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Those too large to be entirely included In one exposure are filmed beginning in th^ upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent 6tre filmte A des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, 11 est fiimd d partir de I'angle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut an bas, en prenant lo nombre d'images nAcesssire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 y/i; i '\ '"IM A PMOTOORAFH T» K I N AT THl a M X C N»TK »M , «« f «OOUC 1 BV"hU&II«NDS PHOCIK m li r <*!• im ^.. I. $i,.-C-|_,,C^^.|^'/(_ Y fYEERS VULTM ■ -".■'i".4*i4;jBSK!^-ssEarf~' 'W*«l I; ^ i (J / Ir-^-v*..-- /- .VcVc-^<^i/c * ' H I S T O K Y OK TllK .= 1 CORPS OF ROYAL ENGINEERS BY WHITWORTH PORTER MA.;oil-(iKNKl!AL IIOYAL RNGINEEUS VOLUME I LONDON LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. AND NEW VORK : 15 EAST 16ti' STREET 1889 AU lights r ese >■ i-c rf I 61 G 51 P7 y.l LOSDOX : I'AKDOS AND gON8, PRINTKR8, «IXE llFFICE COUnT, FLEET 9TIIEKT, K O. WITH THE GRACIOUS PEBMI8SI0N OP HER iAI A J E S T Y THE (,) U E E N. THIS WORK IS TO THE MEMORY OF THE PRINCE CONSORT, AS A HU.MBLE AND GHATKFUL TRIBUTE TO THE UNVARYING INTEREST DISPLAYED TOWARDS THE CORPS OK ROVaL ENGINEERS HY THAT WISE AND FAR-SEEING PRINCE, liY HER majesty's MOST DEVOTED HUMliLE SERVANT AND SUBJECT, WHIT WORTH PORTER. r K J: ¥ A C E. It seems somewhat strange tluit no history of the Corps of lioyal lingmeers should have been us yet prc'sented to the public. For nearly two centuries, since the date when the officers of this service were first united into a compact body, their careei- has been mtmiately connected with the military history of the Empire, and even long before that time they had as individuals gained renown m the important functions which in those earlier days they fulfilled. In spite of this vast accimiulation of faithful service no connected account exists, and it has been left to those who are mtercsted m the subject to grope amidst a mass of mouldering records, to exhume here and there isolated facts bearing on tlie subject. Other regiments have long since found their biographers, the result of whose labours has been the formation of an admirable encyclopaedia of military history. The student looks, however m vain amongst these for any narrative of the services of the EiUgmeers. The cause of this hiatus may possibly be thus explained. It seems clear that the task should fall to the lot of one who has had intimate relations with the Corps, and whose experience in con- nection with It would enable him to treat the subject adequately ; but such a man, whilst in the active exercise of his profession, has not sufficient time available for the lengthened and laborious research necessary for the undertaking. Hitherto, Engineers have generally chmg to the service until old age or infirmity has compelled them to seek repose in retirement. They have con- sequently been unwilling and, indeed, physically unabie afterwards to attempt such a work. Of late, however, tliis has been much VI l'|{KKA( K c1mnj?o.l. A gnitefiil oomitiy Ims decrood timt her officicvM hIiiiU not lie pcrmittfMl to ^)^^ui\ too iinicli of flicii' lives in her .sorvico jurI now tlioy iiro mostly ixMisioncd off wluLst still in niiddl.- lifo. ninny of them witii energies hy no means exhausted. One of the consfMiueneos of the adoption of this new in-ir.eiple has been the production of the present volumes. They are the result of dil!g(*nt research, extending over several years, (m the part of one who has sought thus to oecupy smjh talents ns it has pleas(>d Trovidenee to h'ave unimpaired. I trust that I have in this wny ei-eated, at all events, a framework whieh may he developed at some fuhire time in the hands of a more capable historian. It was my intinition, wlien first I 'legan my task, to have embrae(>d the Indian branch of the ( !orps. I soon discovered that its records were so numerous and full of ]>ictures(pie interest that it (h'manded separate treatment. To include i( here would have been either to treat it most inadecpiately, or to produce a book far too voluminous for the ordinary reader. Indeed, as it is, I have been compelled to 8ui)pre88 much that I ccmsider of secondary importance, in order to kee}) within reasonable limits. As an in.stance, I have not referred to our New Zealand wars, although undoubtedly the Royal Engineers bore their fair share in these as in other more important campaigns. I simply mention this to show that th(> omission is not through neglect but of design. Tlie history of the Indian Engineers remains to be written, and a valuable and interesting record it will prove. It is to be hoped that before long some member of that service will supply the void. The names of two men pre-eminently qualified for the task naturally suggest themselves— Lieutenant-General George ('hesney and Colonel Henry Yule. In the hands of either of these, full justice would be done to a most attractive siibject. I had also intended to append a com])lete Roll of the Corps from the beginning of the eighteenth century, and had prepared all the earlier portion of the list for the purpose. As, however, I toimd that Captain Conolly had corajjiled a similar Roll, but on a far more elaborate scale, I abandoned the idea. Even as 1 had drawn it up much space must necessarily have been allotted to it, and this would have added largely to the bulk of Ihe 1 rilKKA( K. Vll i'.i'YH hIuiU T service, ifldlc llfo. prii'.cuplc y are the 9, on the ns it has [ hav(» in may be 3 capable to have ered that interest re wouhl 3e a book i it i«, I ecoudary As an iltliough these as this to u. Tlie ., and a je hoped iply the for the George either of ibject. le Corps irei)ared wever, I but on en as 1 allotted of llie volumes. It is, I believe, intended that ConoUy's \{o\\ nhould be completed to date and published by the Uoyal Engineers' Institute us a sejiarate work. r wouhl wish to jtoint out that I have in no way attempted to I>ro([uce a eomplettt narrativ(> of the various military operations to whi(;h I have referred. I have selected only sueli portions as are connected with the Engin.^ers, either fn>,n their b.«ing actoi-s therein, eye-witnesses, or narrators. It must not be supposed that by this mode of ti-eatment I desire to intimate or suggest that the other branc.'hes of the service! have in any way occupied a subordi- nate position. .Simply, their deeds do not enter into the scheme of these volumes. I may remark that the coloured portraits of Engineer Officers that have been given were not selected with an idea that the originals were men of distinction in tlio Corps. Wit], the exception of Ensign Gother Mann, who lived mo witli much valuable information about Sir William Green, including Mrs. Green's interesting diary. Major Day, the Secretary of the Institute, lias in many ways rendered me the most important assistance ; nor must I (miit the names of Major Andrews and I.ieutenant G. lirown, of the Coast I3attaliou, who have been most zealous in their endeavours to procure for my use such infcmuation as was to be obtained from the records of the Horse Gunrds. Lastly, I would also include Mr. Thornton, the intelligent lioyal Engineer Librarian at tlie War Otiice, on whose assistance I could ulwiiys reckon in my researches amongst the vahiable collection of works under his charge. But f-'V the assistance rend(>red by these and others il would have been impossible for me to lu-oduce a history, even as satis- factory as tlu> one vhieh I now submit to the judgment of the C 'ori)s and the general public. AVIIlTWOIiTlI POUTKK. -^, CiiKNisriiN (;.\i;iii:ns. I\|':\sin(i ton, ■ III limn II 10///, l>,sii. Civi Tlu '^rotteslcy, id E. ii. I mo wit) I including' %uy ways I I omit n, oF the savours to nod h'oiii ant lioyal je I could collection it woidd as jsatis- ut of the iTlvI{. C N T K N T S. rAilT L— MILITAEY lllsroilV CIEAPTEli I. I.NrUOUUCTOKY. Civil and llilitarj Duties of tlic Corps— The Exbiljilion of l,S,il and the Priueo Consort— Tendency towards Specialism -The Malta Openi. Ifouse and its Acoustic Properties— " Scientific Soldiers" in "The World " Newspaper— Lord Wolseley on the Trainiuf.' of a General- General Siuythe's View of the lloyal Enjiineers Sir George Trevelyan ou the Athletic Successes of the Corps . . . . CJlAi'TEli II. Fkom THK NoUMAX CoNQlESl' TO THK ClOSK OF THE SlXTKKXTII CkXTI KY. The Da'vn of Eii-^nneerinf-- Science — Tiie Kin-'s Engineers from the Conciuest -Sappers in the Scotch and Welsli Wars of Edward I.— The Attillator — Sir John Crahbe — The Sie--e of Calais in 1;H(J — Subse(iuent Establishment of Engineers in Calais-^Engineer Staff at the Tower in l.-JTO-Siege of Harileur and Ihittle of Agincourt— William Pawne— The Captain of the Pioneers- Coast Defences under Henry X'FIL— Sir Richard Lee- John Itogers— Siege of Boulogne Potinari— French Naval Attack in the Channel— Loss of the Jlun/ Jiose — John Brend — Tiionias Pettyt — Fortitieations of Berwick -- Sir William Pelham—Siege of Leith— Defence of Havre— Leonard Digges— Disgrace of Pelhani— Befriended by Leicester— His Cam- paign in the Low Countries, and Death— The Spanish Armada- Preparations for Defence— Expedition to Ireland .... I'AOK f ONTKXTS. CIIAPTEE III. Thk Seventeknth Century. I'AfiK Engineers under Charles I.— The Commonwealth and Charles II.— Estab- lishment of Engineers for England and Ireland — Duties of the Surveyor-General of the Ordnance— Of the Chief Engineer— Of the Inferior Engineers— Instructions for Jacob Kichards as Travelling Engineer— His Report— Attempted Robbery of the Regalia by Blood —Their Rescue by Talbot Edwardes— Details of Ordnance Trains in 1692— Diary of .Jacob Richards in the Flanders "War— The King's Company of Engineers — Establishment of Engineers in 1697 — Reductions consequent on Peace of Ryswick — Formation of the First Train for Peace Duties 41 For CHAPTER IV. CxlBKALTAR, 1704-1778. The Beginning of the War of the Spanish Succession— Capture of Gib- raltar by the British — The Prince of Hesse-Darmstadt appointed Governor —Siege by the Spaniards — Arrival of Joseph Bennet — Breaches Established— Assault Repulsed— Arrival of Talbot Edwardes with other Engineers — Conclusion of the Siege — Departure of Edwardes —Bennet made Chief Engineer— His Mission to Barbary —Treaty of Utrecht —Poverty of the Board of Ordnance— Their Cor- respondence—The Second Siege, in 1727— Court-Martial on Lieu- tenant ^lullar— General Irwin on Engineer (iuarters— Description of the Fortress of Gibraltar . Esta (12 CHAPTER V. Tin; SiKGE OF Cihrai.tak, 177!)-1783. Commencement of the Siege of Gibraltar — Mrs. Green's Journal — Hiilloway's Di.iry - Drinkwater's Xarnitive — Engineers Present — Green's Lodge— Construction of Besiegers' Batteries— Admiral Dutf — Experiments with Shell Guns and Light- Halls— The First Relief under Rodney— Small-Pox— Fire-SJiips — Advanced Batteries con- structed by the Spaniards — Lieutenant Booth — His Plans — His Subseciuent Illness — Second Relief under Admiral Darby — Bom- bardment of the Town — Execution of two R. M. ArtiHcir.s for Plundering— The Sortie -Great Damage to the Besiegers' Works —The Ten Great Floating Batteries— Galleries formed in the Rock — Second Bombardment- Attack by the Floating Batteries— Their l)estruetiou--Conciusion of tiic Siege -Rewards to the Principal OfHcers— Cost of the Defence Milii S2 (ONTKNTS. XI I'AfiK 41 CHAPTEK VI. Thk War of the Spanish Suockssion, 1702-171-], Formation of Train for Service in the Low Countries— Colonel Blood appointed to the Command — Engineers under him— Siege of Venloo —Blood at the Battles of Blenheim and llamilies -His Death at Brussels — Michael llichards — John Armstrong — His Services on Marlborough's Statf— Demolition of the Fortifications of DuiAirk — Train for Cadiz — Attacks on (Jadiz and Vigo — Portugal Train under Borgard — Barcelona Train — Carleton's Memoirs — Sie^e of Barcelona- Its Capture, and that of Valenza — Borgard Wounded, and Mauclere placed in Command of the Train— Defence of Bar(;elona by Lewis Petit— Siege of Alcantara— Death of Mauclere— Isaac Petit killed at Alicante— New Train formed under Michael Richards- Battle of Almanza and Defeat of Galway— Defence of Denia and Tortosa— Consolidation of Trains— Capture of Minorca— Lewis Petit appointed Lieutenant-Governor, and Peter Durand Chief Plngineer — Loss of Denia — Siege of Alicante — Explosion of Mine and Death of John Richards— Peace of Utrecht — Engineers in America and the "West Indies I'A«iK 110 ()2 CHAPTEK YII. 1713-1748. Establishment of I'^ngineers in 1711 — Michael Richards appointed Survej-or- General, and John Armstrong Chief Engineer— Formation of a Corps of Engineers — Separation of Artillery — Establishments for Minorca and Gibraltar — Scotch Rebellion of ITlo- Reports on the Fortirtca- tions — Irish Engineers — Code of Instructions for Engineers— Uf- newal of the War with Spain— Train appointed— Attack on Carta- gena—Foundation of Royal Military Academy— Death of Armstrong — Train for Flanders— Battles of Dettingen and Fontenoy— Engineer Promotions in 1744- Capture of Louisburg— Trdns for Newfound- land and Nova Scotia — Scotch Rebellion of 174 J — Attempt on rOrient— Brigade of Engineers for Flanders in 1747— Battle of Val— Defence of l!ergen-op-Zooni— Engineers in India—List of the Corps in n4.S ly,, S'i C'lIxVPTEH VIII. 1748-17(33. Military Survey of Scotland under AVatson and Roy — Grievances of the Corps— Their Agent Boddington— War in America with the French— Braddock's Disaster— Victory at Crown Point— Augmentation in xn (OMKNTS. I'AUK 1755 — The llostor on tliat Date — Military Reconnaissances in the South of England — Cunningham at Minorca — Siege of St. Philip's — Its Capture by the French— Dutch Engineers in America— Military Uank granted to the Engineers in 1757— Chief Engineer Skinner's ( 'ommission — Expeditions against Eochefort, St. Male, and Cherbourg —War in America —Capture of Louisburg— Failure at Ticonderoga — Xew Establishment of Engineers in 175it— Capture of Guadaloupe— Attack on and Capture of 'iuebec— French Attempt to recover the Place— Capture of Martiniciue, the Havannah, and Relleisle . . 1(>7 Pas^ SSB CHAP T Eli IX. 1703-1790. Peace of Paris— Restoration of Minorca —Pensions for Widows of En- gineers—Pay of Chief Engineer increased— Separation cf Indian Engineers— Abolition of Engineer Grades— First General Brevet— The American Revolution— Battle of Bunker's Hill— Occupation of Xew York, Philadelphia, and Ticonderoga— Defence of Savannah- Capture of Charlestown— Surprise of Jersey— Second Siege of Minorca Close of the War— Corps of Invalid Engineers— Establishment of E.vtra Pay— List of the Corps in 1784— Title of Royal Engineers granted in 17«7— Successive Augmentations— War in the Low Countries— Siege of Valenciennes— Death of Moncrieff— Capture of French West Indian Islands and of Corsica— E.\pcdition to Holland in 1799— Correspondence between Howe and Cornwallis— Death of Lieutenant-Colonel Hay— Close of the Campaign— Dress of the Rojal Engineers Deser i: >: I V I s 1 200 C II APT Eli X. 1800-1809. Cai>ture of Malta by Bonaparte- His Occupation of Egypt— Military Mission to Constantinople— Expedition under Aburcrombie Death of Maokerras, and Fletcher taken Prisoner— Battle of Alexandria Advance of the Turkish Contingent with HoUoway — Battle of El Hanka— Capture of Cairo— Inscription on Pompey's Pillar— Second Expedition to Egypt in 1S07— Battle of Maida and Capture of Scylla — Occupation of Cape Town, Buenos Ayres, and Monte Video— Bombardment of Copenhagen, and Seizure of the Danish Fleet— First Peninsular Campaign— Battles of Roleia and Vimiera— Lieutenant Wells taken Prisoner — Advance of Sir John Moore into Spain— The Retreat to Coriinna — Wulchercn Expedition — Bombardment and Cap- ture of Flushing— Destruction of the Docks— Sir J. .Jones's Criticisms on the Leaders of the Force • ^ 22S Destn P t- P L A G B A B ( ONIKNTS. XIU I'AOK 1(17 CllAJ'TEll XL Thk ^E^•I^s^•l,AK AVar, 1809-181:^. l'A(iK PassiifTi. „t the Oouro- Battle of Tula vera— The i.ines of Torres Vtclras— Itelreat nt 'lie British Army— Advance of Massena— Battle of Busaeo —The I.iiK., occupied by Wellington's Army— Jones's lleports— Bur- g'oyne's Joiiriuil— Division of the Lines into' Districts— Destruction of J Fort Conception— Blockade of Cadiz— Death of Captain Lefebure— Battle of Bnrrossa— Pitts' Journal- Dcl( nee of Tarifa— Siege of Ciudad Bodrigo— Its Capture— Remarks on the Siege by Captain Bur- f^'"J'"^ 25(i 201) CHAPTElt XIT. The Tiihkk Sikoks ok Badajoz, 1.S11-1,S12. Description of Badajoz— Project of Attack— Opening of the First Siege— Attack on Fort Cbristoval— Sortie of the Garrison— Raising of the Siege— Its Resumption after the Victory of Albuera— J )eaths of Forster, Patten, and Hunt— Second Raising of the Siege— Cause of the Failure —The Third Siege- Soilie from the Town— Fletcher Wounded— Im- pediments by Bad Weather— Death of Mulcaster— Assault of Fort Picurina— Attempt to Destroy the Batardeau— Preparations for Storming— Escalade of the Castle— Failure of the Assault at the Breaches— Escalade of San Vincente Bastion— Capture of the Fortress —Losses of the Fhigineers— Descripticms of the Assault by Vetch, Pitts, and McCarthy— Lord Wellington's Despatches 288 22H CHAPTEE XIII. 1812-lSiy. Destruction of the Bridge of Almaraz— Siege of the Salamanca J'orts— Pitts' Description— Battle of Salamanca— Flntry into Madrid— Cap- ture of the lletirc— Siege of Burgos— Description of the Castle- Project of Attack— Capture of Homwork— Failure of Assault on Outer Line— Lord Wellington's Head-(iuarters— Mine Exploded and Breach Assaulted— Failure of the Attempt— Second Mine Exploded and Outer Line Captured— Lieut. -Colonel Jones Wounded— Sorties of the Garrison- -Failure ;• \ isault on Inner Line— The Siege Itaised— Burgoyne's Remarks- Pitts' Jnurnal -Retirement of the British Army into Portugal— Burgoyne at El Boden— Battle of Vittoria— Blockade of Pamplona 312 XIV CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIV. 181;M814. Description of San Sebastian — Project of Attack — Commencement of Siege — Capture of Convent of San liartolomeo— Reid's Drain— Explosion of Mine and General Assault —Jones Wounded and taken Prisoner — Failure of the Assault — Suspension of the Siege awaiting Ammuni- tion— Resumption of Active Operations —Development of the Attack — Capture of the Island of Santa Clara — Swimming Feat of Corporal Evans — Second Assault — Critical Moment— Fire on the Ramparts over the Heads of the Stormers— Success of the Assault— Losses of the Engineers— Hombardment of the Castle— Its Surrender — Burgoyne's Criticisms— Meuorial from the Officers of Royal Engineers about their Allowances— Passage of the Adour— Difficulties of the Under- taking-Design of the Bridge— Organization of the Flotilla - Crossing of two Brigades by Boats — Formation of the Bridge PAOK ;i35 CHAPTER XV. The Second American War, 1812-1815. Opening of the War in 1812— Capture of Fort Detroit by the Canadians- Failure of Subsequent Attempts at Invasion by the Americans — Capture of Washington— Destruction of Public Buildings— Attack on New Orleans — Burgoyne's Journal— Description of the Defences of New Orleans— Advance against the Lines— The Attack Repulsed and General Pakenham Killed— Council of AVar— -E.vtraordinary Revela- tion—Lieutenant Wright Killed— Attack on Fort Bowyer— Its Sui'render— Close of the Wai- ;j57 CHAPTER XVI. 1814-1830. Joint British and Prussian Expedition to Holland — Lieutenant Sperling's Journal — Attack on French Fleet at Antwerp— Its Failure— Scheme for Assault of Bergen-op-Zoom— Sperling's Account — First Success and Subsequent Failure — Peace of 1814- Return of Napoleon from Elba — Battle of Waterloo— Sperling's Account — Oldfield's Account- Misbehaviour of a Company of Sappers— Wellington's Description of the Battle to Jones — Burgoyne's Memo.— Capture of Peronne — Engineer Equipment — Close of War — Jones and the Netherland Fortresses — His Mission to Holland iu 1830— Bombardment of Algiers in 1816 — Burgoyne's and Whinyates' Accounts 367 CONTENTS. XV PAOK CHAPTER XVII. 1796-1854. VAOK :i35 Successive Augmentations— Lord Cornwallis's Correspondence— Creatii)n of Post of Inspector-General of Fortifications — Increase of Pay in all Ranks- Protest against Promotion by Army Rank — Distribution of the Honours of the Bath unsatisfactory to the Corps— Peace Reduc- tions — The Hanoverian Engineers— Block in Promotion — Augmenta- tion in 1825— New Scale of Retirement and Abolition of Invalid Engineers — Further Augmentation in 184G-- Establishment of Seconded List— Additional Battalion on Account of Russian War . 397 CHAPTER XVIII. The Russian War, 1854. Sir John Burgoyne's Mission to Constantinople— His Visit to Paris— He proceeds to Gallipoli and Varna— Burke's Report on the Danube Position— The Lines of Gallipoli— Advance on Varna— Successful Defence of Silistria— Death of Lieutenant Burke— Bridge across the Danube— Fire at Varna— Gallantry of Sapper James Cray- Expedi- tion to the Baltic— (.'apture of Bomarsund— Destruction of the Forts —Landing in the Crimea— Battle of the Alma— Death of General T3'lden— The Flank March — Description of Sebastopol- First Boni- biirdment— Death of Colonel Alexander— Battles of Balaklava and lukerman— Preparations for Winter— Fearful Storm and Consequint Losses— Capture of Tryon's Rifle Pits— The Road Question . . 409 ;j57 367 CHAPTER XIX. The Russian Wak, continued, 1855. Description of the British Attacks at the beginning of 1855— Difference of Opinion between Burgoyne and Bizot as to an Attack on the Mala- koff — Appeal to the Emperor at Paris— Niel sent to Report on the Position — Scarcity of Fuel and its Results— Lieutenant Drake's Uallantry— (Jommenoenient of the Railway— General H. Jones ordered to Relieve Sir J. Burgoyne —Revised Scheme of Attack- Advance of the Russians on the Careening Bay Ravine, the Mamelon, and the Dockyard Creek- Description of the Works of Attack in A})ril— The Electric Telegraph— The April Bombardment— Capture of RiHe Pits— Arrival of the Sardinian Army— Capture of The Quarries, Mamelon, and Ourrat/es Bluncs — Unsuccessful Assault on the Redan and Malakoff — Lieutenant Donnelly and the Cemetery — Death of Lord Raglan— The September Bombardment and General Assault- Retreat of the Russians to the North Side— Occupation of the South Side by the All'.es — Engineer Promotions— Destruction of the Docks and White Bar I'ack s— Colonel Lake at Kars 43H XVI (ON TENTS. CHAPTEU XX. TiiK Indian Mitiny, 1 HAT- 1809. l'A(iK Mutiny at Meurut — Revolt at Delhi— Force assembled to recover tlic City —Description of Delhi — Arrival of 8icge Train— Erection of Bat- teries — Detail of Assaulting Columns — Blowing in the Kashmere Gate — Progress of the First and Second Columns— Death of Nicholson — Completion of the ('apture — Engineer Losses — Defence of I.ucknow — Description of the Residency — Mining and Countermining— First Uelief under Oiitram and Havelock — Second portion of the Defence — Relief by Sir C. Campbell — Outram holds the Alumbagh — Return of Sir Colin — Description of Lucknow — Attack by Campbell and Outram — Capture of the City — Gallantry of Innea and Prendergast — Capture of .Ihansi — Journal of proceedings of 4th and '2lird Companies of Royal Engineers ,........• ^'4 CHAPTER XXL The Ohina War, 1H57-1860. Acquisition of Hong Kong— Attack on the Bogue Forts— Murder of Captain da Costa— Death of Captain Cowper — iVssault and Capture of Canton — Destruction of Forts— Capture of Namtow — Death of Cap- tain Lambert— Expedition to the Peiho in 1859 — Attempted Assault — Its Failure— Renewed Expedition to the Peiho in 1860— Composi- tion of Force- Landing at Peytang — Land Attack on Forts— Their (Capture— Advance on Pekin — Destruction of Summer Palace — Con- clusion of the War .......■•■ .)()(> Appendix — Royal Warrants P.VOK ILLUSTRATIONS. ar the f Ikt- L' Gate Isoii — now — -First ?nce — iim of lutram apture lies of . 474 der of ture of t Cap- Lssaiilt mposi- -Their -Con- .')()() ■ o^^V'-B r- Kield-Marslial Sir John Burgoyuc, Bart., G.C.B. FnintiHjtiecv COLOUllED PORTRAITS ILLUSTRATIVE OF UNIFORMS AT DIFFERENT EPOCHS. ) Captain John Romer, Engineer, cir : 1710 . . 11 .-.• 11 . , -„ \ . To fare 11(1 III' 21.> Practitioner Engineer and Ensign Gother Mann, 17(53 ) . / •/ Captain William Fyers, 1792 ,, 227 Major William Nicholas, 1812 . . ;{(),-> The Author, 1846 . 407 SKETCH PLANS. Gibraltar ■ . . To face 2>a(/e ~U Torres Vedras . . • • I) )> „ 2oi> Ciudad Rodrigo . . . . )> M „ 219 Badajoz . . • )> >) „ 2sy Burgos . . * >> )) 319 San Sebastian . . ♦ » »» 33r> Sebastopol WOODCUTS. )) >) „ 427 Castle of Scylla . . PA(i K . 238 Flushing . . • • . .. 230 Cadiz • • • t • • • .. 270 Tarifa • .. 274 Bergen-op-Zoom . • . . .. 370 Delhi . .. 470 ERHATA. rape li8, line 5, for Lewis Borgard, read Albert Horgard. Piige 4r)0, line -24, for E. U. Joae.s, 'ead E. R. JainL'S. PART I. —MILITARY HISTORY. Civil The of IJ not c mair is scti Corp .,i' tl "Ub Tl tlie i: I'oni: other ])i'iuc (irea bt'inf llig] follow the V to be had 1 were made oours the f prom "% II HLSTOKV Ol^^ lllE COUPS OF ROVAI. KXGINEEKS. riW I'T HK I. l.M|{(»l)r( KMiV. Civil and Military Duties of tlio Corps —Tliu Kxliibitioii ot IK.M iiiiil tho Priiico Consort — Tciuliui'y lowiirds SiHt'iulisiii -Tiic Miiltii 0|)tra [[ouso. and its Aooustit; I'ropcrtieN — " Si'leiititie Soldiers'' iu 'J'/ic 1\ nrld News- paper — Lord Wolselev on the Traininn- ot a (Jeneral — (leneriil Smythe's View of the lloyal I'lngineers— Sir George Trevelyan on the Athletic Huccesses of the Corps. TiiK Corps of lloyal Engiuoors dillers from ovory other braueli of Iler Miiji'sty's tSorvico, iTiiisiuut'h ns it is called on to perform not only its duties in connection with military operations, but also many varieties of seiontifi(; Avork of a purely civil nature. There is scarcely a Department of Government in which nirmbers of tho Corps are not to bo found holding high office, purely on account >.f their scientific attainments. The motto whieli it bears, " Ubique," is as true in ils civil as it is in its military work. This dt^-elopment of the duties of the Corps is almost entirely tho product of the present century. Until after the close of the I'eninsular AVar, we do not often find Juigineers employed iu other than military, or at least quasi-military, service. The ])rincipal exception to this is perhaps tlu? Ordnance Survey of Creat Britain, and even that was begun as a military operation, being intended to facilitate the penetration of the wilds of the Highlands by the forces of tho Crown. The long peace whii'h folloAved the overthrow of Najioleon was very unfavourable to the warlike aspirations of tho Engineer. Unless his talents Avere to be utilized in other than military service, it was felt that he had become t(.)(» expensive a luxmy for the economical days that were then dawning upon tho country, lieductions had to be made ; and if a good reason coidd not bo given against such a course, the pruning knife of tho Treasmy would surely lop away tho fruitless branch. Even as it Avas, such a wholesale reduction was carried out, that promotion was brought to a state of utter stagnation. Towards B \\ n HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. the middle of this century, groy-headed second captains of En- ymoers of tliirty years servicx. were not uncommon. Some of these had been subalterns for nearly a quarter of a centurv. This Avas he time when the fortunes of the Corps were at their lowest ebb iiough even then there were not wanting men in its ranks who bad shown m spite of every discouragement, that thry were capable of better hmgs than taking charge of the additions to and ^rouL'STs'^' '-''''^ '''' ^^-^ '' ^^ --^--^ the main of '^ft wn!/T °1 "" }'^S^i^^ ^^^^^ was brought about by mear.s 185 'n;^P -i^^. the Engineers in the Great Exhibition of 1851 ihe President of the Board of Trade, Mr Labou(>herP introduced Col. Keid, K.E., to the Prince Co'nsort, tid r com: mended his appomtment as Chairman of the Executive Com- fnr £ n -"f '^''^'i„°°, «^*^V'' '^''"i't"^^ ^^'' r°«t' t'la^ ^^ '-applied for the assistance of other Engineers. It is not too much to sav that but for their science, skill, and thoroughly disciplined organization the Exhibition would have been shorn of mich o Its numphal success. This result was due quite as niucno th :5eal ami intelhgence of the rank and file as of the officers T e ubiquitous sapper, as he is called, first earned that title from hi. multilarioiis duties m connection with the building in Hyde 1 ark. The 1 nnce Consort never forgot the men who had laboured so hard and with such success" in carrying out the brilliant scheme which had emanated from his fertile brain, ansavy the momentous secrets of our torpedo defences ; they have worked in anucable opposition to the sister service, devising the best means of resisting the terribly destructive missiles modern artillerists employ. :Moreover, they occupy a foremost place in the broad theory of the mihtary art, no less than in the practice of its abstruser details. They were among the first to realize, as indeed became them, how radical were the changes in progress in modern warfare. They have ever led the van, advocating reform in tactical manceuvres, formulating schemes of reorganization. In a word, tluiy have been the alilest and most earnest exponents of the lessons taught by the most recent cam2:)aigns "And in many walks of life, other than military, Kngineers have been etiually (listinguished. They have proved themselves valuable public servants in v-ery various capacities, and in a dozen dillerent departments of the State. They have been i)ro-consuls of broad provinces. They ad- minister the gaols, superintend the jjolice, the railways, the art training of the nat-on. They are esteenunl, and hold high places about the Court. ^ They are to be found in Palestine, exploring the Holy City ; on the Cape frontier ; in the far West, settling disjmted I)Oimdary lines ; at the mouth of the Danube ; on the Suez Canal ; mana- ging the Albert Halt; tilling the I'ublic Works J)epartme)it of' India; .supervising the Asiatic- telegraph system. They are, in truth, ready to go anywhere, and do anything, whenever they may be reiiuircd. "Li siege ojierations, in driving the Hying sap, heading attacks, leading sorties, or holding out to the death, their examples have ever l)i;en con- spicuous and gallant. In the held they are the first in every advance, the last hi a retreat. They must reconnoitre, and make good communications for forward movements; they must blow up bridges, demolish roads, retard the enemy's pursuit, in movenuints that are retronfrade. Brave, industrious, undeterred by danger or aitllculty, the Koyal Kngnicers have hitherto proved themselves good soldiers always, and they will certainly do so again." [en. INTRODUCTORY.] OF ROYAL ENGIXKERS. The World " Scioutific mi of wliat ley can point many iiublic grown under vo strategical f the United curately per- developmeut to years suni- iiry purposes, eriniented in ilied a simple bridging and intous secrets )sition to the y destructive ^ a foremost I the practice ;e, as indeed lorn warfare, mancauvres, ive been the by the most rs have been Liable public departments 3. They ad- art training s about the xploring the ng disputed anal ; mana- it of India ; tth, ready to ed. . . . icks, leading !r l)i!en con- idvance, the munications [•oads, retard industrious, lerto proved ) again." This is liigli coranieiidation, and would not find a worthy place in a work written by a member of the Corps were it not a simple quotation from an organ of public opinion. It maj' not be uninteresting to supplement tins with a shoi't extract showing a French view of the same subject : — " Les officiers du Genie anglais, tons recrutes parmi les elcves des ccoles militaires, sont braves, iustruits, estinn's clans I'armee anglaise jiour leur lumicres et leur dcvoucment; ils sont aimes et respectcs de leurs sous olllciers et soldats, iiialgrc Fabimo qui les sci)are d'eux au point de Yue de I'cducation, des moeurs, et des dispositions militaires. Appelcs a servir leur jjatrio dans les vastes et lointaines i>ossessions du globe, les olficiers du ( r(''uie out une existence d'ubifjuite (pii trempe leur caractere et nourrit leur ir.telligence par la varicte des connaissances et par la grande experience (ju'ils y ac(]uierent." — (Heydt.) That their widespread cultivation of civil scientific work has in no Avay been detrimental to the Corps in its military capacity needs scarcely be discussed. Year by year war is becoming more a c[uestion of science, and the man who is entrusted with tli(^ command of others needs himself to be not only an accomplished strategist and consummate tactician, but also sufficiently versed in scientific attainments to be able to utilize the resoru'ces Avhich are by its means i)laced -ready to his hand. Time was Avhen officers of the scientific Corps were for tliat A'cry reason considered incomiietent to command armies. They were supposed to be so immersed in technical details as to be miable to take a broad view of war. This miserable delusion has now happily jiassed away; and tlie Napiers, the llamleys, and the Grahams of the two scientific branches of the Army have won for their respective services u recognition that their special education is the best possible train- ing for a general. Kead what Lord AVolseley said on this point Avhen speaking at a dinner given by tlie Institute of Civil Engineers : — " In the Crimea there was not a single ollicor belonging either to tlie Artillery or Engineers, employed in command nf a division or brigade. But bow different was the case in the Egyptian expedition ! On the Head-quarters Staff there were twenty-five coniliataut ollicers, and out of these twelve were eitlier Engineers or Artillerymen. On my own personal staff, out of four aides-de-camp one was an Engineer and another an ^\.rtillerymau. The Chief of the 8talf was Sir John Adye, who was second in command, and no general in the field was ever more ably and loyally seconded than I was by Sir John Adye. The brigade to which fell the brunt of all the fighting — the figliting brigade, as I miglit call it — was commanded by an Isngiueer, General Graham, a very old friend of mine, a nuui M'ith the heart of a lion and the modesty of a young girl. \\\ short, you would find that a large portion of the men HI.STOKY OF THE (OKI'S [CH. I. .selected by His Koyal Highness for high posts were chosen because they belong to the tM'o corjDs to wliich I have referred." Another view of the military Engineer, and a very genial one IS that taken by Col. Smythe, of tlie Eoyal Artillery, who in one' of his essays, says : — "The Corps of Koyal Engineers comes in as a friend in need, and a gmdo to all arms in their exigencies ; not a fourth arm, combinino' a distinct action of its own upon the enemy with that of other arms ; but an element which should pervade them all, acting by and through them, and imparting to each according to occasion the spirit of skilled"niilitarv ingenuity." One more quotation to close this branch of the subject. It has sometimes been m-ged that much scientific stiidv, or indeed any absorbing intellectual appHeation, tends to the development of ])liysical Aveakness. This idea has been well refuted by Sir (leorge Trevelyan, who, in his life of Lord Macaulay, refers in the most flattering manner to the Corps of Koyal Engineers as a marked proof of the fallacy of the notion. He says :— "Macaulay did not vouchsafe more than a passing allusion to the theory that success in study is gcnerallv attended by physical weakness and dearth of courage and animal spirits. As if' a good place in ail examination list was any worse test of a sound constitution than the possession of family or political interest .... " The Royal Engineers— the select of the select, ("verv one of whom liefore he obtains his commission, has run the gauntlet of an almost endless series of intellectual contests— for years together could turn out the best football eleven in the kingdom, and witliin tlie last twelve- month gained a success at cricket absolutely unprecedented in the annals of the game. The match in question was played on the 20tli and 21st August, 1875, against an eleven of I Zingari ; eight wickets nt the Koyal Kiigmeers fell for an average of more than ninety runs a wicket, and this stupendous score was made against good bowlin-- and excellent lidding." ° Such are a few samples of public opinion on the Corps. It will be the writer's endeavour, in the following pages, to trace how this flattering estimation lias, step by step, been won ; and in the brief details given in the second volume of the career of the most eminent of its members, to afford some idea of the various and utt..;rly dissimilar fields of labour in which the Engineers have worked. so [CH. I. because they lOGG-1600.] OF KOYAl, BNGINEKRS. genial one, who in one need, and a JombiiiinK a ir arms but rough them, lied military set. It has ndeed any to])nient of ed by Sir , refers in ;ineers as a ision to the I weakness, place in an n tlian the e of whom, an almost Id turn out ast twelvc- ;ed in the II the 20tli [ht wickets linety runs owliug and ^orps. It i, to trace won ; and career of ea of tlic ^hich the CHAPTEE II. From the Norman Conquest to the Close oe the Sixteenth Century. The DaAvn of Engineering Science— The King's Engineers from the ron(iuest— Sappers in the Scotch and AVelsh Wars of Ed waul l.