A work-in-progress!
The
Napoleonic Wars
1803 - War breaks out with France again. Colonel-Commandant Henry Fletcher dies on St. Patrick's Day, after 48 years of service in the 35th. 35th remains stationed in Malta.
1804 - Col. Lennox, who had been recruiting largely from Sussex, gets permission for the 35th to change its name from 'The Dorsetshire Regiment" to the "Sussex Regiment" which had been the name of the 25th Regiment of Foot prior. Napoleon crowns himself Napoleon I, Emperor of the French.
1805 - To counter the French threat, the 2nd Battalion of the 35th is raised again and filled with volunteers from the Militia. It is commanded by Brevet Lt. Col. Petit and Brevet Major Bunbury. 1/35th lands in Naples on November 20th along with other British units and 14,000 Russians.
1806 - French fleet arrives in Naples, forcing allied withdrawal in January. 1/35th garrisons the fortress at Melazzo in southern Italy. British force advances on Maida on July 4 with Italian reinforcements. French army is defeated with 700 casualties to the British losses of 45 KIA and 282 wounded. After a short, brilliant campaign, the regiment is quartered in Melazzo again. 2/35th under Maj. Lorenzo Moore joins the 1/35th at Melazzo from England. Both battalions occupy the citadel of Messina to defend passage to Sicily.
1807 - Britain declares war on Turkey. 1/35 and 2/35th part of the 2nd Brigade under Col. Oswald and leaves Messina for Alexandria, Egypt. Allied forces advance on El-Hamet, where they are routed by overwhelming superior numbers. "...on my recovery, found the enemy in the square, engaged in a fierce contest with about a dozen soldiers of the 35th and 78th Regiments, who had obstinately refused to delivery up their arms, and who were eventually slain," describes Capt. Macalister of the 35th. All wounded are taken prisoner by the Turks and most die shortly thereafter, following brutal treatment. Remaining prisoners are exchanged in Cairo in September. British withdraw after a few abortive attempts at other positions back to Sicily. 35th returns to Melazzo.
1808 - Intense skirmishing along the southern Italian regions. 2/35th returns to England.
1809 - British expedition advances on Fortress Procida, which capitulates without a shot. 2/35th embarks for Holland and takes Flushing. Fever devastates British army, killing 8,000. British force returns to England on Christmas. Meanwhile, 1/35th under Lorenzo Moore part of the Ionian Island campaign, captures and garrisons Cephalonia and receives the thanks of His Majesty.
1810 - Ionian campaign continues, 35th Foot captures Santa Maura with Italian and Greek allies. Lt. Col. Oswald receives awards and thanks from Zante, Cephalonia, Ithaca, and Santa Maura for liberating them from the French.
1811 - Oswald retires, regiment remains in garrison.
1812 - Capt. Henry Rutherford of the 35th leads a company with some marines against the French at Cape Ceste in the Adriatic Sea. The Island of Lissa falls in April, expedition returns to Zante.
1813 - 1/35th liberates most of the Adriatic and the British join the Austrians in ousting the French from northern Italy from Fiume to Genoa. 2/35th part of British expedition to the Netherlands again, lands at Bergen-Op-Zoom.
1814 - Allies capture Antwerp in Holland. British attempt to take Bergen-Op-Zoom, but it is a disaster, 35th covers the British retreat. Skirmishing continues until April, when Napoleon abdicates and is exiled to Elba. British leave Sicily and the 1/35th occupies Corfu, Albania.
1815 - Napoleon returns to France and begins the 100 Days Campaign. British forces in the Netherlands scramble to reassemble. General Lennox (35th) is placed in command of the British reserve at Hal. Battle of Waterloo defeats Napoleon once and for all. He is exiled to St. Helena, where he remains for the rest of his life. British forces occupy France, 2/35th retires to England, then to Ireland. 1/35th remains in the Ionian Islands before returning the next year.