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[Illustration:

  BY COMMAND OF His late Majesty WILLIAM THE IV^{TH}.
  _and under the Patronage of_
  Her Majesty the Queen.

  HISTORICAL RECORDS,
  _OF THE_
  British Army

  _Comprising the_
  _History of every Regiment_
  _IN HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE_.

  _By Richard Cannon Esq^{re}._

  _Adjutant General's Office, Horse Guards._

  London.

  _Printed by Authority._]




  HISTORICAL RECORD

  OF

  THE FIFTY-THIRD,

  OR

  THE SHROPSHIRE REGIMENT OF FOOT.

  CONTAINING

  AN ACCOUNT OF THE FORMATION OF THE REGIMENT
  IN 1755

  AND OF ITS SUBSEQUENT SERVICES
  TO 1848.


  COMPILED BY

  RICHARD CANNON, ESQ.,

  ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, HORSE GUARDS.


  ILLUSTRATED WITH PLATES.


  LONDON:
  PARKER, FURNIVALL, & PARKER,
  30, CHARING-CROSS.

  MDCCCXLIX.




  LONDON: PRINTED BY W. CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET,
  FOR HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE.




  THE FIFTY-THIRD,

  OR

  THE SHROPSHIRE REGIMENT OF FOOT,

  BEARS ON THE REGIMENTAL COLOUR

  THE WORD "NIEUPORT;"

  IN COMMEMORATION OF ITS DISTINGUISHED GALLANTRY IN THE DEFENCE OF THAT
  FORTRESS IN OCTOBER, 1793;

  THE WORD "TOURNAY;"

  IN TESTIMONY OF ITS HEROIC CONDUCT IN ACTION AGAINST A SUPERIOR
  FORCE OF THE ENEMY IN MAY, 1794;

  THE WORDS "ST. LUCIA;"

  AS A MARK OF DISTINCTION FOR ITS BRAVERY DISPLAYED AT THE CAPTURE OF
  ST. LUCIA, IN MAY, 1796;

  THE WORDS

  "TALAVERA," "SALAMANCA," "VITTORIA," "PYRENEES,"
  "NIVELLE," "TOULOUSE," AND "PENINSULA,"

  TO COMMEMORATE THE MERITORIOUS SERVICES OF THE _Second_ BATTALION
  DURING THE PENINSULAR WAR, FROM 1809 TO 1814;

  AND THE WORDS

  "ALIWAL," AND "SOBRAON;"

  AS A LASTING TESTIMONY OF THE GALLANT CONDUCT OF THE REGIMENT
  ON THE BANKS OF THE SUTLEJ, ON THE 28TH JANUARY, AND
  10TH FEBRUARY, 1846.




THE FIFTY-THIRD,

OR

THE SHROPSHIRE REGIMENT.


CONTENTS

OF THE

HISTORICAL RECORD.


  YEAR                                                           PAGE

     INTRODUCTION                                                   i

  1755  Formation of the Regiment                                   1

  ----  Colonel W. Whitmore appointed to the colonelcy              -

  ----  Numbered the FIFTY-FIFTH, and afterwards the
          FIFTY-THIRD regiment                                      -

  ----  Station, uniform, and facing                                -

  ----  Officers appointed to commissions                           2

  1756  Embarked for Gibraltar                                      -

  1759  Appointment of Colonel John Toovey to the colonelcy,
          in succession to Colonel Whitmore, removed to the
          ninth regiment                                            -

  1768  Returned from Gibraltar, and embarked for Ireland           3

  1770  Appointment of Colonel R. D. H. Elphinstone to the
          colonelcy, in succession to Colonel Toovey, deceased      -

  1776  Embarked for North America                                  -

  1777  Engaged with the American forces                            -

  1782  The American war terminated                                 4

  ----  The regiment directed to assume the county title of
          Shropshire regiment in addition to its Numerical title    -

