200 “The Wiltshire Regiment for Wiltshire.” 
embarked in January, 1816, on board the Lord Melville, bound for Kinsale ; but 
owing to the atmosphere being so thick and hazy and a heavy gale springing up, 
in the attempt to run the vessel into Kinsale harbour it was driven by the 
violence of the tempest upon a bed of rocks. The sea breaking into the cabin, 
together with the continual dashing on the rocks, a boat was manned for the 
ladies on board to endeavour making the shore. Two officers’ wives with their 
servants, soldiers of the.Fifty-Ninth Regiment, six of the crew together with 
Captain Radford, of the Sixty-Second Regiment (who was in a weak state of 
health), got into the boat and made for the shore ; but distressing to add, they 
had not reached half-way, when the boat was swamped, and, with the exception 
of one sailor, all perished.” * 
The battalion proceeded to Fermoy from whence it marched to 
Dublin, and was broken up on the 24th of February, 1816. Four 
hundred of them were sent to complete the first battalion then at 
Halifax, Nova Scotia. After a service of five years in North 
America, this first battalion returned to Portsmouth, and went soon 
after to Ireland. 
In 1825 the Regiment was augmented to ten companies of seventy- 
four rank and file. Five years in Ireland; then to Madras and 
Bangalore. 
In 1881 the regiment received the thanks of the Major-General 
commanding and the Government, for their services at Bangalore in 
India. 
1838. Stillin India. Cholera on march to Masulipatam. Moved 
in 1834 to Moulmein. 
1839. Establishment in India increased to one thousand and 
forty. Moving about India. 
In 1842, on the 6th September, at 2 in the early morning whilst 
the regiment was going up the Ganges, from Calcutta to Dinapore, 
a violent hurricane fell on it near Sickree Gullee Newgong Rocks. 
The officers and men with their wives and families, were asleep on 
the vessels, in which they were making their journey, moored to 
the river bank for the night. Many of the little fleet were soon 
swamped, and two officers (Lieutenants Seobell and Gason), five 
sergeants, four corporals, thirty-four privates, six women and twelve 
children—sixty-three in all—were drowned. The colonel of the 
regiment (now General Sir Thomas Reed) was with Lady Reed ina 
pinnace,which was driven from its moorings,and then floated down the 
* W. O. Doc., lady’s Landwriting, 
