Part 4
Marshal Soult concentrated the French troops under his command in a fortified position at _Toulouse_; and on the morning of the 10th of April, the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment was in motion with the fourth and sixth divisions, under Marshal Beresford, to turn the enemy’s right flank. The regiment being halted beyond the river Ers, while Lord Wellington and his staff reconnoitred the enemy, Lieut.-Colonel Coghlan took that opportunity to address the officers and men in a short and animated speech, which made a great impression on their minds. Immediately afterwards the regiment advanced; it crossed the river Ers, and marched along the left bank exposed to the enemy’s cannonade. On arriving at its destined point, the brigade was wheeled into line by Major-General Lambert, who led it forward to attack a formidable height occupied by French troops. The enemy descended with loud shouts to meet the advancing line, and opened a heavy fire of musketry; the SIXTY-FIRST rushed forward without firing a shot, the officers animating the men by their example, and answering the French shouts with a loud and confident huzza! They carried the height with fixed bayonets, but sustained severe loss. Many of the officers having outrun their men, who were retarded by the weight of their knapsacks, entered a French redoubt at the moment the defenders were quitting it, when a number of French soldiers turned round and fired with fatal effect: of the SIXTY-FIRST, Lieut.-Colonel Oke, Captain Charleton (who was calling to the enemy to surrender), and Lieutenant Arden, were wounded,--the latter mortally. The regiment advanced along the height until it was ordered to halt under an earthen fence, which partially sheltered it from the enemy’s guns. Early in the action its gallant commanding officer, Lieut.-Colonel Coghlan, was mortally wounded[6]. In the afternoon the regiment, much reduced in numbers, supported the attack of the Scots brigade on a range of redoubts, from which the enemy was driven with loss: and the SIXTY-FIRST were directed to occupy one of the captured redoubts. The French advanced to recover the redoubts; when Major-General Lambert directed a division of the SIXTY-FIRST to cross the road, which was commanded by the enemy’s fire, and reinforce the troops in another redoubt. This was a perilous movement; but Captain CHARLETON, whose wound was dressed in the field in time to enable him to rejoin and command the regiment in its second attack, placed himself in front of the division, exclaiming, “I will show the way!” Serjeant _Fraser_ stepped to follow his captain, and, encouraged by this example, the division made the movement at a running pace; several officers and soldiers were, however, hit by the French marksmen. The regiment defended the post committed to its charge, and the French were driven from their works, and forced to take refuge in the suburbs of the city of Toulouse. At the termination of the action, the surviving men of the regiment were brought out of the field by Adjutant Bace, assisted by two ensigns and Serjeant Robert Hogg, whose name merits notice from his zealous exertions during the action.
The SIXTY-FIRST was included, in Lord Wellington’s despatch, among the corps which had sustained severe loss, and were highly distinguished throughout the day.
Lieut.-Colonel Coghlan, Lieutenant H. Arden, and Ensign W. A. Favell, were killed on this occasion; Major J. Oke, Captains W. Greene and E. Charleton, Lieutenants A. Porteus, N. Furnace[7], T. Gloster, D. O’Kearney, J. Wolfe, E. Gaynor, W. White[8], J. Harris, G. Stewart, and J. H. Ellison, Ensigns J. Wright, Cuthbert Eccles, and S. Bartlett, wounded. The regiment had also eight serjeants and one hundred and fifty-three rank and file killed and wounded.
Medals were conferred on Lieut.-Colonel Oke, Captain Charleton (who was twice wounded), and Adjutant Bace: and the word “TOULOUSE” was added to the inscriptions on the colours of the regiment.
The French retreated from Toulouse, followed by the British army, and at St. Felix five officers and seventy men joined the SIXTY-FIRST, from the second battalion in Ireland, under the orders of Captain Hamilton.
Hostilities were terminated a few days afterwards; the power of Bonaparte had been destroyed, and the Bourbon dynasty was restored to France. The gallant veterans of the SIXTY-FIRST were thus gratified with a complete triumph over the enemies of their country. They had traversed kingdoms, fought battles, and conquered powerful armies for the good of Europe; their valour had exalted the glory of the British arms, and preserved their native country from the presence of war: and the word “PENINSULA” was added to the numerous inscriptions on their colours, to commemorate their heroic conduct.
