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| Execution of Edward Cooke and Henry Parrish in Hove (Goldstone Area) at 8.30 a.m. on the 15th of June, 1795. Image courtesy of Seaford Museum and Heritage Society. |
Introduction
This blog records the events relating to East Blatchington Battery and Barracks as published in newspapers and shown in other documents of the time. It covers a period from 1761 to 1862 (with references to 1545 & 1587) but is by no means comprehensive. It does, however, include all of the items that I have been able to find in the Seaford Museum archives. My own notes, comments and other information are included in blue italics.
As with newspaper articles today there are many contradictions and errors but taken together they give a pretty reliable picture of the events that shaped the lives of the men stationed in East Blatchington.
Undoubtedly one event stood out which is sometimes described as a ‘Mutiny’ but more accurately should be referred to as ‘Riots’ which took place in the villages and towns of Seaford, East Blatchington, Bishopstone (Tidemills) and Newhaven covering the stretch of a few miles of Sussex coastline i.e. Seaford Bay.
The riots, which were a result of the uncaring army practices of the day, eventually resulted in the execution of 5 men. Local people understood the issues but all of their petitioning went unheeded and the condemned men were executed as an example to other soldiers.
The Establishment was alarmed by what had happened here along with food riots in other parts of the country including one by the Oxford’s in Chichester where some men were jailed when a baker’s shop was broken into. There was another by colliers in Bristol and others around the country.
The positions of MP’s and other establishment figures were sustained by the undemocratic voting practices of the time. They, together with King George III (who was prone to periods of derangement), believed they were losing control of the population and had to act, by making examples of a few. In this case, men of the Oxfordshire Militia.
William Pitt (the younger) the Prime Minister at the time was only 24 years old when he took office. He remained in office for a total of 18 years (1783-1801 & 1804-1806). His father had been PM some years and before that had been the member for the pocket Borough of Seaford.
Military ‘justice’ was particularly harsh during periods of war and ‘control by example’ was repeated up to at least, WW1 when 324 men were ‘shot at dawn’ despite the unspeakable conditions in the trenches.
The conditions in 1795, that the poor men of the Oxfordshire Militia had so long put up with before they finally snapped, were at a time when:
- the whole population were subjected to high taxes to support the French Wars.
- harvests had failed in 1789, 1790, 1792 and 1794 but grain continued to be exported The farm workers’ and labourers’ income from the big farmers/lords of the manor did not keep pace with the cost of living. This was combined with the practice by those same lords and big landowners of enclosing ‘common’ land which had previously been used by the poor to graze a few animals in time of hardship.
- several other food riots had taken place in other parts of the country in 1794.
The Oxford Militia themselves:
- received low pay (less than a shilling a day), quite often paid late, and sometimes in the form of goods. With this they were required to buy their own food from local sources which they cooked themselves. They usually had mess groups of 8 to12 men but cook houses had not yet been built.
- suffered food prices that were soaring due to the harvest failures (e.g. grain prices rose by 108% between January and August 1795) and additionally the men believed that local suppliers took advantage of the ‘captive market’ at the barracks to supply underweight and poor quality provisions. If so, this, no doubt, was to make up for the traders own reduced incomes.
- would have been able to see the grain ships being loaded at Tidemills while they went hungry. They may have believed that this was on its way abroad - even to the French!
- lived in unfinished barracks that were built of wood with brick foundations. They had first been occupied on Christmas Eve 1794 by the Somerset Militia whose stay seems to have been a very short one. When the Oxford Militia arrived in January 1795 the barracks were “quite unfinished”. They were sited on open ground at the edge of Seaford Bay known, then as now, for very high winds off the sea. Lord Spencer reported “snow and rain beating into their hammocks thro the tiles”. Sixty men were accommodated in each room.
- were led by officers who did not achieve their positions by merit. They had mostly bought their commissions and promotions based on an established scale of fees. Lack of age or experience of command was not a barrier. Some officers in the British forces were as young as 16 whos positions had been purchased by their wealthy fathers. One random sample showed an average age for officers of just 21.
- stayed there during January 1795 which is the coldest month ever recorded in England with an average temperature of -3.1c. (a temperature of –21 deg C. was recorded on the 25th (at one location in England). At Christmas snow fell and the frost which followed continued for 13 weeks with a temporary thaw from the 7th to the 12th of February accompanied by heavy rain and flooding. From the 13th of February to the 2nd of March there were several days of snowfall. As the ice thawed in early April the ground became waterlogged and “they could not move from their barrack doors without being half way up their legs in mud”. In any case they were far away from a town of any size. Neither Seaford or Newhaven contained more that a few small shops. Seaford had fewer than 150 houses and a thousand residents.
- marched to training necessitating journeys to the main camp at Brighton some 12 miles away.
- suffered very severe illness during this time, the Barracks not having a hospital, and records show that at least two Oxfordshire Miltiamen were buried by the vicar of St. Peters on the 5th and 10th of February respectively. The Sussex Weekly Advertiser, as early as the 16th February, included a short article i.e. “The Oxfordshire Militia in barracks at Bletchington are in a very unhealthy state”….so their plight was known!
It seems clear that the conditions that the men suffered were not the priority of their senior officers or action would have been taken. Officers were cushioned as a result of greater income and, no doubt, superior accommodation.
The ‘mutiny’ changed much for the good of all troops in Britain i.e.:
- just 16 days after the riots the House of Commons regulated the price, weight and quality of provisions sold to the troops. The difference in price was made up by ‘public account’.
- the officers were ordered to frequently visit the messes.
- commanding officers were ordered to arrange food contracts to supply meat to the men at 4 and a half pence per pound.
- In 1795 age requirements were imposed for officers as was the period of service in each rank (though fees for promotion continued).
In effect the above changes were a recognition of the faults of military command but it was not to save 5 men from the death penalty.
Other actions benefited the population as whole i.e. :
- corn exports were forbidden
- the manufacture of hair powder which reportedly consumed one seventh of all wheat consumption, was prohibited.
- the use of grain for malt distillery, which consumed large quantities of wheat and barley, was also prohibited
- bounties were given for imported grain (879,000 quarters were imported in 1796)
- attempts were made to popularize a standard wholemeal bread
- increased cultivation of arable land was encouraged (although it increased the rate of ‘enclosure’!)
- the government set about producing regular statistics on the state of the harvest, pay for
Note: Board of Agriculture was set up in 1793 but government was lax about enforcing collection until 1795.
Wheat prices fell over the next two years to less half the 1795 high and by 1798 it was lower than the 1792 price.
The Riots, and other similar events, also had a detrimental effect on personal liberties previously enjoyed by the population as a whole. The Pitt government, wanting to keep the ’lower orders’ in their place, now introduced additional legislation :
- the ‘1795 Treasonable Practices Act’ extended the previous act to include speaking and writing even if no action followed. It attacked public meetings, publications and pamphlets. It became treasonable to bring the king or his government into contempt.
- the ‘1795 Seditious Meetings Act’ said that public meetings of more than 50 persons had to be authorised by a magistrate. JP’s had discretionary power to disperse any public meetings.
The legislation was not repealed until 1824.
The Riots by the Oxfordshire Militiamen were in fact of considerable national historical significance.
Dispelling the myths:
Local publications sometimes refer to “the Seaford Mutiny of 1795”. Only the year ‘1795’ is correct. The men came from ‘East Blatchington Barracks’ and Seaford was not the principal location for the action but rather Newhaven and Bishopstone (Tidemills).
Neither was it a ‘Mutiny’. The reference to ‘mutiny’ is rarely made in newspaper articles of the time and nor did any of the charges at Court Martial or Assizes mention the word but rather “riotously and tumultuously assembling with divers others” and “riotous and disorderly conduct” along with “stealing”. Consequently I believe the words ‘food riots’ would be most appropriate.
Other accounts seems to suggest that troops were of low intelligence and only in the forces because they were dishonourable men trying to escape the courts for some crime or other. This suggestion also needs to be corrected.
The Militia men were raised by ballot in their respective counties and employed only in times of war. The rich were able to avoid service by naming a substitute. The privates and non-commissioned officers were undoubtedly from the lower classes. They were therefore deprived of the formal education enjoyed by the well-to-do but the troops’ level of intelligence would have been, more or less, equal to that of the higher classes.
Nor were they criminals trying to escape justice. Some undoubtedly had dishonest tendencies but probably only in the same ratio as you might expect in society today. Remember also that very minor offences were harshly punished and may have resulted in the choice of army service rather than some more draconian punishments. Today even theft or violence is not considered to be worthy of prison on the first or even subsequent offences. The standards of evidence were much lower and quite often it was the ‘social standing’ of the accuser which resulted in conviction of the lower orders.
The men were well aware of their place in a society. They would have been deferential to ’their betters’ and accepted and expected the inequalities of treatment of the time even to the point of accepting and bravely facing death.
History was not written by the lower classes and indeed literacy levels, at the time, were low. The politicians and the officers in command and responsible for the conditions that the men suffered, plus local traders who may have taken advantage of them, would have wanted to distance themselves from the consequences. Shame on the family would have been keenly felt, not to mention fear of damage to career advancement, so it would have been in their interests to see the blame attached to poor unfortunate ordinary soldiers from the Oxfordshire Regiment.
This is not to say that the higher orders or the officer classes were bad people in general and some indeed, seeing the injustice, spoke out to try to have the death sentences commuted. They were people of their time where class distinction was a part of normal living and accepted by society in general without causing any particular antagonism.
When you have read through this blog you may think that the rioters deserved their fate and should not have borne arms, stolen flour, meat and other items or acted threateningly within the local towns and villages or you may come to believe that the five men of the Oxfordshire Militia, Edward Cooke, Henry Parrish, William Sansom, James Sykes and William Midwinter, and the other convicted men had good cause for their actions (reactions?) and should be considered to be heroes to their social class and to soldiery in general.
Brendon Franks
15th September, 2005.
East Blatchington Battery & Barracks
(The reports in the 18th & 19th centuries are largely taken from ‘The Sussex Weekly Advertiser’)
1545 “Haste, haste, and post haste, for thy lyffe haste”
This message from the Sussex coast warned the people of Kent that the French were attacking and to be on their guard.
In 1545 a fleet led by High Admiral Claude d’Annabant first attacked Brighthelmstone (Brighton) and then Meeching (now part of Newhaven) but with little success. He then landed some 1,500 men on the beach by “Blechington Hille where an entrie was made and burnt some five or six cottages” “but met with such manful resistance from the townsmen aided by the gentry and yeomen of the district they were fain to betake themselves to their ships and galleys and to retire with considerable loss to their own side”. Men of the neighbourhood led by Sir Nicholas Pelham “drove them back to their ships with the loss of 100 men killed and drowned”.
1587 - Defence Survey of the Sussex Coast (by Sir Thomas Palmere and Sir Walter Covert) in anticipation of the Spanish Armada.
The report speaks of “two miles of good landing, and water of three or four fathoms deep at low water, within five miles of shore” referring to Seaford Bay.
The record for East Blatchington coastal area is as follows:
“at Bletchington Hille two rampiers of earth, to plant one demiculverin and one sacre in each; they have there one sacre mounted and furnished”.
The report also identifies:
“ ordinance at Newhaven as unmounted and of little worthe” and having need of “ a bullworke of earthe” . “ At Bishopstone Hill there should be trenches with flankers”. At Seaford there was one faulcon and two faulconets, mounted and furnished, and “some more trenches should be made”. Chinting Farm has need of two demiculverines on the cliff, where there is a sacre the carriage and wheels of which are utterly decayed, and the rampier also in decay”
22nd October 1759
The French remained the main threat to the South Coast. The beaches bordered by the parishes of Newhaven, Bishopstone, Blatchington and Seaford were considered to be a likely point of invasion.
J. P Desmaretz, of unknown foreign extraction who had entered British service in 1709 rising to the position of ‘Architect of the Ordnance’, was ordered by the Board to construct new batteries at Littlehampton, Brighton, Newhaven, Seaford, Hastings, Rye, Hythe and Folkestone.
22nd September 1760
Whereas a number of bricklayers are wanted to complete the two batteries at Seaford in Sussex such workmen as want employment will meet with proper encouragement by enquiring of the Engineer, or of Mr. Phillip Townshend master bricklayer at that place.
1761
By the 12th of September 1760 Mr. Desmaretz, the Architect, reported to the Board that all the batteries along the coast were ready for action except the one on Blatchington Down. The delay had resulted from the owners of the land being out of the country. By agreement with the owners the work went ahead anyway and the Battery ( provided with five 24 pounder cannon) was finished early in 1761 at a cost of £1,040. The Battery design is described as “ flattened ‘broad arrow’ plan - officially a ‘lunette’.
21st April 1776 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Ralph Elliott quarter-gunner battery on the Down.
7th March 1777 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Benjamin Allingham head gunner at the battery on the Down in this Parish.
27th November 1787 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Mary Wood wife of Isaac head gunner Blatchington Fort.
26th April 1789 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried William Rands, gunner of Blatchington Fort.
10th March 1790 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Lewis, under-gunner Blatchington Fort.
1st February 1793 - France declares war on Britain. French wars ended in 1815.
1794
A report in the ‘Downland Post’ of 1st March 1926 records that:
“ A barracks for cavalry and infantry was nearly built at Saltdean in 1794. William, Duke of Cumberland the warlike second son of George II having described Saltdean as one of the best defensive positions on the southern frontier of England. A survey was made of the land in February of that year but the authorities finally chose Blatchington.”
In early 1794 12 acres of land was bought to build a permanent Barrack to house some 1,500 men. Further land was then purchased to provide a hospital and chapel. The original May completion date came and went and the barracks were finally reported as finished in mid-December just in time for the Somerset Militia to take residence on Christmas Eve. The Barrack buildings were built of wood with brick foundations . In March 1798 there was accommodation for 600 infantry. In 1800 a permanent Barracks was built to hold 923 infantry and with 57 horses.
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| Plan of Blatchington Battery and grounds of Barracks. |
3rd March 1794
The Duke of Richmond is shortly expected at Bletchington where 12 acres of ground have been lately purchased by the Government for the purpose of erecting thereon a permanent barracks. Bletchington is a very desirable situation for the above purpose and the neighbouring publicans we believe will not care how soon the plan is framed into execution.
21st April 1794
The intended barracks at Bletchington are very shortly to be set about; bricks for the foundations were laid last week and we hear they are to be compleated in the space of a month, the timbers having already been framed for this purpose.
5th May 1794
At Bletchington there is to be a small encampment of 1500 men.
2nd June 1794
The Duke of Richmond will on Wednesday visit the little camp and barracks at Bletchington.
5th June 1794 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried a private in the Wilts Militia, a pauper.
29th June 1794 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Isabella Colting daughter of John & Jane Colting. Cumberland Militia, pauper.
7th July 1794 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Edward Marlow (or Marlow) of ye Wilts Militia.
5th August 1794 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Margaret Tranter wife of Israel Tranter, age 23. Private Wilts Militia.
11th August 1794 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Robert Harper son of John & Mary Harper. Wilts. Militia.
30th August 1794 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Martha Viveash daughter of David & Sarah Viveash. Wiltshire Militia.
9th September 1794 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Martha Viveash daughter of David and Sarah. Wilts Militia.
22nd September 1794
A short time since a gale about the dead of night struck a number of tents belonging to the Wilts Militia at Seaford and left the astonished soldiers without any article of raiment save their buff birthday jerkins beneath the agitated cape of Heaven to bear the pelting of the pitiless storm.
23rd September 1794 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised William Slee son of John & Dorothy Slee. Serjeant, Cumberland Militia.
28th September 1794 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Tranter daughter of Margaret & Israel Tranter. Wilts Militia.
6th October 1794
Additional hands have lately been set on the barracks erecting at Seaford in order that they may be finished by the time the Camp breaks up when they will be sufficient for the
26th October 1794 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Salus Cooper son of Joseph & Elizabeth Cooper. Wilts Militia.
26th October 1794 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Thomas Maynard son of John & Mary Maynard. Wilts Militia.
22nd December 1794
The Barracks at Bletchington were finished on Saturday last, they are now ready for the reception of soldiers and are expected to be occupied by the Somerset Militia on Wednesday.
1795 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Elizabeth Barton daughter of John and Mary Barton. Oxon Militia in barracks.
5th February 1795 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried a private of the Oxford Militia.
10th February 1795 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Charles Busby a soldier Oxford Reg’t in barracks.
11th February 1795 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Smith wife of Old Smith pauper following the Oxford Regt.
16th February 1795
The Oxfordshire Militia in barracks at Bletchington are in a very unhealthy state.
6th April 1795
Last week a prostitute who has been too lavish with her favors to the soldiery was removed from Bletchington Barracks to the House of Correction in this Town.
16th April 1795 (Thursday evening) - Due to resentment at terrible living conditions at camp, combined with expensive and poor quality meat and bread sold locally to the soldiers, a group of men of the Oxford Militia at Blatchington Barracks go to the butchers shop in Seaford, break in, seize the stock and then parade through the town with their prize. Officers arrive and convince them to return to barracks.
17th April 1795 (Friday early morning) - Without apparent sign of a meaningful resolution to the issues that caused the previous evening’s event, a much larger body of men (reportedly around 500) march to Seaford with bayonets fixed. Here they seize all the meat, flour and bread they can find and sell it off cheaply.
Next the men march back along the Seaford to Newhaven Road, on the way taking wagons and horses from local farmers as far as Tidemills which they proceed to fill with 250 sacks of flour from the mill owned by Edmund Catt and James Barton.
Some of the men now board a sloop ‘Lucy’ being loaded at the mill and force it to be sailed
At around 10 a.m. the constable of Newhaven sends a message to Lord Sheffield, then at Lewes assizes. Immediately Sheffield sends a request to General Ainslie, in command of the town, asking him to send troops to Newhaven to restore order.
Ainslie orders Major Henry Shadwell with 24 Dragoons of the Horse Artillery to Newhaven.
At a distance of some 150 yards from Newhaven the Dragoons meet a group of the Oxford Militia who, with their bayonets fixed, surround the horsemen. Major Shadwell, after some argument, agrees to discuss the grievances of the Oxfords, on his own, in Newhaven. He has his own men dismount and leaves them in the charge of Captain Waller. The major accompanies the party of Oxfords to Newhaven.
Before the party reaches the White Hart the Major is surrounded by more hostile militiamen. He asks them to put down their weapons and form lines so that he might hear what they have to say. However some of the men are drunk and they surround the officer, pushing and all shouting at once, which makes it impossible to hear them. The major makes himself heard over the noise, arranging to meet a spokesman for the men at the nearby Ship Inn.
The officer finds pen and paper and with several of the Oxfords he enters a small room. The spokesman, chosen by the men, is Edward Cooke (a blanket weaver from Witney) who is the Company cook.
Major Shadwell’s efforts fail to placate the men and the situation remains out of control.
18th April 1795 (Saturday) - A force of Lancashire Fencibles arrive from Brighton with two field guns. The Oxfords square up for a fight . The Lancashire’s fire two cannonballs seriously wounding two or three of the militiamen. The Oxfords have no ammunition and after a skirmish with swords the Fencibles prevail. Twenty Five prisoners are taken to Lewes with the remaining men being escorted, under guard, back to their barracks in Blatchington.
18th April 1795 - Lewes
Several of the inhabitants of Lewes and its neighbourhood, present this day at Lewes market, being sensible of their obligation to the officers and men of the Royal regiment of horse and foot artillery, and to the regiment of Lancashire Fencibles for their manly and humane exertions in quelling the late alarming disturbances at Bletchington Barracks, wish to take this public method of conveying their thanks to the officers and requesting them to communicate the same to the men of their respective corps. And in order to give a further testimony of their gratitude, they have opened a subscription to be applied, in showing some mark of their acknowledgement, to the non-commissioned officers and private men of the above corps, under the direction of the committee nominated for that purpose, which subscription will be continued open, during the ensuing week at the Lewes Bank. The above committee are Rev. E.R. Raynes, Mr. John Hoper, Mr. Chatfield Turner, Mr. Charles Scrase, Mr John Elman, Mr. W.F. Hick, Samual Snashall, S.W. Durrent, John Chatfield.
20th April 1795
On Thursday evening a most alarming spirit of mutiny broke out amongst the Oxfordshire Regiment of militia at Bletchington Barracks near Seaford, from which place the men had set out to lower the prices of provisions, but were, by their officers soon afterwards prevailed on to return to their barracks. The next morning however, they assembled again in number about 500, attended even by some men from the hospital, when they took their arms,
Soon after Lord Sheffield had taken the chair at our quarter sessions in this town, about 10 o’clock on Friday morning the constable of Newhaven applied to the bench for succour. His Lordship immediately wrote to General Ainslie, who commands in the town, requesting he would send such forces as he should think proper to restore order and in the afternoon his Lordship, accompanied by the High Sheriff, went to Newhaven where he found that the great body of the militia had retired to their barracks, declaring that they would return in the morning and leaving a guard of 60 men to take care of the flour, who were all drunk and very riotous. Lord Sheffield put the fort and ammunition under the care of Lt. James Cooke of the Navy and directed him to moor an ordinance vessel laden with stores and ammunition (which lay in the river) under the battery. The militia it seems had only one non-commissioned officer with them, a sergeant of grenadiers. At night Lord Sheffield returned to the Town and reported to General Ainslie the state of Newhaven and its neighbourhood and on Saturday morning the Lancashire Fencibles at Brighton and the Horse Artillery stationed in this town with two field pieces marched to the scene of action, where on their first appearance the mutineers formed as if they were determined to dispute the point with them, but being thrown into confusion by two cannon balls that were discharged at them and having no ammunition, they were in about an hour all overcome and disarmed happily without the loss of any lives, although two or three of the militia were severely wounded by the fencibles, many of whom broke their swords in the skirmish and appeared greatly exasperated at seeing their colonel (Bishop) knocked off his horse by a man against whom his sword was uplifted. The Colonel received no hurt, but a cornet had a finger broken. A private fencible was severely wounded but we hear not dangerously. One of the cannon balls hit a militia man’s musket and carried away the butt end of it.
