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)
In commemoration of the gallantry displayed in this prolonged
action, the SEVENTY-FIRST subsequently received the Royal authority
to bear the words “FUENTES D’ONOR” on the regimental colour and
appointments.
Viscount Wellington particularly mentioned the name of
Lieut.-Colonel the Honorable Henry Cadogan in his despatch, and
being highly gratified with the conduct of the SEVENTY-FIRST
on this occasion, directed that a non-commissioned officer
should be selected for a commission. According to his Lordship’s
recommendation, Quartermaster-Serjeant William Gavin was shortly
afterwards promoted to an ensigncy in the regiment.
The SEVENTY-FIRST, upon the 14th, returned to their old quarters
at Albergaria, and remained there until the 26th of May, when the
brigade was ordered to the Alemtejo frontier, as a reinforcement to
Marshal Sir William Beresford’s[27] army, at this time besieging
Badajoz, and threatened by the advance of Marshal Soult from the
south of Spain.
[Sidenote: 2d bat.]
On the 15th of May 1811, the second battalion embarked at Leith for
South Britain, arrived at Ramsgate on the 23d of that month, and
remained stationed in England for nearly two years.
[Sidenote: 1st bat.]
The first battalion, upon its route southward, crossed the Tagus
on the 31st of May, and arrived near Albuhera on the 14th of June,
having passed through Portalegre, Aronches, Campo Mayor, and
Talavera Real.
The sanguinary battle of Albuhera, fought on the 16th of May,
had obliged Marshal Soult to retire previously to the arrival of
the reinforcement, which being considered no longer necessary,
the battalion retired to Elvas, where it remained two days; the
battalion again moved to Toro de Moro on the 19th of June, where it
remained for a month. At this encampment a detachment of 350 men,
with a proportion of officers, joined from the second battalion
then stationed at Deal.
About this period the first battalion became a part of the army
under Lieut.-General Rowland (afterwards Viscount) Hill. The
junction of the armies of Marshals Marmont and Soult having
obliged Viscount Wellington to raise the siege of Badajoz, which
had been resumed after the battle of Albuhera, the battalion, in
co-operation with his Lordship’s retrograde movement, retired
to Borba on the 20th of July. Here it remained until the 1st of
September, when it moved to Portalegre, and thence marched to
Castello de Vido on the 4th of October.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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