 January 1812 saw the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo. Companies from the Light Division, under the 52nd's Colonel Colborne, captured the Francisco redoubt on 9 January, and thereafter built trenches for the main assault, under enemy fire. Once the army's artillery had breached the walls, a 4-column assault was planned for 19 January, the Light Division forming the column which assaulted the breach near the Convent of San Francisco. Lt John Gurwood of the 52nd led the Forlorn Hope, followed by 300 "stormers" under the command of the 52nd's Major George Napier. The breach was carried and the fortress was taken within half an hour, at high cost. Amongst the 1300 British and Portuguese casualties was Craufurd, who died several days later. The army turned its attention to Badajoz, another strong fortress, which the British had failed to carry on an earlier occasion. The Light Division dug trenches near Fort Picurina, which was stormed, and established batteries. On 6 April, the breaches were deemed practicable, and the Light Division were ordered to storm the breach at Santa Maria. As the Light Division's Forlorn Hope reached the ditch, the French exploded a mine. Various other barricades and gunpowder defences were in place, and the toll at the breaches was heavy. Wellington ordered a withdrawal. Elsewhere, the fortress walls were achieved by escalade, encouraging an attack on the breaches again. The fortress was taken, at great cost (over 5000 British casualties), and for three days the army sacked and pillaged the town in undisciplined revenge. The 52nd and the 43rd together lost 39 officers and 700 men, resulting in a reduction of the 2 / 52nd, who saw no more action in the Peninsula.
