Part 7

On the 15th of May the first battalion, still belonging to the second division, moved forward without interruption until its arrival at _Vittoria_ on the 21st of June: it bore a considerable share in the battle on that day, in taking, defending, and maintaining the village of _Subijana de Alava_, a post in front of the left of the French line, which they considered of such importance as to induce them to make several vigorous attacks to repossess themselves of it, but which proved unavailing. In this glorious action the battalion lost, in killed and wounded, above one-third of its number. Captains Charles Carthew, Robert Walton, and William Hicks, were wounded. Captain Hicks died of his wounds on the 3rd of July; Lieutenant the Honorable Michael De Courcy Meade died of his wounds on the 9th of July. Lieutenants Francis C. Crotty, Coyne Reynolds, Thomas Baynes, and Alexander G. Speirs, were wounded.

Two serjeants and thirty-two rank and file were killed; six serjeants and one hundred and ninety-four rank and file were wounded.

The French, being driven from all their defences, retreated with such precipitation towards Pampeluna as to abandon all their baggage, artillery, ammunition, military chests, and the court equipage of King Joseph, whose carriage being seized, he had barely time to escape on horseback. The defeat was the most complete that the French had experienced in Spain.

The baton of Marshal Jourdan was taken by the Eighty-seventh regiment, and the Prince Regent, in the name and behalf of His Majesty, appointed the Marquis of Wellington a Field-Marshal. In a most flattering letter, the Prince Regent thus conferred the honor:--“You have sent me among the trophies of our unrivalled fame, the staff of a French Marshal, and I send you in return that of England.”

To commemorate this victory the THIRTY-NINTH subsequently received the royal authority to bear the word “VITTORIA” on the regimental colour and appointments. A medal was granted to Colonel the Honorable Robert William O’Callaghan, of the THIRTY-NINTH regiment, in temporary command of the brigade, who was specially noticed in the Marquis of Wellington’s despatch, “as having maintained the village of Subijana de Alava against all the efforts of the enemy to gain possession of it;” and also to Brevet-Lieut.-Colonel Charles Bruce, in immediate command of the first battalion.

From Vittoria the first battalion moved forward with the army on the evening of the same day towards the _Pyrenees_. Some affairs of little importance occurred, and on the 7th of July the French occupied a position across the valley of Bastan; the second battalion of the Thirty-fourth and the first battalion of the THIRTY-NINTH regiments were moved through the mountains to turn their right; towards evening they fell in with a piquet of the enemy near the extremity of the valley, which was driven in, and found to be supported by a great portion of the French army, which kept up a heavy fire until night. From a thick fog, and the nature of the ground, the enemy did not perceive the comparatively small force opposed to him, nor did the battalion suffer much for the same reason. On the morning of the 8th the enemy retired within the French territory. Four days afterwards Marshal Soult, who had been sent to the seat of war by Napoleon, with the rank of “Lieutenant of the Emperor,” assumed the command of the army of Spain, when all his energies were directed to retrieve its disasters, and to drive the British across the Ebro.

Nothing particular occurred until the 25th of July, when Count D’Erlon attacked the pass of _Maya_ with an overwhelming force. This pass was occupied by the piquets of the brigade, to whose support the battalion, with the brigade, moved forward; but on their arrival found the pass in possession of the enemy: this circumstance, and his great superiority of numbers, obliged the troops to retire, which they did in good order, but with great loss.

In the subsequent action near _Pampeluna_ the battalion occupied some strong ground on the left of the British line, and was but little engaged. It again moved forward on the retreat of the enemy, and on the 31st of July, two attempts having failed to carry the heights of _Donna Maria_, the THIRTY-NINTH, being selected for a third, happily succeeded. The enemy after this made no further stand, but retreated beyond the Pyrenees.

In the operations of the army from the 25th to the 31st of July, the loss of the THIRTY-NINTH was as follows:--

Lieutenants John Lord, and Trevor Williams, killed in action on the 25th of July. Lieutenant Connell Scanlan was wounded and taken prisoner, and died of his wounds. Captain Joseph A. Jones, Lieutenants Francis H. Hart, Charles Cox, and Purefoy Poe, Ensigns William Allan Courtenay and Robert Rhodes were wounded on the 25th of July. Lieutenant William Johnston Hughes was taken prisoner.