-The AttiUator— Sir John Crabbe— The Siege of Calais in 1340— Subsequent Estabhshmcnt of Engineers in Calais— Engineer Staff at tbe Tower in 1370— Siege of Harttcur and Battle of Agincourt — William Pawne-Tlie Captain of the Pioneers— Coast Defences under Henry YIII.— Sir llichard Lee- John Ko"'ers— Siege of liotilogne— Potinari— Erench Naval Attack in the Channel— Loss of the Mart/ 7i',xsy'— John IJrend- Thomas rettyt— ForHtications of Berwick— Sir William Pelham— Siege of Leith— De- fence of Havre— Leonard Digges— Disgrace of Pelham— Befriended by Leicester— His Campaign in the Low Ccnnlries, and Death— The Spanish Armada— Preparations for Defence— Expedition to Ireland. 'J'here is some difficulty in determining at what point to com- mence a liistory of the "Corps of Eoyal Engineers. On the one hand it seems advisable to trace to some extent the gradual rise of the science of military engineering as it became more and more a speciality, and cAentunlly developed so much as to retiuire a (Jorps devoted to its sttidy and practice. On tht other hand, to seek for the first germs of that science woidd take ns back to the ao'os of primitive warfare. Eroni the moment that man devised the means of providing himself Avith artificial protection to his person, and further created engines for the purp,ose of hurling destrnction on his enemy, he became to that extent an Engineer. As time went on he found that in addition to tliese lu'imary wants there were others equally necessary, but more difhi'ult of attainment, sue' as (he formation of roads, the bridging of rivers, and the protection of the clusters of hotises in wliieh lie and his neighboiu's dwelt. The provision of all these things demanded the exercise of inventive and constructive genius. Thus the science of the Engineer, rude indeed and inchoate, but still (piite distinct from and superior to tlie mere fighting duties of the soldier, forced its Avay as a necessity of military life. It was long,^ however, before there was any attempt to sever tlie engineer training of the soldier from the uther more normal brauch(>s of liis occupaticm. In the armies of old every man was more or less an Engineer. He 8 iiisrouv OK THE coni's [en. II. .•onstnu. 0.1 „s own roa.ls nn.l l.ri.lges, ho fortiHod hi.s own eami. and invihor he in-oparo.l an,l workod'lns offonsivo onginos of war- oatapults, hat oring. rams, and tho hko. All this lio did in addSon he aotual fighting wliicli in later times was looked n on a 1^ sole legitnnato f unetion of the infantry or eavalry soldier _ It IS dearly nnnecessary to go haek so far as this in tho world's history to trace the origin of tlie Corps. There rem ns low- over, an mtermediate opoeli LetweoTi the days when ever oldL was an Lngnuvr and tliose when tlie Engineer u'.V set Tpar from the rest of his eomrades to he speeially trained forTis duties, and to heeome one of a hody of oxperts w o naie then-profession to snpply the seientii needs of a 1 y tin ny specnal skill or knowledge in tho matter. In that inter mediate stage ..ertam men took np the stu.ly and pra tioo of engmeenng as an a.ljunct to theit ordinary niilitarv training and when oc-easion_ called for such services they ni dor ook tfe ties now de^•o ying upon the Engineer. They conl'dered If tlio Annri!','^'^ as thatinwhiciromployment'on thoS ot_ tiie Amn s now lield, aiul having a si-ecial aptitude for the science weiv gladly olFered temporary"api,ointinentl almost T'^^^'^yf^y^ t)\"''^l ^vere men who .lovoted themselves W !; 1 V ^^''^^'l' ^-^''l^f ^''^b- to engineer work, and as far back as the Gorman Conquest wo trace the predecessors of the Wt Ihe^iir "i t' ^'T'\^'''' J'/"""^ '' '^'' '^-'^^ «f the Corps T I , ' "^ Inspector-Ceneral of Engineers. ^ in tlje Domesday Survey of a.i,. lOSG " Waldivus Tngeniator " held nine manors direct from the Crown, in lancolnshfre This firS'J;'r' '^r '^^^f^-^-^^<- of ^Vniiam the (V.^^'el-or^^^^^^^^^^ ffl of a long Ime of distmguislied men who ]iav<> c Led that of Iw; fTl" ""'^■^" ? T'-^ ''^' '^'' — ^'^^^'^^ liherali to one f lis followers wlio had auled liim in his conquest. Villiam had indee,! a warm respect for the art of the Enouneer an n^:; 1h "" r'Ml ^"^ 'Y '^^"^''^^- "« ostahlished"i:ti^d uSti I i^v" ,1 ' ^-"fi'!"";,a« -on as possihle after its sub- S d tl. '" T''^' ni_ the Saxon Clironicle, that when he the fovfll' 1 t"'l Y:''}''''^^ '« t'"" «limiuutive of ca.sfnou, tin^ ;;ol-''T-^^ ^Yf"^^' '' ""^ ->mething ,>f the nature o sh o 1^'^"''.^"^' ''^"'^' ''"'''. '''''^''^ f'^^' t'^*^ in-otection of his disaster^' '" ''""" ' ^''"'^ "^ rc-omharkation in case of In the roll of l^attle Ahhey appears the name of Richard iMiga.ne as one of tl.ose who came^ver to England with wll- [CH. H. 106G.1G00.] OK KOYAI. KNGINKEns. own caraj), ^s of war — ill addition I pen as the r. 'lio world's iiins, hoAv- iny soldier set apart ?d for his :> made it rni}', thus soldier for liat inter- iraetice of training, 'rtook tlie •onsidered L the staff le for the iiemselves nd as far rs of tlie the Corps ;'eniator " i-e. This leror, the loed tliat V to one ' William leer, and fortified its sub- wlien he I si lips a deharka- cr/.sfrii//f, atiu-e of n of his case of liieliard th Wil- liam ; and it has hcen held by some authorities that tliis name proves liim to have been one of that monarcli's Engineers, but there ajtpcars very slender evidence in sn[)]iort of the claim, cer- tainly none as compared with AValdivus, who is distinctly called " Ingeniator." Another Engineer of that time was Bishop (Jundulf. AVe shall find, in tracing the ancestry of the (Jorps through the Middle Ages, that the ecclesiastics of the period -were frecpiently employed in militaiy engineering, not only in defensive operations, such iis the construction of castles and other fortified posts, but idso in their actual attack and defence. First amongst these stands (lundulf, Avhosc name appears in 1078 as the designer and con- structor if the AVliite Tower in the Tower of Ijondon, which was begun in that year, — he having the year before bei'u made Bishop of lloehester. From this time forward (Jundulf through the remainder of his long life devoted liimself, in addition to his priestly duties, to Avorks of construction both laj'' and ecclesiastical. Amongst other edifices he built Rochester Castle, and also prac- tically restored its cathedral, Avhich had been alloAved to fall almost into ruins. Ilis fame as an Engineer, however, rests entirely on his two military Avorks, the White Tower and lloehester Castle. Between the reign of Willinm I. and that of Henry 11. there are no continuous records; but there does exist a single Pipe Roll of the Exchequer of the olst year of Henry I., A.n. ll^Jl, and in this document tlie Sheriff of London and Middlesex charges a sum of £10 l"2s. Od., as having been paid to (leoifrey the Engineer. No doubt this A\as a worthy successor of " AValdivus Ingeniator," though probably, as nearly fifty years had elapsed between the two entries, one or more intermediate liolders of tlie office had existed A\hose names have not been i)reservcd. The aboA'e sum paid to Geoffrey ajipears by subseipient Pi])e Kolls to haA'e been an annual charge upon the couiit}^ of ^Middlesex, for the care of tlie King's palaces and gaols. It was, in fact, the salary of the King's Engineer. In the same record the Sheriff of Kent returns a sum of 2s. for L)anegelt remitted to (feoffrey the Engineer. This tax Avas levied at the rate of 2s. per hide of laud. Wt> thus see that Geoffrey's estate consisted only of a single hide, but it shows that he was a tenant- in-capite of the Crown in that county, and the entry is of interest, as the immunity from tlie tax granted by the sovereign Avas in consideration of personal services to the CroAvii. NotAvitlistnnding the favoiu' thus shown to him, there is another entry by Avliich Ave find that our Cliiuf Engineer had been convicted of a poaching trespass on the King's forest, since the Sheriff of Kent returns a i 10 HISTOUY OF Till.; COIU'S L.H. II. sum of 7.3s. 4a. as owing by Oooffrey the Engineer in a t.l.vi rospecrting a stag -pro plarifo .vrn." The Cliief Ingineer had, in taet, Illegally appioimated to himself a stag in Ein.inff Forest without warrant from the King. Of this line lie apparently had paid 40s., and is sliown as owing tlie residue to tlie Excliecpier 1. T, /'-'•'^^ "'""^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^"' ^^■'^f'^'^ i« ihniui Ailnolli, in the i'ipe Itoli of A.I) 1158, in tlie reign of Henry H., where the Slieriff of J^ondon makes the following return :—- Et in lUwrathme Ailnothi liigonahn ( !rown. The imrchaser in this case was Blunt de Longchamps, a relative of the all-powerful William de Longcham])s, the King's Chancellor, who governed the comitry as Justiciary during the absence of the monarch ou uis crusade and subsecjuent imprisonment. „^'^ the reign of King John and the earlv part of that of Henry ill the King's (Jhief Engineer was "^Magister Albert." In the eighth year of King John, after the loss of Norn>andy, a writ on the Close Kolls orders the Slieri If of Lincolnshire to give to Magister Albert, the King's Engineer, land formerly bolongino- to the ^ormans, to the value of £12 a your. In the i.reviou^ year a Close writ to the Custodian of the IJishopric of Winchester orders him to pay 7os. for robes for Magister Albi>rt and his wilr> OS a present from the King. In the LSth year of King John, a, Close writ to tlie Treasurer of the King's Household ..rders liim to give 100s. to Albert the Engineer, as a gift from the King ' similar writ to the Sheriff of Lincolnshire of :> Henry IIJ , , 1218, directs him to give £10 out of the revenue of the count'\ to Magister Albert, the King's Engineer, and fl^-e years later the Ireasurer ot the Household was ordered to gi\-e 20s. to Albert the Engineer to jmrchase a palfrey. . , \}t^ ""! Knight's fees in the Testa do Nevill enables us to Identity the land given by King John to his Chief Engineer Under the heading of Scveldon Hundred in Lincolnshire, it states that Magister Albertus Ingeniator held in Bekingham and ^entun, one fourth of a Knight's fee of the fief of Oilbert de b-aunt, Avhich was of the King's Escheat, and the saiiK^ Albertus held m l<)rp half a Knight's fee of the fief of Uilbert de daunt, the King s Escheat. The Liberate Koll of 10 Henry III, a.d. 122G, shows a new L.H. II. lOGG-HlOd.] OF ROYAL KN(ilNEEUS. 11 in a plea ler had, in \g Foi-ost, •ciitly had lequer. I the ripo Sheriif oi Ail not hi his entry the first olhee of ereditary, intify the o' inonoy old many I'f'lia.scr in -powerful governed nareh on - tliat of Albert." D'.andy, a •e to give )<»longing previous iiu'hester [ liis wile ^ John, -ii rs him to :ing. [IT , .... e count} later tlie lb(n-t the es us to Engineer, it states am and Ibert de Albertus J (iaunt, s a new holder of the l^ngineer's olfice, as a writ on that ItoU orders the Treasvu'er to i>ay four marks lo Peter the Engineer, who was about to proeeed to ( 'orfe Castle to make engines for the King. It is not unlikely that ('orfe (Jastle, from its proximity to the south const, was the place of deposit for the King's military engines. The Testa de Nevill states that Peter Ingeniator held half a hide of l.'ind in AVesterton, Co. Southampton, of tlie Abbot of Hide, rendering for it 1 os. annually. In the year 12-")5 we trace an Engineer of the name of fJerard, at Carlisle, to whom a reward was given by tlui King for " lii(/nii't facta pro lic(jr apud Car/i.s/ per Magixt Gvnn-il iiKjciiinfoniui smimy Those Avere doubtless engines of war such as were in use at the time. The records of the reign of Edwiird I. name several Engineers in the service of the King; but the only one to whom the prefix of " Magister " is given is one !>[agister Kichard, Avho was therefore nnst probably the Chief Engineer and successor of I'eter the iMigineer. In the Pipe Poll of lo Edward I. he is expressly styled ^'' JlrKjisfer Iiif/oiiafonoii." Several other names of Engineers appear who probably served under his orders. Thus we have Thomas de Saint Sepidchre, Engineer of the King's military engines, who received 7 id. per day for his Avages. Those seem to have fallen into arrear at the close of the reign of Henry III., and were paid up by Edward to the amount of ,£•"» ISs. Hd. Also Palph de BoAvley, who Avas keeper of the Avorks at the ToAver of Ijondou. This Avorthy received £'20 to provide necessaries for the Avorks in progress at the ToAver. The entry, Avhich is in the Issues of Exchequer, shows also that Thomas of Saint Sepulchre Avas overseer of the said Avorks. When this moiu.rch led in person an army into Scotland, his muster rolls shoAV that there Avere on its strength 40 " Cc/jiciiff/rii " " Opcrfirii" and '^ Jliiwrfirii.^'' The cementarii Avere skilled Avork- men for buildiiig or repairing fortified plot'es. Tlie others handled jiick and s[)ade. Henry of Leicest'r Avas Magister of the Crnicnfririi, and receiA'ed ]my at the rate of ()d. per diem. A\'illiam of Bamburg Avas Corporal of the Ojxt arii and Miiicrarii, receiving 4d. and his men 2d. per diem. For the subjugation of AVales, EdAvard I. largely emi)loyed the art of tlie Engineer. At that time the country Avas almost im- l)enetrable to a military for(;e, OAving to the dense Avoods and the almost utter absence of roads of anj' description. The King, therefore, in the Welsh Avar of P282, ordered the sheriffs of the counties in jiroximity to "Wales to supply between them rUO carpenters or Avoodcutters, and 1000 /o>i>iaforcs or sappers for road- making purposes. These men Avere to be assembled at Chester, rii \ > '( 13 HISTORY OF TItK CORPS [en. u. pvopnml to ncconii.nny tho King into Wales (Welsh lloll, 10 J'idward I). l/p to this lime (ho Knglish had almost always hoen hoaf en in their contests with the Welsh. The feudal U^vies "whom the Kinos Jiad led for th.> i)ur])oso of en priiu-ipally (h'rived. ] [e tlieretore marched his forces into the countrv, and driving the mliabitants to their inaccessible* hills, occupied the fertile plains, wliere he was able to await at leisure the moment when starvation would comix'l his enemies to submit. These tactics were eminentlv successful, and eventually he became master of the countrv The only disaster that attend(Ml his arms in this war was in carryino- out an engineering operation. :M;any of the natives having taken refuge as a hvst resource in the Isle of Anglesea, Edward followed them with the intention of completing his coiupiest. Ilis En- gineers constructed a bridge of boats ov(>r the Menai Straits, but the King Avas so impatient to advance, that h(> passed a portion of Ins troops over before the bridge was completed, taking advantage of .o\v tide, which enabled them to wade over the intervening siiace of water The rising tide isolated this detachment, which was ( estroyed by the islanders before Edward could rendi"r them the shghtest assistance. In the war of a.d. 1287, King Edward employed a still laro'cr mirnb.'!' of artificers. The Sherilfs of Salop and Stafford were ordered to select from their counti(>s alone 2,000 woodcutters and sappers (Jos.sa fairs) , for service in AVales. This war was signalized by the crushing to death of two barons and many knights and esquires, under the walls of the castle of Drosselan, wliich were being undermined by the Engineers and fell i.rematurel> . The lipe Itol of lo Edward I., a.d. 12S7, contains the following notices of payments to Magister llichai.^ -'' Imiruintomn ,ul luiinn<, hiui,s on account of this siege. r an engine bought by lum lor Droscelan, t'lODs. 12d. Eor a i..go anchor 40s., for the carriages of quarrels 10s. 7d., and several other sums for the iMir- chase of steel, nails, leather, cord, ropes, <^c., used at the same place \ [rrr. II. lOOO-KiOO. Ol' UOYAI, KNfllNKKIlf*. i;{ Roll, 10 boafcn in tho Kings country, )1(' to cope mout inx- oHses with !iil sallied if war to iiul intui- i aceoptcd linst wild in whence •ed. He iviii|T^ the ilo plains, starvation •niinently ry. The carrying no- taken followed His En- raits, but •ortion of dvantage iug space liieh was er them ill larger )rd were tters and ignalized ^'hts and ieli Avere ::v. The oUowing Ol'flll (((I ! bouglit I., for the the ]Hir- ne place. In the wardi'olie account of the •-iStli year of the King ( l'J!)!>-!}())» the name of Magister lieginaldus apjjears as Kngineer at 15erwick. iris jtay was (!d. per diem. In th(! month of ])ecemher, 1 ',?!):), he visited N(Wca8tle-u])on-Tyne, toohlain jiermission from the Sherih' (if Northumherland to cut timlxu- for tlie manufacluro of the King's siege engines, for service in Ueiwick Castle. For the expenses of this journey he received £2 .Ss. lieginald was left at Berwick, whilst the King was absent on active service with his arniy, to direct the engineering operations should the Scots take that ojiportunity of attacking tlio fortress. Thomas of Ikmburgh, a monk of Durham, was also employed at this time in Berwick on engineenng duties. He designed and superintended the construction of two large engines, for the pro- tection of the place, for which the King paid him i,"5 (is. Sd.* When the King entered Scotland, in 1300, he took with him several Engineers, mostly monks, t(j conduct the wcjrking of his military engines, and to make such restorations in the captured \ fortresses as should place them in an cHicient state of defence. Foremost among tliese was Brother llobert do Ulmo, who seems to liave acted as the King's Chief Engineer throiighout the cainpaign. t To him was entrusted the engineering o])ei'ations at the reduction of the forts of Jedburgh, Dumfries, and lloxburgh, and also at the siege and ca]iture of Carlavcrock Castle. Under him were Brother Thomas of Bamburgh, before mentioned, and Gerard of Mayak. ( )ther monks are also referred to, but their names are not given. In this ^'car we find, for the first time, a new name given to the official to wliom was entrusted the repair of permanent Avorks, and also the working of the engines of war — in fact, the duties which liave hitherto been shown as falling to the lot of the Ingeniator. The title referred to is that of Attillator. Toi)hani ami (Jrose are both of opinion that the name is synonymous with that of ■ Engineer. There can be no doiibt that from it Avas derived the term Artillery. The repairs to tlie stronghold of Dumfries liad originally been entrusted to Gerard de Mayak, but the King, desirous of having the work well and exi)editiously carried out, augmented largely the number of artificers employed, and placed liobert de I'^lmo in charge of the Avork. To get a sufficiency of timber Ulmo had cut I wood in the neighbouring forest of Inglewood, where he set up his tent and superintended the felling of the necessary trees. "Whilst thus engaged both the King and the Queen paid him separate ■'"» H \ I * All those entries are from the " Liber Cotidiamis Garderobe Ed. I.," pub- lished in ITHG by the Society of Auticj^iuirians. -M 14 IIISTOItV OK THi; CdlU'H [ (H. 11. visits, tilt* fonnor on tlin 1 7th, and tlio latter on Scpti-inbor '■iTtli. They Wen' so idcascd al wlint (Iii'v saw that th(»y eaeh luado him a itrcseiit of £'2. liatcr on the Ivinggavo him a i'lu'thcr siim()t' i'l ."Js. 4d., in addition to his jiny, as iokcn of his satis- fa<'ti(in at tin- niannor in which In- hail rrslDivd th(> di'foiu'os of Duml'iit's. Tho concinests of l^dward in Scotland were hut shortlived. In l;! IS not only had they all been recoverud by the Scots, but tho border fortress of Berwick had also been h)st. In |.'5l!) Kdward II. endeav(nired to retake the jdace. The only matter of interest, from nn engineer point of view, lies in tho "fact that tho defence was conducted bv Sir John Crabbe, a celebrated Fl(«mish Kngiiu'cr, referred to l)y Sir AValter Scott in his "lair Maid of I'erth," where Simon tho Glover, speaking of a wine cup, says, "My father had it in a gift from stout old Crabbe, the Flemish Engineer." In this reign John de Norton appears as "Supervisor" or Sur- veyor of the King's Works, but whether as a military Engiuijer or a civilian does not appear. Later on, in Edward lll.'s time, wo find ^[agister Walter de Weston " Clcrictis oinntfioitiini Jici/i.s." Pay- nients were made to him for works at Windsor and at the Tower of London. And as he appears in the French liolls as serving in the King's suite in France, we may assume that he was a military l^ngineer, in which case his title o'f Magister leads to the supposi- tion that he may be placed on the roll of Chief Engineers. In l''5;{2 we again find the title of Attillator a|.pearing, and as thelying's Warrant for his employment seems clearly to detine his [)Ositi()n, it is here given so far as it refers t(j him : — " (i)uia datum est nobis intelligi (piod in Domilnis nnstris pro officio Attiliiitoris deputiilis in divorsis Ciistiis uostris jkt dcfcctus luijusniodi in inniicusum deterioriintui' in nastri Dmnimuui t'C' Jiic.tuiiim Xos volentes Dcfectus hujusmodi reparationo i1' cnKMidaticMK! (|uit)us indij^'cut mode (lobito vcparavi & onieudari vobis Mandaiims (juod Dcfuctu.s illos per UdS t^-^ alios supcrvidiTi! A; rei)arati()iic t'v oaiendatione ([uibus necessario indigent reparari it oinendari per Visum iV Testimonium alicujus Fidelis nostri partium illarum facieiitcs it Gustos (luos circa pra-missa fieri faeeritis cum illos seriverimus vobis in C'ompoto veslro prout Justum fuerit allocari faciemus." — (Hymer's " lAedera," 1323- 13.")N.) Edward III. Avas duly impressed Avith the wisdom of employing trained artificers Avith his armies. In his expedition into France, in i;]-i••" Pay- he Tower ■serving in X military ^ supposi- i. g, iiiid as define his pro ollicio liujusiiiodi nam Xos .s in(lii,'i'ut eutu.s illoH III! iiuibus stiiiKiiiiuiu l\ios circa L)to vostro a," 1323- inploying' France, of Dean, ct smiths ready to Edward Amongst the Dodsworth MS8. in the Bodleian Tiihrary, there is th(! Treasurer's account of wages paid for the King's army hcfoi'c Caliiis, in Pi Hi. The total strength of the hcHic-ging Force was ''{^'ilH, of which -'ilf wore Engineers, (iunners, and other artificers. The entry is as follows : — " Ccmciifttrii ('(irpriifurii Ftdni fiigiiiiahn'is ParlhiKO-il Mimirii Afoififnrcs (jini)ifi fores (f Arfillitril .'ill dlititii atf l"2(l. \{)il. Vul. i* ',](/. per i/irni.'" This document contains the first authentic record of th(* eiiiiiloyment ol' I'Jngineers and artillery at a siege. It also corroborat' s the stateuu'ut of Villani that I'Mward had cannon at ( "recy. After the capture of Calais, Edward seems to have maintained a Cor])s of ]">ngin<'ers, and his principal engine's at that place. His Chief Engineer was John Cruynard. On the Ereiich lioll of i;3.>4 there is a writ by which the King, for tht> good service performed by his Sergeant-at-arms, John Cruynard, the superin- tenib'ut of his engines and springalds, at Calais, grant.s him an animal pension of lOOs. for his life, lie is styled in this writ: — ^^ Siijirrrlwr o})erafi(iiiiiin iiit/cniandii vt xpriiiiialdorinii tioHfrO' nun ill rilh'i nostra, Ca/csic." In the following year a Avrit on the same Rolls directs all sheriffs of counties to give facilities to John Cruynaj'd — '■'■ MiKjistriun iiigcniuniiii iiosfrorniii in villa nostra Ca/csic" — to select carpenters for Engineers' work, and carriages and harness for the King's engines. John Cruynard was evidently not an ]']nglishman. lie was probably a native of Brabajit. I'Mwni'd had married I'hilippa of llainault, and had many of her countrymen in his service, His cannon were mostly made in the Low ('ountries, for the Brabanters were even then famous for their working iji iron and steel. ^ From .several cTilries in the Issue Eoll for 1'370, it is clear that Ivlward had at that time a staff of Engineers in his service whose head-(iuarters W(>re in the Tower of London. John de Sleford, Clerk of His Majesty's AV^ardrobe, received in that year two sinus of 140, and CI -'5 Os. 8d., on account of the King's En- gineers. They must have been a most important body, as John Stanpyt was appointed clerk to attend to their office busi- ness. AVilliam I'yker is the only one whose name is given. In the following reign, Arnold Brocas was C/rricm Opvnifimum. liiyis, the King's Clerk of the Works, but whether he was a military Engineer does not appear. Tlu! next name of note as an Engineer is that of Nicholas :>rerbury.^ In Uymer's "Fred." ix. 160, he appears as master of the King's works, guns, and ordnance, lie was present at the battle of Homildon, in Northumberland, fought between the English and Scots, and was selected bv the Earl of Northumber- •'I ^?l m V 16 HISTOKV OF THE COUPS [CH. ir. land to convey the tidings of his victory to the King, for whicli Henry IV. awarded liini a pension of £40 a year lo life. In thesuccft'ding reign, Merbnry did good work. When Henry had decided on the invasion of France, one of his first steps Avas, on September IGth, 1414, to order Nicliolas Merbury, master of the King's works, guns, and ordnance, and John I.outli, his clerk, to provide smiths and workmen for the expedition, and to arrange for their transport to the point of rendezvous (Kymer's "Fwd."ix. IGO). *^ The first operation of tlie war was tlie siege and capture of Ilarfieur. This fortress, situated at the mouth of the Seine, was enclosed by a strong wall with three gates, each covered with a circular barbican. The whole was surrounded with wet ditclies of deep running water. Obstacles in tlie form of abattis had been constructed, and the stream Avhich passed through the town was dammed, and had produced a large inundation between the walls and the besicgei-s' camp. Henry apjicarcd before the place on August 17th, 1415. There is some little difficulty in deciding the question of who was liis Chief Engineer. Nicholas Merbmy was imdoubtedly there, but the name also occurs of ^Master Giles in such a manner as to show that if he were really present, ho occupied the leading post. The evidence in favom- of that view is to be found in three entries in the "Priest Chronicle," which read iis though :Magister ^^gidius was present, but ^\■llich, according to Sharon Turner, might only refer to the principles laid down by our 7b]gidius Iiomanus in his " liegimlno IVincipum," or how'cities sliould be governed in times of war. This work was written a hundred years before tlie_ siege of Harllem-. Tlie point is suffieicntlv curious to nuike it Avorth while to cpiote the jjassages : — 1. "This town is but small but veiy fairly fortified and surroimdcd with walls embattled, and therefore accordiii,i,' to Master Giles very dilficult to be attacked and very easily to be defended." 2. " Whilst these things were going, the King was to have made an attack by means of mines . . . but tliis work Avhich was begun contrary to the opinion of ^Master (riles" i^-c. ;}. '' And amongst the various anxieties a siege was very perilous on that side, account of the difficulty of connnunication l)etween the King and the Duke of Clarence. The same duke, according to the advice engaged following point of s wore to 10(30-1600.] OF ROYAL ENGINEEBS. 19 " Stakes for a battle or niarcli." " Every captain is to compel his yeoman every man in all haste to make a good substantial stake cf eleven foot long on pain of l3oin<' punished. "Faggots at sieges for bulwarks and ditclies. " iMcry man is to make a good substantial faggot of thirteen foot long witliout leaves, against the day next coming, upon pain of losing a montli's wages. Mercliants coming into the market are to make°the faggot like tlie soldiers, and every captain is to lay liis faggots ajiart, to tlie intent that it may l)e seen whether he has his number of faggots according to the strength of liis company wliich he leads. " Ladders. " Every seven gentlemen or nuMi-at-arms is to make a good and suf- ficient ladder, and a strong, of fifteen rongs wliich is to be ready betwixt this and tlie day, on pain of being chastised at my lord's will. " Paviss (a mantlet or hurdle) " Every two yeomen is to make a good pa\iso of boards in the best manner they can devise, that one may hold it while the other shoots." (Xicolas's "Agincourt." App. VIII.) There are a few other records of Engineers in this reign. Eobert Eodington appears as employed in the fortification of Portsmouth, where he built a tower fo/the protection of the Navy and the defence of the town. The sum of £oO was paid to Eichard de Coventry for this Engineer's use in tlie year 1417 (Exch. Issues) . Grerard Spronge, Ai-miger, was another name which appears in tlie same year in the Liberate Eoll, where the Treasurer is ordered to pay him £76 14s., in part payment of £470 7s. 5d. Avhich had been expended by him m making cannon and their carriages and for the conveyance of Arblasters. ^ AVe look in vain for the names of Engineers dm-ing the next fifty years. That there must have been many during the Wars of the Eoses is uncpiestionable, and doubtless some won distinction- but, if so, they have left no trace behind them, for the next name of an mdubitable Engineer that we meet with is that of William laon, commonly written as Pawne, who was a man of considerable repute. He commenced his military career towards the close of the reio;iiot_ Edward IV., and continued it till late on in that of Henry VIIL, with Avhom he was a very favoured personage He AV'iis with llenry VII. at his landing at' ^lilford, and at the battle ot liosAvorth m 1480. For these services lie Avas well rewarded, as Henry \ II. gave him several lucrative posts about tlie Court and Eoyal Household. It was not, however, until the reign of his successor that I>uwiie wasemplo;yed as an Engineer, or at least that there IS .any rreor.1 of such omploynient. We find him, however, m 1.J09, in the first year of Henry VIII.'s reign, appointed sur- \. i'A ■V ! 20 HISTORY OF THE ( ORPS [CH. veyor of the works at Berwick, then the key of the north and a fortress of considerable importance. On June 23rd he received under a lloyal Wan-ant £100 for materials bought and sent for fortifying the town, and on July 1 st a further sum, for the same purpose (Household Exp. 1 Henry VIII.). Pawne continued at Berwick till 1513, Avhen he accompanied Henry in his Prencli expedition. He was placed in charge of the ordnance, as is shown by the issues made to him under Royal Warrants by Sir Sampson Norton, and lie received the appointment of Master Trench- master. In this capacity he conducted the engineering operations of the siege of Torouenne, until he was called away to join the expedition against the Scots. In this he held the rank of Master of the Ordnance, with pay at the rate of 6s. 8d. per diem. He was present at the battle of Floddeu, at which he captured the Scotch artillery and conveyed it to Berwick. There he rc^mained for the next two 3'ears. In 1515 he was once more re( lied to France, and placed in charge of the engineering works to be carried on at Tournay, recently captured from the French. At this pla(>e lie was directed to construct a citadel, and enclose it witli fortifica- tions. Whils thus engaged Pawne seems to have had some disagreement with the authorities of the town, and made man}' grievous complaints to Cardinal AVolsey of the manner in which his work was impeded by them. They, on their side, accused him of peculation, and much angry correspondence and recrimination ensued. Henry, wlio throughout su] torted his Engineer, wrote personally to liim, urging expedition in the prosecution of the work. So also did Wolsey, who complained that he was not kept sufficiently informed. In reply to the latter Pawne enumerated the stores he had collected, viz., "24,000 quarters of lime, (50,000 feet of hewn stone, 8,000 feet of rougli stone for filling, 700 tons of timber, and 2,000 loads of sand. His letter was short, " not daring to be tedious remembering yoiu' Eminence's manifold services. I am not f iimous as report has been made. My fumes never hurt any man so much as myself." The quarrel between him and the commissioners of the to\\7i, at whose head was Lord Mountjoy, ended in the latter being removed, and tlie work vested entirely i'^ Pawne's hands. On September IGtli, 1510, he received £2,200, and on November 20th, £1,000, for the prosecu- tion of tlie fortifications. During all the time that the Tournay works continued he was also in supreme control of those carriod on at Berwick, and was constantlv passing from the one placi' to the other. As time went on he rose more and more in the good graces of the King, who was never tired of heaping fresli lucrati\e posts on him. The following enumeration of liis various offices may not he 1066-1600.] OF KOYAF, ENGINKKKS. 21 lorth and a he received lid sent for or the same 3 continued his Prencli as is shown lir Sampson ;er Trench- ^ operations to join the t of Master n. He was I the Scotch ined for the to France, arried on at lis pLace he th fortifica- ' had some iua(h> mail}' 3r in whicli iiccused him !criinination neer, wrote tion of the >'as not kept enumerated ime, (50,000 ig, 700 tons short, " not 's manifokl M}' fumes xel between ) head was id tlie work th, 1516, lie he prosecu- he Tournay lose carried 3 one place in the good sli lucrative nay not he I- i Avithout interest. He was Clerk of the Royal Stables and Clerk to the Marshal, Clerk of the Aviary, and Avener of the Household, these four being offices at Court. He was at the same time High Bailiff of (juisnes and Collector of the quit rents at Calais, Ganger of the City of Ijondon, and Ranger of Melthuyt Fovest in Wilts. He was Collector of the Disnies at York, Receiver of the Possessions for Berwick, and Master of tlie Ordnance there. Also Receiver- Greneral of certain lordships and castles, for payment of its garrison ; and lastly, he was Engineer of the Fortifications and Commissioner at Touraay. His position at the latter place gave him great responsibility, and for foiu- years he continued to expend large sums in carrying out the project sanctioned by the King. At the end of that time the fortress was restored to the French, and the work was stopped ; the munitions of war and the building materials then on hand were sold to the French at a great sacrifice, and Pawne's connection with the place ceased. From this time he drops out of sight in the records, the last trace of him being a letter he wrote to Wolsey, dated December Tth, 15.