  1789  Returned to England from North America                      -

  1790  Embarked on board of the fleet to serve as Marines          -

  1791  Proceeded to Scotland                                       5

  1793  Embarked for service in Flanders                            -

  ----  Engaged at Famars                                           -

  ----  -------- the siege and capture of Valenciennes              -

  ----  -------- the siege of Dunkirk                               6

  ----  -------- Nieuport                                           -

  ----  Received the Royal Authority to bear the word
          "_Nieuport_" on the colours                               -

  1794  Major-General Gerald Lake, afterwards Viscount Lake,
          appointed to the colonelcy, in succession to
          General Elphinstone, deceased                             -

  ----  Engaged in operations at Vaux, Prémont, Marets, &c.         7

  ----  ---- at the siege and capture of Landrécies                 -

  ----  -------- repulse of the enemy at Cateau                     -

  ----  -------------------------------- Tournay                    -

  ----  -------- capture of Lannoy, Roubaix, and Mouveaux           -

  ----  ---- in the masterly retreat to Leers                       8

  ----  ---- storming the village of Pontéchin                      9

  ----  Received the Royal Authority to bear the word
          "_Tournay_" on its colours                               10

  1795  Returned to England                                        --

  ----  Encamped at Southampton                                    --

  ----  Embarked with an expedition for the West Indies            --

  1796  Attack and Capture of St. Lucia                            --

  1796  Received the Royal Authority to bear the words
          "_St. Lucia_" on its colours                             11

  ----  Embarked for St. Vincent                                   --

  ----  Engaged in quelling an insurrection, and expelling
          the Caribs from the Island of St. Vincent                --

  ----  Received the thanks of the General Officer commanding,
          and of the Council and Assembly of the Island            12

  ----  Appointment of Major-General W. E. Doyle to the
          colonelcy, in succession to General Lake, removed
          to the 73rd regiment                                     --

  1797  Engaged in the capture of Trinidad                         --

  ----  Employed in an unsuccessful attempt at Porto Rico          --

  ----  Returned to St. Vincent                                    13

  1798  Lieut.-General Crosbie appointed to the colonelcy,
          in succession to Major-General Doyle, deceased           --

  1800  Removed from St. Vincent to St. Lucia                      --

  1802  Returned to England on the surrender of St. Lucia to
          France according to the treaty of peace concluded
          at Amiens                                                --

  1803  Marched under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Lightburne,
          for Shrewsbury                                           --

  1805  The First Battalion embarked for India                     --

  ----  Arrived at Fort St. George, Madras, and proceeded to
          Dinapore                                                 --

  1806  Removed from Dinapore to Berhampore                        14

  1807  Proceeded from Berhampore to Cawnpore                      --

  ----  Major-General Honorable John Abercromby appointed to
          the colonelcy in succession to General Crosbie,
          deceased                                                 --

  1809  Three companies detached to Bundelcund, and engaged
          at the siege and capture of the fort of Adjighion        --

  1809  The Battalion took the field with the troops under
          Colonel Martindell                                       15

  1810  Returned to Cawnpore, and received the thanks of the
          officer commanding for their conduct                     --

  1812  Five companies engaged in the storming of the fortress
          of _Callinger_                                           --

  ----  Surrender of the garrison of _Callinger_ on the
          remaining five companies joining from Cawnpore           17

  ----  The Battalion returned to Cawnpore, and afterwards
          proceeded to Meerut                                      18

  1814  Marched from Meerut, and joined the army formed for
          the invasion of the kingdom of Nepaul, or the
          Gorca State                                              --

  ----  Engaged in the storming and capture of the fort of
          _Kalunga_                                                19

  ----  Proceeded to the capture of _Nahn_ and other fortified
          places on the Jampta heights                             21

  ----  The Nepaulese reduced to submission                        --

  ----  Embarked for Berhampore, proceeded to Calcutta, and
          afterwards embarked for Madras                           --

  1816  The Battalion proceeded from Madras to the Naggery
          Pass, to repress the plundering tribes of Pindarees      --

