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 Count D’Erlon, upon the 25th of July, advanced against the
right of the _Maya_ heights, where the ridges of the mountains
branched off towards his camp. The force at this point was not
sufficient to resist such formidable numbers, and the reserve being
posted at some distance to watch passes of importance, which could
not be left wholly unguarded, was brought up by battalions as the
pressure increased.
The intrepidity with which these attacks were met, and the
obstinate bravery with which every inch of ground was disputed,
were obliged at last to yield to overwhelming numbers; but although
the troops were forced to retrograde, yet in their retreat they
took advantage of every rising ground, and disputed it with the
utmost tenacity. At the commencement of this attack a part of
the first battalion of the SEVENTY-FIRST regiment was detached
to a neighbouring high peak, under the command of Major William
Fitzgerald of the eighty-second regiment, and was strengthened by
a company of that gallant corps. Lieut.-General the Honorable Sir
William Stewart, in his report to Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill,
thus expressed himself respecting these men:--“I cannot too warmly
praise the conduct of that field officer (Major Fitzgerald) and
that of his brave detachment. They maintained the position to the
last; and were compelled, from the want of ammunition, to impede
the enemy’s occupation of the rock by hurling stones at them.”
In another part of this communication, the Lieut.-General
thus alluded to the eighty-second regiment and to the first
brigade, which was composed of the fiftieth, SEVENTY-FIRST, and
ninety-second regiments:
“I feel it my duty to recommend to your attention, and favourable
report to the Commander of the Forces, the conduct and spirit
of Colonel Grant, and of his brave corps, the eighty-second
regiment; also the whole of the first brigade, than which His
Majesty’s army possesses not men of more proved discipline and
courage. The wounds of him, and every commanding officer in that
brigade, were attended with circumstances of peculiar honor to
each of them, and to those under their orders.”
The following is a list of the killed and wounded in the action
of the 25th of July, as nearly as could be ascertained:--Three
serjeants and fifty-four rank and file killed; six serjeants, one
bugler, and seventy-six rank and file wounded.
The SEVENTY-FIRST continued retiring until the 30th, when
Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill took up a strong position beyond
Lizasso. In this post they were attacked with much spirit by the
enemy, who, at the same time, by manœuvring on the left flank,
rendered necessary a change of position to a range of heights near
_Eguaros_, which all the efforts of the French failed to carry.
Upon this occasion the SEVENTY-FIRST were seriously engaged,
and had one serjeant and twenty-three rank and file killed; two
serjeants, one bugler, and thirty-three rank and file were wounded.
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