36th (Herefordshire) Regiment of Foot - Napoleonic Wars 1800-1808

Napoleonic Wars 1800-1808

The 36th Foot was brought up to strength in Winchester by recruits from the militia before moving to Ireland in January 1800. They formed part of an expeditionary force under the command of Brigadier-General Thomas Maitland which sailed from Cork in June 1800, carried our a number of raids on the French coast. In July 1800 the 36th Foot moved to the island of Minorca in the Mediterranean Sea, which had surrendered to the British in 1798. The Treaty of Amiens, signed in March 1802, brought a temporary cessation of hostilities. As part of the treaty's terms Minorca became a Spanish possession, and in August 1802 the regiment returned to Ireland. On 29 June 1804 the 36th Foot was authorised to raise a second battalion, recruiting in County Durham. The battalion was formally placed on the army establishment on Christmas Day 1804, but saw no foreign service and was disbanded in 1814. In early 1806 the 1st Battalion (as the original 36th Foot was temporarily renamed) was briefly in Hanover, a territory held in personal union by George III of the United Kingdom. In autumn 1806 the battalion was selected to form part of a special force under the command of Major-General Robert Craufurd. The brigade left Falmouth in November 1806 in great secrecy, eventually reaching South America in the following year where they made an assault on Buenos Aires. The 1st Battalion returned to Ireland in December 1807.