After reposing a short period in quarters, the regiment marched for Bordeaux; and at Bazas the Portuguese brigade, which had long served with the sixth division, was separated from it to return to Portugal; a feeling of respect for these brave companions in war pervaded all ranks of the British army: many reciprocal acts of kindness had marked the estimation in which the soldiers of the British and Portuguese armies held each other.
On the 30th of June, the regiment embarked for Ireland, when the following order was issued:--“Major-General Lambert cannot allow the regiments composing the left brigade of the sixth division of the army under the Duke of Wellington, to separate without requesting the officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers, to accept his best thanks for their services while under his command. Though the period has not been long, yet it will be ever memorable; and the distinguished good conduct of the brigade, so repeatedly mentioned during this period, especially in the action of the 10th of April, will ever make him consider his appointment to the brigade as one of the most fortunate events of his military life.”
At the close of the services of the regiment in the Peninsula and South of France, the names of the following non-commissioned officers, whose meritorious services had been rewarded with commissions, were inserted in the Record Book,--
William Douglas. William Hack. James Nevin. John Abraham. John Robinson. William Fortune. George Armstrong. John Thompson. Simon Musgrave. William Hall. John McKay. William Bace. Patrick Melvin. Andrew Connell. Thomas Williams. William Scott. Francis Begg. Christmas Knight. John Bell. George Tyrrell. Samuel Rose.
The regiment landed at Cork in July, and marched to Dundalk, where the second battalion was disbanded on the 24th of October; the men fit for duty being transferred to the first battalion.
[Sidenote: 1815]
From Dundalk the regiment marched to Newry, where it was stationed during the year 1815,--a period memorable in the history of Europe, on account of the return of Bonaparte to France,--his overthrow on the field of Waterloo,--and his removal to St. Helena.
[Sidenote: 1816]
In June, 1816, the regiment embarked from Ireland, and proceeded to Portsmouth, where it landed, and was stationed during the summer months at Fort Cumberland. In the autumn it embarked for Jamaica, and arrived at Spanish-town in December.
[Sidenote: 1817]
[Sidenote: 1821]
The regiment was stationed at Spanish-town, Uppark camp, Stony-hill, and Kingston, in Jamaica, upwards of five years, during which period it lost by disease seven officers, and three hundred and fifty-six non-commissioned officers and soldiers.
[Sidenote: 1822]
Having transferred the men who volunteered to remain in the country to other corps, the regiment embarked from Jamaica in March, 1822, and landed at Plymouth in May following.
[Sidenote: 1824]
The regiment performed garrison duty at Plymouth until the spring of 1824, when it proceeded to Ireland; it was stationed at Cork until October, when it marched to Limerick.
[Sidenote: 1825]
Leaving Limerick in 1825, the regiment proceeded to the counties of Roscommon, Leitrim, Longford, and Westmeath.
[Sidenote: 1826]
In 1826 the head-quarters were established at Athlone, with detachments at various stations in the neighbouring counties.
[Sidenote: 1827]
The regiment was assembled at Birr, in June, 1827, and in July marched to Richmond Barracks, Dublin, where it was divided into six service and four depôt companies; the service companies embarked in October for Liverpool, from whence they proceeded by canal to Fenny Stratford, and afterwards marched to Chatham.
[Sidenote: 1828]
On the 30th of June, 1828, the service companies, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel G. E. P. Barlow, embarked from Gravesend for the island of Ceylon where, they arrived in November, and landed at Colombo.
Lieut.-General Sir Edward Barnes inspected the SIXTY-FIRST on their arrival at Ceylon, and inserted the following statement, in his own hand-writing, in the Record Book of the regiment:--
“Having inspected the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Barlow, it affords me much gratification to place upon the Records of the Regiment an expression of my admiration of its appearance and high order,--of the coolness, celerity, and precision, with which it performed the several evolutions, and of its system of interior economy: such a state of things evinces the great ability, assiduity, and perseverance of the commanding officer, and the able support of Major Wolfe and the rest of the officers, and is in the highest degree creditable to the non-commissioned officers and soldiers; and greatly enhances the pleasure which I feel in the renewal of my long acquaintance with the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment, and adds very materially and essentially to my satisfaction in having it under my command.
