From the West Indies the regiment sailed towards the southern states of North America, and arrived, on the first of January, 1815, off the coast of Louisiana; it was there removed into small boats, to proceed along Lake Barque to join the army commanded by Major-General the Honourable Sir Edward Michael Pakenham, K.C.B., near New Orleans, a place of some note, situate on the eastern bank of the Mississippi. After a difficult navigation of eighty miles in small boats, the regiment landed (having lost a serjeant and sixteen men by the sinking of a boat on the lake); and on the following day joined the army at its camp on the bank of the Mississippi. Arrangements had previously been made for the attack by storm of a line of entrenchments and redoubts which the Americans had constructed behind a canal to cover the approach to New Orleans, and behind which they had collected an army treble the numbers of the British. A short time before day-light, on the morning of the 8th of January, the Royal Fusiliers were at their post, and forming, with the forty-third, the reserve to the storming party. Some delay occurred; the ladders were not ready at the proper moment; and when the soldiers rushed forward to storm the enemy's works, difficulties were encountered which it was found impossible to overcome. A serious loss had been sustained in killed and wounded; the commander-in-chief had fallen;[25] and no chance of ultimate success remained: when the storming parties fell back, the Seventh and forty-third, deploying into line, and making a forward motion, presented the appearance of a renewed attack, by which the Americans were so much awed that they did not venture to pursue the retreating soldiers; at the same time the two regiments presented so steady and confident a front under a heavy fire as to excite great admiration, and the storming parties rallied and formed in support. No prospect of ultimate success appearing, the troops withdrew to their camp. The loss of the Seventh on this occasion was Major King, Captain Henry, one serjeant, and twenty-three rank and file killed; Captains Mullins and Page, Lieutenant Lorentz and Higgins, six serjeants, and sixty-two rank and file wounded.
The Royal Fusiliers were subsequently employed in occupying posts close to the enemy's position; meanwhile a temporary road was constructed through a morass to the lake, and the British, withdrawing by a night march, embarked in boats and returned to the fleet: the Fusiliers and piquets remained before the enemy until the morning of the 19th of January, when they retired. During the few days the Royal Fusiliers had been before New Orleans, privations and sufferings of every kind had been endured with a cheerfulness which redounded to the honour of the officers and soldiers.
The Fusiliers were afterwards landed on Isle Dauphin, north of Mobile Bay, West Florida. An attack on Mobile was resolved on, and Fort Bowyer, which commanded the entrance to the harbour, was besieged and captured, and two companies of the Seventh garrisoned the fort. Further hostilities were, however, prevented by a treaty of peace; and in March the regiment embarked from the Isle Dauphin, West Florida, for England; two vessels were delayed on the voyage; the remainder, landing at Deal, occupied the barrack at that place until the middle of June. Napoleon Buonaparte had, in the meantime, regained the throne of France: a British army had assembled in the Netherlands, under the Duke of Wellington, to wage war against the usurper; and the Royal Fusiliers were ordered to embark for Flanders to share in the conflict. The first division of the regiment, consisting of the head-quarters and four companies, landed at Ostend on the 18th of June, the day the French army was overthrown at Waterloo, and proceeded in boats up the canal to Bruges. These companies were afterwards assembled at Ghent, from whence they advanced up the country, in charge of treasure for the allied army, and arrived in the vicinity of Paris on the 6th of July. The war had terminated; the Bourbon dynasty was restored; and the Royal Fusiliers were encamped near Paris three months, during which time the remainder of the battalion arrived at the camp. The regiment was present at several reviews of the British forces, in the presence of the Emperor of Russia, King of Prussia, and other sovereigns. In September the regiment occupied a temporary barrack beyond the town and forest of St. Germain. In December it returned to Paris and occupied a large public building, which was fitted up for a barrack, the officers being quartered on the inhabitants.
On the 24th of December the second battalion transferred its men fit for service to the first, and was disbanded at Dover; at the same time a recruiting company was added to the establishment of the first battalion.
Honorary distinctions were this year conferred on many officers of the army. Colonel Sir Edward Blakeney, of the Royal Fusiliers, was honoured with the dignity of Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, and the following officers were appointed Companions of the Order of the Bath:—Lieutenant Colonels John Walwin Beatty, Samuel Benjamin Auchmuty, and Alexander Campbell Wylly.
1816
On the 1st of January, 1816, the effective strength was one thousand and twenty-eight; the regiment left Paris on the 16th of January, and marching to the Pas de Calais, was placed in village-cantonments in the vicinity of Bapaume, forming part of the Army of Occupation in France.
The Royal Fusiliers were highly commended at the half-yearly inspection on the 22nd of May: they were reviewed by Lieutenant-General Lord Hill in August, and obtained his lordship's approbation; and in September Lieutenant-General Sir Lowry Cole made a minute inspection of the regiment, and expressed his entire satisfaction of its appearance and discipline.
In September the regiment was removed to the vicinity of Cambray, and was subsequently encamped near Denain, with the remainder of the first division, the other divisions being encamped about two miles distant. On the 22nd of October the British, Saxon, and Danish contingents of the Army of Occupation were reviewed by the Duke of Wellington, in presence of their Royal Highnesses the Dukes of Kent and Cambridge, who expressed their admiration of the appearance and discipline of the troops. After the review the regiment returned to its village cantonments, and at the half-yearly inspection in November, Major-General Sir James Kempt expressed his satisfaction at its appearance and condition.