TOULOUSE
1814.
On the 10th April, the British army fought and won the crowning battle of Toulouse, and Picton again led his division into the middle of the fight. The 83rd Regiment, with the left brigade, was but partially engaged and suffered a slight loss, and it has received the royal commission to bear the word “Toulouse” on its colours and appointments, for its services in that victory.
The war was at this period brought to a conclusion; the illustrious Emperor of the French, Napoleon Bonaparte, being compelled to abdicate. His able lieutenant, Marshal Soult, gave in his adhesion to the new government, and hostilities accordingly ceased.
The 83rd was quartered at La Mao, where Major Blaquiere, having recovered from his wounds, rejoined and assumed the command. It was afterwards removed to Blanque Fort Camp, near Bordeaux, where 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, 1 assistant-surgeon, and 15 rank and file joined from prisoners of war.
The whole army was there reviewed by the Duke of Wellington; and on the 1st of June the battalion embarked from Bordeaux for England.
As a reward for their own and their regiment’s service during this memorable war, his Majesty was pleased to appoint Lieutenant-Colonel H. W. Carr a Knight Commander, and Major George Hext a Companion, of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath; and the word “Peninsula,” inscribed by the royal authority on the colours and appointments of the 83rd, commemorates the valiant achievements of the 2nd Battalion throughout the whole of the Peninsular campaigns.
PART III
SERVICES OF THE REGIMENT IN CEYLON FROM 1814–29
1814.
On the 4th July, 1814, the 2nd Battalion embarked on board transports for Ireland, and on the 24th following disembarked at Monkstown, County Cork, and marched into the Fort of Kinsale.
On the 10th of September the battalion marched to Clonmel, and on the 30th of October to Kilkenny, when most of the companies were detached to do duty in the adjacent villages.
On the 9th of November the depôt joined from Maldon in Essex, consisting of 1 major, 7 lieutenants, 5 ensigns, 10 sergeants, 4 drummers, and 192 rank and file, under Major Sullivan, who assumed the command of the battalion.
1815.
On the 26th January, 1815, the regiment marched for Dublin, from which place all the officers belonging to the 1st Battalion then doing duty with the 2nd were ordered to join it at the Cape of Good Hope.
1816.
In the month of March, 1816, the battalion marched for Armagh, and was detached in that and the neighbouring counties.
At this place Lieutenant-Colonel Cother, C.B., from the half-pay of the 71st, assumed the command.
1817.
The 2nd Battalion was inspected by Major-General Barnet on the 24th April, 1817, and disbanded the same day, having previously selected all the serviceable non-commissioned officers and men (consisting of 8 sergeants, 4 drummers, and 381 rank and file), to be held in readiness to join the 1st Battalion, supposed to be in the island of Ceylon, for which station it had been a considerable time under orders.
The major-general expressed his perfect approbation of the battalion during its stay in Armagh, in a district order, wishing the officers every success in future.
There were 15 sergeants, 7 drummers, and 164 rank and file (chiefly wounded men) discharged in consequence of the reduction of the 2nd Battalion.
The route for the march of the detachment was received on the 22nd May, 1817, for Fermoy in two divisions, where it arrived on the 11th and 12th of June. The detachment and depôt received a further route for Cork on the 26th June, from whence the former proceeded in steamboats to Cove, and embarked on board the transports Adamant and Eliza, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Cother, C.B.
The detachment sailed from the Cove on the 7th July, 1817, and arrived in Simon’s Bay, Cape of Good Hope, on the 22nd September following, and joined the head-quarters of the regiment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Brunt in Simon’s Town.
During the services of the 1st Battalion at the Cape of Good Hope, five companies of the regiment, under the command of Brevet Major Summerfield, were ordered to proceed to the frontier of Africa, in consequence of a revolt of a great number of Boers and Hottentots, joined with the Caffres. This detachment landed at Algoa Bay, and on its disembarkation proceeded to Graaff Reinet, on the banks of Sunday’s River, being a march of 350 miles, through a barren country. This revolt having been amicably settled, the detachment returned to Algoa Bay in October, 1816, where it remained until September of the following year.
The head-quarters, etc., embarked, and the regiment sailed from Simon’s Bay on the 1st October, and arrived at Colombo, island of Ceylon, on the 16th November and 3rd December, 1817.
1817.
