on the 28th of September following it landed at Plymouth, after a
service of eight years in the West Indies, having lost during that
period, by the diseases incident to the climate, many officers, and
between seven and eight hundred men.
On the 31st of October the regiment embarked, under the command of
Lieut.-Colonel Sir Edward Butler, from Plymouth, for Guernsey, of
which island Major-General Doyle had been appointed to the command
and to the Lieutenant-Governorship.
The British Government, having ascertained that the King of
Spain had engaged to furnish powerful aid to France, felt itself
compelled to consider Spain as an enemy, and accordingly issued
orders for intercepting some frigates off Cadiz, which were on
their way to France with cargoes of treasure: a declaration of
war was consequently issued by the Court of Madrid against Great
Britain on the 12th of December 1804.
The establishment of the EIGHTY-SEVENTH regiment, which had been
authorised to receive men raised in certain counties of Ireland,
under the Act of Parliament, dated 14th July 1804, termed the
“_Additional Force Act_,” was augmented by a second battalion, of
which a distinct account is commenced at page 41.[6]
[Sidenote: 1805.]
On the 10th of March 1805, a detachment, consisting of twenty-eight
serjeants, fifteen drummers, and five hundred and twenty-eight rank
and file, being drafts from the levy then raising in the county
of Mayo by the Honorable H. E. Browne, embarked from Ireland for
Guernsey, and joined the first battalion on the 15th of April
following, thus considerably augmenting the effective strength of
the EIGHTY-SEVENTH regiment.
[Sidenote: 1806.]
On the 2nd of November 1805, the first battalion embarked from
Guernsey, and proceeded to Portsmouth.
The first battalion of the EIGHTY-SEVENTH regiment embarked at
Portsmouth on the 23rd of July 1806, and proceeded to Plymouth,
where it disembarked on the 6th of September following. On the 12th
of that month it embarked for South America, under the command
of Lieut.-Colonel Sir Edward Butler; the effective numbers were,
fifty-three serjeants, eighteen drummers, and eight hundred and
five rank and file.[7]
[Sidenote: 1807.]
The first battalion arrived in the Rio de la Plata in January 1807,
and disembarked on the 16th of that month near _Monte Video_,
where it took up a position in advance, protecting the breaching
batteries, it having been arranged between Brigadier-General Sir
Samuel Auchmuty and Rear-Admiral Stirling to lay siege to the
place. The piquets of the EIGHTY-SEVENTH, under Major Miller, were
attacked by the Spaniards, who were defeated with great loss. On
the 3rd of February, a practicable breach being made, the troops
proceeded to storm the town, which was carried, and the citadel
soon afterwards surrendered.
The EIGHTY-SEVENTH, under Lieut.-Colonel Sir Edward Butler, had
three officers and sixty men killed, and three officers and eighty
men wounded: total, one hundred and forty-six; strength in the
field, seven hundred and eighty-eight.
_Killed._
_Captain_—Charles Beaumont.
_Lieutenant_—Hugh Irwine.
_Surgeon_—Wilde.
_Wounded._
_Captain_—John Evans.
” R. McCrea.
_Lieutenant_—W. Boucher.
In the public thanks issued by Brigadier-General Sir Samuel
Auchmuty, the regiment is thus mentioned:—
“The EIGHTY-SEVENTH, under Lieut.-Colonel Sir Edward Butler, were
equally forward; and to their credit, it must be noticed, that
they were posted under the great gate, to rush into the town when
it should be opened by the troops, who entered at the breach; but
their ardour would not allow them to wait; they scaled the walls,
and _opened themselves a passage_.
(Signed) “T. BRADFORD,
“_Dep. Adjutant-General_.”
The EIGHTY-SEVENTH subsequently received the royal authority
to bear the words “MONTE VIDEO” on the regimental colour and
appointments in commemoration of the gallantry evinced in the
capture of that place on the 3rd of February 1807.
On the 10th of May, Lieut.-General Whitelocke having arrived from
England with reinforcements, proceeded as Commander-in-chief to
prepare for the attack of Buenos Ayres. In a brilliant affair at
Colonia on the 7th of June, the light company of the battalion
was creditably engaged. On the 18th of June the troops embarked at
Monte Video, and on the 28th of the same month landed at _Ensenada
da Barragon_, about twenty-eight miles from Buenos Ayres, without
firing a shot. Major-General John Levison Gower was the second in
command to Lieut.-General Whitelocke, and the EIGHTY-SEVENTH were
posted in the right brigade under Brigadier-General Sir Samuel
Auchmuty.
