Page:Historical Record of the Fifty-Sixth, Or the West Essex Regiment of Foot.djvu/57

Rh embarkation for Europe, affords an opportunity to the Right Honorable the Governor in Council, of expressing his approbation of the conduct of that valuable corps, whilst serving on the establishment of this presidency, and as a testimonial of the sense entertained of its important services in this country, is pleased to allow three months full batta to be issued to the officers of the battalion, previous to their departure from India.”

Four hundred men volunteered to remain in India, and transferred their services to the Regiment: and on the 9th of January, the battalion companies embarked for England. They landed at Liverpool in May, marched to Rochester, and were disbanded at that place on the 25th of June. The flank companies left Bombay in July, landed at Portsmouth on the 10th of December, and were disbanded at Chatham on the 29th of that month. The regiment left Port Louis on the 1st of March, for Flacq, and in July to Mahebourg, where it received the colours of the late second battalion. It was employed in patrolling and other duties for the suppression of the slave trade.

After commanding the regiment twenty-one years, General the Honorable Chapple Norton died; and was succeeded in the colonelcy by Lieut.-General Sir John Murray, Baronet, from the third West India Regiment, by commission dated the 31st of March, 1818.

In July, 1819, the regiment returned to Port Louis, where it was inspected by Major-General Darling, who stated in orders dated the 16th of August,—“The inspection has afforded the Major-General much real satisfaction. A finer body of men than compose this regiment is perhaps nowhere to be seen; they are clean and soldierlike in appearance, well appointed, and in no respect deficient: in short, the care and attention