Historical Record of the Sixty-first, or the South Gloucestershire Regiment of Foot: Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1758, and of its subsequent services to 1844.Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the Sixty-first, or the South Gloucestershire Regiment of Foot: Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1758, and of its subsequent services to 1844.
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 61st (South Gloucestershire) -- History; Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 61st -- History
brought out of the field by Adjutant Bace, assisted by two ensigns
and Serjeant Robert Hogg, whose name merits notice from his zealous
exertions during the action.
The SIXTY-FIRST was included, in Lord Wellington’s despatch,
among the corps which had sustained severe loss, and were highly
distinguished throughout the day.
Lieut.-Colonel Coghlan, Lieutenant H. Arden, and Ensign W. A.
Favell, were killed on this occasion; Major J. Oke, Captains W.
Greene and E. Charleton, Lieutenants A. Porteus, N. Furnace[7],
T. Gloster, D. O’Kearney, J. Wolfe, E. Gaynor, W. White[8], J.
Harris, G. Stewart, and J. H. Ellison, Ensigns J. Wright, Cuthbert
Eccles, and S. Bartlett, wounded. The regiment had also eight
serjeants and one hundred and fifty-three rank and file killed and
wounded.
Medals were conferred on Lieut.-Colonel Oke, Captain Charleton (who
was twice wounded), and Adjutant Bace: and the word “TOULOUSE” was
added to the inscriptions on the colours of the regiment.
The French retreated from Toulouse, followed by the British
army, and at St. Felix five officers and seventy men joined the
SIXTY-FIRST, from the second battalion in Ireland, under the orders
of Captain Hamilton.
Hostilities were terminated a few days afterwards; the power
of Bonaparte had been destroyed, and the Bourbon dynasty was
restored to France. The gallant veterans of the SIXTY-FIRST were
thus gratified with a complete triumph over the enemies of their
country. They had traversed kingdoms, fought battles, and conquered
powerful armies for the good of Europe; their valour had exalted
the glory of the British arms, and preserved their native country
from the presence of war: and the word “PENINSULA” was added to the
numerous inscriptions on their colours, to commemorate their heroic
conduct.
After reposing a short period in quarters, the regiment marched
for Bordeaux; and at Bazas the Portuguese brigade, which had long
served with the sixth division, was separated from it to return
to Portugal; a feeling of respect for these brave companions in
war pervaded all ranks of the British army: many reciprocal acts
of kindness had marked the estimation in which the soldiers of the
British and Portuguese armies held each other.
On the 30th of June, the regiment embarked for Ireland, when the
following order was issued:--“Major-General Lambert cannot allow
the regiments composing the left brigade of the sixth division
of the army under the Duke of Wellington, to separate without
requesting the officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers,
to accept his best thanks for their services while under his
command. Though the period has not been long, yet it will be ever
memorable; and the distinguished good conduct of the brigade, so
repeatedly mentioned during this period, especially in the action
of the 10th of April, will ever make him consider his appointment
to the brigade as one of the most fortunate events of his military
life.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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