The insurrection in the “Kandyan”[6] provinces of Ceylon having commenced a few weeks previous to the arrival of the regiment in that colony, nearly the whole of the battalion, then consisting of 4 field officers, 10 captains, 32 subalterns, 48 sergeants, 22 drummers, and 969 rank and file, was marched into the interior, and was actively employed in the suppression of the rebellion. During this service the regiment suffered much from climate and privation of every description; the loss in killed and wounded only amounted to 12, but the regiment sustained a loss of 3 officers,[7] 3 sergeants, 3 drummers, and 112 rank and file by disease, and previous to the effects of this campaign being eradicated a further loss of 1 officer,[8] 4 sergeants, and 86 rank and file, making a total of 209 deaths within two years after the landing of the regiment in Ceylon.
1819.
On the 9th July, 1819, the regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Cother, was inspected by General Sir Robert Brownrigg, Bart., G.C.B., Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the forces in Ceylon, by whom the regiment was very highly complimented.
1820.
On the 23rd September, 1819, the following detachment, under the command of Captain Campbell, joined the regiment from the depôt, viz., 89 rank and file, and on the 7th January, 1820, a further detachment of 20 rank and file, under the command of Lieutenant Mee, viâ New South Wales and Calcutta.
On the 25th December, 1818, the establishment of the regiment was reduced in conformity with the instructions, dated War Office, 23rd November, 1818, to the following numbers, viz., 1 colonel, 1 lieutenant-colonel, 2 majors, 10 captains, 20 subalterns, 5 staff, 35 sergeants, 22 drummers, and 650 rank and file.
1821.
On the 12th March, 1821, the regiment[9] was inspected by Major-General Sir Edward Barnes, K.C.B., commanding the forces, who issued a very complimentary order on the occasion.
The 73rd Regiment having received orders in June, 1820, to return to England, the men of that corps were allowed to transfer their services to other regiments in Ceylon, when 140 non-commissioned officers and rank and file volunteered to the 83rd Regiment.
On the 5th September, 1821, the regiment was again inspected by Major-General Sir Edward Barnes, K.C.B., and the regiment, still commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Cother, was again highly complimented.
1822.
On the 25th February, 1822, the regiment was reduced to the following numbers, viz., 1 colonel, 1 lieutenant-colonel, 2 majors, 8 captains, 16 subalterns, 5 staff, 29 sergeants, 12 drummers, and 576 rank and file.
1823.
Agreeably to general orders issued by Major-General James Campbell, C.B., the head-quarters of the regiment, consisting of 1 field officer, 4 captains, 3 staff, 12 sergeants, 14 drummers, and 303 rank and file, embarked on the 22nd January, 1823, under the command of Major Summerfield, for Trincomalee, and arrived at that station on the 8th of the following month.
On the 20th March, 1823, Lieutenant-General John Hodgson succeeded to the colonelcy of the regiment vice General James Balfour, deceased.
1824.
The head-quarters, etc., of the regiment embarked at Trincomalee, on board several vessels, between the 26th March and 31st October, 1824, and were all landed and collected at Colombo on the 6th November following.
A few months previous to the regiment leaving Trincomalee, the Governor, Lieutenant-General Sir Edward Barnes, received orders for its return to England, but the Burmese War having broken out, the battalion was detained, and ordered to proceed to Kandy, to relieve the 45th Regiment, which corps had been a considerable time under orders for India.
1825.
On the 25th September, 1825, the establishment of the regiment was increased to 10 companies, consisting of the following numbers: 6 service companies—2 field officers, 6 captains, 12 subalterns, 5 staff, 30 sergeants, 10 drummers, and 516 rank and file; 4 depôt companies—1 field officer, 4 captains, 8 subalterns, 1 staff, 12 sergeants, 4 drummers, and 224 rank and file.
The regiment was stationed in Kandy from January, 1825, to October, 1825, when it received the route for Colombo, preparatory to embarkation for England, on board the transports Amity and Arab; the former vessel, with the head-quarters division, under Lieutenant-Colonel Cother, C.B., sailed on the 4th December, and the latter, under Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Kelly, with the remainder of the regiment, a few days afterwards.
During the services of the regiment in Ceylon (a period of eleven years) it sustained a loss by deaths of 17 officers and 491 non-commissioned officers and rank and file.
