Amiens, and during that period the First Consul of France,
Napoleon Bonaparte, was secretly making hostile preparations for
accomplishing his ambitious purposes; he assumed the position of
a dictator to Europe, and when the British government refused to
submit to his domination, he assembled an army for the invasion of
England, that he might, by one mighty effort, destroy the power of
the British people, who appeared as a barrier to his schemes of
aggrandizement. The spirit of the nation was aroused by the menace
of invasion; patriotic enthusiasm pervaded all ranks; and the
"_Army of Reserve Act_" having been passed for raising men for home
service by ballot, the FIFTY-THIRD regiment marched into Yorkshire
to receive part of the men raised in that extensive county. The
numbers received being considerable, a second battalion was added
to the establishment in October, 1803, and was formed at Sunderland
under the superintendence of Lieut.-Colonel Scrogs; it speedily
mustered one thousand rank and file.
[Sidenote: 1804]
A number of the men, raised under the provision of the Army of
Reserve Act, having voluntarily extended their services, they were
added to the first battalion in February, 1804; the others, being
only liable to serve in the United Kingdom, remained in the second
battalion, which embarked from Whitehaven for Dublin, where it
arrived on the 3rd of March, under the orders of Lieut.-Colonel
Lightburn. In August it encamped on the Curragh of Kildare, and in
September returned to Dublin.
[Sidenote: 1805]
The battalion was conspicuous for its good conduct while at Dublin;
in July of this year it marched to Galway, under the command
of Lieut.-Colonel Bingham. The Commander-in-Chief in Ireland,
Lieut.-General Lord Cathcart, proceeding with a body of troops to
Hanover, he was so highly esteemed by the FIFTY-THIRD, that the
men solicited their commanding officer to forward a memorial to
head-quarters, requesting permission to extend their services to
the Continent, and to accompany his Lordship. They were thanked for
their spirited offer; but the circumstances of the service did not
require their presence on the Continent at this period. During the
winter the battalion marched to Limerick.
[Sidenote: 1806]
In March, 1806, the head-quarters were removed to Rathkeale: in
April two hundred men proceeded to join the first battalion in
India: they were followed by a further number of three hundred in
October: as this detachment was proceeding to the Isle of Wight,
one transport was boarded by a French privateer; the soldiers were
without arms, otherwise they could have overpowered their enemies:
Captain Classen and sixty-five men were taken to France, where the
captain died.
[Sidenote: 1807]
During the winter of 1807 the limited-service men of the second
battalion were transferred to a garrison battalion, which greatly
reduced its numbers; the few remaining men marched to Dublin in
January, 1807, embarked from thence for Liverpool, and afterward
proceeded to Shrewsbury.
[Sidenote: 1808]
The second battalion proceeded from Shrewsbury to Weymouth, where
it arrived in October, and was joined by a number of volunteers
from the militia.
In the spring of 1808 the second battalion marched to Bletchington;
in May was removed to Portsmouth, where it embarked for Ireland,
and after landing at Cork, it proceeded from thence to Limerick,
and in the autumn to Fermoy.
[Sidenote: 1809]
At this period the second battalion received orders to proceed from
Ireland, to take part in the deliverance of the Peninsula from the
power of Napoleon, Emperor of France, whose attempts to subvert
the liberties of Europe were strenuously opposed by Great Britain.
The battalion embarked at Cork on the 12th of March, landed in
Portugal, at a small town opposite Lisbon, on the 6th of April;
and proceeded up the river Tagus in boats a few days afterwards
to Villa Franca, from whence it marched to Rio Mayor. The seventh
Royal fusiliers, and the FIFTY-THIRD, were formed in brigade under
Brigadier-General A. Campbell; and the officers and soldiers were
highly gratified by the arrival of Lieut.-General Sir Arthur
Wellesley to assume the command of the army.
The FIFTY-THIRD had the honor of taking part in the operations by
which the French army under Marshal Soult was driven from _Oporto_:
they were not engaged in forcing the passage of the Douro on the
12th of May; they had completed a short march and were going into
billets at Cavalhos, when the order to advance arrived, and the
soldiers evinced their ardour by cheerfully performing a long march
at double quick time, and they were speedily across the river; but
the action had ceased, and they went into quarters in the city of
Oporto, after a march of twenty-eight miles.
