1815
During this period Napoleon Bonaparte had returned to France, his army had been overthrown at Waterloo, and he had surrendered himself to Captain Maitland, commanding the Bellerophon ship of war: the island of St. Helena was afterwards appointed for his future residence. The second battalion of the FIFTY-THIRD regiment, having been very successful in recruiting, was selected to accompany Bonaparte to the island named as the place of exile for this extraordinary man. The battalion embarked from Portsmouth on the 1st of August, under the command of Major Fehrszen; Colonel Sir George Bingham[13] commanding the troops employed in this service. It arrived at St. Helena in October, and after occupying the barracks at James Town a few days, proceeded to the interior of the island, where new barracks were constructed, and it furnished the requisite guards, piquets, and sentries for the cordon of General Bonaparte.
At this period the serjeants of the battalion, who had distinguished themselves in the Peninsula, were presented with medals to be worn on their left breasts. The medals were issued by Colonel Sir George Bingham, in compliance with directions from the colonel of the regiment, Lieut.-General Sir John Abercromby, G.C.B., and were delivered to the following serjeants:—
1816
During this year the second battalion remained on duty at St. Helena, where it received the thanks of the Governor, Lieut.-General Sir Hudson Lowe: in May Lieut.-Colonel Mansel arrived and assumed the command.
1817
The second battalion of the FIFTY-THIRD remained on duty at St. Helena until July of this year, when the continued peace of Europe occasioning a considerable reduction in the army, it was ordered to return to England to be disbanded. It transferred thirteen serjeants, one drummer, and two hundred and eighty-eight rank and file to the first battalion in India; and embarking from St. Helena in the middle of July, received, previous to going on board of the ship "Baring," the expression, in general orders, of the Governor's approbation and admiration of its conduct while at St. Helena. Previous to the officers of the FIFTY-THIRD quitting the island, Napoleon Bonaparte expressed a wish for them to wait on him, and the Governor having consented, they attended at the residence of Napoleon. He expressed his thankfulness for the manner in which the corps had performed the duties on which it had been employed, and for the attention and respect he had always experienced from every individual belonging to it; and also expressed his wishes for the prosperity and happiness of every member of the corps.[14]
On the 14th of September the second battalion arrived at Portsmouth, from whence it proceeded to join the depôt at Canterbury, where it was disbanded on the 20th of October.