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 enemy having been foiled in all the objects of his attacks,
found it necessary, in his turn, to retreat, moving on the 31st
of July by the pass of _Doña Maria_, where he left a strong corps
in an excellent position. This force was immediately attacked
by the columns of Lieut.-Generals Sir Rowland Hill and the Earl
of Dalhousie, and dislodged, after a gallant resistance. In the
action of this day the first brigade, consisting of the fiftieth,
SEVENTY-FIRST, and ninety-second regiments, had the honor of
bearing its share, and of distinguishing itself. The SEVENTY-FIRST
had one serjeant and twenty-nine rank and file killed; two
serjeants and forty-five rank and file were wounded.
The battalion now returned to the heights of Maya, from whence,
after a halt of a few days, it moved to Roncesvalles.
Previously to this change of quarters, an order was issued by
Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill, relative to the conduct of the
troops in the actions of the Pyrenees, of which the following is a
copy:--
“_Arrizi, August 3rd, 1813._
“GENERAL ORDER.
“Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill requests that the officers,
non-commissioned officers, and privates of the corps of the
army under his command will accept his best thanks for the
gallant conduct they have displayed during the late active and
interesting operations.
“The chance of service has placed the troops under his command
in situations where they were exposed to an immense superiority
of forces, a circumstance unavoidable in operations so
extensive as those in which this army has been engaged; and it
has at all times been necessary to cede ground to the enemy.
The Lieut.-General, however, has the satisfaction of knowing
that the troops have on every occasion maintained their high
character; that they have only withdrawn from their positions by
superior orders, and then it has been invariably attended with
circumstances highly creditable to them. The Lieut.-General has
not failed to report to the Commander of the Forces the details
of the several affairs in which the corps have been engaged,
and he knows that their services are duly appreciated by his
Excellency.”
The royal authority was subsequently granted to the SEVENTY-FIRST
to bear the word “PYRENEES” on the regimental colour and
appointments, in commemoration of the services of the first
battalion in the actions of the 25th, 30th, and 31st of July, which
have been designated the “_Battles of the Pyrenees_.”
In these actions the SEVENTY-FIRST had Lieutenant Alexander Duff
killed; Major Maxwell Mackenzie, Captains Leslie Walker and
Alexander Grant, Lieutenants Thomas Park, John Roberts, William
Woolcombe, William Peacocke, and Anthony Pack wounded.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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