After taking part in the pursuit of the French army through
mountainous districts to the confines of Portugal, the FIFTY-THIRD
retired to Oporto, where they halted one day; they afterwards
proceeded to Coimbra, and in the early part of June to Abrantes.
Advancing into Spain, the FIFTY-THIRD shared in the operations
which preceded the battle of _Talavera_, and suffered, in common
with other corps, great privation from the want of supplies, the
soldiers having no food, on many occasions, excepting corn gathered
from the fields. In the action on the 28th of July, two companies
of the FIFTY-THIRD particularly distinguished themselves: the
other companies of the battalion were in reserve in the first
instance; but they were brought forward, and assailing one of the
enemy's columns of attack in flank, they greatly contributed to
its discomfiture and overthrow, when thirteen pieces of artillery
were captured. Sir Arthur Wellesley saw, from a hill at a short
distance, the fighting at this part of the field, and sent twice
to testify his approbation of the conduct of the brigade. The
French were repulsed at all points; and the word "TALAVERA," on the
colours of the FIFTY-THIRD regiment, commemorates the gallantry of
the second battalion on this occasion: its loss was six soldiers
killed; Major Kingscote, Captain Stawell, and twenty-nine rank and
file wounded.
The following officers were at the battle of Talavera, on the 27th
and 28th of July, 1809:--
_Lieut.-Colonel_ G. R. Bingham. _Majors_ W. Thursby and N.
Kingscote. _Captains_ H. Parker, John Robinson, O. G. Fehrszen,
and J. L. Stawell. _Lieutenants_ J. B. Glew, Charles Ribs, F.
H. Fuller, D. Beatty, P. Hovenden, and C. Williams. _Ensigns_
Edward Barlow, George Langton, G. C. Goff, Joseph Nicholson, J.
Christie, J. J. C. Harrison, H. Brown, and J. Devenish. _Adjutant_
John Carss. _Surgeon_ J. Sandall. _Assistant-Surgeon_ J. Dunn.
_Quarter-Master_--Blackie.
The immense superiority of numbers which the French were enabled
to bring forward at this period, prevented those decisive
results following the victory at Talavera which might have been
anticipated: the army withdrew behind the Tagus, and subsequently
occupied a position on the Guadiana river, where many soldiers,
whose strength had been exhausted by long marches under a hot
sun and a scanty supply of provisions, died. In the autumn the
battalion went into quarters at Olivença, and in December commenced
its march across the country to Guarda in Portugal, where it
arrived on the 11th of January, 1810.
[Sidenote: 1810]
In the beginning of March, 1810, the second battalion was removed
from Guarda to several pleasant villages in the valley of the
Mondego, where the health of the men quickly improved. A numerous
French army, under Marshal Massena, advanced and besieged Ciudad
Rodrigo; and on the 1st of July the FIFTY-THIRD proceeded to the
Coa river, to support the light division, observe the bridge
of Castel Bom, and the ford of Juan Miguel. The enemy, having
captured Ciudad Rodrigo, advanced in great force to invade
Portugal; Lord Wellington, not having an army sufficiently numerous
to oppose the French in the field, retired: the FIFTY-THIRD fell
back from the Coa upon Guarda, and afterwards withdrew gradually
before the enemy, until it arrived at the rugged rocks of _Busaco_,
where the French legions found their advance impeded by a
formidable line of British bayonets. The FIFTY-THIRD were detached
a short distance to the left, to observe a small mountain road
which came round that flank of the position, and during the action
on the 27th of September their post was not attacked. The French,
being unable to force the position, turned it by a flank movement;
and the British retreated to the fortified lines of _Torres
Vedras_, where they opposed a front of battle which the French did
not venture to attack; but, after reconnoitring the lines fell back
to Santarem, where they remained during the winter.
[Sidenote: 1811]
In Portugal the opposing armies confronted each other until the 5th
of March, when the French, having lost many men, and being unable
to procure provisions, made a sudden retreat towards the frontiers
of Portugal. The FIFTY-THIRD followed the retreating enemy--several
skirmishes occurred; and towards the end of March the battalion
went into quarters at the hamlet of Romilioza, in the valley of the
Mondego.
