The Eighty-Eighth regiment having been omitted among the regiments authorised to bear, as an honorary distinction, the word “Pyrenees” on its Colours, the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel O’Malley, in the year 1830, made the most strenuous exertions to obtain this additional honour for the regiment, in commemoration of its services in the actions in the Pyrenees, as narrated at [pages 52, &c.;] and testimonials of its gallant conduct on the occasions in question, were furnished by Major-General Sir Thomas Brisbane, who commanded the brigade of which the Eighty-Eighth formed a part,—by Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Frederick Stovin, who acted as Assistant-Adjutant-General to the third division,—and by Lieutenant-Colonel James Campbell, who was Major of Brigade.
This omission occurred in consequence of the officer who commanded the regiment on the occasion alluded to, not having received a medal for that service, perhaps owing to an accident, or clerical error at the time; but, as Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Picton, who commanded the third division, fell in the battle of Waterloo, the requisite form of recommendation for honours of this description could not be procured, and the General Commanding-in-Chief did not feel himself justified in departing from the general rule which had been established, as the ground on which these distinctions should be submitted for the King’s approval. This honorary inscription is, consequently, not borne on the colours of the Eighty-Eighth regiment, for its services in the Pyrenees.
1831
On the 20th October, 1831, Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Frederick Campbell, K.C.B., was removed to the Twenty-Fifth regiment, and Major-General Sir John Alexander Wallace, Bart. and K.C.B., who had commanded the regiment in many of the arduous campaigns during the Peninsular war, was appointed to the Colonelcy of the Connaught Rangers.
The Eighty-Eighth regiment continued in Corfu from the year 1830 to 1836, furnishing occasionally working parties for the island of Vido, and detachments to Santa Maura, and the other islands: the detachment to Santa Maura in April, 1832, continued there ten months, and consisted of two Captains, three Subalterns, one Assistant-Surgeon, six Serjeants, two Drummers, and one hundred and fifty Rank and File.
To those persons interested in the well-being of the corps, and who recollect the extent of sickness and mortality experienced by a former detachment at this station, and of not more than half the strength, in the year 1828, it will be gratifying to know, that not more than two deaths took place, neither of which was caused by climate, one of them was accidental drowning, and the other the consequence of delirium tremens; indeed, such was the health of this detachment, that the hospital was, for the greater part of the time, unoccupied during its stay at Santa Maura.
From the period of the return of the regiment from the Island of Cephalonia to Corfu, Major-General Sir Alexander Woodford, in making his half-yearly inspections, expressed in every instance his approbation of the corps, more especially in June, 1831, when he addressed a letter, of which the following is a copy, to Major O’Hara, then Commanding Officer, upon whom, and the regiment altogether, the sentiments expressed by the Major-General reflect much credit:—
“Corfu, 6th June, 1831.
“Sir,
“Having now inspected the Eighty-Eighth regiment, twice within six months, and having on both occasions found it in high order, I have a satisfactory duty to perform, in desiring you will communicate to the regiment my approbation of its soldier-like appearance, its interior order, and its general steadiness under arms.