Read Ebook: Memoirs and Services of the Eighty-third Regiment County of Dublin from 1793 to 1907 Including the Campaigns of the Regiment in the West Indies Africa the Peninsula Ceylon Canada and India by Bray Edward William

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PART I contains the Services of 1st Battalion, from 1793, the date of its being raised, to 1817, when the 1st and 2nd Battalions were amalgamated at the Cape of Good Hope.

PART II contains the History of the 2nd Battalion from 1804 to 1814, and the Services of the Regiment during the Peninsular War.

PART V contains the Services of the Regiment in India, including the Indian Mutiny, from 1849 to 1857.

PART VI contains the Services of the Regiment from 1858 to 1863, including the campaign of 1858 in Central India.

MEMOIRS

OF THE

EIGHTY-THIRD REGIMENT

PART I

SERVICES OF THE 1ST BATTALION, 1793-1817

In September, 1793, Major William Fitch obtained a letter of service to raise a regiment, which, after being numbered, became the 83rd, its formation bearing date 28th September, 1793, and of which the major was appointed lieutenant-colonel commandant. The regiment was embodied at Dublin, and quartered in the old Custom House at Essex Bridge for about two months, when it was called upon to take a portion of the garrison duties, in consequence of a great number of troops having been drawn from that garrison for the purpose of embarking for the West Indies. The regiment then moved to the royal barracks. The establishment of the regiment at this period was fixed at 72 sergeants, 26 drummers, 1200 rank and file, and an additional lieutenant added to each company.

In October, 1794, a second battalion was added to the regiment, and the establishment of the first battalion was reduced to 52 sergeants, 22 drummers, and 1000 rank and file. The 2nd Battalion soon afterwards was numbered, and became the 134th Regiment.

On the 7th November, 1794, the regiment embarked at Dublin and sailed for England. It landed at Pill and marched to Bath, in Somersetshire, where it was quartered several months. It then marched to Poole, in Dorsetshire, where it remained about five months, and from thence to Southampton.

On the 5th May, 1795, the regiment embarked at Stokes Bay for the West Indies, and sailed in about ten days afterwards.

On the arrival of the regiment at Martinique, it received orders to proceed to Jamaica, and, after a few days' sail, arrived at Port Royal on the 16th July, 1795.

The regiment was then removed from the chartered ships to men-of-war and transports, and sailed for Saint Domingo; but the Maroon insurrection having broken out a few days after the regiment had sailed, Lord Balcarras, the Governor, despatched a schooner to recall them; but she could only overtake two ships, which returned with about half the regiment, which landed at Mondego Bay and was marched into the interior.

The regiment was actively employed in the suppression of the Maroon insurrection for about eight months, and sustained a loss of 70 killed and wounded; amongst the former was the Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant, William Fitch; and Captains Lee and Brunt slightly wounded--the former died in four days afterwards.

On the 13th September, 1795, Major-General James Balfour succeeded to the colonelcy, vice Lieutenant-Colonel Fitch, killed in action.

The few men that remained of the detachment that went to Saint Domingo in 1795 returned to Jamaica in 1798.

The regiment remained on the north side of Jamaica until the beginning of June, 1802, when it embarked in men-of-war at Savannah le Mar, Falmouth, and Mondego Bay, for Port Royal, and on its arrival marched to Spanish Town; shortly afterwards the men were allowed to extend their services in the 60th and 85th, and a few to the 2nd West India Regiment.

During the service of seven years of the regiment in the West Indies, it received drafts and volunteers from several regiments, amounting to 410 rank and file, and deducting men who were drafted and volunteered on its embarkation from England, the regiment appears to have lost by deaths 870 non-commissioned officers and rank and file, from the period of its arrival in the West Indies to its return to England in August, 1802.

During this period the officers named in the margin also died.

On the 4th May, 1805, the regiment embarked at St. Heliers. It joined the expedition at the Cove of Cork, destined against the Cape of Good Hope, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir David Baird, and landed at the Cape on the 6th January, 1806; and was actually employed in the reduction of that settlement, where its head-quarters were stationed, and where it remained quartered until October, 1817, when it was joined by a large detachment of the 2nd Battalion, under Lieutenant-Colonel Collier, on the reduction of the 2nd Battalion at Armagh in 1817. The whole of the regiment, now reunited, and forming but one battalion henceforward, was collected together at Simon's Bay, Cape of Good Hope, in September, 1817, and embarked for Ceylon on 1st October, 1817.

PART II

HISTORY OF THE 2ND BATTALION, 1804-14, AND SERVICES OF THE REGIMENT DURING THE PENINSULAR WAR

The 2nd Battalion, 83rd Regiment, was raised in the year 1804; the establishment being fixed at 600 rank and file, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hutchison, who had previously belonged to the 1st Battalion.

The head-quarters of the 2nd Battalion were first established at Horsham Barracks, Sussex, where it remained a few months and was then removed to Chichester, at which place it received a draft of 300 men, chiefly from the 3rd Royal Lancashire Militia.

During the stay of the battalion at Chichester, Lieutenant-Colonel Hutchison was removed to the Staff, and Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon succeeded to the command of the regiment.

The battalion removed to Newport, in the Isle of Wight, whence it sent 270 rank and file, with a proportion of officers and non-commissioned officers , to join the 1st Battalion at the Cape of Good Hope.

