and commemorates this, Wellington's first victory after he had been entrusted with the supreme command in the Peninsula. In addition to the regiments which are entitled to bear this battle honour, there was a battalion of detachments engaged made up of the light companies of the 29th (Worcesters), 38th (South Staffords), 43rd and 52nd (Oxford Light Infantry), and the Rifle Brigade. The 16th Lancers, who were generally to the fore when fighting was expected, also suffered some casualties. Soult was not only surprised; he was, despite the smallness of our losses, badly beaten, and it was only Wellesley's want of cavalry which prevented his being overwhelmed with disaster. As it was, Soult only succeeded in effecting a junction with Ney by burning his baggage, throwing his guns over the mountain-side, and, by following goat-tracks, he at last escaped the English pursuit.
Casualties at the Passage of the Douro, May 10, 11, and 12, 1809.
| Regiments. | Officers. | Men. | ||
| K. | W. | K. | W. | |
| 14th Hussars | - | 4 | 13 | 19 |
| 16th Lancers | - | 3 | - | - |
| 20th Hussars | - | - | 1 | - |
| Royal Artillery | - | - | - | - |
| 3rd Buffs | - | 1 | - | - |
| 29th Worcester | - | - | 2 | 7 |
| 38th S. Staffs (detachment) | - | 1 | - | - |
| 48th N'ampton | - | 1 | - | - |
| 52nd Oxf. L.I. (detachment) | - | 1 | - | - |
| 66th Berkshire | - | 3 | 9 | 26 |
Note.—No detailed list of the casualties in the three days' skirmishing on the Douro is appended to Sir Arthur Wellesley's despatch. On May 11 we lost 19 men killed and 62 wounded, and on the 12th 23 killed and 86 wounded. The despatch alludes to the conduct of the 20th Hussars, and of the light companies of the 29th, 43rd, and 52nd, and the riflemen of the 95th Regiment. None of these regiments have been awarded the honour. A detachment of the 83rd (Royal Irish Rifles) was present, and lost 14 men wounded.
Returning south after the success at the Douro, Wellesley at once took steps to attack the main French army, which, under Marshal Victor, with King Joseph himself as nominal leader, lay at Talavera, to the north-east of Lisbon, across the Spanish frontier.
This battle honour is borne by the
3rd Dragoon Guards.
4th Hussars.
14th Hussars.
16th Lancers.
Coldstream Guards.
Scots Guards.
Buffs.
Royal Fusiliers.
South Wales Borderers.
Gloucesters.
Worcesters.
East Surrey.
South Lancashire.
Sherwood Foresters.
Northamptons.
Royal Berkshires.
Shropshire Light Infantry.
King's Royal Rifles.
Royal Irish Rifles.
Royal Irish Fusiliers.
Connaught Rangers.
Talavera was a very different stamp of fight to anything in which our troops had been previously engaged in the Peninsula. We had but 20,000 men present, and our losses amounted to 4,000 killed and wounded, those of the French to over 7,000. The full fruits of the victory were lost owing to the failure of our Spanish allies to afford us proper support, and the British army was compelled to retire on the following day, leaving its wounded in the hands of the French. It is true that we captured 17 guns, but the fact of our retreat, coupled with the abandonment of the sick and wounded, have induced the French to claim Talavera as a French victory. Marshal Victor was created Duke of Talavera by King Joseph, while Sir Arthur Wellesley was raised to the peerage under the title of Lord Wellington,—of Wellington, in the county of Somerset, and of Talavera. The fighting was exceedingly severe, and on more than one occasion matters looked very doubtful. Sir Arthur, however, had every reason to be proud of the manner in which his men faced the tried veterans of France.