Six serjeants and twenty-three rank and file were killed; five serjeants and one hundred and four rank and file were wounded; two serjeants, one drummer, and nineteen rank and file were missing.

For the several actions in the _Pyrenees_ from the 25th to the 31st of July, His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in the name and behalf of His Majesty, was graciously pleased to grant medals to Colonel the Honorable Robert William O’Callaghan, commanding the brigade, Brevet-Lieut.-Colonel Charles Bruce, commanding the battalion; and to Captain Duncan Campbell, of the THIRTY-NINTH, in command of the light companies of the brigade.

The THIRTY-NINTH also received the royal authority to bear the word “PYRENEES” on the regimental colour and appointments, to commemorate the services of the first battalion in these actions.

The enemy having been driven over the Pyrenees, the British remained in possession of the several passes, the THIRTY-NINTH occupying those of Maya, Roncesvalles, and Alduides, alternately, until the 9th of November, when the battalion entered France by the pass of Maya without opposition, except driving in the enemy’s advance-posts, until its arrival at the river _Nivelle_, the passage of which was contested by the French army. The battalion, however, succeeded in crossing with trifling loss on the 10th of November, and the enemy was afterwards driven from all his strong and fortified positions on the heights of Sarre, where the THIRTY-NINTH remained for the night. In commemoration of this service the THIRTY-NINTH subsequently received the royal authority to bear the word “NIVELLE” on the regimental colour and appointments.

Captain George D’Arcy, of the THIRTY-NINTH, was promoted to the brevet rank of Major on the 22nd of November 1813.

The battalion subsequently moved forward to the _Nive_, the left bank of which it occupied until the 9th of December, when the army crossed that river,--the THIRTY-NINTH by a ford at Laressor, under great difficulties, as well from the depth of the river as the opposition made by the enemy. The passage having been effected, the enemy retired to the heights of St. Pierre, near Bayonne.

In crossing the _Nive_ the battalion had one man killed, and twelve rank and file wounded.

On the morning of the 10th of December the division took possession of the high ground in the neighbourhood of _Bayonne_, the THIRTY-NINTH occupying Ville Franche on the left of the line, and on the right bank of the _Nive_. Early on the morning of the 13th of December, Marshal Soult made a most desperate attack on the second division with all his force; but the battalion being on the extreme left of the position was not materially engaged, having only one serjeant killed, and Ensign John Burns and thirteen rank and file wounded. The enemy, being defeated in his attack, retired to Bayonne that night; the division still retained its position and continued therein until the 13th of February, the THIRTY-NINTH occupying the village of Petite Moguerre.

For the services connected with the passage of the river Nive, the THIRTY-NINTH subsequently received the royal authority to bear the word “NIVE” on the regimental colour and appointments. Medals were also granted to Colonel the Honorable Robert William O’Callaghan, commanding the battalion, and to Brevet-Lieut.-Colonel Charles Bruce, commanding the light companies of the brigade.

[Sidenote: 2nd Batt.]

During the year 1813 the second battalion continued to be stationed at Weymouth; and having completed its ranks from the militia, and by means of recruiting parties, it sent several large drafts to the first battalion in the Peninsula.

[Sidenote: 1814. 1st Batt.]

On the 13th of February 1814, the division moved forward, and on the evening of the 15th of that month fell in with the enemy posted on some strong heights near the town of _Garris_; after halting a few minutes to observe him, an order was received from the Marquis of Wellington “_to take the hill before dark_,” when the first battalions of the Twenty-eighth and THIRTY-NINTH regiments, composing Major-General William Henry Pringle’s brigade, were instantly put in motion, and after crossing a deep ravine, steadily and briskly ascended the hill in contiguous close columns. The Twenty-eighth meeting with some little delay in the ascent, Major-General Pringle left them, and put himself at the head of the THIRTY-NINTH, who gained the summit under the continued fire of the enemy without returning a single shot. The French retired from the brow of the hill, and the battalion, wheeling to the right, continued to drive them along the ridge until it reached a spot where their principal force appeared to be concentrated: here they made an obstinate resistance. The other brigades of the division not being so soon in motion, and having a greater distance to proceed to their points of attack, did not gain the heights for some time, and the Twenty-eighth having proceeded in a different direction, the THIRTY-NINTH had to sustain, in this place, the whole efforts of the enemy for about twenty minutes. During this time the French made three attempts to drive the battalion from the position it had gained, and repeated instances occurred of personal conflict, and bayonets crossing: the battalion, however, maintained its ground, and charging in its turn, the enemy was eventually forced to retire in confusion with the loss of several prisoners.