Again advancing on the 2nd of April, the battalion approached
the river Coa on the following day, when the French were driven
from the vicinity of Sabugal. Four days afterwards it proceeded
to Castel Bom; and on the 9th of April covered a reconnoissance,
made by Colonel Fletcher of the Royal Engineers, on the fortress
of _Almeida_, which was invested two days afterwards, when the
FIFTY-THIRD took post on the east side of the town. They afterwards
moved to San Pedro, and furnished piquets before the fortress.
When Marshal Massena advanced to raise the blockade of Almeida,
the FIFTY-THIRD quitted San Pedro and took their station in the
position near _Fuentes d'Onor_. The attacks of the enemy on the
3rd of May were repulsed; on the 5th they were renewed, and the
FIFTY-THIRD advanced to support the piquets, which were engaged
among some stone fences to the left of the village. As it advanced,
the battalion was exposed to the fire of a French battery, but
did not sustain any loss: it took post at the foot of a hill, and
supported the piquets until the action ceased: the French being
repulsed, they afterwards retreated.
The FIFTY-THIRD resumed their post before Almeida; but the French
garrison contrived to destroy the works and guns of the fortress,
and to effect its escape during the night of the 11th of May.
When the siege of Badajoz occasioned the advance of Marshal Marmont
with the French army to Spanish Estremadura, the FIFTY-THIRD, and
other corps left on the Agueda, made a corresponding movement,
and joined the army under Lord Wellington in the Alemtejo. The
French armies separating again, the FIFTY-THIRD returned, with
the sixth division, of which they formed part, to the northern
frontiers of Portugal. On the 11th of September the battalion
crossed the Agueda river to the small village of Felicio Chico, to
protect the inhabitants from the depredations of the garrison of
Ciudad Rodrigo. A numerous French army advancing to throw a supply
into that fortress, the FIFTY-THIRD withdrew across the river,
and proceeded to Fuentes d'Onor; from whence they moved to the
vicinity of Espejo. The French forces advancing, the allies, being
much inferior in numbers, withdrew a few stages; the enemy soon
retired again, and the FIFTY-THIRD went into village cantonments.
Major-General Campbell, being appointed to the staff of the army
in India, took leave of the sixth division, in an order dated the
5th of November, and after expressing his thanks to the general
officers commanding brigades, and officers commanding regiments,
he adverted "to his feelings of regret at being about to separate
from that brigade which it was so long his pride to command, and
especially from the FIFTY-THIRD regiment, the only remaining corps
of his original brigade, whose undaunted steadiness and gallantry,
under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Bingham, gained them the
admiration of the army the first time they were under fire."
[Sidenote: 1812]
In January, 1812, when Lord Wellington besieged and captured
_Ciudad Rodrigo_, the sixth division was at Penna Verde; but it
advanced to the frontiers on the approach of the French army: when
the enemy withdrew, the FIFTY-THIRD fell back to Grajal. They
subsequently traversed the country to Elvas, and formed part of
the covering army during the siege of _Badajoz_, which fortress
was captured by storm on the 6th of April. After taking an active
part in the operations of the covering army, the FIFTY-THIRD again
marched northward, and halted at Castel de Vide on the 2nd of May.
The services of the second battalion in Portugal and Spain, had
been equally meritorious with those of the first battalion in
India. After returning from Spanish Estremadura, it reposed a short
period in quarters: in May it moved forward to support the troops
under Lieut.-General Hill in their attack on the French bridge at
_Almaraz_, and afterwards returned to Castel de Vide.
In June the army passed the Agueda river and advanced to
_Salamanca_, the French retiring upon Toro, but leaving a body of
troops in two _fortified convents_. The FIFTY-THIRD were employed
in the siege of these convents, and on the 18th of June Lieutenant
J. H. Devenish was severely wounded in the trenches; he died on the
24th, and was buried in the church near the great square of the
city. Marshal Marmont advancing to relieve the besieged convents,
the regiment was twice removed from the siege to confront the
French army; but the enemy did not hazard an attack. On the 23rd of
June, when an unsuccessful attempt was made by the light infantry
to capture the smaller convent by escalade, the regiment had three
men killed; Lieutenant James Hamilton, and seven men, wounded. The
progress of the siege was delayed by a scarcity of ammunition, but
a supply was received. The smaller convent was captured by storm on
the 27th of June; and the attack on the larger one had commenced,
when the commandant surrendered.