  ----  Marched for Trichinopoly                                   22

  1817  Appointment of Lieut.-General Lord Hill, G.C.B., to
          the colonelcy, in succession to Lieut.-General
          Sir John Abercromby, deceased                            --

  ----  The flank companies employed with a field force under
          Brigadier-General Pritzler                               23

  1819  Assault of the fort of _Copaul Droog_                      --

  1820  Marched from Trichinopoly for Bellary                      --

  1820  Proceeded to Bangalore                                     23

  ----  The flank companies rejoined the regiment after much
          arduous service                                          24

  1822  Quitted the Mysore, and proceeded to Fort St. George       --

  ----  Relieved by the Forty-first regiment, and ordered to
          prepare for embarkation for England                      --

  1823  Embarked from Madras, and arrived at Chatham               25

  ----  Return of Casualties in the First Battalion, from 1805
          to 1822                                                  --

  ----  Removed to Weedon                                          --

  1826  Proceeded to Portsmouth, and inspected by General
          Lord Hill, G.C.B.                                        --

  ----  Marched into Lancashire, and embarked for Ireland          --

  1829  Formed into six Service, and four Depôt companies,
          preparatory for embarkation for foreign service          26

  ----  Service companies embarked at Cork for Gibraltar           --

  1830  New Colours presented to the Regiment by General
          Sir George Don, Lieut.-Governor of Gibraltar             --

  ----  Appointment of Major-General Lord FitzRoy
          J. H. Somerset, K.C.B., to the colonelcy, in
          succession to General Lord Hill, G.C.B., removed
          to the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards                    --

  1834  Service companies proceeded to Malta                       27

  1835  Depôt companies returned to Ireland                        --

  1836  Service companies embarked for the Ionian Islands          --

  1840  Service companies embarked from Corfu and landed
          at Plymouth                                              27

  1841  Regiment proceeded to Scotland                             --

  1843  Embarked for Ireland                                       --

  1844  Embarked for the East Indies                               --

  ----  Arrived at Calcutta                                        --

  1845  Proceeded to Cawnpore; thence to Agra; and to Delhi        --

  1846  Active operations commenced on the Sutlej                  --

  ----  The Regiment proceeded from Delhi, and joined the
          division of the army on the march to Loodianah           28

  ----  Engaged at the Battle of _Aliwal_                          29

  ----  Engaged at the Battle of _Sobraon_                         30

  ----  Received the thanks and approbation of the
          Governor-General of India                                32

  ----  Medals presented by the Government of India                33

  ----  Received the Royal Authority to bear the words
          "_Aliwal_" and "_Sobraon_" on the colours and
          appointments                                             --

  ----  Proceeded to Lahore, thence to Umballa, and to
          Ferozepore                                               34

  1848  Returned to Lahore                                         --




CONTENTS

OF THE

HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE FIFTY-THIRD REGIMENT,

RELATING TO THE SERVICES OF THE

SECOND BATTALION.


  YEAR                                                           PAGE

  1803  The Second Battalion of the Fifty-third Regiment
          formed from men raised under the Army of Reserve
          Act in Yorkshire, and assembled at Sunderland            35

  1804  Embarked for Ireland                                       36

  1807  The men enlisted for limited service transferred
          to a Garrison battalion; the remainder embarked
          from Dublin, and proceeded to Shrewsbury; thence
          to Weymouth, where the Battalion was augmented
          by volunteers from the Militia                           37

  1808  Proceeded to Bletchington, thence to Portsmouth,
          and embarked for Ireland                                 --

  1809  Embarked at Cork for service with the army in Portugal     --

  ----  Marched to Oporto                                          --

  ----  Advanced into Spain, and engaged in the Battle of
          _Talavera_                                               38

  ----  Received the Royal Authority to bear the word
          "_Talavera_" on the colours and appointments             39

