Note 18 — HISTORICAL RECORD
Reading edition
British Troops engaged at the Battle of Albuhera on the 16th May, 1811.
Cavalry under Major-General the Honourable Sir William Lumley; 3rd Dragoon Guards, 4th Dragoons, and 13th Light Dragoons.
{{3rd Foot, 1st Battalion,
{Lieut.-Col.{31st ditto, 2nd ditto,
{Colborne,{48th ditto, 2nd ditto,
{{66th ditto, 2nd ditto,
Second{{60th, one Company 5th ditto.
Division.{
{{29th Foot,
Hon.{Major-Gen.{48th ditto, 1st Battalion,
Major-Gen.{Hoghton.{57th ditto, 1st ditto,
W. Stewart.{{60th, one Company 5th ditto.
{
{{28th Foot, 2nd Battalion,
{Hon. Lt.-Col.{34th ditto, 2nd ditto,
{Abercromby.{39th ditto, 2nd ditto,
{{60th, one Company 5th ditto.
{Brigadier{27th Foot, 3rd Battalion,
{General{40th ditto, 1st ditto,
Fourth{Kemmis.[19]{97th ditto, (or Queen's Own.)
Division.{{60th, one Company 5th ditto.
{
Hon. M.-Gen.{{7th Foot, 1st Battalion,
L. Cole.{Fusilier{7th ditto, 2nd Battalion,
{Brigade.{23rd ditto, 1st ditto,
{{Brunswick Oels, 1 Company.
Major-Gen. Baron Chas.{1st Light Battalion German Legion,
Alten.{2nd ditto, ditto.
The following description of the charge of the Fusilier Brigade at Albuhera is extracted from Colonel Napier's admirable history of the Peninsular War.
"The fourth division was composed of two brigades; the one of Portuguese, under General Harvey; the other, commanded by Sir William Myers, consisted of the seventh and twenty-third regiments, and was called the Fusilier Brigade. Harvey's Portuguese being immediately pushed in between Lumley's dragoons and the hill, were charged by some French cavalry, whom they beat off, and meanwhile General Cole led the Fusiliers up the contested height. At this time six guns were in the enemy's possession, the whole of Werle's reserves were coming forward to reinforce the front column of the French, the remnant of Hoghton's brigade could no longer maintain its ground, and the field was heaped with carcases, the lancers were riding furiously about the captured artillery on the upper parts of the hill, and behind all, Hamilton's Portuguese and Alten's Germans withdrawing from the bridge, seemed to be in full retreat. Cole's Fusiliers, flanked by a battalion of the Lusitanian legion under Colonel Hawkshawe, soon mounted the hill, drove off the lancers, recovered five of the captured guns and one colour, and appeared on the right of Hoghton's brigade exactly as Abercrombie passed it on the left.
"Such a gallant line issuing from the midst of the smoke, and rapidly separating itself from the broken multitude, startled the enemy's heavy masses, which were increasing and pressing onwards as to an assured victory: they wavered, hesitated, and then vomiting forth a storm of fire, hastily endeavoured to enlarge their front, while a fearful discharge of grape from all their artillery whistled through the British ranks. Myers was killed; Cole, the three colonels—Ellis, Blakeney, and Hawkshawe—fell wounded; and the Fusilier battalions, struck by the iron tempest, reeled and staggered like sinking ships. But suddenly and sternly recovering, they closed on their terrible enemies, and then was seen with what a strength and majesty the British soldier fights! In vain did Soult, by voice and gesture, animate his Frenchmen; in vain did the hardiest veterans, extricating themselves from the crowded columns, sacrifice their lives to gain time for the mass to open out on such a fair field; in vain did the mass itself bear up, and, fiercely striving, fire indiscriminately upon friends and foes, while the horsemen hovering on the flanks threatened to charge the advancing line. Nothing could stop that astonishing infantry! No sudden burst of undisciplined valour, no nervous enthusiasm, weakened the stability of their order; their flashing eyes were bent on the dark columns in their front; their measured tread shook the ground; their dreadful volleys swept away the head of every formation; their deafening shouts overpowered the dissonant cries that broke from all parts of the tumultuous crowd, as foot by foot, and with a horrid carnage, it was driven by the incessant vigour of the attack to the farthest edge of the hill. There the French reserve, mixing with the struggling multitude, endeavoured to sustain the fight; but the effort only increased the irremediable confusion, the mighty mass gave way, and like a loosened cliff, went headlong down the ascent. The rain flowed after in streams discoloured with blood, and fifteen hundred unwounded men, the remnant of six thousand unconquerable British soldiers, stood triumphant on the fatal hill!"
"The Fusiliers exceeded anything that the usual word 'Gallantry' can convey."—Colonel Sir Henry Hardinge.
"In this attack, and carrying the enemy's position, the Fusilier brigade lost 1000 out of 1500 men and 45 officers; among whom three were commanding officers;—and exhibited an example of steadiness and heroic gallantry which history, I believe, cannot surpass."—Major-General Sir G. Lowry Cole.