The Royal Fusiliers were stationed at Campo Mayor about a fortnight, and were subsequently employed in the siege of Olivenza, which was terminated in seven days by the surrender of the garrison on the 15th of April. The loss of the regiment was limited to one man killed and one wounded.

This success was followed by the siege of the strong fortress of Badajoz, situated on a beautiful plain on the Guadiana,—a noble river five hundred yards broad; and the Royal Fusiliers were employed in this service. Marshal Soult, who had retired after the capture of this fortress in March, quitted Seville, and, assembling a powerful force, advanced to its relief. The allied army turned the siege into a blockade, and moving forward to meet the advancing foe, took up a position at Albuhera. The Royal Fusiliers formed part of the blockading force, but were subsequently ordered to join the army; and they arrived in position about nine o'clock on the morning of the 16th of May, at the moment when the French were advancing to commence one of the most obstinate and sanguinary actions in which British troops were ever engaged. The Fusilier Brigade, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Sir William Myers, of the Seventh, was ordered to form in an oblique line behind the right; the first battalion of the Seventh was commanded by Major John Mervin Nooth, and the second by Lieut.-Colonel Edward Blakeney.

Being favoured by a height which the allies had neglected to occupy, the French commander concentrated behind it fifteen thousand men and forty guns, within ten minutes' march of the right wing of the allied army, without his opponent's knowledge; at the same time he extended the remainder of his forces along the woody banks of the Feria, towards its confluence with the Albuhera. A little before nine on the morning of the 16th of May, these troops issued from the woods in one massive column, supported by a second, flanked by cavalry and preceded by artillery, and attacked the bridge, where they met with a formidable resistance. The British general, anticipating the principal effort would be against his right, directed the Spaniards under General Blake to change front, and the second division to support them: but the Spanish general delaying to execute the movement, the enemy was among his troops before they were completely formed. A destructive cannonade, a heavy fire of musketry, and the approach of some French squadrons menacing to charge, put the Spaniards into disorder, and they fell back fighting. The French columns pushed forward; their reserves mounted the heights in their rear, and their batteries were brought into line.

The retrograde of the Spaniards laid open the position of the allied army, and the only good road by which a retreat could be conducted was exposed. To remedy this disaster, the leading brigade of the second division rushed forward; it was speedily under a destructive fire; a heavy rain concealing distant objects; and four regiments of French lancers and hussars having turned the right flank in the obscurity, charged the British battalions in the rear at the moment when they developed their attack, and slew or took prisoners nearly two-thirds of their numbers: one battalion, being in column, maintained its ground, while the French horsemen overthrew all other opposition, and captured six guns. A lancer attacked Marshal Beresford, who pushed the lance aside, and, grappling with the lancer, threw him from his horse. Another British brigade came boldly into the fight, repelling a charge of lancers on its flank; the remaining brigade of the second division arrived; a Spanish corps moved forward, and the enemy's infantry recoiled; but soon recovering, renewed the conflict with greater violence than before. The fighting became vehement, and more than two-thirds of every British corps engaged had fallen, when their ammunition began to fail, and the enemy established a column in advance upon the right flank. The tide of success was evidently flowing in favour of the French, when the fourth division was ordered to the heat of the conflict, and a brigade of the second division, which had only been slightly engaged, rushed forward into the fight. At this moment a number of captured British soldiers were being hurried to the rear of the French army; the enemy's reserves were pushing forward to reinforce their front;—the field was covered with heaps of dead bodies;—the lancers were riding furiously about the upper part of the hill spearing wounded men, and six pieces of artillery were in the hands of the French.

A crisis had arrived, and a mighty—a determined—a desperate—effort alone could save the allied army from defeat; at this critical moment Major-General Sir Lowry Cole led the Fusilier Brigade up the contested heights to stem the torrent of battle and wrest the palm of victory from Napoleon's veteran legions. The Fusiliers—admired for their appearance—applauded for their order and discipline—moved forward with a resolute step to confront a host of foes; they felt the importance of the task which devolved upon them, and knew the high character of the troops they had to contend with; and national pride,—an esprit de corps,—a noble enthusiasm to rival the regiments which triumphed at Busaco,—and to exceed their own achievements at Martinique and Talavera,—animated every breast; they were flanked by a battalion of the Lusitanian legion; and mounting the hill at the moment when a regiment of Spanish cavalry was fleeing before a body of French dragoons, they soon drove the lancers from the contested height, and recovered five of the captured guns. Encouraged by this presage of victory, the Fusiliers marched sternly onward in line, over heaps of killed and wounded, to encounter three heavy columns of French infantry, supported by cavalry and artillery, and each column mustering about twice the numbers of the Fusilier Brigade.