In the assault of _Buenos Ayres_ on the morning of the 5th of
July 1807, the EIGHTY-SEVENTH were formed by wings, the right
commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Sir Edward Butler, and the left by
Major Miller. The orders were to pierce by the two streets to
the right of the Retiro, in performing which (in company with
the Thirty-eighth regiment) they suffered very severely. In the
course of this service, Lieutenant William Hutchinson, in command
of Captain Frederick Desbarres’s company, took two of the enemy’s
guns, turned them on the Plazo del Toro, and, after a few rounds,
the enemy, to the number of fifteen hundred, surrendered to
him. The thanks of Sir Samuel Auchmuty were given to Lieutenant
Hutchinson for his gallant conduct upon this occasion. Serjeant
Byrne also distinguished himself by his bravery. Twenty-nine pieces
of artillery, with a quantity of military stores, were taken. The
light company, which was detached from the regiment, was taken
prisoners in the convent of St. Domingo, and remained for three
days, when it was restored agreeably to the articles of the treaty.
The loss of the EIGHTY-SEVENTH on this occasion was seven officers
and eighty men killed, and ten officers and three hundred and
twenty men wounded: total, four hundred and seventeen; strength in
the field, six hundred and forty-two; remained, two hundred and
twenty-five.
_Killed._
_Capt._—David Considine.
” Noblet Johnston.
” Peter Gordon.
_Lieut._—Robert Hamilton.
” Michael Barry.
_Quarterm^r._—Wm. Buchanan.
_Assist.-Surgeon_—Buxton.
_Wounded._
_Major_—Francis Miller.
_Capt._—Alexander Rose.
” Frederick Desbarres.
” Henry Blake.
_Lieut._—James O’Brien.
” Edward Fitzgerald.
” William Crowe.
” Hen. Taylor Budd.
” Robert John Love.
_Ensign_—Godfrey Green.
The evening before this attack, there was an order that the great
coats and kits of the regiment should be left in the house which
the commanding officer had occupied, under the charge of the
Quartermaster; or, in his absence, of a subaltern officer, with
the sick or lame men who could not march, as a guard for this
baggage. The Quartermaster was employed on the general staff as
an assistant engineer, and the tour of duty fell upon Lieutenant
Michael Barry, of the grenadier company; but this high-spirited
young man earnestly solicited, and obtained permission, to
accompany his regiment, and was the first officer who fell the
next day. No other subaltern being found willing to remain behind,
the charge was entrusted to Quartermaster-Serjeant William Grady.
He was the first man who joined the corps on its formation,
and had been distinguished for his bravery, intelligence, and
trustworthiness; his guard, inefficient as it must be, mustered
somewhat more than twenty men. In front of the house there was
a thick orchard, with a narrow path leading to it; upon this he
placed double sentries during the night, and a piquet of half his
force in the day-time. It appeared that at the further end of this
orchard a mounted body of the enemy was concealed; these men had
been posted in advance of the town, but being unable to return,
in consequence of the British troops having got between it and
their position, they determined to get into the country by this
narrow pass; but when they rushed out of the orchard, they were
fired upon by Serjeant Grady’s sentries, and, their leader falling,
they retreated into their cover, and after several ineffectual
attempts to escape in that direction, the party, consisting of
two officers and seventy men, well mounted and armed, surrendered
to the Quartermaster-Serjeant’s small force. Having secured their
arms and ammunition, he marched the prisoners to head-quarters,
and delivered them up to Major-General Gower. Two hours after he
received written orders from Lieut.-General Whitelocke to return
the arms, &c. to the prisoners, who were released, and not to fire
upon or stop any party, whether armed or not, going into or coming
out of the town. At nine o’clock the next night, upwards of five
hundred mounted men came out of the town and surrounded the house,
the owner of which was an officer of the party, who, in addition
to national hostility, was in a state of great irritation at his
house having been taken from him, and, as he stated, plundered
by the advanced guard of the British army. They surrounded and
made prisoners Serjeant Grady and his party, who had orders not
to fire upon any armed body. They were marched into the town,
and thrust into loathsome dungeons. The Serjeant was a peculiar
object of revenge, because he refused to accept a commission in
their service, and to drill their troops. This brave and excellent
soldier was subsequently rewarded for his exemplary conduct by
being appointed Quartermaster to the second battalion of the
regiment. After the capture of Serjeant Grady and his party, the
stores were plundered, and the baggage carried off or destroyed.
Notwithstanding the intrepidity displayed by the troops, the
enterprise failed. On the morning of the 6th of July the
Governor-General Liniers sent a letter to Lieut.-General
Whitelocke, offering to restore the prisoners taken in the action
of the preceding day, and also those made with Brigadier-General
Beresford, on condition that the whole of the British forces should
be withdrawn from South America, which proposals were accepted. The
Lieutenant-General’s conduct subsequently became the subject of
inquiry by a court-martial, and he was cashiered.
During the attack upon Buenos Ayres, a number of the Spanish and
native soldiers were seen in the uniform of the EIGHTY-SEVENTH
regiment; this was accounted for by a ship with the clothing for
that regiment, which had been sent out from England to Monte Video,
having been captured and carried into Buenos Ayres by a Spanish
privateer, and the clothing had thus been distributed to the armed
populace.
Subsequently to the assault on _Buenos Ayres_, the Commander of the
Forces issued the following general order:—
“_Buenos Ayres, 8th July 1807._
“GENERAL ORDER.
“Volunteer Peter Benson Husband, of the EIGHTY-SEVENTH regiment, is
appointed Ensign in that corps, in consequence of his very gallant
behaviour on the morning of the 5th instant.
(Signed) “T. BRADFORD,
“_Deputy-Adjutant-General_.”
The EIGHTY-SEVENTH returned to Monte Video, after the cessation of
hostilities, and was completed by volunteers from the different
corps returning to Europe. On the 2nd of August the regiment
embarked for the Cape of Good Hope; and on the 4th of September
following it landed at Simon’s Bay, and marched to Cape Town, where
it formed part of the garrison.
[Sidenote: 1808.]
[Sidenote: 1809.]
During the years 1808 and 1809, the first battalion continued to be
stationed at the Cape of Good Hope.
[Sidenote: 1810.]
On the 23rd of October 1810, the first battalion embarked from
the Cape, having been selected to form part of an expedition
designed to co-operate with troops from India, under the command of
Lieut.-General John Abercromby, in the capture of the Mauritius.
A landing of the troops from India had taken place a few days
before the division from the Cape, under Major-General William
Cockell, had arrived. Its appearance off the island was, however,
particularly opportune, as the French governor had previously
resolved to defend his lines before Port Louis; but when he saw
the force from the Cape approach the island, he relinquished the
hope of being able to make effectual resistance, and surrendered
this valuable colony to the British. The battalion disembarked
at Port Louis on the 1st of December, where it remained on duty,
after the other regiments composing the expedition returned to
their respective quarters. Captain Henry C. Streatfeild with two
officers and one hundred men were embarked on board a ship of war,
in advance of the expedition, and landed before the force from the
Cape.
[Sidenote: 1811 to 1814.]
The first battalion continued to form part of the garrison of the
island during the four following years.
[Sidenote: 1815.]
In May 1815, the first battalion at the Mauritius was directed to
hold itself in readiness for active service in India, and embarked
on board of transports on the 16th of June, and landed at Fort
William, in Bengal, on the 3rd of August.
The light company embarked in an Arab ship, with the flank
companies of the Twelfth and Twenty-second regiments, and
were carried into the Gulf of Manaar; the ship being there
weather-bound, the troops were landed, with the assistance of
country-boats, at Calpenterre, in Ceylon, and having remained
fourteen days at Point de Galle, embarked again in the Arab ship
for Calcutta, where they arrived, and rejoined the regiment on the
25th of September.
On the 1st of October 1815, the first battalion of the
EIGHTY-SEVENTH regiment embarked in boats, and sailed for
Berhampore, where it arrived on the 14th, and again embarked and
sailed for Dinapore on the 13th of November, at which place it
disembarked on the 18th of December.
[Sidenote: 1816.]
The Rajah of Nepaul having broken the terms of treaty made by him
with the Honorable East India Company, the battalion marched for
his territories on the 15th of January 1816, and arrived at Bullvee
Camp on the 24th, where it joined the army under the command of
Major-General Sir David Ochterlony, K.C.B., who commanded the
forces assembled on the frontiers of Nepaul; on the 3rd of February
the brigades advanced by their respective routes into Nepaul, Sir
David Ochterlony remaining in company with the third and fourth
brigades (to the former of which the EIGHTY-SEVENTH belonged), and
marched through the forest at the foot of the Nepaul Hills on the
9th. The light company of the battalion with those of the native
infantry of the brigade with two guns under the command of Lieut.
