"Major-General Sir Robert Dick was much gratified this morning to find Her Majesty's Thirteenth Light Dragoons in such high order. The major-general will not fail to report to the general commanding-in-chief the soldier-like appearance and steadiness of the men, and the serviceable condition of the horses; the movements were made with precision and celerity, notwithstanding the heavy sandy ground the regiment moved over; the horses were well in hand; the advances in line and trotting past were admirable. The major-general cannot help regretting the services of so efficient a regiment will be so soon lost to the Indian army. He sincerely wishes Colonel Brunton, the officers, and men of the Thirteenth Light Dragoons a safe passage to England."
"Head-Quarters, Fort St. George,
17 February, 1840.
"General Order.—The Thirteenth Light Dragoons being ordered to embark, the major-general commanding-in-chief cannot allow the corps to quit this command, without recording the high sense he entertains of its merits and conduct during the period of its service in the East. Although opportunities for adding to its long-established fame and reputation in the field have so rarely presented themselves to this arm of the service since the Thirteenth formed a portion of the Madras army, the major-general is well assured, that had occasion called forth a display of its energies against the enemy, it would have nobly sustained the high character of the British cavalry. Good conduct and discipline are qualities, however, as essentially necessary to mark the meritorious soldier out of the field as gallantry in it; and in these attributes of the profession the Thirteenth Light Dragoons have at all times shone conspicuous.
"From having been in the division under his own immediate command during a period of more than two years, the major-general is enabled to bear testimony (as well as from the reports of his predecessors) to the uniform correctness of its conduct, and throughout the course of its lengthened service in Mysore, he believes it may safely be asserted, that not an instance has occurred of a complaint or appeal being preferred against an officer, non-commissioned officer, or private, of this distinguished corps, to the civil authorities. In taking leave, therefore, (for a time he hopes only) of the Thirteenth Light Dragoons, the major-general begs Lieut.-Colonel Brunton will accept himself, and convey to the officers and soldiers under his orders, the assurance of the esteem the major-general feels for, and the warm interest he shall ever take in, the prospects and fair fame of the regiment; and it will constitute a pleasing part of his duty to make the general-commanding-in-chief of Her Majesty's army acquainted with the sentiments he has thus felt to be due to the corps to express, of its character and merits, neither of which are unknown to Lord Hill already, and are in no wise diminished by a twenty years' absence from its native land.
"By order of Major-General Sir Hugh Gough, K.C.B.
"(Signed) R. B. Fearon,
"Deputy Adjutant-General of
Her Majesty's Forces."
The regiment embarked from Madras in February, and landed at Gravesend in June, after an absence of twenty-one years and three months, during which period its casualties amounted to fifteen officers and one thousand and fifty-one men.
The regiment marched to Canterbury, and the establishment was reduced to six troops.
In June of this year the regiment resumed wearing blue clothing with buff facing.
1841