Gallantly issuing from amidst the smoke and broken fragments of discomfited corps, the Fusiliers marched with a firm and solemn step over the carcases of men and horses which obstructed their way, and their bearing was that of men determined to decide the fortune of a battle. The French columns were pressing onward to complete the overthrow of the allied army, when suddenly the surprising spectacle of a majestic line of Fusiliers burst upon their sight; they halted; fired a volley; then endeavoured to deploy; and their numerous artillery sent a storm of bullets against the British ranks. The commander of the brigade, Lieutenant-Colonel Sir William Myers of the Royal Fusiliers, was killed; the commander of the division, Major-General Sir Lowry Cole, Lieutenant-Colonel Blakeney, commanding a battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, and a number of other officers, fell wounded; the colour staves of the Seventh were shattered, and the colours torn; at the same time chasms were rent in the ranks of the brigade; a momentary pause ensued: but instantly recovering, the Fusiliers braved the tempest of iron and lead, and boldly confronted the fierce and numerous bands opposed to them. As the smoke cleared, the French beheld a line of bayonets coming upon them, and the next moment, the thundering volleys of the Fusiliers broke the heads of formations. The French commander urged his veterans forward; individuals, spurred on by an unavailing intrepidity, sacrificed their lives to gain time for their companions to deploy;—the columns responded to the calls of their leader, and, striving to extricate themselves, fired on friends and foes;—the lancers on the flanks threatened to charge; but British intrepidity could not be shaken;—the Fusiliers knew not how to quail! The brigade preserved its firm array; the murderous volleys of the Fusiliers swept down hundreds of Frenchmen, and suddenly raising a loud shout, they precipitated themselves upon the opposing multitudes, and plunging fearlessly into the crowds, they closed with desperate energy upon their opponents. The fortune of the day was no longer doubtful; British prowess prevailed, and the French were overpowered, slaughtered, and forced back in irremediable confusion upon their reserves. The supporting columns endeavoured to stem the torrent of British valour; but in vain;—the whole were driven headlong down the ascent;—the key of the position was thus nobly recovered, and the Fusiliers,—breathless,—besmeared with sweat and mud and gore,—stood triumphant upon the contested height, surrounded with heaps of dying and dead, and wondering at the brilliant success which crowned their manly efforts.

While the Fusiliers were contending on the height, fresh men were brought forward; the French generals perceived that the day was irretrievably lost, and withdrew their broken masses beyond the river.[18] Numerous instances of individual gallantry occurred, and Serjeant Gough of the first battalion having recovered the regimental colour of the third foot, or buffs, which corps had been nearly annihilated by the charge of the lancers, was rewarded with a commission in the second West India regiment.

To the Royal Fusiliers, the honour of having triumphed over superior numbers of Napoleon's veteran bands, and the glory of having added lustre to the British arms, were justly due; but the splendour of victory was shrouded with grief at the loss of many brave officers and soldiers. Among others, the fall of their commander, the brave, the chivalrous Sir William Myers, caused a sense of deep sorrow. His career, though short, had been brilliant; his manners were those of a finished gentleman and scholar, and every action was marked with the enthusiasm of a soldier whose noblest pride was his profession, and whose solicitude was always alive to the interests and honour of his corps. At the early age of twenty-eight he closed a life of honour in a death of glory.

Return of killed and wounded of the Royal Fusiliers at the battle of Albuhera.

Battalion.Officers.Sergeants.Drummers.Rank & File.Total.
1st.{ Killed53..5967
{ Wounded1014..263287
2nd.{ Killed31..4650
{ Wounded14161270301
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32341638705