John Fenton, formed the advanced guard, and had a very arduous duty
to perform, in carrying the guns through the forest, which was
accomplished by the personal exertions of each individual. On the
10th, the third brigade arrived at Semul Cassa Pass, and at nine
o’clock A. M. the light company of the EIGHTY-SEVENTH, commanded by
Lieutenant Fenton, accompanied by Sir David Ochterlony, was drawn
up the pass, a height of thirty feet, by the officers’ sashes, the
brigade then about five miles from the pass; on the 19th it reached
the village of Etoundah on the banks of the Rapti. The advanced
guard again exerted themselves in opening a communication between
the third and fourth brigades through the Cheria Ghanty Pass.
On the 27th of February it arrived at Muckwanpore, and on the 28th
the brigade was ordered to take possession of the heights of
_Sierapore_, and reconnoitre the position of the enemy. Lieutenant
Thomas Lee, with a piquet of forty men of the EIGHTY-SEVENTH, and
strong piquets of native infantry, under their own officers, was
directed to take possession of the deserted height of Sierapore.
Captain Pickersgill, acting Quartermaster-General, conducted them
to their ground, where having planted them, Lieutenant Lee and
twenty men of the EIGHTY-SEVENTH proceeded to reconnoitre the
ground in advance: the enemy advanced to recover his position;
the piquet retired, and the reconnoitering party, in danger of
being cut off; had to descend a hill covered with jungle, pursued
by a strong party (nearly four hundred) of the enemy, and would
not have escaped but for the gallantry of two soldiers of the
EIGHTY-SEVENTH, Corporal James Orr of No. 5. company, and Private
Patrick Boyle of the Grenadier company, who seeing the danger
of the officers, placed themselves on the pathway, and by their
steadiness and fire, checked the advance of the enemy. On the
officers making good their retreat, these gallant fellows retired
uninjured: the corporal was promoted to the rank of serjeant at
the particular desire of Major-General Sir David Ochterlony;
the unfortunate habit of drinking alone prevented the promotion
of the private. An action afterwards took place, in which the
light company, under the command of Captain Fenton, suffered
considerably. The action commenced about noon, and ceased at six
o’clock P. M., leaving the British in possession of the heights for
a considerable distance from Sierapore, and of one field-piece.
In this affair Lieut.-Colonel Francis Miller commanding the
battalion, and Lieutenant Fenton[8] in the command of the light
company (detached in the advance), particularly distinguished
themselves, and received the public thanks of Major-General Sir
David Ochterlony, and also of the Marquis of Hastings, the
Commander-in-chief and Governor-General of India. The regiment had
ten men killed, and above thirty wounded, many of whom died; the
loss of the enemy was very considerable.
The Rajah, perceiving that resistance was unavailing, sued for
peace, and a treaty was concluded on the 4th of March; on the 9th
of that month the battalion commenced its return to Bengal, and
arrived at Amowah on the 22nd of March, where it was cantoned
until the 30th of June, on which day it commenced its march to
Govingunge on the river Gonduck, and embarked in boats in progress
to Cawnpore; on the 17th of August, the battalion arrived at
Jangemowe, within a few miles of Cawnpore, but did not disembark
at the latter station, until the 10th of September. About this
period the battalion became very sickly from being so long confined
in boats; the hospital list amounted to about four hundred and
eighty, exclusive of numbers who could not be admitted for want
of room. Not less than one hundred and fifty men died in this and
the following month, when the cold weather coming on, in a great
measure, renovated the corps.
[Sidenote: 1817.]
On the 6th of February 1817, the regiment marched from Cawnpore
towards Hattrass, which fortress the Commander-in-chief had given
instructions to Major-General Marshall to besiege: the division
from Cawnpore arrived before Hattrass, and joined the field army,
on the 20th of February.
The pettah of the fort of Hattrass having been breached, it was
resolved to storm on the evening of the 25th of February, and
accordingly his Majesty’s Fourteenth regiment was appointed for
that duty, and the EIGHTY-SEVENTH to cover; however, the breach
being found impracticable, the troops returned to their lines, but
the pettah was evacuated during the night, and taken possession
of on the following morning by the British troops; batteries were
immediately erected against the fort, which was heavily bombarded
with shells and rockets: at length the principal magazine blew
up on the 2nd of March, the explosion of which was said to be
distinctly heard at Meerut, nearly two hundred miles distant.
