The gigantic proportions which the war in 1804 had assumed, the imminence of the danger which threatened ourselves from the overgrown power of Napoleon, and his still unsatisfied ambition, had thoroughly roused our Government more completely to arm our people, and occasioned the raising of many new corps. Aware of the favour in which our Royal Regiment was held by the people, from the ancient renown it had acquired, the Government, taking advantage of this good name, speedily raised and attached thereto a third and fourth battalion. Returning from the West Indies, where, for a short time, it had been engaged in capturing the French and Dutch possessions, the second battalion embarked for the East Indies, where, for upwards of five-and-twenty years—returning home in 1831—it remained actively on duty. Meanwhile, the third battalion, sharing the glories, was doomed to endure the disasters of the Spanish campaigns of 1808–9, under that gallant leader, Sir John Moore—glories which had their consummation in the victory of Corunna. On this occasion the Royals were brigaded with our countrymen of the Twenty-sixth Cameronians. The army, returning to England, was shortly thereafter employed in a new attempt to expel the French from the Netherlands. In this unfortunate effort, known as the Walcheren Expedition, our third battalion had a part. But the day of better things was now about to dawn, when these repeated disasters should be redeemed, and the eclipse of the world’s liberty be dissipated, through the triumphs which, rewarding the heroic endurance and persevering valour of our soldiers, should crown our arms. Trained by adversity, our troops had learned how to conquer. Under Sir Arthur Wellesley, the third battalion was, with the British army, which, from “Busaco” to the “Nive,” trod the path of uninterrupted victory, baffling successively the splendid efforts with which the genius of Massena, Marmont, Jourdan, and Soult, strove to preserve for their master the provinces of the Peninsula. Every attempt to arrest the onward march of British valour signally failed, entailing upon the foe a series of fatal defeats, until at length the Peninsula, delivered from the yoke of the tyrant, our army, in triumph, entered the French territory. At the siege of St Sebastian our Royals very specially distinguished themselves, and although suffering a loss of more than 500 men in the several assaults, nothing could quench the dauntless spirit which twice stirred them to enter the deadly breach; but the second time with most splendid success, when, overcoming every obstacle, this famous and gallantly defended fortress was captured. [Illustration: ASSAULT of S^T. SEBASTIAN 31^{st}. August 1813. ]