In September, the “Ceylon” frigate, having Major-General Abercromby and staff, also Lieutenant Clarke and twenty-five men of the Eighty-sixth, on board, was captured by the “La Venus” French frigate, after a severe action, in which both ships were dismasted; but Commodore Rowley appeared in the “Boadicea,” re-captured the “Ceylon,” and took the “La Venus.”
General Sir Charles Ross having been removed to the Thirty-seventh Foot, was succeeded in the colonelcy of the Eighty-sixth by Major-General the Honourable Francis Needham, from the Fifth Royal Veteran Battalion.
Lieut.-Colonel Hastings Fraser was rewarded for his conduct before St. Denis on the 8th of July, with the dignity of Companion of the Bath, the officers of the Eighty-sixth regiment presented him with a sword, and those of his brigade, in the Company’s service, with a valuable piece of plate.
1811
The Eighty-sixth were removed to the Isle of France in March, 1811, that island having also been captured, and were there joined by Ensigns J. Creagh and J. Grant, Assistant-Surgeon Bell, and a few recruits from Europe, being part of a detachment which had been sent to India.
1812
Orders having been received for the return of the regiment to India, it sailed from Port Louis on the 9th of January, 1812, and landing at Madras on the 21st of February, encamped on the South Beach until the departure of the Thirty-third regiment for England, when it occupied Fort St. George where Captain Impey and sixty-eight recruits were awaiting its arrival.
The gallant behaviour of the regiment during the Mahratta war, and at the reduction of the island of Bourbon, had been represented to their Royal Highnesses the Prince Regent, and the Duke of York, then Commander-in-Chief, who never failed to reward merit in individuals or corps, was brought to their notice, and in May, 1812, the royal authority was given for this corps being styled the “Eighty-sixth, or Royal County Down Regiment of Foot;” at the same time the facing was changed from yellow to blue, the lace from silver to gold; the Irish “Harp and Crown” was placed on the buttons, and the “Harp” was added to the distinctions displayed on the regimental colours.
1813
In January, 1813, the regiment commenced its march from Madras for Goa, but when ascending the Pada-naig-droog Ghauts, it received orders to proceed to Vellore, where Lieutenants Jacob and Kirkland, Ensigns Munro, McLean, McQuarrie, Kennedy, and McLoughlin, with two hundred and seventeen soldiers, joined from England.