  ----  Withdrew into Portugal                                     --

  1810  Advanced from Guarda to the valley of Mondego              39

  ----  Ciudad Rodrigo captured by the French                      40

  ----  Engaged at the Battle of Busaco                            --

  ----  Occupied the lines of Torres Vedras                        --

  1811  The French retreated to the Portuguese frontier            --

  ----  The fortress of Almeida invested                           41

  ----  Removed to San Pedro                                       --

  ----  Engaged in the action at Fuentes d'Onor                    --

  ----  Resumed its post before Almeida                            --

  ----  Joined the army in the Alemtejo                            --

  ----  Crossed the Agueda to protect the inhabitants from
          the French garrison of Ciudad Rodrigo                    --

  1812  Siege and capture of Ciudad Rodrigo                        42

  ----  Formed part of the covering army during the siege
          and capture of Badajoz                                   --

  ----  Moved forward to assist in the attack at Almaraz           43

  ----  Employed in the siege of the French troops left in
          two fortified convents                                   --

  ----  Engaged at the Battle of _Salamanca_                       44

  ----  Received the Royal Authority to bear the word
          "_Salamanca_" on the colours and appointments            45

  ----  Entered the city of Valladolid                             46

  ----  Stationed at Cuellar                                       --

  ----  Employed in the siege of Burgos castle                     47

  ----  Retired from Burgos to the Portuguese frontier             --

  1813  Four companies formed part of the second Provisional
          battalion                                                --

  ----  Six companies proceeded to England                         --

  ----  Proceeded through the Tras-os-Montes, and crossed the
          Esla river                                               48

  ----  Engaged in the Battle of _Vittoria_                        --

  ----  Received the Royal Authority to bear the word
          "_Vittoria_" on the colours and appointments             --

  1813  Followed the French army to the vicinity of Pampeluna      49

  ----  Employed in the blockade of Pampeluna                      --

  ----  Advanced into the Pyrenees in support of the troops
          in the Pass of Roncesvalles                              --

  ----  Conflict in front of Pampeluna                             --

  ----  Received the Royal Authority to bear the word
          "_Pyrenees_" on the colours and appointments             --

  ----  Pursued the French army through the Pyrenees               50

  ----  Storming and capture of St. Sebastian                      --

  ----  Attack of the French troops on the heights of
          San Marcial, and Pass of St. Antonio                     --

  ----  Passage of the Bidassoa                                    --

  ----  Advanced into France                                       51

  ----  Engaged in the Battle of Nivelle                           --

  ----  Received the Royal Authority to bear the word
          "_Nivelle_" on the colours and appointments              --

  ----  Passage of the river Nive                                  52

  1814  Marched to St. Jean de Luz                                 --

  ----  Rejoined the army at Grenade                               --

  ----  Marched towards Bordeaux                                   --

  ----  The six companies sent to England in 1813, returned
          to Spain, and advanced to Tarbes                         --

  1814  Employed in operations against the castle of L'Ourde       52

  ----  Engaged in the Battle of Toulouse                          --

  ----  Received the Royal Authority to bear the word
          "_Toulouse_" on the colours and appointments             --

  ----  Termination of the Peninsular War                          54

  ----  Received the Royal Authority to bear the word
          "_Peninsula_" on the colours and appointments            --

  ----  Encamped at Bordeaux                                       --

  ----  Embarked for Ireland                                       --

  ----  Re-embarked for England                                    55

  1815  Stationed at Portsmouth                                    55

  ----  Battle of Waterloo, and surrender of Napoleon Bonaparte    --

  ----  Proceeded with Napoleon Bonaparte to St. Helena            --

  ----  Medals presented to certain Serjeants for services
          in the Peninsular War                                    --

  1817  Returned from St. Helena to England                        56

  ----  Arrived at Portsmouth, and proceeded to Canterbury         57

  ----  Disbanded at Canterbury                                    --


        THE CONCLUSION                                             59




SUCCESSION OF COLONELS

OF THE

FIFTY-THIRD

OR

THE SHROPSHIRE REGIMENT OF FOOT.


 