Upon the embarkation of the regiment at Colombo, his Excellency Lieutenant-General Sir Edward Barnes, K.C.B., was pleased to issue a most complimentary order to the regiment on its departure from Ceylon for England. Lieutenant-Colonel Cother, the commanding officer, was particularly complimented by the lieutenant-general, and Lieutenant-Colonel Kelly was especially mentioned for his talents and exertions during the Kandyan rebellion.
1829.
After a passage of about five months, the regiment arrived in England on the 16th April, and on the 18th May, 1829, landed at Gosport, and was quartered at Forton Barracks, where it remained till the 27th August following, from which place it embarked on board the transports Hope, Amphitrite, and William Harris, for Scotland, and landed at Leith a few days afterwards and marched to Glasgow.
PART IV
SERVICES OF THE REGIMENT FROM 1829–48
On the 3rd December, 1829, Major the Hon. Henry Dundas, M.P., succeeded to the lieutenant-colonelcy, vice Cother, who retired.
1830.
The regiment was stationed at Glasgow until the 16th August, 1830, when it embarked on board steam-vessels for Belfast, in Ireland, and on landing marched to Enniskillen.
During the stay of the regiment at Enniskillen, it furnished detachments to Omagh, Lifford, Sligo, and Ballyshannon, and on the 1st November, 1831, proceeded to Castlebar.
1832.
The regiment was quartered at Castlebar until the 23rd October, 1832, when it received a route for Limerick, at which place the head-quarters arrived on the 29th of the same month.
During the stay of the regiment at Castlebar, it furnished detachments to Drunnore, Westport, Foxford, Ballinrobe, and Tuam.
The cholera having made its appearance in the corps,[10] on the 26th June, 1832, the whole of the men at head-quarters, consisting of 5 companies, and staff, were ordered into camp at Ballinew, about a mile distant from the town, and remained encamped until the 5th of September, when instructions were received to reoccupy the barracks. The regiment lost 10 men by this disease at Castlebar, and 2 officers fell victims to this malady at Ballinrobe.
The regiment removed to Limerick in 1832, when it furnished detachments to Newcastle, Bruff, Galbally, Kilfinnan, Tipperary, and Killaloe.
The officers named in the margin[11] died at this station.
On the 11th August, 1833, the regiment received a route for Dublin, where it arrived on the 19th of that month.
1834.
On the 22nd of February, 1834, the regiment received a letter of readiness to proceed to Cork for embarkation to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and on the 5th of April the 1st division embarked on board the Innisfaile steamer, and landed at Cork on the next day; the head-quarters division following a few days afterwards.
The separation of the service and depôt companies took place on the 1st April, and the latter, under Major Trydell, proceeded to Mullingar.
During the stay of the regiment at Dublin, the officer named in the margin[12] died.
The service companies, consisting of 2 field officers, 6 captains, 18 subalterns, 5 staff, 30 sergeants, 10 drummers, and 479 rank and file, embarked at Cork, on board the freight ships Brunswick and Rickers, on the 21st April and 15th May, 1834, and landed at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the 26th May and 20th June following.
Cholera having made its appearance in the town of Halifax, the three companies at head-quarters were ordered into camp at Windmill Hill, a short distance from the barracks, on the 8th September, and remained encamped until the 1st October. The regiment only lost one man by this disease.
On the 30th September of this year, Major-General Hastings Frazer, C.B., succeeded to the colonelcy of the regiment vice Lieutenant-General Hodgson, removed to the 4th Foot.
The companies which had been stationed at Cape Breton, Prince Edward’s Island, etc., since the arrival of the regiment at Halifax, returned to the head-quarters on the 17th, 18th, and 20th July of this year.
1836.
During this year the regiment remained stationary at Halifax, Nova Scotia.
1837.
The regiment remained in Nova Scotia until the 29th June, 1837, when, in consequence of the unsettled state of Lower Canada, orders were received for its embarkation for Quebec on board her Majesty’s frigate Vestal and Champion sloop of war. The head-quarters landed on the 12th, and the remaining companies on the 13th July, occupying the citadel barracks.
During the services of the regiment at Nova Scotia, a period of about three years, it sustained a loss by deaths of 23 rank and file.
Upon the embarkation of the regiment, Major-General Sir Colin Campbell, K.C.B., was pleased to issue a complimentary order, Lieutenant-Colonel Hon. H. Dundas at this time commanding.
On the 3rd August, 1 sergeant and 20 rank and file proceeded to Gross Isle, and returned to the head-quarters on the 19th October. On the 1st November, Major Trydell, with two companies, embarked for Three Rivers, and having remained at that post about ten days, received instructions to proceed to Montreal.
