These troubles being suppressed, the governor-general conceived the idea of clearing the Indian Ocean of all that was hostile to Great Britain, and a considerable force was placed under the orders of Lieut.-Colonel Keating, of the Fifty-sixth, including a strong detachment of the first battalion of the regiment, for the capture of the Island of Bourbon. On this occasion Lieut.-Colonel Keating resolved to make his first attack on the capital, in the expectation that, with its capture, the reduction of the island would be accomplished. A landing was effected at Grand Chaloupe on the 7th of July, 1810; and Captain Hanna was detached with two companies of the Fifty-sixth to La Possessime, “the batteries of which place he took by assault in the most gallant manner[5];” and with the trifling loss of two men killed, and two wounded: thus proving the advantage of making attacks with spirit and resolution. All the troops of the expedition conducting themselves with heroic ardour, the opposition of the enemy was speedily overcome, and the conquest of the island accomplished in so short a period of time, that Lieutenant-Colonel Keating stated in his public despatch,—“In all the operations the troops evinced the native energy and gallantry of Britons, and in a few hours this rich, extensive, and valuable colony was added to the British dominions.” Lieutenant Mallet and a party of the regiment, proceeded with the French troops which had surrendered, to the Cape of Good Hope.
Additional troops arriving at this part of the Indian Ocean, Major-General J. Abercromby assumed the command, and an expedition proceeded against the Isle of France, which was afterwards restored to its original designation of the Mauritius, and the detachment of the Fifty-sixth Regiment had the honor to serve in this enterprise; the party which proceeded, under Lieutenant Mallet, in charge of French prisoners to the Cape, arriving in time to take part in this service. A landing was effected in the Bay of Mapon on the 29th of November, and the troops advanced through a thick wood, when some skirmishing occurred, and Lieut.-Colonel Keating, of the Fifty-sixth Regiment, and twelve men of the piquet, were wounded. Penetrating the open country on the following day, the troops experienced great inconvenience from the want of water, and halted at the streams of the powder-mills, five miles from Port Louis. After passing the night at this place, they resumed the march, and were opposed in their progress by a strong body of the enemy, when some severe fighting occurred, in which the British soldiers were triumphant: the Fifty-sixth Regiment had five men killed and several wounded.
Pursuing their victorious career, the British troops advanced to the enemy’s lines; and on the following morning the French Commander, General de Caen, proposed to capitulate; thus was this valuable colony wrested from the enemy, and it has continued to form part of the possessions of the British crown to the present time.
During this year the star of Britain shone bright on the naval and colonial affairs of this great maritime power, whose enemies were deprived of the last establishment which they had possessed beyond the Cape of Good Hope, and the Pompadours had the honor of sharing in these brilliant adventures.
The second battalion remained at Barachia; and so successful was the recruiting of the regiment, under the influence and zealous efforts of its colonel, Lieut.-General the Hon. Chapple Norton, that the establishment of the second battalion was augmented to one thousand three hundred and six non-commissioned officers and soldiers; making the number of the two battalions in India, two thousand six hundred and twelve, and, notwithstanding the casualties of war and climate, the effectives approximated the establishment. A strong detachment of volunteers from the militia, to the Fifty-sixth, arriving in India in May, was stationed at the Portuguese establishment at Goa.
The detachment under Lieutenant Cairnes continued to serve as marines.
1811
In March, 1811, the party from Goa joined the head-quarters of the first battalion at Bellary; and towards the close of the year, Lieut.-Colonel Keating returned with the detachment from the capture of Bourbon and the Mauritius. The Honorable the East India Company expressed its sense of the valuable services of the regiment, by presenting the first battalion with a pair of new colours, during its stay at Bellary.