The withdrawing of the British troops from Spain after the battle of _Corunna_ was the consequent operation of Sir John Moore's retreat to the coast: arrangements for this purpose were therefore hastily concerted, and as speedily acted upon. A great portion of the army was enabled to embark in the harbour of Corunna during the night after the battle; at the same time General Hill's brigade retired to a position near the ramparts of the town, leaving the piquets of the brigade, under Lieutenant-Colonel Kingsbury, of the Queen's Regiment, employed as a rear-guard to cover the retreat of the army, and to keep the enemy in check by fires and other stratagems, until the embarkation was completed, almost without molestation; and General Hill's brigade followed from the citadel on the succeeding day. The troops embarked in such vessels as they could reach; the ships made the best of their way to England, and, in consequence of the stormy season, landed the troops at the first port they could gain. The Queen's Regiment arrived in parties, and was subsequently re-united at Ipswich. In consequence of the gallant conduct of the QUEEN'S ROYAL in the action at Corunna, the regiment has received his Majesty's permission for the word _Corunna_ being borne on its colours and appointments[30]. A detachment of the QUEEN'S ROYAL had been left in Portugal, when the corps advanced from Lisbon to Salamanca, and was assembled at Elvas under the command of Captain Gordon, who, with his detachment, joined the army of Sir Arthur Wellesley previous to its entering Spain. Captain Gordon's party was attached to the Second Battalion of Detachments, and had the honour of sharing in the victory at _Talavera de la Reyna_ on the 28th of July, 1809[31]. When the militia regiments were allowed, in 1809, to volunteer into the line, the QUEEN'S ROYAL was very successful in recruiting, and its establishment was increased to 1000. In July of the same year, the regiment formed part of the expedition under the Earl of Chatham to the Scheldt; was employed at the siege of Flushing, and, after the surrender of that fortress, it remained in quarters at Middleburgh, where it suffered severely from the Walcheren fever. On the evacuation of the island in December, the regiment embarked at Flushing, and returned to its old quarters at Ipswich. [Sidenote: 1810] During the year 1810, the regiment remained in England, where it was joined in August by the detachment which had been left in Portugal; and its numbers were thus increased to 1126 rank and file. [Sidenote: 1811]