Carole Divall

2nd Battalion:Gibraltar

There have been three deaths in the past two weeks, and the incidence of sickness is continuing to rise.

One sergeant, the long-serving John Darville, and eight men have joined from Portugal, where they had established a small depot.  Corporal William Fuller has joined from England, having been promoted while at Wakefield with the depot.  Corporal John Fair has been promoted to sergeant.  Corporals William Brumish and John Gannon have been transferred to the 1st battalion.

Lieutenant George Adamson has joined from sick leave.

For Quartermaster Sergeant Robert Daniell, news of his recent commission, without purchase, has finally been confirmed.  This honour has been granted at the particular request of the commanding officer of the battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Minet, and the other senior officers, and is a reward for long and devoted service.  It is also a reminder to others that a man in the ranks may finish his career as an officer.

For Private Fleming, there has been good news of another kind.  He has been found not guilty of offences against a local inhabitant.

There will be an inspection of the battalion on the 24th November.

1st Battalion:Trichinopoly

There is still no date set for the court martial of Lieutenant Nicholson, who remains under arrest.  Having been refused permission to return to Europe, Captain Chambers is supposed to be on his way from Madras to join the battalion at Trichinopoly. He has been summoned as a prosecution witness, but it is clearly reluctant to perform this finction at his friend’s trial.

Madras to Trichinopoly is approximately 200 miles

Although it is a considerable journey there is also some suspicion that he is delaying his return.

Depot: In Wakefield,and recruiting

The recruiting company continues to operate in the same recruiting areas as last month.  The returns indicated that fifteen recruits have joined, three from Sleaford, two from Cambridge, three from Dublin and seven from Galway.  This is in addition to eleven men from the Irish Militia, particularly welcome because they have already been trained.

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There has long been a tendency to denigrate the reputation of Sir John Moore, as does Oman when he accuses Napier of “defending Moore”; often this criticism is balanced by adulation of Wellington, or Sir Arthur Wellesley, as he was at the time of Moore’s death in January 1809.  It is interesting, therefore, to consider how the two men regarded each other when they came into contact in Portugal in 1808. Continue Reading »

2nd Battalion: Gibraltar

The officer strength, present, is now six staff and 20 company officers.  This allows two officers per company, still under strength, and No.2 company is commanded by an ensign.

The following general order for the garrison will have occupied the attention of Major Hamilton, in command in the absence of Lieutenant Colonel Minet.

“During the four months, from the 25th October to the 24th February, which are established for the Drills and Field-Days for the Regiments of the Line in the Garrison, to prepare them for the Reviews, which are always to be completed between the 25th of February and the 24th of March, it being required that the Officers should attend two Drills or Field-Days in the week; and the Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates three”.

The commanding officer of each corp was responsible for ensuring that the different parts of the exercise were carried out in accordance with regulations.

There have been no deaths in the past month but the sickness rate continues to be high, twenty men per company on average.  Surgeon Hennen, and his assistant, Brett, are struggling to cope with well over a hundred sick men, which represents more than 20% of the manpower.

Not surprisingly, hygiene is a particularly urgent concern of the battalion.  For this reason, the following garrison order is observed.

“The most pointed and unremitting attention to cleanliness, both in the persons of the Men, and in the interior of their Barracks, and the admission of the fresh air in to the Rooms, being points, of all others, the most essential and conducive to health, as well as the comfort of the men; advantage is to be taken of every opportunity, when the weather will admit of it, between the first Morning Parade, and the Breakfast Hour, (except on those days when the Regiment is kept off duty, and on Sundays, when the time is otherwise employed,) to send the Men under charge of their Officers to bathe, and wash at the Old and New Moles, and at Ragged Staff; as also to have their Bedding well shook and thoroughly aired, by bring it out into the Barrack-Square, at which time the Rooms are always to be washed, and the platforms and Trussels scoured.”

Three men who were left behind in Ireland when the battalion sailed to Portugal have now been discharged, two with pulmonary complaints and one as blind.  This last man has fallen victim to opthalmia, a complaint that has plagued the army since the Egypt expedition of 1801.  Another loss to the battalion is Corporal Henry Gibson, who has been transferred to the first battalion.

On the 31st October Private Thomas Fleming faced a general court martial, accused of insulting and striking an inhabitant of Gibraltar.  He now awaits the verdict of the court in considerable trepidation.  The offence is so serious that if he is found guilty he is likely to be sentenced to at least 500 lashes.

1st Battalion: Trichinopoly

The officer strength, present, is five staff and twenty-two company officers.  Among the officers on detached duties and absent with leave are four prisoners of the French.  Captains Roberts and Hawker, Lieutenant Howard and Ensign Sullivan were all aboard the transport ship, Jenny, on their way to north Germany in December 1805 when they were storm-driven to Gravelines.  Since then they have been held in Verdun, along with over a hundred men.

Captain Chambers, at Madras, has forwarded a request for leave to return to Europe, where the recommendation he has received will allow him to transfer into another regiment.  There is some question about whether this request will be granted, since he may be needed to testify at the court martial of his friend, Nicholson.

Depot: based in Wakefield, and recruiting in several places

Drill (photograph by Tancread)

Cornelius Shea, who was left in Ireland when the second battalion sailed to Portugal, has finally made his way to Wakefield, and has been taken into the depot company.

Ensign Parry is no longer with the recruiting company in Cambridge and is supposed to be on his way to join the first battalion in India, with Ensigns Herring and Light.

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