TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE
Some minor changes are noted at the [end of the book.]
BY COMMAND OF His late Majesty WILLIAM THE IVTH.
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 Esqre.
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,
CONTENTS 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] | |