^8. From this time we begin to find tlie Engineers iden 'fied with the field operations of an army, as distinct from works oi construc- tion, and the title itself changing in accordance Avith the division of duties. Tlie original term Engines ems to have been con- sidered hardly sufficiently martial to rep-t nt their military duties. The new term Avas thnt of Trench? i\..ster or Captain of the Pioneers, and the officer at the head of that branch of the service AA'as called Master Trenehmaster. There Avas, hoAvever, no special organization or corps of Trenchmasters. Officers having the ne(>essary qualifications Avere ap])ointed to the duty by selection frcjiu the .A my for a particular service, and ceased to be so employed Avlien the expedition Avas disbanded. Engineers en- trusted, on the other hand, with the erection of permanent works, were called Surveyors of the King's AVorks, or sometimes Master Masons. The duties of the Captain of the Pioneers, in camp or in the field, as laid doAvn in lol8, Avere as foUoAVs : — "Tlie office of the Ciiptaiu of Pioneers is, after lie has ohtainetl knowledge of the Lord Lieutenant of the number of persons he is to have under his charge, U) inspect them and sec that they are able and strong iiien to endure any labour. He must ai)point certain captains under him to have the leading and government of them, who must be ready at all times to bring the pioneers to work Avhere they shall be api)ointed, and then to tarry with them to see that they work accordingly. " For every 100 pioneers he must have one clerk, who must every niorning call them by their names to see whether he wants anv of his 1. fi I ): 22 HISTORY OF TIIK COUPS. [CH. II. number or no, ,ind if lie want any to make good enquiry wliother they wlio are absent are sick, dead, or run away, and as he finds tlie tiuth, si. to make report to tlie chief captain, lie mu.st appoint certain victuallers to provide victuals for thorn and to bring it to theiu where they work, at such hours as are appointed them to take their rest in. These victuallers nuist also receive victuals to be brought to them, when they do not work at such place as may be ordered, in order that these victuallers may lie kept together to be ready at connnand. "The Captain of the 1'"..:.-^rs Cu;-ht co go with the ]\[arshal wlicu he goes to view the ground v. . e cam]. is to be pitched, in order tliat he n)ay see whether the way ; ... e„ y and good for the great artillerv and other carriages to pass or iio ; and shou'd he perceive" that the way is not good he must cause the j.ioneers to mend it by the time the artiflery and carriages come to it, so that they may have ready j.assaue Milhou't any stoppage. He must also attend upon the High .Marshal to know whether the canq) is to be entrenched al)Out or not, and at all times he and his pioneers must be at the command uf the High 31arshal both day and night, to do such things as he shall think most convenient t(j command them." — (Grose's "Mil. Antirj.") Cf the pioneers, little is known before the reign of llenrv yill. Ill earlier times, strong, able-bodied men were demanded from tlie sheriffs, who had to supply the number wanted either by voluntaiy service or impressment. This system was graduall}- changed, and the necessary workmen taken from the ranks of the Army. By the time we have now reached, viz., the early part of the sixteenth century, they formed a separate corps, expressly for work in camp or field, and remained organized as pioneers, and nothing else, throughout the campaign. The reign of Henry VIII. was a very prosperous time for the Engineers. That monarch made great and constant use of tliem for the numerous fortifications lie was perpetually raising, and tlie demand so far exceeded tl supply that we fimi many foreigners, principally Italians, coming over 'to England to obtain eiirploy- ment. In the year 15;}7, the King, wlio di-eaded an invasion, and was uneasy at the defenceless state of the coasts, called for projects for their better protection, and for the next three years, a large outlay Avas incurred in carrying out the works tliat had been ap])roved. Blockhouses and batteries were thrown up at St. Miclia4's Mount, Falmonth, Fowey, in^>-niouth, Dartmouth, Torbav. ]'ort- laud, Calshot, Cowes, and Portsmouth. Castles were reared at Deal, Sandwich, Walmer, Sandown, and other places ; wliilst defen- sive works were also carried out for the protection of the Thanu's, particularly at_ Gravesend, Tilbury, and Milton. The fortresses near the Scottish border v/ere strengthened, es[)eciallv at Hull, Scarborough, Norham, Newcastle, and Berwick. In the French Of mil [CH. II. whether they tliG truth, si) in victuallei's hey work, at se A'ictuallers they do not 3e victuallers hal wiifu he jrdcr that lie artillery and L the way is the artillery saj;e without lial to know all tinit's he lial hoth day mvpiiient to of llenvy ' de])iaiide(l iited either ^ gradually e ranks of tlie early •ate corps, gaiiized as aie for the se of tlieni g, and the foreigners, n eniploy- 'asion, and or projects rs, a large had been Mielia3l's bay. Tort- reared at ilst defeu- e Thames, fortresses nt Hull, le French U;GG-ir)00. OK KOYAI, KNGIXEEUS. 23 district, Guisnes and Calais were improved. Indeed, these fortresses seem to have been in a continual state of development. Fronde, in his history of this period, throws a slur upon the state of the military engineering science of England : — " It is a mortifying proof of tlie backwardness of the Englisli in engineering skill, that the King, for the works at Dover, sent for Hugineers to Spain." A careful study of the records of the time shows that he liad several high class English Engineers always hard at work in his service, but at this crisis the demand was so large that they had to be supplemented by foreigners, not only Spaniards but of other nationalities as well. At the same ti^ie it nmst be admitted that the science of fortification Avr.s more thoroughly studied abroad, where it was so much more lu^cessary than in England. Of the English Engineers who at this time came to the front may be mentioned John Rogers, Richard Lee, Patie Grayme, AN'illiam Burgate, and William Reyerne ; of these the 'most important were Lee and Rogers. Richard Lee commenced his career as a simple spearman at Calais, where he devoted his leisure to the study of military engineering and architecture, and before long became celel)rated as a civil and military architect, chiefly excelling in Gothic. Lee's first employment as an Engineer was in carrying out the works at Gravesend and Milton, in which he gave such satisfaction to Henry that on their comi)letion in 1040 he -was appointed the Chief Engineer at Calais. His previous resi Font carried off SincT. tliat tinio it lias l)oen lost sight of. At sonio period nftor Jioo had ]uvsent.>d It to the Al.hoy a Latin inscription was placed on it, ot AvJncJi liic tollowing' IS a translation : — "WluMi l.citli, a town of ^irood account in Scotland, and Kdinlmn'-li the principal city of that nation, woiv on Hiv, Sir Hicjianl Lea, K' sav.-d' mc out of the tlaiiios, and l.rou-ht mo to I^n-land. In -ratitud.' t.o him for \m kindness I, wlio Ju'ivtoforc served only at the I.aptism of the c iildren ..f kings, do now most willingly offer the same service even to tlie meanest of the Knglisli nation, l.ee the con(iueror hath .so com- manded. Farewell a.o. lot:? in the 3(ith year of King H,,„i.y Vlfl." * AVhen Weever jmblishcd liis Funeral Monunnrnts in 16;U the font was still at the Abhey of >^t. Albans, and he says that tlie luscnption had only a short time in-oviously been " Knglished." rn'M^?," ^'^^^ '''^''S:i; «nd capture of IJoiilog-ne, at which Loe was the \ ;.'\''* I'-Hgmeer. he, with several other officers, was knighted. Sir luchard was the original of thc^ ])icture described by Sir Walter Scott, 111 AVoodstock, as that of "Sir A'ictor Lee." The picture Itself was imaginary, but it gives a very good idea of the man :— " It was that of a man of about fifty years of age, in complete iilate armour in tlie harsh and dry manner of Holbein . . . The face of the knight was, from fading of the colours, pale and dim yet th.. Iin(>s expressed forcilily pride ami exultation. He i)()inted witli Ins leading staff or truncheon to the hackgnmnd where were depicted the remains of a Inirning church ov monastery, and four or hve soldiers m red cas.s,,cks, hearing away in triumph what seemed a brazen font or laver. Ahove their heads might be traced in scroll Lke \ nroi! si( N'oi.iTr.* '' Tliat Sir Walter S(-ott meant this portrait for Sir Hi chard is clear from the words which he puts into the mouth of Colom^l Lverard, whilst soliloqui/ing in Sir Victor Lee's chamber :— "AVhat though old Victor Lee was a sacrilegious man, as common report goes, and brewed ale in the font which he brought from the ancient palace of jfolyrood, while church and l)uilding Avere in flames. . . ." Some years earlier Henry had given Lee the sui)pres6e(l mmiiery of Sopwell, in Hertfordshire. Lee pulled down the building, and on its site erected a handsome house, whicli he called Lee's Place (Walpole's "Anecdotes of Painting)." John llogers was the other Engineer of those employed by Henry VIII., who made his mark in that service. He was originally a clerk under the Master of the Ordnance, and por- • These words are taken from the inscription on the font. [cm. II. 106)- 1000.] Ol" UOYAl. KNOINKKHS. 25 as iirosorved nr riiviiging 1 off. Since ft IT Jioo liad 100(1 on it, ol' 1 Ivliiiliiir^'li, Loii \\l siivt'(l titiidc to him iptisin (if tin: I'vice (ivoii to lliltll .so (10111- ■iiiy VI n."* in 16;U tho lys that tlio iglishod." Loo wa.s tli(^ glited. Sir Sir Walter Tlio picture tlie man : — mplcte plate Tlic face of iliiu . . . Ho ])oiiited lore ry, and four ndiat seemed ill srroU Lke liiehard is of Colonel »er : — uimoii i'(^port the ancient s. . . ." suppressed down the , Avhicli he O/' iployed b}- He wa.'i J, and per- rit. ceiving the ojiening whieh a knowledge of military engineering and architecture would afford him, had Htudi(;d those sciences with much application. Tlu^ result was that in l-vJT JLenry appoint(>d him surveyor of the new works then being (>rected at Hull. We next trace him at the siege of JJcmlogne, where ho sm-ved under Ijee. In this campaign, besides his duties as an ]']ngineer, he was Comptroller of the Train, with pay at the rate of Ids. a day — a large allowance for those times, liis Train con- sist (m1 of 1 Master Gi-unner, 1 Ccmductor of Ordnance, 1 CJlerk, 71 tjfunners, 4 Carpenters, 4 AVheelers, -i men " to clean ye king's weapons," II Archers, and 2 Overseers of the Carters, "because they speak the language." At the head of the lOnginecn-s at the siege was Sir John llar- riugton, but he doe:, n >■ seem to have been a professed Engineer. The following add't_.)nal names also occur: — AVilliam Burgate, who had succeeded Lee as sm-veyor at ('alais; William lieyerne, Captain of the Pioreers and Trenchmastcr ; I'otinari, an Italian, who had served as an Engineer iu England since 152'"j; and Jerome de Trevisi, mother Italian, who had taken service under Henry in li>57. Ke was a painter and an architect, as well as a military engineer. The siege of Boulogne began on -luly l!)th, 1544, and (m August -'{rd the first battery was opened to br(>ach the eastern side of the to^\n under charge of liogers. This battery soon created havoc in the town, and on August 19th the ste(>ple of the church fell from its effects. I'otimiri had charge of the mines, and pushed forward his galleries from a Bray which had been capturcnl on Septemb(>r 1st. lle^-erne, with his pioni>ei*8, assisted at this Avork, and we find a record that Henry afterwards reimbm-sed him for timber which he had purchased, as well as for " 160 lbs. of white lights at ;5d. per lb." Potinari's first mine was fired on September 4th, under the tower, at the south side of the town, which was much shattered by the explosion. Henry, in a letter to the (jueen, dated September (Sth, aUudes to this mine as having done good execution in tearing one of their greatest bulwarks, (liymer's " Eu>d." xv. 51.) By September 8th tliree other batteries were ready, and three other mines were being pushed forward. On the lllh Potinari announced that he Avas ready to destroy the castle. The King, Avith the Earl of Surrey and Eord William HoAvard, Avas present on the occasion, and at a given signal the mines Avere fired. The result proved (>ompletely successful — the citadel Avas laid in ruins, and many of the defeiulers Avere killed and Avounded, The troops Avho were held in readiness at once stormed the place, and established themselves in various points. On the 1 f'tfe 26 insTOHY OF THE COUPS [cii. il. 1 Hli tlio (lofcnoo was iilmiidoiiod, and tlie forti Tli(« KiigineorH distinmuHliod tlicnisolv ■esH surreiideicd. •08 greatly tlirouglioiit ; JcrDiuo (le Trovisi was killed, and 15urgato kg Movt-rcly wnimdod that he was rei)orti'(l dead. Wo do not hear nmch of Lee's doings, l)iit the fact, as already stated, of his having received the honour of kniglitliond (not so eomnionly eonferred iji IJiose days as now) proves that lie must have distinguislied himself. Not oontent with bestowing this honour on him, Henry also granted him, by pntont of October 4th of tlie same year, a new coat ot arms, "IVr chevron or and gules in chief two lions combatant sable armed and langued gules. "When the army left, ]tog(>rs Avas appointed Engineer to the captured town ; when he had recovered from his wound Burgate retimed his duties at Calais. Lee, who had returned to Enghnid AN'ith the King, was ordered back to Franco, to superintend the new works in progress at (luisnes; whilst Potiuari was made surveyor in the south-west of lOngland, including the Isle of NVight. Henry, however, soon became uneasy at the state in which Boulogne had been left, and ho considered a grand scheme of fortification was iVipiired to secure the town, lie therefore called Lee, Kogers, and Burgate to him, and a sclieme of defence of the most modem type of fortification was drawn out and ordered to be at once begun under the immediate charge of Kogers Lee was appointed Chief iMigineer over the thive Towns of ]5oulogne, Calais, and (ruisnos. The King was urgent that the most rapid ])rogress should be made, and a sum of ±'lG,(t(lO was granted to liogers to defray the first expenses; stores and materials were shi])ped from England, and by the King's orders Lee despatclu^d -300 pioneers from Calais to ai(I in the work. A powerful work had (biring this time been constructed at 1 ortsmouth. Sir Anthony Knyvett was tlien governor at this station, and from a letter he wrote to Henry on October L>-Jnd, 1.J44, we get some particulars about it. Unfort'unately, the Engineer in charge M'as ill. "Your Majesties Surveyor at your Higlines towne of PortesiiKuith hath lieeu very soke, tlie s])acc of twoo inoiieytlis and yet is not hal)le to coniiue forthe of his chaniber. . . I hath l)een the ovcrsear of vour Majestyes workcs lierc, and for tlio tyme tliat I liave l^een oversear'here your iMajestios Avishes liatli not been liyndered." According to Sir Anthony, the work was a castle in compass, accommodation, strength, and beauty, strange in design and form, finely sitiiated for defence, and marvellously praised by all Avho had seen it. Such another fortress was not within the realm. It was a model of its kind, and he ventm-ed to think that his Majesty Lc:T.. II. 1 ()()()- 1000.] OF UOYAL KNOINEKRS. 27 surreiKloiocl. lliroufi'liout ; rely wniuidod iicli <»t' Lee's f received the n i]i(ts(> days liniseli'. Not alsf) granted n new cont ns coinbatnut ^iiieer to the und Burp'iite 1 to England >erintend tlio i was made • the Isle of the state in rrand scheme :Ie tlieret'oi'e lie of defenop \vn out and e charge of ' thr(>e towns rent that the £10,000 was stores and Jng's orders work. n.structed at rnor at this •2-Jnd, I.jH I'jiigiTieer in Portoi?i)i(iutli 1 not hill lie to ^rse;u' of your ovorscar here m compass, •n and form, by all Avho p realm. It his Majesty had never seen so great and snbstantial a work executed in so short a timred in the act of tacking, under the eyes of Henry, who in person was watching the i)ro(°edings, in company with Sir liichard Lee. Iler ca]>tain, .Sir George ( 'arew, and the A\liole crew of 400 men, perished. The J/r/;v/ Jiosr lay at the bottom of the sea off Spithead until the year ' 1 S fo, when Colonel Tasley, li.]-]., having succeeded in renioving the wreck of the liot/a/ Ocon/r, destroyed the remains of the' Jfrin/ Jiosc also, after it liad lain submerged for nearly three hundred years. In ItilO, negotiations for peace were carried on between England and France, and after great disjuitation, arising fr(mi the difficulty of (Ichneating the proposed boundary of the English posses.sions in Fi'ance, were filially brought to a successful conclusion. During all Ihesc discussions Lee and llogers were much engaged. The (piestion Ashich most jmzzled the negotiators Avas the position of the river Lianne near its source, there being several small streams \\hicli united to form that river, and the difficulty was to decide which of Ihem was the true line. The mattci "emed insignificant and, as Ifog'ors in his blunt Avay described it, " not worth three half- ])ence; "_ still, neitlKU' Jleniy nor the French would give y.ay, and the Kngiueers were s(m> put to it to settle the boundary. It was at last^ (>iitrusted to a commission of four persons, two French and two Ihiglish, to determin(\ liogers A\as one of the two English c(mimissioni>rs, and ho was employed to plan the boundary when agreed to, "whereby," as the King said, "we may the more certamly see what ]»ortion of ground is apjiointed to remain with us accordingly " (I^emon's " State Tapers "). After the death of Henry, Hertford, the Lord Protector to Edward \l., decided on an expedition against the Scots, and as- seml)led an army at Newcastle. Sir liichard Lee was withdrawn from Guisnes to acconqiany him, Avith the rank of "devisor of the fortifications about to be made" ("Fragments of Scottish History"). The Captain of the corps of Pinnoerswas John Brend, who was Trenchmaster under Lee. He had been employed iii i i'i' 1:111' I '^8 Miai'ORY 01- THK CORl'S [.H. II. l-Ot') as Kn;?iii(><'r nt Tynonioiitli, and after that Hcrvirc was complt'tt'd was sent as a cnnnnissarv to MaiidtMs. In a lottor to llenrv, I'loiu IJroinon, on March 'Itli, lOKi, lUcnil wroto — "A few (lays now past ilied .^[u^tiIl Luther, wliich thiii^ i\um^h it !)»• nut of much niomont yet liy renson of the great fume that gooth of it in tliis country w could (hjno h'ss than inform you" (Lemon's "State I'apors"). Tlio Sootoh oampaigu was uiiiini»ortant, and coTisistiMl princi])all3- in dovnstating lh(» countrvand (hnuolishing strong [daees. I'attfu, in his liistory of the expedition, snys — " L'c'.s charj,'!' was specially to a)ipoint the pioneers to work anywheiv he should think meet, and then, when his (lni(;e assi<,'iicd, to devise the form nf liuildiuf,' or fortiiicatiou to correspond with the nature nnd extent of the defence rei|uiicil, in whicli the <,'oo(lness of liis wit and his •{reat expeiience had nuide him in the science of war nnd uulitary con- struction riuht exceUont." ^ For liis servioos in the earnpaigu liOe was granted hy Edward VI. tlio manor of tlu^ Alien Priory at Xewenton, in ("rlouoester- slm-e. (Tatten.J Another Engineer who ennie into notice in this war was Thomas Pettyt,* who two years hefore had heen omph)yed at ralais. A plan draAvn by him at that time of the conntry around the yhu-c IS noAV in the British ^fuseum. In April, 'l.rJH, liord (Jrey, with a strong force, had ]uishcd forward into the vicinity of EdinLurgli, Tettyt l)eing his Ciiief Hngineer, and amongst other places captured Iladdington. I'ettyt was instructed to examine the fortifications of the town and to ])ut them into a proper state of defence. lie had harely time to accomplish this when a combined force of French and .Scots, ld,(»UO strong, advanced to attack the place. The siege was obstinate and prf)tracted. Pettyt had no pioneers nor any skilled labour, aiul was comi)elle(l to trust entirely to the troo])s composing the garrison for execut- ing the necessary works of defence. The arrangements made l)y the gallant Engineer proved in tlie event , when we find him appointed Siu-veyor of the works at Calais and Guisnes. * We shall find three Engineers of the name of Petit in the beginninji- of the ISth century. I lood- Ti [<'H. II. H(>rvioo wns I II lot tor to •otc — u^'h it lie not of it in tliis itt' Papers "). prin('i])all3' >8. I'llttfll, I'k iinywlicrc lo (Icviso till- iiatui'c ami ) wit and his iiilitary cnn- (ilouoestcr- ms Thomas riiliiis. A il tho ])]a('c jord (J rev, VK'imty of ingst otlicr to ('xuiiiiiic D a prf)j)or this when ', iuhlllKHHl protriicted. i (.'01111)0110(1 for oxe(Jut- ts luiido l)v ful. Aftor ruins — the 'viiig army le oomhat, tlio siego, Lord (jrroy him. WV I appointed beginninj^- of lOOd-KiOO.] OK IIOVAI, KN(ilNKKKS. 29 Tho fivo years' lahour which Kogors had spent in doveloping tho fort ilif at ions of Honlogno won* at length rendered futile liv tho surrender of th(> place to tho Froiieh, which took j)lace on March •JOth, !")•"><>, as one of tho conditions of a treaty of peace. This ai)lioarod to he the coiumencoinent of a new era, during which tho services of Knginoors, so luueh sought after and so well rewardod during the ])rere(ling reign, wore no longer to bo eallod into reipiisition. J>uring tlie iivo years of Mary's reign, from lo->l to 100?<, the only KngiiuMU- whose name ai)poar8 was Hrond, and in his cas(< it was as a diplomatist, and not in tin* exorcise of his profession as an Miigineer, that he found favour, and rocoiv(>(l tho honour of kniglithood. Lee, Uogers, iJurgato, I'otinari, and the otiiers were alike noglocteil and in retirement. It wa.s not until tlie accession of l''ilizaheth that we once more tind them called into active employment. \\y that time the J'Jiglish pos- sessions in France had all been lost, and with their sacrifice the necessity for the large ex]>onditure in their maintenanct* had also come to an end. I']li/,al)eth was, therefore, loft free to devote her attention and her rov(!nue8 to the strougthening of her frontier on tho Scottish bonh'r. Ijorwick was still, as it alwavs liad been, tho loading fortress of that district, and in spite of all that had been already d(me, still ro(juired much .strengthening. .Sir Richard L(?e was, tlnn'oforo, summoned from the rt^tiroment in which lie had bo(>n allowed to remain throughout the rei<>'n of Alary, and despatched to Berwick. Here he found Sir John lireud and liowlaud Johnson, tho latter holding the ]>ost of Surveyor of the woiks. J'rend had boon a]ii)ointod by Alary tho Tronchmaster of tho border garrisons, but was (piito rea(\v to give his old chi(jf loyal assistance in his engineering duties. This, however, was not dcstiiuMl to be of long duration. ]^rond was by this time (piito brok(m (h)wn in constitution, and pc^titlonod to bo recalled from the bleak district in which he had boon sorviii"'. He iiuitted Berwick on May I8th, 150{), and proceeded to I.oudou, where ho had an interview Avith tho Queen and her Council. This is the last incident recorded in his life, as ho died at Norfolk in August of the same year. " 1 am sorry for the decease of ^Ir. Drend, an old approved acMiuaint- ance of my own and a good servant of the (Jueen. Such men are not thick sown." — (Cliah)ner to Cecil.) Ijee, deprived of the assistance of Brend, did his best sin<'l(>- handod to push forward the works. lie raised a cor])s of 1,400 jnonoers and artificers, bought 1,000 tons of timber at Hull, and a full supply of stone from the (piarries at Clift'e, and soon began to make a goodly show. Money, however, came in very s[)arinoly, (& \ 30 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. 11. and before long he was hard put to it to keep the works going, ]ii. people being all in arrears of pay, and not able in consecnienee to maintain themselves. In one of his letters to the Council, written on May 17th, 1559, Lee stated that from their poor and scanty living they had become unfit for work, and as for the most part they were forced to live on herring, there was no stamina left in tiieni, from which by more generous diet to renew their strengtli sufhcieiitly to do good service at the fortifications. And ao-ain in another letter, written a week later, lie said that none could afPord the luxmy of a chance meal of fresh meat, even when sick. " It grieves me to see the multitude exclaim daily of their want'; especially as the works are in such forwardness and in such good or.ler.'' Money, however, was only to be had in dribblets, and by degrees it came to Lee s knowledge that objections were made to some of his works. It seems, from what can now be gatliered out of the records, that Lee s project involved a new line of rampart, whicli would necessitate the demolition of some houses, the property of men of authority and influence in tlie place. Much underhand opposition was therefore brought to bear against him. In this dilemma he wrote to the Queen to send some qualified persor. Uy inspect the works. He also seems to have had some secret which he wislied imparted to a trusty servant of her Majesty. His letter is dated July 9th, 1559, and runs thus :— " Seeing a great mass of money has been bestowed upon the fortifica- tions ot tins tov i,, I beseech y.nir majesty to send some persons of credit to see how th.; same has been employed. Also that your majesty would diro,:t such a man hither as that your majesty's servant may open to him such secresy appertaining to the fortification of the town, to be considere.l )y your majesty, as according to such lessons as I have learned of the late king, your majesty's father I think it not meet to be op,.ned but to such a one as your majesty shall put in special trust for that purpose." The Queen's reply is dated August 7th, 1559 :— "Whereas he in his letters has heretofore leipiested that she would send thither some trusty person to take a view of the fortifications at Lerwick she intending shortly to send Sir Ralph Sadleir into those parts appoints him to take a view of the same. She re.piires Lee to tell him what he shall thuik necessary, and to give credit to his communica- tions." ^\liat the secret was which Lee may be presumed to have imi)arted to feadleir has not been recorded. We have in Clifford's Sadleir's "State Papers," an intimation of Lee's oniobunents at iierwick. Ifis pay was 20s. per diem, l)csides which ho was allowed ten servants at the pubho expense. He, however, does not seem to 1066- : have 1 was ii after * was se in cha We name ( repairi Poti leave i remain find hi tioiis time t inipro\ Lee, ployed Eoyal protect is expr Whi Berwie Rowlai " Grene Berwie Queen' of a \ " Mour One of another end of tlie sea. Xorth-] Mount. wa}-. ] citadel, A\'hei returnee he wrotf report in winter, ] u [CH. 11. Ics going, his asequenee to ncil, written and scant}' le most part iiina left in eir strength ad again, in couhl afford en sick. their wants, good onkir." I by degrees to some of out of the part, which property of underhand II. In this I persor^ to eeret wLich His letter the fortificii- )n.s of (;re(h"t ijesty would oj)en to him e considered rned of tlie op(!ued but at pur2)ose.'' t she would itications at those parts to tell liiiu L'oniiiiunica- d to have I Clifford's luments at as allowed ot seem to 10G6-1600.] OF ROYAL EXGINEEHS. 81 have been regularly paid, as we find. that at this time his imy was m arrears to no less an amount than £133 Gs 8d. Shortly after Sadleir's visit to Berwick Lee left for London, Avhence he was sent on a mission to Antwerp, Eowland Johnson remaining in charge of the fortifications at Berwick. We at this time find a new Engineer at work at Dover, of the name of Tliomas Cockerill, with pay at the rate of 6s. 8d. per diem repairing the pier and " Black Bulwark." ' Potinari had, during the reign of Mary, been compelled to leave the kingdom and seek employment in France, where he remained imtil Elizabeth recalled him to his former service. We find him in 1560 called on by tlie Council to inspect the fortifica- tions of Portsmouth and report on their condition, at the same time to suggest any new works he might consider necessary to improve the defence. Lee, having retimied from his mission at Antwerp, was em- ployed to design and erect a castle at Upnor, on the Medway by Koyal Warrant, dated March 26tli, loGO. Its object was to protect the English fleet when moored in the vicinity of Chatham as IS expressed m the following two lines of the.inscrii^tion it bore ':— " AVho gave me this show to none other Eude Dut strongly to stande her iiavie to defende." — (Lambard's " Peraiub: of Kent.") Whilst thus engaged, Lee still continued in chief control of the Berwick works, which y^ere being carried on under liini by Rowland Johnson. The latter in his reports addressed him as (xeiieral Surveyor of all the Uueon's works and fortifications of Berwick, or sometimes as " Chief Surveyor and Master of tlie Queen s Works at Berwick." The fortificaticms of Berwick were u\r^ ''f^, extended character. They consisted of a series of Mounts or forts, connected Avith each other by bastioned lines One of themAvas called the " v^reat Mount above Co wgate," and another the " Last Mount, passing by Cowgate." From the south end o± the latter ran the new ditcJi, cut across tlie " Snook " to v' .'f\^ VVr '""T ''?*•■ ?'"^'''^^^ ^^^'^^"1^ only half built, tlien the .Noi'th-Last Mount, whicli was followed by the North or Middle Mount. Ill the curtain connecting tliese two Mounts was a ffate- way ^ex was the West Mount, the strongest porthm of the citad.'I, in the curtain of wludi was tlie Marygate. Wlieii his castle of Ui)nor had become pretty w"ell advanced Lee returned to Bemick accompanied hy Potinari. Li a letter wliich lie Avrote to tlie Council, dated nt Berwick, Aiu-il l<»th 1560 after reporting on tlie progress whidi Johnson had made' durinV the winter, he m-ged his desire to complete the fortress in the course of 82 HISTORY OF THE COKPS [CH. II. the summer; lie therefore asked for a thousand additional work- men, estimating their cost at £5,000 a month. The object of Potinari's visit to Berwick Avas to make a special report to the Queen as to the condition of the place, with any criticisms or suggested alterations which might seem to him advisable, lie was, therefore, in no sense working under Lee, but rather, if anything, in antagonism. The result nattmally was that difficulties aros(' between them. Potinari considered that there were many defects in Lee's scheme, more particularly in the sea line, Avhich had n(jt yet been begun. Lee chafed mider the criticism, and declined to alter anytliing. On this Potinari drew out a design of his own, which he submitted to the Duke of Norfolk, Avho was in chief conmiand at Berwick. This, hoAvever, proved so costly, that in the end Lee's designs were adhered to. At this time an expedition under Lord Grrey was collected on the border for the purpose of besieging Leith, then held by the French in alliance with the Scots. The Chief Trenchmaster of this force was William Pelham. This is the first time that his name appears, but he rose gradually in estimation and position until he became Lieutenant of the Ordnance. In this attack he com- manded a pioneer force of 700 men. The siege of Leitli was begun on April Gth, and on the Dth the first battery opened against the place. The besiegers were miserably inadequate for tlie work they had to do, both as regards numbers and munitions. Their artillery was far too feeble, and they Avere throughout short of amnmnition. Still the most heroic efforts Avere made, and Pelham Avith his pioneers distinguished himself greatly, so much so that liord Orey, in a report to Norfolk, suggested that lie should receive the Queen's thanks. On May 7th a most gallant but unsuccessful assault avus made Avith severe loss to the besiegers. There seems to have been much mismanagement in the affair, and Norfolk, in his repoit to the Council, said "the thing Avas marvellously ill handled," and the place "miglit hav^e been taken with less loss." In consequence of this Sir Peter Carew Avas sent to the army to report oji the affair. He thrcAv all the blame on Lord (Irey, and acquitted the Engineer and Master of the Ordnance, on the ground that they had acted imder his express orders. Potinari now joined the attack, and at once began mining operations, Avhich he carried on for upAvards of a month Avithout achieving any success. Having failed both by assault and mining. Lord Cfrey tui-Tied the siege into a blockade, Avhich lasted till July ()th, Avhen a general treaty of peace Avas made. In this it Avas decreed that Leitli should be surrendered to the Engli.~li. Pelham was one of three English officers deputed to meet an [CH. II. itional work- he object of eport to the criticisms or 3le. He was, if anything, eulties arose iiany defects hich had not , declined to of his own, was in chief 5tly, that in collected on held by the laster of this lat his name tion until he ick he coni- f Leitli was tery opened ideqiiate for 1 munitions, ighout short * made, and -ly, so much ited that lie assault was ?nis to Jiave in his repoit [1 handled," loss." In he army to d (frey, and . the ground otinari now IS, which lit' any success. ,' tui-ncd the m a gent'r.al that Leitli to meet an Ol' ROYAL ENGINKEKS. 33 1066-lGOO.] equal number of the French to see to the execution of the treaty by which the fortifications of Leith were to bo demolished. Sir Eichard Lee was present at part of the siege, but does not appear to have taken any action connected with it. His mission was the somewhat perilous one of a reconnaissance of both Leith and Edinburgh. AVhen asked to undertake this duty the old man at once consented, "Though not so well able to ridft as his (iraco could have wished." — (Haynes.) He was completely successfvil, and made a full report to Norfolk, at the same time sending to the Queen a plan of Leith, which he made by observations from surrounding high ground. _ The l)uke, in forwarding his report to the Queen ^vrote, " He is worthy to liave some letter of thanks." An engineer named Ridgway had for some years filled the post of surveyor of the works at Portsmouth, and dying at this time was succeeded by Richard Popinjay, who was appointed by Eoyal Warrant, dated August 15th, 1560. The fortifications of Berwick were completed before the close of the year 1563, and Lord Grey was appointed its governor, being the first general officer to fill the office. In its present _ state of importance it required a man of high position to be at its head. Camden called it "■ mtodtmimum totiiis Britattiiiw oppidum.'" In 1562 an army under the Earl of Warwick was sent into France, to co-operate Avith the Huguenots of that country, who had risen in revolt. Pelham Avent with him as Chief Engineer, in ■\\'liich capacity he acted at the siege and capture of Caen. By the treaty of Amboise, of March 25th, 1563, the Huguenots tlireAV over their English allies, and made terms with the Catholics, by which they bound Elizabeth, Avithout her knowledge, to sur- render HaATe, Avhich she Avas at the time holding Avith her forces. The Queen Avas so enraged at this step that she directed the Earl of WarAvick to hold the place against the whole power of France. Telham Avas placed in charge of the defence under the Earl, and was full of zeal and high spirit. He declared to Throgmorton that— "Loru8conaition. 