Advancing from Salamanca the army proceeded to the banks of the
Douro; but the French having been considerably reinforced, and
having crossed that river, the allies fell back to the vicinity
of Salamanca, where the two armies manœuvred on the 22nd of July,
and the enemy, having weakened his centre in his attempt to turn
the right flank of the allied army, Lord Wellington seized the
favourable opportunity to commence the battle. The FIFTY-THIRD,
with the other corps of the sixth division, supported the fourth
division in its attack on the French army, and circumstances
occurred which occasioned the regiment to be brought into action
before the other corps of its division. The FIFTY-THIRD supported
the twenty-third Portuguese regiment; and this corps giving way,
the FIFTY-THIRD had to sustain the attack of a superior body of
infantry supported by cavalry in front, at the same time they
were exposed to the flank fire of the French posted on one of the
hills called the Arapiles. The regiment withdrew from this unequal
contest in good order, and forming square, resisted the charge of
the French cavalry with great steadiness, thus affording an example
of what can be effected by a small body of infantry, when charged
by very superior numbers of cavalry. The officer at the head of
the French dragoons having been wounded close to the bayonets of
the square, and the success of the attack of the other regiments
of the brigade to which the FIFTY-THIRD belonged becoming evident,
the French cavalry retired, taking with them Captain Fehrszen and
nine wounded men as prisoners. Lieut.-Colonel Bingham having been
severely wounded, the command of the regiment devolved on Brevet
Lieut.-Colonel John Mansel.
After resisting the charge of the French cavalry, the FIFTY-THIRD
again advanced, and were engaged in the attack of the last position
occupied by the enemy on that memorable day. This was a desperate
musketry action in the dark, and the difficulties of the ascent
of the mountain gave the French division, under General Maucune,
formed on the summit, a decided advantage. The FIFTY-THIRD were on
the left of the sixth division on this occasion, and the British
gallantly won their way upwards, and finally forced the enemy to
make a precipitate retreat.
Colonel Napier has given the following spirited description of this
last attack, in his History of the Peninsular War:--"Assisted by
a brigade of the fourth division, the troops then rushed up, and
in the darkness of the night the fire showed from afar how the
battle went. On the side of the British a sheet of flame was seen,
sometimes advancing with an even front, sometimes pricking forth
in spear heads, now falling back in waving lines, and anon darting
upwards in one vast pyramid, the apex of which often approached,
yet never gained, the actual summit of the mountain; but the French
musketry, rapid as lightning, sparkled along the brow of the height
with unvarying fulness, and with what desperate effects, the dark
gaps and changing shapes of the adverse fire showed too plainly.
Yet, when Pakenham had again turned the enemy's left, and Foy's
division had glided into the forest, Maucune's task was completed,
the effulgent crest of the ridge became black and silent, and the
French army vanished, as it were, into darkness."
The French army was overpowered and driven from the field with
severe loss: and the Royal authority was afterwards given for the
FIFTY-THIRD regiment to bear the word "SALAMANCA" on its colours,
to commemorate the distinguished conduct of the second battalion on
this memorable occasion: Lieut.-Colonel Bingham and Lieut.-Colonel
Mansel received gold medals.
Nineteen men were killed. _Captain_ A. K. Blackhall died of
his wounds, much regretted; _Lieut.-Colonel_ Bingham, _Brevet
Lieut.-Colonel_ Robertson, _Captains_ O. G. Fehrszen, J. W.
Poppleton, D. M'Dougall, and John Fernandez, _Lieutenants_ J. B.
Hunter, and Joseph Nicholson, _Ensign_ Peter Bunworth, _Adjutant_
John Carss, _Volunteer_ Munro Morphet, and seventy-six men were
wounded; nine men wounded and prisoners. Captain Fehrszen was
taken prisoner, but was left by the enemy at Alba de Tormes. The
total loss amounted to nearly half the soldiers under arms on this
occasion.
The following officers were in the field, and escaped
uninjured:--_Lieut.-Colonel_ John Mansel. _Lieutenants_ P.
Hovenden, and John Fraser. _Ensigns_ W. Harrison, W. Baxter,
George Fitzgerald, Robert Hilliard, J. W. Moir, and Michael Nagle.
_Surgeon_ T. Sandell; _Assistant-Surgeon_ Charles MacLean.
