Historical record of the Eighty-seventh Regiment, or the Royal Irish Fusiliers : $b Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1793, and of its subsequent services to 1853Cannon, Richard
History
Historical record of the Eighty-seventh Regiment, or the Royal Irish Fusiliers : $b Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1793, and of its subsequent services to 1853
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army -- History; Great Britain. Army. Princess Victoria's Royal Irish Fusiliers
The army pursued the French, who, after throwing in reinforcements
into the fortress of _Pampeluna_, continued their retreat. Being
reinforced, and Marshal Soult, who had been selected by Napoleon
for the command of the French army in Spain, with the rank of
“Lieutenant of the Emperor,” having arrived, they forced the
British to retire on a position in the Spanish range of the
Pyrenees; when the brigade, in which the EIGHTY-SEVENTH was placed,
held the right of the position from the 27th of July to the 1st
of August, during which the enemy twice made demonstrations of
attack. The French being defeated on the 1st of August, retreated
and took up and fortified a position in their own territories; the
British pursued through the famous pass of Roncesvalles, and on the
8th of August 1813, first came in view of France, and entered its
territories on the 10th of November, having during the intermediate
period being engaged in skirmishes, in which a few were killed and
wounded.
On the 10th of November the British troops were engaged at the
_Nivelle_, from five o’clock in the morning until dark, meeting
with a most obstinate resistance in an entrenched camp. The
gallantry of the allies, however, drove the French to Saint Jean
de Luz. The EIGHTY-SEVENTH on this occasion called forth from
Major-General the Honorable Charles Colville, who commanded the
division, and Colonel John Keane (afterwards Lieut.-General Lord
Keane), who commanded the brigade, the most animated praises.
One ensign, six serjeants, one drummer, and sixty-eight rank and
file, were killed; one lieut.-colonel, four lieutenants, eleven
serjeants, one drummer, and one hundred and twenty-three rank and
file, wounded. Total, two hundred and sixteen. The strength of the
battalion in the field was three hundred and eighty-six.
_Killed._
_Ensign_—Hilliard.
_Wounded._
_Brevet Lieut.-Colonel_—Hugh Gough.
_Lieutenant_—John Kelly, _leg amputated_.
” Joseph Leslie.
” James Kenelly.
_Ensign_—Henry Bailey.
The word “NIVELLE,” borne on the regimental colour and
appointments, by royal authority, is commemorative of the gallantry
of the second battalion of the EIGHTY-SEVENTH on this occasion.
During the remaining part of the year, the regiment was frequently
engaged with the enemy in skirmishes.
Private Robert Smith, of the Grenadiers, was, at the request of Sir
Charles Colville, promoted to be serjeant for his gallantry.
Volunteers Bourne and Bagenall, who were attached to the light
company, were both severely wounded, and promoted to be ensigns for
their gallant conduct. Serjeant Prideaux, of the light company,
also distinguished himself.
[Sidenote: 1814.]
In 1814 the army, strengthened by recruits and recovered men,
continued its march into France, and on the 24th of February
arrived at Salvatira.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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