n which the 12th, 19th, 22nd,
65th, 84th, and 89th, under Abercrombie, and the 14th, 59th, 69th,
78th, and 89th, under Auchmuty, took an active part. Their capture
freed those seas from the Dutch and French privateers, and secured our
trade route with Calcutta.

The want of employment militarily, in South Africa, led to the
transference of the theatre of war to South America. In 1806, a small
force of dragoons, marines, and the 71st Foot occupied Buenos Ayres
with scarcely any opposition, but the Spanish afterwards assembled in
some strength, and compelled General Carr Beresford to capitulate.
Measures were at once taken to remedy this disaster. Colonel Vassall
of the 38th, and Colonel Backhouse, with the 43th, occupied the island
of Maldonado, which commanded the harbour of the same name, and, after
storming the batteries, furnished a safe and protected anchorage for
the fleet, which, with General Auchmuty, and the 38th, 40th, 47th,
87th, a company of the 71st, the 93rd, some marines, and the 17th Light
Dragoons, was on the way from England. The enemy were defeated outside
the town of Monte Video, when the advance was made from Maldonado,
but the further effort to penetrate into the city, through a breach
made by a few light guns, met with the most determined resistance,
and the assault of the “Gibraltar of America” cost some 600 officers
and men out of the 1200 who formed the column of assault, among whom
was Colonel Vassall, who had won the affectionate regard of the 38th
Regiment, which he commanded. So much so was this the case, that it is
said that when the regiment returned home and was stationed in Ireland,
a publican “realised a little fortune by simply hoisting as his sign
the effigies of the colonel,” and the “Vassall Arms” were as popular
there as was the name of the “Marquis of Granby,” Dorking, in former
years.[30]

The capture was some consolation for the loss of Buenos Ayres, and
Auchmuty’s success led to the hope that our disaster there might be
avenged. So it might, possibly, h