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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