“Although the guns fell into our hands in front of the 71st regiment, Lieut.-Colonel Pack (desirous that the three regiments should be considered as one family) has most handsomely withdrawn the prior claim His Majesty’s 71st regiment might have made, and to which the situation of the guns, when taken, would have entitled that most excellent corps. “I have, &c. “(Signed) R. C. FERGUSON, “_Brigadier General_. “Major-General Sir David Baird.” The SEVENTY-FIRST went into quarters at the cantonment of Wynberg, about seven miles from Cape Town, on the road to Simon’s Bay, where the battalion remained until the 12th of April, when, most unexpectedly, an order arrived for its immediate embarkation on an expedition to the Rio de la Plata in South America, which had been planned by the British commanders, naval and military, at the Cape. The SEVENTY-FIRST was the only corps of the Cape garrison destined for this service, with the addition of a few dragoons and some artillery. At this period the strength of the battalion amounted to eight hundred rank and file, having received some recruits from foreign corps at the Cape. The troops were to be commanded by Brigadier-General William Carr Beresford, afterwards General Viscount Beresford. The battalion was embarked in line-of-battle ships and in transports, and on the 14th of April the fleet sailed from Table Bay, directing its course to the westward until the 20th, when, in consequence of unfavourable weather, and having parted company with one of the transports, in which were three companies of the SEVENTY-FIRST, the signal was made to rendezvous at St. Helena, at which island the fleet arrived on the 30th of April, with the exception of the missing transport. Here the force under Brigadier-General Beresford received an augmentation of two hundred men from the St. Helena regiment, making a total of a thousand and eighty-seven rank and file. On the 2d of May the fleet sailed from St. Helena, and after a tedious voyage arrived at Cape St. Mary’s, at the entrance of the Rio de la Plata, on the 8th of June, where it met with the missing transport. The troops that had sailed in the line-of-battle ships were transferred on the 16th of June to the transports, which proceeded up the river, and on the 24th of that month came to anchor opposite the city of _Buenos Ayres_. On the 25th, at night, the SEVENTY-FIRST, with the other troops, effected a landing without any opposition. The following morning they pushed forward, and met the enemy at the village of Reduction, who made a trifling stand, and then retired towards the city. On this occasion Captain Henry Le Blanc of the SEVENTY-FIRST lost his leg, and a serjeant and five rank and file were wounded.