1810
During the year 1810, the regiment remained in England, where it was joined in August by the detachment which had been left in Portugal; and its numbers were thus increased to 1126 rank and file.
1811
On the 25th of January, 1811, the Queen's Royal embarked at Portsmouth, with the Thirty-sixth, Second Battalion of the Forty-third, Fifty-first, and Eighty-fifth regiments, to reinforce the British army in Portugal. The fleet, commanded by Sir Joseph Yorke, encountered contrary gales, which so prolonged the voyage, that the convoy did not reach its destination until the 2nd of March, when the regiment disembarked at Lisbon, and went into barracks in the castle. It was afterwards attached to the Sixth Division of the army, and engaged with it in the pursuit of the French army under Marshal Massena, who evacuated his position at Santarem, and commenced his retreat into Spain a few days after the arrival of the above re-inforcements. Many brilliant exploits were performed by the adverse armies during this retreat, and also in the subsequent operations on the eastern frontier of Portugal. The Sixth Division was subsequently employed in the south, under Sir Thomas Graham, covering the siege of Badajoz, which was menaced by the French Marshal, but surrendered to the bold and superior tact of Lord Wellington in April, 1812.
1812
When Lord Wellington advanced into Spain in 1812, and occupied Salamanca, the Sixth Division was quartered in that city, and charged with the siege of the three fortified convents, in which the enemy had left garrisons. In the unsuccessful attempt to carry one of these forts, (that called St. Vincente) by escalade, on the night of the 23rd of June, in which Major-General Bowes fell, the light company of the Queen's lost Captain Sir George Colquhoun, Lieutenant Mathews, one serjeant, and six men killed, and was otherwise so reduced, that it was found necessary next day to draft ten men from each battalion company to complete it. After the reduction of these forts, the St. Caetano and La Mercea by storm, and St. Vincente by capitulation, the Sixth Division joined the army in the advance to Toro, and took part in the several movements which preceded and led to the battle of Salamanca.
On this glorious day, the 22nd of July, 1812, the Sixth Division was originally posted in reserve, to support the Fourth and Fifth in the intended attack upon the enemy's centre and the heights of Arapiles. After the crest of the height had been carried by the Fourth Division, one division of the French made a determined stand, and after a sharp contest, obliged the British to give way. Marshal Beresford, who was on the spot, directed General Spry's brigade of the Fifth Division to change its front, and attack the flank of the enemy; and Lord Wellington ordered up the Sixth Division under Sir Henry Clinton, to relieve the Fourth, and the battle was soon restored to its former success. The French had now but one hill left, on which they had concentrated all their remaining forces. The Sixth Division was ordered to advance in line upon the enemy's position, which it did in a most gallant manner, under a heavy fire of 21 pieces of cannon and of musketry; and after a severe contest, the enemy fled through the woods towards the Tormes, protected by the approaching darkness of the night, by which many were enabled to escape: the defeat of the French army was now completed.
The loss of the Queen's on this day amounted to nearly one-half its number present, the light company being detached. One lieutenant (Denwoody) and 20 men were killed; its two majors, Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Kingsbury and Major Graham, (both of whom afterwards received honorary medals from his Majesty,) severely wounded; one captain (Scott) and three lieutenants (Gordon, Williams, and Hudson), and 100 men wounded. In fact, towards the close of the action, a subaltern officer, Lieutenant Borlase, had the honour of commanding the regiment. In honour of its gallant services in this action his Majesty has been graciously pleased to permit that Salamanca should be added to other distinctions on the colours of the regiment.
After the above defeat, Marshal Marmont withdrew the army of Portugal in the direction of Burgos, and Lord Wellington crossed the Douro and entered Madrid. The allied army made a further advance to Burgos, the siege of which was undertaken and pushed with vigour, but was abandoned in October, in consequence of a junction of the disposable French force in Spain, amounting to between 80,000 and 90,000 men, and the determination of the British commander to retire on the Douro, and subsequently to Salamanca and to Ciudad Rodrigo. When the army halted, the Queen's Regiment was quartered at Fulgoza de Salvador; and being much reduced in numbers, the head-quarters, with six skeleton companies, were sent to England, and the remaining four companies formed the right wing of the Second Provisional Battalion, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Bingham of the Fifty-third regiment. The companies of the Queen's were about one hundred effective rank and file each, and the battalion was posted to the Fourth Division, under Major-General the Honourable Sir G. Lowry Cole.
1813