On the following morning Lieut.-General the Honorable Sir William Stewart, K.B., who commanded the division, assembled the officers in front of the battalion, and expressed to them his high satisfaction at the gallant conduct of the corps on the preceding evening; and at the same time offered to recommend to the notice of the Marquis of Wellington any officer or non-commissioned officer that Colonel the Honorable Robert William O’Callaghan might point out: upon which Captain Duncan Campbell was recommended for the brevet rank of Major, which he obtained on the 3rd of the following month.

The battalion had also the proud satisfaction of being mentioned by the Marquis of Wellington, who was an eye-witness of its conduct, as having particularly distinguished itself on this occasion. In his Lordship’s despatch of the 20th of February, it was stated, “Much of the day had elapsed before the attack could be commenced, and the action lasted till after dark, the enemy having made repeated attempts to regain the position, _particularly in two attacks, which were most gallantly received and repulsed by the_ THIRTY-NINTH _regiment under the command of the Honorable Colonel O’Callaghan_, in Major-General Pringle’s brigade. The Major-General and Lieut.-Colonel Bruce, of the THIRTY-NINTH, were unfortunately wounded. We took ten officers and about two hundred prisoners.”

In addition to Brevet-Lieut.-Colonel Charles Bruce, who was severely wounded, the battalion had two serjeants and eleven rank and file killed; one serjeant and twenty-eight rank and file were wounded.

The battalion moved forward without interruption until its arrival in the neighbourhood of _Orthes_ on the 25th, and was present at the battle there of the 27th of February; but the division being employed in turning the enemy’s left, the THIRTY-NINTH did not suffer any loss. Brevet-Major George D’Arcy, who commanded the battalion on that day, was presented with a medal for the battle of Orthes.

The royal authority was subsequently granted for the THIRTY-NINTH to bear the word “ORTHES” on the regimental colour and appointments.

The battalion moved forward on the road to Toulouse, and on the 18th of March fell in with the rear-guard of the enemy, near the village of _Castillon_, which was driven in. On this occasion Lieutenant Charles Cox was wounded.

The THIRTY-NINTH having arrived in the neighbourhood of Toulouse, nothing particular occurred until the battle of _Toulouse_ on the 10th of April, when the operations of the division being confined to the left bank of the Garonne, the battalion was only occupied in driving in the enemy’s outposts, and taking some field-works which had been thrown up to defend the entrance to the town. In accomplishing this, Captain Samuel Thorpe, one serjeant, and a few men were wounded.

During the night of the 11th of April the French troops evacuated Toulouse, and a white flag was hoisted. On the following day the Marquis of Wellington entered the city amidst the acclamations of the inhabitants. In the course of the afternoon of the 12th of April intelligence was received of the abdication of Napoleon; and had not the express been delayed on the journey by the French police, the sacrifice of many valuable lives would have been prevented.

A disbelief in the truth of this intelligence occasioned much unnecessary bloodshed at _Bayonne_, the garrison of which made a desperate _sortie_ on the 14th of April, when Lieut.-General Sir John Hope (afterwards Earl of Hopetoun) was taken prisoner, Major-General Andrew Hay was killed, and Major-General Stopford was wounded. This was the last action of the Peninsular war.

A treaty of peace was established between Great Britain and France; Louis XVIII. was restored to the throne of France, and Napoleon Bonaparte was permitted to reside at Elba, the sovereignty of that island having been conceded to him by the Allied Powers.

