It is His Majesty's command that His Royal approbation and thanks shall be given in the most distinct and most particular manner to the Non-Commissioned Officers and Private Men. In no instance have they displayed with greater lustre their native valour and characteristic energy; nor have they on any former occasion more decidedly proved their superiority over the inveterate enemy of their country.
Brilliant, however, as is the victory obtained at Talavera, it is not solely on that occasion that Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Wellesley and the Troops under his command, are entitled to His Majesty's applause. The important service effected in an early part of the campaign by the same Army, under the command of the same distinguished General, by the rapid march on the Douro, the passage of that river, the total discomfiture of the enemy, and his expulsion from the territory of one of His Majesty's ancient and most faithful Allies, are circumstances which have made a lasting impression on His Majesty's mind; and have induced His Majesty to direct, that the operations of this arduous and eventful campaign shall be thus recorded, as furnishing splendid examples of military skill, fortitude, perseverance, and of a spirit of enterprise calculated to produce emulation in every part of His Army, and largely to add to the renown and to the military character of the British nation.
By Order of the Right Honourable General Sir David Dundas, Commander-in-Chief.
Harry Calvert,
Adjutant-General.
The following Regiments were engaged at the Battle of Talavera de la Reyna, on the 27th and 28th July, 1809: viz.
| Corps. | Commanding Officers. | ||
| 3d Dragoon Guards | Lieut.-Col. Sir G. Calcraft | ||
| 4th Dragoons | Lieut.-Col. Lord E. Somerset | ||
| 14th Light Dragoons | Lieut.-Col. Hawker | ||
| 16th —— —— | Major Hon. L. Stanhope | ||
| 23rd —— —— | Lieut.-Col. Seymour | ||
| 1st —— ——, K. G. L. | Lieut.-Col. Arentschild | ||
| Royal British Artillery | Lieut.-Col. Framingham } Brig.-Gen. | ||
| " | German —— | Major Hartineau } Howorth | |
| " | Engineers | Lieut.-Col. Fletcher | |
| " | Staff Corps | Major Dundas | |
| Coldstream Guards, 1st battalion | Lieut.-Col. Hulse | ||
| 3d | Guards, 1st battalion | Colonel Stopford | |
| 3rd | Foot | Lieut.-Col. Muter | |
| 7th | —— | 2nd battalion | Lieut.-Col. Sir W. Myers |
| 24th | —— | 2nd ditto | Lieut.-Col. Drummond |
| 29th | —— | 1st ditto | Lieut.-Col. White |
| 31st | —— | 2nd ditto | Major Watson |
| 40th | —— | 1st ditto | Major Thornton |
| 45th | —— | 1st ditto | Lieut.-Col. Guard |
| 48th | —— | 1st ditto | Lieut.-Col. Donellan |
| 2nd ditto | Lieut.-Col. Duckworth | ||
| 53rd | —— | 2nd ditto | Lieut.-Col. Bingham |
| 60th | —— | 5th ditto | Major Davy |
| 61st | —— | 1st ditto | Colonel Saunders |
| 66th | —— | 2nd ditto | Captain Kelly |
| 83rd | —— | 2nd ditto | Lieut.-Col. Gordon |
| 87th | —— | 2nd ditto | Major Gough |
| 88th | —— | 1st ditto | Major Vandeleur |
| 97th | —— | 1st ditto | Lieut.-Col. Lyon |
| 1st | Batt. of Detachments* | Lieut.-Col. Bunbury, 3rd Foot | |
| 2nd | —— | ——————* | Lieut.-Col. Copson, 3rd Foot |
| 1st and 2nd Light Batt. K. G. L. } | Major Bodecker | ||
| 1st | Line | Batt. } | |
| 2nd | —— | —— | Lieut.-Col. Brauns |
| 5th | —— | —— | Captain Hummelberg |
| 7th | —— | —— | Major Burger |
* These two Battalions were formed on the 1st of February, 1809, and consisted of detachments which had been left in Portugal, belonging to the Regiments composing the division of the army, which had marched into Spain under the orders of Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore.