58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment of Foot
Encyclopedia
The 58th Regiment of Foot was a British Army
line infantry
regiment
. During the Childers Reforms
it was united with the 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot
to form the Northamptonshire Regiment
.
. Originally numbered the 60th Regiment of Foot, and bearing the name of its colonel, Robert Anstruther, it was re-numbered in 1757 as the 58th Regiment of Foot.
In 1779, during the American War of Independence they were stationed at Gibraltar, taking part in the Great Siege
from 1779 to 1783.
In 1782 they acquired their county association, becoming the 58th Rutlandshire Regiment.
In the French Revolutionary Wars
the 58th saw action in Egypt at the Battle of Alexandria, and later, under Wellington
in the Peninsular campaign
. During this they fought at Salamanca
and at Burgos
.
In 1843 the 58th regiment took over garrison duties in New South Wales from the 80th who had been posted to India. In 1845 they were sent to New Zeaand because of Maori unrest in the Bay of Islands due to dissatisfaction with the Treaty of Waitangi. The regiment remained in N.Z. until November 1858 having been in action during the Northern Wars, Wanganui and north of Wellington during 1845-47. On embarkation for England, the regiment consisted of 16 officers and 194 men. Over 300 men of the regiment took discharge in New Zealand.
In 1881, as part of the Childers Reforms
, the 58th were amalgamated with the 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot
, becoming the 2nd battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment
.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
line infantry
Line infantry
Line infantry is a type of infantry which composed the basis of European land armies from the middle of the 17th century to the middle of the 19th century....
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
. During the Childers Reforms
Childers Reforms
The Childers Reforms restructured the infantry regiments of the British army. The reforms were undertaken by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers in 1881, and were a continuation of the earlier Cardwell reforms....
it was united with the 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot
48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot
-History:The regiment was first raised in 1741 as James Cholmondeley's Regiment of Foot in Norwich, England during the War of Austrian Succession. The regiment first saw action at the Battles of Falkirk and Culloden in 1745-1746, campaigning against the Young Pretender. In 1748, it was renumbered...
to form the Northamptonshire Regiment
Northamptonshire Regiment
The Northamptonshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1960. Its lineage is now continued by The Royal Anglian Regiment.-Formation:The regiment was formed as part of the reorganisation of the infantry by the Childers reforms...
.
Service history
The 58th was formed in 1755 for service during the Seven Years' WarSeven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
. Originally numbered the 60th Regiment of Foot, and bearing the name of its colonel, Robert Anstruther, it was re-numbered in 1757 as the 58th Regiment of Foot.
In 1779, during the American War of Independence they were stationed at Gibraltar, taking part in the Great Siege
Great Siege of Gibraltar
The Great Siege of Gibraltar was an unsuccessful attempt by Spain and France to capture Gibraltar from the British during the American War of Independence. This was the largest action fought during the war in terms of numbers, particularly the Grand Assault of 18 September 1782...
from 1779 to 1783.
In 1782 they acquired their county association, becoming the 58th Rutlandshire Regiment.
In the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
the 58th saw action in Egypt at the Battle of Alexandria, and later, under Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
in the Peninsular campaign
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
. During this they fought at Salamanca
Battle of Salamanca
The Battle of Salamanca saw Anglo-Portuguese and Spanish armies under the Duke of Wellington defeat Marshal Auguste Marmont's French forces among the hills around Arapiles south of Salamanca, Spain on July 22, 1812 during the Peninsular War....
and at Burgos
Siege of Burgos
At the Siege of Burgos, from 19 September to 21 October 1812, the Anglo-Portuguese Army led by General Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington tried to capture the castle of Burgos from its French garrison under the command of General of Brigade Jean-Louis Dubreton. The French repulsed every...
.
In 1843 the 58th regiment took over garrison duties in New South Wales from the 80th who had been posted to India. In 1845 they were sent to New Zeaand because of Maori unrest in the Bay of Islands due to dissatisfaction with the Treaty of Waitangi. The regiment remained in N.Z. until November 1858 having been in action during the Northern Wars, Wanganui and north of Wellington during 1845-47. On embarkation for England, the regiment consisted of 16 officers and 194 men. Over 300 men of the regiment took discharge in New Zealand.
In 1881, as part of the Childers Reforms
Childers Reforms
The Childers Reforms restructured the infantry regiments of the British army. The reforms were undertaken by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers in 1881, and were a continuation of the earlier Cardwell reforms....
, the 58th were amalgamated with the 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot
48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot
-History:The regiment was first raised in 1741 as James Cholmondeley's Regiment of Foot in Norwich, England during the War of Austrian Succession. The regiment first saw action at the Battles of Falkirk and Culloden in 1745-1746, campaigning against the Young Pretender. In 1748, it was renumbered...
, becoming the 2nd battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment
Northamptonshire Regiment
The Northamptonshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1960. Its lineage is now continued by The Royal Anglian Regiment.-Formation:The regiment was formed as part of the reorganisation of the infantry by the Childers reforms...
.