Page:Historical Record of the Fifty-Sixth, Or the West Essex Regiment of Foot.djvu/48

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The second battalion remained at Barachia; and so successful was the recruiting of the regiment, under the influence and zealous efforts of its colonel, Lieut.-General the Hon. Chapple Norton, that the establishment of the second battalion was augmented to one thousand three hundred and six non-commissioned officers and soldiers; making the number of the two battalions in India, two thousand six hundred and twelve, and, notwithstanding the casualties of war and climate, the effectives approximated the establishment. A strong detachment of volunteers from the militia, to the, arriving in India in May, was stationed at the Portuguese establishment at Goa. The detachment under Lieutenant Cairnes continued to serve as marines.

In March, 1811, the party from Goa joined the head-quarters of the first battalion at Bellary; and towards the close of the year, Lieut.-Colonel Keating returned with the detachment from the capture of Bourbon and the Mauritius. The Honorable the East India Company expressed its sense of the valuable services of the regiment, by presenting the first battalion with a pair of new colours, during its stay at Bellary.

This year the second battalion returned to Bombay.

In May, 1812, Lieut.-Colonel Kingscote arrived from England, and took the command of the second battalion, which, in October, marched from the town barracks, Bombay, to the pendals on Colabah.

The first battalion quitted Bellary, and in September joined the field-force assembled in the southern Mahratta country, under the command of Colonel Dowse, of the East India Company’s Service, for the purpose of enforcing the payment of the arrears of the customary tribute, withheld by the Ranee of Raree; and took part in all the operations consequent upon the performance of this duty.