Before the action commenced, Captain Rowan was sent forward with 100 men of the ROYALS, and joined the 81st Regiment, which had also been posted in advance. On the approach of the enemy this party was attacked by very superior numbers, and Captain Rowan brought back very few of his men. When the enemy approached Sir David Baird's division, it did not wait to be attacked, but advanced under a heavy fire to meet its opponents; on no occasion was the valour of British troops more manifest, and the ROYALS, with the remainder of their brigade, were thanked in general orders for their gallant conduct. This victory was, however, purchased at the expense of many valuable lives; and the death of Sir John Moore, who was killed by a cannon-ball, was an irreparable loss to his country. The British troops afterwards embarked at Corunna, and returned to England. When the ROYALS arrived in England, it was discovered that they had sustained, in killed, wounded, missing, and death from fatigue, a loss of about 250 men: and their gallantry was rewarded with the Royal permission to bear the word CORUNNA on their colours. [Sidenote: 2nd Batt.] This year (1809) the 2nd battalion marched, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel H. Conran, from Fort St. George, Madras, to take the field. Previously to quitting this station the following order was issued by the Governor-General in Council:-- "On the march of the 2nd battalion of the ROYALS from the garrison of Fort St. George, Lieut.-Colonel Conran will assume the command of the force under the orders of march to the ceded districts, without interfering with the command of the troops in the centre division of the army. "The Governor-General in Council is pleased to express his entire approbation of the conduct of the 2nd battalion of the ROYALS while they have been stationed at Fort St. George. "The Governor-General in Council requests Lieut.-Colonel Conran will accept the expression of his warmest thanks for the able and satisfactory manner in which he has conducted the duties incidental to the command of the troops in the garrison of Fort St. George." After the ROYALS had been in the field a short time they were separated, and one wing proceeded to Hyderabad, and the other to Masulipatam, a considerable sea-port in the district of Condapilly, where they remained during the succeeding year. [Sidenote: 3rd Batt.]