Historical Record of the Seventy-first Regiment, Highland Light Infantry: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1777, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1852Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the Seventy-first Regiment, Highland Light Infantry: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1777, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1852
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army -- History; Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 71st (Highland Light Infantry)
The British army accordingly advanced in pursuit of Marshal
Massena, and the brigade in which was the SEVENTY-FIRST accompanied
it, moving by Redinha, Miranda de Corvo, and Saryedes, passing the
Coa, a little above Sabugal, upon the 5th of April, and on the 9th
arrived at Albergaria, a small town on the frontiers of Spain. The
SEVENTY-FIRST remained in Albergaria until the 2d of May, when the
enemy, having been strongly reinforced, moved from Salamanca, and
on that day crossed the frontier with a large convoy of provisions
for Almeida, then closely invested by the Portuguese forces under
Brigadier-General Pack.
In consequence of this movement, the allied army broke up its
cantonments on the Azava, and formed in order of battle upon the
high ground behind the Duas Casas, the left extending to the
high road to Almeida which crossed the river by a ford near Fort
Conception, and the right keeping up a communication with the
bridge at Sabugal; opposite the centre, the village of _Fuentes
d’Onor_ was strongly occupied by light infantry.
Upon the 3d of May the French took post on the opposite side of the
valley of the Duas Casas, their left fronting Fuentes d’Onor, and
their right extending about two miles and a half to Alameda. In the
afternoon of the 3d of May they attacked Fuentes d’Onor with much
vigour. That post was defended with the greatest bravery until the
light companies, being worn out and harassed by repeated attacks,
were obliged to retire, and the enemy possessed himself of the
lower part of the village.
The SEVENTY-FIRST were now ordered up to support, and, commanded
by Lieut.-Colonel the Honorable Henry Cadogan, charged the enemy
through the village and across the Duas Casas, taking ten officers
and about a hundred men prisoners. The corps retained its conquest
that night and the whole of the next day, but upon Sunday the 5th
of May, the French having succeeded in turning some troops to the
immediate right, were obliged to give way; having been immediately
supported by the seventy-fourth and eighty-eighth regiments, they
again advanced, took possession of and retained the village until
the conclusion of the action.
A struggle of such duration could not be carried on without great
loss, and the SEVENTY-FIRST suffered severely. They went into
action about 320 strong, and lost nearly one half of their number
in killed and wounded.
The SEVENTY-FIRST had Lieutenants John Consell, William Houston,
and John Graham, and Ensign Donald John Kearns, together with four
serjeants and twenty-two rank and file, killed.
Captains Peter Adamson and James M^cIntyre, Lieutenants William
M^cCraw, Humphrey Fox, and Robert Law (Adjutant), Ensigns Charles
Cox, John Vandeleur, and Carique Lewin, six serjeants, three
buglers, and one hundred rank and file, were wounded. Two officers,
with several men, were taken prisoners.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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