1 he garrison meanwhile were nnf iesLerr:;^' wf "r """''• rr; '»«•'"'<' "'-I' 1« on t uesiegeis, and clestrojod many of their wnrL-a Ti... „ ^-n S e^Mmiod XLJu'""'* •■•^''°*r ""til the term. Si nobkM"'' "' *''"*"■'"' '° ""'«*'•'"' *'"^ con, ut>fL Germ™ and n oJ„t ' t, """."■'"'l to seo the nakedness of llie land and JJmleigh gave Rogers insfructiuns to show tliem as ]in\Tt ,.oss,bIe, .na to .onfine tl.eir torn- to a few 0/ the"Ut fo"ffie"d n mnpv rW^ ] Tr^^^^" ."'' '''^' ^ '*' ^"'^ architect of that age for all U.^aWl, ,„ f,,,, „„,,,,„,„„,„t t,,„ „.,,„,^ ,. y Vll to tlu , of the bnef and dl-staned reign of Mary. There is no re,Sd of '_ were soon lie were not loss on the artillery re- liilst mines ay open to afeeble tlie On July with some 400 men. iig sacrifice I to 1,500 icated her ainst such a2)itulation , Pelham the duty, terms had so was the rations, who had past. He 'e Grerman ! desirable the land, 5 little as foiiified who was niusthan farkham, l^ngineer le was of inclining JO for all strength, g sliould onicon," aliug of ' Mathc- go, filed, ) that of cception Bcord of 10G6-1600.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 36 his age, or of Avliere he was buried. All that is known of liis early years is that he was acting as a spearman at Calais in lo-y-X It is probable, therefore, that he had seen something like fifty years' service in the military profession, and over forty in that of an Engineer. Pelham, who had so distinguished himself at the sieg^es of Leith, Caen and Havre, had by the year 15G7 risen to be Lieutenant of the Ordnance. We find, by a warrant dated in August of that 3-ear, from the Earl of Warwick, the Master-Greneral, that Pelham is therein called by that title. In 1574 he was appointed, with Admiral Sir W. Winter, to inspect and report on the fortifications along the shores of the Thames, When doing this they particu- larly named Queenborough as a place which Avas highly suited for a naval depot. In 1570 he was sent to Ireland to aid in the sup- pression of the Earl of Desmond's rebellion. He Avas at this time knighted by the Ijord Deputy, Sir William Drury. "Wlien that officer died. Sir AVilliam Pelham was appointed Justiciary of Ireland, with the authority of a Lord Deputy, pending the ap- pointment of a successor to Drury, and held the post until the end of 1580. On February 3vd of that year this provisional appointment was made permanent by patent from the Uueen, and his salary of £1,'300 a year charged against the Irish establishment. Dming this period he acted most vigorously against the rebels, and had brought the affair almost to a conclusion before he was .superseded by the appointment of the new Lord Deputy. Of his conduct dming this period Fuller speaks thus : — " Say not that hi' did but stop a gap for a twolvumoiith at the most, .seeing it was such a gap destruction had entered in thereat to tlie tinal ruin of that kingtlom had not his providence i)n'vented it. For in this juncture of time Desmond hogan his rebellion, inviting Sir AVilliam to side with him, who wisely gave him the Heaving with a smile into the bargain. And although our knight (for Avant of force) could not euro the wt)und, yet he may be said to have washed and kept it clean, resigning it in a recovering condition to Lord Grey, who suceeedeil him." On his return from Ireland Pelham Avas reinstated in his post of Tiieutenant of the Ordnance, and in the following year Avas ap- pointed, together Avith the Earl of ShrcAvsbury, Sir Eali)h Sadleir, and Sir Henry Nevill, to convey Mary, Queen of Scots, to the castle of Ashby-de-la-Zouehe. Nevill and he Avere nfterAvards left in charge of the royal captive. This, hoAvever, could not have been for long, as Ave find him again at the Ordnance at the end of 15S;j, Avhen he rendered an account of his steAvardshi]) for the preceding ten years. Uncpiestioiuibly there Avas something very Avrong in his management of the department, and many scandals ! 4^. p. M'-1 \ .!• 36 IIISTOKY OF THE CORPS [CH. II. were afloat misinghani, in a letter to the Earl of Leicester in Ueeeraber, 158o, says : — " Tliore falk'th out daily, as I am informed, new discoveries of abuses ouching the office of tlie ordnance, as that there should be a hundred brass Pi;;^L;es missing, winch doth so aggravate her Majesty's displeasure i.gainst Sir AAilliam Pelham, in that he did neglect with that care that appertained to oversee the inferior offices as she can hardly eiidure any man to deal for him." • The result of the peculations which he h-id permitted to be earned on unchecked was that a claim for £10,000 was made on his estate by the Queen and he was suspended from his functions, ^T^rl'^^VTl'''''''''^^^ he continued to draw the salary of his office \V hilst he was m disgrace the Earl of Leicester, who had been appointed to the command of an expeditionary force in the Low Countries, ^yas most desirous to secure his services as Marshal to the troops, in Avhich position he would be second only to himself ihe Uueen was obstinate in refusing to grant her favourite's request, and he was equally pertinacious in continuing to make tlie apphcation. ° «'r pray you sir » writes he to Walsingham, " let me know whether I shall have Sir \\ illiam Pelham or no " And " I hear nothing of Sir William Pelham." And again, later on — "If Sir William Pelham be not hastened hither, or some such man of .ludgment m martial affairs, we shall hardly do that good 1 wish for here." TheQueeji was still obdurate, and Leicester began to despair It IS clear, however, that he had a most excellent opinion of the military genius of Pelham, for he again retm-ns to the attack :— „ !', ^^ h^^i' Majesty will look for honour and good service send away I^Ir I eiiiam. A\ e have no such man to govern the army of all the men they nave here. . . I beseech you, as you find her Majesty well dis- posed, remember Bingham, but first dispatch away Sir William Pelham Whose abode one month now may hinder us greatly." ' These are extracts from various letters written by Leicester to Walsmgham and are only samples of the numerous applications he made for the assistance of the old Engineer In the end he Avas successful. The Queen waived her demands upon the defaulting Lieutenant of her Ordnance, and permitted him to jom Leicester as his Marshal. Pelham left London for his "A good aid and comfort he will be ill be to me, and I heartily 1 •« 1 s 1066 ^ i 1 Tl 44 siege 'S a ca 1 l.ordships from me to thank her IMajesty humbly for it pray your art [CH. II. eicester in 8 of abiisos ii hundred disi)leasui(' t care that endure any ted to be ade on his functions, lis office. had been the Low iarshal to } himself. 'avourite's to make Avhotlier I 1066-lGOO.] OF KOYAT, ENCUNEKRS. 37 ch man of for liere." ) despair, m of the ack : — away Mv. men tlie}- r well dis- 1 Pelham, ieester to )lications demands ermittod » CV > This document was endorsed by Bmieigh on August 25th — " An estimate for money for finishing the forts at Gravesend and Tilbury in Essex." After the subsidence of the threatened stonn of the Spanish invasion, only one further incident of importance as regards Engineers remains to be noticed till the close of the Queen's reign. Thi-ee officers of tliat branch r>f the sorvico wore selected to accompany Lord Mount joy in his expedition to Ireland in iiaaaaaa.tsxi>,:i .^^....^,... ... I 40 HISTORY OK TIIK ( OKPS [CH. II. l-")98. Those woro Taptains Francis SHugsby, Ifi.-liard Ilausarcl, imd Josias Bodloy, all of whom distinguisluMl tluMii.solvos ho greatly that they each received tlie lionour of knighthood. In addition to these, a surveyor of the name of Paul Ive also formed l)art of the force. Ilk duties seem to have heon confined to th<' w(jrk of planning and constrncling, and lie never had any con- nection with field or siege .luties. Sir Josias Bodley, at tlie dose of the expedition, remained in Ireland, where he was appointed JJirector-Geueral and Overseer of the Fortifications and Buildings in that country (Stafford's " Pacta Ilibernici"). ■I .1 [CH. II. 1001-1700.] OV UOYAT, ENOINKKHS. 41 CIIArTER III. The Sevkntkkntii Century. M.iRineors under Charles I. -The CommonwealUi and Charles II.- Establish- Snent of llnKineers for En^lau.! and Ireland-Duties ot the Surveyor- General of the Ordnance-Of the Chief Enf,nn.rr-( i the Interior Ln- ffineers-Instructions for Jueol. Richards as Travelling KnKineer-His Report- Attempted Robbery of the Regalia by Hlood-rhei Rescue hv Talbot Edwardes-Details of Ordnance Trains in lW)2-l)iury ot .Jacob Richards in the Flanders War— The King's Company ot Engineers- Establishment of Engineers in KiOT- Reductions conseciuent on Feace of Ryswick— Formation of the First Train for Teace Duties. In the iireceding oliaptor wo have traced tlie course of tlio EnH of the Ordiiaiuo service. Thus wo find William iVuvnoapiiointcd Master of the Ordnance lor tlu^ Scottish war in l-)i;{, and acting as such at the hattle of Floddeii and the defence of Norium. John Itogers was ALi.ster of the ( )rdnanco at tho siege ot Hoidogne in 1014 ; and AV'illiam I'elhain held tho same post at the siogo of Harfleur in lOOvJ and at th.- defence of Nowhaveu (b ranee) ni l-'iO-'J. There are several other instances of a similar character. Stdl in these earlier times it was h>- no moans so common as it became later on, when, as wo shall" see, it was the usual practice to vest tho appointment of (Joh)nel of tho Train in the person of the senior l-higineer. The men selected to carry on the more important fortress work were called "Surveyors" or " Surveyors of the King's Works." These officers, when ])rosent in the field, as they often were, took precedence of the Trenchmasters, but more as advisers of the (jeneral than as executive officers, unless they happened to be officers of the army. They supplied ])roject8 for the more important requirements of tho service, lea\ing tho Trenchmaster to superintend the execution of tho works and t(. control the disciithne of tho I'ionoers. Some of tliein appear to have held their appointments for general service, and to have been moved from place to place as occasion demanded. Others were patented for particular posts, and remained where they were ai)pointed foi years without change. Exami)lcs of tliis may- be found in the case of lioAvland Jolinson, avIio was Surveyor of the Works at Berwick from 1550 to 1584; lii(«hard I'opinjay at Portsmouth from 1500 t() 158/ ; and Oeorge Nevy, his successor, at the same phice from 1588 to 1617, if not later. The title of Surveyor appears to have fallen into desuetude during the reign of James I., the last appointment of the kind that can be traced being that conferred on John Mansell in 1G31. From this time the old title of Engineer seems to have once more been revived, and used for all branches of the service, whether foi-tress or field. In the few cases in which the title of Surveyor had been retained prior to this date, it was applied only to officers who neld posts subordinate to the Engineer. These latter appear to havealso settled into two distinct branches. First and highest m position were the King's Engineers, who held permanent appoint- ments and were patented as such. Their function was to design and construct fortifications, to inspect, report on, and draw plans for repairs and improvements in the defences of the country ; in fact they occupied very mueli the same position as the Surveyors of the prPvious mgn.«. Secondly, tlio Engineers who wore apiH.iiited to till that office in the Trains which began to be formed in [cm. hi. command il William iwli war in lio defence t the siegt' no post lit Vowhaveu a aimiliir meiinti so t was the ! Train in ross work ( Works." .vera, took I's of the ed to he the more lolmiaster ntrol the lave held .'n moved patented :)inted fci II the case ; Berwick fom loOO laee from h?suetude the kind in 1G31. ince more A\hether Siu'veyor to ofHcei's 3r appear 1 liighest api)oint - :o design aw plans mtry ; in v'oyors of ppointed mied in 1001-1700.] OF KOYAL KNOINKEUS. 43 the Hcventoenth contnry and which included all hranchos of the Ordnance, viz., Artillery, Engineers, and the Store or ^M unit ion hranch. These Engineers wer(> only engaged for the period during which the Train wan maintained in force. The first re(!ord which we have of this natm-o is in the year 1(118, when the Engineer branch of the Train consisted of si.x Engineers, two ( ;omi)trollers of the Fortifications, two Battery Masters, one Captain of Pioneers, and one Trenchmaster. The officer who conunandcd the Train might be selected from any branch of the service, and, as has been already said, gradiudly came to bo most frecpiently the ('liief Engineer. The reign of James I. was not prolific in bringing forward men of distinction in engineering matters. AVo find the name of John Van ('ranveldt as a King's Engineer, who designed a fort at (hiernsey, which was called after him; IJernard Johnson was another King's Engineer, who was killed at the landing in the Isle do llhe in l(J27. None of the remainder seem to have been men of much mark. The peacieful days of James's reign came to an end, when Chai-les took his plac(>, and he early realized the necessity of strengthening the Engineer branch of his service. As he was a good paymaster he foimd no difRcnlty in secnring the best men, some English and some foreigners, the latter being ]irincipally Dutchmen. Of these the most distinguished were {'ornelius Drebel and his son-in-law Abrahani Kuffler. Drebel was a mathematician and chemist of great distinction, the in- ventor of the microscope and thermometer, and also the discoverer of the art of dyeing in scarlet. Kuffler developed and improved this art, establishing the first dyeing factory in England, at Bow, in 104''{ (Beckmann). Drebel was appointed by Charles Chief Engineer, in which capacity he served with the exjieditions to Eochelle and the Isle de Hhc, with pay at the rate of £150 per mensem (Bruce, 1029-31). He died in 103-1. There is no special waiTaut now to be traced appointing him ( Hiief Engineer, but the fact is proved by a statement made on the occasion of a claim on the part of Sir Bernard de Gomme, a subsequent Chief Engineer, for certain travelling allowances. On this Sir William Compton certified that he had "caused the hooka of the Ordnance Officc to he inspected, and it appeared that Cornelius Drebel and otliers, who wliilst they lived were principal engineers as liernard de (ronnno now is, usually for the time they were actually employed in the King's immediate service had 20s. a day to defray their travelling charges." Of tlie Englisl) Engineer.'! who were serving .at the s.nnie time as Drebel, Kuffler, and other Dutchmen, the following names can be * '^■ 44 IIIsrOKY OF THE CORPS [cH. in. traced : — Bernard Jolinsoii, already referred to as an Engineer in the reign of James I. ; " Old Thomas the Engineer," so spoken of in the public records (Bruce, "State Papers," lG'J8-2!)) ; John Manley ; ( ?apt. John Paperill, avIio had served as an Engineer at tlie sieges of Ostend in 100 1-3, and (fulick in 1610 (Bruce, l()'27--28) ; Capt. Thomas^ Eudd, patented as Chief Engineer on July 10th, 1627 ( Uymer's " Eoodera) " — he had served as an Engineer in the Low ('ountries, and was sent for by the King to return to England to take up the duties of his new appointment (Douglas Hamilton, "State Papers," 1638-;i!)) ; Francis and Edward Charter, and AEichacl Lambert, Avho are all tlu-ee mentioned by Bruce as Engineers in the year 1627. AVlien the expedition for the Isle de Ehe wms being prepared, the King directed the Earl of Totnes, Master of the Ordnance, to select two Engineers and two Surveyors of Works of Fortification to join the force, liobert Norton and John Mansell were named for the former post, Thomas Heath and Itichard Heath for the latter. Bernard Johnson was Chief Engineer, and, as already said, was killed at the landing on July 12th, 1627. John Tradesant, another Dutchman, a])])cars also to have served in this campaign (Bruce, 1627-28). After the death of Bernard Johnson, liobert Norton was appointed to till his pliice as Engineer at thi^ Tower of London. John I'aperill was made Chief Engineer of l^ngland and Wal(?s on December 10th, 1628, and seems to have exercised liis func- tions with great zeal. He is to be traced visiting the King's works at^lh-avesend, Tilliury, Isle of Wight, (Jucrnsey, Sandown, Deal, Walmer, Archdilfc, and Southsea Castle, directing large repairs and making arrangements for the execution of the ordinary incidental work. Charles sent a force to aid Gustavus Adol])hus, King of Sweden, in his efforts to recover the Palatinate, in wliich were included tlie following five J'^ngineors :— Tliomas Humphrys, James Slip, Jan de ]3os, Mathias Van A'oord, and Captain Omkaes. They were all ]n-esent at the siege of Bois-le-Duc Janu's ]?rcmpart, a Swedish 1-^ngineer, was Chief Dip ctor, and has written an account of it in whicli he speaks highly of the vigour, skill, and courage of tht> English Engineers, _ who "stood well in the estimaticni of those best entitled to decide upon merit and to commend." ('aptain r)mkaes, " a worthy engineer, shewing his bodie too open was snapt off and shiiu with a firelock" (Prempart's " Sioffc of the Bussc," fob, 16:30j. ^ We now approach the period of the great Civil War, and we find serious gaps in the records through tliat eventful period, so lliat it is no easy matter to trace flu- names of those who took part in the in [CH. 111. lGOl-1700.] OF KOYAl, ENfilNEEKS. 45 igineer m oken of in 1 Manley ; e sieges of ^); Capt. Oth, 1627 L the Low ngland to [lamilton, irter, and Bruoe as prepared, Inance, to rtifieation ;i'e named :li for tlie 3 already 17. John ed ill thi8 [ Johnson, eer at thi^ nd Wah?s liis fune- 10 King's SandoAvn, ing large > ordinary F iSweden, hided tlie ►Slip, Jan y^ were all 1 Swedish ut of it in 2^0 of the of those (^aptain was siiapt 3 Busse," d we Ihid so tliat it art in the struggle on either side. This ditficulty is enhanced hy the oustoin ihat so inueli prevailed in the reeords wliieli have survived, to speak of the Engineers Avho were engaged Ly their titles, and not I)}' their names. Those who can be traced to have served on the Koyalist side lire as follow : — Thomas Rudd, the Chief Engineer. For his adherence to the Royal cause his property was decimated (Thurloe's State Papers,. l(i;J8-60). Lieut. -Col. John Paperill. Sir Charles Lloyd. This officer Avas in the Earl of Northumber- land's expedition to the north in 1040, in the action at r)reiitford in 1042 ("Mil. Memoirs of John Gwynne ''), and Avas taken ])risoner at Sudeley Castle by "Waller, June Oth, 1044. lie Avas < iuartermaster-General of the King's li my in ConiAvall in 1044, when he Avas entrusted Avith the guard of the pass near Lost- Avithiel (Symonds' "Diary of the Marches of the Royal Army"). He Avas GoA'ernor of Devizes Castle in 1645, and as such com- manded ill the action of RoAvde, in the attack and demolition of RoAVflen House, and in the defence of Devizes, Avhere he Avas compelled to surrender to CroniAvell. Sir Godfrey Lloyd, Avho Avas brother to Sir Charles. He does not appear to liaA'e seen any active service in England during the Avar, but Avas proscribed as a conspirator. In 1(555 he conducted the siege of Conde, Avhere he Avas severely Avounded in the head with a musket -ball (Clarke's "Life of James IL"). He afteinvards took service Avith the Duke of BrunsAvick (Thurloe, by Birch, vi.). Sir Bernard do Gomnie Avas at Marstoii Moor, NeAvbiiry, and Naseby (Add. MSS., 1670), Chief Engineer at the siege of Bristol, and one of the nineteen officers Avho signed at the capitulation of the place (RushAvorth, vol. i., part 4). John Mansell Avas Second Engineer at the siege of Bristol. John Ijanyon Avas one of tlie King's Chief Engineers,* aiid^ OAving to his unflinching loyalty, A\as placed under sequestration and imprisoned " (Green's State Papers," 1660-61). Samuel Molineiix Avas Clerk-General of the King's "Works and Buildings in Ireland in 1612 (Lascelles' "Lib. Man. Pub. llib."). He commanded the artillery at the battle of Ross (Carter's " Life of James Duke of Ormonde"), The principal Engineers on the Parliamentary side Avere as t'olloAv : — * It may here be noted that at this time the title of Chief Engineer Avas not I'onfined to the individual at the head of his branch of the service. There were several men hokling th(! title at tlic same time. Thomas lludd, John Paperill, and John Lanyon were all Chief Er.gineers together. 46 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [< H. III. fl.5?T ''''";' xt"^"' ^''^ ^'"'^ l^^ngineer given a warrant under he Parliament He was attached to Essex^ army, and continued to serve as an Lngineer throughout the war ("List of the Army raised under lie Command of lI.E. Eohert Earl of EV ex Lond, 1642," in British Museum) ' MpS't.— '^"" T', ^'^".'' ^^^"g"i^^r, and Major BroAvne was .Second Engineer, at the siege of Lathom House. Cornelius Van Behman Avas at the siege of Newark in 1644 Strfit'iirsjSisi^l^^i^^r' '^ '"^'-^^ "^^^^ '''' ^'^ W^n^X^'S^ ^^ -'''-' Engineer-deneral in ^.-o^f'^r?. ^^"°1»^^'' ^^npiieer Extraordinary. He conducted the Sft of Jinn '^\^r *^'' ^''' fr^' '^' I^^l•liament voted him a gittof £oOO m testimony of their approbation of his eminent services and success (Whitelock'p " Memorials "). Ho was al o a the^siege of Eagian Castle and the defence of Nottingham. Eval Tei-oene is styled by Sprigg Chief ]<:ngineer. of^^ 1'"' •''' ^^''i^^^^^f ^^"g"^^e^- --^"^I nlso Master Gunner nt t be 1/ '"T Hv ^^\S^'''fgrent distinction in both capacities at the siege of Worcester. He was considered one of the best mathematicians of the day, and published the "Art of Gunnery'' Lieut-Col. John Eoseworme was one of the last Engineers Avho ?^Emi,e:i^.;r"' '''' " '''"'' "^'" ^'^ Commonwealth These names are taken from various sources ; but some of them m^be raced m the Train which was fornu^l for the war. In lb4A wlien the army was placed under tlu> V.nvl of Essex the Engineer contingent of the train was-ono Engineer (John L^-on)! MX Assistant Engineers names not known), tliree ( 'ai.tain's ( f Punieei. (Heniy Frodsham, Henry Eoe, and John ¥1;. t Iree Lieutenaii s of Pioneers (Xlerald Wright, Benjamin Hodsoi and Ihomas A\illiams), and a Battery Master (l^Mward Okely) - ( I^st of Army under Earl of Essex," 15ritish Museum.) ^ In 164.J the army was remod(>lled and ].laced un.ler Fairfax when he Eng.neer roll wa.-Eng-ineei-(Jeneral (Peter M.ntem \an l)aleni , Engineer Extraordinary (Ca].tain Ilooi.er), Chief Engineer (Lval Tercene , two Engineers (Master Lyon and m. ronilmson) Captain of Pioneers (Captain Cheese). -fSprio-g'^ Ang. Kediv. ) - i cb ■ In JW~ the Engineer portion of the Train was on.> Chief Engineer at .10s., six Engineers at 6s. Li the following vear a scAjnth Engineer was added. ^ This Train was gradually'reduced und became extinct before the Eestoration i*^uucea. lGOl-1700.] Ol' KOYAl, KNfJlNEEKS. 47 When Charles II. came to the throne in 1660 the old esta- Hisliment of three Engineers for the Ordnance service was revived. Tliis limitation of the number operated AvitJi extreme linrdship on the numerons Engineers who had fought and bled ir the lioyal cause, and who had siiffered for their loyalty. must hove been no easy matter to make a selection from the lo list of those who had claims. Sir Charles Lloyd, Thomas Lou^ md Uieliard Delamain were named for the establishment ; Sir Bernard de Gomme and Jolin Mansell were gi'anted pensions — the former of £;}00 a year, the_ latter of £80 (Patents, lG0'2-ii9, Tower). Jolm Lanyon A\-as given office under the Admiralty, where he rose to a high position. Sir Cliarles IJoyd did not long survive his restoration to the ])osition of Chief Engineer of England, as he died in 16G1, and was succeeded in his office by Sir Ikrnard de Gromme, on April 1st, IG()l (Patents, 1602-09, Tower). This little establishment of three Engineers was Avholly inade- <[unte to the wants of tlie service, and was therefore sui)plemented by taking additional Engineers into pay for special duties. "When tliese wer(> completed, tliey were either discharged with a gratuity, or placed on an allowance in the form of a half-pay, to ensiu-e their being available for further service if called on. A similar <'ourse was followml -when Engineers were re(piired for expeditions or for ordinary colonial work, (\immissions Avere given to as many as were considered necessary as part of the Ordnance Train, and they were p.-iid from the special money grants voted by Par- liament for those particular services. It was clear that with such a limited strength it was not pos- sible for the Engineer branch to fulfil all the duties that should have fallen to it. To obviate tliis difficulty, Poyal Commissions were sonu'tiuies issued to control particular works, under which olHcers other than I]ngineers were selected to carry them out. In these cases th(^ Office of Ordnance liad no connection with the services, the ( 'ouiniission reporting direct to the King. Occa- sionally an Engineer from (he Ordnance establishment was attached to tlie Commission, with a view to rendering such pro- fessional assisfance as his other (lecupations permitted. Covrrnors of fortresses or castles also considered themselves res]io!isible for the defensive efficiency of their charges, and looked to the King to su])ply fuiuls to defray the expenditure they had incurred. Works of this kind Avere often carried out without ever hiiving been referred to an l*]ngineer, and some strange mistakes were at times made in conseipience, and much monev needlessly wasted. The first step in the augmentation of the establishment took place <*, .a "•k 48 HISTORY OF THK CORPS [CH. iir. in IGGO, wlien a warrant was issued to two Cadets to visit foreign garrisons and fortresses, and to take service in campaigns and sieges, in order to gain experienct^ and a practical knowledge of tlieir profession as Engineers. They were also required to study niatliematics, fortification, and drawing. Tlie names of tlie two Cadets -were Edmund Bray and AValter liong. At first their travelling allowance was fixed at £60 a year eacli, but tliis was found to he insufficient, and was increased to £100 (AVarrants, 1663-80, Tower). The title of Cadet was soon changed into that of Engineer, and as the system was kept up it became virtually an augmentation of the establisliment to tliat extent. There was an Irisli Train of Ordnance (juite distinct from that for England, to wliich one Engineer wasattaclied. He Avas styled at the time (1GG9) enghieer and overseer of the fortifications, and lie received pay at the rate of ijs. per diem (Somers Tracts, by Sir W. Scott). He A\as the junior of the three Engineers on the Irish establishment. The Chief Engineer of Ireland, William liobinson, who was appointed on January 11th, 1671, was styled engineer-overseer, surveyor and director- general. His salary was at first £150 a year CLascelles, " Lib. Man. Pub. Hib.," i'., I'art 2), but on March 28th, lG7i>, it Mas raised to £300, to assimilate it to that of the Chief Engineer of England (i/jid.) . (?apt. Martin Beekman had been some years previously attached to a Train for service at Tangiers. When he was recalled from that duty he was employed in England, A\here he showed so much aptitude and" talent that in 1G70 he was patented as Third Engineer of the kingdom, with a salary of £180 a year (Quarter Books, ToAver, Dec., 1670), and this was raised to £2''J0 in 1674, when he became Second Engineer. Various names appear from time to time of men attached as Engineers for different piu'poses, but it seems scarcely necessary to record them all — only those who afterA\'ards came to the front need be specially mentioned. In the year 1683 a AVarrant was issued in Avhich " liules, orders, and instructions for the future government of the Ofiice of Ordnance " Avere laid doAvn. This Avas dated on July 2-jth. Up to this time the responsibility of the Board of Ordnance for the construction of military Avorks had never been clearly defined. Noav, hoAvever, the Surveyor-General Avas dis- tinctly entrusted Avith the charge. " AVhon any A\'ovks, lUiildings or Repairs in and about Our Fortificii tions, or for otlier (Jur Services arc to lie undertaken he is to compute and calcnlato the Charge thereof and to propose the same to the Master Gen" of Our Ordnance or to Our Principal Officers, or the Major part of them, expressing the particular Scantlings and Dimentions of tli" Materials tlua-ein to be used and the lowest prices for Avhieh they may hr [cH. iir. lUOl-lTOO.] OF KOYAI, ENGINKKKS. 49 I 1 liml, likc'Avi.-c to Survey nil tlu; Works, IJuiMiiins, and Kopnirs, taking the. Assistant! of Skilfull and I'xperionct'd Men if it ho r('i|iusitp, and carefully til examine that they be well and sutliciently done, whether undertaken liy the (Ireat, Day Work, or ujion any (jther Contiact or Agreement, and wiien tinisiied to measure the ?anie and certi(i(! to y'' Mas'' of Our Ordiianee ossible, if not, to take a careful view of its situation as near as he can and thereof to make draught and to .see wliere the attack or attacks are most advantageously to be made, how the eircumvallation and contravallation (if need be) is to be laid out and designed, and to direct and see the breaking of the ground, planting of IJatteries, making of platforms, conducting of trenches and mines, and to have such Engineers and Conductors as will he necessary to see them carried on and (>xecuted, to be constantly moving from one attack to another to see that all possible expedition be made, and so to divide the Engineers under him that they may relieve one another, and never to sutler (as far as his authority extend) any single person to be wholly entrusted with a work (jr an attack without he be well assured of his ability and capacity to undertake and ilischarge such a service." " Indrurtionft for tlw Duticx of the Inferior EHf/incer-^. " They are to endeavour the Improvement of their Knowledge in all things belonging to an Engineer, and to render themselves capable in all respects for our Service by attaining to the skill of the several par- ticulars mentimied in the first Article of Instructions of the Duties (pf Our Chief Engineer. To observe and obey the Directions of Our Chief Engineer in all things relating to our Service either at home or abroad, as far as Oiu- said Chief Engineer shall h:>. by us empowered or com- missioned by the Master (iene.ral of tliv Ordnance to act. To shew their jl?' 1 GO 1-1 700.] OF ROYAL KNGINKEKS. 51 (losiftns tf) Our Chiof Engineor and to tako his advice or assistance thcroin, and to receive liis judgment whether (upoi; examination) tlicy may he thought sufficient or fit to bo presented to Cs or to the ]\Ia.ster- General of Our Ordnance." In this AVari-ant tlie EstaWisliment of Engineers was fixed as follows, coming first on the list, under the general designation of " Under Ministers " : — Principal Engineer, £300 per annnm, Sir Bernard de Gonime. Second „ £250 „ „ Major Martin Beckman. Third „ £150 „ „ Thomas Phillips. Two ordinary Engineers, £200, Thomas Culpep[)er and Richard Wharton. "Young men to 1)" Bredd up in tlic Art and Knowledge of For- tification tVc." This Warrant for -he first time gave distinct and special authority to the various persons named therein. The Chief Engineer -was now officially made responsible for the attainments and efRci(Micy of the niomhcrs of his branch. lie was also given the nomination of fresh men, by wliich he had power to ensure that none but duly- (jualifi(Ml jiersons should be employed as ]^]ngineers. Up to tliis time the Engineers in charge of particular works corresponded direct with the King, the Board of Ordnance, the Ministers, and various other authorities, without any reference to the Chief Engineer, who apparently had no control whatever. Now this was to be changed. It is true that still there were no instructions forbidding direct reference to higher authorities; but suiHcient is said of the " Inferior Engineers " to show that they were to take their orders from their Chief. AVe may look upon this AVarrant as the first stage in that process of welding the disjointed members of the Engineer Service into something approaching a compact corps. Prom this time that process went on with rapidity, and in a few years we shall see it brought to completion. The office stjded "Principal Engineer" in the AVarrant was never so called in any other place or document. The most usual torin was " Chief l^higineer," and sometimes " Engineer-General.' In_ the sunmier of the year lG8o Jacob llic]\ards was api)ointed Engineer, to travel and improve himself. As the instructions he received on the occasion are a type of what the duties of a travelling Engineer may be assumed to have been, they are here annexed : — " Instructions for Mr. Jacob Richards to improve himself in Foreign l>arts beyond Seas, to be employed at his return as One of His Majesty's ExoiNEKKs in England. " Ynu are to set forward on your journey towards IIlnhaky with all convenient speed, and ther(^ to survey, learn, and observe the Fortifi- cations and ARTiu.EiiiE not only that of Hungary but of places in i. \ W': I ■ 1 '<\i\ r)2 mSTOKY OF TIIK C'OUl'S [CH. 111. your Avay thitlu-r and to keep an exact Journal of every day's proceeil ing, and when you come into the next Campaign in the E.mimsrouV Ahmy to observ(! all the Marching and CorNTEiiMAWciiiNG, and in the Uesiegino of any town to observe their making Appkoaches, ]\[ines, r.ATTEniES, Lines of Cihcumvallatiox and Contra vallatiox, the lieight and thickness of their parapets and breadth of the CJrafts (trcuiches). Vou are to keep a daily j(3urnal on the march of the Army, where they Indge, and in what order they march, as also the form of their Quauter- i..'G by Regiments or Battalions of Foot or Horse, and likewise to sec their manner of Attacking any place or Encamping of their Armies, and to make as many Draughts of Places !ind Fortifications with their Profils as you can conveniently, having first obtained permission to da so eitlier from His Imperial Majesty (U- the (Jeneral oflicers Commanding His Armies, that so in your return to England again you may by your improvement render yourself tit to be employed as one of His ^fajesty's l''ngine(>rs for his service in Kngland And that you present to the Kt Hon'"'" the Lord Dartmouth, ]\[aster General of the Oidnanee (and) of this Hoard an Acc(nint from time to time of all your proceedings Dated at the Oliice of His :\Iajesty's Ordnance Ocf 17th 108;"). " Signed Chris: ]\iusgrave, Ber. de Gomme, Edw. Sherburn, J. Garden." The result of these instnictions -was a longtliy diaiy, presented to the lioard on Jacob ]iieliards' return, of wliich the following' extracts give a good sample : — " (Maestricht.) Tiiey'rc now enlarging the Ramparts and planting them with Trees, vi/ 2 rows, one at the foot of the Foot baidc (l)an(|uette) of the Parapet and the other within 3 foot of the extremity of tiie Rampart. The Trees are 10 feet distant from one another. I observ(id thai throughoiit all Holland as well as here they tak(! great care to plaul their work with Trees, and in bringing up their Ivirth or Turf work, br the soil never so good, they interlace every floov of earth with willow boughs and grass seed, which extremely binds and secures their work.s whii/li practice we have wanted in England, and has been the greatest reason of many of our Earth works falling and giving way. . . When any new "Work is to be gone in hand with the DiiiEcroR-GioxEitAr, or Intendant of the Fortii'ications gives order that ])ublication be made thereof, so that suili Artil. jrs as have a mind to undertake it may make their proposals for performing the same. He that undertakes at tlie lowest rate has tlu; work, and their money paid them according t" contract " I arrived at A'ienna. The next day I waited on Count de Taafe, who received me very kindly and offenid me the benefit of his table anil tent. I likewise delivered my letters to the Prince Herman Van Bude, President of AVar, and to Cardinal Bouvisie, the latter of whom seemeil veiy urgent for my engaging into the Emijeror's service by reeinving a salary which I told them 1 could not do, that I received a salary from His ^fajesty of Great Britain, my natural Prince and Master, and couM not without his leave receive any from others, that 1 was obliged nevei- I [cil. III. 