On the day after the battle, Major-General Hulse was nominated
to command the fifth division, when the command of the brigade
devolved on Lieut.-Colonel Mansel of the FIFTY-THIRD, and that of
the second battalion of the regiment on Lieutenant Hovenden. In
August Lieut.-Colonel Bingham was sufficiently recovered of his
wounds to resume his duty, when he took the command of the brigade,
and Lieut.-Colonel Mansel that of the second battalion of the
regiment.
Advancing in pursuit of the enemy, the army entered the city of
Valladolid amidst the rejoicings of the people. The FIFTY-THIRD
were afterwards left, with the sixth division, at the small town of
Cuellar, in the province of Segovia, while Lord Wellington advanced
with the army to Madrid. General Clauzel returning with the
re-organized French army, the sixth division withdrew to Arevalo.
Lord Wellington returning from Madrid, the French again retreated,
and the allied army advanced up the beautiful Pisuerga and Arlanzan
valleys, turning the enemy's positions and forcing him to continue
his retreat beyond Burgos. The FIFTY-THIRD were employed in the
siege of the castle of _Burgos_, in which service they had four
men killed, Ensign Nagle, one serjeant, and several men wounded.
Lieutenant Fraser distinguished himself at the attack of one of the
out-works. The concentration of the enemy's numerous forces having
rendered a retrograde movement necessary, the FIFTY-THIRD shared in
the fatigues, privations, and sufferings of the retreat from Burgos
to the frontiers of Portugal, where they went into winter-quarters;
they were removed from the sixth to the fourth division, and formed
in brigade with the third battalion of the twenty-seventh, and the
first battalions of the fortieth and forty-eighth regiments, under
Major-General William Anson.
[Sidenote: 1813]
The second battalion having become considerably reduced in numbers
by its arduous services in Spain and Portugal, the effective and
efficient soldiers were formed into four companies, for service in
the Peninsula; and the officers of the other six companies, with
the remaining non-commissioned officers and soldiers, were ordered
to proceed to England, under the command of Captain Poppleton. The
four service companies marched to join the head-quarters of the
fourth division, at St. Jaō de Pesquira, where they arrived
on the 6th of January, and were formed with four companies of
the second, or the Queen's Royal, into the second provisional
battalion, which was commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Bingham of the
FIFTY-THIRD regiment.
Taking the field under a superior organization strengthened by
reinforcements, and proudly confident in the skill and resources
of its commander, the allied army penetrated Spain in May, to turn
the French positions on the Douro. The FIFTY-THIRD formed part of
the force under Lieut.-General Sir Thomas Graham (afterwards Lord
Lynedoch), which proceeded through the mountainous regions of the
Tras-os-Montes, and passed the Esla river, the French falling back
on Toro. Pressing forward upon their numerous enemies, the British
forced them to quit one position after another, until the legions
of France were concentrated in the plain of _Vittoria_, under
Joseph Bonaparte, titular King of Spain, where they prepared to
oppose the victorious career of the allied army. In the battle of
the 21st of June the FIFTY-THIRD formed part of the centre column,
under the immediate command of Lord Wellington, and their bearing
throughout the day, which ended in the complete overthrow and
discomfiture of the French army, was afterwards rewarded with the
Royal authority to bear the word "VITTORIA" on the colours of the
regiment. Their loss was four men killed and six wounded.
The following officers served at the battle of Vittoria,--viz.:
_Colonel_ G. R. Bingham. _Captains_ O. G. Fehrszen and James
Mackay. _Lieutenants_ C. F. Hunter, Thomas Impett, James Hamilton,
Thomas Dowker, and John Fraser. _Ensigns_ George Fitzgerald,
Michael Nagle, and John Wilton. _Adjutant_ John Carss. _Surgeon_
Thomas Sandell; _Assistant-Surgeon_ Charles MacLean. Volunteer John
Fernandez.
From the field of battle the FIFTY-THIRD followed the rear of
the defeated French army to the vicinity of Pampeluna, and were
afterwards employed in the attempt to intercept General Clauzel's
French division, which had not been at the battle of Vittoria:
this body of troops having escaped by the pass of Jaca, the
FIFTY-THIRD were employed in the blockade of Pampeluna; but were
relieved by the Spaniards in the middle of July, and advanced into
the Pyrenean mountains, where they were stationed in support of the
troops occupying the head of the pass of Roncesvalles.