Peninsular War
In February 1810 the regiment sailed for Lisbon for service in the Peninsular War. It took part in the Battle of Campo Maior on the Spanish-Portuguese border on 25 March 1811 in a clash that occurred between British and Portuguese cavalry, under Robert Ballard Long, and a force of French infantry and cavalry under General Latour-Maubourg. The regiment, two and a half squadrons strong, led by Colonel Michael Head, charged and routed a superior French cavalry force of no less than six squadrons. The regiment, with two Portuguese squadrons, then went on to pursue the French for seven miles to the outskirts of Badajoz. The report reaching Lord Wellington seems to have glossed over the epic quality of the charge and emphasised the overlong pursuit. After receiving Marshal Beresford's report, Wellington issued a particularly harsh reprimand to the regiment calling them "a rabble" and threatening to remove their horses from them and send the regiment to do duty at Lisbon. The officers of the regiment then wrote a collective letter to Wellington detailing the particulars of the action. Wellington is reported as saying that had he known the full facts he would never have issued the reprimand. The historian Sir John Fortescue wrote, "Of the performance of Thirteenth, who did not exceed two hundred men, in defeating twice or thrice their numbers single-handed, it is difficult to speak too highly
Waterloo
The regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Shapland Boyse and forming part of the 5th Cavalry Brigade, next took part in the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. The regiment charged repeatedly during the day and completely routed a square of French infantry. An officer of the 13th wrote: Our last and most brilliant charge,
was at the moment that Lord Hill, perceiving the movement of the Prussian army, and finding the French Imperial Guard on the point of forcing a part of the British position, cried out, - "Drive them back, 13th!" such an order from such a man, could not be misconstrued, and it was punctually obeyed. At that battle the armies of Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington and Generalfeldmarschall Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher decisively defeated the armies of the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.
Commissioned Officer Ranks
Captain - Cpt
Lieutenant - Lt
Non-Commissioned Officer Ranks
Staff Corporal Of Horse - SCoH
Corporal Of Horse - CoH
Lance Corporal Of Horse -LCoH
Lance Corporal - LCpl
Enlisted
Elite Trooper -EltTrp
Veteran Trooper - VetTrp
Trooper - Trp
Cadet - Cdt
Adding in soon!