's proceed IVMIMSROU's iml ill the the lieight 'trenches), diere they QUAUTER ise to sec ir Armies, with their ■;ioii to do iiiiiiiuulinf; y by your ]\rajestyV to the Kt i (iiiid) of ,'.s I )rtted srbavn, J. presontod followimi' itiiij,' them ttc) of tllr K;imi):irt. rv(id that to ])laiit work, lie itli willow eir work.-;, e grcatc.-^t . When lON'KltAL or 1 be madr may iiiakr ces at tlic wording t> de Taafe, table and ^an Bade, )m seemed ecinviiig a alary from and could j,'ed nevei- 1601-1700.] OF UOYAL KNOINEKKS. 0-3 thelcss to serve; this coming Campaign as Vdlontaiir for my l)etter im- provement. They answered that they desired 1 would act as (.'ommi.=i- sionated, and to that intent I should be empowered and a present of .'")00j'„ (thalers) given me for my equipage, but in case I should have leave to stay witli them any fixed time I should likewise receive ii very good salary." On an-ival at Vienna he joined the staff of Creneral Taafe. "At this time Father Gabriel, a Franciscan Friar of Savoy; learned and knowing in the comjiosition of Artificial Fires was at work. . This Friar makes a compounded of jSlerciiry which In of so great idFect that I oz mixed with the allowance for any Cannon though n(>ver so iiuR'li"fortified will make her .iplit. Of this powder he makes his llombs. 1 likewise observed that his powder is mixed with Antimonium, and that in loading a Bomb of 10 inches he does betwixt whiles put in 5 or 6 pounds of Musket bullets, Avhich he says is of great ellect and assists very much towards the violent splitting of the Bombs." • Tlien romes an account of the siege of Buda, during wliich Jacob Eiohards acted as an Imperialist Engineer : — " July 4th. La.st night 1 was desinnl by the; Generals to advance a Line from the place where three Lines meet, .so as to Hank the outer of the three Lines and join the wall of the old Town looking into S' Pauls valley, Avliieh I accordingly did and inane a Place of Amies of an house I met capable to hold about 2 or 300 men. Behind and paralhd with the line which went from this house and home to the wall 1 made a covered place for a Battery for 4 Mortars." .... July l.'Hh. An assault on the breach was made by the Duke of Lorrain, but it was repulsed. . . . 1 1th August. In an engagement with the Turks, where the Cliri.'^tians lost 3,000 men, " Mr Fitz James (afterwards Duke of Berwick) was in all the action with Count Taafe and deported himself with as much lirmness as ever young gentleman did." Septemlier 2nd "A day that will be famous in all ages wliere Christianity is known." At a fresh general assault th(! fortress M'as taken. " Thus Buda the metropolitan city of lluiigaria was deilouered by the tenth assay and forced her Virginity, which in nine former sieges was never brought -so much as to capitulate." The report ends thus. "9tli. I parted from Bude in boat for Vienna M'hcre I arrived the 17th inst. " Your most humble and obedient .servant " Jacob Richards." — (Stowe Collection, Richards Paper.';, I. 111.)* 8ir Bernard d(> Gonime died at tlie Tower on November 2;]rd, 108;5, and -was buried in the graveyard of tlie chapel on November 30tli. This has since hecoiue th(> parade ground of the Waterloo barracks, and the memorials of tlie doa) was \ '.! ■ *i . * Jacob Kicliards publislied a narrative of the Siege of Binla. '>4 HISTORY OF THK (OKI'S [m. Ill aj.pointotl to the vacant i)ost, Thomas I'hillips iKH'oniing Si-oond I'aigiiHW, and Jacob liiohards was niado Third Englnoor, Talboi Kd\varJ«>s l,.;;;^' ; M|„i„atud to fill his phico, " to travol to oxteiid his proj.^asioiial knowledge." Those names are given, as tiir ofticer.s bcaiii.g tiiom all hecamo (listingnishod J*]nglnoers. In 1()8S, the threatened invasion of tla^ countiy l)y William of Orange indueed Janus II. to collect an army to oppose the descent. As part of this force, an Ordnance Train was formed by Warrant dated (Vtober IDth, 1G88. Sir :^rur(in Beckman was made the (Jhief Engineer ot tli-. T..;u".,, wiih power to take connnand in the absence of Sir Henry 8heres. Under him were Jiicob liit^hards and Ilolcroft Blood, the latter holding the post of Captain of the Pioneers. The mention of Holeroft Blood, and previously of Talbot Edwardes, leads to a reference to the atteiii])ted robbery of the Crown jewels at t]i(^ Tower by ]}lood's father, Talbot Kdwardes' father having the charge of the regalia. The incident occurred in 1073. Cobmel Blood having determined to ])ossess himself of the jewels, called upon Talbot Edwardes, senior, and saw them in the ordinary way. Ho then laid him.self out to ingratiate himself with the koejjer, assuming for tin* purpo>e tlie character of a clergyman. When he had completely succeeded m tliis, and had become intimate at the house, he 'fixed on fi day for the attempt, and, bringing two eonfederates, re(piested Edwardes to show his friends the regalia. This Edwardes con- sented to do, and the i)arty adjourned to the Jewel Ottice. Here, whilst one of the confederates attracted the attention of the old man. Blood suddenly- sti-uck him from behind a blow (.n the head and felled him. Having thus disposed of the keeper, one seized the_orl),_ another tlie sce].tre, and Blood the crown. At this critical jiuictiu-e young Talbot Edwardes a])peared on the scene. He had been serving as an Engineer to the Train in Elanders, and had arrived unexpectedly at home on leave. Jle ran down to the Jewel Oifice to see liis father, who was known to be tlien* witli his friends. On coming to the spot he found Edw ardes lying bleeding and senseless on the ground, whilst one of his friends was busil}- • ■ngaged in lihng the sceptre in two to facilitate its transport, and the others were concealing the remaining articles in a cloak. B\ his prom])titu French coasts. As these two are very good tyoes how tho Ordnance Trains of those times were constituted, the detail of their numbers is here given. Train koh Fi.andkhs, Fkhiu auv :,*7tu, IG!)"/, wiinir skkvkd IN TIIK BaTTMS of StKIXKIKK (1()!):3) AM) I.ANDKN (WM). The Artillery included 8 Demieulvorins, 10 Sakers, iiO Three- pounders, 4 eighl-n>ch llowitztTs, and '2 snudl Tetanls, all brass; ."),000 (IrcTiades, 4I> Tin JJoats (Pontoons), with Carriages coniplete, •JOO Waggons Anniiunition, Tents, Intrenching and Artiiicers' tools. Lixf (>t (Jfficrrs (did Affiii(/'iiifx. One Colonel and I'lis Clerk, £'J. (This was Colonel -Tohn Wynaut Gore, a Dutch Fnginc(>r otlicer. who was _ also Chief Fiioineer. His conmiission as Colonel to the Train in Flanders wa>'' dated April 1st, IGO-J.) Oiu> Lieutenant-Colonel and his Clerk, IDs. ('Ihis was Jacob Richards, who was also Second I'higineer. ILis conunissiou bears Ihe same date as that of Cohmel (ioiv.) ( )n.' Major at Kis. (This was John Simon Schlunt, a Dutchman.) Three Fugine.rs at lOs. (These were John Bott, Thomas Glover, and Michael liichards.) One Comptroller and his Clerks, £;i ; 1 Captain-Lieutenant at lis.; 1 r.atterv :Nraster at I'Js. ; 1 Assistait ditto at 4s. ; I Adjutant at Hs. ; 1 (iuartermaster at Ss. ; 1 Chaplain at Ss. ; 1 Paymaster at .Ss.; 1 Assistant ditto at 4s.; 1 Auditor at tis. ; 1 Master Siu'geon and Assistant at lOs. ; 1 Provost :Nrarshal at ^s. ; ',' Assistant ditto at 'Js. 6(1. ; 1 Kettle Drummer at 4s., and his Coachman, •">>■. J/r// / • Ihturlniinit. —Owo Petardier at (is. ; 4 Firemasters at OS. ; 4 Bond)ardiers at 2s. 6d. (iini 7)rA/r//;/;ry//.— One Ca] tain-Lieutenant at lis. ; (I Gentlemen ol the ( h-dnance at 7s. 4d. ; 1 Master ( i miner at -"is. ; 2 ^Lates it ;is.; •i Corporals at 2s. Gd. ; 40 (J miners at 2s. ; SO Matrosses at 1 . Gd. Coiiipinii/ of ]}ri'/;/riin'ii.—0\u' Cai)tain of the Tni lioats at (is.; 1 Assistant 'or Lieutenant) at 3s.; 2 Corporals at 2s. (id.; 40 Private men at 2s. J//;/rr.s.— One Sergeant ;it 2s. Gd. ; 9 Mlmn: at Is. (> 1. * i 1 !M'^' \ ' ''h r>n HISTORY Ol' THK (OKI'S ( li. III. v/r//Arn-.s..-Ono(apt«inc,f Carn.nters uf (k ; 'i Mnt.-s »f ;}«. • lHCar,.H,t.Msat-,\s.0.1.; | Masf.-r \VhooU>r at 48. ; Wl-vUvmrlUs a 2s' ill" .' ;'{•"•;""•;•"''• ''!•'- ' M^'.- smith at -K; 4 Smiths at 2s (,,l. ; 1 MuHt,.r Tmmau at •>«. ; •rrinm..., at -'k ; I ( •nn.l.iotor PhunbcT at 48 ; Mastor Co hir Maker at 4h. ; i> VuUnv Makers at ^s. ()((. ; 1 lout Makt-r at 48. J>^'>,r o,„l 'Lv,.sporf Affn>,f>n>f.s.-Tyyn Conimissari^.s of Stores at H«. ; J ( lorks to ,l,fto at 4s. ; H Cond.u.tors of Stores at ys • 000 viJT odo"'" '"'^'"'7^ l7 *''" ^''"'' ""'' ^"' ^"'^^^'•' '^"•1 tJOO horses witJi JOO waggons for the eojiveyiiiiee of stores. (Oni. I'apors Addl. 5,7y.*), f. (iO-OS.) TllAIX TO 1'HO(|.;k1) WITH THK ClIANNKF. Fl.KKT O.N THK SlMMKK K.XI'KDITIO.N I.\ 1(;!)2.* Lint of Art i I hi- 1/. Fourteen tweiit.y-four i-ouiuiers, 1(J eigli<<'<>"-l>oiui.lers, H twelve- rounders ( eight-ixmnders, (I six-i..>uuO,OO0 (irenades ; also Spare Anns, Tents, 2!) i'ontl'on: KH Snd.ng La.Mers, Intirnelnng Tools, and plenty of Timber and Jseeeasanes for Miners. List of (iffirn-x and Aftrnt/fnifs. One Colonel and his Clerk, i'2. (This was Sir Martin I'.eekma,.. The iving s Chief iMigineer, whose coniinission to he ( 'ohuiel of the above Irain ot Artillery is dated "Slay 1st, KiO'' ) One Lieutenant-Colonel and his ('lerk, IDs. "(Tliin ^VMs Cfeor-,. ±>rown, hs((.) ^ « One Major at los. (This was John Henry llopeke, ivs.-.i ne ( u,.f J,ng,n.vr at l!)s. (This was Colo,u>l Wo'olfgang >Vilham Itomer.) ^ '^ Twelve Engineers at lOs. Their names were. Theodore Durv ninstian J.ilhe, John CoI.ett, Francis Cadoule, Lruis Petit Cr.'orge (onradi, Oliv.r Daivourt, j-^eazar Menting, Alrxand,.; Martmery . ean ( hardellan, IN-ter Carles, and llenrj Lanirrston. 1 Comptroller an.l h.s Clerks, fl ; 1 IJj.ttery Master at j-js • 1 Assisant to ditto at 4.s. ; 1 Adjutant at Ms. ; 1 (iuartermaster at ,f J ^ '-'^IL^''"" "^'^^•; 1 IXvmasterat .^.s. ; I Assistant to ditto at 4s ; 1 Master Surgeon at Ss. ; 2 Assistants at ;5s. ; I I'rovost Marshal at .'5s. ; 2 Assistants to ditto at 2s. (id. ^ Morhn- l)rfm-ln,H'i,t. —OnQ Firemaster at 10s. ; ID Fireworkers at i^s.; 1 letai-dierat (k ; 1 Assi.stant to ditto at 2s. (Jd. ; .'iO JJom- hardiers at 2s. fid. Thesi' Suiniiu'r Kxpeilitions Heeni to liave reoiiried iiiimmlli I(i(ll-1700.] Of IIOVAL KNOINKKRS. 67 •^m On II Ihfur/iiiiciif. — OnoMnslcr Cluiinor of Kiif^liind iit I '^s. 4(1,; I ruiitain-Licutcmuit ut lOs. ; H UciitlcnK'ii of the OnliuuKfe at Ts. 4(1. ; 02 (iiiniKTs nt 2s. ; !)'J Matrosscs at 1h. (id. Cimijidiii/ of Jiridjjriiicii. — One Captain of tlic Tin Bojits at Os. ; I Assistant (or Tiicutcnant) at 58. ; 2 Corponils at 2h. n at .'5s.; 1 Muster ( 'arpenter at 4s. ; 10 Cm penters nt 2s. (jd. ; 1 ^raster Wheol- wriglit at 4s. ; Wheelwrights at 2s. Gd. ; 1 Master Cooper at 48. ; 1 Assistant to ditto nt 2s. (id. ; 1 Master Smith at 48. ; 7 Smiths at 2s. (id. ; 1 Master lAirrier at 4s. ; 2 Farriers at 2s. (id. ; 1 blaster Collar Maker at 48.; 2 M(M1 af 2s. Gd. ; 1 Tent :Maker at 4s. ; 1 Assistant to ditto at iin. ; 1 ]5a.skt't Maker with his Assistant at Ss. Sforc (iiitl Tnnisporf Atfni(l(nilx. — Two Commissaries of Stor(>s at Ss. ; 2 Chirks to ditto at Is. ; l.S ( 'ondnctors at ''5s. ; 2 ( 'onductors of llie Wo(tlpiicks at Ms..; 1 Purvey(»r at 8s. ; 1 Assistiuit to ditto at • is.; 1 AVag(m AFaster at 10s.; 1 Assistant to ditto at 4s.; 70 Drivers ;it Is. (id. ; 4 Conductors of the Horses at .'5s. ; 1 Commis- >ary of the Drau^'ht Horses at ■'^s. ; 1 Assistant to ditto at 4s. ; for keeping of 200 Horses at Is. J5d. eaeh. — (Ord. l*a])ers, add. o70."), f. 70-80.) Lieut. -(Jol. .lacol) liiehards kept a diary of his service witli the Flanders Train under (.'olonel (lore, the l)ut('h Engineer, of whieh llie following extracts are interesting: — ".July L'nd, IGO'J, Colonel (loor has orilor.s to make ready .'^ovcral Scaling,' Ladders and Llaiika for .'"• small ]>rulj^('S for the Foot, to lie in six Wiiggoiis, the 7th of Utensils, and an 8th with (iranadoes . , . -luly 11th, Colonel (loor was (udenMl tn furnish twelve Wa;,';^f()iis to carry the l>af,'j;age (if the (iarrison at Charlcnii from liru-ssels tiiither, upon which he accpiaintod C de Suhncs that sinc(^ the Dutch Train would iKit assist in what was diirs 'twas nn reason that we shouKl in that which was merely theirs, cm which 'twas countermanded luly lOth, lay hrother (Lieut. Michael Kiehards, King's Kngineer) was sent away to Valines to send the 4 llowit/tn's now cuine fmm Fnj^Iand with Lonihs and n(H'cssarics luly "-Nith, ' "iiniel (Jdur was this day with M. Topn Kcynard and Flugel [prohahly J). itch Engineers] to make a Project and Dispositinn relating to a Siege. . . . August 2nd, (xilonel (liKir visited the Train and gave orders for mending (if every- thing after so had a march sending for the liroken ones . . . ." Then follows a des('rii)tion of tlie battle of Steinkirk, Avhieli took place on August 3rd : — "We marched early this morning, and ahout 10 came in sight of the enemy's camp at Fnghien. We found a little guard on the mad which was pushed hy our Foot. Our vanguard seized the entrance of the wood nvhich covered their right, their left extending u]i to luighien, the French ilf' A r I I 58 HISTORY OF THE fOKPS [VH. III. sending down their Dragoons to (■(nno down and posting theniscl receive us till their Foot had time to ancet Nevertheless our adv heat 'em from everything to the ves in all the advantageous parts. I hody, whieli consisted of ali-.nt I'O hattalions ir v . , . ,. ^ ",, - «''y <.'iinil), I'uko ■\Vuitemhurg pos- sessnig himself of a^P.attery of their Cannon. Ent t]>is mirth lasted not ''»«my lii^vinK' tlx' advantage of number just ^ "" ' ours so inferior in number suffering most, mg on our side. For the ^ in that juncture sustained by ]\r. Boulliers and were forced to give way, the; Knglish and DanislTc Juai'd ring ceased on botli several o hers connng but hltle short. At last the Ihw.H ..■usuu on uou, sides \\e left four .5 pounders of the Knglish and live of the Dutch, which beir.g in the front cukl not l)e brought through th.> wood and hedges, benig disabled. Our army returned to camp witliout the enemy's least opposing our retreat. We have lost near 4,000 men, and the ene.ny many more, as it generally happens to the givater mind. The Jinghsh and iMiies chiefly sutler in this acti.-n. All' the Horse sulfered b,y Cannon and scattering .Afusket shot, except the King's Horse Grenadiers and Fitzharding's Dragoons and Kpingers, who pushed tlie J^rench Maison into their very camp, and left their Koval Standards, which Ave brought oif. The chief officers we lost were Lieut. General .Uaci had other evil intention than of fretting som(> for to charge liis pistol, he was by the said Court ^iartial ailjudged to be publicly vvhipt by the hangman and burnt in the hand and to be discharged." — (Richard.'^ I'apcrs, xii., L'2'3.) Sir Martin Beckmaii's Train did not see much active service. Its attempts on tlie French coast were failures, and it was then landed in Flanders after the battle of Landen. The port of debarkation was Ostend, and tlie force of which tlio Train formed part was under tlie command of the Dxdce of Leinster. It took Furnes, Dixmude, and (Jlient, the capture of the latter place closing the campaign. After wintering at Olient tlie Train was disbanded, and the Engineers recalled to England for other services. At this time rhiginoers liad no distinct ami}' rank ; there was therefore some uncertainty as to their claims in tlie distribution of prize monej', and disputes had in consecpienco arisen. The matter was at length dehiiitely settled by lloyal authority under date December Kith, U)!)'J, whicli decreed that the J']nginecrs were to receive prize money at the rate of fifteen shares each. Tliis de- cision apparently drew no distinction between the Chief Engineer and his suljordiiiatc oilicers (Add. ^L8S., Brit. Mus., !)32G). On April Gtli, 1092, Colonel Francis I*hili])anneau de la !Motte was apitointed Chief Ihigineer in Ireland by iioyal Warrant, with u sahiry of .4! 1, 000 a year. lie had served as an Ejigineer in Ireland for tlic two previous years, having been commissioned witJi tlie rank of Colonel as Captain of the Company of Miners, with pay at the rate of 40s. a day. In this capacity he had done duly as an Engineer, and had even lilbnl the jjost of Chief l']ngiiieer, but lie was not warranted as such till the above-named date (:\ISS. IfollsOflice, xxxi.. No. t2). In tlie latter end of IGD'i a small Train was ordered to the West Indies. The I'higineers attached to it were Captain Eleazer Men- ling and Ca]>tain Christian Lilly. The force was und»>r the com- mand of Sir l^'rancis AVli'-cler, and served at IJarbados, Martiniipie, Jjceward Islands, New England, and Xewfoundlaud. In ](i!)3, Colonel de la ^lotte was ordered from Ireland In report on the fortifications of IMymouth. Peiidennis, and St. Mawes. At (he same time Colonel du ( 'mnboii, who hail also served in Ireland, was ordered to inspect and rei>ort on the fortifications of Ports- moulli. Uoth these ajiiicintments were made by llie King and his minister without the iutei-vcutiou nf the I>oard of (h'dnauce. That august body was conseipiently much dis[)leased, and remonstrated. The King, however, was obstinate, and the work was dime. Whether Sir IMartiu ileckman took his cue frcmi his masters on the lioard or not, it is very certain that he cut uji the reports and b^:m 9 \ ■60 HISTOKY OF THE CORPS [CH. 111. proposals of these two offir-ers most unmercifully (Kind's War Ord m Co^m &e, 1G9l>-1695, in W. O., vol. xiv.) CokLl de k Mottewas kdled m the expedition against France in 1G94, and Uu Lambon m Flanders in 1093. In 169,'3 a fresh Train was assembled for the Summer Expedition, ot which Oir Mai-tin Beekman was again placed in command, nf p^F • ' ^' ^l"f^ ijigineer was Thomas Philips, with eleven other Engmeers and two Su b-Engineers. Philips died whilst serving mth tins Tram. In the following year a similrr appointment was made ; indeed this seems to have been for some time an annual service, ana iieckman was always placed in (;ommaiid. On the present occasion the A\ arrant appointing him distinctly states the reason : "being sati.sfie.l of his abihty and sufficiency and of his loyalty, coura-e and good conduct " (Add. ^ISS. Brit. Mus., 9326, fob 122-l;36). By Warrant of F(>bruary Lst, 1(59(5, Eieut.-Col. Holcroft Blood was raised to tlie position of S(vond Engineer of England, thus passing over tlie head of Jacob liichards, wlio ^^^ls Blood's senior. I he 15oard of Ordnance were again much displensed, and Held back til.' appointment as long as they dared, but were at lengtJi comp.-lled to obey the Poyul mandate. Blood, still liolding liis commi'ssion as Licut.-Col. and Second Engineer ot iMiglaud, was further given by the King a patent, dated October 1st, l(.9b, as Director and Commandcr-in-Cliicf of tlie Jviiigs (.ompany of Engineers. Xotliing is knowi. of tlie con- stitution or peculiar duties of this body. They appear to liave l.een midcr the diivct control of tlu> King, witlmut the intervention ot the Board ot Ordnance, altliougli some of them were on tlie establi^linient at the time. Tlioy were paid bv special warrants from thr In.isury. On .Alaivh ;5lst, 1(397, the list stood thus under Bloods supreme command, viz., Edward Paget, Peter nf- 'rm <-"liiirdeloup, Francis Petit, Oliver d'J larcourt, Eewis Letit, ihonias P.urgli, Jolm Wallace, John (ie(u-ge Smettan, John Masse,, John ( 'laAis, Ja.pies Wybault, Jlenry ^[odeius, John iJionias, Joseph Bcnnet, William J5issett, Josius ("artwright, Josias de Champign.', Sampson de Ea Eo, David P.acalan, Pierre de la hussonicrc, Hector Oually, Ediiiond Blood, Ocorge J.ow, Anthony Pagolas, and David La lessoniere, a total .)f twenty-eight ofHcers. They were not in any way graded, but tlieir pay varied fnmi l()s. to os. i)er day At the time of the Treaty of Pyswick, in 1(3!)?, flie'ch-duance hstabhsJiment of J'^ngmeers stood as l'o]l>)ws : ('hicf Engineer, Sir Mnvtm 13eckman . . f;3()0 p(T aiinimi J^;'*""J „ ( Vdonel llr.lcroft I'.lood -.'oO 't'''>i''l „ Colniiel . I acob Richards loO Km I 1()01-170().] OF ROVAL EXGINEEUS. 61 Engineers — Talbot Edwardes, Peter Carles, Tliomas rhilli])s, Jolm ]}()dt, and Mieliael liiehards . . iJl 00 eaeli per annum. Extraordinary Engineer, Col. Wolfgang AVilliam lionier, at a salary of £'3 Go ,, „ War having now censed, the various Trains were promptly dis- banded, iind a number of Engineers A\ere removed who had served llu'ough many canqjaigns. In tlieir place a reduced peace Train was created by AVarrant dated May 2-ltli, lOi'S. Jacob liicliardis was appointed to command this Tram, which was tlie first peace Train ever formed, and consecpiently created an augmentation to the establishment, not being temporary, as the war Trains Avere. The folloA\ing Avas the Engineer branch : — Six Engineers at £100 a year, viz., John Alauclere, George Con- rade von Cassall, John Hanway, Christian liilly, Isaac Francis Petit, and Daniel 81ierrard. Four Sub-Engineers at £50 a year, viz., Tliomas IJell, Francis Hawkins, Lucas l')oit()ut, and lienjamin AVitliall. The Adjutant was Albert IJorgard. This list Avas an addition to tlie nine Ihigineers wlio were on the establishment oF the (^rdnanc(>, and wliose names have been given. At tliis time tlic Irisli establishment of three Engineers was — (Jhief Kngineer,AViUiam Robinson ; Second Engineer, liUtiol[)li Corneille ; and IMiird Engineer, Thomas Burgh. In consequence of this arrangement several Engineers who were not included in tliese lists were recalled from foreign service and placed on lialf-pay. Of tliese we can trace Hugli Syms from An- tiguii, 1 IcIhh" Lands from tlie licnnvard Islands, and Tlenry ]>rabant from New York. In 10!)!), John liodt left the J-]iiglish service, and was reidaced on the establislunent by Jolm Alauclere, that otficer's [)[ace on t]u> Train being filled by Capt. Li'wis iV'tit. The company of Engimnn's of which llolcroft lUood liad been the Director was disbanded on ALarch ^otli, 1700, and we hear no more of it. In the June quarter of 1701 (VJonel Jacob Richards died, and Christian Ijilly took Itis place as Third EnghuM>r of Englaiul, under AV^ai'nmt of -June L'cSth, 1701. The only other change worthy of record at this time was the reconstitution of the peace Train on February 1st, Ki!)!), in which Albert ]5orgard was transferri'd from the adjutancy to the position of second of tlie six Engineers of tlie Train. Tlius stood the position of the l']ngineer branch of thi> service at the commencement of the eighteenth century, when the short-lived peace of liyswick was destined almost immediately to give place to the AVar of the Spanish Succession. \ m HISTORY OF TIIK CORl'S [vn. IV CIIAPTEll lY. GrlHRALTAR, 1704-1778. The Beginning of the War of the Spanish Succession-Capture of Gibraltar l.y the Bntish-lhe Prince of Hesse- Darmstadt appointed Governor- Siege by the Spaniards-Arrival of Joseph 15ennot-Brea( h^s Established —Assault Repulsed— Arrival of Talbot Mdwardes with ,.ther l-lngnneer^ —Conclusion of tiie Siege— Departure of Edwardes-Bennet made Thief Engineer— Tlis :\[ission to Barbary- Treat v of rtrecht-P..vertv of the Board ot Ordnanee-Iheir Correspondenee-The Second Siege, in 172 '- I ourt-.Martial on Lieutenant Mullar- General Irwin on Kngineer (iuarter> —Description ot tlie !• ortress of Gibraltar. The eighteenth century opened with the war known as that ol the .Spanish Succession. An alliance v,as enterrd into on .September 7th, 1701, between the Enii^eror of Austria the Jvin<>' of Great Britain, and the .States-(>en<-ral of Holland, tlio obieet's ot wludi were to curb the ambition of France, at that time, under Louis Al\.. the leading military power of Europe; and also to supiwrt tlie claims of Austria on the qiu^stion of tlie succession to the .Spanish throne. In pursuance of the policy laid d(.wu in tliis alliance. Admiral .Su- George Ilooke sailed from rortsmouth on January 4tli 1704 with a lr.rge fleet and a considerablr land force, to" escort tne Arcliduke Charles (tlie nominee of tlie lOmjieror for th<' thron<^ of .Spam) to Lisbon. Having landed liis roval ])ass.Mi..-cr at tliat port, he took on board Prince George .,f llesse-Dariustadt, and sailed for Barcelona, where it had been tliouglic the town would declare lor the Austrian pretender. This, howver, proved not to oe tlie case, and, tlie exiiedition having tailed in its object, liooke returned towards the Straits of Gibraltar, liaving left Barcelona on June 1st. On the 7tli he encountered tlie French fleet, and much manccuvring took place, Jlooke endeavom-ing to cut it off from loulon, which was its port of destination. Having- .een unsuccessful in this, and fearing that tlie hostile fleet 1 ino- reinforced at Toulon, would be able f ., intercej.t his passage ol' the .Straits, Rooke aet sail for Lisbon. Wliilst off Lagos, on the 27f]i, he was join.>d l)v Sir Cloudoslev Miovel Avith twenty-three sail of the line, his force b<;ingt)ms raised lTH4-i:7S.] OF KOYAI, ENGIMEERS. 63 mp; to seventy-two sliips and ;]0,000 rnen. llooke was now strongly urged l»y <.'lwirles, as also hy ihe English ambassador Methnen, to attempt a «irj»ris»' on Cadiz ; out tins he steadily declined to do, and continued erui«ing hetween Lago* and ('ape Spai-tel, apparently undeeided how to act, and afraid to stiike an}' decisive blow. L'isgiit'ted with this enforced inactivity, I'rince George at lengtli sugge»tni tliat an attempt s^iiould he made on Gibraltar, at that time a jilace of no great str»-ngth. and known to be but sikaiderly garrisoned. Tide, and left entirely to its own resources. The Governor having I'cjected a sunmions to sun-ender, the attack was opened at diiybreak on the 23rd by a bombardment from the Heet, which lasted nearly six hours. At the expiration of tliat tiuK'. most of the guns bearing on the bay having been silenced, an assault was delivered (m ^be New Mole. The springing of a mine caused a heavy loss in the stormers, but notwithstanding tliis tiny succeeded in making good their footing ok the Mole, where ihvy were soon reinforced. Tender these circinnstances tlie Governor, Don Diego de Salinas, ca[»itu!afed, and tlie garrison, consisting of only loO men,* niavchtd out witli all the honours of war. (fi])raltar thus passed into tlie possession of Great Britain, and has from that time remained ont* of the most valued outposts of the enquire in spite of tli(> efforts which liave from time to time been made by Spain to recover its iav(>(l tanioly to submit to the loss of Uihraitar, ami a fore(> of S,()(M) m<'n, undoV tlio .A[ar(|uis (le Yilbuhirias, was ordorcil to rocupturo tlie fortress. Jlo arrived bofore tlie ])hico on .Sciitember -Wi], and was joined a montli ktei hv a FrcneJi force of 4,000 men. On October 21st tho besic-'ers opened tlieir trenches at a distaueo of SOO yards from tJie Land!„,it curtain, and tln-ew n]) batteri<'s, from which on tho 'J7tli they be<>aji to breach tlie wall as well as the liound Tower. Meanwhile, notice of what was going- on luul been sent to liisbon, and Yice-A(biiiral kiv John Leake }ire])ared his S(piadrou to bring- snpplies and ammunition for tlie use of tlie besioo-(>d. AVith him the Earl of (iahvay sent Captain Josepli J>ciiiiet, a (iueeii's Engineer, to aid Prince (jreorge in conducting the defence, ;ind he was the first otlicer of that branch of the s.-r\ico to land on MM tile liock on >,'ovember 0th. The arrival of the sqnadron was most op»portnne. Not only did they surprise and cai)tnre in the bay three frigates and two JMiglisli jirizes, but tiny disarranged the })lans which \'illadarias had muuIv. to deliver a powerful ni<'-ht assault on th(> 10th. The fire from tli(> batteries Avas, however, ke])t np with extreme vigour ; tlm breaches which had been established in tlie curtain and lloiuul ToAver -wen- daily b(>coming wider; whilst a third \\as begun in the wall, to tlie rigid of the tower, from wliieh the approaches were only fifty j-ards distant. "But every night with great energy Hennet removed from ihe foot of the principal (or curtain) breach all the rubbish that had accumulated and threw it up as a mask in front tiius ke(>i)ing the escarj) itself inac- C(!ssil)le and raising tho low counterscarp. He also roiistructed a strong retrenchment behiml the rampart, palisaded the, covered way and ditcii and drove nine galleris under the gl;;cis to a distance of 150 paces." — (Parnell, p. 85). Many losses Jiad by this time been sustained in the garrison, and by the beginning of December tht-re were not more than 1,000 left 1704-1778.] OF KOYAL ENGINKERS. 65 I fit for duty. It Avould probably hiive been almost impossible to further maiiitam the defence, but for the fact that the besiegers had themselves many difficulties to contend against. The heavy rains that had set in swamped their trenches and caused much sickness. There Avere also many desertions amongst the Spaniards owing to the privations and hard work to which they were sub- jected, and the siege was in consequence carried on with less vigour, ihe British Goveniraent, as soon as they learnt of the capture oi (jibraltar, had i)rei>ared a Train for the service of the dcav acquisition, and Captain Talbot Edwardes, the Fourth Engineer of the kingdom, Avas appointed to its command and to take up the post of Chief Engineer at the station. He started at once before it was ready, m a convoy carrying 3,000 men to Lisbon. On arrival there, and after refitting, the force sailed for the Kock. On December 17th they encountered the French fleet off Cape Spartel, and were very nearly captured. With the exception, however of one ship having on board 280 men which was taken into Cadiz, the convoy managed to escape, part of the ships returnino- to Lisbon and part making their way to Gibraltar. These latter carried 2,000 men and a good supply of stores. Being thus seasoiiabl}' reinforced, the Prince assumed the offensive, and made two most successful sorties against tlio besiegers' advanced works, kvelhiig tlieir parapets, and burning their gabions and fascines! These checks, coupled witli numerous casualties from sickness and desertion, made the attacking force very desponding. During the month of January, 170.-,, they did but litth', and the garrison had ii most welcome respite from either assault or bombardment. At the end of that time Lieutenant-Ceneral De Thouy with a reinforcement of 4,000 men, joined A^iUadarias. who thereupon decided iipcjn resuming the oife-isive, and on February 7th, at daybreak, a powerful attack was T.'ade on tlie breaches. At first tile attempt was successful, and the stormers established themselves within tlie works, l)ut they were eventually driven back again with the loss of 300 officers and men. On February IStii, the ships which had sought shelter from tlie attack of the Frendi iivA by retiring to Lisbon made their appearance m the bay, having on board 700 men, and with them the Engineers Talbot Edwardes, Lewis IVtit, and Join, ^lassey, the iormcr of whom took over the command from Beimet. \Vriting to the Board of ( )r(lnance two daAs afterwards. Edwardes says :— "Day aiul iiiglit they throw boiuh.s and sliot into the town, whi.-li has lai.l -reat yart of it in rul)l)ish. The liouses near the enemy look lik ■ a place where some great Hre has been, hut the Fortitieation t,.ward« the Janil is ino^t dreadfully torn, which indeed cannot be woiuh^red at .>iince \ '^ 66 HISTORY OF TIIK JKl'S [t'll. IV. it is ncnv above seventeen weeks the siege began, and in tliat time it is coniputeil there lias been 8000 bombs thrown in and above 70,000 shot, wliich not long since had dismounted all the cannon. Dut l)y the un- wearied pains of the good Prince here (who is continually upon the Fortifications and often will work himself) some are mounted again and the rest arc in hand." On :\Iarcli L^nd, Bennet ooiiipleted a nine-gun battery wliioh had been for some time in liand, and the Prince celebrated the event by giving fifty gallons of punch to the working i)arties. He himself drank the Queen's liealth, and named the structure tlie Queen's J3attery. Tlie active prosecution of the siege was from tliis time at an end. Throughout tlie month of March rain fell almost incessantly, and the besiegers were fully employed in the effort to keep their trenches from being inundated. Early in April they began to remove their guns from the batteries and to convert the siege into a blockade, and on the 20th they retired from before the place. Of the 18,000 men who from first to last had been engaged in the attack, only 6,000 were left, showing a loss from wounds, sickness, and desertion of no less than 12,000. On the side of the garrison the casualties were about I/jOO. Next to the Prince, Avho was the soul of the defence, Joseph Bennet seems to have been tlu^ man whose engineering talents, energy, and devotion, were of the highest value to the garrison! In a letter to the Earl of (lalwav, Darmstadt wrote on April 5th, 1 ;().)— " ^ ' "C'est II lui que Ton doit que Sir .lean Leake n'aye jias est(' confondu des importuniti's de vos olHciers (jui voulurent le persuader de m'ul)ligei' a rendre la Place la premiere fois qu'il vint ici a cause (pi'ils (ne) crurent pas la Place tenabh-. Monsieur Laurence estoit le chef (pu forma le papier seditieux et c'est lui :\Ir. I'.ennct tout seul ijui opposa a cela . . . ainsi que ee dit Bennet mcritc bien (pie S. ^l. I'.ritunniquc considi're ses bons serviv.-es." In consequence of his devotion and of the Prince's reeonnncuda- tion, Bennet was made a lieutcTiaut- colonel, and received from the Qu8l,i a gratuity of f200. AVe also find hi an Ordnance Minute, dated May .'51st, 170."i_ "Tiiat a letter be vt'rit to Captain JJennet to accpiaint him that the Hoard are sensible of his great services at (libraltar, and doubt not Imt the Duke of ^MarlboriMigli will consider them." The Train f)f which Edwardes was ai)pointed the Chief ivaeliod (fibraltar in 1705, after the termination of the siege, and proved most useful in the restorations that were being carried on. The ;;rr.wy/?tr7 consisted of the Chief ]-:ngim.er, Ca])tain Talbot Edwardes, Avith a daily pay of f 1 ; 1 .Storekeeper at Ha.; Clerk to ditto, 1704-1778.] OK ROYAI, KNGINKK US. 67 4s. 6(1. ; and a Gun and Mortar Dotaclnnent of 2 Fireworkers at 4s. ; 6 lionibardiers at 2s. ; and 05 Gunners at Is. Od. The Artificers were a Master Sniitli at 4s., with 2 Mates at .'is. ; .i Master Carpenter at 4s., with 2 Mates nt JJs. ; a Master IJrick- Inyer at 48., witli 2 Mat(>s at ;5s. ; a Master Mason at 4s., witli 2 Mates at ;Js. ; 2 Sawyers at 3s. (Jd. and lis. ; a Wlieelwright at 'is. ; a Cooper at 48. ; and a Turner at 4s.