While the siege of Badajoz was in progress, Marshal Soult assembled a numerous force, and advanced to the relief of that fortress, when Marshal Beresford moved forward to meet him, and took up a position at Albuhera, where he was joined by a Spanish division under General Blake. The Thirty-fourth, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel William Fenwick, were in position, and were formed in brigade with the first battalion of the Twenty-eighth and the second battalion of the Thirty-ninth Regiments, under Lieutenant-Colonel the Honorable Alexander Abercromby.
On the morning of the 16th of May, the enemy made a slight attack on the village of Albuhera, and on the bridge, to draw attention to that point; and soon afterwards powerful columns of infantry, supported by a numerous force of cavalry and artillery, assailed the heights on the right, from which the Spaniards were forced to retire. Lieutenant-Colonel Colborne’s brigade of the second division, under Lieutenant-General Stewart, rushed up the heights with great gallantry; but was nearly annihilated by a charge of the enemy’s Polish lancers and hussars on its rear. Major-General Hoghton reached the heights with the third brigade, under a heavy cannonade, and was soon engaged in a furious contest in which many officers and soldiers fell, and Major-General Hoghton was shot in the act of cheering his men: the battle raged with dreadful fury, and this brigade was nearly destroyed.
At a critical moment the Fusiliers mounted the hill on the right of the remnant of the third brigade, at the same time the Twenty-eighth, Thirty-fourth, and Thirty-ninth passed on its left; and this gallant line arrested the progress of the French columns, which were pressing forward in anticipation of victory. The heads of the enemy’s masses were broken by the steady fire of the British soldiers, who closed on their numerous adversaries, and sternly contended for victory. The Thirty-fourth were severely engaged; many officers and soldiers fell, and Ensign Sarsfield, bearing the regimental colour, was shot; the colour was seized by another officer, and the battalion pressed forward upon its opponents, who, by a determined and continued attack, were driven from the heights, and the British soldiers stood victorious on the contested hill.
Marshal Soult, finding that his French soldiers could not force the position, withdrew beyond the river, and the battle was thus won by the divisions of the allied army, under Marshal Sir William Carr Beresford, who stated in his public despatch,—“It is impossible to enumerate every instance of discipline and valour shown on this severely contested day; but never troops more valiantly or more gloriously maintained the honor of their respective countries.”
Captain George Gibbons, Lieutenant Thomas Castle, and Ensign Sarsfield, with three serjeants, and twenty-seven rank and file of the Thirty-fourth were killed; and Captains G. J. Widdrington and John Wyatt, Lieutenants John Hay, and —— Walsh, with six serjeants, and eighty-five rank and file wounded.
The word “Albuhera,” displayed by royal authority, on the colours of the regiment, commemorates the distinguished gallantry of the second battalion on this occasion; and a medal was conferred on its commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel William Fenwick.
After the victory at Albuhera, the siege of Badajoz was resumed; but the advance of two powerful French armies, under Marshal Massena and Marshal Soult, occasioned the British commander to raise the siege and take post behind the Caya, where the superior numbers of the enemy did not venture to attack him, and in a short time the French retired. Lord Wellington marched the main body of the army to the province of Beira, leaving ten thousand infantry, with a proportion of cavalry and artillery, in the Alemtejo, under Sir Rowland Hill; and the Thirty-fourth formed a part of this force.
General Girard’s division of the Fifth French corps having taken post at Caceres, Sir Rowland Hill advanced, on the 22nd of October, to drive the enemy from thence, and on the approach of the British troops, the French retired, halting at Arroyo de Molinos, a village situate in a plain at the foot of a ridge of rocks rising in the form of a crescent. An opportunity presenting itself to effect the surprise of this corps, the British performed a forced march in cold, wet, stormy weather, and arrived at the vicinity of the village at daybreak on the morning of the 28th of October, their approach being concealed by a thick mist with heavy rain. The French infantry were assembling outside the village to commence their march, the baggage was being loaded, and General Girard was waiting at his quarters for his horse, when suddenly the Seventy-first and Ninety-second British Regiments charged into the village, capturing much baggage and many prisoners; at the same time the Twenty-eighth and Thirty-fourth made a detour, supported by the Thirty-ninth, to cut off the enemy’s retreat. The French formed two squares, and commenced retreating; the British pressed resolutely upon their opponents; the Thirteenth Light Dragoons captured the French artillery, the Ninth Light Dragoons and Second Hussars King’s German Legion overpowered the enemy’s cavalry, and the Twenty-eighth and Thirty-fourth Foot cut off the retreat of the French infantry by the main road. Thus beset on every side, the French soldiers dispersed, and rushed with great speed up the steep mountain by an unfrequented path; when the Twenty-eighth and Thirty-fourth British Foot passed a ploughed field at a running pace, and ascended the difficult precipice in pursuit, chasing the enemy among the rugged heights, and capturing many prisoners; a battalion of the French Thirty-fourth Regiment being made prisoners on this occasion by the second battalion of the British Thirty-fourth Regiment[15]. The French General Brun, and Colonel the Prince d’Aremberg, were among the prisoners.
Sir Rowland Hill, speaking of the troops employed in this service, stated in his despatch,—“No praise of mine can do full justice to their admirable conduct; the patience and goodwill shown by all ranks during forced marches, in the worst of weather; their strict attention to the orders they received; the precision with which they moved to the attack; and their obedience to command during the action; in short, the manner every one has performed his duty from the commencement of the operation, merits my warmest thanks.” The conduct of Lieutenant-Colonel Fenwick, of the Thirty-fourth, was particularly commanded.