalion companies embarked for England. They landed at Liverpool in May, marched to Rochester, and were disbanded at that place on the 25th of June. The flank companies left Bombay in July, landed at Portsmouth on the 10th of December, and were disbanded at Chatham on the 29th of that month.

The regiment left Port Louis on the 1st of March, for Flacq, and in July to Mahebourg, where it received the colours of the late second battalion. It was employed in patrolling and other duties for the suppression of the slave trade.

After commanding the regiment twenty-one years, General the Honorable Chapple Norton died; and was succeeded in the colonelcy by Lieut.-General Sir John Murray, Baronet, from the third West India Regiment, by commission dated the 31st of March, 1818.

In July, 1819, the regiment returned to Port Louis, where it was inspected by Major-General Darling, who stated in orders dated the 16th of August,—“The inspection has afforded the Major-General much real satisfaction. A finer body of men than compose this regiment is perhaps nowhere to be seen; they are clean and soldier-like in appearance, well appointed, and in no respect deficient: in short, the care and attention of Lieut.-Colonel Barclay, and of the officers, and the good disposition of the men, are evident, and could alone have led to the state in which the Fifty-sixth Regiment now is.”

The regiment was stationed successively at Port Louis and Mahebourg until 1826, when, after upwards of twenty years’ service abroad, it embarked at Port Louis for England, on which occasion the governor stated in general orders, dated the 27th March,—“If circumstances should again call for his Excellency’s services in the field, he will feel happy in having the Fifty-sixth Regiment placed under his orders, as experience has fully proved to him, that a corps distinguished for good conduct in quarters, is always to be the most depended upon in the presence of the enemy.”

After landing at Portsmouth in June, the regiment marched to Cumberland Fort; in September it embarked at Portsmouth for Hull, where it joined the depôt companies.

In January, 1827, the regiment quitted Hull for Manchester, and in October it marched to Liverpool, where it embarked for Dublin.

On the 29th of October Sir John Murray died, and King George the Fourth was pleased to confer the colonelcy of the regiment on Lieut.-General Matthew Lord Aylmer.

New colours bearing the words “Moro” and “Gibraltar;” with the device of a Castle and Key, and the motto Montis Insignia Calpe, (which had been confirmed to the corps on the 27th of December, 1827, in consequence of an application from Colonel Barclay,) were presented to the regiment, with the usual solemnities, on the 4th of April, 1828.

In May the regiment marched to Londonderry; in the autumn the head-quarters were removed to Newry; and in August, 1829, to Birr.

In the year 1829, His Majesty’s government deemed it necessary to direct courts of inquiry to be instituted in the several regiments, in consequence of numerous frauds having been committed by certain soldiers, who, on being discharged, had given false statements of their ages, dates of enlistment, and of the periods of their former services, by which many had obtained undue rates of pension, and had thus imposed on their commanding officers, and on the bounty of their sovereign and country.

The court held to investigate the books of the Fifty-sixth Regiment reported, that the description-book had been well kept, and afforded a practical example of a system which it was proposed to adopt generally, namely, to give each man on joining a regiment a number, to be marked on his attestation, and placed against his name in the description, and other record-books of the regiment; that the book of the Fifty-sixth Regiment contained nearly two thousand names, the plan and arrangement of which were highly creditable to the zeal and industry of Colonel Barclay, and that few instances of error, or of fraud, had been detected.

The court concluded their report with a well-merited compliment to Colonel Barclay, whose long service in the regiment had been characterized by zeal and attention to his duties. This report was submitted to the Secretary at War, and Sir Henry Hardinge signified to the General Commanding in Chief, Lord Hill, his cordial concurrence in the observations made by the court, so highly honourable to Colonel Barclay, and his lordship directed it to be announced, that, in the midst of the irregularities which had been made manifest by the investigations of these courts of inquiry in the several corps, it was peculiarly gratifying to him to bear testimony to the successful and unremitting exertions of Colonel Barclay, which, while they reflected credit upon him, proved that, with diligence and a due adherence to regulations, the disreputable errors and frauds, which had been discovered in other regiments, could not have been effected[7].

In March, 1830, the regiment proceeded to Limerick; in June, 1831, to Fermoy; and in November to Cork, where arrangements were made for transferring its services to Jamaica, for which island six service companies embarked in the first week of December under Lieut.-Colonel H. H. Prichard. They were detained some time by contrary winds; but sailed on the 26th, and arriving at Port Royal in February, 1832, landed and were stationed at Up Park Camp.

Lord Aylmer was removed to the Eighteenth (Royal Irish) Foot on the 23rd of July, and King William the Fourth was pleased to nominate Lieut.-General Sir Hudson Lowe, K.C.B., from the Ninety-third Highlanders to the colonelcy of the Fifty-sixth Regiment.

