A British army was at this period in Portugal, under the command of Lieut.-General Sir Arthur Wellesley; and the 3rd battalion of the Royal Regiment, having, after its return from Walcheren, been recruited to 1000 rank and file, embarked at Portsmouth in February, 1810, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Barns,[111] for Portugal. After landing at Lisbon it joined the army under Sir Arthur Wellesley, and formed part of Major-General Leith's division. Marshal Massena was advancing from Spain with an immense army, and he vaunted that he would drive the English into the sea. The British and Portuguese troops manœuvred to retard the advance of the enemy, and in September the army took up a position on the rocks of Busaco. This position was attacked by the enemy on the 27th of September; a desperate engagement ensued, and the British, by astonishing efforts of valour, overcame their antagonists, and stood triumphant on the lofty heights. Sir Arthur Wellesley, in his despatch, stated,—"Major-General Leith reports the good conduct of the Royals;" and the royal permission was afterwards obtained for the regiment to bear the word Busaco on its colours, in commemoration of the good conduct of the battalion in this engagement.
The army afterwards retired to the lines of Torres Vedras, where a series of works constructed with skill opposed an insurmountable barrier to the progress of the enemy. The French Marshal, after reconnoitring the works, retired to Santarem, and the two armies confronted each other during the remainder of the year.
4th Batt.
1st Batt.
2nd Batt.
The 4th battalion proceeded, in August of this year, from England to Scotland; the 1st battalion continued in the West Indies; and the 2nd battalion passed the year at Hyderabad and Masulipatam, in the East Indies.
1811
In the early part of 1811[112] the left wing of the 2nd battalion of the Royal Regiment proceeded by forced marches from Hyderabad to Masulipatam, where it joined the right wing, in the expectation of embarking with the expedition commanded by Lieut.-General Sir Samuel Auchmuty, against the Dutch island of Java. The battalion mustered 1036 rank and file, and the officers and men panted for an opportunity to signalize themselves; but, to their great regret, the order for their embarkation was countermanded. They remained at Masulipatam until July, when they proceeded to Trichinopoly, a strong city in the Carnatic.
3rd Batt.
The 3rd battalion remained opposed to the French army in Portugal. Marshal Massena occupied his position at Santarem until his numbers were reduced by sickness and privation, and on the night of the 5th March, 1811, he retreated towards the frontiers. The Royals, moving forward with the army, took part in the operations which followed; the French retired into Spain, leaving a garrison in Almeida, which was blockaded by the allies. Having crossed the frontiers, the Royals were engaged on the 5th of May at Fuentes d'Onor, on which occasion the French Marshal was defeated in his attempt to relieve Almeida. The Royals had one serjeant and 8 rank and file wounded in this action.[113]