The French army opposed to the Marquis of Wellington having been considerably reinforced, his lordship retired from Burgos, and Sir Rowland Hill collected the troops under his command on the Jacamah, from whence he retired upon Anvalo. Having crossed the Manzanarus by the bridge Ponto Largo, near Arranheuse, the army took up a position, on the 27th of October, on the right bank of the river; and the light brigade of infantry was employed during the afternoon in defending the bridge, which had been mined for destruction, but the attempt did not succeed. During the night the Third Dragoon Guards relieved the infantry at the bridge, two-thirds of the regiment having been dismounted for that purpose.
The troops retreating by Madrid, through the Guadarama pass, formed a junction with the army commanded by the Marquis of Wellington at Salamanca, the Third Dragoon Guards, on this occasion, forming part of the rear-guard. During the retreat the regiment was joined by a remount from England, consisting of four lieutenants, two serjeants, two corporals, twenty private men, and forty-six horses.
On the 15th of November the army retired on Ciudad Rodrigo, when the Third Dragoon Guards were again employed in covering the retreat, and suffered much from the inclemency of the weather, but more especially from the scarcity of forage and provisions. On the 20th they went into quarters at Herquera, and on the 27th proceeded to Membrio, where a remount, consisting of one lieutenant, one cornet, two serjeants, fifty-seven private men, and fifty-horses, joined on the 29th of November.
In a warrant, dated the 12th of August, 1812, the facing of the regiment was changed from white to blue; cocked hats were replaced by brass helmets; jacked boots and breeches by cloth overalls and short boots; and the skirts of the coats were shortened.
1813
On the 25th of January, 1813, the six troops on foreign service marched to St. Vincent, where the forage being good and plentiful, the horses soon recovered their condition. On the 5th of March they re-crossed the Tagus at Alcantara, and on the 11th went into quarters at Gigo de Coria, where a draught of ninety-four horses joined from the Fourth Dragoon Guards.
Arrangements having been made for the advance of the army against the enemy, the Third Dragoon Guards left Gigo de Coria on the 16th of May, and accompanying the second division, under Sir Rowland Hill, advanced through the mountains by the pass of Banos, and crossed the river Tormes below Salamanca. On the 26th of May they came up with the rear-guard of the enemy, covering the retreat from Salamanca, and being supported by the Royal Dragoons, and a troop of horse artillery, succeeded in taking upwards of 500 prisoners.
The enemy continuing to retreat, the allied army directed its march on Valladolid. The Third Dragoon Guards crossed the Douro at Toro on the 3rd of June, and continued to press upon the rear of the French army in its retreat.
On the 21st of June the regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Holmes, marched early in the morning towards Vittoria, where the French army, commanded by Joseph Bonaparte and Marshal Jourdan, was concentrated and formed in position. A general engagement immediately commenced. During the early part of the day the Third Dragoon Guards manœuvred in conjunction with, and supported the attacks of, the infantry; but towards the evening they moved forward and made a brilliant and decisive charge on a corps of French cavalry and a column of infantry, which were covering the retreat of several pieces of cannon and a number of waggons laden with ammunition and treasure: the enemy was defeated, driven from his ground, and the guns and waggons were captured by the regiment. This was followed by the entire overthrow and defeat of the French army, with the loss of its cannon, ammunition, and baggage. The Third Dragoon Guards had four men and six horses killed; Lieutenant Stewart was wounded in the body by a musket ball, but subsequently recovered; two men of the regiment were also wounded. Lieutenant-Colonel Holmes received a gold medal for his distinguished conduct in this action; and His Royal Highness the Prince Regent commanded the word 'Vittoria' to be placed on the standards of the regiment.
The Third Dragoon Guards were next engaged in the blockade of Pampeluna; and they were formed up in reserve at the foot of the mountains during the severe contest in the Pyrenees, on the 29th and 30th of July, but the scene of action was too mountainous for cavalry to engage.