* Tliere was ])lenty of work for tliis body of artificers, and doubt- less tliey formed only the nucleus of a much larger number locally engaged for the fortifications. They nnist be considered the fore- runners of the (Virps of Military Artificers created at Gibraltar seventy years later. Talbot Edwardes did not remain long at the Hook, and after his departure Bennet succeeded him as Chief Engineer. For the next four years he was busily engaged in restoring the damaged fortifications, and creating a more i»owerful system .f defence. In the year 1710 he was sent on a mission to ]')arbary, to arrange for the purchase and supply of building materials from the Emperor of Morocco, lie was the bearer of the following letter from (iueen Anne to the Emperor: — "Anno by thf (Jrace of God (,)uc-eu of Great Britain Franco and Ireland Dofondcrof tlie Faitli See. "To tlic Higli and Glorious ^b)narch the Mighty and K' Xoble Triuoo Albunazar Muloy Ishniaol 15en ^hihy Khoriil" Bon Miiley Aly Kniporour of tlio Kingdom of Fez, Morocco' Taffilot, Lus, and all the Algarbo and its Territorys in Africa, (Uvoting. High iV Glorious Monarch. " Our Governour of (Jibraltar liaving roprosented to Us that tho Houses there are in a ruinous CondicHn fur want of several :\Iateriall.s which eannot conveniently be brouglit from hence by reason of tho great distance, and that those parts of your Imperial Maj"'" Domininn." w^'' lye noiU'est to it are al)undantly supjily'd w"' all those things the Ldialiitants of the said Town have occasion f -r, Wo out of our fender rare for all our Subjects, tho' novel' so remote, and in full contidonce of your Im])orial ISbijosty's friondsliii) wliich Wi' have so often experienced and w'" great jiloasure acknowledge, do make it our rorpiest to you That you will grant leave to Coll" lionnet or to sucli of our otficors as sball 1)0 sent from thence, to treat w"' the ollicors of y'' Imperial :\Iaiesty to cut down Tind)er, and make Bricks, Tile, or I>vme about the Coast of Alcazor, near the Streight's ^h)uth, w'" free liberty to Transport y" same for the use of tlie said (Jarrison. W,' on our part sball embrace all opportunitys To shew our Esteem for y' Imperial Ma)'> and our Koyal favour to y' Subjects, so w"' wishes of health and true liai.piness AVe reeoiTiend y" to tho protection of Almiglitv God. (liven 1 J^ I' h ■:i i, Hicliarils' Papers, xxiv. 13;1 68 HISTOKV OK THE (OKI'S [ ( H. IV. att our Coml :itt „iir Koyal Palace of KeiusiiiKton ii,is 17tli dav of .Iiily 1710 in the Ninth year of our Roign, "Your Iinpciiiill Maj"» um.st Allcctionatc Friuml " Awe R." ("War Old. in Conn., in W. ()., vol. xix., p. 1 ' J.) The EniiHTor, in his reply to Bennet, as tho envoy of the Queen, e.\press."(lhi8wilhuf.ness to comply with ]ler Maji-sty's request, hut (•oupled his consent witli so numy conditions 'that no i)nictical beneht ever ensued from tli.> negotiation. (See ihid., i.. -..^So, for IvUiperor s reply.) Lenuet's zeal in his W(n-k at tho Itock was such that, iudo-ino- from a leitor written by him to the J.ord lliuh Treasurer, dated August loth, 1< 11, he seems to have been accused of spending too much money, and had to defend himself from tho aspoi-sion "Little money," he says, "has bee i laid out in fortifying (iih- raltar considering the Asork that has been done. The place is now T*^'T f/'"'''8"- • • . I Avas freciuently in want of coals. . . . I shall shortly tinish the fortifications. . . ." His work was eminently successful. The allies did not ventm-e to renew the attack, and in the year 1713 the Treaty of Utrecht ratified the possession of the fortress by (Jreat Britain in its 10th Article, in which it is thus recorded : — "The Catholic King does hereby for himself, his Heirs and Successor.^, yield to the Crown of (",ivat I'.ritain the full and entire Propriety of the Town and Castle of ( lil.raltar, to-ether with the Port, l-ortitieations and torts thereunto bel.)n>,an,L,', and he gives up the said Propriety to be held and enjoy d absolutely with all ^burner of Right for ever without any hxception or Inipediinent whatsoever." There are ample proofs in the Ordnance Minutes of tlie great uaut of money under whicli that department .suffered, a want v/hich compelled a niggardly outlay even tor the most important objects. AVe have seen tliat Bennet liad to defend liimself against extravagance in the exi)enditure necessary to restore the fortress to a decent .state of defence— a matter wliich brooked no delay, since the place had been lialde to attack at any favourable moment until tlie Peace of Utrecht ratified its possession by England. It ^vas, however, not only the money for such services as these that was procured Avitli dillicnilty and b>' dribblets, but even the very pay and alltjwances of the oificers of the Ordnance were often sadly in arrears. Thus, we find under date August 24tli, 1714— "That Colonel Uennet's Account for his personal pay as Engineer at Gibraltar be stated and that a Pill l.e allow.'d and de])eiiture made out to him for what shall he due to the time of his discharge." (This alludes to his retirement in 1714.) I'robably this led to some dispute as to the items, for the next entry is September :28th, 1714 : — IT04-177H.] OF KOYAI. KNfMNKKKS. 69 "Tliiit Colojicl iSoiiiiot iitt(Miil horo (111 tluH ckv s<''nin>ht in relatidn to his pay." Even when the a lount \vm settled it seems that the iJoaH was compelled to give a doheiitnre instead of cash, for on April fiih, 171.'), we !■' ' the following entry, the Boai'' having pi- - siimably seeuit ». ..ids in tli«' interim, owing to the new financial year being entered on : — "And to pay Colonel licnnct £1356 i., full of a Debenture dated the 261' K'lmiary, f(n- hi.s pay us i<:nf,'intHT at (libraltar." There were still items unsettlcnl, as we read further on, June 3rd, 1715, " Colonel I'.ennet allowed £U) 1 for the enemy's shot gntliered by liim at his own ( xponae at (xibraltar " (presumably after the sieg( of 1704-0). We also read that one of his suceessors in the command, Major John Hanway, wn^ i ted in a similar manner : — "Dev:\ Uth, 171t.. Major Ilanwny ,,f (ubraltar, as Chief Eiif,nncor there, to be paid his arrears to Dec'. .31st 7 ' ">, and his subsistence from May 6tli to December Uth 1716 at 158. per .lieni." Bennet was succeeded as Chief Kngineor by Brigadier-Greneral Sir Peter Durand, from Minorca, '.u 1712. That otlieer, dunng the three yours he held the poM, did m great deal in the restoratir v and development of the fortifications, as far as the economical dis- position of the Board of (.)rdnnnce would permit. lie died at Gibraltar in December, 1715, and was buried in the King's Chapel. The inscription on his monument runs thus: — H. S. E. (Hie Sepultus est) Petrus Durand Armiger Architectura* Militaris Et rei tormentarias Britannicre In hao Urbe et Minora Baleari Pra-feetus Tanta peritiro dederat speeimina Ut ab augustissimo Rege Greorgio His munitionibus perticiendi.s Unus destinaretiu" Magna molientem mors abstulit Commilitonibus Defensorem Egregio desiderandum snis Amicum Patreni Maritum Ehou quam flebilem Obiit Dee'. MDCt^XV. M Sua> XI.II.* y * Here is buried Peter Durancl, Knight, Chief of ^filitarv "Works iiiul 15riti-h Warlike Engineering in this city and Minorca. Mo gave so many proofs of his :'■,•'■ >VV^>^o. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // ^ 1.0 I.I 1.25 ;- iiiiM 2.2 2.0 1.4 1.8 1.6 %

, C/j )i> 70 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. IV, , i " To Your Affectionate ff"riends Acidre«se.i "For Af- A^'"''' i^^'"'^-'"' ^^ J^^^'^^^^, Tho. Fraxkkland." at clXr." ' ^'^"^"'"'^ ^"^ '^^ ^^'' «f H. M. Ordnance (Acting as Chief Engineer in the absence of Major Hanwav) oh.Lf """IrJ ''*^r^ *^''^ ^'"^P*^^" ^^'i^^oe cleared himself of the charge, or that m those days the breaking of an arm and tliP S- ' ""' '"'' '''^'y '"^""^''^ November 20th, 1720, we " Mr. Jonas Moore, Engineer, co command the Artillerv and to ho Phipf fcd M^ Af'"''"' P^' ' ''''r '' '''' "^'^'^^ t« Cap? B toe to obet tne f,aid Mr. ^loore as Connnandcr-in-Chief " "^ EnSr fn nif^n^Ti "'"""f ■"'l ®"' '''*'»■ 1''™"'' »» Chief "Dear Sir A'.,„i r i, ." London, 31st March, 1720. fl>P iT^'^^T'—}'" ^a^'° I'^-et^ luxurious so long in your Denn that he Loard do not tlunk it proper or advisable to sett v u at Hbe v tH spaied, m he meantnne Mr. Moore will send you all the news of te i ' 5 3H. IV. 1704-1778.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 71 3 i Tho now there is nothing stirring but Mississipi and South Sea, and happy were they who liad money to put in at first. Amongst those of good fortune our Surveyor" (the Engineer Brigadier-General Michael Richards) " and Benefactor has gott £26000 to pay for an Estate of £1000 a year (w'"^" he is the best Bidder for) & reserved in the Stock as much as he had at first. I wish he had better health to enjoy it, though he is now pretty brisk, advancing May Hill apace. I am just going with Daddy Meades to wake the evening & to talk of this great Bubble w"'" he has gott £2000 by. He gives his Blessing to you, as I do my humble service and hearty wishes for your health & welfare. D'' li'' Your most faithful humble serv' "Bell Jones." " To W" Horneck Esq"" at Gibraltar." Mr. Jonas Moore was named to the command at Gribraltar on July 22nd, 1720, it being intended that Captain Horneck should proceed to Mahon to take up the command there. An alarm of a new attack on Gribraltar appears, however, to have detained him, as we read in a letter dated November 18th, 1720 — " By our letter of 9th September to Capt. Horneck he was directed not to go to Mahon till further orders, but as the ai^preheudons of attacking Gibraltar are now over he is again ordered to proceed. You are there- fore to take upon you the chief Command and Direction as well of the Artillery S: Stores as of the Works at Gibraltar, for which a Commission M-ill be sent you, and in the mean time orders are now gone to the Respective Officers there to obey you as their Commander in Chief. "To Mr. Jonas Moore Engineer to the Office of Ordnance at Gibraltar." On October 24th, 1721, a letter was addressed to "Jonas Moore, Esq'" Engineer and Command' in Chief of the Traine of Artillery at Gribraltar." There appears to have been some dispute as to the position of the Company of Gunners, in regard to medical treatment, as in this letter it is said — "As to the 2 Bombardiers blown up by the springing of mines the Suigeon of the Garrison is to Cure them upon Mie same terms with y" rest of tlie Garrison." It would seem that during this time Jonas Moore, although Commander-in-Chief of " the Trayne of Artillery," and in charge of the Avorks, was not officially recognized by the title of Chief Engineer, for in a letter dated December 22nd, 1722, the Board wrote — " The R' Hon"'" the Earl of Cadogan " (the Master-General of the Ordnance) " huth been pleased (upon y" Board's Recomeiidacnn) to grant you a Warr' to be Chief Engineer and Sub Director of y Works at Gibraltar, at y'" albwance on the Xew Establishment of Engineers at 15'/ per Diem." m^ \ .«»!.■ -?■ 72 HISTOHY OF THE CORPS f.! [CH. IV. 2nd, 1727, the Board wrote as follows to On Januar Moore : — Defence of that pJuce Sair.r™,? .? t^ "«»ssary for the hettcr Gate into the hetZnt^^l^^lXllt^TtC't '''"? f "'"'"^ and D,Uh. l;;Se"Let;"tinl e XT^l^^^Xfr'"^ Two Thousand poS„d, Ste ?, » The^ "T ^'i ""^ '''""'■^'i in the Princes Line and the otlier 'in 'th„ K, T "° w^" '^°™'' °"» you to consider if tliose Caves can 1 e of ° «' ^'°''' ^ " ™'"1 '"'»■« case of a Siege) from SonZ or Sto.l I""?/* *? «<>™'- «io Men (in such nse you'nJay ralfcThen, ctnSli™, L'tLtl *?■" ™ff' 7' enlargng and makintr l^onohpo ^ Ti: ^ . ^* Service, either by shall find most Zpe/ S.'c?' « f I Conveniencys in them as you Jill, arrive ^it^Xs' Ll:Sl\i:;'l'A:l'T ''''f '^^ ^'^'« Engineers to be'Assistin- to vou viz Pa Tcjori 'X^ 1.?'^ ^^^^' *^^o Reinforcement of 30 GnnneJZ DoSt\iff W tt ^5 ^^'^^"^^' «"d ^ Transactions by every Op;:" :mV th"^^ otrt' ''* ""' '"" "^ ^"^* '^^ '^" "We are " Cha. Wells, John Armst Jo°vo Loving Friends "To Jonas Moore Esq-" ^«*'^trong, Geo. Gregory, L. Smelt. AutlSitf to'ky'tit' £oo"o'o fn" h""*^^ ^"* *'- ^^ ^^s and Befence,^that alUhf boasted nower'nf'^"^ ■^'^''^''' ^"'« '^ P^^t"''^ «f against it. We aL in r pi^^^uSit^^^^^^ "'^ '^^^ '^ ''^^^^ ^° P^-'^ extravfgantTutlay ?^r a fe^^^^^ !? "^^^- -3^ safe. It wasvervwllfnr/b«^?\ u- *^^>^ .seemed to consider was penned the Condt? dp ll t! i, f ^^^e when this letter againk the place w^tfan ^rm! of 20 OOo'l'^^ '"1 ilSf '^'^"^'^^^ treaty entered iito between H^^ilinV'^fQ-'' '" M^^n^^^t of a Charles VT r.I^f !i . T ^- °^ ^^''^^^ and the Emperor theS;:„TLs w:rf , 'LTultdT„°/h "'"/"'""^^ ™^ •'""* their lost sfroiiffliolil tL ffi l . nl^" ™deavoiir to recover Gibraltar,™ J hl%„,e„E„tla^dHfe"™' *", '^°™™'' "* devolved „a Colonel Clarto'-; f "^ rt-GrntXr^ir OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 73 1704-1778.] the news of the siege reached England, reinforcements were sent out, and Lord Portmore, although a very old man, hastened to return to his seat of government, arriving there in the month of T^"\r .?^'^f.'"'.Pr^®"^ ^* ^^^ «^«ge were— Sub-Director, Jonas Moore, the Chief Engineer of Gibraltar ; Engineer, Captain John Sehoke; Sub-Engineer, William Skinner; Practitioners, leter Laprimaudaye, Eobert Bousfield, and James Wybault and Cadet Engmeer, Justly Watson. The siege was not prose- cuted with any great energy, the Conde trusting to the effects of bombardment to gam his point. After five months of open trenches a general peace put an end to the attempt. ihe Board kept up their correspondence with the Chief JiiUgineer during the siege. On March 10th they wrote— "We direct you to send us by the very first opportunity a Sketch of that part of the Town of Gibraltar tliat's attacked, & of the Enemvs ai)proaches and Batterys, distinguishing by proper References the .Number of Cannon Si Mortars upon Each Battery And by every succeeding opportunity to send us an exact Journal of the Approach of the Enemys Works during the Course of the Siege." Captain Moore seems to have uphca' the reputation of the Corps at the siege, if we may judge from the following letter :— .1 "J.^a^?'^'— Inclosed is a Lre w^" Mr. Cockburn tells me is wrote by the Ma. GeneraKjrders to acquaint you that his Grace approves very well of your Conduct, and you may depend upon my taking the first favourable opportumty to lay your Extra Services before their honours who I believe are much inclined to Reward all their Officers that behavd well at Gibraltar, and if so your share will not be the least." Captain Moore's pay was raised to 20s. per diem, and in the letter announcing this fact the wi-iter says— " I am of opinion you will share with the other Officers in the Board's hivour about rhe perquisite of the Shott d- Shells.'' In another letter, dated September 13th, allusion is made to two other Engineers at the siege— "Pray in your next let mo know bow Capt. Selioke .t Mr. Wybault ' behaved. The former had his salary of £100 p. ann. made xm to lOV a day as^ an Encouragement, but the latter had nothing but his l>ay of 37 Wybault was a Sub-Engineer at the time, and the practice seenied then, as now, to exclude subalterns from reward In spite of the lavish expenditure of £2,000, Avhich the autho- nties thought would render Gibraltar secure from "all the boasted power of Spain," new works were apparently considered m^eessary ; and Ave here get a glimpse of the grandmotherly legislation of the Board, who seemed to look upon their officers as I ;■«'- \ •m '\'-'' .. ■/ i^ ■'■i- 'X i S i ^ iu a !sam--m 74 HISTORY OF THE CORPS |(:H. IV. 11 incapable of carrying out even the details of the works without warnings and advice :— c£!lv^^''-^'^'^^-~'''^'n^''''} ^'" ^^' ^avaneed in the Covert way and Glacis. \\ e give yon one Caution, whicli i. that you take care that the ha 11 ant Angles be carried up so high as to defend the Cnrtains 1 Again, on August 25th, 1730— "We putt you in mind that after you have laid the foundations of the whole you carry It up altogether, that we may have no Cracks o bettlement. ni it by being carried up at different times .1- seasons." In a letter dated February 2Gtli, 1734, after having given the most detailed instructions as to the mode in whicli work should be earned on, it is added— "Thus We give You our Opinion, and desire you to do all to the best advantage and in the frugallest manner you can for the King's srvco not being able to make more Critical judgments at so great a distance." ' Later on, when tbe post of Chief Engineer was filled l. Major (afterwards Sir William) Green we seem to see something like a revolt against these minutiae. The following extract of a letter trom him to the Board must have been written sarcastically :— " Your obliging caution of leaving vents for the water Issuin- from he sprjngs m the Hill at the Back of the Wall shall be ,.unctuam- attended to I must beg to acknowledge M-ith a great many thanks the ^ Zd tl^Ss^- '"^"''^^ ''' ^^^"^^ -'' ^^^-- "^ «^P-- The Board of Ordnance was certainly never behindhand in iipholdmg the rights and privileges of tlie ofHcers wlio were sprvmg under its control, but it was over-fond of assorting its paternal rights and of keeping its officers in ' ding-strings, Avhilst to all other departments of the army it was most obstruc- tiye and obnoxious ; and of this yye get some samples in the mbraltar records. There had been much unpleasantness owing to tlie fact that the Governor considered his autliority sufficient for ordinary trivial Items of expenditure, a presumption which the august Board could not tolerate Ihey soon made matters so unpleasant for the untortunate Chief Engineer that he was compelled to inform the Governor of the necessity for procuring the sanction of the Board tor everything. Some amusing entries have been made on this matter : — ".Jan>-8"' 1731. Lieutenant General Sabine having bv l(>tter to His Grace the Master (General dated U'" X..v' requested that some thu 1704-1778.] OF UOYAI. KNGINEKRS. 75 Major Iter 10 t some Ortlers might be given concerning the prisons at Gibraltar, whicli are m so bad a condition tliat tliey ari; not fitt for Dogkennela, that they suffer very much in their health by the lilth and nastinoss of the place occasioned by the want of necessary houses for the Soldiers to go to which if they were built of Stone would last for ever, and for ought he knows be cheaper to the King than those of wood, which in spight of all the care that can be taken the Soldiers will tear up and destroy, (fee." The Board on this ordered the Chief Engineer to carry out the necessary improvements. ^ J^c T. ^^^.*®^' °^ December 12th, 1738, to Mr. Skinner, Acting Chiei Lngmeer, fve read — "Having signified in your letter of the 12'" Ocf that you are acquainted with our having approved of your Obeying the Governor's orders in repairnig the Parapets & Banquetta, as necessary to the Defenoe of the Garrison, but desire to know whether you are to build the Stone lillows of. a Gallows which is in the latter part of his Order, he has several times insisted on your doing so, but you have hitherto put it off. In return thereto we desire, when the Governor insists on it a^ain, that you will let him know that as the Building of a (fallows is not necessary for the Defence of the Garrison we think it may be postponed." In reply to an appeal from the Chief Engineer for more officers '^is a siege by the Spaniards is expected," Captain Archer and Laptam-Lieutenant Midlar arrived in June, 1762, in the B/ni/iciiu with the new Governor, Lieutenant- General Cornwallis. Lieutonant ?r • ^^^V?^'^^ "^* ^^^^ "^ getting himself into serious disgrace, as Major Green reports on September ;Jrd, of the same year— " I am to acquaint Your Honours that Lieut. MuUar, Engineer, has been tryed by a General Court Martial for going in Company with Another Officer into the Spanish Advanced Hutts contrary to orders and hriiig a Pistol at one of the Miquelet "(Militia)" Guards placed there by tlie Spaniards to prevent Siuugling, the Ball of which went into the Man s mouth which rendered his life doubtfull for some time, and when that was declared out of danger they were then tryed, and the sentence is unagmed to be gone home for His Majesty's Pleasure, but from ' the Circumstances that attended this rash action it is more than probable they will 1)0 broke, in which Case I hope Your Honours will send such Engineers as will appear most proper, begging leave to assure you that the Assistance of some is still much Avaiited." The sentence, which was promulgated on May 29th 1763 Avas "The Dismission of Capt. Lieut. Mullar fron/llis Majesty's Service. '' We noAv come to a question Avhich has been a grievance and a matter of dispute for many years, and that is the 0(^cupation by Eiiigiueers of selected quarters appropriated specially for their use It IS amusing to trace the first mutterings of that storm which \^' ■.ff|f..j ! ' 'ii'i '■ ^? ■••If '■ ■''i!,- ■ •'I ■,^^,! 76 HISTORY OK THE rORPS [CH. IV. reached Its height when the Control Department, then newly fonned, endeavoured to wi-est tlio privilege from them ^ of ^So;Wn? &'"""' ^^^"."'^tr"^ ''''' «I^r°««d to the claims ot tne (.Ordnance officers, had issued an order that— "All King's Quarters for Officers as well as those Occupied by Officers of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, an.l those OcruS L oZl Regnuents & by the Engineers to have a Stone nu^^^n them with re"r:?wuf^%'''fr^'' ^^-^^^^^ QuartersTtol'S^rmb: oegining with JN 1 and proceednig m a Regular Planner." "Its with pleasure I embrace every Opportunity of Assurinrr vo,i ^vHh wha Chearfulness I shall Obey YLr'£omman':3f Ye ^4?^' •fnd Hon- p' ' 1 v"*^ I"«;}"^bent on me, and what the Master GeZl and Hon Board Expect, that I shall represent to You that the Office s ihi PnJr t'' Have, ever since the first Regulation of Quarters in this Garrison, been look'd upon as Establish'.l Ordnance Quart- ind Confirmed as such by General Bland, and all Repairs o disb rlient, luade on them are by the Board's Absolute Commands placed unertha Head; therefore as the Expence of i\umbering (Jnance CW» i. unprecedented and no Allowance made for that l\irpo e ""tl Hon" tbn J "''^'' the necessity of praying Your Warrant for my Jusdfica- tion, and more particularly so as such a step must Hereafter tend To Alienate those Quarters from the Service of the Ordnance '' The reply of General Irwin was certainly very cogent and ■crushing, and m spite of its length is given hfe.teL, Th seems view •-' question thoroughly from the military point of nst. (the General had evidently carefully thought over his reply before he wrote It "which I look upon as a Represeiftation against my Public Orders of that date, and I cannot But say that tho' it may L Lpei in yoiir Quality of Engineer, yet you are an Officer of too much si^erien e 0,liTr"\*^* '^ ■' ^"^. '"'y ''''^''^''y *« "lake Objections to public Orders before Complying with them, as I have always Understood the Maxim was to Obey first and Complain Afterwards; however out of m^ Pe sonal Regard or you, as well as out of the Re.pect I bear to t" e tuf Jn rihe r""^"" ^ f '\ ^'^^^"'^''^^' ' -> willing lo Enter a little into the Reasons why I gave those Orders, as also to Endeavour to show You how Illfounded the Objections you Offer are 1704-1778.] OF ROYAI- ENfflNEERS. 77 " \<)U aro pleased to say iu your Letter that the Officers Quarters are already number'd, and that the other (^)uarters mentioned iu the order have ever since the Hrst regulation of (Quarters in this Garrison been look'd upon as Establish'd Ordnance Quarteis, and Confirm'd as such by General IJland. I know not how such (istablishinent prevails, nor when or III what Manner (reneral Bland confirm'd it, ard have never seen or heard any thing of the one or the other except by Your Letter, but I am Credibly Inform'd that such a Regulation if ever made has not been con- stantly Observ'd, and particularly that the Quarter which Y..u at present Inhabit has lieen Occupied by different ( )fficer.s of Regiments of Foot As to the Ordnance (Quarters projjerly so called, which I look upon to be the Storekeepers and those of the Civil ( )fficer.s and Clerks in that department, I think It highly proper that they should be permanently Establish'd for the Convenience of carrying on the Public Business. But I do not see that any particular Corps of Military Oificers (and such I presume Engineers deem themselves) can with any degree of Reason or propriety claim a pre-eminence or preferance in their portion or Allotment of Quarters in this Garrison, and by that Means apropriate a Certain Number of the best (Quarters in such a manner as to put it out of the power of the Governor or Commander in Chief to make any use of them m the most Critical emergency. I shall ever be of Opinion that the Engineers on service in this Garrison should be as Conveniently and as Comfortably lodged as time and circumstances will admit of, but I can never think it consistanf. Avith Discipline and the Public Service that they should have a perpetual Right without Controul to the Best or Indeed any particular Quarters in the Place. Should it be thought Necessary, either in Time of Peace or War, to augment the Garrison and to order Hither one or more General Officers of Ranks superior to the Engineers, it would Certainly be very Unmilitary, and 1 may say very Indecent, that an Engineer with the rank of Captain or whatever other Rank he might Happen to Bear should enjoy one of the Best (,)uprters, and the Generals or other his Superior Officers be Obliged to take up with the Worst. Or should the Governor on any Occasion think it necessarv or Conducive to the Better defence of the Place, that an Engineer should be Stationed at or near the South Barracks, in order to be the more ready to give their Advice and Assistance in case of any sudden ittack on that side, surely no Engineer would say that his Establish'd (Quarter was ill the Town and that therefore he could not remove. " These reasons will, I hope, be (,)uite Sufficient to show the Impro- priety of having any Particular (^)iiarters establish'd for the use of a peculiar Corps of Oflicers in this Garrison, and though, as I said before 1 have all possible respect for the Individuals who compose the Board 'of Ordnance, yet I will take the Liberty of saying that they cannot at so great a distance be so Good Judges of the Manner or place most proijer arid Convenient for Quartering Officers (as well Engineers as others) as the (Governor or Commander in Chief. I therefore abide by my order of having all Officers Quarters mark'd and Number'd, and must expect your prompt Compliance therewith, especially as the Quarter you possess and n :• ■* L- in \ '■■i I '!. 'i • •^.,^. -. ]V^t5- t^/%3W-ngineer smce 1760. The foundation-stone of King's Bastion was laid in 1773 by Major-General Boyd, then acting as Governor in the absence of General Cornwallis. In this ceremony he was attended by Colonel Green and all the principal oflieers of the garrison. After declaring the stone duly laid " This " he said, " is the first stone of a work which I name the King's Bastion. May it be as gallantly defended as I know it will be ably executed, and may I live to see it resist the united efforts c icii 1 -.1 •" '^ ' „ i-s.-p.jpt.^ „na an aapuuuuu which were fulfilled within a very few years. I I guns; other 1704-1778.] OF ROYAl, HINEERS. 81 The garrison at the commencement of the siege consisted of six companies of AxtiUery, the Soldier Artificer Company officered hy Engineers, the 12th, ;39th, o6th, 58th, and 72nd Eegimenta of the line, and three regiments of Hanoverian troops, making a total of 268 officers and 5,114 men. The naval force under Admiral Dufe consisted of the Panthev flagship of sixty guns, three frigates, and a sloop ot war. In the early days of the British occupation the Spaniards had constructed a hue of works across the isthmus, at the distance of about a mile from the north front. This line, which was about 1,700 yards m length, reached from shore to shore. At either extremity was a masonry fort, each mounting upwards of twenty guns ; the one overlooking the bay was called St. Philip's, and the other St. Barbara. These forts furnished a powerful cross-fire over the Neutral Ground, which lay between the line and the north front of the fortress. At the time of the construction of these works much acrimonious discussion took place on the subject in England. By many it was thought that the suiTender of Gibraltar would have precluded the Spaniards from erecting any works within two cannon shot distance of the fortress. It was, however, pointed out that the clause in the Ireaty of Utrecht yielding the fortress specially restricted the grant to the town and castle of Gibraltar with its port and fortifications. As a matter of fact oiu- Ministers had demanded an e.vient of ground of two cannon shot from the north tront, but the French King, who acted as intermediary in the matter, said that " he could not prevail with the King of Spain to part with one inch of land more than the town itself," and the clause 111 the Treaty was worded accordingly. «■ •, \ v.. » '[. '!• MB^iS. I'j^m 82 HISTORY OF THK CORPS [CH. V. CHAPTER V. The Siege of Gibraltar, 1779-1783. Commencement of the Siege of Gibraltar — Mrs. Green's Joxirnal — HoUoway's Diary — Drinkwater's Xarrative — -Engineers Present — Green's Lodge — Construction of Besiegers' Batteries — Admiral Duff — Experiments witli Sliell Gnus and Light- Balls — The First Relief under Rodney — Small-Pox — Fire-Ships — Advanced Batteries constructed by the Spaniards— Lieutenant Booth — His Plans — His Subsequent Hlness — Second Relief under Admiral Darby — Bombardment of the Town— Execution of two R.M. Artificers for Plundering — The Sortie — Great Damage to the Besiegers' Works — The Ten Great Floating Batteries — Galleries formed in the Rock — Secoud Bombardment — Attack by the Floating Batteries — Their Destruction — Conclusion of the Siege — Rewards to the Principal Officers — Cost of the Defence. The year 1779 opened with much uneasiness at Gibraltar, from the uncertainty of our relations with Spain. France had been for some time carrying on war against Great Britain, having joined the Americans in their struggle for independence, and it was felt to be a mere question of time when Spain would throw in her lot with the other belligerents, in the hope of regaining- possession of Gibraltar. This anticipation was soon realized. The Spanish Ambassador declared war in London on June 16th, and immediately afterwards the great siege connnenced. The standard narrative of this, justly considered one of the most eventful struggles in history, is that written by Colonel Drinkwater, from a journal kept with the utmost detail, in which every phase is pictured with a fidelity not to be exceeded. Fortunately we have, in addition to this most interesting woi'k, two private jom-nals, one kept by Mrs. Green, the wife of the Cliief Engineer, and the other by Lieutenant llolloway, his Bri- gade Major. As ma}^ be expected, Mrs. Green does not enter much into the military branch of the subject, but in her Avritings we obtain the most graphic pictures of the social side of the question, as also of the privations and sufferings of tlie garrison. There are many allusions to the Engineers, as was to be anticipated in a journal written l)y the wife of their Chief. The following extracts show the position before the blockade was actually enforced : — "June 1'*, 1779. I hnrn that our Gov'' has been out himself tc invite the Spanish Oov' of 8' Ro(|ue Don .Toa"' Mendoza and his \, 1779-1783.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 83 Lady and all tlio Spanish officers to come in upon tlie 4'" June" (The King's Birthday), " which shew'd all was well at that time. "June 4'". Great bustle in the Garrison, the Field officers & Staff at a Dinner at the Convent. In the afternoon the Spanish Gov'" Lady & Several officers came In but not the Gov'' himself. At Sunset their was a , 'm-de-jojH'. JMadame ]\Iendoza went from the Line wall, where she had 3en the Firing, to the Convent, where there was a very Grand Gala, a Ball, <*l' the Inside Court Yard all round the Colonade was finely Illuminated it all possible pahis taken on the occasion. "June 19*". All the Colonels and Field Officers of this (iarrison were desired by the Gov'' to attend him in a Visit He made to Don Joachim Mendoza, the Gov'' of S' Roque, upon hearing ofi" his havin--- been promoted to the rank of Lieut. Gen'. They form'd a larrre Cavalcade, it was a very Warm Day. NB. They return'd to dinner, it was remarked that He did not receive this Visit as He ought to have done, but Seem'd Uneasy the whole time they staid, which was not very long." Immediately after this event communication with the Spanish lines was cut off, and the blockade commenced on June 31st. The journal of Lieutenant Holloway begins at this time with the following entry : — " Works begun and carried on in Gibraltar since the 21st June 1779, being the day that all communication was stopped between this "arrisoii and the Spaniards." During the earlier months of the siege the enemy evidently counted upon a speedy surrender of the fortress through famine. The dram on the stores of provisions, caused by the comparativeh- large population of the to\vn, would, it was anticipated, be too severe for a prolonged defence. The combined French and Spanish fleet, consisting of sixty-six ships of the line, besides a large number of frigates and smaller craft, was cruising in the English Cliannel, and should prevent the possibility of relief from England. Another Spanish squadron, under Admiral Barcelo, was anchored off Algesiras, and from that point commanded thJ entrance to the Bay of Gibraltar. Under these circumstances it seemed impracticable for the besieged to receive any help beyond what might be conveyed by small coasting craft running tlie blockade under cover of night. Fortunately, however, for the defence m these early days of the siege, a large supply of pro- visions had been received in April, and this, combined Avitli very strict economy in tlie issues, enabled the Governor to maintain himself pending the arrival of relief. The garrison, whilst thus cooped up and cut off from eoni- munication with the outRf'o world, were not idle. To quote Drinkwater : — "The engineers continued preparing materials in their departments towards completing the works of the garrison, for which purpose strong 1 1? , i , ! i 'i * h''\ )■ 84 HISTOKY OF THK COUPS [CH. V. \l ?if parties of the line were granted them daily, under the command of overseers. About 300 Jews and Genoese were also employed lovellinf heaps of sand near the gardens on the neutral ground, in order that il the enemy should approach they might not receive any protection or cover from our lower hatteries. The pic(|uets of the garrison were ready on the Grand Parade to support these parties in case they had been molested ; but though they were at work within half musket shot of the enemy's advanced guard in the Miccpielet huts, yet not the least attem])t was made to disturb them." This was in July, and again in August wo read : — "As aifairs began to wear a more serious aspect a general activity reigned throughout the garrison, promoted not a little by the example of the Governor, who was usually present when the workmen paraded at the dawn of day. The engineers were busily employed in putting the works at Willis's in the best rejiair, and in erecting new batteries on the hei'dits of the Xorth front." Holloway's journal goes into some detail as to these works. It may be well to quote a few entries to show the general character of the operations carried on ; but they are entered far too con- tinuously and too minutely to admit of more than an extract here and there : — "June 23"' 1779. Began a casemated battery for one gun and twi» guns over it in the garden above Crutchets. These guns are chiefly to Hank Lower Forbes's. " June 26"'. Began a palisading to enclose the principal magazine in the Castle. " July 20"'. Fresh beef was delivered out at 60 lbs. per regiment, the Artillery and Soldier Artificer Company being considered as equal to one. — 100 lbs. of beef to the Generals and Admiral, 60 lbs. to the Civil list, and 60 lbs. to the Navy. " July 28"'. Began to form two batteries, one for 4 guns and the other for 3 guns, on that part of the hill called the Catalan post, lying between the Moorish castle and Caroline battery. " Aug* 7"'. Began fitting up Poca Roca's cave as apartments for the Governor. "Aug*. 