Page:Historical Record of the Fifty-Sixth, Or the West Essex Regiment of Foot.djvu/49

Rh

Two companies of the second battalion were ordered to garrison Surat, in February, 1813; and the head-quarters embarked for the Guzerat, where they arrived at the Dutch Bundes in Surat on the 9th of March; and owing to the bad and unhealthy state of these quarters, the battalion was removed in April, to Domus, where it was encamped: but re-occupied the Dutch Bundes in June, with two companies at Surat.

Four companies were detached, in the same month, under the command of Captain Barrington, to join the Guicwar's subsidiary force, under the orders of Colonel Holmes, of the East India Company’s service. On the third day the four companies marched from Khim to Oclasceer, a distance of eighteen miles, the last six of which were across an arid plain, destitute of shelter, and exposed to an unusual degree of heat, when many men fell from complete exhaustion; three died where they fell; and seven others expired during the day, after they had been removed to quarters by the natives. These four companies were followed, in September, by two others, under Lieut.-Colonel Kingscote who assumed the command of the six companies with the force under Colonel Holmes, which was employed in operations for the re-establishment of the rightful heir to the throne, which had been usurped by the uncle. On the 15th of November this force took possession of the fort of Palampore, which the Scindians had evacuated early in the morning. The troops remained in the neighbourhood of this place until the end of the year, when the companies of the marched back to the camp at Domus, where the Guzerat fever deprived the corps of many valuable soldiers.

Notwithstanding its numerous losses, the recruiting of the regiment was conducted with great success, under the influence and zealous efforts of its colonel, and its ranks received a constant supply of young men, many