Historical record of the Eighty-Sixth, or the Royal County Down Regiment of Foot: Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1793, and of its subsequent services to 1842.Cannon, Richard
History
Historical record of the Eighty-Sixth, or the Royal County Down Regiment of Foot: Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1793, and of its subsequent services to 1842.
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 86th -- History; Great Britain. Army. Royal County Down Regiment -- History
From Baroach the regiment proceeded to Baroda, from whence five
hundred rank and file of the EIGHTY-SIXTH, a battalion of Sepoys,
some irregular horse, and a battering train, marched to attack the
fort of _Powanghur_, situated on a stupendous rock of extraordinary
height and of difficult ascent. Arriving before this place on the
14th of September, and the garrison refusing to surrender, the walls
were battered until the 17th, when orders were issued to prepare
to attack the lower fort by storm. The garrison was intimidated
by the knowledge of the fact, that if they defended the breach,
their communication with the fort on the top of the mountain would
be cut off, and their escape rendered impossible; they therefore
surrendered. Thus a fort of great strength by nature and art fell
into the hands of the British.
The district of Champaneer, the only territory remaining to Scindia,
in the province of Guzerat, had thus been reduced, and annexed to
the British dominions. Lieut.-Colonel Murray, of the Eighty-fourth
regiment, assumed the command of the troops at Baroda, and advanced
towards Scindia’s territories, in the province of Malwa, in quest
of Holkar’s forces, but it was found impossible to bring the armed
bands of that chieftain to action. On the 18th of October the city
and fortress of Godera was taken possession of, the enemy retiring as
the British approached. At this place information was received of the
victory of Assaye, gained by the troops under Major-General the Hon.
Arthur Wellesley, on the 23rd of September, which was followed by the
submission of two of the hostile chiefs, Scindia and the Rajah of
Berar, leaving Holkar, Canojee, and some minor chiefs in the field.
Leaving Godera, the troops took possession of Balinsanere in the
beginning of November; and advanced towards _Lunawarrah_. On the
march, the rearguard, consisting of five companies of Sepoys, and
some native cavalry, was suddenly attacked, while passing through an
extensive jungle, by a numerous body of the enemy in ambush.
The hostile bands did not venture to attack the Europeans of the
advance-guard, nor the column, but rushed with great fury upon the
native troops in the rear, occasioning the loss of many Sepoys and
camp followers, with some baggage, before assistance could arrive
from the column. The EIGHTY-SIXTH had several men killed and wounded
on this occasion.
Lunawarrah was evacuated by the enemy, and _Dhowd_ was taken, about
six weeks afterwards, with little opposition.
In this part of the country, the EIGHTY-SIXTH, and other corps,
with Lieut.-Colonel Murray, remained about two months[4], watching
Holkar, who had power to concentrate an overwhelming force, which
rendered vigilance particularly necessary.
[Sidenote: 1804]
On the death of Lieut.-General Grinfield, King George III. conferred
the colonelcy of the regiment on Lieut.-General Sir James Henry
Craig, K.B., from the Forty-sixth Foot, by commission dated the 5th
of January, 1804.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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