Historical Record of the Fourth, or the King's Own, Regiment of Foot: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1680, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1839Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the Fourth, or the King's Own, Regiment of Foot: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1680, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1839
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army -- History; Great Britain. Army. King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)
of an explosion, were at that moment attacked by a French reserve,
and driven back with great loss as far as the San Vincente, where
the pursuing enemy was destroyed by the fire of a battalion of
the thirty-eighth, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Nugent, posted in
reserve. The storming party rallied, and, returning to the attack,
once more charged along the breaches, and were engaged with the
enemy.
In the meantime, the men of the KING'S OWN who had entered the
town, finding the streets empty, the houses illuminated with lamps,
and no appearance of opposition, excepting a few shots fired by
the Spaniards from underneath the doors, they advanced with bugles
sounding towards the great square of the town, capturing in their
progress several mules laden with ammunition proceeding towards
the breaches. Arriving at the square, it was found empty as the
streets, the houses decorated with lamps; a low whispering was
heard, and the lattices were occasionally opened and shut, but no
troops appeared to be in the buildings. The castle had been won by
the British troops; but at the breaches the fight was still raging,
and dreadful sounds like the deep tones of distant thunder echoed
through the town; the KING'S OWN rushed to the scene of conflict
to attack the garrison in reverse, but were assailed by a heavy
fire of musketry and forced back by superior numbers. At length the
garrison was forced from the breaches, partial actions afterwards
took place in various quarters, and eventually the governor,
finding all lost, escaped with part of his garrison to the fort
of St. Christoval, on the opposite side of the river, where he
surrendered.
In the storming of Badajoz the FOURTH had Captain H. T. Bellingham
and Lieutenant Francis Staveley killed; Lieutenants William
Sheppard and Martin Dane died of their wounds; Major Alured W.
Faunce, Captains John Williamson, G. W. Wilson, Robert Anwyl, and
Thomas Burke, with Lieutenants W. S. L. Alley, J. Salvin, Patrick
Conroy, John Browne, John Craster, Hygat Boyd, and Ensigns Robert
Arnold and Edward Rawlings, wounded: the regiment also sustained a
loss of two hundred and thirteen serjeants, drummers, and rank and
file, killed and wounded.
The excellent conduct of the brigade was mentioned in Lord
Wellington's despatch; and Lieut.-Colonel Brooke, who commanded the
regiment, was also spoken of in terms of commendation.
During the assault, Private George Hatton, of the light company
of the KING'S OWN, bayonetted the officer who carried the colours
of the regiment of Hesse d'Armstadt, in the French service, and
captured the colours, which he had the honour of presenting on the
following day to Lord Wellington, who rewarded him with a present
of money, and desired that he might be promoted.
The KING'S OWN acquired by its gallantry on this occasion the
honour of the royal permission to bear the word BADAJOZ on its
colours.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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