Military General Service, 8 clasps, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse
R. S. Ruddach, Lieut. 27th Foot
Robert Steuart Ruddach was born in October 1795, educ. Eton and joined the 27th Foot as Ensign. 28 Nov. 1811. Lieutenant by purchase in January 1813 from Lieutenant Bakewell who had been wounded, for £150.
He served with the 3/27th and experienced a harsh reality earning his first clasp for Badajoz where the 27th lost 16 officers and 169 Ranks killed or wounded in the breach on the 6th April. The 3/27 saw hard service throughout the Peninsula with some 70 casualties at thr rearguard action at Castrejon, 18 July, 1812. At the first battle of Sorauren (Pyrenees) , 28 July, 1813, some 260 officers and men killed or wounded and then over 100 at Toulouse.
The 3/27th were then sent to North America forming part of the 1st Brigade of veterans of the Peninsular War under Major General Frederick Philipse Robinson (the 3/27th, 39th, 76th and 88th Regiments of Foot). Present at Plattsburg (Ruddach’s presence is listed by his grave record , Peninsula and the War of 1812 (Plattsburgh) veteran), where the Brigade forced the Saranac Robinson’s brigade had been misdirected by some British staff officers and missed the ford which was their objective. Once they had retraced their steps, Robinson’s brigade, soon drove the defenders back, and the British had crossed the ford and were preparing to advance, when the orders arrived from Prévost to call off the attack to the lasting disdain of Robinson.
Exchanged into the 20th London Gazette, 25/11/1815 and Captain by purchase 19th Light Dragoons, 25/05/1820, the 1821 Army List refers, London Gazette, 9/6/1820.
Ruddach is shown in the 1851 Census as living St. Paul, Bedford with wife and 10 children, died on 7 November 1860 and is buried at St. Saviour Churchyard, Jersey.
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