20"'. Blowing the rock to form a Battery of 5 guns 60 feet above the North Lodgement, which is 900 feet above the sea. This battery is to annoy the enemy in their trenches, as well as to enfilade Fort Barliary and Fort S' Philip." Drinkwater's reference to the activity of the Governor leads to the remark that he was General George Augustus Eliott. He had served for many years as an Engineer, his firgt commission as Practitioner being dated on August 13th, 1741. He w\as promoted I'ktraordinary Engineer in 1744, and Engineer in Ordinary in 1747. He had of late years abandoned the Corps and reverted to plain military duties ; but his long training in the scientific branch V. 1779-178;}.] OF ROYAL KNGINEKKJS. 85 of the service proved of the utmost utility during the protracted siege we are now narrating. It is probably true, as we see by sundry entries in Mrs. Green's journal, tliat there were at times bickerings and jealousies between him and the Chief Engineer; still on the whole Green seems to have given him the most loyal support, and to have fully recognized in the ex-Engineer a man under whom it was a pride as well as a pleasure to serve. Drinkwater records on August 2'6t<\ that the corps of Engi- neers was formed into three divisions, and that several officei's of the line were appointed to act as Assistant Engineers. The strength of the corps at this time in the fortress was nine, viz. : — Colonel "W. Green, Chief Engineer ; Captain John Phipps, Captain-Lieu- tenant John Evelp,^•h, First Lieutenant William Booth, Second Lieutenant W. Mackerras, Second Lieutenant Thos. Skinner, Second Lieutenant John Johnson, Secona Lieutenant Charles Holloway, Second Lieutenant Lewis Hay. At a late period of the siege this number was augmented by the arrival of Lieutenant Johnston, on October 17th, 1782. "Lieut. Johnston of the Engineers who is just landed joined the General and I fsirj at Windmill Hill."— (Holloway's Journal.) Mrs. Green, under date July 28th, says — "The following assistant Engineers were appointed 1/ Burton, R.A., U Chambre, 56'" Reg', L' Alt 72 Reg', L' Schants Hardenburgs " (Hanoverian Legion). _ The Governor made several additions to his staif at the same time, am-ongst which he named Captain-Lieutenant Evelegh one of his aides-de-camp. On August 27th Mrs. Green records — " It has become now c^uite fashionable to get all the news each one could collect, and by way of Gaining all tliat, everybody was using Spy Glasses from ■Morning to Night, all those that affected great Cleverness were ever ready witli a pencil A: paper, and it was really Laughable enough to see with what a Jealous p:ye each Aid de Camp "look'il at the other, fearing He should be tlie first to communicate his Ideas of wliat He supposed the Enemy was about I These remarks I have made (Such as I could not possibly make from my own Personall observation) I think may be depended ujjou, as they are from our own Corps." Sei)t. 13*". "The Gov"' has given the Name of Greens Louge to the highest battery newly erected ; it is a work now found to be of a very Essential Consecpieiict^, and was first proposed to the Gov'' before the least Idea of the Communication being stopt, even as far back as Marcli last by Colonel Green." This is the battery referred to by Lieutenant Holloway as having been begun on August 20th. It was finished on September 10th. Great dread was from the first entertained of a possible bom- njiit,' 1*' ii jt 1 \ I ' ^| U;u ,1.-. ■f <: ; t j. ■ 8d HISTORY OF THE CORI'S fcH V. barilment, a dread which subsequent events proved to be by no means unfounded. Many precautions were consequently taken to mitigate its effects. The pavement of the streets was removed (" Began unpaving the streets, September 14." — Hoi. Jom-nal), and all lofty and conspicuous objects taken down where possible. Traverses were also thrown iip to make the communications more secure. Meanwhile the enemy were busily engaged in constructing batteries in the line which connected their two forts. On the nigl)t of October 19th they opened the embrasures, when it was found that they had completed three batteries, two of fourteen guns each, and one of seven guns. As these batteries were about a mile from tlie nearest works, it was not at the time anticipated that they would cause much damage ; but the bombardment of 1781 proved the contrary. Many entries appear in Mrs. Grreen's diary, which show that Admiral Duff had not succeeded in imparting confidence in his proceedings to the military, or at least to the Engineers ; as her remarks on this point may be considered a reflex of public gossip. Here is one : — "Oct'' 9*". This foronron a Circumstance happened in the Bay that gave <{reat displeasure to the Garrison, viz. a Boat from Barbary Loaded with IJiillocks was yoing out to Algezira. It is supposed that we might have brought Her Into the Molo with Ease had our frigate " (the Knferjtrke) "gone out; all this adds to the discontent of every Body, and many very Disagreable things were said on the Occasion, Si some of the Officers of the Navy and Army behav'd in a Slighting Manner to Admiial Duff, who carried it with an Air of Indifference ! " The remainder of the year passed without any further offensive movements. The enemy, as yet, had made no attempt to advance beyond their original lines, nor had they returned to any con- siderable extent the fire with which they had been molested from the batteries on the high ground above Willis's, one of which has been referred to as Grreen's Lodge, It was during this time that the first experiments were made in firing oi inch shell out of guns with short fuzes, the suggestion having been made by Captain Mercier, of the 39th Eegiment. Drinkwater records that — " these small shells, according to Capt. Mercier's method, were dis- patched with such precision, and the fuses calculated to such exactness, that the shell often burst over their heads, and wounded them before they cc^uld get under cover." Holloway records experiments with light-balls also : — "Xov' 11"'- Some experiments were tried on the line wall with fire balls. One of Mr. Healy's invention, 5^ inches, burnt If minutes — very strong fire. But L' Withams was found to give an exceeding good light — answers every purpose of the other and burnt 5 minutes." 1779-1783.] OV ROYAl, KNGINEEKS. 87 All through these weary months, although from time to time some small vessel succeeded in eluding the vigilance of the block- ading squadron, and brought most welcome additions to tiie rapidly waning supplies, the scarcity of food was becoming more and more felt. In the month of January, 1780, Drinkwater says : — " Not only bread but every article necessary to the support of life was liard to be procured, and only to be purchased at exorbitant [)rices. Veal, mutton, and beef sold from two shillings and sixjience to four shillings per pound, fowls eighteen shillings per couple, ducks a guinea, firewood five shillings per hundred weight, a pint of mill: and water one sliillihg and threepence. Vegitables were extremely scarce — a small cabbage cost one shilling and sixpence, Irish butter two shillings and sixpence per pound, eggs sixpence each, and candles two shillings and sixpence a pound." This may be checked by the following entry in Mrs. Green's diary : — "The Pricfis of Meat & Poultry at the Close of the year 1779 : Beef pur 11). 379", Veal per lb. SVG"', Pork 276", Goat 276", Flower, per lb. / 10|", Pease /5", Turkey a peice £3. 0. 0. Geese a peice £1. 10. 0. Fowles 11 peice 77, Duicks a peice IO76", Peigonsapair 57, and when we got Fish it was beyond all Price." Still every one kept up a good heart, and Christmas was cele- brated as of old. " Christmas day. This Day was tolerably fine as to Weather, and every lindy try'd to appear Easy & Contented. We had a few Friends to (line Avith Cs, and upon the whole We did the Best we could. " December 27'" It Blowod very hard all this Day (t the next Night, but to let us See bow Tnexpectedly the Goodness of Providence is at Such times, as We poor Short Sighted Mortals think ourselves m the utmost Danger, behold in the course oft' the last 24 hours we had a Blessed supply of Wood, which liad been brought down to the shore near to the Rivers, intended for the use of the Camp, it was chiefly Brush Wood. It was a great Supply for this (Tarrison, as it is at the least Calculated to amount to 500 (Quintals, & will be enough to supply the poor Inhabitants y"' 90 Guns, Admiral Digby, came in on board of which was His Roy.l Highness Prince A ilham Henry » (afterwards King William lY.). ''The Prince came on Shore at Noon had no i-articular Honors paid him. He went to the iZn 7v J'« was attenJed by the Cov, the other Generals. iV the Cluet Lngineer up tlie Hill as far as Willis' 5 T);!!w ""i""'' ^^'" ""* ^ ^^'!'''' ^^''"'^' ^'""' «"^' "IJ *'"e»^l Admi.al iJigby ihis morning more <.f the Small Pox appeared." (Tliis is one of the hrst entries al^out tliat fearful disease, the ravages of which were before long to prove so fearful in tlie mi.lst of the cooped-up garrison.) Captain Lyeleghs* children are ail Lay'd down in the I )isordel^ He is obliged to leave his House for the time. The General will not allow of Innocu ation as yet. but says He will as soon as it gets among the Troops. C.J I iV, n"i ^"'T' ''i'"^*' «" Shore about 9 and ^^^v]ked iirst to the Cave .ic. the Colonel" (Green) "with him, Si ended the Walk at the Mount, where every thing was in proper readiness " (this alludes to the arrangements made for him to breakfast there with Colonel and ]^[rs (riven . I was much pleased with Him. He is a very Hue Voutli. and imist be liked m any Situation. His (,)uestioiis wore i)roper. They all wore the face of being the Kesult of a proper Curiosity!" The Spanish Admiral, Don Juan de Langara, who had been wounded m the nction with Eodney, was landed a prisoner in tne^wn, where he was treated with the utmost courtesy and * Engineer and aide-de-camp to the Governor. Holloway in Ms iournal has llT^'-, J he introduction ot the word " again " proves that it must have shown Itself originally at a very early date. 1770-178;).] OF nOYAl, KN0INKKK8. 89 consideration. The diserabarkntion of flio storos waH a lonp business, and it was not until February VMh that the tieet got under waving behind them two shii.s of the liiK* and two frigates to aid in the dofenee. Tlie se(!ond battalion of the 7Jh'd Kogiment, whieh had l)een intended for Minorca, was also landed at the Governor's request. Tliis battalion, being upwards of 1, ()()() strong, made a most weleome addition to the garrison, whieh was beginning to sutt'er con- siderably from seurvy. ("January *J})th, 1780. This afternoon was landed the 2iid Battalion 73rd liegiment [or Iligh- landors], consisting of 1,1 00 men."~lIolloway's Journal.) Tho Spanish Admiral was released on parole, and many women and children taken on board the fleet for conveyance to iMigland. Admiral Uulf also embarked for the same purpose, and Captain Eliott, of the Hdf/ar, thereupon hoisted his broad pennant as Commodore. Thus tho blockade, which had lasted for eight months, had so far proved a complete failure. The stores and magazines of the fortress were once more full, and the garrison stronger than ever, whilst the spirits of all were greatly raised by the favourable turn affairs had taken. Dm-ing the ju-esence of the British fleet in the bay, Admiral Barcelo had retired with his small squadron under the imjteetion of Algesiras. As soon as they had left he retui-ned to his former anchorage, and again undertook the sea blockade. His strength, however, at first was not suflicient to carry out this dutj- efficiently, and several ships found their way into port, still further adding to the supplies. Before long he was reinforced by four line -of -battle ships and two frigates, on the arrival of which he -/as enabled to restore an efFective blockade. The months of March, April, and May passed without any movements on the part of the besiegers beyond developing and strengtheiung their batteries. It seemed as though they were determined to renew the blockade and again to trust to its effect. From time to time small vessels would find their way in, and bring welccmie additions to the supplies; still, as tinie passed, scarcity began once more to make itself felt, and the utmost economy in the public issues became necessary. Meanwhile the small-pox spread with alarming rapidity, and Mrs. Green's journal bears record to the state of anxiety cau'sed thereby :— " Feb' 25'". The 8niall Pox is bcgiiuiing to be very fatal to the CluKlrcn; nil means arc try'd to obtain Leave to Innoculatoj but as yet to no purpose. " xMarch 21^'. We killed a Small Cow this forenoon for the Cse of the Family, Si sent some peices to Several Friends, likewise to some t . "'I .V •H I,". «|. !' tj . [ii (I 90 niSTOKY OF TMK (OKI'S [.U. huMili..K wl.o hu,l s.ck Chil.ln.n. Tl.n Colo„ol would not allow any of this ( ow t.j 1.0 .liHpoHod ()«•. rt woiKhod 400 ll.H. N15. W,. l,a,l been otlenl -';) Cumeafl for it, and I .laicpuy nuKht hav l.ad £:M), for Kvcrv body was Sollin- an D.-ar as th.-y tl.oiight i.ro,K.r, but 1 .letr.stcd the iiupoHin-,' ])racti('('. "April (;"' No liinooulatiou yet ! most people are displeased at this as It IS certainly much better for the men c^- poor Cliildieii to have it now than when it is warmer. Kor my <.wn part I am exeeedi.iK Anxious for Our l)..ar little (hrl, and did it depend wholly upon myself ] woiil.l not ask any leave. "April 8'". I ^„ve G reals" (2s. 6d.) "the poun.l fur Veal this ,Iay. Many very Inpleasant Cireumstanees now in the Public Way The CommandinK OHlcers Seem all to think thoy have too little Attention bhewd them. "April 11«". Small Pox Raging very bad. Children Uieing every Day. " '' "April 12"'. Particular deal of AV//We/7'«7 business w.iu'' on iiutduite ple«.«,ng to the Col"." (Probably some little friction with the (iovernor.) t , f'"'. V,'' '" ''^'""^' ^'°^ '^ ""^^ 8'-^"'« '"t" '^H tl»i' Keg'", a Alan of the Soldier Artificers exceedingly bad with it. No Innoculation let : " April 26*". The Soldier of the Company Died." On Friday, May otli. Mrs. Green'.s daughter Charlotte sickened with the disorder, and the subsequent entries are full of lier condition. She seems to have progressed very favourably, and on Wednesday, May 17th, Mrs. Green records, "Every cireumstanco going on m the most favourable manner"; and again on Smiday, " '^''e went out an airing. We are exceedingly happy on the occasion. She had about 300 all over her IJo.ly and off the linest kind. During tlie fortnight slie has been ill More than 50 Knglish Children have Died, and St!veral Soldiers beside.'^ Inhabitants. The whole Air is infected, and a very Dangerous fever is also in the Garrison. Every Means has been try'd to obtain the Governors leave to Innoculate, his Refusal makes every Body Tuhappy." ()n May 22nd one of her servants sickened >\"^h the same disorder : — "25"' May. We are greatly Distresst in our fan "!■ Tne Vountt "Woman very bad. T am particularly hurt at it, as she now wishes She had been Innoculated. 1 am too much distresst to keep any j.ublic dournal, indeed it .loes not become necessary, as most things remain in the S.tmc Unpleasant Way. The Spanish Admiral doing his Utmost to keep -lu the Blockade. However we Sometimes get In a Boat with a small l-';i-,:,-lv, every thing at this time as Dear as possible— nor is there any 'Joi?.. \ tnron to make it lietter. The Gov'' Says He has not 177f)-178;{.] OK HOYAI. KNdlNEKKS. 91 any oljjnctioiis to tlio KiohIi Meat boing aa Dear na Evor. It is voryoaBy to know luH Keaaoiis for Saying ao. Contrntliction only ! "June 1"'. Onr Servant \Iaitl in paat ail Po.ssilijlity of Kecovfiry Evory Mnana is try'd, Imt ^ " tiinl it will not l)o. Mon, Women, K Chiltlren Dicing every Day, and the Utnioat Diatreaa now appearH in every Mody. The Air is fidl of this Cruel Infection. It h to l)e wished that the Innoculation had been allow'd, that would have st()[)'d this long agoo." The Herviuit died on Juno 4th. Tliore were apparently no rejr ioingH on tiuH day for the King's birthday, as there had been on the proviouH year. " 0"' June. More t^ more ])ad accounts of the fatal EfTects of the tinuiU Pox, and many Severe things .said in conse(iuenee. It can not be Wonder'd that the Lower Degrees of People .should be much hurt at all these Imd tinioa. Their Provisions .so bail, Nothing to be got to assist tliem, and the Losing .so many fine Children has been a heavy Stroke U])on them; but wo hear that a gi'eat iVrson in the (iarrison says He thinks it a fortunate cir(!un)stance to those Soldiers who have Large familys to Loie three or four Children ! " Holloway does not seem to oonsidcn" the ravages of small-pox worth an entry in his journal, beyoiul the one already quoted. On the other hand, he lias the following in June : — " 14,000 Casks liave been used for temporary works since the 2l8t June 1799. lUu.shwood has been collected from the back of the Rock, which has made 126r) Fascines, and the wooden hoops from the al)0ve casks have made 1030 Fascines." On June 7th a determined attemi)t was made by the Sjianish fleet to destroy the vesse^i lying in the bay with fire-ships. The promptness of the ]Jritish sailors prevented any serious consetpienees. Boats were at once manned, the fire-ships towed clear and run ashore under the walls, where they were extin- guished. They afterwards fiunished a very welcome supplj' of fuel, which was at the time extremely scarce. Mrs. Grreen thus records her impression of the event : — "It was a uio.st Clrand tlio' Alarming Sight, as they burnt with groat Violence, it Seem'd to me just so Many Moving Mountains of Fin; ! Ta hear the Drums beating, the Noise of the Guns from the (Jarrison, it all our Ships, together with the bursting ojjon of tlie Portholes in the Fire Ships, was beyond the power of my Pen to express ! 1 was actually Stupid with Fright and at that Dead time of the Night also. "June 12'". Worse and Wor.se in the Snuill Pox " " Aug* 2"". :Major Horsfall of the 72" Keg' Sold a Milch Cow, for which he received Fifty Guineas and a pint of ^lilk every Day I "Aug* 15'" Our only Comfort is that the Small Pox .seems to be Dicing away, indeed it was dreadful to hear the J )aily Loses. More than I* i.- ':lh :/' > ;l * ■■•! ., ;( !';• ■- I ■ 4 • . '■ '' ', i I t 92 HISTORY OK THE COlil'S (II. V, ^-)00 liave Died, tlic S.nallost Xumber has been of Soldiers, as there ms not hem ii.ore tliaii 50 Died, but tlieir poor Families are -n'oatly " 1^!'' SeiV. The Colonel had au Unexpected .^- Unwelcome Conversa- tion with • - * about .some Workman belonoing to tlie 58'" who was emphp- d not where it was Supposed. The Col" was totaly Tfrnorant of It, as the man had been discharged from the K«» Works since last .March tiv spoke nis mmd very freely to •'■ - -. This I am sorry for, as 1 fear niay ( »ccasion some U„pl,a.sant Conseciuences, it Wolfe, Colonel (hren Presi.lent, it Consisted of L'l, all concluded exceedingly Moderate & Agreabh;." The Anierican gentlemen here mentioned were evidently those members of the garrison who had served in the American war against 1' ranee, Colonel Green himself having been of the number. On October 1st the besiegers made their first step in ad- vance by commencing what was gradually developed into a powerful battery, about 700 j-ards in front of their lines For a long time it remained isolated, but, after they had suffered con- siderably m the attempt to keep up communications in the open. It was eventually connected with their otlier works by boyeaiix of approach. The garrison named this the Mill Battery. Hitherto the townspeoide and troops had drawn large supplies of vegetables from the gardens in the Neutral Ground; now, however, that tlie enemy had brought tlieir approaclies so mucli nearer these Avere rendered untenable, and from this time the besieged were o,i,u- pelled to trust entireh' to tlie cuUivation of the soil witliin tlie limits of their works. This was so successfully carried out tliat Drmkwater states they were enabled to produce ft/uio-sf sufficient lor their consumption. Mrs. Green records a curious instan(>e of the courtesies of war, under date October .3rd :— "Memorandum. As the Gov' expects Count D'Estaiug will liecoii- noitre the (Jarnson in a Boat, the ohicers Commanding the diflercnt posts are not to tire at Hun except He comes too near, l)ut in that Case aiv to nre over him. "Oct'- 16'". L' llolloway of the Corps of Engineers has 1)eenfor Some Days employd Laying a Large L.oom at the New ^fole, a ^\'ork of Labour iV' trouble." Curiously enougli, llolloway, wlio is most minute in his record of the Ax-ork done by him, makes no allusion to this boom, aUliougli 111 the September of 1779 he lias an ontrv of liaving lind one between the Old Mole Head and tlu- stone wliarf at the extivmitv of tlie glacis. \> 1779-178;].] OF ROYAL ENOINEKKS. 9.3 ^ "Oct. 18. Tho Salt fi.sli is quite over, that is, amongst tlie Troops. NB. Xo Sorrow Shown on that occasion. " Oct. 26'". Tho Beef is exceedingly Bail quite stinking. " ( )ct. 27"\ Our garrison is very Alert in all Kespects, (t Struggling in a most Surprizing Way every part, Avhich indeed seem'd as Strong before as possible, the Number of Traver.sscs is jirodigious, i^- every posible atten- tion is paid for the Safety oft" the Troops. The dov'' A- Chief Kncrineer Seem wholly devoted to Care S: Anxiety for the Garrison" (Mrs. rnvm has evidently for the moment fnrgiven the ( rovernor). "Xov'' r'. Most of the Reg*^ are affected more or less with the Scurvy. "Xov'' C" This forenoon the * * * was at our House \- Unexpectedly gave a good deal of trouble c^- Vexation to the Cheif ; it hurt his Temper all Day, &: broke In upon his Intentions." Oil tliis (lay Ilolioway records that the Sergeant-Ma j or of the Artificers found a coat of the 72nd liegiment at tlie foot of the liock On the following day he enters — " One of the t^erjeants of the Soldier Artificer Company found the skeleton of a man near the place where the Serjeant Major found the coat, from which it is plain that a man of the 72'' reg' has fallen down the rock and was killed in attempting to desert. " Dec'' 5'". i; Ijooth of the C->rps of Engineers is to have the Inspecticm as Director, under the Chief Engineer, of all the Mines and all Persons employed therein, Takeing his Orders from \- reporting to the Chief En- gineer. XB his a])pointment is Eight Shillings i)er Day for the above Duty. It has given Universal Satisfaction, ])articularly to the Corps as Mr. Booth is much Esteemed liy Every Body." ' Tlve Lieutenant Bootli here mentioned made some interestino- dra\yings during tlie siege, wlii.-li arc now in the IJoval Eno^inee'i- Institute at Chatham ; one of them is a sketch of the liock^from Catalan Bay, and has written on its face in ink — "The course taken by a Corporal of the Artificers Comp'', in order to discover the way that two Soldiers of the ( iarrison had taken when they deserted from us to the Spanish Lines, one having only succe, dcd, the '-ther being killed in the attempt to escape. His body "we found at tlie point 1), witii his brains completely beaten out, the Rope being broke iiart of which M-as round his middle." " ' On the back are the following memoranda : — ''Memo, by Lieut. I'.ooth, Engineers, January 1782. On the Sunday betore the Sortie was made on the Enemys aiiproaches and Xew Works, General iioyd asked me my opinion of them (Lieut. Stewart of the R a! had mentionerl my observations to him in the cour.-e of conversation when at dinner). I told his Excellency that they were so badly Hanck'd that they might be attacked without a Gun to bear upon us. l^pon my saving this he (the next mnming) went out to see if I was right (i believe), and /,ri/i- 20'" 1782. L* Booth went home in the Viper." Lieutenant Booth's memoranda continued : — " It was no less extraordinary than strange that after my being in the Garrison 8 years, viz. from 1774 to 1782, no mention should have been made of me by Col. Driukwater in his account of the Siege, although he names all the other (jfficers of Engineers " (this is not the fact) " when I commanded a Brigade and in the Camp a Year and a half, having notiiing more than Canvas over me. I had the Governors tlianks once for a Report 1 had mad(f of a l^attery traced out by one of the Enemy s Engineers, which no other officer had seen. " I will venture to affirm I went through more fatigue of the Service during the Blockade and Siege (which lasted nearly 3 years) than any officer in the Place." The last entry in Mrs. Green's diary is dated January oth, 17S1, and ends quite abruptly. She had been in very failing health, and many of her later entries dwell on her illness. It may be presumed tluit she felt no longer equal to writing after that date. She left the Rock in July, 17.S1. July 22nd, 1781. Went down to the :\Iu!(. witli Mrs. (^reell, who was going to England." — (Holloway's Journal.) The second relief, under A(hniral Darby, took place on April 12th. Tlie convoy consisted of nearly a htmdred vessels, and ^vas led by several meu-of-wnr, tlie remainder of the fleet lying under the Barbary sliore, not wisliing to risk an entrance into tlu' bay for fear of the fue- ships. No socmer had the van of the convoy "HI, wild >y\: 1779-1783.1 OF ROYAL 1':NGINKEKS. 95 come to ano .or off the New Mole than the besiegers, evidently teelmg that tlieir renewed attempt at a blockade had failed, opened a bombardment from every piece of artillery that had been placed in battery ,viz., one hundred guns and fifty mortars. This bombard- ment Avas maintained with vigour for a very lengthened period, and resulted 111 the almost utter destruction of the town, and a great loss ot lite both in the garrison and amongst the townspeople, i he stores were consequently landed as rapidly as possible, and the fleet hastened to take its departure to avoid damage As a temporary protection, barrels of flour, as they came ashore were built up to cover the fronts of the casemates in the form of traverses. The occupants, however, promptly scooped out the contents and fried them into pancakes, so that before long the protection afforded became more apparent than real, and the l^.nginee^s were compelled to provide cover of a non-edible nature ihe fleet had brought news of several jiromotions for the garrison. Amongst them Colonel Green Avas raised to the rank of lingadier-Cxeneral, Lieutenant Holloway being appointed his l5rigade Major. From this time Holloway kept a private diaiy of his own move- ments, which it IS to be presumed he tliought more imi)ortaiit now that he was a staff officer. This was in addition to the diary of tlie Avorks executed, which has been the source of the previous quotations. One of the first entries in the new journal is— " April 17'". Was app" lirigade Major tc llrig'' Green. XR I live at Alount Pleasant in Brig. Uen' Greens liouse." Shortly afterwards tliere is a very painful entry : "May 28'". Received orders to acquaint the 2 men of the Soldier Artifr. Co. tliat were tried by a G. C. ]\[artial tliis morning that thev were to be executed at Guard mounting tomorrow mornin"— "Went into town and before tlie offrs. and whole Main guard informed" tlie criminals of th(ur fate. " May 29'". After Ijreakfast went into town for general orders. Waited at tlie [\iiigs bastion until tlie artificer Co. came from tlie soutliward. J« lined them and Aveiit to the place of Execution. Stayed with tlie Field officer of the day till the law Avas put in execution." These men were sentenced to death for plundering the houses that bad been abandoned by the inhabitants during the bombard- ment. This bombardment, Avhich at first had exceeded fifteen hundred rounds per day, gradually fell off in intensity, until bv the middle of June it was reduced to le.ss than a thircl of that amount. In another month it had ceased, and no further offensive operations were undertaken hvynnd extending the advanced batteries and !i ■ ' 1 ; ?■■■ f , '■■i 1 ' l' »-. ■•■■, 96 HTSTOKY OF TIIK (OKI'S [VH. completing their connection with the works in rear. Time passed by until November ; when the Governor decided that tlie moment had arrnod for assuming the offensive in his turn. For this purpose he determined upon making a sortie on the night of the 26th, with a view to destroying the new works before tliey had opened fire. All the preparations were made with the utmost secrecy, and it was not until the promulgation of evening garrison orders that any one except the few superior officers in the (iovernor's confidence had tlie least idea of what was contemplated. The trooi)s who were to take part in the operation were divided into three columns, to each of which was attached an Engineer officer and a workino- party composed of soldier artificers and infantry. The tliree Engineers thus employed were Lieutenants Thomas Skinner, John Johnson, and Lewis Hay. " Xov' 26'". Conveyed orders to L ' Skinner Johnson and Hay to attend the Gov'' & IJrig' at Court room to receive iii.structiojis, ordered Artificer Co. to march iit once to Hargraves parade. Told tlieni off for tlie diflferent columns they belonged to."— (Holloway's Journal.) Altogether the force numbered about two thousand men. The sortie was made at 8 a.m. on the morning of November 27th, after the moon liad set. Although discovered by the enemy immediately on passing beyond the lines of the defence, they pushed vigorously forward, and were s])eedily in possession of the Avhole series of advanced batteries. The infantry were sent well to the front to cover the working parties, and the oiieration of dismantling and destruction went bravely on. It is a curious fact that, although the main line of the enemy was only 700 vards distant, no attempt was made to interfere witli the assailants. Evei;vthing was soon ready for the fire faggots, and when these were lighted the flames spread with astonishing rapidity. Trains were laid to the magazines, and then, only an hour liavino- elapsed since the start. Brigadier Ross, who commanded, withdrew his advanced force and i)i-epared for retreat. Several small ex])losionsof gunpoAvder took place whilst the troops were retiring, but no casualties arose. Just as the rear had reached their lines the main magazine blew up with tremendous effect, and vast masses of timber were hurled into the air, whicli, falling into tlie flames, added to tlie general conflagration. The total loss of tlie garrison in this brilliant affair was only foiu- men killed and one officor and twenty-five men Avounded. Greneral Green and his Brigade Major did not accom})iiny the sortie. This is Holloway's account of what he saw : — " Nov. 20*" 1 7.S1. r joined the Brig'' an that great preparations were making for a most vigorous attack, ami that the Due de (.rillon, who had recently captured St. Philip's Minorca, Avas to command, with 20,000 French and Spanish troops! m addition to those who were already present, and that Admiral iJon iJonaventura Mirim would accompany him with ten sail of the line, besides floating batteries, gun and mortar boats. On the 14th the crews of several of the large ships struck their yards and topmasts, and commenced cutting down their poo]is, evidently in preparation for conversion into floating batteries. These symptoms cmised the Oovernor and (ieneral Oreen to turn their attention to the sea line of defence. The beach behind the Old Mole was forii- hed with a row of sloping palisades, Waterport Gateway was well bameaded, chevaux-de-frise idaced at the foot of Landport fflacis, and all the batteries on the line put in the best order for defence and Avell supplied with grates for lieating shot. ' "On a fine day in May, 17S2, the Governor, attended by the Chief iMigiueer and Maff, made an inspection of the batteries at the Xortli iM'ont. (,reat havoc had been made in some of them by the enemy's fire and for the present they were abandoned whilst the Artificers were restor- ing them. Meditatnig for a few moments over the rr.ins, he said aloud, 1 will give a thousand dollars to any ono who can suggest how I am to get a flanking fire upon the enemy's works.' A pause followed this exciting exclamation, wlien Sergeant-Major hxo.o. of tho Company who 1779- was ir gested object, directe Ab Compi for th: orders " 22' rock lef muuicai immcdi; the exe( A sei "A n through King's 1 with to appointe On J the roc] gun. I the gall brasure.' Septenib a year Enginee called St of the jet forget til The folio "June not so nine to hini the I should engineer, I ^ny other, went to la} tlioughtmi heing cons * ConoUy 99 1779-178;j.] OF ROYAL KNOIXEKRS. object. The Clcncral -it ™,™ . . ""'' '" 'f™' ""> Jcs red .nr«tcrtitt«bejrr™.,lL°T4cX,"" "'■°"™'y »' '"e scheme, „„,l orders „t the Chief EugLe? on the «Aje"t .•- " *°"™'"» ™ *« the cxocutiie iu..^:^;:;!^^^/'-- ''' '- "'»«■" ""''" A second ortler, dated July Sth, 1782, runs thus :_ thro4iftS,;l3r'""i:'' I f"' ' ,r"" '"«" "■"' « '-' «-w<^ Kins'? lines a.Kl Tl c ct "n," the ^'re',',,,*? n"?"' H'",'""" "' *» with to be commeueecl ,inm. In ■ l, ^ i • "" '■'"'™' '""'" "■' 'orth- api.ointe.l for that «,Tiee '" ^ '^ "' '""""' "'"-^ '"'™«" ■■■■M"cssly to him the pri.poot V''" ' ve , o n? 1 '.'"'I " ^'^'* ^^''"''^ ^ ^^^^ came J should .!ct n my ..rofess m v 1 '•^^^'^^'^'^^^^^ ^^'«« "^^ i-nprovoment .•ngineei. bj w'" I "& ] o v m " Y'"/^ constantly with tlio diiof any other. ^ Theivfore I 1 o, . 1 'I;'!'' ^'" "° '^'^ "' «"'' ^"^^ than wont to lay out any work or t Iko - ^V"^ ^'^ ^"'"^''^ ^^'^^^"•^^•"' J- tliought niioht be inst u ve for otheru^" "T""'^' "^""•^' "^"'^ '^'' ^^'^^ he * ConoUy : « History of the Eoyal .Sappers and Mine :-.n> L> t > '.. ir ^ :S. "■ V. i r, ^^} • ... A. ./ rs," vol. * 4 ■ 1. pp. 13, 14. / ^.! 