Extract from the Gloucestershire Family History Strays Index:
"Giles Vizard from Gloucestershire, of The Royal South Gloucestershire Militia, married Mary Stephens at Brighton, Sussex 26th January 1807."
Giles Vizard was my G.G.G.G. Grandfather. What follows is a log of what the Glorious Glosters did:
1783-1792 Stationed in Ireland for 9 years to help with civil strife (I would imagine that Giles joined them between 1790 and 1807).
1794 To the West Indies. During the attack on St. Lucia the Regiment had 9 men killed and Captains Riddle and Wheelan, Lieutenants Grant and Moor and Ensign Butler and 52 men wounded whilst the island was taken.
1796 Back to England.
1798 Sailed for the Cape of Good Hope.
1801 The Regiment arrived in Egypt and marched 130 miles accross the desert in July. They found the bodies of a French Column that had attempted the same route, but lost only one man.
1803-4 The 61st was in Malta.
1805 They were at Messina, defending Sicily from the French. In June, a select force, made up of the flank companies of 8 battalions sailed for the Italian coast.
July 4th 1806 Sent to Malta where the British and French came into conflict. The result was a victory for the British, even though they were out-numbered.
July 22nd 1812 The Glorious Glosters were engaged in the Penninsular War at the Battle of Salamanca:
The 61st Division were in reserve with the 11th Foot (the Devons). They were ordered to advance and drive the French from a steep hill and were subject to intense musket fire as they marched up. The French eventually gave ground and were persued down the other side. The 61st lost 9 officers and over 100 men, and the Division was all but wiped out.
1816 The Battle of Tolouse.
1816 Sailed for Jamaica and didn't return for 5 years. Our Giles must have left by then as he had children in those 5 years following.