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)
Upon the morning of the 21st of June, the two armies being in
position, the SEVENTY-FIRST were ordered to ascend the heights of
La Puebla, to support the Spanish forces under General Morillo.
They accordingly advanced in open column, and having formed
line, were immediately hotly engaged with the enemy, and upon
this occasion suffered an irreparable loss in the fall of their
Commanding Officer the Honorable Colonel Henry Cadogan, who fell
mortally wounded while leading his men to the charge, and being
unable to accompany the battalion, requested to be carried to a
neighbouring eminence, from which he might take a last farewell
of them and the field. In his dying moments he earnestly inquired
if the French were beaten; and on being told by an officer of the
regiment, who stood by supporting him, that they had given way at
all points, he ejaculated, “God bless my brave countrymen” and
immediately expired.[30]
While recording the deep sense of sorrow which the SEVENTY-FIRST
experienced in the demise of a commanding officer who had so often
fought at their head, and whose devoted gallantry had so frequently
called forth their admiration, it is but a meet tribute to the
memory of that brave spirit to extract from the despatch of the
Marquis of Wellington the following expressions of his lordship’s
regret at his loss:
“And I am concerned to report that the Honorable Lieut.-Colonel
Cadogan has died of a wound which he received. In him His Majesty
has lost an officer of great zeal and tried gallantry, who had
already acquired the respect and regard of the whole profession,
and of whom it might be expected, that if he had lived he would
have rendered the most important services to his country.”
After the fall of the Lieut.-Colonel, the SEVENTY-FIRST continued
advancing, and driving the enemy from the heights, until the
force which was opposed to them became so unequal, and the loss
of the battalion so severe, that it was obliged to retire upon
the remainder of the brigade. In the performance of this arduous
duty the battalion suffered very severely, having had one field
officer, one captain, two lieutenants, six serjeants, one bugler,
and seventy-eight rank and file killed; one field officer, three
captains, seven lieutenants, thirteen serjeants, two buglers, and
two hundred and fifty-five rank and file were wounded.
The officers killed were Colonel the Honorable Henry Cadogan,
Captain Henry Hall, Lieutenants Humphrey Fox and Colin Mackenzie.
Those wounded were Brevet Lieut.-Colonel Charles Cother, Captains
Samuel Reed, Joseph Thomas Pidgeon, William Alexander Grant,
Lieutenants Alexander Duff, Loftus Richards, John M^cIntyre,
Charles Cox, William Torriano, Norman Campbell, and Thomas
Commeline.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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