In August the battalion marched to Chipping Norton, in Oxfordshire, and in November following removed to Battle Barracks, Sussex, where its establishment was increased to 800 rank and file. After a short stay at this station, it was ordered to Brabourne Leas and Ashford, in Kent, and in March, 1807, proceeded to Portsmouth and embarked for Guernsey.

Having remained a few days there, it re-embarked and sailed for Jersey; and was quartered at St. Owens, in that island.

In September following it embarked for Ireland; but owing to contrary winds, the whole battalion was not assembled at Cove till January, 1808, when it marched to Kinsale, County Cork.

The same month the battalion was marched to Birr, in King's County, where its establishment was augmented to 1000 rank and file, and an additional lieutenant appointed to each company; from this place 14 officers and 214 rank and file were sent to reinforce the 1st Battalion at the Cape of Good Hope.

In the month of May following the battalion marched to Dublin and occupied the Palatine Barracks, and in December marched to Fermoy.

In January, 1809, the battalion marched from Fermoy to Cork, and embarked at Cove for Corunna; but intelligence having been received of the battle of Corunna and the evacuation of Spain by the British, a ship of war was despatched to recall the transports, when the regiment disembarked and marched back to its old quarters at Fermoy.

In March following the battalion received orders to march to Cove, for embarkation for Lisbon, and having been previously inspected by Brigadier-General Rowland Hill, proceeded to Cove, and embarking on board the transports, sailed to join the British army in Portugal.

On the 6th April, 1809, the battalion, 900 strong, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon, landed at Lisbon, and was immediately despatched to join the British army, then under the command of Sir John Cradock, at Coimbra. It was there brigaded with the 9th Regiment , and placed under the command of Brigadier-General Alan Cameron.

CAMPAIGN OF THE DOURO

General Sir Arthur Wellesley, having superseded Sir John Cradock in the command of the army, advanced to the relief of Oporto, then occupied by the French. General Cameron's brigade was placed in General Sherbrook's division, and was actively engaged at the passage of the Douro and the attack on the French in Oporto.

On the 12th May, at the passage of the Douro, Captain Summerfield and the Light Company of the 83rd were amongst the foremost that crossed in the boats, and occupied the Seminary, and Captain Summerfield rendered himself conspicuous by his gallantry in climbing up and endeavouring to secure the iron gate of the building. The remainder of the regiment crossed at Villa Nova, and, having fought their way through the streets of Oporto, came upon the rear of the enemy as, with their artillery, they were moving out of the town.

At this moment the French were exposed to a flank fire from the troops which had occupied the Seminary, the 83rd and 9th at the same time pouring a volley into their rear. The greater part were killed and wounded, and the remainder dispersing, left their guns in possession of the victorious British.

In this affair the battalion had 14 men wounded.

The 2nd Battalion, 83rd, was one of the regiments employed in the pursuit of the French army to the frontiers of Spain; and on the 16th, a little after dark, after a harassing and stormy march, overtook the French rear-guard at Salamonde. The 9th and 83rd immediately attacked, and the French, the greater part of whom were cooking, and quite unprepared, were speedily driven from the position.

The battalion in this affair had 5 men wounded. The pursuit was continued on the 18th to Montalagne; but the whole army subsequently retiring to Abrantes, the 9th and 83rd went into quarters at Tancos, on the banks of the Tagus, about eight leagues from the former place. Here sickness prevailed to such an extent in the whole army, and especially in the 9th regiment, that that corps was obliged to be sent to Lisbon, and its place in General Cameron's brigade was taken by the 61st Regiment, at Oropesa, on the subsequent advance of the army to Talavera.

CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE OF TALAVERA

In all the movements and privations of the British army in this advance the 83rd bore its full share; and on the 27th and 28th July, when under Sir Arthur Wellesley, it fought and won the glorious battle of Talavera. The battalion was most severely engaged, and particularly distinguished itself in the gallant and impetuous charge on the enemy's line, made by General Sherbrook's division with the bayonet.

In this battle, General Alan Cameron's brigade, composed of the 61st and 83rd Regiments, was posted in the left centre of the front line, with the brigade of Guards on its right, and the German Legion on its left, and about 100 paces in its front, occupied by its Light Infantry, was the dry, rocky bed of a mountain torrent. On the 27th, the French attempted to turn the allies' left, and to take a height in front of General Hill's division. In this they were unsuccessful, but the following day, at about 2 p.m., they renewed their efforts, and made a general attack on the whole line.

The battle then recommenced, and raged with redoubled fury. The French guns played with murderous precision on General Cameron's brigade, and the men of the 61st and 83rd Regiments were mowed down by sections.

Under cover of this fire, the French Infantry, in imposing masses, advanced rapidly and steadily to the attack.

The 83rd Regiment had been previously ordered to lie down to avoid the tremendous cannonade directed against it; but on the French battalion nearing the ravine on its front, it rose up, and with the 61st advancing steadily to meet them, allowed their dark columns to approach to within thirty paces of their ranks, then, pouring in a well-directed and destructive volley, it dashed impetuously forward through the ravine, and, charging vigorously with the bayonet, drove the enemy with great slaughter headlong before them.

The regiment followed in pursuit, until it received the command to retire, when, facing about and carrying off its wounded, it steadily recrossed the ravine, and, amid the warm encomiums of General Cameron himself, resumed its original position in the line; this it maintained with unflinching resolution till the close of the day, when the French were compelled to return, leaving the victory to the British.

The very severe loss of the 83rd in this hard-fought battle, amounting to nearly half its number present, fully testifies the honourable service it performed.

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