From a feint made upon Mirabete, the French were aware that an enemy was in the neighbourhood. The garrison was on the alert; immediately opened a heavy fire, and vigorously resisted the efforts made to push up the scarp; but the moment the first men gained a footing on the parapet the enemy took to flight. The whole of this brilliant affair was completed in the short space of fifteen minutes, and with little loss.
The Seventy-first had Captain Lewis Grant, with one serjeant and seven rank and file, killed; Lieutenants William Lockwood and Donald Ross, three serjeants, and twenty-nine rank and file were wounded.
The names of thirty-six non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the Seventy-first were inserted in regimental orders for conspicuous bravery upon this occasion, and the Royal authority was subsequently granted for the word “Almaraz” to be borne on the regimental colour and appointments.[29]
The following orders were issued upon this occasion:—
“Bivouac, near Fort Napoleon,
“19th May 1812.
“Brigade Order.
“Major-General Howard cannot delay expressing his warmest acknowledgments to Lieut.-Colonel Stewart and Major Harrison, of the fiftieth regiment, and Major Cother of the Seventy-first regiment, who commanded the three columns of attack this morning on Fort Napoleon and the works on the Tagus, for the gallant and distinguished manner in which they led the columns intrusted to them, as well as to all the other officers, non-commissioned officers and privates, for their bravery and good conduct, which produced the brilliant result of the capture of the works in question.”
“Truxillo, May 22nd, 1812.
“General Order.