In addition to the other distinctions acquired during the war in Spain, Portugal, and the south of France, the THIRTY-NINTH received the royal authority to bear the word “PENINSULA” on the regimental colour and appointments.

Shortly after the termination of the war in Europe, the first battalion of the THIRTY-NINTH was ordered to proceed to North America in consequence of the hostilities between Great Britain and the United States. The battalion accordingly marched to Bourdeaux under the command of Brevet-Lieut.-Colonel Charles Bruce, and embarked for Canada on the 8th of June.

While the battalion was on its voyage to North America, the Duke of Wellington, prior to the breaking up of the Peninsular army, issued the following General Order:--

“_Bourdeaux, 14th June 1814_.

“GENERAL ORDER.

“The Commander of the Forces, being upon the point of returning to England, again takes this opportunity of congratulating the army upon the recent events which have restored peace to their country and to the world.

“The share which the British army have had in producing those events, and the high character with which the army will quit this country, must be equally satisfactory to every individual belonging to it, as they are to the Commander of the Forces, and he trusts that the troops will continue the same good conduct to the last.

“The Commander of the Forces once more requests the army to accept his thanks.

“Although circumstances may alter the relations in which he has stood towards them for some years so much to his satisfaction, he assures them he will never cease to feel the warmest interest in their welfare and honor, and that he will be at all times happy to be of any service to those to whose conduct, discipline, and gallantry their country is so much indebted.”

The first battalion of the THIRTY-NINTH regiment arrived at Quebec on the 5th of August, and marched from thence to Chambly.

After the arrival of the reinforcements from Europe, the Governor-General of Canada, Lieut.-General Sir George Prevost, Bart., assembled all the disposable forces in the lower province for an attack upon the state of New York. On the 2nd of September the first battalion of the THIRTY-NINTH, with the other corps employed on this service, proceeded towards the United States to co-operate with the naval force on Lake Champlain. As the troops approached the line of separation, the Americans abandoned their entrenched camp on the river Chazy, and this post was occupied by the British on the 3rd of September.

The first battalion remained at Chazy to keep up the communication, having sent forward the light company to _Plattsburg_, a fortified place on Lake Champlain; two officers and sixty men of the THIRTY-NINTH were detached on board the fleet to act as marines. The attack was made on the morning of the 11th of September; but the defeat of the British naval force on the lake rendered it necessary to abandon the enterprise, as the most complete success on shore would have proved unavailing after the loss of the shipping. The troops accordingly retired to Lower Canada.

[Sidenote: 1815. 1st Batt.]

After the failure of these operations the first battalion returned to Chambly, where it remained until the 27th of May 1815, and then proceeded to embark at Quebec under the command of Brevet-Lieut.-Colonel Patrick Lindesay, its services being again required in Europe in consequence of the return of Napoleon Bonaparte to France, who resumed his former title of Emperor of the French, but which assumption the Allied Powers refused to recognise.

The first battalion sailed from the river St. Lawrence on the 12th of June, and arrived at Portsmouth on the 15th of July. Meanwhile the destiny of France had been decided on the field of Waterloo, and Louis XVIII. had been again restored to the throne. The battalion proceeded on the 18th of July for Ostend, disembarked on the 21st, and immediately marched to join the British army at Paris. On the 26th of August it was reinforced by a strong detachment from the second battalion under Lieut.-Colonel Cavendish Sturt, who assumed the command.

[Sidenote: 2nd Batt.]

In April 1815 the second battalion was removed from Weymouth to Winchester Barracks, and, after having transferred all the effective men to the first battalion, was disbanded at the latter place on the 24th of December following.

The regiment remained near Paris until the Army of Occupation was formed, and on the 27th of December 1815 marched to take up the cantonments appointed for it in the Pas-de-Calais, between the towns of Arras and St. Pol, moving annually to the camps of St. Omer and Valenciennes until the breaking up of the Army of Occupation in 1818.

[Sidenote: 1818.]

On the 30th of October 1818, the regiment embarked at Calais, disembarked at Dover on the 31st, and marched to Portsmouth, where it arrived on the 11th of November. The THIRTY-NINTH regiment embarked for Ireland on the 17th of December following, arrived at Cork on the 24th, and disembarked on the 26th of that month.