21 prisoners including two countrymen were conducted under a strong escort of the fencibles to this town and committed by G.L. Newham Esquire to the house of correction for further examination The rest were marched back to their barracks where they were strongly guarded by a troop of fencibles. Tis expected that a court martial will this day be assembled to try them.
Their arms were all conveyed in waggons to this town and lodged in a store-room of the Royal Artillery.
Immediately after the Newhaven constable had arrived here with his disagreeable intelligence, expresses were despatched to Mr. Pitt, The War Office and Duke of Richmond.
On Saturday morning Lord Spencer Colonel of the Oxford Militia arrived at Blatchington and showed great concern for the desertion of his regiment.
Near 100 who returned to the barracks on Friday night and did not assemble the next morning have been liberated.
There was no truth in the report that a sergeant had been run through the body and thrown into the river, but one of them was very ill treated by the men for being adverse to
Soon after the regiment had commenced its violences at Seaford, Captain Harben obtained a hearing and forcibly exhorted the men to return to their duty, at the same time assuring them that he would purchase 10 loads of wheat and retail it to them at £4 a load less than it would cost him, for which they gave him three cheers and the majority seemed inclined to disperse, but some, the most desperate and disaffected, objected saying they could obtain their ends more effectually by getting on and threatening the rest, when they proceeded and pursued their mad career as above stated.
Captain Harben on Saturday assembled his corps of volunteers who cheerfully submitted to perform the duty of common soldiers by taking charge of the battery and ammunition and all the corn and flour that could be found over which they confidently kept guard night and day ever since.
Nearly £50 were subscribed by our corn markets to be distributed amongst the soldiers of the artillery and fencibles as a reward for their good behaviour in suppressing the above mentioned riot mutiny (see advertisement).
We are sorry to hear that other militia men stationed in this county have betrayed strong marks of discontent and revolt.
3rd May 1795 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Moss daughter of John & Mary Moss. Oxon Militia in barracks.
4th May 1795 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Richard Knight son of William & Mary Knight. Oxon Militia in barracks.
4th May 1795 - THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Orders from the Duke of Richmond, Brighton, 20th April, 1795.
The king having been pleased in consequence of the present high price of bread to direct that his forces, as well in quarters as in barracks, shall from the 18th day of April 1795 receive their bread at the same rate as it will be furnished to them in camp. The usual stoppage of 5d. per loaf is to be made from each non-commissioned officer and private soldier, for which a loaf of 6lbs weight and as nearly as possible to the same quality as those delivered in camp, is to be furnished every four days and the difference between fivepence and whatever the market price of bread may be for six pounds of bread of the above mentioned quality is to be paid to the bakers by the paymaster of the corps and charged in his public account.
In places where it is not usual or it may not be convenient to bake loaves of six pounds weight, the commanding officer may order loaves of other sizes to be purchased, taking care to observe the proportion above mentioned and that each non-commissioned officer and private soldier receives in kind one pound and a half of bread per day and pays no more for it than the rate of five pence for six pounds. The commanding officer will also , if not already done, require all his men except those who are married to divide into regular messes from six to ten or twelve as may be convenient and see that so much of the pay as is directed by his majesty’s regulations to be laid out in food for the soldier, strictly so applied.
The officers are frequently to visit the messes to see that they are properly conducted.
H.M. has also been further pleased to signify his pleasure that, in consequence of the present high price of provisions, contracts should be immediately entered into by the commanding officers with regiments for the supply of meat for their corps, under certain regulations to be transmitted from the secretary of war, so that the expense of meat to the soldiers shall not exceed 4 1/2d per pound. The commanding officers will therefore proceed to enter
The Duke of Richmond trusts the soldiers will see, that while every attempt at disorderly proceedings will be resisted with vigour and punished with severity, every attention is paid to their real wants when properly and regularly represented through their officers, and he is confident that these repeated proofs of H.M.’s gracious attention to their situation will animate them with fresh zeal for the cause of their King and Country in which they are engaged. And that each militia corps, in particular, jealous of its own honour and lamenting the disgrace that one had brought on itself, will see the necessity of maintaining the most strict discipline on which the efficacy and credit of any army must so depend.
J. Haddin, Brigade Major General, Southern District.
11th May 1795
Last Monday the Court Martial for the trial of the Oxfordshire Militiamen charged with mutiny was opened at the Old Ship Tavern Brighton and composed the following officers - viz:
COL. SLOANE of the North Hampshire Regiment - President.
THE DUKE OF MANCHESTER Colonel of the Huntingdonshire Regiment.
LORD GRAY Colonel of the Cheshire Regiment.
LORD DUNDAS Lt. Colonel of the Yorkshire (North Riding Regiment).
HONOURABLE HORACE WALPOLE Colonel of the Norfolk Regiment.
COLONEL ROLFF South Devon Regiment.
COLONEL STANLEY Lancashire Regiment.
COLONEL THOMAS JOHNSON Carmarthenshire Regiment.
LT. COLONEL BASTARD East Devon Regiment.
LT. COLONEL D’EATH East Kent Regiment.
LT. COLONEL MINCHIN North Hampshire Regiment.
MAJOR PYE Berkshire Regiment.
MAJOR JOHN BEAVAN Radnorshire Regiment.
And the Deputy Judge Advocate.
The first prisoner arraigned before the court was Edward Cook, commonly known as Captain Cook, whose trial lasted three days and produced strong evidence against him, but his defence was accompanied by some favourable circumstances and his character abstracted from the offence he stood charged with, merited the approbation and praise of his captain. Richard Blake, John Cox and John Haddock were next tried. The principal evidence against Blake was Mr. Inskip of the White Hart Inn, Newhaven; he has noticed the prisoner at his house amongst the rest at the time of the riot, but observed nothing conspicuous in his conduct. He made no defence but committed himself to the mercy of the court.
The Court is quite public and free admission being given to all who chose to witness the proceedings, which are strictly regular, perfectly candid and truly honourable, in short, whatever may be the fate of the prisoners, we venture to affirm that not one of them will impute it to a want of justice on his trial.
18th May 1795
Last Thursday the Court Martial, assembled at Brighton to try the Oxfordshire Militiamen, broke up, having tried all prisoners who, on their examinations were declared capitally
The following are the prisoners that took their trials last week viz. on Monday, Henry Parrish, William Harper, on Tuesday, Cpl. Richard Day, William Warren, bugleman and Samual Hermitage. On Wednesday and Thursday, Sgt Drake, Richard Weaver, John Woodmarshall and Richard Johnson, drummer. Against Johnson there appeared hardly any grounds for accusation, the only evidence examined on the part of the prosecution, was a sergeant’s lady, whose uncorroborated testimony seemed to have little weight with the court, nor did it deserve any, for there was evidently more under the influence of pique than of justice.
The other military prisoners confined in the House of Correction in this town were, on Saturday morning, removed under a strong guard to Blatchington, to be tried by a regimental court martial. The sentences of the prisoners found guilty will not be made public until the proceedings of the court martial have been laid before the King and received his majesty’s confirmation.
On Wednesday 27th instant, the special commission of oyer and terminer and general gaol delivery will be opened at the town hall in this town before Mr. Justice Buller and Mr. Justice Lawrence for the trial of all the prisoners in his majesty’s gaol for this county, further particulars of which will be given in our next.
At the end of the trial of the Oxford Miltiamen Lord Charles Spencer addressed the court:
Gentlemen’
Now I have finished this painful duty I only beg to be allowed to say a few words;
During the whole of last Summer, the Oxfordshire Regiment was Encamped for the purpose of doing duty over near Five thousand French Prisoners at Hilsea and Portchester, which duty, I can venture to say they performed with perfect Credit to themselves. In the month of November they were moved to Comfortable Quarters in Hampshire from thence in the month of January last they were marched to Bletchington Barracks where they arrived at the worst time of the very severe Season of last Winter;- they found the Barracks quite unfinished;- few conveniences or comforts, either for officers or men, scarcely any Cooking Houses, neither Guard Room or Hospital;- the Snow and Rain beating into their Hammocks thro the Tiles.
When the Weather broke, they could not move from their Barrack doors without being half way up their Legs in Mud ;- this occasioned very severe Illness among the men but by great care and attention we had only the misfortune to lose one man: Of these hardships the men scarcely uttered a murmur;- what they suffered from the dearness and scarcity of Provisions in common with the other Soldiers is well known;- in some respects they suffered more than many others, on account of the
For some time they bore with the badness of the meal, from an unwillingness to teaze their Officers with Complaints , till by a continuance of the Evil and Suspicion, that they were imposed upon in the Weight of their Meat, they were under a necessity of complaining ;- I don’t mention these circumstances as a justification, or even as an excuse for the Mutinous behaviour of the men, but only to beg of the Court to keep them in their minds, as motives of Compassion towards the Regiment, and those unfortunate men, in particular.
I will beg leave to say a word or two respecting the Conduct of the Officers ;- I flatter myself the Court is now satisfied, as I in my conscience am, that the Lieutenant Colonel and Adjutant did their duty to the utmost of their power and that considering the Situation and Construction of the Barracks, having Sixty men in a Room, no Guard Room, no Fence round the Barracks, no men could have done more than they did in those uncommon and trying circumstances;- I have every reason to believe, that the other Officers present did their duty with as much diligence and activity as possible. If it should be thought that they might have Confined or reported particular men, it will be recollected, that as they were eagerly employed in endeavouring to bring back numbers to their duty, it could scarcely come into their thoughts in such a time of hurry and Confusion to report individuals. Upon the whole I am persuaded few men in such a Situation would have Acted with better Judgement ; I am certain none with better intentions.
With regard to the Non Commissioned Officers, whether or no they, with equal alertness and diligence did their duty, will be a Subject for Regimental investigation. The only blame to which I can plead Guilty is, that possibly, the men of the Regiment have been always looked upon by their Officers too much as their own Children, not by withholding punishment where it has been necessary, but by granting them more indulgence and treating them with more kindness than I now say it is in their nature to bear. I will only add, that no care shall now be wanting to restore the good Order and discipline of the Regiment, trusting, that before long it will retrieve its lost Character, and recover from the disgrace under which, by its late misconduct, it now too deservedly lays.
18th May 1795
The following paragraph appeared in The Star of Friday last "An account of a very alarming nature was yesterday received from Brighton viz. that three regiments abetted by the lower class of inhabitants had declared their resolution not to permit the sentence to be executed upon three of the Oxfordshire Militia condemned by a court martial to be shot.
We have not the smallest doubt of such an account having been transmitted to London, but we very much doubt the good intention of it, for after the strictest enquiry, we have not been able to learn that there was the least foundation for such an alarm. It, however, proved sufficient to cause an immediate augmentation to the camp at Brighton. Two regiments of fencibles, having on Friday and Saturday last, after long, if not forced, marches taken their ground there and without a sufficient number of tents to cover them, and they are daily expected to be joined by three more regiments of infantry.
Some disputes indeed have arisen at Brighton between some regiments of the militia and the Lancashire fencibles who are called by the militia men "Short Loaf" "Bloody back" etc., for the part they took in quelling the mutiny and riot lately committed by the Oxford Regiment, it has however produced nothing ferocious and were anything of the kind to be apprehended, there can hardly be a doubt but the obnoxious party would be removed in time to prevent it.
25th May 1795
On Wednesday next a Special Commission of Oyer and Terminer will be opened before judges Buller and Lawrence in the Town Hall in this Town for the trial of the following persons viz:
JAMES SYKES charged with riotously and tumultously assemling with divers other persons on 17th April last at Bishopston and stealing and carrying away ten Hempen Sacks and 50 Bushels of flour the property of Thomas Barton and Edmund Catt value £13 (sentenced to death)
WILLIAM SANSOM - ditto - 3 bottles and 3 quarts of rum value 6s. 6d. And also of stealing and carrying away out of the mill and granary of Barton and Catt several sacks and large quantities of wheat flour the goods of Barton and Catt value £10 (sentenced to death)
WILLIAM AVERY - ditto - at Newhaven with divers others and stealing and carrying away out of the sloop Lucy upwards of 200 sacks and 1000 bushels of flour the goods of the said Barton and Catt value £250. (judged to be one degree above ideot and reprieved)
WILLIAM MIDWINTER charged with like offence (sentenced to death)
HENRY BROOK AND JOHN ETHERINGTON - ditto - at Newhaven stealing and taking away out of the dwelling house of John Greathead at Newhaven a silver watch value 20s two woollen jackets and other things value £1.5s.6d. The property of the said John Greathead. (transported for 7 years)
Sykes, Sansom and Avery and Midwinter were all soldiers lately of the Oxfordshire Militia. Brook and Etherington were labourers and, to the credit of the country people, the only two we have heard of at all implicated in the riots, on account of which the above special commission has been issued.
In addition to what we have stated in a former paper, such was the evidence of Mr. Inskip, who was called on the part of the prosecution against Blake, on the late Court Martial
1st June 1795
Last Wednesday the Horse Artillery stationed here were ordered out of town on account of our assize. The arms taken from the Oxfordshire militia have been ever since guarded by Capt. Kent's volunteers, who need to be only augmented a little to answer every military purpose necessary for the defence of this town.
1st June 1795
Last Wednesday the 13 Oxfordshire militiamen who were lately tried by the general court martial in Brighton were taken from the house of correction in this town and conducted in two artillery wagons, under a strong guard of the Lancashire fencibles, to Brighton where two of them are to be shot on Friday fe'night the 12th Instant. Three were condemned but one has since been pardoned on condition of being transported to Botany Bay. Four were liberated on Friday, one of which was Johnson the drummer, against whom we observed in a former paper that no case to which criminality attached had been made out. What is to be done with the remaining six that are under confinement we have not as yet learnt.
8th June 1795
Edward Cooke and Henry Parrish the two unfortunate men of the Oxfordshire militia
condemned to be shot for mutiny are daily attended by two clergymen; they are truly penitent, but thoroughly resigned to their unhappy fate. The place appointed for executing the awful sentence is Brighton, the date is generally believed to be Friday next the 12th Instant as stated in our last and early in the morning.
The other man who was adjudged death and ordered to be shot, but pardoned on condition of being transported to Botony Bay for ten years, is named Haddocks. Of the six that are sentenced to be flogged, one is to receive 500 lashes, one 1,500 and the rest 1,000 each.
Sykes and Sansom, condemned to be hanged at our late special assizes, tis expected will suffer at Horsham on Saturday.
Last Tuesday the arms belonging to the Oxfordshire militia were removed in six artillery waggons from this town to Blatchington for the purpose, we apprehend, of being restored to that regiment, which tis said is to be marched to Brighton early on Friday morning to attend the execution of their unhappy comrades.
The 10th or Prince of Wales light dragoons are expected at Brighton Camp in the course of this week probably in time to be present at the intended execution. The militia forces at the above camp are all perfectly quiet and without betraying the smallest disposition to be otherwise, which sufficiently evinces the fallacy of the late ridiculous reports.
June 1795 - Letter from Edward Cooke to his brother
(The following letter was published by Brighton printers, Phillips & Co., in the form of a proclamation. They state that the letter was printed “verbatim et literation” from Edward Cooke’s original which they offered to show to members of the public “by applying to the printers”. They state that “ the hand-writing is in a free and bold style, unlike what might be expected from a man under sentence and at the point of death”.)
Dear Brother,
This comes with my kind Love to you and I hope you be well. I am brought very low and weak by long confinement and been in great trouble. Dear Brother I am sentenced to Death and must Die on Saturday the 13th of June and I hope God almighty will forgive me my sins. I was never no body’s foe but my own and that was in drinking and breaking the Sabbath and that is a great sin. I have prayed night and day to the Almighty God to forgive me and take me to heaven and I hope my prayers be not in vain.
I am going to Die for what the Redgment done. I am not afraid to meet Death for I have done no harm to no person and that is a great comfort to me. there is a just God in heaven that knows I am going to suffer innocently.
Dear Brother I should be very Glad to see you Before I Depart this Life. I hope God Almighty will be a Guardian over you and all my relations and I hope we shall meet in heaven where we shall be ever happy without End.
So no more from the hand of your loving and Dying Brother,
Edward. Cooke
(I have concerns about the authenticity of the above letter. The printers give the date of the letter as the13th of June i.e. the date of Cooke’s execution. Cooke says in the letter “I must die on Saturday the 13th June”. It seems unlikely that he would refer to “Saturday” if it was written on that day. Also, since the execution was only delayed on the 12th of June why would he be telling his brother, seemingly for the first time, that he was to die and ask him to visit him. So the date of the letter may be incorrect, or an earlier letter adjusted for greater impact by the publisher, or possibly entirely fabricated by the publisher.)
13th June 1795 (Saturday morning - Goldstone Bottom, Hove)
First William Harper, Richard Weaver, and John Woodmarshall each received 300 lashes
then
Edward Cooke and Henry Parrish were executed by firing squad.
13th June 1795 (Saturday afternoon 2 p.m. - Horsham Gaol)
James Sykes and William Sansom were executed by hanging.
31st May 1795 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Admitted to Church - William Knight son of William & Mary. Oxon Militia.
8th June 1795 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Joseph Pierce son of Joseph & Elizabeth. Oxon Militia.
13th June 1795 - (Report in Reading Mercury 22nd June)
BRIGHTON, June 13, Yesterday evening
13th June 1795 - (Report in Reading Mercury 22nd June)
BRIGHTON, June 13, Yesterday evening
13th June 1795 - Letter from the High Sheriff of Sussex (to Reading)
The Printers beg to return thanks to the High Sheriff of Sussex for the following letter, which he was so obliging as to forward to them by express.
Brighton, June 13, 1795,
a quarter past nine.
I am just returned from the ground, where the two Soldiers of the Oxfordshire Militia were shot this morning about a quarter past eight. One of them knelt down upon one coffin, and one upon the other, and they both instantly fell dead; though lest there might be any remains of life, a firelock was let off close to the head of each immediately after. The scene was the most awful impressive I ever beheld. It was in a valley about a mile distance from the camp, whither all the troops , cavalry, infantry, and artillery were drawn up in two lines, and after three men out of the six who had been sentenced to be flogged had received their punishment in a very exemplary manner, the three others were pardoned.
The men capitally convicted were then marched up between the two lines of the army, accompanied by a clergyman , and escorted by pickets from the different regiments of horse and foot; and at the upper end of the line, after a short time spent with the clergyman, they were shot by a party of Oxfordshire militia who had been very active at the late riots, but had been pardoned.
The men appeared very composed and resigned, and the party who had shot them were, many of them, very much affected after. Indeed several of the men of the regiment seemed greatly agitated and concerned.
An example so unusual and so terrible, will, it is hoped, have the desired effect upon the minds of the militia, and shew the danger of using arms, which are entrusted to them, for the intimidation, instead of the defence of their country.— The awful ceremony was concluded, by the marching of all the regiments round the bodies of the unhappy soldiers as they laid upon the ground.
Horsham,— 12 o’clock.— I am now proceeding to the execution of the two poor fellows here.
14th June 1795, Brighton - published in ‘Gentleman’s Magazine’
The Oxfordshire Regiment marched on Friday night last, at eleven o’clock from Seaford to attend the execution of two men condemned by Court Martial for riotous and disorderly conduct. The hour of four was the time appointed to assemble. On the march the Regiment halted; and twelve men who had taken part in the riot were called out, when the Commanding Officer ordered them to fix their flints, and prepare to execute the sentence. This was done to demonstrate to the men that state of obedience in which the officers were determined to hold them; and by this measure they felt more pointedly the folly of their former conduct, when those persons whom they had before made their leaders, were now to suffer death at their hands. The Regiment was then conducted to a spacious valley, and divided into two Wings, which were stationed on each side of the place of execution. They were then followed by the whole line of encampment. On the rising ground above the valley 3000 Cavalry were posted. These were followed by the Horse Artillery. The Guns were pointed and matches lighted. From the disposition of the ground, and from the arrangement of the troops, a more magnificent, and more awful spectacle was never exhibited in this country. After the corporal punishment had been inflicted on offenders of less note, Cook and Parish, the two unfortunate men condemned to die, were brought forward with strong escort. They walked along the vale in slow and solemn procession, accompanied by the Clergyman who had conscientiously devoted his time to them from the moment the sentence had been made known; and they were fully prepared to meet their fate. Upon approaching the fatal spot, with resignation and religious confidence, they kneeled down upon their coffins with cool and deliberate firmness; then the one who was to drop the signal said to his comrade, “are you ready”? Upon the reply being made he dropped the book; and the party did their duty at about 6 yard distance. One of them not appearing to be entirely dead, was immediately shot through the head; and the same ceremony was performed to the other. After this the whole line was ordered to march round the dead bodies.
15th June 1795
Last Friday being the day appointed for the execution of Edward Cooke and Henry Parrish, privates in the Oxfordshire militia, condemned by general court martial to be shot for mutiny, the death warrant, accordingly arrived by express early in the morning, but owing to some informality in making it out, General Lascelles did not think it such as would justify him in shooting the men, for we understand it did not specify either the time of execution nor the mode of performing it. The General therefore found it necessary to dispatch his aide-de-camp to town on the subject, which occasioned a delay that agreeably flattered the public with the hope of a reprieve, for it seemed to be the wish of almost everyone in the neighbourhood that the lives of the men should be saved. All who spoke of it during the course of the day seemed interested in the event and there were but few who did not conceive the suspension favourable to the prisoners.
The next morning, however, proved the fallacy of their conceptions, for at 6 o'clock a strong guard of horse and foot appeared before the prison, which was announced to the unhappy objects within by the sound of drums, and immediately afterwards the prisoners were brought out, first the 6 sentenced to be flogged, who were placed on foot in the centre of the guard, and then the two under sentence of death in a cart attended by a clergyman, and being placed in front of the others the whole proceeded with slow and solemn pace through the camp on their way to Goldstone Bottom, the place of execution, where the whole line had already been formed into an oblong square half a mile in length; but before it appeared in view, the guard was halted and the men to be flogged taken on by a file of men to be punished first. On arriving at the spot they were marched from one end of the square to the other and back again to the centre, where three of them received 300 lashes each. Blake was next tied up, but let down again and forgiven, for which he returned the General thanks on his knees. Warren, whose sentence was 500 lashes, was also forgiven and Heritage went unpunished, but was marched back a prisoner.
