Memoirs and Services of the Eighty-third Regiment, County of Dublin, from 1793 to 1907: Including the Campaigns of the Regiment in the West Indies, Africa, the Peninsula, Ceylon, Canada, and IndiaBray, Edward William
History
Memoirs and Services of the Eighty-third Regiment, County of Dublin, from 1793 to 1907: Including the Campaigns of the Regiment in the West Indies, Africa, the Peninsula, Ceylon, Canada, and India
Bray, Edward William
Great Britain -- History, Military; Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 83rd (County of Dublin) -- History; Great Britain. Army. Royal Irish Rifles. Battalion, 1st -- History
On the 6th April, also, the memorable night of the storm of Badajoz,
the 83rd most successfully and nobly availed itself of the glorious
opportunity of distinction afforded it. The distinguished honour of
leading the 3rd Division in the assault on the castle was assigned
to it, and, rapidly and resolutely filing over the narrow bridge of
the little River Rivillas, the regiment rushed impetuously to the
walls, and under a most galling and murderous discharge of shells and
combustibles, planted the ladders against them. Four out of the seven
ladders were broken and destroyed, but officers and men, mounting the
remainder, made the most determined efforts to force themselves in,
repeatedly driven back and thrown down, crushed and bruised, from the
parapets of the ramparts. The 83rd still persevered, and at length
Major Carr, Captain Hext, Lieutenant Broomfield, Adjutant Swinburne,
with others, followed closely by their men, effected an entrance at the
right angle of the work, and established themselves on the rampart. At
about the same time, the remainder of the division scaling the wall
at another angle, the French turned and made in full flight for the
gate. The officers and men of the 83rd rapidly pursued, and closing
the gate, and blocking it with stones, wood, and other materials,
secured the castle from recapture by the French, who, crowding from the
breaches, and pouring volley after volley through it, endeavoured in
vain to retake it. The castle thus being won, the French abandoned the
remaining defences, and surrendered the fortress to the British.
The regiment’s loss in this siege and assault was necessarily
very severe, amounting to one-third of its number engaged. Three
officers--Captains Powys, Fry, and Ensign Hackett--with 1 sergeant,
and 36 rank and file, were killed; and 6 officers--Lieutenants
Broomfield, O’Neill, Bowles, Lane, Vavasour, and Baldwin--and 81
rank and file, wounded. Major Carr received a clasp and the rank of
lieutenant-colonel, and Captain Hext that of brevet major, for their
own and their regiment’s highly distinguished conduct in this assault,
and his Majesty has been pleased to permit the 83rd to bear the word
“Badajoz” on its colours and appointments, in commemoration of the
important and successful service it there rendered.
CAMPAIGN OF SALAMANCA
[Sidenote: 1812.]
The fall of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz having opened the way into
Spain, the British army was enabled to commence its march into that
country, and the 2nd Battalion 83rd, serving throughout the glorious
campaign of 1812, had its full share of danger and honour, in the
memorable victory of Salamanca, when the French army, under Marshal
Marmont, was signally defeated on the 22nd July, 1812.
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