On the 8th December the head-quarters and remaining four companies received orders to embark the following day for Montreal, and landed at that station on the 11th, occupying part of the Quebec Gate barrack.
On the 13th December the regiment formed part of the brigade under Lieutenant-General Sir J. Colbourne, K.C.B., which proceeded to attack St. Eustache, and were actively engaged in that day’s operations.
The following morning the brigade proceeded to Benoit, and returned to Montreal on the 17th December.
1838.
In January of this year, two companies proceeded on sleighs to the Upper Provinces, and after remaining some days at St. Thomas, distant about 600 miles from Montreal, one of them, under the command of Lieutenant Kelsall, proceeded to Amherstburg.
The brigands having come over from the American shore and taken possession of Fighting Island, this company, with one of the 32nd, proceeded on the 25th February to disperse them, which service they effectually performed; the brigands leaving behind them a small piece of cannon, with ammunition, muskets, etc. On the 3rd March, this company was again actively employed against the brigands at Peel Island, in conjunction with a part of the 32nd Regiment, and finally rejoined the head-quarters with the other company on the 17th June.
The head-quarters remained at Montreal until the 6th May, when it proceeded viâ the St. Lawrence to Kingston.
On the 11th November, Lieutenant Johnson, with 44 men of the regiment and a party of marines, embarked on board her Majesty’s steamboat Experiment, with a view to cut off two American schooners, laden with some hundreds of brigands, and whom it was reported they intended to land in the neighbourhood of Prescott. On their arrival, it was discovered that these marauders had effected a landing about a mile and a half below the town, and taken possession of a large stone mill and adjacent houses.
On the morning of the 13th, an attack on the brigands was decided on, and Lieutenant Johnson and a party, with the marines under Lieutenant Parker, reinforced by a number of volunteers, proceeded to attack them. The men advanced under a galling fire from the walls at some distance from the mill, and speedily expelling them from this position, compelled them to seek refuge in the mill and houses. Lieutenant Johnson then attempted to storm one of the houses filled with brigands, and in the act of doing so was killed, and four rank and file wounded. Being destitute of artillery to batter the houses, the party was ordered to retire. In this affair the brigands sustained a loss of about 40 killed and 28 prisoners.
On the 16th of this month, Colonel Dundas and four companies of the regiment, with some heavy artillery, landed at Prescott, and at once took up position about 500 yards from the mill. The guns were brought to bear on the houses with great effect, and it being now late, and daylight wearing away, the lieutenant-colonel ordered the regiment to advance, when a smart fire was opened by the brigands from one of the houses, and as quickly replied to. The buildings on the left of the mill being by this time gained, were set fire to, and the enemy, seeing no prospect of escape, threw out a “white flag,” and about 130 of them surrendered unconditionally.
Their killed in this affair amounted to about 30. The only loss sustained by the regiment on this occasion was one private killed. The four companies returned to Kingston the day following.
1839.
During this year the regiment remained stationary at Kingston.
1840.
On the 19th May, 1840, the officer named in the margin[13] died at this station, and he was succeeded first by Lieutenant B. H. Browne, and on his promotion Ensign William Nott was appointed adjutant. Ensign Nott was promoted from the ranks, and performed the duties of adjutant most efficiently for eleven years, when he became captain by seniority in 1851, at Kurrachee.
The regiment remained at Kingston, N. S., until the 20th and 21st May, 1840, when it embarked in steamboats for London and St. Thomas, N. S., and marched into quarters at these stations on the 29th and 30th of the same month.
1841.
On the 14th May, 1841, Lieutenant Wynniatt was accidentally drowned while endeavouring to ford the River Thomas on horseback.
On the 4th October, 1841, Captain Colquhoun died at London (England) while on leave of absence.
1842.
The 1st division of the regiment, under the command of Brevet Major Swinburne, marched en route to Toronto on the 7th July, 1842; and the 2nd division or head-quarters, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Trydell, on the following day. The former arrived at Toronto on the 14th, and the latter on the 15th July, 1842.
On the 2nd August, 1842, Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel B. Trydell succeeded to the lieutenant-colonelcy of the regiment, vice the Hon. H. Dundas, placed on half-pay.
1843.