The guard now moved forward with the condemned men, who being arrived at the head of the square quitted the cart, and were marched, still attended by the clergyman, to the other end of it, where the Oxford regiment were stationed. Here they spent a short time in prayer, and having declared themselves ready to meet their fate, their coffins were brought and placed before them, which they viewed very attentively and, having taken leave of each other, pulled their caps over their faces and knelt, as they were directed, on their coffins, immediately after which the fatal triggers were pulled and they both dropped (dropt) at the same instant. Cooke pitched forward over his coffin upon his face, head turned upon his back and moved no more. Parrish fell upon his back and turned on his left side and after lying motionless near five minutes, he turned again upon his back, when one of the two men who kept their fire in reserve, ran up and placing the muzzle of his gun to his ear, shot him through the head, the other man went up to Cooke and shot him in like measure. The troops were then marched close by the bodies and many of the Oxford regiment wept much as they passed their dead comrades. The deceased were afterwards put into their coffins with all their clothes on and conveyed in one of the artillery waggons to Hove churchyard and there interred.
These unfortunate men, throughout the whole of their trying situation, conducted themselves with the utmost decency, firmness and fortitude; they kept their step accurately with the guard between the lines and knelt unshackled upon their coffins to meet their doom without betraying the smallest timidity or agitation.
They were shot at half past eight by twelve men selected for the purpose from their own regiment, ten of whom fired at first, five at each object, the other two kept in reserve and discharged their muskets as before mentioned. They stood at the difference of about 10 yards and took good aim; as we observed two balls had entered the body of Parrish a little below the left breast and as many that of Cooke, who at the instant must have been sensible
The execution was attended by Lt. Generals Lascelles, Halse and Jones and conducted with the utmost solemnity and order. It exhibited a scene awfully grand which was heightened by the regiments of cavalry placed in squadrons on the rising ground in the rear of the Infantry and a number of loaded cannon pointed at the spot where the unhappy men suffered. Not the smallest symptom of opposition, resistance or revenge appeared, on the contrary we believe, a due regard to subordination never appeared more manifest in so large a body of men assembled on any occasion whatever, but few country people were present.
The same day between one and two o'clock: James Sykes and William Sampson, privates in the above regiment, who were capitally convicted and received sentence of death at the late special assizes held at this town, were executed at Horsham pursuant to their sentence. Their behaviour since condemnation and at the gallows was truly becoming men in their unhappy situations. They said they were prepared to meet their fate and should die in charity with all mankind and lastly exulted the spectators to beware of drunkenness and mobs. Two hangmen from the Old Bailey attended, whom not withstanding their practice, made but a bungling job of it, for having carefully taken Sampson’s hair into the noose, the poor fellow, in consequence, died extremely hard. The High Sheriff himself was present attended by Captain Sewells and Mr. Fuller's troops of Yeomen cavalry.
On Saturday after the execution, the first and Cinque Port regiment of fencibles left the above place on route to their original destination, the ground of encampment near Goodwood.
Note: This writer is referring to ‘William Sampson’ whereas the name is actually ‘Sansom’.
Key to above plan:
Between Inner Rows (top - dark blue) = The Oxfordshire Regt. firing squad including the two coffins (front) and the two corporals (behind) who are detailed to finish-off Cooke and Parrish. The pale dot to the side of the firing squad is the adjutant signalling instructions with his cane.
The middle hatched square = place where men were flogged.
Inner Rows: Dark Blue = Oxford Militia. Pink - West Essex Militia. Brown = Dorset Militia. Red = Royal Cheshire Militia. Yellow = Hereford Militia. Light Blue = Wiltshire Militia. The small black and brown oblongs are cannon and other artillery.
Outer Rows: Dark Green = First Fencibles. Purple = Prince's Own Regiment of Light Dragoons. Mid Green = Cinque Port Fencibles. Light Green = Lancashire Fencibles.
Other small oblongs represent Battalion Horses and Ammunition Wagons.
The Orange group represents the troops that escorted the prisoners to the site of punishment.
The small blue (dotted) box represents the wagon that brought the coffins from Seaford.
Key to above plan:
Between Inner Rows (top - dark blue) = The Oxfordshire Regt. firing squad including the two coffins (front) and the two corporals (behind) who are detailed to finish-off Cooke and Parrish. The pale dot to the side of the firing squad is the adjutant signalling instructions with his cane.
The middle hatched square = place where men were flogged.
Inner Rows: Dark Blue = Oxford Militia. Pink - West Essex Militia. Brown = Dorset Militia. Red = Royal Cheshire Militia. Yellow = Hereford Militia. Light Blue = Wiltshire Militia. The small black and brown oblongs are cannon and other artillery.
Outer Rows: Dark Green = First Fencibles. Purple = Prince's Own Regiment of Light Dragoons. Mid Green = Cinque Port Fencibles. Light Green = Lancashire Fencibles.
Other small oblongs represent Battalion Horses and Ammunition Wagons.
The Orange group represents the troops that escorted the prisoners to the site of punishment.
The small blue (dotted) box represents the wagon that brought the coffins from Seaford.
22nd June 1795 (Reading Mercury, Monday)
[essentially the same report as the previous accounts]
Brighton, June 13. Yesterday evening, about half past
eleven o’clock, the Oxfordshire regiment of Militia marched from Blatchington
Barracks and arrived at the exercising ground in the rear of the encampment
near this town, about four o’clock this morning in pursuance of orders from
General Lascelles, to attend the executionof Edward Cook and Henry Parish,
condemned by general court-martial, to be shot for mutiny. On the march regiment halted; and twelve men,
who had taken a part in the riot, were called out; when the Commanding Officer
ordered them to fix their flints and prepare to execute the sentence.
The
regiment was then conducted to a spacious valley called Goldstone Bottom [Hove], and divided into two wings, which were
stationed on each side of the place of execution: they were then followed by
the whole time of encampment: consisting of the five regiments of Militia, the
Prince of Wales’s Light Dragoons, the Horse Artillery, the first regiment of
Fencibles, the Lancashire Fencibles, and the Cinque-Port Fencibles.
About
six o’clock, a strong guard of horse and foot appeared before the prison in
which the unhappy criminals were confined, which was announced to them by the
sound of drum, and immediately afterwards the prisoners were brought out; first
the six sentenced to be flogged who were
placed on foot in the centre of the guard, and then the two under sentence of
death in a cart, attended by a clergyman, and being placed in front of the
others, the whole proceeded with solemn pace to the place of execution where
the line had already been formed into an oblong square half a mile in length,
but before it appeared in view, the guard was halted, and the men to be flogged
taken on by a file of men to be punished first; on arriving at the spot, they
were marched from one end of the square to the other, and back again to the
centre, where three of them received 300 lashes each; Blake was next tied up,
but let
The
guard now moved on with the condemned men, who being arrived at the head of the
square quitted the cart, and were marched, still attended by the clergyman, to
the other end of it, where the Oxford regiment was stationed. Here they spent a short time in prayer, and
having declared themselves ready o meet their fate, their coffins were brought
and placed before them, which they viewed very attentively, and having taken leave
of each other, pulled the caps over their faces and knelt as they were
directed, on their coffins, immediately after which the fatal triggers were
pulled, and they both dropped at the same instant; Cook pitched forward over
his coffin upon his head, turned upon his back, and moved no more; Parish fell
upon his back, and turned on his left side, and after lying motionless near
five minutes he turned again upon his back, when one of the two men who kept
their fire in reserve, ran up, and placing the muzzle of his gun to his ear,
shot him through the head; the other then went up to Cook, and shot him in like
manner.
The
troops were then marched close by the bodies, and many of the Oxfordshire
regiment wept much as they passed their dead comrades. The deceased were
afterwards put into their coffins, with all their cloaths on, and conveyed in
one of the artillery wagons to Hove Church-yard, and there interred.
These
unfortunate men throughout the whole of their trying situations, conducted
themselves with the utmost decency, firmness, and fortitude; they kept their
step accurately with the guard lines, and knelt, unshackled, upon their coffins
to meet their doom, without betraying the smallest timidity or agitation.
They
were shot at half past eight, by the 12 men selected for the purpose from their
own regiment, ten of whom fired at first, five at each object; the other two
were kept in reserve and discharged
their muskets as before-mentioned. They
stood at the distance of about six yards, and took good aim, as we observed
four balls had entered the body of Cook, at the instant must have been sensible
of it, as he was observed, at the time fell, to raise and apply his right hand
to the part; Parish received three balls a little below his left breast. The former was a native of Witney, the latter
of Chipping Norton.
The
execution was attended by Lieut.-Generals Lascelles, Hulse, and Jones, and
conducted with the utmost solemnity and order; it exhibited a scene awfully
grand, which was heightened by the regiments of cavalry, placed in squadrons on
rising ground in the rear of the infantry, and a number of loaded cannon
pointed at the spot where the unhappy men suffered. Not the smallest symptom of opposition or
resistance appeared, on the contrary, we believe a due regard to subordination,
never appeared more manifest in so large a body of men assembled on any
occasion whatsoever. But few country
people were present.
After
the execution, the Oxfordshire regiment marched to Shoreham and Steyning, on
their way to Sheerness, where they are to be encamped.
Friday
was the day appointed for the execution of the above mutineers, and the death
warrant accordingly arrived, by express early in the morning; but, owing to
some informality in making it out, Generall Lascelles did not think it such as
would justify him in shooting the men, for we understand it did not specify
either the time of execution, nor the mode of performing it; the General
therefore found it necessary to dispatch his Aid de Camp to town on the subject,
which occasioned a delay that flattered the prisoners with hopes of a reprieve.
See this link which shows all of the attending regiments and their relative positions on the day of the execution: https://www.thekeep.info/diary-reveals-military-executions-hove/
See this link which shows all of the attending regiments and their relative positions on the day of the execution: https://www.thekeep.info/diary-reveals-military-executions-hove/
————————————
Saturday, between one and two o’clock, James
Sykes and Wm. Sansom, privates in the Oxford regiment, who were capitally
convicted and received sentence of death at the late special assizes, held at
Lewes, were executed at Horsham, pursuant to their sentence. Their behaviour since condemnation, and at
the gallows, was truly becoming men in their unhappy situations; they said they
were prepared to meet their fate, and should die in the charity with all
mankind, and lastly exhorted the spectators to beware of drunkenness and
joining in mobs, which had been the occasion of their unhappy end. Sansom was a married man, and the parting
between him and his wife, before he quitted the prison, was a very affecting
scene. A very handsome subscription was
made by the gentlemen present, to defray her expences to her friends in a
distant county, and to comfort her under her distress.—— The High Sheriff
himself was present, attended by Captain Sewell’s and Mr. Fuller’s troops of
yeomanry cavalry.
Note: Annette Lloyd Thomas has
provided the following account from the book “Welsh,
Charles, A Bookseller of the Last Century—p.153”
published in 1885”
6th July 1795
On Friday the North Hants Militia marched into the barracks at Blatchington.
27th July 1795
At the assizes for this County which ended here on Saturday, only four prisoners were tried, three of whom were capitally convicted and received judgement of death, viz:
William Avery and William Midwinter, privates of the Oxfordshire Militia, for riotously assembling with divers other persons at Newhaven on the 17th of April last and there feloniously stealing from the sloop Lucy upwards of 200 hempen sacks and 1000 bushels of flour the property of Messrs Barton and Catt. Avery being a degree above idiot was by the jury recommended to mercy, and in consequence with Woodman, reprieved before the judges quitted the town. Midwinter is left for execution, but it is thought also will be reprieved and application from the grand jury to his majesty, through the medium of the sherrif, being intended for that purpose.
Last Thursday the Oxfordshire Militia who were sentenced to be flogged and received a part of that punishment on the day their unhappy comrades were shot, passed through this town under a strong escort to Sheerness, where they will undergo the remainder of their punishment, which they chuse rather to submit to than compromise by entering into the Royal American Regiment, which was offered to their option.
Blake (Oxfordshire Militia) who was sentenced to 1000 lashes and pardoned after he was tied up, has since committed a further offence for which he was punished with 100 lashes.
8th August 1795 (Saturday) - William Midwinter hanged at Horsham. Gaol.
17th August 1795
On Saturday 8th instant William Midwinter, one of the Oxford mutineers, capitally convicted at our last assizes of stealing flour in the brig Lucy belonging to Messrs Barton and Catt, was executed at Horsham pursuant to his sentence. The grand jury and High Sherrif did everything in their power to save the life of this unfortunate man, but in vain, and he has now, with his blood, paid the forfeit of his misconduct.
2nd November 1795
At Bletchington, on Thursday, the sea ran so high as to destroy a number of soldiers’ huts in the vicinity of the barracks. It also washed away part of an industrious suttler’s house and destroyed the whole of his stock in trade. The poor man estimates his loss of upwards of £10.
The North fencible or Highland Regiment commanded by Col. Woodford, now occupies the above barracks, which have been considerably enlarged and much improved in points of convenience, since they were quitted by the ill-fated Oxfordshire Militia.
2nd November 1795
The barracks at Bletchington occupied by the Oxfordshire militia at the time they mutinied, are said to be haunted by the perturbed spirits of those unfortunate men, whose blood the law required should be shed to expiate the crimes of that regiment, and so strongly does the force of imagination operate on the minds of several of the Highlanders now quartered in the said barracks, that they assert positively that they have seen their apparitions and some go as far as to say they have held conferences with them. Reason and argument have been exercised to prove to them the fallacy of such superstitions and absurd notions, but in vain.
22nd November 1795 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Donald Cameron son of Donald and Mary Cameron. North Highland Fencibles.
2nd December 1795 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Roderick Macdonald, North Fencibles in Blatchington Barracks.
13th December 1795 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Catherine Morris daughter of Catherine & John Morris. North Highland Fencibles.
14th December 1795 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised James Macpherson son of Wm & Margaret Macpherson. North Fencibles.
23rd December 1795 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Charles Edward son of William & Elizabeth (no surname). North Highland Regiment
29th December 1795 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried North Fencibles Sergeant of Artillery.
5th March 1796 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Richard Donald son of John & Elizabeth Donald. North Highland Fencibles.
5th March 1796 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Charles Fielding son of Charles & Elizabeth Fielding. N.H. Fencibles.
28th March 1796 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Catherine Munrow daughter of George & Eleenor Munrow. North Fencibles.
28th March 1796 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Alexander Cameron son of John and Mary Cameron. North Fencibles. (Entry crossed through).
28th March 1796 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised John McMasters son of John & Elizabeth McMasters, North Highland Fencibles.
26th September 1796 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Shrapnell daughter of William Fisher Shrapnell & his wife Mary. Surgeon South Gloster Militia in barracks.
6th October 1796 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Buried Mary Shrapnell daughter of William Fisher Shrapnell & his wife Mary. Surgeon South Gloster Militia in barracks.
11th October 1796 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried T. Williams clark of ye South Gloster Militia in Barracks.
14th October 1796 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Ann Major daughter Robert & Ann. South gloster Regiment.
13th November 1796 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Elizabeth Coates daughter of Benjamin & Sarah Coates. S. Gloster in barracks.
11th December 1796 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Willm John Pope son of James & Ann Pope. South Gloster.
11th December 1796 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Ann Hobley daughter of Thos. & Ann Hobley. Royal South Gloster.
18th February 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Elizabeth Tersleen daughter of Christopher & Jane. South Gloster Band.
27th February 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Elizabeth Coxe daughter of Mr John & Mrs Ann Coxe. Lieut South Gloster.
5th March 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Major daughter of Ann & Robert Major. South Gloster Militia.
30th April 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Ester Driver daughter of Dinah & John Driver. South Gloster in barracks.
30th May 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried a child of South Glos.
4th June 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Ann Young daughter of John & Ann Young. South Glos.
4th June 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Young daughter of John & Ann Young, age 3 years. S. Gloster Regt.
4th June 1797
Blatchington Barracks
We, the Non Commissioned Officers and Privates of the Royal South Gloucester Regiment, request that our Officers will have the goodness to transmit to his Royal Highness the Duke of York our unfeigned thanks for the paternal care of his Majesty in increasing our comforts, by advancing our pay; and that we will be at all times ready to continue, as has ever been the pride of the Royal South Gloucester Regiment, to persevere in a line of steady discipline, in hopes of proving ourselves deserving of the gracious and bounteous favours of our Sovereign.
Though our indignation has not yet been excited by the distribution of seditious and inflammatory Hand Bills, yet we will keep a steady watch against such efforts; and should such vile Incendiaries attempt to delude us, by making their appearance in these Barracks, their reception will best evince our attachment to our King; our Country; and Constitution; and for which purpose, We the Non Commissioned Officers and Privates of the said Regiment, do hereby offer a Reward of ONE HUNDRED GUINEAS for the apprehending of any person or persons guilty of those malicious practices.
As these Resolutions spontaneously flow out of gratitude, love, and affection to our King and Country, and not having had any intercourse on this subject with any of our Officers, they may be informed:- We therefore request that Serjeants of our respective Companies to sign this in our names , and present the same to our Commanding Officer, it being exactly copied and individually signed by every Non Commissioned Officer and Private in the Regiment, and laid up in RECORD and witness of our loyal intentions.
For ourselves and Companies,
WM MARTIN, Serjeant Major
JOHN HERBERT, Quarter-Master Serjeant
WILLIAM BAKER, Pay Serjeant
THOMAS ADEY, Pay Serjeant
RICHARD HARRIS, Pay Serjeant
THOMAS HICKMAN, Pay Serjeant
JOHN FARMILOE, Pay Serjeant
WILLIAM WILDEY, Pay Serjeant
JAMES VIZARD, Pay Serjeant
EDWARD HURCOME, Pay Serjeant
ANDREW CONNOR, Drum Major.
18th June 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Thos. Watkins son of Thomas & Ann. South Gloster.
8th September 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Maybee (or Naybee?) (Or may mean ‘maybe’ i.e. possibly) soldier in the Worcester Militia in Barracks.
5th October 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Elizabeth Evans wife of Thomas. Soldier in Worcester Militia.
12th November 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried George Lowe a pte. Worcestershire Militia.
12th November 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Elizabeth Pursal daughter of Joseph & Dorothy Pursal. Worcester Regt.
12th November 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised William Winter son of Thos & Ann Winter. Of the Worcester.
16th November 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Willm Penfield son of Jonathan & Mary Penfield. From barracks.
26th November 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Benjamin Quarman son of William & Mary Quarman. Worces. Regt. In barracks.
2nd December 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised (blank) Giddens daughter of William & Mary Giddens. Worcester Regt. in barracks
24th December 1797 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised (blank) Hannah daughter of (blank) (soldiers daughter Worc. Regt. ?)
28th January 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Maria Southall daughter of Edward & Mary Southall. Worcester Militia.
25th February 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Sarah Meadows daughter of Roger & Mary Meadows. Worcs. Militia in barracks.
25th February 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Edward Walker son of James & Elizabeth Walker. Worcs. Militia in barracks.
18th March 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised William Andrew Carter son of William & Mary Carter. Wocester.
15th April 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Joseph Clewe son of Joseph and Mary Clewe. Wocester Militia.
29th April 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Ann Ashmore daughter of James and Mary Ashmore. Wocester Regt.
4th May 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Richard Williams Worc. Militia.
6th May 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised James Sisum son of Willm & Ann Sisum. Worcester Regiment.
8th May 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Hoad Worc. Militia.
10th June 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised John Allen son of Jno and Hannah Allen. Wocester Militia.
17th June 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised John Mears son of John & Mary Mears. W. Regt.
25th June 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Ann Foulkes daughter of William & Mary Foulkes. Worcester Militia.
8th July 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised John Wiggett son of Joseph & Catherine Wiggett. Worcester Regiment.
15th July 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Nathanial Collins son of John& Maria Collins. Wor: Militia.
17th July 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Ann Edwards daughter of William & Jane Edwards. Worcester Regiment.
16th September 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised John Shelton son of Elizabeth & Jno Shelton. Wocester Militia.
16th September 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised John Davis son of Mary & Jno Davis. Brecon Militia.
16th September 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Thomas Powles. Monmouth & Brecon. (assume soldier but may be son!)
12th October 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Tho: Miller West Essex Militia.
25th November 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised James Penniston son of John & Mary Penniston. Derby Militia.
26th November 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised (blank) Foster . Foster, Derby Militia.
2nd December 1798 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried a soldier of ye Derby Regt.
10th January 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised John Potter son of John & Hannah Potter. Derby Militia.
18th January 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Thomas Topliss son of John & Mary. Derby Militia.
21st January 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Ann Haslam daughter of Jno & Mary Haslam. Derby Regt.
28th January 1799
The second battalion of the Derby militia are quite rusticated at the little barracks at Bletchington which, though their situation is somewhat exposed, are better fitted up and more comfortably accommodated than any we have visited in this neighbourhood. The officers, a few evenings since, gave a ball and supper at their mess room for the ladies of Seaford and the neighbourhood, which turned out so agreeable, that the company did not break up till 6 o'clock the next morning.
3rd March 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Joseph son of John & Sarah (no surname). Derby Regiment.
11th March 1799
Last Friday morning a duel was fought on the beach near Bletchington Barracks between Captain D———n and Lieutenant L———n of the second battalion of the Derbyshire Militia in which the former was shot in the abdomen. The ball entered at the right side, and nearly passed through Mr. D's body, having been since extracted from his left side, where it had lodged near the skin, notwithstanding which, the favourable symptoms that have hitherto appeared, some faint hopes are yesterday entertained of his recovery, but from the nature of the injury we fear they will prove fallacious. Not having been able to learn from any good authority the particulars of the dispute which gave rise to this unhappy affair, we for the present decline saying anything further on the subject.