In April, 1833, the regiment proceeded to Spanish Town, with two companies to Fort Augusta; in May, 1834, it embarked for Falmouth, at the north side of the island; and was stationed at that place, with detachments at Phenix Park, Sans Souci, and Montego Bay, during the years 1835 and 1836; and in January, 1837, it quitted the north side of the island, and was stationed at Up Park Camp, where it sustained the loss of three officers and sixty men from yellow fever.

The head-quarters were removed to Fort Augusta in March, 1838, and the health of the men was much improved; in January, 1839, they were removed to Spanish Town; but returned to Fort Augusta in August, and furnished detachments at Port Antonio, Up Park Camp, Port Royal, &c.

Leaving Jamaica in March, 1840, the regiment sailed on board Her Majesty’s ship Apollo, for North America, passing within sight of the Havannah,—the scene of its former gallant exploits,—and arriving at Halifax, where it was detained ten days in consequence of the navigation of the river St. Lawrence being closed by the ice. On the 24th of April it again put to sea, and arrived at Quebec, on the 7th of May. At this period the Maine and New Brunswick boundary question affected the amicable relations between Great Britain and the United States; and the extensive system of aggression pursued by the people of the State of Maine, rendered certain defensive arrangements necessary for the protection of the interests of the British subjects. The ship conveying the Fifty-sixth to Quebec had not been at anchor two hours when Lieutenant Turner and thirty men landed at Point Levi, and were sent forward in caleshes, with orders to proceed by forced marches to the disputed territory, and relieve a detachment of the Eleventh Regiment at Lake Temiscouata. This party was followed by three companies under Major Palmer, on the 9th of May, to occupy Rivière du Loup, Fort Ingall on Lake Temiscouata, and Degelé. The march of the detachment from Rivière du Loup to the two latter places by the Grand Portage, a dreary pass of thirty-six miles through a dense forest, across an uninhabited country, by a road in the worst possible order, consequent on the breaking up of a Canadian winter, with mud and water frequently up to the knees, proved very trying to soldiers just arrived from a tropical climate, and having been fifty-six days on board of ship. The remainder of the regiment proceeded up the river Saint Lawrence to Sorel, leaving the light company at Three Rivers. On the third of June Lieut.-Colonel William H. Eden arrived with a strong detachment from the depôt companies, and assumed the command of the regiment.

On the 27th of November, the light company, mustering one hundred men, marched for the Madawaska settlement, under Lieut.-Colonel Wm. H. Eden, in consequence of the Americans having offered insults to the warden and magistrates there, and intimated a design to take forcible possession of that part of the country. After traversing two hundred miles of bleak country, covered with snow, in cars, sleighs, &c., the thermometer varying from zero to twenty below, the company arrived at its destination without a casualty.

The head-quarters were removed to Chambly, in June, 1841, and in August, the detachments from the disputed territory, having been relieved by the Sixty-eighth light infantry, arrived at head-quarters[8].

The period having arrived for the return of the regiment to the United Kingdom, its strength was reduced to three hundred and thirty-three men, by volunteers to remain in the country and to join other corps. In the beginning of July 1842 it proceeded to Quebec, where it embarked in Her Majesty’s troop-ship Resistance, and after an extraordinarily quick passage of seventeen days, arrived at Cork on the 22nd of July. It was joined by the depôt companies on the 3rd of August. In the autumn the regiment proceeded to Birr, with detachments to Kilkenny, Banagher, Carlow, and Shannon-bridge.

On the 17th of November, Lieut.-General Sir Hudson Lowe was removed to the Fiftieth Regiment, and the colonelcy of the Fifty-sixth was conferred on Lieut.-General the Earl of Westmorland.

In March, 1843, the several detachments were ordered to head quarters at Birr; but the regiment had been collected little more than a week, when it was again found necessary to detach four companies to Cashel, Tipperary, Bansha, and Dungarvon. In April, the head-quarters marched to Fermoy, and from thence to Cork, where the regiment was concentrated, in expectation of being removed to England. The public service, however, required that it should remain in Ireland, and it has since furnished detachments to Ballincollig, Bandon, Buttevant, Mallow, Dummanway, Skibbereen, Millstreet, &c., in order to be in readiness to aid the civil power, if its services should be required, in consequence of meetings of large masses of the people, to agitate the repeal of the union between Great Britain and Ireland.

At the close of 1843, to which this Record is brought, the head-quarters were at Cork, with four companies, under the command of Major Norman, detached to Clonmel, and one company at Millstreet.

The Fifty-sixth Regiment is distinguished for its career of valuable service to the crown and kingdom; and it was conspicuous for its pre-eminent efficiency in point of numbers and discipline during the war from 1803 to 1815, during which period it was augmented to three battalions, which were all employed on foreign service. It was a favourite corps in England, particularly in the county of Surrey; and although many men were lost by casualties abroad, yet its effectives generally amounted to two thousand rank and file. Its gallantry in the field, and its conduct on colonial service, and in the United Kingdom, have enhanced the value of this corps in the estimation of the government and country.

1844.