The regiment commenced its march for Seringapatam, on the 23rd of May; but was forced to halt several days in consequence of the heavy rains of the Malabar monsoon, which rendered the rivers impassable, swept away part of the regimental baggage, and drowned several men in the rapid currents which rushed along the low grounds. On the 24th of July the regiment arrived at Trichinopoly. [Sidenote: 1810] In Europe, the war with France was being prosecuted with vigour, and in the month of March, 1810, the flank companies of the regiment were completed to one hundred rank and file each, and marched under Captain Forssteen, for Madras, to take part in an expedition against the French island of _Bourbon_, situate in the Indian ocean, about four hundred miles east of Madagascar. In June the expedition arrived at Rodriguez, and in July came in sight of the island of Bourbon, when the surf was so high as to render a landing dangerous; an attempt was, however, made; the light infantry of the TWELFTH in a small schooner, and about three hundred men of the thirty-third and sixty-ninth regiments in boats, approached the shore and effected a landing with the loss of a few men drowned; but the schooner and boats were dashed to pieces, the soldiers' ammunition damaged, and many of their arms lost. As no more men could be landed, Lieutenant Foulkstone of the sixty-ninth regiment volunteered to swim through the surf and convey orders to Lieut.-Colonel Macleod, to take possession of _St. Marie_. This order was instantly obeyed, and the light infantry of the TWELFTH distinguished themselves in storming the batteries, in which service they had two private soldiers killed; Lieutenants John Spinks, and John B. Whannell, with five rank and file wounded. The grenadier company of the TWELFTH, and other corps afterwards landed at Grand Chaloupe, and by their spirited conduct, particularly the gallant behaviour of the eighty-sixth regiment, the reduction of the island was speedily accomplished.