11th March 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried E. Ward wife of Serjeant Ward. Derby Militia in barracks. (Her gravestone can still be seen in St. Peter’s graveyard)
13th March 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried W.R. A soldier in ye 2nd Battn Of Derby Militia.
18th March 1799
We are glad to hear that Captain D. who was shot by Lieutenant L. in the duel as stated
in our last, continues in a promising way and that the most flattering hopes are now entertained for his speedy recovery.
The meeting, we understand, took place in consequence of something said by Captain D. on the subject of a matrimonial connection which principally concerned Lieutenant L. and which was considered as disrespectful.
The Captain fired first, and directed his pistol so skilfully that the ball grazed the forehead of Mr. L. who then fired and wounded his antagonist, as before stated. Captain D. (who has a wife and five children) on finding himself wounded, asked Mr. L. if he had received the satisfaction he required, who answered in the affirmative, when both parties retired with their seconds who were officers in the same regiment.
The peril in which the challenger had placed his adversary’s life, rendered it prudent for him to absent himself, and the two seconds, also fearing the consequences, followed his example.
22nd May 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried a soldier East Kent Regt.
26th May 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised John Hadlam son of William & Ann Hadlam. East Kent Militia.
23rd June 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Nance Antrim daughter of William and Mary Antrim. East Kent Militia.
8th July 1799
Last Monday morning some smugglers, for reasons best known to themselves, rowed their boats, laden with some near 400 caulks of contraband spirits, to shore under the battery at Bletchington, where the soldiery soon possessed themselves of the greatest part of her cargo, which they afterwards disposed of to the country people, at five shillings a tub, but most of it has, by virtue of search warrants, been since recovered by the revenue officers.
14th July 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Hunt daughter of George & Anne Hunt. East Kent.
18th August 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Elizabeth Kier daughter of Thos. & Mary Kier. Airshire Cavalry.
18th August 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised William Woolletts son of William & Ann Woolletts. East Kent Militia.
5th September 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried T.N. of the East Kent Regt.
20th October 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Jane Wybourne daughter of Jane & John Wybourne. East Kent Militia.
20th October 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised James Sellen son of Richard & Mary Sellen. E. Kent.
27th October 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Sarah or Jane Rose daughter of Jane & William Rose. East Kent Militia.
4th November 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised William Sorrell son of Edward & Susannah Sorrell. East Kent Militia.
11th November 1799
Deserted from his Majesty's East Kent Regiment of Militia quartered at Bletchington barracks in the county of Sussex, 30th October, 1799: Sergeant Charles Hughes, about five feet seven inches high, swarthy complexion, hazel eyes, brown hair, 25 years of age born at
N.B. Both the above-named deserters are musicians and went off in the uniform of the band - white coats faced with blue grey, and blue grey tassels.
27th December 1799 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried infant daughter. Northampton Militia.
Early 1800 - Permanent barracks were built to house 923 men plus stables for 57 horses. (Source Barracks to Bunkers by Peter Longstaff-Tyrrell)
The Advertisements in The Sussex Weekly Advertiser re the sale of the Barracks in June to September 1818 suggest that on the 19 acre site there were 3 x Infantry Barracks and stables (presumably the ones referred to above), 8 x Cavalry Barracks, a Quartermasters’ Barracks, a Cavalry Hospital, a Guard House, a Canteen, a Cavalry Officers’ Mess House, an Infantry Officers Mess House and a Kitchen plus 9 Sentry Boxes. In addition there were certainly Cavalry Stables, other sheds and outbuildings and storehouses to hold feed for the horses and firewood and coal, a Magazine, Cook Houses, Latrines, Wash Houses, a Bake House, a Morgue and probably a house for Officers’ Servants. These would have surrounded a Parade Ground. There may well have been vegetable gardens and there is a report of a mill (nearby) for the benefit of the soldiers.
5th January 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised John James (2 years) son of Willm & Mary James. Northampton Militia
5th January 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Richard James son of Willm & Mary James. Northampton Militia.
5th January 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised William Kirby son of Willm & Barbara Kirby. Northampton Militia.
19th January 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Thos. York son of Thos & Sarah York. Narthampton Militia.
23th February 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Thomas Whaley son of Tho: & Mary Whaley. Northampton Regiment.
6th April 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Frederick Dobney son of Michael & Mary Dobney. Sgt. Northampton Militia.
13th April 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Robert Reed son of Robert & Elizabeth Reed. Northampton Regiment.
17th April 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried William Dilley son of Wm Dilley Serjt. Northampton Regt.
21st April 1800
Last Friday the Northamptonshire Militia commanded by Col. Brooke stationed at Bletchington were very minutely inspected by General Forbes, who expressed a great satisfaction at the military appearance of the men, and made some observations flattering to the Colonel, on the extreme neatness and distinguished uniformity of their dress.
18th May 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Thomas Clarke son of John & Sarah Clarke. Northampton Militia.
21st May 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Rebecca Wright (age 10) daughter Serjt James & Lucy. Accidentally killed by fall in the barracks.
25th May 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Sarah Losbury daughter of Joseph & Elizabeth Losbury. Northam: Regiment.
1st June 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised 2 children belonging to the Northampton, their parents having omitted to send in their names.
20th July 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Sarah Bloxom daughter of John & Elizabeth. Sussex Militia.
7th September 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Archibald Russell son of John & Janett Russell. Rifle Corps.
14th September 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised William Coter Burcher son of Jame & Ann Burcher. Sussex Militia.
14th September 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised William Sageman son of William & Sarah Sageman. Sussex Militia.
5th October 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Catherine Mackenzie daughter of Robert & Catherine Mackenzie. Rifle Corps
6th October 1800
The Rifle Corps at Bletchington, having lately received considerable augmentation from the Scottish Fencibles, many of the men who had been detached from different regiments to be instructed in the rifle exercises, have by choice (but a bounty would have been the reward of their continuance) been dismissed that service to return to their respective corps. A division of eighty on Friday passed through this town en route to Ireland.
10th November 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary McConochy daughter of Duncan & Margaret McConochy. Rifle Corps.
14th December 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Murphy daughter of Robert & Elizabeth Murphy. Rifle Corps in barracks.
27th December 1800 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Benjamin son of Qr. Master Serjeant, Rifle Corps. (dead since)
5th January 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised James Wright son of William & (wife’s name omitted) Wright. Rifle Corps.
8th March 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Ann Wilson daughter of Edward & Jane Wilson. 1st Dragoons.
20th March 1801 - Examination at the Court of Quarter Sessions, Seaford
a) John Gordon, corporal in the Rifle Regt., commanded by Col. Manningham, declares that he was born in the parish of St. Peter, Liverpool, Co. Lancs.
b) George Stone and William Potts, apprentices to James Brooker, Seaford and Lieut. Peter O’Hare of the Rifle Regt. concerning a fraud alleged to have been committed by John Gordon.
c) Lieut. Peter O’Hare acting adjutant of the Rifle Regt., in £40 to prefer a charge of forgery against John Gordon.
20th April 1801
This day, Corporal Gordon of the Rifle Regiment stationed at Bletchington, is to take his trial for the forgery with which he stands charged at Seaford before Mr. Leach, the recorder of that Corporation.
John Gordon was found guilty for intending to cheat James Brooker by obtaining foolscap paper (1s 3d), letter paper (1s 3d), a bunch of pens (9d) and £1.1s.7d in money under false pretences. He was sentenced to be transported for 7 years.
24th May 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Elizabeth Hardy daughter of Serjeant Hardy and Margaret Massam. Rifle Corps.
25th May 1801
On Friday and Saturday last the Rifle Regiment, commanded by Colonel Manningham, marched in two divisions from the barracks at Bletchington on their route for Weymouth, where it is expected they will be encamped.
29th June 1801
Last week, the West Essex militia commenced their march in four divisions from Dover in Kent for the barracks in Bletchington in this county, where the first division arrived on Saturday. The other divisions will have completed their march on this day, tomorrow and Wednesday. To prevent the necessity of impressing farmers’ teams in their season of hay making, their baggage is conveyed in waggons belonging to the old corps of drivers.
12th July 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised William Campbell son of Thos. & Elizabeth Campbell. Rifle Corps.
2nd August 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Jane Crouch daughter of Hannah & Daniel Crouvh. West Essex Militia.
10th August 1801
On Thursday fe’night the Arms of the Bletchington and Newhaven Companies of Coast Artillery Volunteers, commanded by Capt. Edward Harvey, were inspected and to the credit of the corps, all but one (which had a hole in the barrel) were found to be in the highest order and in every respect fit for service. The men who made a very soldierlike appearance were afterwards entertained with a cold collation at the New Inn, Seaford, from whence they returned at an early hour in the most orderly manner, to their respective abodes.
23rd August 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Lynn daughter of John & Sarah Lynn. West Essex.
28th August 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised John Wakelin son of James & Jane Wakelin. West Essex.
22nd September 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised William Lambert son of Edward & Sarah Lambert. West Essex.
27th September 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised James Traveller son of James & Rebecca Traveller. West Essex.
28th September 1801
Last Saturday a division of the West Essex supplementary militia marched into this town on their route to join their regiment at the Bletchington Barracks.
4th October 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Charles Dyson son of charles & Mary Dyson. West Essex Militia.
12th October 1801
On Saturday, between three and four hundred of the Rifle Regiment commanded by Col. Manningham, marched into Brighton on their route from Weymouth to Bletchington Barracks.
16th October 1801
This day the West Essex militia commenced their march from Bletchington Barracks on their route through this town to Chelmsford to be disembodied.
8th November 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised John Reborne son of William & Jane Reborne. Rifle Corps.
9th November 1801
The Sussex militia, who last week quitted the above (Battle) barracks, have since arrived at their respective stations as below specified - Bletchington Barracks - Three companies.
24h November 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised John Stack (20 months) son of Thos & Mary Stack. Serjt. Rifle Corps.
24h November 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised John Elizabeth daughter of Thos & Mary Stack. Serjt. Rifle Corps.
1st December 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Soldier ye Rifle Corps.
13th December 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Norry Hunt daughter of Edward & Norry Hunt. Rifle Corps.
20th December 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Donald McKay, Rifle Corps. (assume soldier but maybe son)
27th December 1801 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised John Lewis son of Thos. & Catherine Lewis. R.C. (Rifle Corps)
3rd January 1802
On last Thursday evening, two soldiers who had absented themselves from their barracks at Bletchington, were taken up at Newhaven, charged with privately stealing, in a shop at that place, sundry pieces of ribbon, and with other frauds. They were on Friday brought to this town and examined before the magistrates, who committed them to the House of Correction.
11th January 1802
One day last week a soldier belonging to the Rifle Regiment, stationed in Bletchington barracks, was found a little distance from the main road between that place and Newhaven
24th January 1802 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised George Smith son of Jno & Bethany Smith. Sussex Militia.
7th March 1802 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Margaret Ross daughter of Donald & Biddy Ross. Rifle Corps.
1st May 1802 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Samual Hinton son of Samual & Ann Hinton. (Rifle?) Regt.
2nd May 1802 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Jannett and Nelly twin daughters of George and Margaret Sutherland. Rifle Regt.
6th June 1802 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Margaret Loadwheeler daughter of Henry & Jane Loadwheeler. Rifle Corps.
c.30th June 1802 - William Surtees ‘Twenty– Five Years In The Rifle Brigade’ published in 1833
Account of William Surtees joining the Rifle Corps transferring from the 56th Regiment based in Cork…...
“We marched soon after to Waterford, and thence to Passage, and there embarked for the Isle of Wight, and without encountering any remarkable event arrived at Cowes on the 27th June, 1802; here we remained a day or two, and then marched for the regiment in Sussex. We found them at East Bourne, although Blatchington was their quarter, but they had been sent out of it on account of the assizes or election, I do not remember which.”
4th July 1802 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary MacMollen daughter of Donald & Mary MacMollen. Rifle Regiment.
August 1802 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Elizabeth Westmore daughter of John & Mary. Under Gunner.
26th September 1802 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Rebecca Gilbert daughter of William & Lydia Gilbert. 9th Regiment.
27th September 1802 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Isaac Wood, Head Gunner.
29th June 1803 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Skahill daughter of Patrick & Ann Skahill. Rifle Corps.
18th July 1803 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Thos White a soldier of the Rifle Corps.
Baptised William Webber son of Thos & Phebe Webber. Barrack Serjeant.
4th September 1803 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Elizabeth Revett daughter of James & Margaret Revett. Rifle Corps.
2nd October 1803 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Ann Leslie daughter of James Leslie & Jesse his wife. Rifle Corps.
26th October 1803 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised William Peacock son of Oliver & Susan Peacock. Rifle Corps.
1st November 1803 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Private William Folger, South Hants.
6th November 1803 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Private Moses Smith, South Hants.
15th November 1803 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Private Joseph Cull, South Hants.
19th November 1803 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried William Small. South Hants Regt. (assume soldier but maybe son)
9th December 1803 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Jane Shephard daughter of Charles & Sarah. South Hants.
17th December 1803 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Parker a soldier South Hants.
26th December 1803 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Fanny Hargrave daughter of Hannah & Jonathan Hargrave. 11th Dragoons.
12th January 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Joseph Smith son of Thos. & Mary Smith. South Hants. Militia.
29th January 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Jane daughter of Sarah & Charles (no surname).
29th January 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised William Hamlin Turtle son of Wm & Elizabeth Turtle, privately baptised & born at S’hampton.
12th February 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John England soldier South Hants.
7th March 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Eliza Veller (or Voller) daughter of Robert & Elizabeth Veller. Sth. Hants Militia.
Note: - The South Hants have lost 6 men in the space of 15 weeks!
28th March 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried F. Harris a soldier of the Herefordshire Militia.
29th March 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Tho. Richards a soldier of the Herefordshire Regt.
4th April 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John S. a soldier of the Herefordshire Regt.
16th April 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Ann East daughter of John & Elizabeth East. Herefordshire militia.
17th April 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Prosser a soldier of the Herefordshire Militia.
22nd April 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Ann Jones daughter of John & Elizabeth Jones. Herefordshire Militia.
27th April 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Charles Loyd a soldier of the Herefordshire Militia.
1st May 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Thomas Floyd a soldier of the Herefordshire Regt.
Note: - The Herefordshire’s lost 6 men in the space of 35 days!
6th May 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Thomas Bevan son of Thos. & Elizabeth Bevan. Hereford Regt.
13th May 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Maria Lewis daughter of James & Mary Lewis. Hereford Regiment.
13th May 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised John Turner son of James & Elizabeth Turner. Hereford Regiment.
19th May 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Ann daughter of (parents names not recorded). 11th Regiment.
20th May 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried [No name given] of ye 11th Light Horse.
21st May 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Charles Francis Gravel son of Charles & Jane Gravel. Hereford Regiment.
27th May 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Edward Stobber son of Jno & Mary Stobber. Hereford Regiment.
31st May 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Stephen Rabbet, 11th Lt. Dragoons. (assume soldier but maybe son)
31st May 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Williams, Hereford Regt. (assume soldier but maybe son)
Note: - 15 soldiers have been buried in East Blatchington in only 7 months!
4th June 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Charlotte Corston daughter of Thos & Elizabeth Corston. 11th Dragoons.
18th June 1804
The Barracks at Bletchington are now occupied by the Monmouth and Breconshire Militia, commanded by the Earl of Abergavenny, into which they lately marched in three divisions from Chichester.
18th June 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried William Evans Pte. Mon’th & Brcon militia.
25th June 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Richard Antony. Monmouth & Brecon Regt. (assume soldier, maybe son)
26th June 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried James Napp son of John & Elizabeth. 11th Dragoons.
26th June 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Mary Ann Ward daughter of Thos. & Rachel. 11th Dragoon Guards.
1st July 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Holmes daughter of John & Aquila Holmes. 11th Dragoons.
16th July 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John jones. Monmouth & Brecon Militia. (assume soldier, maybe son)
18th July 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Thomas Gunter son of William & ann. Monmouth & Brecon Regt.
21st July 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Philpot Demper. 11th Dragoons. (assume soldier but maybe son)
21st July 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Pritchard. Monmouth & Brecon Regt. (assume soldier but may be son)
23rd July 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary daughter of Ann & George (no surname). 11th Dragoons.
24th July 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Harvard (or Hevard) son of Benjamin & Elizabeth Harvard. Monmouth & Brecon Regt.
30th July 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Benjamin Price son of Tho &Margaret Price. Monmouth & Brecon.
1st August 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Mary Evans daughter of John & Jane Evans. Monmouth & Brecon Regt.
1st August 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Matilda Wale daughter of Jno & Hannah Wale. Monmouth & Brecon.
18th August 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Elizabeth Hansworth daughter of James & Mary Hansworth. 11th Dragoons.
9th September 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised William Jones son of Willm & Ann Jones. Monmouth & Brecon Militia.
9th September 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Baptism Register.
Baptised Elizabeth Roberts daughter of Robert & Sarah Roberts. Monmouth & Brecon.
25th September 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Isaac Evans Monmouth & Brecon Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
10th October 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Morgan. Monmouth & Brecon Regt. (assume soldier but maybe son)
18th October 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Daniel Thomas. Monmouth & Brecon Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
4th November 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Williams . 11th Dragoons. (assume soldier but maybe son)
7th November 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried William Holmes. 23rd Regt. (assume soldier but maybe son)
5th December 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Thomas Hogben. Under-Contr. Blatchington barracks (drowned in a well).
17th December 1804 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Evans. 23rd Regt. (assume soldier but maybe son)
5th January 1805 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John West. 10th Dragoon Guards. (assume soldier but maybe son)
5th January 1805 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Benjamin Wilmore. 23rd Regiment. (assume soldier but maybe son)
22nd February 1805 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Elijah Wheatley. 10th Dragoons. (assume soldier but maybe son)
2nd April 1805 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Hanry Groves. 23rd Regt. (assume soldier but maybe son)
21st April 1805 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Thomas Monsfield. 23rd Regt. (assume soldier but maybe son)
3rd June 1805
Strayed. A short time since from the Barracks at Bletchington.
A Bay Poney about 13 hands high and off hind foot white.
Whoever has found the said Poney, and will bring it to the Canteen at Bletchington Barracks shall be rewarded for their trouble and all reasonable expenses paid.
27th August 1805 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Frances Giles. 10th Dragoons.
23rd September 1805
The 10th, or Prince of Wales, Regiment of Light Dragoons have received their orders to march from Bletchington etc. to Rumford in Essex and adjacents; the above regiment is to be relieved by the 9th Light Dragoons, the first and second divisions of which arrived at Brighton on their route for Bletchington on Friday and Saturday last.
25th September 1805 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Sarah Curtis. 10th Dragoons.
7th October 1805
The next morning the Prince reviewed the troops encamped at Beachy Head and otherwise stationed in that neighbourhood, after which his Royal Highness and the Duke of Clarence proceeded along the coast for Brighton and, whilst changing horses at Seaford, were saluted by a discharge of 21 guns from the battery at that place and at Bletchington by the Coast Artillery, commanded by Captain James Cook and Captain Dean; also His Majesty’s sloops Champion and Calypso, lying on their station in Seaford Roads. About six in the evening the august personages arrived at the Pavilion.
21st October 1805 - Victory at Battle of Trafalgar — Death of Lord Nelson.
18th November 1805
Yesterday Captain Harben’s Cinque Ports volunteers and the Coast Artillery commanded by Captains Cooke and Dean, were brigaded at Newhaven and afterwards marched to the church at that place, where a sermon from the first book of Kings chapter 8 v.44,45, appropriate to the late success of the British navy, was preached in a very impressive manner by the Reverend Mr. Viccars curate of that parish.
19th November 1805 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Patrick McCann. 9th Dragoons. (assume soldier but maybe son)
23rd November 1805
A few days since, an officer of the 9th Dragoons undertook, for a considerable wager, to ride one of his own horses from the “Star Inn” Lewes to Bletchington Barracks, a distance of nearly 10 miles and bad roads, in 35 minutes.
He started at 3 in the afternoon and by judiciously crossing the brooks and the river near Glynde he arrived at the Barracks in 29 minutes, six minutes within the given time.
18th December 1805 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Mary Grove. 23rd Regt.
23rd December 1805
The 9th regiment of light dragoons have also orders to march this morning from Bletchington and are to be relieved on the coast duty by the 4th dragoons from Arundel and Chichester. Last Friday the Cinque Ports volunteers of Seaford were inspected there by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas, inspecting field officer for the Cinque Ports. Their performance met the entire approbation of the colonel.
On Friday and Saturday, the first and second divisions of the 12th regiment of light dragoons marched into Brighton from Guildford, on their route to Bletchington and other situations along the coast, to replace the 9th regiment ordered to embark for the continent. The 4th dragoons, at first intended for the coast duty, received a counter order.
30th December 1805
Last Friday the Monmouth and Brecon Militia marched in two divisions and by different routes to Bletchington Barracks for Horsham.
31st December 1805 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Eleanor Parker. 21st Regt.
20th January 1806
The 21st regiment of infantry mentioned in a former paper, have marched from Bletchington to attend the funeral of Lord Nelson the day following, proceeded on their route to Chelmsford in Essex.
2nd February 1806 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Elizabeth Johnson. 12th Dragoons.
15th July 1806 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Jane Harris. 17th Dragoons.
9th August 1806 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Thomas Connolly 17th Dragoons. (assume soldier but maybe son)
1st September 1806 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Catherine Hendrick(?). 17th Dragoons.
12th September 1806 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Elizabeth Edwards. 17th Dragoons.
14th September 1806 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Ann Stringer. 2nd Somerset Militia.
23rd December 1806 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried William Toonie. 1st Dragoon guards. (assume soldier but maybe son)
4th January 1807 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Robins. 1st Dragoon Guards. (assume soldier but maybe son)
13th January 1807 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Lieutenant Ransley(?). 2nd Somerset Militia.