[Sidenote: 1819.]

The regiment proceeded on its route for Castlebar in the county of Mayo, where it arrived on the 7th of January 1819.

[Sidenote: 1820.]

The THIRTY-NINTH marched from Castlebar to Dublin in August 1820, and arrived at its destination on the 17th of that month.

[Sidenote: 1821.]

In March 1821, the regiment was removed from Dublin to Cork.

On the 24th of August 1821, the establishment of the regiment was reduced from ten to eight companies, of three serjeants and seventy-two rank and file each; and on the 26th of November it marched from Cork to Tralee.

[Sidenote: 1822.]

In January 1822, some detachments of the regiment were employed in suppressing a partial insurrection of the Whiteboys. Brevet-Major George D’Arcy was attacked at Millstreet, in the county of Cork, and beat off considerable bodies of the insurgents. Brevet-Major Charles Carthew was also engaged with a large body of them near Bantry, when one private of the regiment was killed.

[Sidenote: 1823.]

The regiment marched, on the 1st of October 1823, from Tralee to Limerick.

Lieut.-General Sir George Airey, K.C.H., was appointed colonel of the THIRTY-NINTH regiment on the 28th of October 1823, in succession to General Nisbett Balfour, deceased.

[Sidenote: 1824.]

On the 12th of August 1824, Brevet Lieut.-Colonel Patrick Lindesay, C.B., was appointed Lieut.-Colonel of the THIRTY-NINTH regiment, in consequence of the retirement of Colonel Cavendish Sturt; Brevet-Major Donald M^cPherson succeeded to the vacant majority.

The regiment marched to Buttevant, in the county of Cork, in the beginning of October 1824, and in this place was at length brought together, having been continually broken into small detachments during the whole of its service in Ireland, with the exception of a few months while stationed in Dublin.

[Sidenote: 1825.]

On the 25th of March 1825, the regiment, in common with the rest of the infantry, received an augmentation of two companies, raising its establishment to forty-two serjeants, fourteen drummers, and seven hundred and forty rank and file. These companies were given to the two senior subalterns, Lieutenants Simon Newport and Francis Henry Hart, whose commissions as captains were dated 7th and 8th of April 1825. At this period it was directed that each battalion of infantry in the United Kingdom, as well as those on foreign stations (the East Indies excepted), should consist of six _service_ companies of eighty-six rank and file each, and four _dépôt_ companies of fifty-six rank and file each, making seven hundred and forty in all. The dépôts of such regiments as were serving at home, continued united with their respective corps.

An order was received on the 10th of July 1825, intimating that the regiment was destined to proceed to New South Wales, and ultimately to India. On the 19th of July, it marched to Cork to be embarked for Chatham, from whence it was ordered to proceed to New South Wales, as guards over convicts. The first division left Cork on the 19th, and the head-quarters on the 30th of September.

A detachment, consisting of one captain, one subaltern, one serjeant, and twenty rank and file, embarked in the “Woodman” convict ship on the 4th of November 1825, and proceeded to Van Diemen’s Land and Sydney.

The last division of the regiment arrived at Chatham from Cork, on the 25th of November 1825.

[Sidenote: 1826.]

Several detachments of the regiment proceeded to New South Wales during the year 1826.

In the latter part of 1826, Captain Joseph Wakefield proceeded to assist in establishing a settlement at King George’s Sound on the southern coast of New Holland; and in the beginning of the following year, Captain Henry Smyth was despatched to effect a similar purpose on the northern coast, and succeeded in forming a settlement named Fort Wellington, in Raffles’ Bay.

[Sidenote: 1827.]

The head-quarters under the command of Colonel Lindesay, were embarked for New South Wales in the ship “Cambridge” on the 26th of April 1827, and arrived at their destination on the 17th of September following.

From the 4th of November 1825, to the 5th of May 1827, the whole of the men of the service companies, together with two officers and fifty-nine men drawn from the dépôt, were embarked for New South Wales.

[Sidenote: 1828.]