“E. BARNES, _Lieut.-General_.
“_Colombo, December 18, 1828._”
[Sidenote: 1833]
[Sidenote: 1836]
The depôt companies were withdrawn from Ireland in November, 1833, and proceeded to Chatham; they returned to Ireland in 1836.
[Sidenote: 1834]
The service companies remained at Colombo until 16th October, 1834, when they embarked for Trincomalee.
[Sidenote: 1837]
On the 22nd May, 1837, the regiment sustained a loss of three officers, viz., Lieutenants Shaw and Harkness and Ensign Walker, who were unfortunately drowned, while on a shooting excursion, by the upsetting of a boat, in a squall off Cottiac.
The service companies re-embarked for Colombo in July, and after being inspected by Major-General Sir John Wilson, they marched for Kandy, where they arrived on the 22nd August, 1837.
[Sidenote: 1838]
On the promotion of Colonel Edward Darley to the rank of major-general, on the 28th June, 1838, Major Charles Forbes was advanced to the lieutenant-colonelcy, and the command of the service companies devolved on Major Simmonds.
While on duty at Kandy, the following order was inserted in the Regimental Record Book, by Lieutenant-General Sir John Wilson, K.C.B., in his own hand-writing, viz:--
“Being on the eve of my departure from Ceylon, I feel much pleasure in adding to the honourable testimonies contained in the regimental records, the expression of my approbation of the general good conduct and military discipline manifested by the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment, during a period of seven years that it has served under my orders, it having been, during a great part of that time, under the command of the present Major-General Darley.
“It is gratifying to me to be able to state, that at the present half-yearly inspection, after a lapse of so many years, I find the regiment in the same high state of moral and military discipline, in which I had the satisfaction of finding it on my arrival to assume this command, and which had previously called forth the highest eulogiums from my predecessor.
“To have maintained this character during a period of more than ten years’ service in this colony, is a circumstance which cannot but be considered to reflect great credit on the officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates of this distinguished corps, and will, no doubt, meet with a just appreciation in their own country, to the shores of which (as the regiment is about to return home) I earnestly wish them a speedy and prosperous voyage.
“I cannot conclude without requesting the present commanding officer, Major Simmonds, to accept my best acknowledgments for the zeal and attention displayed by him in the command of the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment.”
(Signed) “JOHN WILSON, _Lieut.-General_, “_Commanding the Forces_.”
_Dated “Kandy, 27th December, 1838.”_
[Sidenote: 1839]
On the 12th February, 1839, the regiment marched to Colombo, preparatory to its embarkation for England; and on the 3rd March, Her Majesty’s troop-ship ship “Jupiter” came to anchor in Colombo roads, having on board the service companies of the Ninety-fifth Regiment, under the command of Colonel James Campbell, intended for the relief of the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment; but in consequence of disturbances in India, the embarkation of the regiment was directed to be delayed.
After performing duty in various parts of the island of Ceylon for eleven years, during which period the regiment lost six officers and three hundred non-commissioned officers and privates, it embarked for England on board of Her Majesty’s ship “Jupiter,” and the following general order was issued by the General Officer commanding, dated “Head Quarters, Colombo, 22nd October, 1839:”--
“In taking leave of the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment, which will embark to-morrow for England, Major-General Sir Robert Arbuthnot should not do justice to his own feelings, and this distinguished corps, whose gallantry he has so often witnessed in the field, if he did not express the great satisfaction he felt in assuming the command of this island, to find at his first and last inspection, that the same excellent system, discipline, steadiness under arms, and interior arrangements existed in time of peace, which had been the means of gaining them so great honour in time of war.
