“Portsmouth, 30th January 1809.
“Sir,
“I have great pleasure in transmitting to you copies of letters from the Lord Chancellor and the Speaker of the House of Commons, enclosing the Resolutions of both Houses of Parliament, dated 25th of January 1809, which contain the thanks of those Houses to the army lately engaged before Corunna.
“In communicating to you, Sir, this most signal mark of the approbation of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, allow me to add my warmest congratulations upon a distinction which you, and the corps under your command on that day, had a share in obtaining for His Majesty’s service.
“I have, &c.
“(Signed) David Baird,
“Lieut.-General.
“Officer commanding First Battalion
“Seventy-first regiment.”
After the battalion had landed at Ramsgate, it was marched to Ashford in Kent, where it continued for some time, collecting the men, who from contrary winds were driven into different ports.
While at Ashford the battalion was brigaded with the Warwick militia and the ninety-first regiment, under Brigadier-General the Baron de Rottenburg. Great sickness prevailed at this station, and Surgeon James Evans and several of the soldiers died of typhus fever.
On the 20th of March 1809 the Royal authority was granted for the Seventy-first to be formed into a light infantry regiment, when it was directed that the clothing, arming, and discipline should be the same in all respects as the forty-third, fifty-second, sixty-eighth, and eighty-fifth regiments.
The first battalion marched, on the 27th of April 1809, for Brabourne-Lees barracks, and was brigaded with the sixty-eighth and eighty-fifth light infantry regiments. Every exertion was here made to increase the strength and improve the discipline of the corps. In June the first battalion was increased by a large reinforcement, consisting of several officers and 311 non-commissioned officers and privates from the second battalion, which continued to be stationed in North Britain. Several volunteers from the militia were also received at this period.