Historical Record of the Thirty-sixth, or the Herefordshire Regiment of Foot: containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1701, and of its subsequent services to 1852Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the Thirty-sixth, or the Herefordshire Regiment of Foot: containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1701, and of its subsequent services to 1852
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army. Herefordshire Light Infantry -- History; Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 36th -- History
The second battalion was moved from Worcester to Kidderminster in
the spring, and in the summer to Cirencester, and subsequently to
Horsham.
[Sidenote: 1811.]
The first battalion occupied the barracks at Battle until January
1811, on the 28th of which month it embarked at Portsmouth under
the command of Lieut.-Colonel the Honorable Basil Cochrane on board
His Majesty’s ship “Victory,” and landed at Lisbon on the 5th of
March. The battalion immediately joined in the pursuit of Marshal
Massena from Santarem, and was in position at the expulsion of the
enemy from Guarda on the 29th of March.
The battalion was next employed in the blockade of _Almeida_, and
Marshal Massena, having concentrated his forces, crossed the Agueda
on the 2d of May for the purpose of relieving the place. This
movement led to the actions at _Fuentes d’Onor_ on the 3d and 5th
of May. In the battle of the 5th the battalion was in position,
but was not actively engaged. The French were defeated, after a
prolonged contest, and Marshal Massena left _Almeida_ to its fate.
The place was evacuated by General Brennier at midnight of the 10th
of May, when the enemy blew up the works, and the greater part of
the garrison succeeded in effecting its escape during the night.
On the 11th of May, when the garrison of _Almeida_ effected its
escape through the corps on duty, Lieut.-Colonel the Honorable
Basil Cochrane, with about half of the first battalion of the
THIRTY-SIXTH regiment, had the good fortune to come up with the
French at the bridge of _Barba del Puerco_; and, in conjunction
with the Grenadier company of the Fourth foot under Captain Thomas
Burke, caused them considerable loss. Many were killed and wounded,
and three hundred were taken prisoners, but the rest escaped.
The remainder of the battalion took another road in the pursuit,
under the orders of Brigadier-General Robert Burne, Lieut.-Colonel
of the THIRTY-SIXTH, and intercepted many stragglers, whom they
made prisoners.
The casualties under Lieut.-Colonel the Honorable Basil Cochrane
were two killed;--Lieutenant Charles Moody and eight rank and file
were taken prisoners.
Early in June 1811 the battalion commenced its march for the
south of Portugal, and continued at the camp of Arronches until
the 18th of July, when it again returned to the north, and was in
cantonments at Barquilla, in Spain, during August and September;
on the 25th of September it was in position at the affair of
_Especha_, when the enemy advanced to relieve _Ciudad Rodrigo_,
which was blockaded by the Allied army. The battalion was likewise
in position at the subsequent affair near _Ronda_ on the 27th of
September.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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