“In wishing Major Simmonds, the officers and soldiers of the regiment, a prosperous and speedy voyage to England, the major-general must express his warm acknowledgment to the former for the anxious zeal displayed by him while in command of the regiment; to the officers for the able support they have given him, ‘and which is so essential to the well-being of any corps,’ and to the non-commissioned officers and privates, who merit all the praise he can bestow, and who, in quitting the colony, leave behind them the regrets and good wishes of all classes, which of itself, after a residence of eleven years, is sufficient proof of the good system, discipline, and general respectability of a corps.”
[Sidenote: 1840]
In consequence of meeting with stress of weather in the British Channel, Her Majesty’s ship “Jupiter” put into the Cove of Cork, on the 4th of March, 1840, and was towed over to Southampton, by the steam-frigate “Cyclops,” having on board the depôt companies from Ireland. The whole regiment landed at Southampton on the 12th of March, and proceeded by railroad to Winchester; where it was inspected by Major-General the Honorable Sir Hercules Pakenham, commanding the South-West district, and subsequently by Lord Hill, the General Commanding in Chief, both of whom were pleased to express their entire approbation of its appearance, discipline, and interior economy.
In August following it was removed to Woolwich, and performed the dockyard duties there, and at Deptford, until the summer of the following year.
General the Right Honorable Sir George Hewett, Bart., G.C.B., died a few days after the arrival of the regiment in England, and Her Majesty was pleased to confer the colonelcy of the regiment on Major-General Sir John Gardiner, K.C.B., Deputy Adjutant-General of the Forces.
[Sidenote: 1841]
In June 1841, the regiment proceeded by railroad to the Northern district, and was detached in the counties of Northumberland, York, and Lancaster.
In consequence of the reverses sustained by the British troops in Affghanistan, in the winter of 1841, the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment was ordered to recruit to the Indian establishment of one thousand rank and file, and to prepare, with the Fifty-eighth Regiment, to embark for India.
[Sidenote: 1842]
The successful campaign of the following season, and the withdrawal of the troops from the Affghan territory, occasioned an alteration in the destination of the regiment.
In August, 1842, two companies, under the command of Major Burnside, were called upon by the civil authorities of Halifax, to suppress a formidable and organised riot which broke out in that town: numbers of the rioters had assembled from the adjacent towns, and were so confident in their strength and numbers as to attack a party of the Eleventh Hussars, several of whom were severely injured. The detachment of the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment was fired on by the mob, and Captain Hoey and five men were wounded with slugs. The order was then given to the Military to fire, when the peace of the town was speedily restored. The owners and occupiers of the mills and other property at Halifax, and in the neighbourhood, conveyed a vote of thanks to Major Burnside for his services on this occasion.
[Sidenote: 1843]
In March, 1843, the regiment was directed to furnish, by volunteers, two hundred men to the Ninety-eighth Regiment, in China: the required number were immediately produced; and the detachment embarked on the 1st of April, at Newcastle-on-Tyne, for Winchester, to join the depôt of the Ninety-eighth Regiment.
In the spring of 1843, the regiment proceeded by railway to Carlisle, where it embarked for Ireland, and landed at Dublin on the 6th of April; and was shortly afterwards inspected by Lieutenant-General the Right Honorable Sir Edward Blakeney, Commander of the Forces in Ireland, who was pleased to express his approbation of the appearance of the regiment in the field, and of its conduct in quarters.
On the 3rd June, five companies, under the command of Major McLeod, embarked on board of Her Majesty’s steamer “Rhadamanthus” for Waterford, on a particular service: the detachment landed on the following day, and re-inforced the garrison in barracks until the 6th June, when it re-embarked and returned to Dublin.
During the stay of the regiment in the garrison of Dublin, Lieutenant-Colonel Forbes died after a protracted illness. This distinguished officer had commanded the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment five years, and by his impartial and temperate exercise of authority, he had rendered himself respected and beloved by all who had the good fortune to serve under his command. Upon his decease, Major Henry Burnside was promoted to the lieutenant-colonelcy on the 9th May, 1843.