4th April 1807 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Richard Granger. 1st Dragoon Guards. (assume soldier but maybe son)
4th April 1807 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Moons. 1st Dragoon Guards. (assume soldier but maybe son)
4th April 1807 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Shipley. 1st Dragoon Guards. (assume soldier but maybe son)
4th April 1807 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried James Watkins. 1st Dragoon Guards. (assume soldier but maybe son)
26th April 1807 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Fanny Baggs. 2nd Somerset Militia.
6th May 1807 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Symond. 2nd Somerset Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
20th June 1807 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Edward Vowls(?). 2nd Somerset Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
17th September 1807 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Joseph Lomacks. 14th Dragoons. (assume soldier but maybe son)
5th October 1807 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Benjamin Shepherd. 14th Dragoons. (assume soldier but maybe son)
13th November 1807 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Neven(?). 14th Light Dragoons. (assume soldier but maybe son)
24th January 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Ezekial Webb. Berks Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
26th January 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Thomas Shill. Berks Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
27th January 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried James Manns(?). Berks Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
28th January 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Simon Coventry. Berks Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
4th February 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Joseph Smith. Berks Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
4th February 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried William Harrison. Berks Militia (assume soldier but maybe son)
6th February 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Thomas Hill. Berks Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
7th February 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Povey. Berks Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
8th February 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Samual Richardson. Berks militia. (assume soldier bu maybe son)
11th February 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Ford. 14th Light Dragoons. (assume soldier but maybe son)
11th February 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Henry Robinson. Berks militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
15th February 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried William Vickers. Berks Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
15th February 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Richard Woodward. 14th Light Dragoons. (assume soldier but maybe son)
16th February 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Burkett. Berks. Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
18th February 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried George Ronsill. Berks Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
18th February 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried William Woodley. Berks Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
20th February 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Piper. Berks Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
20th February 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Thomas Nill. 14th Light Dragoons. (assume soldier but maybe son)
22nd February 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Edward Cullen. 14th Light Dragoons. (assume soldier but maybe son)
 |
| Copyright: Seaford Museum & Heritage Society. |
7th March 1808
The gentlemanly demeanour of the officers and peaceful conduct of the men of the Royal Berkshire Militia, who lately quitted the barracks at Bletchington for those at Hailsham, rendered their departure greatly regretted by all the inhabitants of both Bletchington and Seaford.
26th April 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Marshall. 3rd Dragoon guards. (assume soldier but maybe son)
7th May 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Joshua Graves. 2nd Batt. 53rd Regt. (assume soldier but maybe son)
14th May 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Mark Singleton. Northumberland Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
18th May 1808 - Star (London)
Thursday the 2nd Battalion of the 53d Regiment marched into Chichester from Blatchington Barracks on their way to Portsmouth for embarkation on foreign service. A grenadier of the regiment attracted the much attention: he measures seven fett 3 inches and a half in height, and is only 19 years of age, having been very lately enlisted in Ireland. He is allowed to be the tallest man in the army.
29th May 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried James Gibbens. Roy. North Gloster Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
31st May 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Thomas Pimberton. Roy. North Glost. Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
18th June 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Mills. R. North Glost Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
25th June 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Gardener. Roy. North Gloster Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
25th June 1808 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Adam Roach. Roy. North Gloster Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
28th November 1808
On Wednesday evening last, at Bletchington Barracks, a most splendid entertainment was give by Lt. Col. MacDowall of the Renfrew Militia to all the beauty and fashion of
21st April 1809 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Thomas Westwould. 3rd Dragoon Guards. (assume soldier but maybe son)
24th April 1809 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Richard Carwallader 81st Regt. of Foot. (assume soldier but maybe son)
22nd June 1809 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Edward Roberts. 3rd Dragoon Guards. (assume soldier but maybe son)
21st August 1809 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Mary Ann Daniels (age 6) daughter of Robert S/Major 3rd Dragoon Guards.
30th October 1809
The officers of the Nottingham Militia celebrated the 25th (50th year of the Kings reign) with their usual liberality at Bletchington, with a sumptuous dinner to the neighbouring gents and the officers of the squadron of the 3rd Dragoon Guards and of the 31st Regiment quartered there. The Sergeants and their wives had a most excellent dinner and a bottle of wine each. The rest of the Regiment, with their wives and children, were entertained with Roast Beef and pudding and as much ale as they could drink, at the expense of the officers. 20 empty ale casks were rolled out of the barracks the next day. A quantity of fireworks were let off in the evening( the Notts are under orders to march to Winchelsea).
17th December 1809 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Williams (infant). 81st Regt. of Foot.
26th December 1809 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried James Webber (age 21). 81st Foot Regt. (assume soldier but maybe son)
13th January 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Morris Jones (age 20). 81st Foot Regt.
15th January 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried William Stubbs (age 25). 81st Regt. of Foot.
30th January 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Harriet Cook (infant). 3rd Dragoon Guards.
31st January 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried James Connor (age 25). 81st Regt. of Foot.
10th February 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Michael Raphady. 81st Regt. of Foot. (assume soldier but maybe son)
12th February 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Frances Duffey (age 26). 81st Regt. Of Foot.
4th March 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Alicia(?) Malaney (infant). 81st Regt. of Foot .
14th March 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried David Harries (infant). 81st Regt. of Foot.
22nd March 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Grogan (Age 30) 81st Regt. of Foot.
26th March 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Peter Kenney (age 35). 81st Regt. of foot.
2nd April 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Ellis Williams (age 30). 81st Regt. of Foot. (assume soldier but maybe son)
9th April 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Williams. 81st Regt. of Foot. (assume soldier but maybe son)
11th April 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Matthew Morris. 81st Regt. of Foot. (assume soldier but maybe son)
13th April 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Francis Solomon. 81st Regt. of Foot. (assume soldier but maybe son)
1st July 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Truttle. East Suffolk Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
10th July 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Ann Moles (infant). 37th Regt. of Foot.
21st August 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Foord (Infant) . 3rd Dragoon Guards.
7th September 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Bridget McNally. 37th Regt. of Foot.
14th September 1810 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Eliza Knowles (infant). 37thRegt. of Foot.
12th January 1811 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Shallary. Warwick Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
14th January 1811 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Joseph Baldock, infant. 3rd Dragoon Guards.
14th January 1811 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Charles Carvill. Warwick Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
4th February 1811 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Thomas Pain. Warwick Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
4th February 1811 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Joseph Wood. Warwick Militia. (assume soldier but maybe son)
17th February 1811 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Aldred. Major, 3rd Dragoon Guards, Farrier.
6th March 1811 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Taylor (infant). 3rd Dragoon Guards.
3rd June 1811 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Mary Taplin (infant). 3rd Dragoon Guards.
13th April 1812
The second battalions of the 36th and 45th regiments of infantry at Horsham, we understand are under marching orders for the barracks at Bletchington, which have been a long time unoccupied, to the great regret of the inhabitants of Seaford, who always appear dull without the society of military gentlemen.
20th April 1812
Last Tuesday the 2nd battalion of the 26th infantry commanded by Major Leggatt marched into this town on its route from Horsham to Bletchington Barracks.
20th April 1812
On Wednesday the 2nd division of the 45th Regiment arrived here also on its route to the above barracks.
28th April 1812 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Matthew Churchill (infant). 45th Regt. of Foot.
5th May 1812 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Mary Ann Wilson (infant). 36th Regt.
17th August 1812 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Catherine Buxton wife of S/Major 2nd batt. 45th Regt. of Foot.
2nd September 1812 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Digby Davies (Infant). 2nd Batt. 45th Foot.
6th September 1812 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Thomas Smith. Serjt. 2nd Batt. 36th Foot.
24th September 1812 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Samual Ward. 2nd Batt. 45th Foot. (assume soldier but maybe son)
12th October 1812 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Lucy Flower wife of James . Serjt 2nd batt. 36th Regt.
15th November 1812 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Mary Anne Grome (infant). 63rd Regt. of Foot.
17th December 1812 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John MacNish son of William & Artbutnot? Surgeon 63rd Regt. Foot.
23rd January 1813 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Samual Longley (age 19). Pte. 18th Lt. Dragoons, Barracks.
19th April 1813
A few nights since, several of the untenanted apartments of Bletchington Barracks were feloniously entered by some robbers, who stole therein divers articles of bedding and disposed of the same in a manner that has, hitherto, enabled them to avoid detection.
1st June 1813 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Henry Wagg (age 30). 2nd Batt. 63rd Regt. Foot. Barracks.
24th October 1813 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Archibald Jones (age 25) Pte. 2nd Batt. 45th Regt. Barracks.
27th September 1814 - London Courier and Evening Gazette.
BRIGHTON, Sept. 27.
Yesterday, a squadron of the gallant 18th Hussars marched in here from Blatchington Barracks under the command of Capt. Kennedy --- and today the remainder of that regiment, justly styled the heroes of Toulouse, marched from hence for Chichester, under the command of Lieutenant-colonel Hay. Their departure from their late quarters has caused much regret to the inhabitants, to whom they had endeared themselves, by their orderly conduct.
Yesterday, a squadron of the gallant 18th Hussars marched in here from Blatchington Barracks under the command of Capt. Kennedy --- and today the remainder of that regiment, justly styled the heroes of Toulouse, marched from hence for Chichester, under the command of Lieutenant-colonel Hay. Their departure from their late quarters has caused much regret to the inhabitants, to whom they had endeared themselves, by their orderly conduct.
27th September 1814 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Francis Mooney (age 35). Pte. 44th Regt., barracks.
5th October 1814 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Robert Bennett (18 months). Blatchington Barracks.
11th October 1814 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Jane Bennett (18 months). Blatchington Barracks.
12th October 1814 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried George Richard Hardinge (3 months) son of Lt./Col. Hardinge & Eliza. 44th Regt. Blatchington Barracks
17th October 1814 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Edward Egan (age 26). Pte. 44th Regt. In barracks.
26th December 1814 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Jane Spittell (age 11 months). Blatchington Barracks.
29th December 1814 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Hugh Black (age 30), Corpl. 44th Regt. In barracks.
1815
End of French Wars.
8th January 1815 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Berry (age 38), Pte. 44th Regt. in barracks.
22nd January 1815 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Hannah Montieth (age 30). Royal Artillery, barracks.
11th February 1815 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Elizabeth Carney (age 16). 44th Regt. In barracks.
12th September 1815 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried William Bennett (6 weeks). Blatchington Barracks.
6th February 1816 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried William Roberts (age 40). Pte. 81st Regt., in barracks.
21st February 1816 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried N.C. Long (age 30). Pte. R.H. Artillery, Barracks.
3rd July 1816 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Michael Roberts (age 37). Pte. 51st Regt., in barracks.
28th July 1816 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried John Senior (age 21) Pte. 51st Regt., barracks.
1818
Blatchington Barracks demolished and the contents sold off by auction.
June 1818 (Sussex Weekly Advertiser)
Bletchington Barracks, Sussex
TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION
By VERRAL & SON,
On Monday, the 22nd of June, 1818, and two following days, by order of the Comptroller of the Barrack Department, at Bletchington Barracks,
A Large Quantity of BARRACK STORES, Births, &c comprising officers’ tables, Windsor and other chairs, Bath stoves, fire irons, coal scuttles, trays and boxes, closet and cupboard fronts and shelves, soldiers’ and servants’ births and bedsteads, water pails, tin beer cans, drinking cups, dry rubbers, hair brooms, kitchen ranges, fenders and fire irons, tables and forms, wheelbarrows, stable shovels and pitchforks, a set of mahogany mess tables, a capital iron roller, a fire engine with leather hose, a large quantity of cast and wrought iron in broken up grates and ranges, nine sentry boxes &c. &c. about 20,000 plain tiles, and 1,400 pan tiles, about 30 chaldrons of coals, and 330lb. Candles.
The whole to be put up in small lots, for the convenience of purchasers, and subject to such conditions produced on the days of sale.
To be viewed on the mornings of the days of sale; and Catalogues may be had three days previous of the Barrack Masters at Brighton, Eastbourne, and Bexhill, at the place of sale, and at the Auctioneers, Lewes.
The sale to begin precisely at Eleven o’clock each day.
31st August 1818 (Sussex Weekly Advertiser)
Second Sale of Materials of the Temporary Royal Artillery, Cavalry, and Infantry Barracks, at Blatchington, near Seaford, Sussex.
TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION
By Messrs. AYRES and SON,
On Monday, the 7th of September, and following day, at Eleven o’clock, on the Premises, at the Barracks at Blatchington, by order of His Majesty’s Honourable Board of Ordnance,
The Materials of Infantry Barracks and Stables, Field Officers’ House, Cavalry Barracks, Quartermaster’ Barracks, Cavalry Hospital, and Guard House, consisting of many thousand plain and pan tiles, brickwork, sound Dantzic (Danzig), Riga, and Memel timber, in truss roofs, principal and other rafters, girders, king post, plates, joist, carcase framing, quarter partitions, sound floor boards, weather boarding, glazed sashes and frames, panelled, ledged, and other doors, lead, iron, and other effects.
Will be sold in lots, as per catalogue, or in whole-buildings, at the option of the company at the time of sale.
May be viewed 6 days preceding the sale, when catalogues may be had at the Canteen on the Premises; New Inn, Seaford; Star, Lewes; Old Ship, Brighton; and of Messrs. AYRES, Timber Surveyors, &c. Houndsditch, London.
N.B. The sales will be continued every second Monday, till the whole are sold, and without reserve.
Note: The advertisement above the one for Blatchington Barracks is an Auction of Materials from the ‘Privates’ Barracks, part of the Royal Artillery Drivers’ Barracks’ in Eastbourne.
14th September 1818 (Sussex Weekly Advertiser)
Third Sale of Materials of the temporary Royal Artillery, Cavalry, and Infantry Barracks, at Blatchington, near Seaford, Sussex.
FOR SALE BY AUCTION
By Messrs. AYRES and SON,
On Monday, the 28th September, and following day, at Eleven o’clock for Twelve precisely, each day, on the premises, by order of His Majesty’s Honourable Board of Ordnance,
The Materials of three infantry privates’ barracks, eight cavalry barracks, the cavalry officers’ mess house, the infantry officers’ mess house and kitchen, consisting of a large quantity of plain tiles and slate, brickwork, timber in truss roof, principal and other rafters, tie beams, king post, girders, joists, carcass framing, weather board, floors, glazed sashes and frames, with sliding shutters and boxings, lines and weights, framed, panelled, and ledged doors, closet fronts and shelves, lead, and other effects.
Will be sold in lots, as per catalogue, or in whole-buildings, at the option of the company at the time of sale.
N.B. At the same time will be Lett by Auction, the Land on which the barracks stand, about 19 acres, by the same more or less, under such clauses and conditions as will be agreed upon at the time of sale.
May be viewed six days preceding the sale when catalogues of the materials may be had on the premises, at the Canteen; New Inn, Seaford; Star, Lewes; the Old Ship, Brighton; and of Messrs. AYRES and Son, Timber Surveyors, Measurers and Brokers, Houndsditch, London.
28th September 1818 (Sussex Weekly Advertiser)
Fourth Sale of Materials of the Temporary Royal Artillery, Cavalry, and Infantry Barracks, at Blatchington, near Seaford, Sussex.
FOR SALE BY AUCTION
By Messrs. AYRES and SON,
On Monday, the 12th day of October, and following day, at Eleven o’clock for Twelve precisely, each day, on the premises, by order of His Majesty’s Honourable Board of Ordnance,
The Materials of two infantry privates’ barracks, two range of stables, the main guard house, and the infantry hospital, consisting of a large quantity of plain tiles, slating, sound brickwork, timber in truss roofs, principal and other rafters, tie beams, king post, girders, joists, carcase framing, weather board, floors, sashes and frames, with sliding shutters and boxings, panelled and ledged doors, lead, and other effects.
May be viewed six days preceding the sale when catalogues of the materials may be had on the premises, the New Inn and Eastbourne; Star, Lewes; Old Ship, Brighton; and of Messrs. AYRES and Son, Timber Surveyors, Measurers and Brokers, Houndsditch, London.
23rd November 1824
Blatchington Fort/Battery was partially demolished by a storm and floods. The road from Seaford to Newhaven was also destroyed necessitating a detour, for many years, through Blatchington.
15th May 1836 - East Blatchington Parish Burials Register.
Buried Christiana Warden (age 56). East Bletchington Battery.
 |
| Map of Blatchington Battery and Barracks 7 Seaford c.1830. |
30th August 1862 (from the ‘Express Herald’)
A detachment of the Honourable Artillery Company entered Seaford on a Saturday, with four 6lb field guns, each drawn by four horses, from their headquarters at Finsbury. On passing Blatchington battery they were saluted by Captain Turner and the Seaford detachment of the Third Sussex Artillery Volunteers, who fired a salute of 11 guns, 32 and 68 pounders.
The Honourable Artillery Company marched through to Seaford Battery and then retired to the New Inn hotel to mess, being their headquarters. On Sunday morning the officers and men attended Divine Service at the Parish Church, and during the week had rifle and gun practice, firing from the Green in front of the town to a target near the cliff end.
 |
| 1860's photograph of Blatchington Battery (attributed to photographer Mark Wynter) Copyright: Seaford Museum and Heritage Society. |
Addendum 1.
List of Men from the Oxfordshire Militia who were tried for the riots on the Sussex Coast on the 16th 17th & 18th of April 1795.
By General Court Marshal in Brighton (between 4th and 14th May 1795)
(The Old Ship Inn’ and ‘The Castle Tavern’ are recorded as the venue in different reports!)
Edward Cooke - the company cook who in civilian life was a blanket weaver from Witney. He was known as ‘Captain Cook’ by the men. Edward Cooke was the spokesman chosen by the men to negotiate with Major Shadwell on the 18th at the Ship Inn in Newhaven. Cooke was tried , over 3 days, where it was reported that his trial “produced strong evidence against him, but his defence was accompanied by some favourable circumstances and, his character abstracted from the offence he stood charged with, merited the approbation and praise of his captain”.
He was convicted and sentenced to Death and was shot by a firing squad comprising 12 men of his Regiment (the Oxfords) on Saturday 13th June 1795. The place of execution was Goldstone Bottom in Hove. The execution was watched by some 8000 troops. He was buried on the edge of the graveyard of St. Andrews Church, Hove where it became an attraction for visitors for some time afterwards.
Richard Blake - Found Guilty and sentenced to be Flogged (1000 lashes) but was later pardoned by the King on account of his youth. He was not told of the pardon until he had already been tied up at Goldstone Bottom, Hove. He later received 100 lashes for a further offence.
John Cox - Found ‘Not Guilty’.
John Haddocks - Haddocks from Chinnor was found Guilty and sentenced to Death but was pardoned on condition of serving as a soldier in New South Wales for 10 years.
Henry Parrish (from Chipping Norton) - Found Guilty and sentenced to Death. He was shot alongside his fellow soldier Edward Cooke at Goldstone Bottom in Hove on the 13th June 1795 by a firing squad comprised of other men of his Regiment of the Oxfordshire Militia. He was buried on the edge of the graveyard of St. Andrews Church, Hove. His and Edward Cooke’s graves became an attraction for visitors . The location of the grave was lost when the church was refurbished in 1834.
William Harper - Found Guilty and sentences to be Flogged (1,500 lashes). He received 300 lashes at Goldstone Bottom, Hove on the 13th June 1795.
Richard Day (Corporal) - Found ‘Not Guilty’.
William Warren (Bugleman) - Found Guilty and sentenced to be Flogged (500 lashes) but was later pardoned by the King and released.
Samual Hermitage (or Heritage) - Found Guilty and sentenced to be Flogged (1,000 lashes) but remitted due to ill health but remained a prisoner.
Robert Drake (Sergeant) - Found Not Guilty and released.
Richard Weaver - Found Guilty and sentenced to be Flogged (1,000 lashes). He received 300 lashes at Goldstone Bottom on the 13th June 1795.
John Woodmarshall - Found Guilty and sentenced to be Flogged (1,000 lashes). He received 300 lashes at Goldstone Bottom, Hove on 13th June 1795.
Richard Johnson (Drummer) - Found Not Guilty. Reportedly there were “hardly any grounds for accusation, the only evidence examined on the part of the prosecution was a sergeant’s lady whose uncorroborated testimony seemed to have little weight with the court, nor did it deserve any, for there was evidently more under the influence of pique than of justice”.
Tried at Special Assizes on the 27th May 1795:
James Sykes - Found Guilty of Riotous Assembly and Stealing Flour at Bishopstone (Tidemills). He was sentenced to be Hanged. The sentence was carried out at 2 p.m. on Saturday 13th June at Horsham gaol.
William Sansom - Found Guilty of Riotous Assembly and Stealing Flour and Rum at Newhaven. He was convicted and sentenced to Death. He was hanged on Saturday 13th of June at 2 p.m. at Horsham gaol. A report describes the event: “Two men from the Old Bailey attended whom not withstanding their practice made a bungling job of it for having carefully taken Sansoms’ hair into the noose the poor fellow in consequence died extremely hard”.
Tried at Special Assizes on the 25th July 1795:
William Avery - Reprieved of Riotous Assembly and Stealing Flour as he was considered to be “one degree above idiot”. He was transported to New South Wales for the term of his natural life.
William Midwinter (from Abingdon) - Convicted of Riotous Assembly and Stealing Flour from the brig ‘Lucy’ at Tidemills. He was hanged at Horsham gaol on Saturday 8th of August. It was stated that “the grand jury and High Sheriff did everything in their power to save the life of this unfortunate man but in vain and he has now, with his blood, paid the forfeit of his misconduct”.
? Woodman - One report identifies ’Woodman’ as having been tried and reprieved at this session.
