After a tedious passage from England, Major-General Acland's brigade arrived in a small bay near Peniché, where it landed in the night of the 20th of August, and in a few hours joined the army under Sir Arthur Wellesley, in time to share the honours and triumphs of the memorable battle of Vimiera. The brigade underwent much fatigue, and suffered some loss; and the General's dispatches bear evidence that it did its duty. After the convention of Cintra, by which Portugal was delivered from the power of France, the Queen's Royal crossed to Old Lisbon, and marched to escort prisoners of war from Fort La Lippe. His Majesty has graciously permitted the regiment to bear the word Vimiera on its colours and appointments, in commemoration of its gallantry in that battle.
In the autumn, when the army under Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore advanced from Lisbon into Spain, the Queen's formed part of Sir John Hope's division, which protected the march of the artillery by the south bank of the Tagus to Talavera de la Reyna, and from thence by the pass of the Guadarrama mountains, to form a junction at Salamanca with the Commander-in-Chief, the same being the only route considered passable for heavy guns.
1809
Before the British troops were concentrated at Salamanca, the Spanish force which was to have co-operated with them had ceased to exist; it had been attacked, defeated, and dispersed by the French, who had 300,000 men in Spain. Sir John Moore, however, advanced with his army of about 23,000 men, until Bonaparte directed 80,000 veterans with 200 cannon against him: a retreat was immediately commenced. In all the fatigues, distresses, and privations of this memorable winter campaign, the Queen's regiment had its full share, and was brigaded with the 5th, 14th, and 32nd regiments under command of Major-General (now Lord) Hill. This brigade was posted in line on the left of Sir John Moore's position, when that officer fought and defeated the French forces in front of Corunna on the 16th of January, 1809. The glory of the day was clouded by the loss of many brave soldiers, among whom the British army had to lament the death of its gallant commander[29].
The withdrawing of the British troops from Spain after the battle of Corunna was the consequent operation of Sir John Moore's retreat to the coast: arrangements for this purpose were therefore hastily concerted, and as speedily acted upon. A great portion of the army was enabled to embark in the harbour of Corunna during the night after the battle; at the same time General Hill's brigade retired to a position near the ramparts of the town, leaving the piquets of the brigade, under Lieutenant-Colonel Kingsbury, of the Queen's Regiment, employed as a rear-guard to cover the retreat of the army, and to keep the enemy in check by fires and other stratagems, until the embarkation was completed, almost without molestation; and General Hill's brigade followed from the citadel on the succeeding day. The troops embarked in such vessels as they could reach; the ships made the best of their way to England, and, in consequence of the stormy season, landed the troops at the first port they could gain. The Queen's Regiment arrived in parties, and was subsequently re-united at Ipswich.
In consequence of the gallant conduct of the Queen's Royal in the action at Corunna, the regiment has received his Majesty's permission for the word Corunna being borne on its colours and appointments[30].
A detachment of the Queen's Royal had been left in Portugal, when the corps advanced from Lisbon to Salamanca, and was assembled at Elvas under the command of Captain Gordon, who, with his detachment, joined the army of Sir Arthur Wellesley previous to its entering Spain. Captain Gordon's party was attached to the Second Battalion of Detachments, and had the honour of sharing in the victory at Talavera de la Reyna on the 28th of July, 1809[31].
When the militia regiments were allowed, in 1809, to volunteer into the line, the Queen's Royal was very successful in recruiting, and its establishment was increased to 1000.
In July of the same year, the regiment formed part of the expedition under the Earl of Chatham to the Scheldt; was employed at the siege of Flushing, and, after the surrender of that fortress, it remained in quarters at Middleburgh, where it suffered severely from the Walcheren fever. On the evacuation of the island in December, the regiment embarked at Flushing, and returned to its old quarters at Ipswich.