The 1st division of the regiment proceeded on the 22nd May, 1843, to Three Rivers, under the command of Major Swinburne. The 2nd division and head-quarters proceeded to Quebec on the 23rd, and arrived there on the 27th May. No. 4 company joined head-quarters at Quebec on the 30th May, leaving No. 1 and the Light Company at Three Rivers. Light Company and No. 1 joined the head-quarters at Quebec on the 11th June, 1843, from Three Rivers.[14]
The regiment embarked for England at Quebec, Canada, on the 16th June, 1843. The 1st division and head-quarters, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Trydell, on board the Countess, London freight ship, consisting of 3 captains, 5 subalterns, 3 staff, 28 sergeants, 8 drummers, and 502 rank and file, 54 women, and 110 children; and the 2nd division, under the command of Major Swinburne, on board the Jamaica, freight ship, consisting of 1 captain, 4 subalterns, 1 staff, 10 sergeants, 2 drummers, 184 rank and file, 16 women, and 20 children, sailed together on the 17th June, 1843, and both ships anchored at Spithead on the 10th July, 1843.
The 2nd division, under the command of Major Swinburne, landed at Gosport on the 11th; and the 1st division and head-quarters, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Trydell, on the 12th July, 1843.
The regiment was quartered in Forton Barracks, Gosport, until the 17th July, when the 1st division proceeded by railroad, through London, to Weedon, and the head-quarters division on the following day, at which they occupied barracks until the 4th August, 1843, when the head-quarters with two companies proceeded to Northampton, and the remainder of the regiment was distributed in detachments at Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Burslem, Coventry, Hanley, and Newcastle-under-Lyme.
On the 17th October, 1843, the regiment received the new percussion muskets.
1844.
In April, 1844, the regiment was again collected at Weedon, where it remained till October, 1844, when the head-quarters and three companies proceeded to Leeds, and the remainder furnished detachments to York, Bradford, Sheffield, Keighley, Huddersfield, Halifax, and Scarborough Castle.
1845.
In June, 1845, the regiment was assembled at Manchester, where it remained till 22nd July, when it proceeded by rail to Liverpool, and embarked for Dublin, where it arrived the following morning, and proceeded en route to Limerick, Cahir, and Tipperary. The head-quarters of the regiment were established at Limerick, and furnished detachments also to Kilrush, the forts on the Shannon, Rathkeale, Newcastle, Castleconnell, Croom, Ennis, and Clare Castle.
1846.
In September, 1846, the regiment proceeded by divisions to Dublin, and was assembled there in October. It occupied Richmond Barracks, and subsequently detached companies to Aldboro’ House and Island Bridge Barracks.
During the stay of the regiment at Dublin, Captain T. J. St. Aubyn died while on leave of absence in Surrey.
1847.
In May, 1847, the head-quarters proceeded to Kilkenny, and during its stay there furnished detachments to Carlow, Castlecomer, Carrick-on-Suir, Bagenalstown, Thomas Town, Wexford, Enniscarthy, New Ross, Callan, and Graignenemagh.
1848.
Lieutenant T. Lane died at Castlecomer on 26th June, 1848.
On the 1st September, 1848, Major-General Sir Frederick Stovin, K.C.B. and K.C.M.G., succeeded General Frazer in the colonelcy of the regiment.
In September, 1848, the regiment was removed to Fermoy, whence it furnished detachments to Fethard, Lismore, and Clogheen.
PART V
SERVICES OF THE REGIMENT IN INDIA, 1849–57
On the 1st December, 1848, the regiment was ordered to be augmented to the establishment as per margin,[15] and received instructions to prepare for service in the East Indies, and on the 9th January, 1849, two companies, with head-quarters, proceeded to Cork, and embarked on the 11th, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Trydell, in the freight ship Bombay, for Bombay, and sailed for its destination on the 17th of the same month.
1849.
The remainder of the regiment followed in the succeeding months of February and March, as follows, viz.—
In the China, under Major Townsend.
In the Mermaid, under Brevet Major Ainslie.
In the Marion, under Lieutenant-Colonel Law.
In the Ursula, under Captain Lloyd.
In the Zion’s Hope, under Major Swinburne.
On the 8th May, 1849, the head-quarters arrived in Bombay, and on the 10th, disembarked and proceeded to Poona, and arrived at that station on the 18th of the same month. The whole of the regiment, however, was not assembled at Poona till the 14th July, 1849, where it remained till November, 1850.