And local men also tried at the Special Assizes:
Henry Brook and John Etherington - Two local men employed as a labourers were found Guilty of Stealing a silver watch, two woollen jackets and other things (total value £2.5s.6d ) from a house in Newhaven. They were sentenced to be Transported for 7 Years)
Note: A small number of other soldiers were tried at the lesser ‘Regimental Court Martial’
Addendum 2.
A list of the Regiments that visited Blatchington Barracks
Addendum 2.
A list of the Regiments that visited Blatchington Barracks
Notes re Table of Regiments at Blatchington Barracks:
· Weather
reports were not generally recorded at the time so the information tends
only to include severe conditions. These
relate to London and the South of England (from http://ntlworld.com.weather).
· Please
note the probability of transcription errors
and inaccuracies in the original documents.
· Original
records on loose sheets, plus the likelihood that some records may not
indicate a connection with the Barracks, will have caused the exclusion of some
information.
· The
Regiments included in the table are those recorded at Seaford Museum. Likewise the dates are
only those for which there is a record but tours of duty may have lasted
longer.
·
In addition to the above gunners from Coastal Defence and Royal Artillery would
have manned the guns at the Battery/Fort.
·
Soldiers from Regiments serving at Blatchington Barracks were buried at St.
Peter’s as were some of their family members. Col. Coote Manningham of the
Rifle Corps had a memorial stone at St. Peter’s (his actual tomb is in Little
Bookham, Surrey).
·
Large numbers of burials in November 1803,
between March & July 1804, from September 1804 to January 1805, in
April 1807, in January & February
1808, from April to June 1808 and, from
January 1810 to April 1810 suggest that
diseases and fevers may have spread quickly at the Barracks.
Addendum 3.
Major General Coote Manningham.
Colonel in Chief of The Rifle
Corps (1800 - 1809)
1765/6 - Born, second son of Charles Manningham of
Thorpe, Surrey who had been Governor of Bengal in 1758. His mother was the
daughter of Charles Hutchinson, Governor of St. Helena.
1793 - On the outbreak of war, Coote Manningham,
then a Major in the 45th Regiment was appointed to a Light Infantry Battalion
formed in the West Indies. He took part in the ‘reduction’ of Martinique, St.
Lucia and Guadaloupe.
1794 (Feb) - Major Coote
Manningham sent a paper addressed to Colonel Myers titled ‘Thoughts on the
Defence of the Heights above St. Pierre, Martinique’.
1794 - Transferred to the 41st Regiment (from the
105th Foot) as a Lieutenant-Colonel.
1795 - Appointed Adjutant-General to the force
under General Forbes at San Domingo. He was severely wounded by an enemy
ambuscade.
1796 - Became one of King George III’s Equerries.
1798 - Appointed Aide-de-camp to King George III
with a rank of Colonel.
1799 - Colonel Coote Manningham and The Hon.
William Stewart put forward a proposal for a specialised regiment of Riflemen.
1800 (Mar) -The Experimental Corps
of Riflemen was raised in Horsham under the guidance of Colonel Coote
Manningham.
1800 - (Mar to August) Corps trained in field
exercises devised by Manningham and the Corps saw first action in Ferrol in
Spain under Stewart in august.
1801 (Jan to Mar) - Standing
Orders for the Regiment came into effect titled ‘Regulations for the Rifle
Corps formed at Blatchington Barracks under the command of Col. Manningham’ and
the Letter of Service was granted to the formation of Manningham’s Rifle Corps
.
1803 (Spring) - Manningham
delivers his famous series of four lectures on the duties of Riflemen to the
officers of the 95th.
1805 - Promoted to Major-General and joined
general staff.
1808 - Manningham
was appointed to command a brigade in Spain which went out with Sir
David Baird.
1809 - Major-General Coote Manningham died at Maidstone, Kent on the 26th of August 1809
(aged 44) and was buried at Little
Bookham, Surrey.
His memorial in the graveyard of
St. Peter’s, East Blatchington, Sussex was severely damaged in the 1987 storm
and has not yet been replaced.
Old Rifle Brigade Song:
Oh! Colonel Coote Manningham, he was
the man,
for
he invented a capital plan,
he
raised a Corps of Riflemen
to
fight for England’s Glory!
He dressed them all in jackets of green
and
placed them where they couldn’t be seen
and
sent them in front an invisible screen
to
fight for England’s Glory!
Coote Manningham, the Rifle Corps & East
Blatchington
In late 1799 Col. Coote Manningham and Lt-Col.
The Hon. William Stewart put up a proposal for a specialised regiment of
riflemen.
The
Experimental Corps of Riflemen (The 95th Regiment of Foot) was raised in
Horsham, Sussex in March 1800 (1st parade on April 1st) under the guidance of
Colonel Coote Manninham and Lt. Colonel the Hon. William Stewart. They started
with approximately 430 men drawn from 13 regiments (33 men each) including 1
Captain, 1 Lieutenant, 1 Ensign, 2 Sergeants, 2 Corporals and to these a
further 400 were added from 33 Fencible Regiments (12 men each). The men wore
green jackets and pantaloons and were armed with the new Baker Rifle.
Standing
Orders for the Regiment were prepared principally by Stewart under the title
‘Regulations for the Rifle Corps formed at Blatchington Barracks under the
command of Col. Manningham’. The emphasis was on mutual respect, humanity and
encouragement of troopers; not at all the norm in the British Army at the time
which cared little for the conditions of the men and control was exercised exclusively by the use
of harsh and brutal exemplary punishments. Manningham also looked after the
wellbeing of his Riflemen’s families when the authorities did nothing in this
regard.
The men
took part in field exercises devised by Manningham combining movement, economy
of fire, cover fire, effective use of
ground, concealment, and individual intelligence and initiative was encouraged.
In early
August three companies embarked for Spain under the command of Lt. Col.
Stewart. Their first action, on the
25th, at Ferrol was to cover an amphibious landing dislodging the Spanish from
the heights. Stewart was wounded. Dawn attacks were repulsed by the
riflemen. An error in high command
resulted in the men being ordered to withdraw when, in fact, the Spanish were just about to surrender! The
expedition moved on to Malta where the ‘Riflemen’ were discharged to their
original Regiments.
In the
Autumn of 1800 the Corps was re-organised into 10 companies with a total of 897
officers and men. On the 11th October the ‘Corps of Riflemen were gazetted and
referred to as the “Rifle Corps”. The men were led by Col. C. Manningham, Lt.
Col. Hon W Stewart, 2 Majors, 7 Captains, 9 Lieutenants, 1 2nd Lieutenant, 5
Ensigns, 1 Sub and 1 Quartermaster.
In
December the design of the uniform was finalised i.e. green jackets with green
pantaloons. Stewart finalised Standing Orders which came into effect on 18th
January 1801 the same time that the new uniforms were issued.
Manningham had been involved in the design of the uniform as well as the
specifications for the new Baker Rifle to be used by the Corps.
On the
31st March a ‘Letter of Service’ was granted for the formation of Manningham’s
Rifle Corps with all officers reappointed and commissions backdated to the 25th
of August (being the date of the Ferrol landing).
On the
2nd of April 1801 a detachment (one company) from the Corps acted as marksmen
on board Nelson’s flagship during the Naval Battle of Copenhagen culminating in
the destruction of the Danish fleet. It was already becoming clear that these
were elite troops whose style of fighting would change the way the British Army
would go to war.
In
November 1802 the Rifle Corps was transferred to Shornecliffe Camp in Kent for
instruction and joined the 43rd and 52nd to form the ‘Light Brigade’ under Sir
John Moore. But this formation was never kept in being for more than a few
years at a time.
On the
18th of January 1803 the Rifle Corps
officially became ‘The 95th (Rifle) Regiment’ but they continued to be known as
the “Rifle Corps”. The Rifle Corps was
nicknamed “Manningham’s Sharpshooter’s”.
At Shornecliffe, in the Spring of 1803, Colonel Coote
Manningham “father of thinking Riflemen” gave his famous Military Lectures on
the Duties of Riflemen, drawing on de Rottenburg’s ‘Regulations’. Not only did these lectures serve as the
basis for the operation of the Light Brigade (later Division) in the Peninsula
War but they were remarkable for containing much that is used today.
The men were trained to march freely and
easily to obtain maximum speed with minimum fatigue. The command ‘attention’
was never used and the men did not practice formal marching drills. Colours were never carried and
the men were trained to respond to bugle or whistle. Bayonets were
rarely fixed (to avoid the reflection of the sun that may have given away their
position) and also it lessened the accuracy of the rifle. Individual marksmanship, in the Rifle
Regiments, was emphasized in training. The men were classified as 1st class
(called ‘marksmen’) who wore a green cockade, then 2nd or 3rd class shots. The
best shooting company was given pride of place on parade. . The British Army
was the only army in the Napoleonic Wars to consistently inflict more than half
the casualties on the enemy with small arms fire. The main duties, as part of
the ‘Light Brigade’ was to cover the advance and retreat of the army and for
the tactical reconnoitre of enemy
positions. Fitness too was essential as the need to move quickly often required fast marches (140 paces per
minute) and occasionally double marching (180 paces per min.) compared with 120
for the regular army.
Col. Manningham once said ‘to do everything that
is necessary but nothing that is not’.
Together
with Stewart’s Regulations the content of Manningham’s lectures formed the
“Green Book” which every officer of the
95th was expected to purchase, and carry with him on campaigns.
From the
25th August 1800, when the Rifle Corps spearheaded the landing at Ferrol,
Spain, the Naval battle of Copenhagen on the 2nd April 1801, the Liberation of
Hanover in 1805, as Rearguard on the retreat to Cuxhaven, the Expedition to
Monte Video and the assault on Buenos Aires in 1806, (as part of the Baltic
Expedition in 1807) and then to the Peninsula Wars (1808-1814) and in the many battles to the present day, the
riflemen of the 95th Regiment have served our country with distinction with much owed to its first Colonel-in-chief,
Coote Manningham.
We can
take particular pride in our association with the 95th Regiment, it having been
formed in East Blatchington.
(the above is a
composite of various accounts taken from various Internet Sites [see
bibliography] plus some of my own input)
Milestones in the Development of
the Rifle Regiments:
1755 - The
60th Royal Americans
were
formed in response to the defeat of General Braddock by the French and Indians.
New ideas were developed principally by Col. Bouquet (a Swiss). He dressed the
men in buckskin and dark green or brown clothing. The equipment was reduced and
he practiced simple drills in open formation. Gone were the scarlet uniforms,
linear formations overburdened soldiers, along with predictable tactics. The
accent was now on mobility, marksmanship, individual initiative, constant
alertness and the need for concealment. Another innovation was the importance
placed on the men’s welfare and the discipline, although firm, was not harsh.
1797 - The
5th Battalion of the 60th
The first battalion to be armed with the rifle,
to wear the green jacket, to carry no colours, with movement directed by the
bugle-horn and the rigid marching style abandoned. Its commanding officer, de
Rottenburg prepared ’Regulations for the Exercise of Riflemen and Light
Infantry which Sir John Moore later accepted as the basis for the training of
‘the Light Brigade’.
1800 -
The Experimental Corps of
Riflemen
Colonel Coote Manningham raised the Corps of
Riflemen from the pick of 13 Regiments. They were armed with the Baker Rifle
and they became the elite of what was to become the best infantry in Europe.
His 1803 lectures, drawing on de Rottenburg’s Regulations, became the basis for
operations of the Light Brigade in the Peninsular War.
1803 - The 95th or Rifle Corps
The Rifle Corps officially became “The 95th
(Rifle) Regiment” but the name “Rifle corps” continued to be used.
1816 - The
Rifle Brigade
1862 - The
Prince Consort’s Own Rifle Brigade
1920 - The
Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own)
1958 -
Third Green Jackets (The Rifle Brigade)
1958 - The
Green Jackets Brigade
1966 - The Royal
Green Jackets
The Baker Rifle used by the Rifle
Corps
Col.
Manningham gave the specifications for the Baker Rifle approved by the British
Army after the contract was awarded. The Colonel rejected the first two
designs.
The first
Baker Rifle of .625 calibre, was shorter and lighter than the standard infantry
smooth bore musket. The barrel was 30 inches long compared with the musket’s 46
inches. The Baker Rifle had a standard 6-inch lock mechanism and swan neck
cock, a Jaeger-type folding back sight, a scrolled brass trigger guard, a
raised cheek rest on the left of the butt
for additional support when aiming, and the completed Rifle was 45
inches in length and weighed almost nine pounds.
The
smooth bore musket could only hit a man at a range of 100 yards whereas the
Baker Rifle was accurate to at least 300 yards and, in the hands of an exceptional shot, 500 yards. A sling
enabled riflemen to steady their aim.
The sword
(i.e. ‘bayonet’) was generally not fixed as its weight reduced accuracy. Because the barrel of the
rifle was shorter than the musket‘s the bayonet had to be lengthened to a 27
1/2 inch ‘sword’ bayonet fitted with a sword handle.
The
British Army was still issuing the Baker Rifle in 1841 four years after it was
no longer in production.
Notes
1. Colonel
Coote Manningham’s memorial stone at
St. Peter’s East Blatchington, was broken into three large pieces during the
storm in August 1987. The pieces are missing!
(he is actually buried in Little Bookham, Surrey)
2. A
CD is available with a selection of the
music of military and pipe bands entitled ‘Edinburgh Military Tattoo -
2001’ (Ref: EMTCD118) on which can be heard the tune “Colonel Coote
Manningham”.
3. Coote
Manningham was married to the daughter of the Reverend George Pollen, Rector of
Little Bookham.
4. Mary
Anne Manningham, Col. Coote Manninghams’s only surviving daughter , married
Edward Buller, Bart., on the 12th of August 1824; they had five children. She
died on the 20th June 1860. Two of her sons served with distinction in the
Regiment.
Bibliography
‘Green Jackets’ by Sir Arthur Bryant
‘History of the 95th Rifles’ -
http://geocities.com/the_ rifles/history.htm?20057
‘Customs and Traditions of Rifle Regiments’ by
Alan Douglas Fairburn. It can be viewed on the Internet
http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-asstd/customs.htm
‘The Experimental Corps of Riflemen’ -
http://www.personal.usyd.edu.au/-slaw/SuesPage/history3.htm
‘History of the Rifle Brigade’ Chatto &
Winders 1877 by Sir William Cope.
Baker Rifle
- Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baker_rifle
41st Regimental History -
http://www.fortyfirst.org/writings/chapter34.htm
http://www.misicinscotland.com/acatalog/Edinburgh_Tattoo_CDs.html
Picture of Colonel Coote Manningham in 1808 by
Henry Edridge
http://www.lowell-libson.com/provenart/dealer_stock_derails.cgi?d_id=388&a_id=15883
Papers of 1st Earl, Charles Grey:
In late February 1794 Major Coote Manningham sent a paper addressed to Col.
Myers. It was titled “Thoughts on the
defence of the Heights above St. Pierre, Martinique, by Major Coote Manningham”.
Account from Lomax’s History (41st Regiment):
Ref. 1 “On the 24th December,1796, the skeleton of
the regiment (41st) consisting of the staff and three privates, embarked at
Gosport, and landed at Cork, Lieutenant-Colonel
Manningham may be justly termed the originator of the ‘Rifle
Brigade’ ”.
Ref. 2. This
distinguished officer (Coote
Manningham) was transferred to the 41st from the 105th Foot
as a Lieutenant-Colonel. He was an enthusiastic believer in light infantry
drill, and raised the regiment of riflemen now known as the " Rifle
Brigade." A history of this gallant corps, by Sir William Cope, contains
the following notice relative to his life :(see pages 39,40,41 from Copes’
book included in a later extract starting from “Among the losses……..”)
Extract from ‘Twenty-Five Years in
the Rifle Brigade’ by William Surtees , Chapter VI -‘Volunteering’ published in
1833 (William Surtees was a Quartermaster with the Rifle Corps):
……...He (Sir David Dundas) was obliged ,however,
to grant us a 3rd battalion, as we had so many more men than were required to
fill up the 1st and 2nd; and our respected Colonel, Major-General Coote Manningham, dying about this
time of fatigue he had undergone in Spain, Sir David took us to himself, and
became our Colonel-in-Chief, giving the command of the 3rd battalion to my
respected (and now lamented) friend and benefactor, Major-general the
Honourable William Stewart.
Sir John Hope's Despatch to Sir David Baird
"His Majesty's Ship
Audacious, off Corunna,
January 18,1809.
"SIR,
"IN compliance with the desire contained in your
communication of yesterday, I avail myself of the first moment I have been
able to command, to detail to you the occurrences of the action which took place in front of Corunna
on the 16th instant.
"It will be in your recollection, that about one in the
afternoon of that day, the enemy, who had in the
morning received reinforcements, and who had placed some guns in
front of the right and left of his
line, was
observed to be moving troops towards his left flank, and forming various
columns of attack
at the
extremity of the strong and commanding position which on the morning of the
15th he had
taken in our
immediate front.
"This indication of his intention was
immediately succeeded by the rapid and determined attack
which he made upon your division, which occupied
the right of our position. The events which
occurred during that period of the action you are
fully acquainted with. The first effort of the enemy
was met by the Commander of the Forces, and by
yourself, at the head of the 42d regiment, and the
brigade under Major-General Lord William
Bentinck.
"The village on your right became an object of obstinate contest.
"I lament to say, that soon after the severe
wound which deprived the army of your services,
Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore, who had just
directed the most able disposition, fell by a
cannon-shot. The troops, though not unacquainted
with the irreparable loss they had sustained, were
not dismayed, but, by the most determined
bravery, not only repelled every attempt of the enemy to
gain ground, but actually forced them to retire,
although he had brought up fresh troops in support of
those originally engaged.
"The enemy, finding himself foiled in every
attempt to force the right of the position, endeavoured
by numbers to turn it. A judicious and well-timed
movement which was made by Major-General
Paget, with the reserve, which corps had moved
out of its cantonments to support the right of the
army, by a vigorous attack, defeated this
intention. The Major-General, having pushed forward the
95th (rifle corps) and 1st
battalion 52d regiments, drove the enemy before him; and, in his rapid and
judicious advance, threatened the left of the
enemy's position. This circumstance, with the position of
Lieutenant-General Fraser's division (calculated
to give still further security to the right of the line),
induced the enemy to relax his efforts in that
quarter.
"They were, however, more forcibly directed
towards the centre, where they were again successfully
resisted by the brigade under Major-General
Manningham,
forming the left of your division, and a
part of that under Major-General Leith, forming
the right of the division under my orders. Upon the
left, the enemy at first contented himself with
an attack upon our picquets, which however in general
maintained their ground. Finding, however, his
efforts unavailing on the right and centre, he seemed
determined to render the attack upon the left
more serious, and had succeeded in obtaining
possession of the village through which the great
road to Madrid passes, and which was situated in
front of that part of the line. From this post,
however, he was soon expelled, with considerable loss,
by a gallant attack of some companies of the 2d
battalion 14th regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel
Nicholls. Before five in the evening, we had not
only successfully repelled every attack made upon
the position, but had gained ground in almost all
points, and occupied a more forward line than at the
commencement of the action, whilst the enemy
confined his operations to a cannonade, and the fire
of his light troops, with a view to draw off his
other corps. At six the firing ceased. The different
brigades were re-assembled on the ground they
occupied in the morning, and the picquets and
"Notwithstanding
the decided and marked superiority which at this moment the gallantry of the
troops had
given them over an enemy, who, from his numbers and the commanding advantages
of
his position,
no doubt expected an easy victory, I did not, on reviewing all circumstances,
conceive
that I should
be warranted in departing from what I knew was the fixed and previous
determination
of the late
Commander of the Forces, to withdraw the army on the evening of the 16th, for
the
purpose of
embarkation, the previous arrangements for which had already been made by his
order,
and were in
fact far advanced at the commencement of the action. The troops quitted their
position
about ten at
night, with a degree of order that did them credit. The whole of the artillery
that
remained
unembarked, having been withdrawn,
the troops followed in the order prescribed, and
marched to
their respective points of embarkation in the town and neighbourhood of Corunna. The
picquets
remained at their posts until five on the morning of the 17th, when they were
also
withdrawn with
similar orders, and without the enemy having discovered the movement.
"By the
unremitted exertions of Captains the Honourable H. Curzon, Gosselin, Boys,
Rainier, Serret,
Hawkins,
Digby, Carden, and Mackenzie, of the Royal Navy, who, in pursuance of the
orders of
Rear-Admiral
De Courcy, were intrusted with the service of embarking the army; and in
consequence of
the arrangements made by Commissioner Bowen, Captains Bowen and Shepherd,
and the other
Agents for Transports, the whole of the army was embarked with an expedition
which
has seldom
been equalled. With the exception of the brigades under Major-Generals Hill
and
Beresford,
which were destined to remain on shore until the movements of the enemy should
become
manifest, the
whole was afloat before day-light.
"The
brigade of Major-General Beresford, which was alternately to form our
rear-guard, occupied
the land in
front of the town of Corunna; that under Major-General Hill was
stationed in reserve on
the Promontory
in rear of the town.
"The
enemy pushed his light troops towards the town soon after eight o'clock in the
morning of the
17th, and
shortly after occupied the heights of St Lucia, which command the harbour. But,
notwithstanding
this circumstance, and the manifold defects of the place, there being no
apprehension
that the rear-guard could be forced, and the disposition of the Spaniards
appearing to
be good, the
embarkation of Major. General Hill's brigade was commenced and completed by
three
in the
afternoon; Major-General Beresford, with that zeal and ability which is so well
known to
yourself and
the whole army, having fully explained, to the satisfaction of the Spanish
governor, the
nature of our
movement, and having made every previous arrangement, withdrew his corps from
the
land-front of
the town soon after dark, and was, with all the wounded that had not been
previously
moved,
embarked before one this morning.
"Circumstances
forbid us to indulge the hope, that the victory with which it has pleased
Providence
to crown the
efforts of the army, can be attended with any very brilliant consequences to
Great
Britain. It is
clouded by the loss of one of her best soldiers. It has been achieved at the
termination of
a long and
harassing service. The superior numbers, and advantageous position of the
enemy, not
less than the
actual situation of this army, did not admit of any advantage being reaped from
success.
