Page:Historical Record of the Fifty-Sixth, Or the West Essex Regiment of Foot.djvu/47

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Additional troops arriving at this part of the Indian Ocean, Major-General J. Abercromby assumed the command, and an expedition proceeded against the Isle of France, which was afterwards restored to its original designation of the Mauritius, and the detachment of the Regiment had the honor to serve in this enterprise; the party which proceeded, under Lieutenant Mallet, in charge of French prisoners to the Cape, arriving in time to take part in this service. A landing was effected in the Bay of Mapon on the 29th of November, and the troops advanced through a thick wood, when some skirmishing occurred, and Lieut.-Colonel Keating, of the, and twelve men of the piquet, were wounded. Penetrating the open country on the following day, the troops experienced great inconvenience from the want of water, and halted at the streams of the powder-mills, five miles from Port Louis. After passing the night at this place, they resumed the march, and were opposed in their progress by a strong body of the enemy, when some severe fighting occurred, in which the British soldiers were triumphant: the Regiment had five men killed and several wounded.

Pursuing their victorious career, the British troops advanced to the enemy’s lines; and on the following morning the French Commander, General de Caen, proposed to capitulate; thus was this valuable colony wrested from the enemy, and it has continued to form part of the possessions of the British crown to the present time.

During this year the star of Britain shone bright on the naval and colonial affairs of this great maritime power, whose enemies were deprived of the last establishment which they had possessed beyond the Cape of Good Hope, and the Pompadours had the honor of sharing in these brilliant adventures.