During the stay of the regiment at Poona, it lost by disease two officers (Captain the Hon. W. Gage and Surgeon Ledingham), 5 sergeants, 1 drummer, and 69 rank and file.
1850.
In November, 1850, the regiment marched in four divisions on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 11th of the month for Panwell and Bombay, and embarked in steamers for Kurrachee, where the head-quarters arrived and disembarked on the 14th of the same month, but the last division did not join the regiment till the 1st December following.
1851.
In January, 1851, Lieutenant-Colonel Trydell was appointed to the command of the Poona brigade, and Lieutenant-Colonel W. H. Law assumed command of the regiment.
From November, 1850, to 31st December, 1852, the regiment was stationed at Kurrachee, and lost through disease during that period 5 officers—viz., Major Townsend, Lieutenant and Adjutant W. Hall,[16] Ensign Graham, Quartermaster Colburn (at Poona when on leave), and Assistant-Surgeon Boyce—and 6 sergeants, 3 drummers, and 135 rank and file, chiefly cases of cholera, fever, and dysentery.
On two occasions—viz., in May and June, 1851, and again in September and October, 1852—the regiment was visited with cholera, fever, and dysentery, and suffered greatly, and on the last occasion it was considered necessary to remove the regiment from the barracks and encamp the men on Ghizree Heights, near the sea.[17]
1852.
It, however, soon recovered from these fell diseases, and numbered upwards of 950 efficient soldiers, men strong and stalwart in form, perfect in discipline, and influenced in no ordinary degree by an ardent esprit de corps, the prestige of the honourable name and high reputation won by the 83rd wherever it served.
1853.
On the 8th February, the right wing of the regiment (448 strength), under the command of Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Swinburne, proceeded in river steamers by the Indus River to Hyderabad, there to be stationed.
On the 15th March, 1853, the establishment of the regiment was altered by Horse Guards’ letter, dated 24th March, 1853, to 12 captains, 20 lieutenants, 4 ensigns, and 1 adjutant.
Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Swinburne, after a long and distinguished service of forty-four years in the 83rd Regiment, retired from the service on the full pay of his rank of major. He served throughout the whole of the Peninsular campaign (the greater part of the time as adjutant), and received a medal and ten clasps for Talavera, Busaco, Fuentes d’Onor, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Nivelle, Orthes, Toulouse. He was engaged with the regiment in the Kandyan rebellion and in Canada, and, embarking with the regiment for India, left it on the 22nd May, 1853, with the esteem and veneration of every individual in it.
He was succeeded in the majority by Captain Henry Lloyd.
The head-quarters, consisting of 5 subalterns, 4 staff, 19 sergeants, 6 drummers, and 353 rank and file, embarked at Kurrachee on board the Hon. E.I.C. steam frigate Semiramis, for Gogo, en route for Deesa; landed at Gogo on the 22nd December, where they were halted and encamped awaiting further orders.
On the departure of head-quarters from Scinde, Major-General Sir Henry Somerset, K.C.B., issued a very complimentary order to the regiment. Lieutenant-Colonel W. H. Law was then commanding, and Lieutenant E. H. M. Mainwaring was adjutant.
1854.
On the 9th January, 1854, Major Henry Lloyd joined from England, and assumed command of the head-quarters division at Gogo, Guzerat.
On the 22nd January, 1854, the head-quarters division, under Major Lloyd, marched from Gogo, and arrived at Deesa on the 13th February.
On the 23rd April, Major Henry Lloyd made over command of the head-quarters division to Captain E. W. Bray, the senior officer, and left Deesa for Kurrachee, there to assume command of the right wing.
On the 6th May, Major Henry Lloyd died at Cambay of Asiatic cholera, while proceeding by that route to Kurrachee, to assume command of the companies there stationed.
On the 14th October, the half-yearly inspection of the head-quarters division of the regiment took place at Camp Deesa, under Brigadier-General Forster Stalker, C.B., commanding northern division of the army. Captain E. W. Bray at that time commanded, and Lieutenant E. H. M. Mainwaring was adjutant.
1855.
On the 4th January, Colonel W. H. Law joined from Kurrachee, and assumed command of the head-quarters division of the regiment stationed at Deesa.
On the 29th March, the half-yearly inspection of the head-quarters division of the regiment took place at Camp Deesa, under Major-General F. Stalker, C.B., commanding northern division of the army.