It must be,
however, to you, to the army, and to our country, the sweetest reflection, that
the lustre of
the British
arms has been maintained amidst many disadvantageous circumstances. The army,
which
had entered
Spain amidst the fairest prospects, had no sooner completed its junction, than,
owing to
the multiplied
disasters that dispersed the native armies around us, it was left to its own
resources.
The advance of
the British corps from the Duero, afforded the best hope that the South of
Spain
might be
relieved; but this generous effort to save the unfortunate people also afforded
the enemy the
opportunity of directing every effort of his
numerous troops, and concentrating all his principal
resources, for the destruction of the only
regular force in the north of Spain.
"You are
well aware with what diligence this system has been pursued.
the numbers,
exhausted the strength, and impaired the equipment of the army. Notwithstanding
all
these
disadvantages, and those more immediately attached to a defensive position,
which the
imperious
necessity of covering the harbour of Corunna for a time had
rendered indispensable to
assume, the
native and undaunted valour of British troops was never more conspicuous, and
must
have exceeded
what even your own experience of that invaluable quality, so inherent in them,
may
have taught
you to expect. When every one that had an opportunity seemed to vie in
improving it, it
is difficult
for me, in making this report, to select particular instances for your
approbation. The
corps chiefly
engaged were the brigades under Major-Generals Lord William Bentinck, and
Manningham, and Leith; and the
brigade of Guards under Major-General Warde.
"To these
officers, and the troops under their immediate orders, the greatest praise is
due. Major-
General Hill
and Colonel Catlin Crauford, with their brigades on the left of the position,
ably
supported
their advanced posts. The brunt of the action fell upon the 4th, 42d, 50th, and
81st
regiments,
with parts of the brigade of Guards, and the 26th regiment. From
Lieutenant-Colonel
Murray,
Quarter-Master General, and the officers of the General Staff, I received the
most marked
assistance. I
had reason to regret that the illness of Brigadier-General Clinton,
Adjutant-General,
deprived me of
his aid. I was indebted to Brigadier-General Slade during the action, for a
zealous
offer of his
personal services, although the cavalry were embarked.
"The
greater part of the fleet having gone to sea yesterday evening, the whole being
under weigh,
and the corps
in the embarkation necessarily much mixed on board, it is impossible at present
to lay
before you a
return of our casualties. I hope the loss in numbers is not so considerable as
might have
been expected.
If I was obliged to form an estimate, I should say, that I believe it did not
exceed in
killed and
wounded from seven to eight hundred; that of the enemy must remain unknown; but
many
circumstances
induce me to rate it at nearly double the above number. We have some prisoners,
but I
have not been
able to obtain an account of the number; it is not, however, considerable.
Several
officers of
rank have fallen or been wounded, among whom I am only at present enabled to
state the
names of Lieut.-Col. Napier, 92d
regiment. Majors Napier and Stanhope, 50th regiment, killed;
Lieut.-Col.
Winch, 4th regiment, Lieut.-Col. Maxwell, 26th regiment, Lieut.-Col. Fane, 59th
regiment,
Lieut.-Col. Griffith, Guards, Majors Miller and Williams, 81st regiment, wounded.
"To you,
who are well acquainted with the excellent qualities of Lieutenant-General Sir
John Moore,
I need not
expatiate on the loss the army and his country have sustained by his death. His
fall has
deprived me of
a valuable friend, to whom long experience of his worth had sincerely attached
me.
But it is
chiefly on public grounds that I must lament the blow. It will be the
consolation of every
one who loved
or respected his manly character, that, after conducting the army through an
arduous
retreat with
consummate firmness, he has terminated a career of distinguished honour by a
death that
has given the
enemy additional reason to respect the name of a British Soldier. Like the
immortal
Wolfe, he is
snatched from his country at an early period of a life spent in her service;
like Wolfe, his
last moments
were gilded by the prospect of success, and cheered by the acclamation of
victory; like
Wolfe also,
his memory will for ever remain sacred in that country which he sincerely
loved, and
which he had
so faithfully served.
"It
remains for me only to express my hope, that you will speedily be restored to
the service of your
country, and
to lament the unfortunate circumstance that removed you from your station in
the field,
and threw the
momentary command into far less able hands.
"I have the honour to be, &c.
"John HOPE. Lieut.-Gen."
"Lieutenant-General Sir David Baird."
Source:
http://www.personal.usyd.edu.au/~slaw/SuesPage/Hope/hope.htm
‘THE HISTORY OF RIFLE BRIGADE’
by Sir William Cope.
Published
by Chatto & Winders 1877
CHAPTER I (Pages 1 to 11)
Page 1.
TOWARDS the
close of the last century Colonel Coote Manningham and Lieutenant-Colonel
the Honourable William Stewart addressed a representation to the
Government, pointing out the importance of having a corps furnished with arms of precision, and the
advantage of training such a corps in the special duties of
Riflemen. It would have been interesting to preserve the text of this document; but I regret
that it does not now exist. Every search has been made in the records of the War
Department, by the kindness of Mr. Denham Robinson, of the
War Office, but, I regret to say, without success; and it
has been suggested that it may probably have been transferred to the
Small Arms Department, and may have perished with the records of that
office in the fire at the Tower of London in 1841.
However, in consequence of the suggestions it contained, the following Circular
was issued to the commanding officers of fourteen regiments of
infantry :-
Circular
Horse
Guards: January 17, 1800,
Addressed to Officers Commanding the 2nd Battalion
Royals, the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, 29th, 49th, 55th, 69th, 71st, 72nd, 79th,
85th and 92nd Regiments.
Sir, - I have the honour to inform you that it
is His Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief’s1 intention to form a corps of detachments from
the different regiments of the line for the purpose of its being instructed in
the use of the rifle, and in the system of exercise adopted by soldiers so
armed. It is His Royal Highness’s pleasure that you shall select from the
regiment under your command 2 sergeants, 2 corporals, and 30 private men for
this duty, all of them being such men as appear most capable of receiving the
above instructions, and most competent to the performance of the duty of
Riflemen. These non-commissioned
officers and privates are not to be considered as being drafted from their
regiments, but merely as detached for the purpose above recited; they will
continue to be borne on the strength of
their regiments, and will be clothed by their respective colonels.
1. Frederick, Duke of York.
Page 2.
- HISTORY OF THE RIFLE BRIGADE 1800.
His Royal Highness desires you will
recommend 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, and 1 ensign of the regiment under your command, who
volunteer to serve in this corps of Riflemen, in order that His Royal Highness may
select from the officers recommended from the regiments which furnish
their quota on this occasion a sufficient number of officers for the Rifle Corps. These officers are to be considered as detached on duty from their respective
regiments, and will share in all the promotion that occurs in
them
during their absence.
I have, &c.
HARRY CALVERT.
A.G.
Thus we see that the Regiment was formed as a corps d’elite; and as regards the officers there was a double selection, eight of each rank of
company officers being; selected from the fourteen originally
recommended.
The detachments so selected assembled at Horsham,
in Sussex,
in March 1800, and their first parade as 'An Experimental Corps of Riflemen'
took place there on April 1 in that year;
Lieutenant-Colonel the Honourable William Stewart being apparently
in command.
The following is the
Return of the state and strength of the Corps on this its
first formation:-
The Corps
being now formed marched to a camp of exer-
Page3. 1800 -
EXPEDITION TO FERROL.
cise at Swinley in Windsor Forest in May, and proceeded actively with their
training as
Riflemen. They are mentioned with great approbation by Mr. W. H. Fremantle in a letter, dated
The expedition
arrived before the harbour of Ferrol on August 25, and
immediately commenced its disembarkation. This was effected without
opposition in a small bay near Cape Priorino; but on the troops
proceeding to occupy a ridge of hills adjoining the bay, the Rifle Corps,
which covered the advance, just as they gained the summit, fell in with a party of the enemy which they drove back. In this
skirmish Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart was dangerously wounded through the body. On the next morning, at
daybreak, the position was
attacked by a considerable body of the enemy, who were repulsed with much loss,
and the English troops remained in complete possession of the heights. But in
this action Captains Travers and Hamilton, and Lieutenant Edmonston, attached to the Rifle
Corps, and eight rank and file were wounded. Sir James
Pulteney being, however, of opinion that Ferrol could not be
taken, or the ground he occupied be held, re-embarked the troops.3 It was subsequently stated in the House of Lords that at
the very moment he did so the proper officer was on his way with the keys of the place, to
surrender
it. And Mr. Ford affirms that ' had the expedition
sailed
boldly up to the Ferrol, the Gallicians were only waiting to surrender, being, as
usual, absolutely without means of defence.' He attributes the failure to the combined
indecision of the leaders.4
1. 'Memoirs of the Court and Cabinet of George III., ' vol. iii. 88.
2.
Major-General Sir Robert Travers, C.B., K.C.M.G., died at Cork, December 24, 1834.
3. Sir James Pulteney's Despatch, August 27.
4. 'Handbook of Spain'.
Page 4.
- HISTORY OF THE RIFLE BRIGADE 1800.
Of this, the first affair in which
the Regiment was engaged, it may be observed that it has the high honour of
having shed its first blood before its actual embodiment, and while it consisted only of
detachments experimentally assembled for instruction. It was
the only corps engaged on the day of disembarkation, and
(with the exception of one officer of the 52nd) the only officers wounded were attached to it. August 25, the day on which it was
first engaged, was the date of the commissions of its
first officers when it was formerly embodied.
The expedition then proceeded to Malta;
and an order was issued by the Commander-in-Chief for all officers and men of the Rifle Corps, whose
regiments formed part of the expedition, to rejoin them, and for those whose regiments were not so employed to
be attached to corps serving with the expedition.
Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart, Captain Travers, and
Lieutenant Edmonston returned to England.
The Rifle Corps was
immediately re-formed, principally from detachments of fencible
regiments serving in Ireland, and I presume also, on the
return of the expedition, from the men originally selected as
Riflemen. These detachments began to assemble at Blatchington in Sussex, near Lewes, about the end of August,
and continued to join during the autumn. The whole of the officers who had
been attached to the experimental corps were appointed to
it; their commissions being ante-dated, as I have observed,
to August 25th, the anniversary of which has been since
observed as the foundation-day of the Regiment. A second lieutenant-colonel and
two majors were appointed, and some others were added to to
complete the Corps to eight companies, with a captain and two
subalterns to each. The establishment was, therefore, on
December 25, returned as follows:
1 Colonel, 2
Lieutenant-Colonels, 2 Majors, 8 Captains, 8 First Lieutenants, 8 Second
Lieutenants, 1 Paymaster, 1 Adjutant, 1 Quarter Master, 1 Surgeon, 1 Assistant
Surgeon, 5 Staff Sergeants, 40
Sergeants, 18 Buglers, 40 Corporals and
760 Privates. (Total 897 all ranks)
The officers on its formation were :
Page 5. - FIRST
LIST OF OFFICERS. 1800.
Colonel
COOTE MANNINGHAM.
Lieutenant-Colonels.
THE HONOURABLE WILLIAM STEWART. ALEXANDER HOUSTON.
Majors.
GEORGE CALLANDER. HAMLET WADE.
Captains.
ROBERT TRAVERS. THOMAS SIDNEY
BECKWITH.
CORNELIUS CUYLER. TIMOTHY HAMILTON.
THOMAS CHRISTOPHER
GARDNER ALEXANDER STEWART.
HENRY SHEPHERD.
Captain-Lieutenant.
ALEXANDER
D. CAMERON.
First Lieutenants.
BLOIS LYNCH. JOHN ROSS.
J. A. GRANT. EDWARD
BEDWELL LAW.
JOHN STUART. HENRY
POWELL.
PETER O'HARE. WILLIAM COTTER.
THOMAS STIRLING
EDMONSTON. JOHN CAMERON.
ROBERT DUNCAN. — DOUGLAS.
ALEXANDER CLARKE. L.H. BENNET.
NIEL CAMPBELL.
Second Lieutenants.
HENRY GOODE. PATRICK TURNER.
JAMES MACDONALD. SAMUEL MITCHEL.
THOMAS BRERETON. GEORGE ELDER.
LOFTUS
GRAY. JAMES PENDERGAST.
JOHN JENKINS. JOHN BURTON.
Paymaster.
JAMES INNES.
Adjutant.
J. A. GRANT. (First officer K.I.A. 2nd Apr 1801)
Quarter Master.
DONALD MACKAY.
The Regiment, as it has existed since, and as
it has won lasting renown in so many fields, as 'a Corps of Riflemen,' 'the Rifle Corps,' 1 'the 95th,' and 'the Rifle Brigade,' was then and thus organised
under Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart. For though Manningham was the colonel, and
justly shares the honour of its formation, he seems seldom to
have been present: with it; for he was equerry to George III, and often at Court.
William Stewart was the fourth son of John,
seventh Earl of Galloway, and at the early age of thirteen was appointed Ensign in the 42nd
Regiment; but subsequently served in the 22nd
and 67th, and with the former had seen service
at the capture of the French West India Islands in 1793. We have seen that it was owing to
Manningham's and his suggestions. that the Rifle Corps was formed;
and after its embodiment he also addressed a long letter to the
Adjutant-General on the discipline and internal economy of such a corps.
His recommendations (which were adopted) were: that it should first be formed of volunteers from
infantry battalions which best could spare them, and by men
from the undrafted part of the Irish militia and he added the (rather singular) opinion
that Irishmen were preferable for Riflemen, as 'perhaps from being less spoiled and more
hardy than British soldiers, better calculated for light troops.' 2
He now set himself vigorously to organise and
discipline the Corps thus formed at his suggestions. The standing orders of the Regiment, which, though
issued of course in Manningham's name, were probably
principally compiled by Stewart, testify not only to his capability for
organising and disciplining it, but in a most remarkable way to his
preeminence above and beyond the military ideas of his time. The germs, if not,
indeed, the actual existence of most of the late improvements for the
training and advantage of the soldier are found in these orders. The
good-conduct medal; the medals for acts of valour in the field; the
attention given and the methods adopted to secure accurate
shooting, dividing men into classes according to their practice at
the target, and instituting a class of Marksmen; the rules for a regi-
1. It was popularly known as ' Manningham’s Sharpshooters.'
2. ' Cumloden Papers,' 23.
Page 7. - FIRST EXPEDITION TO COPENHAGEN. 1801.
mental school, and for periodical examination of its scholars; the institution of a
library; the provision for lectures on military subjects,
tactics and outpost duties; the encouragement of athletic exercises; these and
many other plans, carried out in the British army only after the
middle of the nineteenth century, are inculcated in the original standing orders, and were adopted
in the Regiment from its formation.1
Sir Charles Napier, who was appointed to a
lieutenancy in the Rifle Corps, December 25, 1800, and joined it at Blatchington, in his letters to his
family, bears high testimony to Stewart's ability in
organising the Corps; though he seems not to have liked
him, and eventually to have quarreled with him. 'Stewart makes it a rule to
strike at the heads. With him the field-officers must first be steady,
and then he goes downwards: hence the privates say: " We had better look sharp if he is so
strict with the officers."2
In 1801 Colonel Stewart was selected to command the troops (the 49th Regiment and a
company of the Rifle Corps) ordered to embark on board the fleet commanded by Admiral Sir Hyde Parker. And on February
28 Captain Beckwith's3 company, consisting of 1captain, 2 first lieutenants, 1 second lieutenant, 5 sergeants, 2 buglers, 1 armourer, and 101 rank and file, embarked at Portsmouth on board H.M.S. 'St.
George,' bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson. On
arrival in Yarmouth Roads the right platoon of Captain
Beckwith's Riflemen was shifted to the 'London,' Sir Hyde Parker's flag-ship. But
the men
of the
Rifle Corps seem to have been distributed, on arrival in the Baltic, among the
ships of Nelson's squadron, which on April 2 attacked and
reduced the Danish fleet at Copenhagen.
In this action First
Lieutenant and Adjutant Grant was killed 'whilst gallantly
fighting the quarter-deck guns of H.M.S. "Isis."' He was the first officer of the Regiment killed in action. He had
volunteered for this service. His head was taken off by a
cannon-ball as clean as if severed by
1. ‘Regulations for the Rifle Corps formed at Blatchington Barracks by Colonel Mannningham:' London,
1801. Stewart also
published 'Outlines of a Plan for the
General Reform of the British Land Forces:' a pamphlet,
of which a second edition, enlarged, appeared in octavo. London, 1806.
2. ‘Life of Sir C.J. Napier,’ i. 19.
3. Lieutenant-General Sir T. Sidney Beckwith, K.C.B., died January 19, 1831.
Page 8.
- HISTORY OF THE RIFLE BRIGADE 1801.
a scimitar.
Stewart recommended Second Lieutenant Pendergast, who was in the expedition,
for the vacancy, and he was accordingly promoted on May 9. Two rank and
file were also killed ; and 1 sergeant and 5 rank and
file wounded, of whom some subsequently died of their wounds.1
Lord Nelson, in his despatch, says: 'The
Honourable Colonel Stewart did me the favour to be on board the "Elephant;" and
himself, with every officer and soldier under his orders, shared with pleasure the toils and
dangers of the day.'
It is said in the Record of the 1st Battalion
that 'an appropriate medal was issued upon this occasion by Admiral Lord Nelson to the
non-commissioned officers and several soldiers.' I have not
been able to find any trace of this medal, which does not seem to have been given to the officers. For it appears from a
correspondence between Stewart (then Lieutenant-General Sir
William Stewart), Earl St. Vincent, and Lord Sidmouth in 1821-2, that
Nelson had been desirous of obtaining a medal for the captains of his squadron who were engaged
at Copenhagen, and had recommended Stewart for one; but that Lords St. Vincent
and Sidmouth opposed the issue of any such medal, on the ground that it would be a
very invidious distinction from those captains who, being with Parker's fleet, were not
engaged. Stewart advanced a request for this medal in 1821, on the plea that, being a
military man, his case was essentially different from that of the captains. But though his application was then supported by Earl St.
Vincent, it was refused (in very flattering terms however) by
Lord Sidmouth.2
The Regiment marched to Weymouth in the early part of the summer, and was
encamped there. Their being near Windsor the year before, and now at
Weymouth, the
1. Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart's
Despatch, l ’Cumlodcn Papers,' 41.
2. 'Cumloden Papers,' 50, 51, 52. This service seems to have established a friendship between Stewart and Nelson, which terminated only with the great admiral's life. Several letters from
him, written in very affectionate terms, to Stewart, are printed in Cumloden Papers; ' the last dated only thirteen days before his death off Trafalgar. Stewart also mentions incidentally
that his Horatio (who served in the Regiment) bore
that name 'by the express wish of that great man who fell off Trafalgar.' He must have wished him to call his first
son after him, for Horatio Stewart was not born till
after Nelson's death.
Page 9 1803 - CAMP AT SHORNCLIFFE.
summer residence of George III., was probably due to Manningham's being attached to the
person of that sovereign. They returned to Blatchington barracks in the autumn.
On June 25 the
establishment of the Corps was again changed, and companies were
given to the field-officers, as was then the case in line regiments. But this arrangement was of short duration, 'for on March 27 following field-officers' companies were abolished,
and effective captains were appointed in their place.
In the autumn of 1802 the Regiment marched to
Chatham. On this march, at Maidstone, some of the men broke open the plate-chest of the
officers' mess. One of the offenders was discovered, and being tried by
court-martial, was sentenced to receive 800 lashes, the whole of which were
inflicted at one time.
The Regiment appears,
even at this early period, to have been a favourite one with
volunteers from the line and militia; and Surtees mentions four men
in the ranks who had been commissioned officers; one of whom, indeed, was
drawing half-pay, and was eventually recalled to full pay as lieutenant.
After a short stay at
Chatham, the Regiment was moved for the winter to Shorncliffe and
forts in the vicinity.
On December 25, 1802, the Rifle Corps was ordered to be
numbered as
the 95th Regiment, and thus assumed the name under which it was long known,
and which its services on the continent of Europe made famous.
In May 1803, the
head-quarters, with five companies, returned to their old quarters at Blatchington, and in November
moved to Colchester,
and eventually to Warley and Woodbridge barracks; the other five companies, under Colonel
Beckwith remaining
during the summer at Shorncliffe, where, on
Colonel Stewart's promotion to
Brigadier-General and command of a district, the head-quarters and other five
companies joined them. Here they formed part of that camp of instruction under Sir John Moore, the marvellous results
of which have so truly and eloquently described by Sir
William Napier; l and here they first met
and were brigaded with their compeers, the 43rd and 52nd, in united
action with whom as the Light Division in the Peninsula, so many of their
laurels were won.
1. Life of Sir Charles Napier,’ i. 58, 59.
Page 10. - HISTORY OF THE RIFLE BRIGADE - 1805.
During the time the Regiment was
encamped at Shorncliffe, Colonel Manningham, carrying out the
intentions of his own standing orders, delivered a course of lectures
on the duties of Riflemen in active service, which he published.1
On the breaking up of
that camp, the Regiment moved into Hythe barracks till April
1805, when it appears to have returned to Shorncliffe.
On May 6, 1805, the 2nd Battalion was formed by the transfer of 21
sergeants, 20 corporals, 7 buglers, and 250 privates from the
original Corps (now the 1st Battalion); the remainder of the proposed establishment
being made up by volunteers from the militia; l major
(Gardner), 6 captains and 3 first lieutenants being promoted from the 1st Battalion, which also supplied
the adjutant. The command and formation of the Battalion was conferred
on Wade,2 of the 1st
Battalion, who was promoted to the rank of lieutenant- colonel; and so vigorously did he proceed in its
organisation, that in less than three months it wanted only 7
sergeants,
1. ' Military Lectures
delivered to the officers of the 95th (Rifle) Regiment, at Shorn-Cliff Barracks, Kent, during the
Spring of 1803, by Coote Munningham, Colonel of the 95th (Rifle) Regiment. Octavo, London, l803, pp. 70. And see p.7.
