The garrison of Lerida consisted of the ROYAL FUSILIERS, Wills's marines (now thirtieth regiment), with one Portuguese and two Dutch battalions, commanded by Prince Henry of Hesse d'Armstadt and Major-General Wills. A powerful French and Spanish army under His Royal Highness the Duke of Orleans and the Duke of Berwick invested the town on the 10th of September, and, having effected a breach, gave a general assault on the 12th of October. The garrison defended its post with admirable courage and resolution, and the firmness and steady valour of the ROYAL FUSILIERS were conspicuous. The enemy having made a lodgment, the garrison vacated the town, and retired to the castle at the top of the hill, where a vigorous defence was continued until the water and provisions were expended, when the fortress was surrendered on honourable terms. The garrison marched, out on the 12th of November with colours flying, taking with them all their baggage and two pieces of cannon, and proceeded to join the army under the Earl of Galway. [Sidenote: 1708] The ROYAL FUSILIERS, having sustained considerable loss in the defence of Lerida, returned to England in the spring of 1708 to recruit, and their colonel, Major-General Sir Charles O'Hara, was advanced to the peerage by the title of BARON TYRAWLEY. [Sidenote: 1709] During the winter of 1708 and spring of 1709 the regiment occupied extensive cantonments in Devonshire and Somersetshire, and its ranks were rapidly recruited. This year Lieut.-General Stanhope formed the design of surprising Cadiz, and concerted measures with Admiral Sir George Byng, on board of whose squadron he embarked from Port Mahon with two regiments of foot, and sailed to Gibraltar to await the arrival of a body of troops from England. The ROYAL FUSILIERS were selected to take part in this enterprise, and they embarked at Portsmouth on board of the squadron commanded by Rear-Admiral Baker; but the fleet was detained so long by contrary winds, that it did not reach Portugal until October, when the season was too far advanced for prosecuting this adventure, and the regiment sailed to Barcelona. [Sidenote: 1710] [Sidenote: 1711] [Sidenote: 1712] [Sidenote: 1713] The island of Minorca having been captured in 1708, the ROYAL FUSILIERS were selected to form part of the garrison of that important place during the remainder of the war, which was terminated in 1713 by the Treaty of Utrecht. By this treaty Minorca was ceded to Great Britain, and the regiment was one of the corps destined to remain on the island. On the 29th of January, 1713, the colonelcy was conferred on the Honourable James O'Hara, in succession to his father, James Lord Tyrawley. [Sidenote: 1714] [Sidenote: 1719] The ROYAL FUSILIERS remained at Minorca until the spring of 1719, when they were relieved, and arrived at Plymouth in May of that year; in July they proceeded to Ireland, where they continued until 1727. [Sidenote: 1727]