Feb. 27th, 1814, ORTHES.
In February, 1814, occurred one of the most brilliant manœuvres of the war—the famous passage of the Adour, which was forced in the teeth of a Division of the French Army, the company of the 60th leading the advance of the Guards’ Brigade, to which it was attached. On the 27th of the same month Soult was again totally defeated at Orthes.
April 10th, 1814, TOULOUSE.
Wellington, following up this victory, advanced on Toulouse, where, on the 10th of April, the British troops won the last of the fourteen great battles fought in the Peninsular War, in twelve of which the Regiment had taken a glorious part. The repulse of a sortie from Bayonne was the final episode of this memorable war.
Thus closes a momentous record of gallant achievements of the Regiment. Among the officers of the 5th Battalion who distinguished themselves during the Peninsular War, besides those already mentioned, were Major Woodgate,[[22]] Lieutenant-Colonel Galiffe,[[23]] Captain Schoedde,[[24]] and Captain de Blacquière.
To continue the history of the other Battalions of the Regiment at this period, the 2nd Battalion, in January, 1809, after Corunna, had returned to the Channel Islands, and thence to the West Indies. The 1st Battalion, which had previously always been quartered in America, was in 1810, together with the 4th Battalion, brought to England, whence it shortly afterwards proceeded to the Cape of Good Hope, and the 4th Battalion was sent to Dominica.
A 7th and 8th Battalion were added in 1813, the former raised at Gibraltar and the latter at Lisbon. Both battalions were dressed in green, which colour at the end of 1815 was adopted for the whole Regiment.
1824, 60th ROYAL AMERICANS become 60th THE DUKE OF YORK’S OWN RIFLE CORPS.
At the conclusion of the war with France the Regiment was reduced to two battalions, of which the 1st was called “The Rifles,” and the 2nd “The Light Infantry” Battalion. In 1824 the 2nd Battalion became also a Rifle Battalion, and the Regiment dropping its old title of “Royal Americans” was granted by George IV the name of “The Duke of York’s Own Rifle Corps,” dated June 4th.