ALCANTARA MEDAL, 1809.
(Obverse.)
ALCANTARA MEDAL, 1809.
(Reverse.)
MILITARY GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL.
The Immortals.—The "Die-hards," the "Buffs," the 7th Fusiliers, and the 23rd Welsh Fusiliers immortalised themselves in that bloodiest of all battles, where in four hours no less than 15,000 men were placed hors de combat. Well might M. Thiers say that "a sort of fatality rendered the heroic bravery of our troops powerless against the cold courage of the English." The 23rd lost 347 men, 80 killed, and 257 wounded and missing, and it is noteworthy that one company was brought out of action by a corporal. The 29th mustered only 2 captains and about 100 junior officers and men; the 57th was little better off, likewise the 48th when the French were driven across the Albuera River. Of the 7,000 British soldiers engaged, 4,300 were killed or wounded; the dead included Major-General Houghton, who was killed while leading his division, 33 officers, 33 sergeants, and 917 men. The Spanish and Portuguese allies lost about 2,000 men killed or wounded, and as the allied army consisted of about 34,000 men, the brunt of the fighting was borne by the British troops. The French, who numbered about 33,000, lost about 1,000 more men than the British, including 5 of their General Officers killed or wounded; 2,000 dead and 800 of their worst wounded were left on the field when the French drew off, leaving the British uncertain as to what the morrow might bring forth, but reinforcements coming for the British, Soult moved off in the direction of Badajoz, followed by Beresford.
The following regiments took part in the battle: 3rd Dragoon Guards; 4th Dragoons; 13th Light Dragoons; 1st, 3rd Foot (the "Buffs"); 1st and 2nd 7th (Royal Fusiliers); 1st 23rd (Welsh Fusiliers); 1st 27th Inniskillings; 2nd 28th; 29th; 2nd 31st; 2nd 34th; 2nd 39th (Dorsetshire); 1st 40th; 1st and 2nd 48th (Northamptonshire); 1st 57th (West Middlesex); 1st and 2nd 60th and four companies of the 5th Battalion; 2nd 66th (Berkshire); 97th Queen's Own; 1st and 2nd Light Battalions of the King's German Legion, and one company of Brunswick Oels.
Java.—The capture of the East Indian island of Java, which the Dutch called the most precious jewel in their diadem, was effected after operations lasting from July 27th, 1811, when Lieutenant Edmund Lyons—after Admiral Lyons—made a daring landing with a few seamen, until August 26th, ten days after the battle fought at Serondel near Samarang. During this expedition the storming of Fort Cornelis took place, when the enemy lost 1,000 killed; and three Brigadiers, 30 Field Officers, 70 Captains, 140 Subalterns, and 5,000 rank and file prisoners; 400 cannons were captured. A million sterling was received by the British force as prize money. The British loss (naval and military) was 150 killed, 788 wounded, and 16 missing. By the Treaty of Vienna Java was restored to the Dutch in 1814.