Napoleonic Wars
The regiment was sent to the West Indies in 1795 for service in the French Revolutionary Wars and took part in the recapture Martinique and Saint Lucia which, following the peace treaty of 1763, had been returned to France, and the attack on Guadeloupe. After returning to England, it took part in the expedition to Egypt in 1800 and fought at the Battle of Alexandria in March 1801 the Siege of Cairo in May 1801 and the Siege of Alexandria in September 1801. It returned home at the end of the year. The regiment was increased in strength to two battalions in 1803.
The 1st battalion embarked for North America in 1814 for service in the War of 1812 and saw action at the Battle of Bladensburg in August 1814, the Battle of North Point in September 1814 and the Battle of New Orleans in January 1815.
Meanwhile the 2nd battalion landed in Portugal in September 1810 and took part in the Battle of Sabugal in April 1811, the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro in May 1811 and the Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo in January 1812. The battalion went on to fight at the Siege of Badajoz in March 1812. At the Battle of Salamanca in July 1812 Lieutenant William Pearce of the 2nd battalion captured the French Imperial Eagle of the French 62nd Regiment. The battalion also took part in the Siege of Burgos in September 1812 and then returned home in June 1813. The battalion embarked for Holland later in the year and saw action at the Battle of Quatre Bras and the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815.[ | (https://i.imgur.com/ZWrhRnj.jpg)
44th Defending Their Colours at Waterloo
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(https://i.imgur.com/O98eeGl.png)
Uniforms of the 44th Regiment of Foot | Battle of Salamanca
Battle of Salamanca, 22 July 1812 - the attack by Sir James Leith's 5th Division. At about 1640hrs the 5th Division, after enduring a prolonged period under fire from French artillery, began its attack on Maacune's division just above the village of Los Arapiles. When the 5th reached the crest of the heights they found Maucune's division drawn up in squares. In the ensuing contest, the British firepower broke the squares apart.
The eagle of the 62nd was taken by Lieutenant Pearce of the 44th English, who appeared in front of its bearer at the moment when he was taking it off its staff to protect it under his coat. They got involved in a fight, in which they were joined by a 2nd eagle-bearer, a French soldier and three English of the 44th. The French soldier was going to drive his bayonet into the Lieutenant, when Private Finlay shot him in the head, saving the Lieutenant’s life and spraying the eagle with the soldier’s blood. The two French bearers also died straight away, one of them killed by Lieutenant Pearce, who snatched the eagle from the hands of one of the dead, then nailed their trophy to a sergeant’s pike, carrying it triumphantly throughout the remainder of the battle, presenting it to Wellington the following day.
Brevet Lieut Colonel Hardinge gained a medal for this victory and the 44th were permitted to bear the word Salamanca on the regimental colour. The battalion had Captains John Berwick Ensign William Standley and four rank and file killed two sergeants one drummer and twenty rank and file wounded at the battle.
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Regiment Contacts
Leader: (https://steam.mmosvc.com/76561198104146908/v1.png) (https://steamcommunity.com/id/JackGlenn/)
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