In the same
year appeared 'Regulations for the Exercise of Riflemen and Light Infantry in the Field,' octavo, pp. 70, with diagrams and two
pages of bugle sounds. What share, if any, Manningham or Stewart had in these books, I am unable to trace. A
preface (signed by the Adjutant-General)
states that it is founded on a work written by a German officer of
distinction.
2. Hamlet Wade was one of the original members of the
Regiment, having been promoted to a majority on its formation,
from captain in the 25th Foot. He was an extraordinary, gallant, dashing
Irishman (he was one of the Wades of Clonabraney, County Meath), and anecdotes of him were still rife when I was in the Regiment. Surtees mentions Wade's praise and his rewards
to him for his good shooting, when he joined as a
volunteer. He was an
admirable shot with the rifle himself. He and a private of the name of Smeaton used to hold a target for each other at 150 yards; and it
is said (Smith's 'List of Officers,' 58) that he and John Spurry, a private in the Regiment,
held the target for each other at 200 yards: a wonderful feat, while the Baker rifle was still in use. There used to be a story of him at an inspection by the old Earl of Chatham, who expressed a wish to see some practice with the rifle; and
having made some remark on the danger of the markers, Wade said: ' here is
no danger;' and calling one of the men (no doubt
Smeaton or Spurry), bade him hold a target, and he himself taking a rifle fired and hit it. Lord Chatham's horror at this was extreme, on which Wade said: 'Oh! we all do it.' And bidding the
other to take a loaded rifle, he ran out himself and held the target
for the soldier's fire. Probably no other men in the Regiment
but themselves could have done this. Colonel Wade, C.B., died February 13, l821, having retired from the army.
Page 11. 1805 - EXPEDITION TO
GERMANY
6
buglers, and 98 privates to
complete its full strength. It was formed at Canterbury, but
moved to Brabourn Lees, near Ashford, in June, where
it was brigaded with the 1st Battalion.
It was while the two
Battalions were stationed at Brabourn Lees that a singular
instance of self-control and magnanimity was shown by Sidney
Beckwith, then commanding the 1st Battalion. Some men, volunteers from the
Irish
militia, meeting Mrs. Beckwith, with her child and nurse, on
the Ashford Road, most grossly insulted them, proceeding to such
lengths (Surtees says) as delicacy forbids to mention. The culprits were discovered, but not
punished; for Beckwith next day on parade forming the
Battalion into square, addressed them; and, after relating the outrage, added: '
Although I know who the ruffians are, I will
So rapidly and effectually had the 2nd Battalion
been organised, that it was in September of this year ordered on service; the right wing
being marched to Dover to embark for the Continent, and the left wing to
Winchester, to prepare to embark for the Mediterranean. However, it was
subsequently countermanded; the right wing, from Dover,
being marched to Hailsham in October, and the left from Winchester to. Eastbourne; and both in
November assembled at Bexhill, where they were quartered till March 1806.
In October 1805 the head-quarters and
five companies of the 1st Battalion, under
Beckwith,
marched to Deal, and embarked at Ramsgate for Germany, in
the expedition commanded by Lord Cathcart.
1. Surtees gives the story at length, 53-55.
( we continue on page 36 where we pick up the
story as it relates to Coote Manningham)
Page
36. HISTORY
OF THE RIFLE BRIGADE. 1809.
After a march of eighteen miles
the Reserve reached Herrerias on the morning of the 4th. A
forced march of thirty-six miles brought them on the 5th to Nogales. Thence
they started again, and towards evening of that day, when near Constantino, the enemy came up with them.
Moore was with them and his position was difficult. A river was to be crossed,
and a hill overlooking and close to the bridge would, if the
enemy should occupy it, give him such an advantage as would render the passage of the Reserve very difficult.
Moore posted a battery on the top of the hill, 'and guarded it,
as usual, by the brave Rifle Corps.’1 They held the enemy in check while the Reserve defiled
over the narrow bridge; as soon as they were safely over, the guns were limbered up, and
trotted down the hill; the Riflemen followed at the
double, and passed the bridge without the loss of a man. The
French rushed on in pursuit; but when they reached the bridge the Reserve were
in position, and after maintaining the post till nightfall
General Paget fell back towards
Lugo.
During all this retreat Moore
accompanied the Reserve, and rode beside his friend General Paget, their
chief. His cheerful demeanour sustained the spirits of the way-worn, suffering
soldiers; he praised their superior discipline on the march, and warmly
applauded their gallant conduct in action.
The whole of Sir John Moore's forces were now in
position in front of Lugo. On the 6th the French came in sight,
and collecting in considerable numbers, took up a position in front
of the rear-guard. On the next day the outposts were attacked, and the
enemy
repulsed. And on the 8th another attack was made, and with a similar result.
On the 9th Sir John Moore drew up
his whole force in position, and offered battle. After waiting in line of battle till
towards evening, the General ordered the army to retire in the night, the Reserve
covering their march. They kept up bright fires to deceive the enemy, and then, in a night of
terrific weather, and in drenching showers of rain and sleet, they fell back
towards Betanzos. Near this town the enemy came up with them, and attacked
them during their passage over a bridge, with some loss.
The sufferings of the Battalion in the next few days were
1.
‘Life of Sir John
Moore,’ ii. 201.
Page 37 - 1809.
SKIRMISH AT EL BURGO
terrible. The men were in a state of
starvation; many without shoes and almost all in rags. The officers were, many of them, barefooted; and
some, from hunger and fatigue, so in-capable of further exertion that they had to be carried
on mules. In this state they arrived, on the 11th, at El Burgo (the main body of the troops having entered
Corunna), their discipline unimpaired and their courage undismayed.
'For twelve days,' says Napier, ' these hardy warriors
had covered the retreat, during which time they had traversed eighty miles
of road in two marches, passed several nights under arms in the snow of the mountains, were seven times engaged with the
enemy and now assembled at the outposts having
fewer men missing, including those who had fallen in battle, than
any other division of the army: an admirable instance of the value of good
discipline.'
As soon as they had passed the river at El Burgo the
bridge was blown up, and two companies of Riflemen, under Major Norcott, were
posted in the village; the remainder of
the Battalion being, with the Reserve, cantoned upon the-high road to
Corunna, at a little distance.
The enemy's cavalry again came in sight on the morning of the 12th, and, after reconnoitering, dismounted a part
of their force, and attacked the companies at El Burgo vigorously. This skirmishing continued during the
day; but their efforts to drive the Riflemen from the post were
ineffectual.
On the l4th, however, this post was withdrawn, as
the enemy had forded the river on our left. The Battalion therefore joined the Reserve in
the
position taken up by the army on the heights about two miles in front of
Corunna; while the enemy was employed in concentrating his forces on a very
strong range of hills opposite and nearly parallel to the British line, and
distant from it about five hundred yards.
The Battalion was advanced, in the course of the morning, about
half-a-mile in front of the Reserve, in order to occupy several detached and
commanding pieces of ground, on the
right of Lord William Bentinck's brigade, and just opposite a battery of
guns on the left of the French position.
The enemy's troops continued to pour into his
position during the whole night. Their bands played, and shouts, plainly heard by the Riflemen, announced
their joy at the
Page 38. HISTORY OF THE
RIFLE BRIGADE. 1809.
certainty of a
general action on the morrow, and the anticipated destruction
or capture of the British army.
On tile 16th several movements of cavalry, artillery and infantry were
observed in the French lines, and about two o'clock in the afternoon the
Riflemen could distinctly see their first line getting under arms on the brow
of the hill. The assault was not long in coming. At three o clock a
furious onset of three thousand skirmishers burst upon the whole
line of English picquets; which, although at first driven back, rallied
under cover of the numerous stone walls which intersected the valley,
and kept the enemy in check for a considerable time, particularly at the
village of Elvina, which was watched by the brigade under Major-General Coote Manningham.
By this time the enemy had been
completely defeated at all points, and retired to his position.
Page 39. 1809. CASUALTIES
IN THE RETREAT TO CORUNNA.
The troops embarked during the night. The 1st Battalion of the 95th
was the last corps that entered the gates of Corunna, having acted as
the rear-guard; and scarcely had it reached its ship, when the enemy made his
appearance, with several guns, on the heights commanding the bay, from which he
fired on all the vessels within range. The fleet, however, was soon under
sail, and arrived at Spithead on the 21st. The Battalion was
landed and marched to Hythe.
I have reserved till now the details of its losses
during that memorable retreat.
At Cacabelos, on January 3rd, 2 sergeants and 17 rank
and file were killed; and Captain Bennett, who died of his
wounds on the 11th, and Lieutenant Eeles
were wounded; and on that occasion 4 sergeants and 44 rank and file were taken
prisoners. In the skirmish on the 5th, 1 man was killed and 1 man also on the 10th. One sergeant, 1 bugler, and 13
rank and file died of want, sickness, or fatigue during the retreat; and 31 men,
wounded or exhausted, fell into the enemy's hands. In the final fight before
Corunna on the l6th, Lieutenant Charles Noble, 1 sergeant, and 10 rank and file were killed, and 8 rank and file were taken prisoners. Thus the total loss of the Battalion in twenty
days was 2 officers, 8 sergeants, 1 bugler, and 125 rank and file dead, or prisoners in the hands of the enemy. Lieutenant
Eeles, 1 sergeant,
and 33 rank and file wounded disembarked in England.
But the condition of the survivors and unwounded was deplorable. The appearance of the Battalion was squalid
and miserable. Most of the men had lost some of their
appointments; many were without shoes; and their clothing was not only
tattered and in rags, but in such a state of filth and so infested with vermin, that on new clothing being
served out it was burnt at the back of Hythe barracks.
Among the losses of the Regiment
consequent on the retreat to Corrunna, not the least conspicuous was that
of their first Colonel, Major-General
Coote Manningham, who died at Maidstone on August 26, 1809, in his forty-fourth
year. A short sketch of the life of one
who may be called the
originator of the
Regiment, may well be given in this place. He was the second son of Charles
Manningham,1 Esq., of Thorp, in Surrey, who was Governor of
Bengal in 1758, by the daughter of Colonel Charles Hutchinson,
Governor of St. Helena, through whom he was nearly related to two distinguished
Generals, Sir Robert Boyd and Sir Eyre Coote, who had married her sisters. Under the
former, and in his Regiment, the 39th, his services commenced at the siege of Gibraltar. On
the
breaking out of the war of 1793, Manningham, then a Major in the
45th, was appointed to a light infantry battalion, formed in the West
India Islands, in order to join Sir Charles Grey, on his coming out to attack
the French West India possessions. With it he took part in the reduction of
Martinique, St. Lucia, and Guadaloupe. He soon after became Lieutenant-Colonel
of the
41st, and in 1795 was appointed Adjutant-General to the force under General Forbes at St. Domingo.
While on this service he was severely wounded by an ambuscade of the enemy. On or soon after
his return to England he was, in 1798, appointed Aide-de-Camp to King George
III., with the rank of Colonel, and soon after one of His Majesty's Equerries. He was promoted a
Major-General in 1805; and after serving some time on the home staff, he was appointed to
command a brigade in the division which
went out with Sir David Baird in 1808. On the junction of this force
with that under Sir John Moore, he had a brigade under Moore,
and took part in the retreat; and, as we have seen, held the position of Elvina
in the final action at Corunna.
The fatigues and sufferings he had undergone during this campaign,
acting on a constitution impaired by service and by wounds in the West Indies, brought
on, soon after his return to England, an illness from which he never rallied. He is buried at Little Bookham,2 in Surrey, where this inscription to his
memory remains:
1. His grandfather was Bishop of Chichester. See a full account of the family in Nichols' ' Literary Anecdotes,' i. 207-11.
2. He had married the daughter of the Reverend George Pollen, Rector of Little Bookham.
Page 41. 1809. GENERAL COOTE MANNINGHAM
In this vault are deposited the remains of
Major-General COOTE MANNINGHAM, equerry to the king
and colonel of the 95th or rifle regiment
of foot;
This corps he originally raised and
formed, and by his
unvaried zeal and exertion, as well as
excellent discipline
and
good
example, brought to the highest state of
military reputation and
distinction.
He died at Maidstone, on the 26th day of
August 1809
in the 44th year of his age.
An
early victim
to the fatigues of the campaign in Spain
operating on a
constitution already enfeebled
by long service in the West Indies
and honourable wounds
received in that climate.
A monument to his memory
was also erected in the North Transept of Westminster
Abbey, by his friend
Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Hislop, in 1813; which records that ‘In him the man and the Christian
tempered the warrior; and that ‘He was the model of a British
soldier.'
His only surviving child married Sir Edward
Buller, Bart., and more than one of her sons has served with distinction
in the Regiment, in which they may be said to bear the honourable distinction of ' founder's kin.'
APPENDIX I.
COLONELS - IN - CHIEF.
Colonel COOTE MANNINGHAM,
August 25, 1800.
General SIR DAVID DUNDAS,
August 31, 1809.
Field Marshal ARTHUR,
DUKE OF WELLINGTON K.G., G.C.B., February 19, 1820.
Field Marshal H.R.H.
ALBERT, PRINCE CONSORT, K.G., G.C.B., September 23, 1852.
Field Marshal JOHN, LORD
SEATON, G.C.B, December 15, 1861.
General SIR GEORGE BROWN,
G.C.B, April 18, 1863.
Field Marshal SIR EDWARD
BLAKENEY, G.C.B., August 28, 1865.
Field Marshal H.R.H. ALBERT EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES, K.G.,
G.C.B., August 3, 1868.
Page 515. APPENDIX II.
ON THE
ARMAMENT OF THE REGIMENT.
On the presentation of the report of Colonels Manningham and Stewart (see p.1), a committee of field officers was directed to assemble
at Woolwich on February 1, 1800, in order to
select a rifle to be used by the Rifle Corps. The principal
gun-makers in England were invited to attend; and rifles from America, France,
Germany, Spain, and Holland were produced and tried. This committee reported in
favour of a rifle submitted by Ezekiel Baker, a gun-maker in London, which was
adopted for the Rifle Corps, and was known as the 'Baker rifle.' This arm was 2 feet 6 inches long
in the barrel; seven-grooved, and rifled one quarter turn; the balls were 20 to the pound, and the weight of the arm was nine
and a half
pounds. It had, of course, a flint lock. It was sighted to 100 yards, and by a folding sight to 200 yards. This rifle was
loaded with some difficulty, and at first small wooden mallets were supplied
to the Riflemen to assist in ramming down the ball. These were found
inconvenient and an incumbrance to the soldier, and were
soon discontinued. The Rifle Corps originally carried a horn for powder, as
well as the pouch. The Baker rifle had a brass box in the
stock to contain the greased rag in which the ball was wrapped.1 A picker to clear the touch-hole and a brush were
also carried by the Riflemen, suspended by brass chains to the waist-belt.
Ezekiel Baker, the inventor of
this rifle, published in 1803 a book entitled ' Twenty-two Years' Practice with
Rifle Guns;' a tenth edition of which, expanded from 8 pages of the original brochure to 238, appeared in 1829. His coloured prints of Riflemen
aiming standing, kneeling, lying down on the face, and on the back, are curious, though the
costume is rather fanciful. He gives diagrams showing that out of 34 shots at
100 yards with this rifle, 32 penetrated a human figure painted on a 6ft. target; and of 24 shots at 200 yards, 22 penetrated
1.
The powder horn and the brass box in the stock are shown in Plate 1.
The Regulations for the exercise of Riflemen issued in 1803,
do not mention the mallet, which had probably been already discontinued; but they do mention ‘the
powder measure and the loose ball’: i.e.
using the powder-horn in loading.
Page 516 APPEXDIX II.
a similar figure. Baker does not mention whether
these were fired from the shoulder, or from a fixed rest.
To this rifle a triangular sword bayonet, 17
inches long in the blade, was affixed by a spring.
When the Rifle Corps was first formed, a few
rifles were issued to it of the same bore as the musket then in use, viz. 14
balls to the pound; under the impression that there would be an advantage in
the Riflemen being able to use the ammunition of soldiers of the line; but this arm was strongly
objected to by Colonel Manningham and his officers, and
was almost immediately done away with.
Some improvements were subsequently made in the Baker rifle; a chamber was
introduced to hold the powder, and a flat-blade sword was substituted for
that originally issued. With these and some other trifling changes, the Baker rifle continued
till about the year 1837 or 1838. In the year 1836 a Board was assembled at
Woolwich to report on various improved rifles. Of this Board Colonel Eeles, then commanding the 1st Battalion, was a member; and Captain Walpole, with a sergeant
and twelve Riflemen of that Battalion, was sent to Woolwich to try the rifles
submitted to the Board. These men fired daily for some weeks; and eventually
the Bnmswick rifle was fixed upon for the armament of the Rifle Brigade, and
was issued to it (both Battalions being then at home) soon afterwards. This arm
was 2 feet 6 inches long in the barrel, which was
two-grooved, with complete turn in the length of the barrel; the ball was
spherical and belted, and, to ensure the belt dropping into the grooves, two
notches were cut at the muzzle. The ball weighed 557 grains, being about 12 to
the
pound. The rifle weighed nearly 2 pounds more than the Baker, its weight being eleven
pounds five and a half ounces. It had a detonating lock; a straight sword, 22 inches long, was affixed to it
by a spring. The Bnunswick rifle, like the Baker,
had a brass box in the stock. It was sighted, by means of a folding sight, to
300 yards; and it was found, in the trials made at Woolwich, that it made as
good practice at 300 yards as the Baker at 200.
This rifle continued in use for nearly twenty years;
but it was found difficult to load, the belt of the ball being
after much firing difficult to force down the grooves; and in action the
necessity of fitting the belt to the grooves hindered rapidity of loading,
notwithstanding the
While the 1st Battalion were at the Cape, and at the
conclusion of the war with the Kaffirs in 1846-7, Lancaster rifles were received at King William's-town for
four or six men in each company. These were two-grooved, like the Brunswick,
and of the same bore and length. They had a patent breech; and were sighted to
900 yards. The ball was conical, with a flat base..….
This is the end of the
passages and addenda items from Cope’s book ‘History of the Rifle Brigade’ as
they relate to Coote Manningham and the strong connection between him and the
Rifle Corps to East Blatchington..
Old English words explained
Cordwainer - shoemaker.
Culverin (or
Culvering) - long heavy cannon with ball weighing 15 to 20
pounds.
Dragoons -
military unit trained to fight mounted or on foot.
Demiculverin - cannon with ball weighing 9 to 13 pounds
Fencibles - regiment used for homeland service only.
Faucon - cannon with ball weighing 2.5 pounds.
Faulconet (or
Fauconet) - small cannon with ball weighing 1.31 pounds
Fe’night - two Weeks
Firelock -
muzzle loaded firearm using flint to ignite charge. Also called ‘Flintlock’.
Oyer and Terminer - a commission issued to judges to try cases on
assize and the court in which such cases were held.
Militia - infantry force raised in counties but only
served outside local county.
Picket - one or more troops in an advanced position to warn of an enemy’s approach.
Sacre (or
Saker) - cannon with ball weighing 4.75
to 7.31 pounds.
Se’night - one week (i.e. Seven Nights)
Suttler - trader who took goods directly to the
customers.
Sloop - single masted sailing vessel
Yeomen - horse mounted volunteer force.
Notes re spellings:
Some
spellings prior to the 19th Century
included in this book were different from today i.e.
Compleated (Completed), Waggon (Wagon), Poney
(Pony), Assemling (Assembling), Divers (Diverse), Show (Shew), Serjeant
(Sergeant)
Place
names were also spelt differently i.e.
Bletchington
or Blechington (Blatchington)
Bishopston
(Bishopstone)
Brighthelmstone
(Brighton)
 |
| Troops exercise at Exceat. Copyright. |
The material for ‘East Blatchington Battery &
Barracks’ is from the files of Seaford
Museum.
I would like to thank everybody at the museum for
collecting, maintaining and sharing their records without which this project
would not have been possible.
I would like particularly to mention Sue Sutton, the archivist, for her support.
Also http://greatwartales.home.blog/ about four soldiers who trained in Seaford and Eastbourne during WW1
and https://sussexbirds.blogspot.com/ Notes on Sussex Ornithology by the Vicar of East Blatchington for the period 1846 to 1869.
Also a record of two trips made by road from London to Seaford in 1877 Link: https://crooksofseaford.blogspot.com/
and https://lamberecipes.blogspot.com/ being list of over 200 Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian recipes and Remedies by the Lambe family of East Blatchington.
Seaford Museum is run entirely by volunteers and is funded by its members and day visitors. Please take a look using the following link: http://www.seafordmuseum.co.uk/
Please see my other blogs which relate to research done at Seaford Museum i.e.
Links to https://dryplate2colour.home.blog/ relating to Eastbourne photographer Ellis Kelsey.
Links to https://dryplate2colour.home.blog/ relating to Eastbourne photographer Ellis Kelsey.
Please also see my companion blog to 'Dry Plate to Colour' which concentrates on the Early Colour Systems such as Autochrome and Paget Process which were introduced in 1907 and 1913 respectively. I show many images by Ellis Kelsey not previously seen. Please see link: https://earlycolourphotography.blogspot.com/
Also http://greatwartales.home.blog/ about four soldiers who trained in Seaford and Eastbourne during WW1
and https://sussexbirds.blogspot.com/ Notes on Sussex Ornithology by the Vicar of East Blatchington for the period 1846 to 1869.
Also a record of two trips made by road from London to Seaford in 1877 Link: https://crooksofseaford.blogspot.com/
and https://lamberecipes.blogspot.com/ being list of over 200 Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian recipes and Remedies by the Lambe family of East Blatchington.
Also an investigation into a stereoscopic photograph of a shipwreck near Seaford Head.
See link: https://seafordcliffswreck.blogspot.com/
See link: https://seafordcliffswreck.blogspot.com/
Seaford Museum is run entirely by volunteers and is funded by its members and day visitors. Please take a look using the following link: http://www.seafordmuseum.co.uk/