On the 2nd April, the right wing, consisting of seven companies, under the command of Captain C. W. Austen, arrived at Bombay, from Kurrachee, and was quartered in the barracks of Colaba.
During its service in Scinde the regiment lost through disease, 5 officers, 6 sergeants, 4 drummers, 142 rank and file.
On the 9th March, a draft, consisting of 1 sergeant, 2 corporals, and 35 privates, under the command of Ensign G. Mylne, joined the head-quarters of the regiment at Deesa from England.
On the 29th October, the half-yearly inspection of the head-quarters division of the regiment took place under Major-General F. Stalker, C.B., commanding northern division of the army.
On the morning of the 22nd December, the right wing of the regiment, consisting of seven companies (strength—1 field officer, 2 captains, 4 subalterns, 20 sergeants, 8 drummers, 477 rank and file), under the command of Major Kelsall, embarked at Bombay on board of the Ajdaha for Domus, where it disembarked on the following day, and on the 25th commenced its march upon Deesa, viâ Surat, Baroda, and Ahmedabad, and finally reached its destination on the 25th January, 1856, after having been separated from head-quarters for a period of three years.
1856.
On the 21st January, an order was received to hold a wing of the regiment in readiness to proceed on field service.
On the 30th of the same month, 42 recruits, under the command of Lieutenant Cooper, joined the regiment from England.
On the 27th March, the half-yearly inspection of the regiment took place, under Brigadier N. Wilson, K.H., commanding Deesa Field Brigade.
On 16th May, Colonel W. H. Law retired on full pay from the service, with the rank of major-general; he served in the Peninsular War, and was present at the battles of Nivelle and Nive, for which he received the war medal and two clasps. Colonel Trydell being brigadier at Poona, the command of the regiment devolved on Lieutenant-Colonel Kelsall, the second lieutenant-colonel.
On the 1st August, Lieutenant and Adjutant E. H. M. Mainwaring died at Poona.
On the 27th October the half-yearly inspection of the regiment took place, under Brigadier N. Wilson, K.H., commanding Deesa Field Brigade.
1857.
On the 23rd March a detachment, in strength 3 sergeants, 4 drummers, 9 rank and file, 6 women, and 15 children, proceeded, under the command of Lieutenant Dickenson (and in medical charge of Assistant-Surgeon Miles), to Mount Aboo.
During the month of May, 1857, the regiment was held in readiness for field service, in consequence of the mutinies of the Bengal native army; and on the 26th of that month the left wing, composed of Nos. 5, 6, 7, and the Light Company (strength—1 field officer, 2 captains, 6 subalterns, 2 staff, 18 sergeants, 6 drummers, 250 rank and file), under the command of Major Steele, proceeded on active service and marched on Nusseerabad, where it arrived on the 12th June, having performed a march of 237 miles in seventeen days during the hottest time of the year without a single casualty.
On the 13th June No. 7 Company was detached from the left wing to garrison the fort and arsenal of Ajmere.
The left wing was reinforced by Nos. 1, 2, 3 Companies (strength—1 captain, 2 subalterns, 7 sergeants, 3 drummers, 200 rank and file), which left the head-quarters at Deesa on the 17th June, and arrived at Nusseerabad on the 10th July.
On the 9th July two companies, under the command of Captain Read, were detached from Nusseerabad to Neemuch, 143 miles distant, where they arrived on the 18th of the same month.
On the 14th July the Grenadier Company, under the command of Captain Jones, left head-quarters for Ahmedabad, the native troops in garrison there having displayed symptoms of disaffection.
On the 10th August the left wing at Nusseerabad disarmed a detachment of the 12th Regiment N. I., which had exhibited evident symptoms of a mutinous spirit; and on the night of the 12th of the same month, the detachment at Neemuch, under Captain S. Read, was called out to suppress a mutiny of a squadron of the 2nd Bombay Light Cavalry; the night was exceedingly dark, but the detachment succeeded in making several prisoners, and sustained a loss of one man killed (Private Chambers) and two wounded.
On the 21st August the detachment of the 50 invalids at Mount Aboo was attacked by about 150 mutineers of the Joudpoor Legion, who were repulsed with some loss in killed and wounded, without the detachment having sustained any loss. On receipt of this intelligence at Nusseerabad, a wing of the Joudpoor Legion, there stationed, was disarmed by the 83rd Regiment.
