THE ROYAL IRISH FUSILIERS. THE RECORD OF THE ' FAUGH-A-BALLAGHS.'

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4, 25 January 1900, Page 10

THE ROYAL IRISH FUSILIERS. THE RECORD OF THE ' FAUGH-A-BALLAGHS.'

THE gallant action performed by the Royal Irifh Fusiliers, as reported in last Tuursday's daily papers, reminds us that the history of that famous regiment is a very brilliant one. The EightySeventh was raised over a century ago— in 171'3 — by Lieutenant Oolohpl Rir John Doylp, a'terward* General Sir John Doyle. The first exploit of the regiment was performed when it was on Bervice in Flandere, dnriDg the war between Great Britain and Holland. It got its baptism of fire in repelling an outpost attack at Alost, when General Doyle was wounded. IN SOUTH AMEKICA AND THE WEST INDIES. In 1795 the regiment was sent into Bergen-op-Zoom to bo drilled but was there taken as prisoners of war by the French. After being returned to England the regiment, in 1796, saw service in the West Indies, under Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby, and remained there eight years, losing, by diseases incident to the climate, many officers and between 700 and 800 men. In 1801 a second battalion was added to the first. Three years later the first battalion took part in the campaign in South America and took the city of Monte Video by storm — an exploit for which they were allowed to show the words ' Monte Video ' on their regimental oolors and appointments. They subsequently, July 5, 1807, compelled the surrender of the troops defending Buenos Ayres to the number of 1,500. The first battalion of the regimentfrom the years 1808 and 1809 was stationed at the Cape of Good Hope. Its next place of service was India, where it compelled the rajah of Nepaul, who had broken hie treaty with the East India Company, to sue for peace. Ita subsequent service in India, up to the year 1821, obtained for it the gift of silver cups and plate, as well as special recognition for meritorious conduct by the Governor-General of India. After a brief campaign in Burmah, on June 23, 1827, the Eightyseventh was landed in England, and has been placed on the British establishment from that day inclusive, with an effective strength of 208 rank and file. In token of its exploits, the regiment now received the name of " The Prince of Wales' Own Irish Regiment of Fusilierß," and blue facings were adopted, instead of green, in order to make it uniform with the other fusilier regiments. On April 1, 1848, the regiment was augmented to fifty-seven sergeants, twentyone drummers, fifty corporals and 950 privates. THE BATTLE OF TALAVERA. , The second battalion, raised from the counties of Tipperary Galway, and Clare, was placed on the establishment of the army from December 25, 1804, at GOO rank and file, augmented the following year to 800, and in the year 1807 to 1000. In March, 1809, the battalion was Bent to Lisbon, and there joined the army under the command of General Sir Arthur Wellesley. It was employed in the operations against the French at Oporto, and in Aptil pursued the French army, which had retreated from Portugal towards Madrid. The regiment next took part in the battle of Talavera. The English regiments, here putting the French skirmishers aside, met the advancing columns with loud shouts, and breaking in on their front, lapping their flanks with fire, pu-htd them hack with terrible carnage. Ten guns were taken, and though the French rallied on their supports their effort was a vain one The British artillery and musketry played too vehemently on their masses, and a Spanish regiment of cavalry charging on their flank at the same time, the whole army retired in disorder, and the victory was scoured. In the action Major general McKenzie, who commanded the division of whioh the Eighty-seventh formed part, was killed. The news of the victory of lalavera. gained over the French army commanded by Joseph Bonaparte in person, excited great joy in England, and Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Wellesley waß raised to the peerage, with the title of Viscount Wellington. The Eightyseventh subsequently received the royal authority to bear the word 'Talavera' on the regimental colours and appoiatments, in commemoration of the conduct of the second battalion on the occasion. ' THE EAGLE-TAKERS.' In the early part of 1810 the battalion proceeded to Cadiz, then besieged by a powerful French army under Marshal Soult, and was occupied the whole of the year in erecting batteries ami strengthening the defences of thri place. In 1811 the force of which the battalion formed part gain*d, at Barrossi, under LieutenantGeneral Graham, a decisive victory over the French army under Marshal Victor. In this engagement the eagle of the other French regiment and a howitzer were cap m red and remaim d in po^easion of Major Gough of the Eighty-seventh, regiment. Lieutenant - General Graham subsequently congratulated General Sir John Doyle on the steadiness and gallantry displayed by the Bccond battalion in an action whioh redounded so much to the f ime of the British arms. The Eighty-seventh next succe^sf ully defended the breach made by the French in the walls of the town of Tarifa, the drums and fifes of the regiment playing ' Patrick's D,.y ' and ' Garry Owen ' as the French, much more numerous, came up to receive their fire. A LIMEHICK FOOTBALLER. The battalion next performed several marches under circuinBtances of considerable hardship and difficulty. On one occasion. when the Eighty-seventh hud taken up ita ground on a hill not far from the enemy, a shell from a masked howitzer fell in the centre of one of the companies. The men naturally tried to get out of the way, when James Geraghty, a private grenadier, called to the men that he would show them ' how they played football in Limerick.' He immediately kicked the live shell, with its burning fuse, over

the edge of the hill. The moment it touched the ground it exploded, without injuring anybody. For this gallant act the commanding officer made the man a handsome present. 'THE OLD FOGS.' The struggle at Vittoria was the next battlefield in which the Irish Fusiliers distinguished themselves. In this conflict the Eightyseventh, under Gough, had the honour of taking the baton of Marshal Jourdan, in acknowledgement of which the Prince Regent made the Marquis of Wellington a field marshal. The Eightyseventh subsequently won honours in an engagement at Nivelle, where great gallantry was displayed in au attack upon a fortified hill. The Eighty-seventh also fought in the Netherlands in the war of 1814-1815 ; at Ava in 1826, and took part in suppressing the Indian mutiny of 1857-1838. The Irish Fusiliers were nicknamed ' The Old Fogs,' also ' The Faugh-a-Ballagh Boya,' from ' Fag an Bealac ' (clear the way), ita cry at Barrossa ; also ' The Eagle Takers.' The regiment bear the plume of the Prince of Wales, also an eagle with a wreath of laurel, from the capture of the French eagle, as described above ; also a harp and orown. From 1793 to 1811 the regiment was known as ' The Prince of Wales' Irish ' ; and from 1811 to 1827, as ' The Prince of Wales' Own Irish,' and from 1827 as • The Royal Irish Fusiliers.'