Dya Ram, Rajah of the fortress, having determined on abandoning
it, most gallantly cut his way through some of the piquets of the
besieging army, and effected his escape. On the morning of the 3rd
of March, the right wing of the EIGHTY-SEVENTH marched into and
took possession of the fortress of Hattrass, which was reduced to
a mass of ruins. On the 8th of March the regiment commenced its
return to Cawnpore.
In July and August the EIGHTY-SEVENTH regiment, in Bengal, was
increased by a detachment of thirteen serjeants, three drummers,
and two hundred and sixty-nine rank and file, men who had been
transferred on the second battalion being disbanded on the 1st of
February 1817.
The regiment remained at Cawnpore until the 15th of October, when
it received orders to march to Secundra, where the grand army was
formed under the command of the Marquis of Hastings, against the
Pindaree hordes, and having remained there until a bridge of boats
was completed over the Jumna, it crossed that river on the 27th,
and marched to the banks of the Sind, opposite Gualior; but the
grand army being, about this time, attacked by that fatal disease,
the cholera morbus, compelled the Marquis, with his troops, to
retire to Erich on the Bettwah: the mortality for four or five
days was very great, particularly among the natives, who died in
vast numbers on the road and in the villages through which the
army passed. The EIGHTY-SEVENTH lost one subaltern (Lieutenant
John Coghlan), three serjeants, and forty rank and file; total,
forty-four, in three days. The army having in some measure
recovered, his Lordship returned to the banks of the Sind, and took
up a position at Lonaree, within twenty-one miles of Gualior,
where Scindiah, with a powerful force, was ready to take the field,
to support the Mahratta States, which had revolted.
[Sidenote: 1818.]
On the 14th of February 1818, the different divisions of the army
were broken up, in consequence of peace being concluded, and the
EIGHTY-SEVENTH returned to Cawnpore, at which station it arrived on
the 26th of that month.
[Sidenote: 1820.]
On the 21st of October 1820, the regiment marched from Cawnpore for
Fort William, by the new road, and arrived in that garrison on the
21st of December, a distance of six hundred and sixty miles.
[Sidenote: 1821.]
On the night of the 6th of September 1821, a very alarming fire
broke out in the Honorable Company’s Dispensary, situated in
Calcutta, and surrounded by many valuable houses. As soon as
intelligence reached the fort, two captains and ten subalterns,
with about three hundred men, immediately marched to the spot,
and, by the greatest exertions, prevented the fire from spreading
to the neighbouring houses. The strictness with which the armed
party protected the property of the inhabitants, called forth their
admiration, which was followed by the annexed letter from the
Governor-General, the Marquis of Hastings.
“_Council Chamber, 17th Sept. 1821._
“MY DEAR SIR,
“It was a great satisfaction to me, though no surprise, to learn
the zealous and meritorious conduct of the detachment of the
EIGHTY-SEVENTH, employed in the endeavour to stop the fire last
night. As some of the men have suffered in articles of dress, to
repair that damage, as well as to reward the activity of the party,
the Council has directed that five hundred rupees be paid to you,
which you will please to distribute according to your opinion of
claims.
“I have, &c.,
(Signed) “HASTINGS.
“_Lieut.-Colonel Miller,
Eighty-seventh regiment._”
This mark of approbation from the Governor-General in Council,
towards the party in general, was followed by one to the officers
employed, each being presented with a piece of plate, accompanied
by the following letter:
“_Council Chamber, 18th December 1821._
“SIR,
“The Most Noble the Governor-General in Council, being desirous
to evince the sense which Government entertains of the laudable
exertions of those officers of his Majesty’s EIGHTY-SEVENTH
regiment, who were present with the detachment sent from Fort
William on the occasion of the fire at the Honorable Company’s
dispensary, has commanded me to transmit to you the accompanying
silver cups, with a request that you will, on the part of his
Lordship in Council, present one to each of the several officers
named below, who are understood to have accompanied the troops on
the night of the 6th of September last.”
_Captain_—George Rodney Bell.
” W. G. Cavanagh.
_Lieutenant and Adjutant_—James Bowes.
_Lieutenant_—John G. Baylee.
” Richard Irvine.
” Henry Gough Baylee.
” Alexander Irwin.
” George Tolfrey.
” Edmund Cox.
” John Shipp.
” Henry Spaight.
_Ensign_—Lawrence Halstead.