On the 30th August a detachment of 3 officers and 119 rank and file, under the command of Brevet Major Heatly, proceeded from Nusseerabad for the purpose of preserving the peace of the city of Ajmere during a Mohammedan festival. This detachment was joined on the 1st September by a detail of 1 sergeant and 30 rank and file from the company stationed in the fort of Ajmere. The detachment then proceeded on active service to Beawar, where it was reinforced by 1 captain, 2 sergeants, 1 drummer, and 50 rank and file from Nusseerabad; the detachment then, with four guns of the Bombay Horse Artillery and some native troops, proceeded by the mountain pass of Burr, on a reconnaissance to Awah, which they found to be a strongly entrenched village, garrisoned by about 3000 armed men, well provided with artillery. On the 18th September an unsuccessful attack was made on the village, in which three men, 83rd Regiment, were wounded, two of our four guns were disabled, and one artilleryman was killed and two wounded, and some casualties occurred amongst our native troops; the whole force then returned to Ajmere, where it arrived on the 28th September.
On the night of the 18th September the detachment stationed at Neemuch, under the command of Captain Read, together with two guns supported by a detail of native troops, marched from Neemuch to take the walled village of Nimbhera, sixteen miles distant, which was occupied by mutineers and rebels with three guns; during the following day the force took up a position near the village, and opened fire with the view of effecting a breach; the fire was kept up till dark, when further operations were suspended till next day. During the night of the 19th the enemy, leaving their guns, ammunition, etc., hastily evacuated the village, which was taken possession of by the force on the morning of the 20th.
During the action of the 19th Assistant-Surgeon Miles was wounded in the leg, and Lance-Corporal Thomas Young was killed.
On this occasion each man of the detachment received 8 rupees (16s.) prize-money. On the night of the 20th September the force returned to Neemuch, leaving 1 sergeant, 1 drummer, and 30 rank and file, under Ensign Chamley, to occupy the village, which detachment rejoined the following day.[18]
A considerable body of the Mundisore insurgents having occupied the fort and village of Jeerun, about ten miles from Neemuch, on the morning of the 23rd October a detachment of 50 of the 83rd, commanded by Captain Read, together with a company of the 12th Bombay N. I., some native cavalry, and two guns, moved against them from Neemuch. A very determined resistance was offered by the enemy, and Captain Read was killed by one of their first musket shots, while leading on his small detachment. Captain Tucker commanding the cavalry was killed, and the officer commanding the native infantry detachment was severely wounded about the same time. The enemy advancing in great force, the infantry retired to a fresh position, and the enemy having suffered severely from their fire, withdrew into the fort of Jeerun, which was occupied and blown up on the following morning, the enemy having evacuated it in the night. In addition to the death of Captain Read, two privates were wounded in this affair.
On the 9th November the small fortified position at Neemuch, which was garrisoned by a detachment of the 83rd Regiment, under Ensign Chamley, and some native troops, the whole under command of Major Simpson, 2nd Light Cavalry, was attacked by a very large insurgent force, which invested the fortification for fifteen days; their several attempts at assault by escalade were repulsed with heavy loss, and on the 23rd of the month they broke up and retired on the advance of a force from Mhow to the relief of the garrison, which had sustained a loss of about 20 in wounded during the siege.
The head-quarters of the regiment, which had remained at Deesa up to this time, received orders to advance into Rajpootana, and marched for Mount Aboo on the 26th October, under command of Colonel Trydell; thence it proceeded to Nusseerabad, where it arrived on the 28th November.
The detachment at Neemuch was now relieved by two companies commanded by Major Austen.
PART VI
SERVICES OF THE REGIMENT, 1858–63
1858.
An expedition was organized for the reduction of the fortress of Awah, and two companies of the regiment having joined it, about 1000 men of all arms, with some siege guns, arrived before Awah on the 19th January.
Batteries were constructed, and their fire was warmly replied to by the enemy; an assault was arranged for the morning of the 24th January, but, favoured by a night of intense darkness and a heavy thunderstorm, the enemy evacuated the fortress during the night of the 23rd, about 50 of their number being killed, or taken by the picquets. Thirteen guns were taken in the place. The defences and fortified palace were mined and destroyed. The detachment had two men wounded.
Colonel Trydell and Lieutenant-Colonel Kelsall having proceeded to England, the command of the regiment devolved on Major Steele on the 24th February, 1858.
On the 8th March the regiment was joined by a draft of 152 men from England commanded by Captain Wright.