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. [Sidenote: 1817] 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. [Sidenote: 1818]