14th King's Hussars
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[edit] The 14th King's Hussars in the Peninsula
The regiment went to join Wellington's Army in the Iberian Peninsula in 1808 following time spent in England. The regiment gained the battle honour Douro in the May of 1809 having been spared the retreat to Corunna in the same year; the only regiment having been spared this retreat. Hard action at the Talavera in 1809 followed with smaller actions at Barquilla and on the Coa river during 1810. The regiment also saw action at Fuentes d'Onoro in 1811. The following year was a very busy one for the 14th having fought at Salamanca as well as covering the seiges at Badajoz and at Ciudad Rodrigo where Lieutenant-Colonel Talbot, along with 34 of his men were killed.
Minor actions in the Pyrenees followed the battle of Vitoria in 1813 and supporting roles took them through to the passage into France itself. The regiment went back to England at the end of the Peninsula War, but had to find two Squadrons to send to North America. In North America the role of the regiment was limited by the fact that they had arrived without their horses, although they did take part in the battle of New Orleans on 8th January 1815. Due to the action in North America the regiment took no part in the Waterloo Campaign.
[edit] The Nickname
During the battle of Vitoria in 1813 some of the Troops captured a silver chamberpot belonging to King Joseph Bonaparte, brother of the Emperor Napoleon. The regimental nickname of "The Emperors Chambermaids" followed. The chamberpot is still held in the Officers Mess of The King's Royal Hussars and is used as a toasting cup on regimental dinner nights.
