"It matters not that the design of the meeting, or in whatever manner the address was unanimously assented to, was solely to express their respect and esteem; the very circumstance implies discussion, and by that discussion they rendered themselves obnoxious to the imputation alluded to.—Who, indeed, shall say where such a practice, if once introduced, shall end? If the non-commissioned officers of a regiment are permitted to express their approbation of the conduct of the Adjutant, why may they not exercise the same right with respect to their commanding officer? Or what reason can be given why they should not be equally entitled to express their disapprobation? Indeed, should the practice become general, the merely withholding the former would imply the latter.
"General Sir James Craig is more desirous that his sentiments on this subject should be distinctly understood in the Fusiliers, because it appears on the face of the address of the serjeants in question that it has been countenanced by the officer who then commanded the regiment. The Commander of the Forces does no more than justice to the character and services of that officer when he admits that, feeling as he does the dangerous tendency of the practice which he is censuring, he also feels himself the more bound to oppose it, in the first instance, from the strength which it might otherwise derive from the sanction which he appears to have given to it.—Lieutenant-Colonel Pakenham will however believe that, though it was impossible the General should avoid this observation upon his error, yet his doing so can by no means detract from the esteem with which he has been taught to view his character as an officer, or the confidence which he should be disposed to place in his service.
(Signed) "EDWARD BAYNES,
"Adjutant-General to the
"British army serving in North America."
[18] British Troops engaged at the Battle of Albuhera on the 16th May, 1811.
Cavalry under Major-General the Honourable Sir William Lumley; 3rd Dragoon Guards, 4th Dragoons, and 13th Light Dragoons.
| { | { | 3rd Foot, 1st Battalion, | ||
| { | Lieut.-Col. | { | 31st ditto, 2nd ditto, | |
| { | Colborne, | { | 48th ditto, 2nd ditto, | |
| { | { | 66th ditto, 2nd ditto, | ||
| Second | { | { | 60th, one Company 5th ditto. | |
| Division. | { | |||
| { | { | 29th Foot, | ||
| Hon. | { | Major-Gen. | { | 48th ditto, 1st Battalion, |
| Major-Gen. | { | Hoghton. | { | 57th ditto, 1st ditto, |
| W. Stewart. | { | { | 60th, one Company 5th ditto. | |
| { | ||||
| { | { | 28th Foot, 2nd Battalion, | ||
| { | Hon. Lt.-Col. | { | 34th ditto, 2nd ditto, | |
| { | Abercromby. | { | 39th ditto, 2nd ditto, | |
| { | { | 60th, one Company 5th ditto. | ||
| { | Brigadier | { | 27th Foot, 3rd Battalion, | |
| { | General | { | 40th ditto, 1st ditto, | |
| Fourth | { | Kemmis.[19] | { | 97th ditto, (or Queen's Own.) |
| Division. | { | { | 60th, one Company 5th ditto. | |
| { | ||||
| Hon. M.-Gen. | { | { | 7th Foot, 1st Battalion, | |
| L. Cole. | { | Fusilier | { | 7th ditto, 2nd Battalion, |
| { | Brigade. | { | 23rd ditto, 1st ditto, | |
| { | { | Brunswick Oels, 1 Company. | ||
| Major-Gen. Baron Chas. | { | 1st Light Battalion German Legion, | ||
| Alten. | { | 2nd ditto, ditto. | ||
The following description of the charge of the Fusilier Brigade at Albuhera is extracted from Colonel Napier's admirable history of the Peninsular War.
"The fourth division was composed of two brigades; the one of Portuguese, under General Harvey; the other, commanded by Sir William Myers, consisted of the seventh and twenty-third regiments, and was called the Fusilier Brigade. Harvey's Portuguese being immediately pushed in between Lumley's dragoons and the hill, were charged by some French cavalry, whom they beat off, and meanwhile General Cole led the Fusiliers up the contested height. At this time six guns were in the enemy's possession, the whole of Werle's reserves were coming forward to reinforce the front column of the French, the remnant of Hoghton's brigade could no longer maintain its ground, and the field was heaped with carcases, the lancers were riding furiously about the captured artillery on the upper parts of the hill, and behind all, Hamilton's Portuguese and Alten's Germans withdrawing from the bridge, seemed to be in full retreat. Cole's Fusiliers, flanked by a battalion of the Lusitanian legion under Colonel Hawkshawe, soon mounted the hill, drove off the lancers, recovered five of the captured guns and one colour, and appeared on the right of Hoghton's brigade exactly as Abercrombie passed it on the left.