The regiment proceeded to Ireland in 1805, and remained in that country until the summer of 1808, when it returned to England.
1811
On the 8th of July, 1811, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, who was Regent of the United Kingdom during the indisposition of King George III., reviewed the regiment on Wimbledon common, on which occasion it was commanded by its Colonel, the veteran General Thomas Bland, and the Prince Regent was graciously pleased to express his approbation of its appearance, and of the rapidity and brilliant execution of its movements; and as the regiment was about to proceed on foreign service, the most lively anticipations of its achievements at the theatre of war were produced. It was not, at this period, mounted on horses of so heavy a description as formerly; but, while it bore the title of a heavy cavalry regiment, and retained sufficient weight for a powerful charge in line, it had acquired a lightness which rendered it available for every description of service. The heavy cavalry corps which formerly constituted so important a portion of the armies of England, had been improved in efficiency and usefulness by mounting them on horses of a lighter description.
The occasion of the Fifth Dragoon Guards proceeding abroad at this period, was the attempt made by that tyrannical power which had risen out of the French revolution, of which Napoleon Bonaparte had become the head, to subjugate the kingdoms of Spain and Portugal: the inhabitants of those countries were in arms against the usurper; a British force commanded by Lord Wellington had been sent to their aid; and this regiment was one of the corps selected to reinforce the army under his lordship's command.
Six troops of this regiment, amounting to five hundred and forty-four officers and men, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel the Honourable William Ponsonby, embarked at Portsmouth on the 12th of August, and having landed at Lisbon on the 4th of September, occupied quarters at Belem about six weeks, and afterwards advanced up the country. When the army went into quarters for the winter, the Fifth Dragoon Guards were stationed at Thomar.
1812
The army resumed operations in the beginning of January, 1812, with the siege and capture of Ciudad Rodrigo: and in March the Fifth Dragoon Guards proceeded into the south of Spain to watch the movements of Marshal Soult, and to cover the siege of Badajoz. The regiment arrived, with the remainder of its brigade (the Third and Fourth Dragoons), at Borba, in the Alentejo, on the 5th of March, crossed the Guadiana on the 15th, and formed the van of the covering army until it arrived at the foot of an extensive chain of mountains called the Sierra Morena. On the advance of Marshal Soult, the covering army retired upon Albuhera. The fortress of Badajoz was captured by storm on the 6th of April; and in a few days afterwards the regiment had an opportunity of distinguishing itself in action with the enemy. A large body of cavalry advanced upon Llerena; the Fifth Dragoon Guards marched on the 10th of April to Los Santos, and continued their route during the night to Bienvenida,—proceeding a distance of sixty miles without halting, and the last four miles at a brisk pace, through a country abounding with obstructions; then forming with celerity, advanced through a grove of olive-trees, beyond which a body of French cavalry, of more than thrice the numbers of the regiment, was formed up. The sight of so numerous an enemy did not intimidate the Fifth Dragoon Guards; but acted as a spur to their energies, and excited them to exertions which evinced their native valour and intrepidity, and occasioned them to rival the deeds of their predecessors in the field of glory. The fatigues of the previous march were forgotten, and the gallant troopers charged with such spirit and resolution, that the French squadrons were broken, and being also attacked by the light brigade, they retired in disorder under cover of their infantry and artillery, leaving behind about one hundred killed and wounded, and one lieutenant-colonel, two captains, one lieutenant, and one hundred and forty men prisoners, also nearly one hundred horses. Actions in which the numbers engaged are not very great, do not produce, in their bearing on the affairs of nations, very important results, hence they are often overlooked, or but slightly noticed, by general historians; yet on these occasions individual corps often distinguish themselves in an eminent degree; and the excellent conduct of the British cavalry at Llerena, elicited the following orders:—
"Lafra, 12th April, 1812.
"Cavalry Orders.
"Lieutenant-General Sir Stapleton Cotton begs Major-General Le Marchant and the Honourable Lieutenant-Colonel Ponsonby will accept his best thanks, for the gallant and judicious manner in which they commanded their brigades yesterday, and he requests they will make known to the officers commanding regiments, the lieutenant-general's high approbation of their conduct, as well as of the zeal and attention displayed by all ranks. The order which was preserved by the troops in pursuing the enemy, and the quickness with which they formed after every attack, does infinite credit to the commanding officers, and is a convincing proof of the good discipline of the several regiments.