In July, 1843, the regiment proceeded from Dublin to Limerick, where it is stationed at the commencement of the year 1844, to which period this record of its services is brought.
[Sidenote: 1844]
On the 20th January, 1844, Her Majesty was pleased to remove Lieutenant-General Sir John Gardiner from the SIXTY-FIRST to the Fiftieth Regiment, in succession to Lieutenant-General Sir Hudson Lowe, deceased, and to appoint Major-General Sir Jeremiah Dickson, K.C.B., to the colonelcy of the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment.
Few regiments have been engaged in services which have called into exercise the moral and physical energies of the officers and soldiers to a greater extent than the duties in which the SIXTY-FIRST REGIMENT has been employed; and none have displayed the heroic virtues of the British military character more fully than this meritorious corps.
Whether at the Fort of ST. PHILIP, in Minorca,--in the valley of the Tagus, at TALAVERA,--on the plains of SALAMANCA,--on the lofty PYRENEES,--or in the southern provinces of FRANCE, the same valour, constancy, patience, and perseverance, have shone forth with a splendour which has elevated the reputation of the corps; and its conduct in quarters has also elicited the commendations of the general officers under whom it has served. Deriving its origin from the Third Regiment of Foot, or the BUFFS, the SIXTY-FIRST REGIMENT has inherited the same spirit which animated the officers and soldiers of that veteran corps during the wars of three centuries.
1844.
SUCCESSION OF COLONELS
OF
THE SIXTY-FIRST,
OR,
THE SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT OF
FOOT.
GRANVILLE ELLIOTT.
_Appointed 21st April, 1758._
GRANVILLE ELLIOTT served with distinction in the army of the Emperor of Germany, and returned to England with the reputation of a brave and experienced officer; he was admitted into the British service, by King George II., in 1758, with the rank of major-general, and was appointed colonel of the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment, on its formation from the second battalion of the Third Foot, or the Buffs. He commanded a brigade, under Charles, Duke of Marlborough, in the expedition to St. Maloes in 1758; and afterwards proceeded to Germany, where he served as major-general, under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick. His experience in continental service induced him to suggest to the British government the advantage of having a considerable portion of light cavalry in the army. The subject was previously under consideration, and the formation of regiments of light dragoons was commenced in the following year. He died in Germany in 1759.
GEORGE GRAY.
_Appointed 19th July, 1759._
GEORGE GRAY was many years an officer in the household cavalry, and in July, 1749, he was promoted lieutenant-colonel of the first troop, now first regiment, of Life Guards. In 1759, King George II. rewarded him with the colonelcy of the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment, from which he was removed, in 1768, to the Thirty-seventh. He was promoted to the rank of major-general in 1761, and to that of lieut.-general in 1770. He died in 1773.
JOHN GORE.
_Appointed 9th May, 1768._
The early services of this officer were in the third regiment of Foot Guards, in which corps he was promoted captain and lieutenant-colonel, in 1750, first major, with the rank of colonel, in 1760, and lieutenant-colonel in 1771 On the 10th of July, 1762, he was advanced to the rank of major-general; and in 1768 he was nominated to the colonelcy of the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment: in 1772 he was promoted to the rank of lieut.-general, and was removed to the Sixth Foot in February of the following year. He died in November, 1773.
JOHN BARLOW.
_Appointed 19th February, 1773._
JOHN BARLOW was many years an officer in the Third regiment of foot, or the Buffs, with which corps he served at the battle of Dettingen. He was promoted captain of a company on the 22nd of February, 1745, and afterwards served with the Buffs at the battles of Fontenoy, Falkirk, and Culloden; also at the battle of Val in 1747. In 1755 he was promoted major of the Buffs, and on the formation of the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment, from the second battalion of the Third Foot, he was nominated to the lieut.-colonelcy of that corps, which he commanded in the expedition to the West Indies, and distinguished himself on several occasions at the reduction of Guadeloupe in 1759. His services were rewarded with the colonelcy of the regiment in 1773; and in August, 1777, he was promoted to the rank of major general. He died in 1778.
STAATES LONG MORRISS.
_Appointed 14th May. 1778._