Historical record of the Eighty-Sixth, or the Royal County Down Regiment of Foot / Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1793, and of its subsequent services to 1842.

by Richard Cannon

In the mean time, the other three companies of the regiment which had returned from Ceylon to join the expedition, had been delayed by the difficult navigation of the Red Sea, and had landed at Cosseir, from whence a march of above one hundred and twenty miles had to be performed across the Desert to Kenna on the Nile. This distance was divided into stages, stores were formed at several points, relays of camels were placed to convey water, wells were found, and others digged, and the march was performed by the army with much less suffering than was experienced by the three companies under Lieut.-Colonel Lloyd, in the passage of the Desert from Suez to the springs of Elhanka. At the third stage, called Moilah, some soldiers of the Eighty-sixth dug a well at the foot of a hill, under the direction of Captain Middlemore, and found an excellent spring, for which they received the thanks of the commander of the forces.

Arriving on the banks of the Nile, the troops embarked in boats and proceeded down the river to the island of Rhonda, where they encamped, while the forces from Europe were engaged in the siege of Alexandria. At Rhonda the six companies of the Eighty-sixth were united; four companies remaining in India.

In the beginning of September, Alexandria surrendered; Egypt was thus delivered from the power of the French “Army of the East,” and Europe saw the dawn of liberty in the horizon. The Eighty-sixth received, in common with the other corps which served in this enterprise, the approbation of their Sovereign, the thanks of Parliament, and the royal authority to bear on their colours the Sphynx, with the word “Egypt,” to commemorate the share taken by the regiment in this splendid achievement.

To perpetuate the remembrance of the services rendered to the Ottoman Empire, the Grand Seignor established an order of knighthood, which he named the order of the Crescent, of which the superior officers of the army and navy were constituted members. The officers of the Eighty-sixth, and other corps, had gold medals presented to them by the Grand Seignor, which they were permitted by King George III., to accept and wear.

The object of the expedition having been accomplished, the Eighty-sixth sailed up the Nile in boats, in order to return to India; they arrived at El Hamed on the 14th of October, and on the 30th proceeded to Gheeza, where they remained several months.

In April of this year, one of the four companies left in India, proceeded from Bombay to Surat, a town situate on the south bank of the river Taptee, in the province of Guzerat; and in November, two companies sailed for Dieu in the same province.

1802

The two companies at Dieu returned to Bombay in February, 1802, and in March they sailed to Cambay, under the command of Captain Richardson, and joined the company from Surat, which had arrived there a short time previously. They encamped at Cambay, with part of the Seventy-fifth, five companies of the Eighty-fourth, a battalion of native infantry, and some artillery, under Colonel Sir William Clarke.

The jealousy of the native chiefs at the accession of territory acquired by the British in India, often produced hostilities, and circumstances occurred which occasioned a detachment of the Eighty-sixth, under Lieutenant William Purcell Creagh, to take part in an attempt to surprise the hostile fortress of Kareah, one hundred and twenty miles from Cambay, on the night of the 17th of March. The soldiers were advancing to storm the place with the greatest gallantry, when their progress was arrested by a deep ditch, cut through the rock a short time previously, and the Arabs in garrison being numerous and prepared, opened a heavy fire. Lieutenant Creagh was killed by a cannon ball, while in the act of leading the soldiers to the attack; Lieutenant Lovell was also killed, and many officers and soldiers were wounded; soon after day-break the troops were obliged to retire.

In consequence of this repulse, the three companies of the Eighty-sixth, with the other detachments encamped at Cambay, were ordered to advance upon Kareah. The enemy having formed for battle a short distance from the fort, with a numerous force, were routed by the British on the 30th of April; and immediately afterwards the town was captured, also some out-works, in one of which an explosion took place, killing an officer and twenty-five soldiers.