Bourbon, now better known as Reunion, was a thorn in the side of the East India Company during our many wars with France. With Mauritius, then known as the Isle of France, it was a harbour of refuge for the many privateers which preyed upon our commerce, and a base of operations for the French fleet in Eastern waters. Its reduction became a necessity, but was from time to time deferred, until at last, in the month of September, 1809, the Governor-General, Lord Minto, despatched a force, under Colonel Keatinge, of the 56th Regiment (now the Essex), to report on the feasibility of the capture of both islands. With Keatinge was associated Commodore Josias Rowley, at the head of a squadron comprising the _Raisonnable_, _Sirius_, _Boadicea_, _Nereide_, and _Otter_, with the Honourable Company's cruiser _Wasp_. Keatinge's force consisted of his own regiment, the 56th (Essex), and the 2nd Bombay Native Infantry (now the 104th Wellesley's Rifles). A descent was made on the island, the forts at the principal port destroyed, and some French men-of-war and armed Indiamen brought away; but the force was altogether too small for Keatinge to retain possession. In the following July, having received reinforcements, Keatinge and Rowley made a second descent. In the meantime they had occupied the Island of Rodriguez, which served as a valuable base of operations. In addition to the Essex and the Bombay Regiment, Keatinge now had the 69th (2nd Welsh), the 86th (2nd Irish Rifles), and the 6th and 12th Regiments of Madras Infantry (now the 66th and 84th Punjabis); and this force was strengthened by a naval brigade of seamen and Marines from the ships, the total numbering about 3,600 men. The French garrison made some show of resistance, but after a sharp engagement the Governor, seeing himself cut off from all hope of aid, surrendered, and until the conclusion of peace in 1814 Bourbon remained in our possession, Colonel Keatinge being installed as Governor, and a regiment being raised from the Creole inhabitants, which was borne on the rolls of our army as the Bourbon Regiment. CASUALTIES AT THE CAPTURE OF THE ISLAND OF BOURBON, 1810. +-----------------+-----------+-----------+ | |_Officers._| _Men._ | | _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +-----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |12th Suffolk | - | 2 | 2 | 5 | |56th Essex | - | - | 1 | 3 | |69th Welsh | - | - | 2 | - | |86th R. Irish R. | 1 | 6 | 10 | 51 | +-----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ CASUALTIES AT THE ATTACK ON THE ISLAND IN 1809.