On March 17 the Regiment marched out of Elvas, the band playing ‘St. Patrick’s Day,’ to take up their position before Badajos, and after dusk began to break ground. A very heavy rain came on, and the weather continued very broken during the whole time of the siege operations. The ground to be occupied being extensive, and the force employed comparatively small, the men were required to be in the trenches six hours by day, and as many in the night; and this amount of time, with the addition of the marches to and from their camp, and the continued inclemency of the weather, made the period of the siege one of unusual hardship to the men and officers of the Regiment. On the 19th the enemy made a sortie with about 1,500 infantry and some cavalry at the moment when the relief of the working parties in the trenches was taking place. The weather being, as usual, dull, and a drizzling rain falling, these troops got very close before they were perceived; and their cavalry, being mistaken for Portuguese, made their way through the camp of the Light Division. The men flew to their arms, and the sortie was repulsed; but the enemy succeeded in carrying off intrenching tools from the Engineers’ camp, and in injuring the works of the approaches. In this sortie Lieutenant Freer, of the 1st Battalion, was wounded. On the 22nd, the enemy having brought some field-guns out of San Cristobal, and placed them in position enfilading the trenches, some Riflemen were ordered out, to get as near the Guadiana as possible, and to fire across the river, and shoot their gunners. This they did so effectually that the guns were soon withdrawn, many of the men working them being killed or wounded. On the 26th Fort Picurina was attacked and carried a little after dark; and a party of Riflemen, taken from the working party, was ordered to carry the ladders. Lieutenant Stokes, then of the 3rd Battalion, who was in command of this party, was the first man in the fort; and it was owing to these men (with others of the Light Division) that, according to Napier, the capture of the place was effected. They were provided with axes, and broke down the palisades and gates of the fort. It being evident that the enemy, as soon as they knew the place was in our hands, would redouble their fire, the working parties were urged by their officers to work hard to cover themselves. The Riflemen did so; and so effectually, that when at daybreak the enemy opened a furious fire of shell and grape, the men had made such good cover that they were comparatively uninjured.