100 HISTORY OF THE COUl'S [CH. V. officers nor any ciouvcrsation with tliein concerning the works, fearing they should conceive I was echoing liis sentiments. He acknowledged the justness of my argument and iivomised to he as commnnicativo as possible, hut of late the G r IkhI been so much the U.K. that he was ashamed to let me see it." On August Otli is the following about the now gallery : — " Serg* Major luce sent for me to come to the gallery to the Notch, finding that he was mistaken in tlie thiiikness of the rock where the embrasure is to bo broke thro. He stopiicd the miners till he heard from me. Ke(;tified his mistake and gave him directions for forming the emplacement for the gun. Reported to the Gen' and the Gov'' that the 2"'' eml)rasure was l)roke thro' and how far it was capalde of commanding. This day I drew one of the enemy's junk ships or rather floating batteries for Cap* Curtis, who tolil me he sh'' send it to the Admiralty The General liked it so well that he desired one for himself, w''' I did in the course of the day and gave him." This is the first mention of the celebrated floating batteries. "Aug. 29"'' r>v (Jon'" order went to examine and take an a'c of the forges for heating shot in town, wrote out a state of the forges for the Gen'- " Aug. 30"'- With the ( Seneral alf)ng the Line "Wall to settle the places for the forges for heating shot." On the night of August loth the besiegers broke ground with an enormous i)arapet about 500 yards long and of great height, which, as the Spaniards afterwards affinned, took 1,600,000 sandbags to construct. No less than ten thousand men were employed at the work, which was not discovered till daybreak. This was gradually developed into four batteries of 14 gims each, and one of S guns, and occupied tht) whole eastern side of the isthmus, as the 8an Carlos batteries did the western. About this time tlie Comte d'Artois arrived in the besiegers' camp, and was received with much honour and ceremony. It can therefoie be recorded that the future kings, both of Great Britain and of France, took part, on their respective sides, in this memorable siege. The great development of the advanced batteries that liad now taken place rendered them so formidable that General Boyd proposed to open on them with red-hot shot. This was done on September 8th. In a few hom-s a large extent of both batteries and parallel was on fire, the fascines with Avhich they had been revetted burning fiercely. By nightfall the damage done was almost as extensive as that caused during the great sortie. This unexpected blow apparently hastened the measures of the Duo de V. 1779-1783.] OF KOYAI, ENGIXKKRS. 101 Crillou, for on tlie next day, in spi'te of the unprepared state of some of his works, and tlio ruinous condition of otlicrs, ho opened fire all along his lino from 170 pieces of artillery. This bom- bardment was kept up with unabated vigour for several days, evidently in preparation for the grand attack. ^ On the morning of September 12th the combined fleets of France and Spain entered the bay, raising their naval strength to 47 sail of the line, 10 battering ships, and innumerable smaller craft. These battering shi^is Avere cased in timber, and roofed over with strong rope-work netting, covered with hides at so steep a pit(!h as to itresent the maximum of protection against shell fire, their strength being such that they were thought to be inde- structible. They were as follows : — Pastora Tall a riedra . . Paula Prima . . El llosario San Christoval Principe Carlos San Juan Paula Seconda Santa Anna . , Los Dolores . 31 guns . . '31 „ .. 700 men . . 7(;() „ . . 700 „ 29 „ .. . . 700 „ 2« „ .. 1'5 „ .. . . 050 „ . . 400 „ I'i „ .. . . 340 „ 13 „ .. . . 340 „ 11 „ .. 10 „ .. . . 300 „ . . 2o() „ 212 5,200 They anchored for the day, but early on the following morning (<^he memorable 13th September, 1782) they once more got under Avay, and stood to the southward, to clear'the men-of-war. This was a signal to the garrison to prepare for the attack. The sea batteries were at once manned, and the shot furnaces lighted. As acre A\'ere not sufficient furnaces to supply rJl the guns, huge ivfires were also lit, in which shot were hea'.ed in large quanti- c^s. The Artificers were employed in this wjrk, Avhieh they called roasting potatoes. Meanwhile, the shii)s having cleared their fieet, Avore to the north, and proceeded to take up their respective stations. It was now a little before 10 a.m., and as soon as they had anchored the fortress opened fire. This was promptly returned, and ere long the artillery duel was in full vigour. The Spanish batteries on the isthmus commenced at the same time ; thus the rock was enveloped on two sides in a volcano of fire. The roar of 400 guns, served with the utmost rapidity, coidd have_ been heard for many miles, and the stream of projectib^s pouring into the devoted fortress was incessant. .^f V'' f ■< 102 HISTOUY OK THK COUPS S ! , [CH. V. Heedless (.f this rnginji: fire, tlie artillery men stuck to their guns, and hurled a eonstant succession of red-hot shot on the roofs and siiles of the floating batteries. In sjiite, howf'ver, of all their efforts, these carefully ])rotected structures secnunl invulnerable. The heaviest shells rebounded from their roofs, and the ;{2-i)ounder hot shot aii]»eared incapable of effecting any lodgment in their bulwarks. Those of the crows who were not serving the guns stood prejiared on the first symptom of fire with appliances for its suppression. It Avas even said that i.ii)es had been laid in all directions around their sides, by nu'ans of which water could be promptly poured ujjou any ])oi"nt. Thus the fire of the garrison continued without any visible result, anrnoon, a shout from the King's Bastion proclaimed good news. A column of smoke was seen to rise on board the flag shij), and this, in spite of all the efforts of the crew, increased steadily in intensity. Loud rang out the stirring British cheer, and the wearied gunners redoubled their efforts. Before long a second and then a third ship took fire, and this was followed by others, until most of them seemed enveloped in fl[ames. Their fire was now greatly diminished, and at this critical juncture the exhausted gunners of the garrison Avere relieved "by sailors, avIio, coming fresh on the scene, gave the attacking scpaadron no respite. The fire Avas kept up during the greater i)art of the night, and all attempts to extinguish the flames on board the ships Avere in vain. At about 5 o'clock on the morning of the 14th the first of them blcAV up, and this Avas speedily folloA\'ed by a second. The most gallant efforts Avere then mr de to rescue the unfortu- nate creAVs by the British sailors. They succeeded at great risk to themselves in saving a large number, and brought them ashore, some being gricA-ously Avounded. Many, Iioavt r, perished, and the scene in the bay A\as most heart-rending By eleven o'clock three more ships had bloAvn uj), and thr others Avere bm-nt to the Avater's edge, their creAvs having succeeded in flooding the magazines. The other two the garrison hoped to be able to 1779-1783.] OV UOYAl, KNGINKKUH. 103 save as trophies; but this was not to be, and they b.,th wore eventually destroyed. The action was now over— tlie stupendous efforts made bv the .'onibined lieets and armies of the allies had failed, and tlie siege was once more left to drag its weary len-(h along. ^ Iho following account of lli,. bombardment, and of the events immediately preceding and following it, is given in a letter written l)y Ixeneral Crreen to his son-in-law, begun on September 20th and hnished on October hsth, 17S2. The first part of the lettei- appears in narrative form, and is written by a clerk ; but General (ireen has headed it and concluded it with his own hand, the CZ.''"im" ^\^""\''^^. ¥"^' c-'vidently that dated Oeto- ber I8tli. The hrst part of the letter runs thus :— " Aly dear Xicols n,,l J'n'^''"' ''""'^^^''y '"'^ '^""^ l^«t the Kncny l.avo boon perceived to make tlie nios uctive, extcn.sivc, and forinidiible pivpamtinuH ..o-ssibie for '\,V'^'^"^ and Nigorous attack of this Place both by Sea and Land. Ihcir Ten (.reat floating Jiattcrics (or Slaps fortilied and converted into such) were commenced upon at Algczira.s about the mi.ldle of May, and seemed to be got all perfectly ready about the 1- of September, as was every other preparation by Sea, including 3 P.omb Kc-tches, IG dun Boats. 8 Mortar J.oat.s, 16 I arge Iloat. with Mantelets across their IJow to let down 'mav T'f \ w ^•''''7 ^•'««'"'»'»'ki"K of Troops, besides about 2 or 300 i>oats brought fn.m the a.ljacent Coasts to assist in throwing Troops ashore and other occasional movnients peculiar to such attacks, besides a kind of Ioau,g Battery or Fort of a particular construction, which I took to be intended for our shallow waters in order to perfect those lireaclies which hey imagined (or had planned) were to l,o first opened by their Large floating 15attencs. The whole of this Sea attack, as wo thou-ht, was to be supported by 9 Line of Hattle Ships (7 Spanish and 2 French he 9 and 10' Instant made a Flying irregular Attack upon our Southern i)efences, wludi was answered by such of our Batteries as could pronerlv hear upon them, but without any material eflect or damage on cither ';0n the 8«" September We set on fire by the means of Rcdhot Shot heir most centrical Pattery ujion the Isthmus, callc.l by them the Mahon Lattery oi G (.uns, besides a Battery of two (luns just finished adjoining , notwithstanding all their possible endeavours to prevent it, in wliich tliey lost some men. "()a the 9"" September The Duke de Crillon opened all his new Bat- teries at Sunrise Ihe Chief of 64 Embrasures, besides his Four new Mortar Latteries All winch were keeped playing chiefly upon our Works upon the Northern fronts, the 9"" 10<" and 11'" rather with great activity LhI yiolence ut on the 1 2"- te our great astonishm..nt in come their Cra d combined ileet, and anchored at the head of the Iky. consisthig of 41 large Shii.s, , of winch are three Deckers, and now, conjointly 1 , ^V'« ■^ '■ 104 HISTORY OF I UK (OKI'S [( H. V. with tho forcgoinj,' 0, nmkos ii of tli(^ I-iiU! and almut Fifty><, in all 50 — A foriuidahlc Klcot, you'll nay, and comuiandtid by Kij^dit Adiiiivals. "About tho IT)"' Au^'UHt arrived in their Camp to sorvo '■ ., N'oluntpcr The Count D'Aitois, one of tho Kromli Kin^''s I'.rothors, and tho Duke do IJoiirbon, Son (I believe) to tho I'rinco of Condo, and towards the 10"' Sep- ttnil)er arrived a groat deal of Sjianiwh and French Nobility and (lentry to 800 (Jii'UAi/rAK knocked to pitces and swallowed up, and accordingly, as We suppose, everything being ready on tho 13"' Seiitouibcr (the day after tho arrival of their (Jrand Fleet). About .seven in tho morning their Ten largo iloating itattcn-ios were ))ercoiv'd to bo under Sa,il, and it was soon conjectured, intended to bear down and attack the (iarri.son. And by ten O'clock, anchored, us w(' judge, in their appointed Stations, and the Southernmost not a groat way to the South of tho King's Hastion, off Columbine's Parade, And the Xorthernmost a little to the Southward of the Old Mole Head. They immediately began a furious well served Cannonade upon our Soa throe fronts, between tin; King's Hastionand tho North Uastion including the Montagu, and the I'rinco of ( (range's IJastions. Five of their Itatteries were constructed upon two Dockers and five upon single Deckers, in all about l-t-4 Pieces of Artillery, besides from 4 to 7 Spare Guns in each, making 43 more, in all 1)^7 exceeding fine (luns, all cast on purpose. They wore immediately answered in fidl as lively and active a manner from all our prepared Batteries that could properly hear upon them, l)ut with much more Judgment, ])roci.sion, and execution, particularly from our Uedlnit Shot with which wo iilied them most amply and ofhcaciously, together with our Shells from T-lortars, Howitzers, and from 24 and 32 1" (luns, in.somuch that ratluu' early in tho afternoon wo could perceive some of them by tho Issues of .Siii()ko .seemed internally to bo on tiro, and as if some lurking Fnd)rios of Fire were labouring to burst forth, which notwithstanding all Iheir visible eil'orts to extinguish Two of them actually did llame out about Midnight, and before ilaylight 5 more were on tire and before twelve at Noon next day two more wore on tiro. And tho last and Tenth was set on lin' liy Ourselves. As by daylight tho Fnemy had abandimed the whole except 340 Privates and 9 ( )liie(!rs, which were loft behind, so that by four < >'Clock in the afternoon of tho next day, or in about 32 hours after they drew up before our Walls, this truly formidable A iimaoa was annihilated. Seven of thorn, when tho tire approached their Magazines, blew up, with an awful and tremendous Explosion, to our great Joy and satisfaction, particularly as they had neither in their attack nor oxplosior.s done our Works or IJatteries any very great damage, comparatively si)oaking, for such a long and violent elfort, poworfidly supported during all th(> time of this Sea Attack with a very heavy fire from all their l>atterios upon tho Isthmus, , and to ho in sonn' confusion nt the appaiont diuigor which soonifd to threaten thcni. When thoy Hnw tliat their Darling' and so niudi boawted Batteries, with wldeh they had ho loii},' ih'iiounced tlie DeHtruction of this I'laee, would infallibly b(( soon on Hrc, and in a little time after hoiuo of them on Hoard (nay T believe a <^Ycat number) be^'aii to apprehend their growin;,' ilanger, and before midnight began Meriously to think of their safety and escape by making many repeated signals of distress, and lo call for their Boats from their Fleet nnd Shore, whicii immediately jiut oil' and came to their assistance, and to take away as many as danger, confusion, and time before daylight would allow of, but before the dawn of day, long, Our 12 Gun Uoats commanded by Hrigadier Curtis* was alongside several of them, tho' then lUirning, and conseciuently at great risk of himself and IVople brought away the 340 Prisoners and the 9 OHicers, who I think, but for Commodore Curtis's enterprising humanity must have all been sacrifised, for while he was alongside two of them on tire they successively blew up, he very narrowly escaping, his own Coxswain being killed in the Banish Admiral and Commander of the Armada drew u])." The renmiiuler of the letter is in General Green's own hand, dated October ISth, and is as follows: — "Between the 10"' and 11"' inst. a Storm of Wind arose, which ])roved very detrimental to the Combined Fleet then anchored in this l!ay, Sc drove upon our Coast the S* Micha(d Spanish man of war of 72 guns, w'''' became our Prise and is got off and the Crow prisoners. Several were •(>) I know not, there has been no Engagement ; tho * Captain Curtis, K.N., who was placed in command of the Marine force which ho2"'' and Aug' 20'", M'- Nicols oi 17 duly. Tell them all, 'the family and friends, I am well but cannot write to them at present (18'" Octo'). J approve of Charlotte's going to Mrs " (name illegible) " (iod lUess you in the greatest of hurrys, for ever Yours most Atlectionately " W. Green." At the beginning of the letter, in the space at the top, is in General Green's handwriting : — "You see my hurry in my Conclusion. The Convov come in— the Cork ships annihilated, Loid Howe Master of the (;ulf\v l!ay, and the British Colours flying upon this Fortress." From this tune all interest in the drama ceases. The siege was protracted still for many months, hut all heart had been taken out of the efforts of the allies. The bombardment continued sullenly, with varying intensity, and casualties every now and then occurred hi consequence. Lord Howe had brought with him the 25th and 59th Eegiments, which were disendiarked to swell the numbers of the garrison. The magazines and store houses were at the same time fully replenished. " Our Enguieers continued to be constantly engaged. The rebuildinf of the whole flank of the Pruice of ( )rango's liastion, a luuitlred and tv.-enty feet in length, with solid masonry (which Avas now nearly finished) in the face of such i)owerful Artillery can scarcely be paralleled in any siege.'"— (I)rhdcwater, November, 1782.) Everyone,_ however, felt tliat the crisis was past, and it was a mere questioTi of time when the siege would be abandoned. At length, on February 2ud, 178;{, the welconif^ news arrived that tlie preliminaries of a general peace had been signeJ, and that the siege of Gibraltar was at an end. Then followed the rewards of a grateful nation for the men wlio had so long and so steadily maintained the honour of their flag, and had enabled Great Britain to retain lier grasp on the ke>- of the Mediterranean. The Governor was created Baron 1 1 eat li field, with a handsome pension, after having been made a K.B. General Green received the second highest reward, viz., a baronetcy, and General Boyd was made a K.B. Tlius the two principal honours fell to the Engineers, and never were men more deserving of their laurels. The thanks of both Houses of Parliament were voted, that of the House of Lords being " To the ofhcers, soldiers, and sailors lately employed in thedefem^e of Gibraltar," and that of the House of Commons " To Lieut enant-General Boyd, :\lajor-Geiieral "In Lt tlie 1 wlio • Hag, ley of 1 field, 'iieral , and nours their ■otod, , and )f the ncral "J 1779-1783.] Ol' ROYAL KXGINEEliS. 107 r>e LaMotte" (commanding tlie Hanoverian Brigade), "Maior- (reneral Green Chief Engineer, Sir Eoger (Airtis, Ivnt., and to Uie otheers, soldiers, and sailors lately employed in the defence of (jibraltar. _ During the siege 4.'i men desert d to the enemy. All the corps m garrison fm-nished their quota to this black list except the o9th Kegiment, which only landed a few weeks before the end of the siege, and the corps of Soldier Artificers, who liad served thi-oughout the four years of its duration. The casualties of the latter corps during this period were 7 men killed, 40 wounded fiui .i"^'*^'^ "^" sickness. Until Lord Howe's relief in October' 1/.S2, tlie strength of the company had been only 114 men iwo o± the ten Engineer officers were wounded, but none w^ere killed. Mrs. Green did not survive long enough to enjo^- the title her husband had so gallantly earned. The anxieties and privations of the siege were too much for her strength, and she died shortly alter her return to England. "July 26'" 1782. Hcird of Mrs. Oreeii's death bv letters that came lu the packet this morning, she died 21^' .luue."— (HoUoway's Journal.) We get a good idea of the money cost of this great sieo-e to the country m the Ordnance Branch only, from a letter written by the Master General of the Ordnance to the Commanding Engineer at Gibraltar, dated August 4th, 1784, of A\hich the followin"' is an extract : — ° "It will be necessary that I should first acquaint you how the (irants of ParliaiiKMit stand with respect to the money voted for the Ordnance .Service at Cibraltar. In the beginning of 1783, when I laid before 1 arhament my Estimate for that year, I had to state the expenses of the Ordnance at Gibraltar iii 1782" (the last year of the siege) "as follows viz — I'ay of a IMilitary Company of Artificers Augmentation to D" rai;ang it nav P' Sen'- to 31 Dec' . . . . . Iron Ordnance, Towder, Shot, Shells iV: other stores sent ...... Kxpense of Transports sent to (Jibraltar . Imprests for bills tlrawn by order of the (Jovernor ...... Value of ships sunk by order of the Ocjvernur. £ s. d. 2,247 15 10 1,075 IG 151,903 11 119,303 3 1 51,283 9 G 14,342 9 Total 340,156 4 5 " lu conseiiuence of so great a supply of Stores in the preceding year k '• '■' ..'/,' h -■lill 108 HISTORY OF THE COKl'S [CH. V, and of Peace being re-established, I was in hopes that the following demand which I made for 1783 woidd have been sufficient, viz. — Pay for a Military Corps of Artificers . . £4,492 10 10 For a supply of .Stores 10,000 To answer Bills of Exchange expected to be drawn 20,000 Total 34,492 10 10 " This sum, however, proved very inadequate, for by the time that the Estimate was delivered in this year for 1784 it appeared there had been expended for 1783 as follows : — For Powder, Tents, and other Stores sent Imprest for Bills of Exchange drawn by order of the Governor ..... Expenses of Transports .... £22,188 8 4 47,r)50 lo 53,084 2 1 8 Total £122,823 6 1 " The Demand for 1784 was settled by L(jrd Townshend as follows : — Pay of the Company of Artificers . . 4,504 17 To answer Bills <:)f Exchaui'-e 2.5,000 " Having no better information than his Lordship I did not alter his Estimate." All this, it must be borne in mind, is only the expenditure of the last year of the siege for the Ordnance and Store branch, and does not include the cost of the infantry. The convoy which arrived in the first year is not embraced in tlie above. The expenditure in repairs and renewals to barracks, fortifications, &c., part of which was drawn for by the bills of exchange (pioted above, cannot be taken at less than £150,000. Probably we shall not be far wrong in assuming that tlie whole cost of tlie siege must have reached £750,000. In the same letter the Master-Greneral explains why, in the "Warrant just issued (in 1784), the extra ]iay for officers at Gibraltar was put on the same footing as home stations, and not like foreign service : — " Inclcsed I send you a Copy of His Majesty's Warrant of the 21*' July, establishing several Regulations respecting the Engineers ; you will find the extra Pay at (nbraltar reduced to half the Ordinary Pay. A great reduction was necessary for time of peace, and it was judged that the other ailvantages ( >fficiH's received at (libraltar put them on a level with those serving in other parts abroad. If the Engineers there sustain some loss of Emf)lument, they will find some recomi)ense in the better footing on which they are put in point of Rank by the new Rstablishment contained in this Warrant." 1779-1783.] OV HOYAL ENGINEERS. 109 Truly this seems but a sorr^y reoompense to the Corps for the labours and perils of the preceding four years, and for the renown they had gained in this protracted and celebrated defence. The subject of the siege of Gibraltar may be fitly closed by Holloway's last entries in his journal : — "July 3"' 1783. Landed at Portsmouth. " 7"'. Left Poi'tsniouth at 10 a.m. and arrived in London at 9 o'clock at night. " 10"' Wednesday. With Gen' Green & Col. Phipps to Lord Townshend's Levf'o ; afterwards to Court, where we were introduced to the King and kissed hands.'' m Hit! ibraltar foreign the 2P' vou will i Pay. A j ged that 1 a level ? sustain e better ishment i 1 ^•■. ' ■! ■ . ■ i W ■'■ '^- i -i M '' >l ' '• ■ 1 " r 110 HISTOKY OF THE (JORPS [cn. ^ I. CHAPTEB VI. The War of the Spanish Succession, 1702-1713. ^^"7oZ Con^W "y^:r V" ''1 ^T Coimtries-Colonel Blood appointed llrior^n1ewrS;7 ^ir^ J^V^"^!"'^'^^ °*' ^'^^^ Trains-Defence 5 IW kX \t rioin nTt ^l^fitara -Death of Mauclere -Isaac Icace ot Ltrecht-Lugineers in America and the West Indies. ' ''''^' The War of the Spanish Succession, which, as already related, led to the acqaisitionby Great Britain of the fortress ,f Gibraltar \v^^ earned on witli_ vigour at other points. In order to selmTt m^^ nitelhgent continuity the histoiy of the Enginees in their ^^ ection with Gibraltar has been treated without internipt on throughout the eigh eenth century. It is now proposed to trace the deeds of those of tlieir number who were einployed elsewhere during the same period. Tlie most important of these senl^ces Even before war was declared on May 4th, 1702 a Warnnt bad been issued for the formation of an oklnanc'e £ ?< accompany the force then assembling for servi n tl le Low Countries This was dateu on Ma?ch 14th, 1702. Colonel George Browne was at first named for tlie command, but tZ appointment was almost immediately cancelled, and he was live a similar post in tlie Train formed for the GadiL expeditim %Te vacancy was hllcd by the appointment of Colonel Holcroft Blood he Second Engineer of (ireat Britain, wlio was at tlie same t"me made Chief Eng-ineer of the Train. Colonel Blood at fir ? appears to have refused to take over this command, and the Boaid 1702-17iy.] OF UOYAI, KNGI.NKKIIS. Ill wrote the following letter to the Earl of Enniney on tlie occasion : — " Wo have just now roceivcvl a letter from Colh Blood, by which ho refuses to take upon him the coramand of tlie Train in Holland in the manner you doth i)roi)()se, whieli considering his station of hein" an Lngnieer upon the establishment, is of such ill consequence and so far intrenches upon your Lordslii],'s authority, that it justly deserves tlie iitmost punishment, and ih is our opinion Coll. ISlood should be forthwitli discharged from any employment in the ofHce, and some other person appointed by your Lordship to command that train. The com.nission you nitended Coll. Blood is of tlie same nature as has been given by your Lordship in other cases, and cannot, as wee conceive, give any occasion to be ridiculed or laughed at, and certainly Cll. T.lood making that interpre- tation of It is a high reflection upon your Lordship and the Board." —(Lett., Mast.-Genl. 1700-1704, No. 3.) It is a pity that the letter referred to cannot be traced. It can only be presumed that Colonel Blood was angry that the appoint- ment should, in the first place, liavebeon offered to Colonel Browne, who had been his junior as an Engineer, having served 'der nmi at the sieges of Cork and Kinsale in KjOO. It is somewliat difficult to trace the names of the other officers who served as Engineers througliout these camp * •ns,but the follow- ing appear in various minutes as having at !( erent times been attached to the train, viz. :— De la Martini, .-e, Charles lUunt Henry Chaytor, liichard King, John Hanway, James Petit' ihomas Lascelles, Edward Ifidley, John O'P.rien, Nicholas Dubois,' with Alexander Forbes as Adjutant. In addition to tliese, Lieu- tenant-Colonel Michael llichards and Caplain John Armstrong altliough Engineers, served on the Staff of the Army as Assistant Uuartermasters-Geueral. The first event in the war, interesting from an Engineer point of view, was the Siego of Yenloo, undertaken by Marlborough's orders, although lie himself was not present. Lord Cutts had been desired to assault Eort St. Michael, a powerful detached work, which, from its dominant position, would, if taken, command tlie town, and probably lead to its immediate surrender. This was successfully accomplished, and Lord Cutts, in his despatcli narrating tlie event, after enumerating his f'^rces, which, as he says, were accompanied by ;}00 workmen, witli a eomijetent number of Engineers " • • • • binder Colonel Blood who acted as First engineer under Mr. Cohorne, and was to have made the Lodgment continuoiis. When iie saw that I had (putted that design he shew'd the part of a brave ofhcer, charging with the men sword in hand, and killing an ofHcer of t.renadiers who made a vigorous opposition with his party. And Mr. ■i ■ '>' n-2 IIHS^IOIIY OV THE C'ORl'S [cir. VI. de la Mai'tinuTf, an Engineov lately sent from England, was also very servicoaljlc in that action as well hy his skill as bravery." This incident occuiTed on Sopteniber 18th, 1702. In 17(>o a sum of .t'(i-),()00 was ordered to be distributed to the array under ^[arlborough for services in the German cam- paign of tlie previous year. The folloAving Avere the amounts given : — To Engineer lUood, £7') ; Lascelles (wounded), t'3''{ ; whilst Hawkins, Chaytor, Blunt King, mul Armstrong each received <£1G 10s. Holcroft Blood did not gain re.- .^r.\v by his performance of Engineer duties. His position as oliief of the Ordnance Train placed him at the liead of the Artillery. Thus we find him at the battle of Blenheim directing the movements of that arm. " AViout (layhreak C'olonel Blood brought up the Artillery .... Aliout 8 o'clock till' enemy Ixtgan to cannonade our army as it advanced, l^pon this his (irace ordered Colonel Blood to plant several Counter I)atteries upon the most atlvantageous parts of the ground, and His (!ra(^o visited each liatterv and stood by to oljservo the range of the guns and the cfiFect of their tire."— (^lurray, i". 396.) Blood distinguislied himself so much at the battle of Blenheim, that he was raised to the rank of Brigadier-General. We find other records of liis work about this time : — "October 20'" 1704. This day Colonel Blood is marched with U [)ieces of Cannon, 4 Howitzers, and 3 battalions of Foot towards Hom- burg." — (Extract from a letter written by the Duke of Marll)orough to Sir Charles Hedges ; Murray, i. r)12.) " October 21"' 1704. Colonel Blood, our Engineer, with IS Cannon and 3 Kegiments of Foot, marched the 20"' from our army, and to l)e followed the next day by 32 battalions and 40 Squadrons to form the Siege of Tryers, before which place the Duke of Marlborough designs to be the 28"'- "— (Luttrell, v. 478.) This refers to the siege of Traerbach, which capitulated after an investment of six weeks. Blood also commanded the Artillery at the battle of Ramilies on May 23rd, 1706, witli reference to which the Board of Ordnance passed the following minute : — "June 4*"- 170G. A letter to Brigadier (Jcncral Blood to thank him for his of the 23"' May, and to congratulate him upon account of the glorious victories and the many successes that has attended " (mV). And again on September 12th, 170G : — "To Brigadier General Blood to thank him for his Account of the Siege of ^[enin, and that he acipiaint the Sub Engineers that the lioard expects they should make Draughts of all Towns, Sieges, ilc. in all the Campaigns they have been in." Th \ t * ■ 170-2-171;}.] ()!•■ KOVAl, K.\(iI.\KKHS. ii;{ ■■•.N''4 Meiiin, on tlie Lys, a town .strong]}- fortified by Vmiban, wa.s l)e8i_egeing of tlie French lines which had been constructed along the Mehaigne, near Raniilies. This had been successfully accomplislied after a severe action on July ISth. Richards was at the battle, and, being on the Duke'.s staff, was sent with a letter announcing the victmy to the Emperor Jo.seph at Vienna, lli^ left the Low Countries at the I i': >» .■>.■■'■ ..r'*' I I f ' , i' 114 HISTORY OK THK COUPS [en. VI. end of tlie canipnigii, and in the ensuing year was jilaoed in command of one of the SpiDiisli Trains, as will he seen further on. The other Engineer on the start' of Marlborough's army, Captain John Armstrong, seems gra(hially to have so (listinguished him- self as to have })rought him to the espeeial notice of his chief. We get the following aecoimts of him and his work : — [uxtnirtiiiux for Capfaht Jdlm AniiKfroni/ ijiccn lnj the l)ul><-nt of O,000 men, and, iiending instructions from the ])uke, had dis- embarked at Ostend. It was to guide him forward that Armstrong was sent there. The convoy, consisting of 700 wagons, was attacked b}' the French with a force of 22,000 men on Se})- tember "J'th. Fortunately, (leneral Webb had been directed to protect it with 10,000 men, and after a severe battle, in wliich the on \ I. 1702- .713.] <»!•' KovAi, i;\f;iM;i:i{s. 11 r» F eiK.h loss mnmmte, to 6,000, tlie convoy forced its way tl.rouoh and readied Menin n. safety, from whi;.], plaee it advanced no the confederate <.an.p on ScpteniLer ;50th. This gal ,n d ^klliul operation was carried cut successfully under the Lniida "^ oi Annstrono., and mldcd much to his rcputati^m. ^ Wehnd no further special uiention oN.im until the year 1711 G uLr 7.%';, J--^--"t-Colonel and Deputy (^uui'mL't ! (^eneial. In he camj.a.gn of that year, Marlhorough, lutvini.- u the most sk. lul manner forced the French lines of^Iiouclm n besieged the f or ress of that name. The trenches wen^o S In';fc '■ '^' ''f ^" ''''''^^' '^^^y' ^^' Pl"^'« surrendered m tills siego we read — And further during the .same siege, the Duke wrote to Lieu- tenant-General Erie, then Lieutenant-General of the Ordnaite- "Camp iKvr ]5o„diaiu Sep' 20"' 1711. Licnt. ColoudJohn Armstroim havin. on all occasioi.s distinguished himself (Uirii.o the wfr tl 5 country, but particulai y at the Siege of Buuchain, Ilul J ", n^nuagement appomted hi.u t. be an Kngineer upon tiie J^Sbli hj of the < 'rdnanee, ,n the vuom of Colonel Mieiiael Ki ehanls ,,refe,Ted ■he salary of i:lOO u year, to commence the 1- day of Oetub „ ex tdl Jlesire you m.]! notify the same to M" Secretary S' John i o 1 e r tio is luivnig tile necessary appointments. "-(Murray, v. DOS.) The preferment of Colonel Michael Eichards was his appoint- nient to the post of Chief Engineer of Great Britain vtl refereiice to whir^h we have the folfowing letter f'om mSw^^^ to Erie, dated Camp at Avesne le Sec, August 17th, 1711 :_^ 1 'lPU'-''"'A''r''^*^'r* Kngiueer having been long vacant" (since the 0.1 h of Sir Martin JJeckmaii in 1702) " I kno.^ n^ie who e p X^i n ; had . '.' \'' , r^ ?''""•■'• ■"'^■'^'^^'' ^■^'^'"•''■^' ^^-1- l^'-^-'^g servo iTi^ ■iii.l had a good deal ot experience, I should be glad you would take t lo proper method of writing to the Secretary of State to i love K >,. M. jestv to bestow tins employment upon him. "-(Murray, v. 461 ) The result of this letter was that Richards was made Chief Engineer on September nth, 1711 »i"au.. ^met army%3irA?l.|^^'''T '''fr^^'' ^''^ ^""i^^^^* ^'^ ^^' ^^''^^^^^ a m3 xuidei Marlborough. lie was recalled in dis-vrace in leceived secret instructions not to enter into any .serious enUo-p ment agaiiKs. the French. At this time much le^o atfuif l'^ yomg on with a view to terminating the war, and, aC^^h peace -I ■ L> .'. * ■'■4 i ; ••■ , t t M ■' t '■: 116 HlSTOKV ()!•• I IIK < OKI'S [cii. \I. WHS not absolutely proelaiiiUHl until 1713, under the Treaty of I'treeht, the Ih-itiwh (fovernnienf had evidently determined not to prosecute i'urllier lioslilities. TIk,' Frtmeli, on their side, liad oU'ercd to surrender Dunkirk to the Enj<;lish as a gage of good faith, and tliis fortress was taken possession of by a body of troo[»s, under (ieneral Hill on July 7th, 1712. One of the conditions of the Treaty of Utrecht was fhc demoli- tion of the fortifications of Dunkirk. ('olonels John Armstrong and Thomas Lasoelles were apjjointed to superintend the opera- tions, and with reference to this service we find the following record in the Oi'dnance Minutes: — "Uetober -J"" 17U. That Hills l)c iiUowed to foloiicls .lolm Armstronij; ami Thomas Luscclles for their services as Kiigiiiccis n]ii)uiiited to sec the Demolition of Dunkirk, viz. ColoiKil Armstruii<,' from .luly :ir' 1713 to Septomhcr .W 1714, 42G days at 20/ a day £4i>G. Colonel Laseelles, October 20'" 1713 to Sep' 30'" 1714, 34.^) days' .£345." After some years had passed by, the inhabitants of Dunkirk began to think they might repair as much of the damage that had been done in (jarrying out these demolitions as would restore the navigation. There were, however, keen eyes on the watch, and, before much had been effected, an outcry was made. In a curious little pamiddet, i)vd)lishe(l in 1732, entitled " The Danverian History of the Affairs of Europe for the memorable Year 17.)l,"this matter is fully discussed, and we there read that — " The Dutch Aral)assador himself visited it the Summer before and iiuulc 1 in iper Representations of it to the States C.eucral and to our Court, who also a year before the Craftsman began this Clamour" (a rival i)aper which in its attacks on the ministry accused them of culpable ne^lij^ence in this matter) "had sent Col. Armstrong, Surveyor (reneral of the Board of Ordnance '" (he at this time held that office in conjunction with that of Chief Engineer), "to view it, and so long ago as Feb' 1730." AVe also read in an extract of a letter from Dunkirk, dated December 17th, 17''U> — " Col. Laseelles, the British Commissary for inspecting the Demoli- tion of our new Works erected by our Burghers, came hither about the middle of March last and met here the Chevalier Blandiiuerc, who was apiioiated by the Most Cliristian Xing to execute his (.)rder of tlie 27'" of Feb. la.st for that Demolition, and was lately arriv'd from Paris. After some time had Ijeen spent in viewing these Wcnks and debating what was to be razed the Demolition liegan, but not being carry'd on to Col. Lascelles's Satisfaction Kepresentations were aiade to the French Court. Whereupon .M.dela Blandiiiiere was sent for thither about the End of June, and M. Segent, Counuissary of War and Engineer, was left here to perform that Service during his Absence, who having rcceiv'd fresh Orders from Court, the Demolition of the Jettees erected by the Inhabit- ants on both Sides the Chenal of Dunkirk was carry'd on with great . \' I70'i.i7i;{.] OI' KOVAI, I.NfilM'.MUS. n'L'al A ii.IiciitK.ii and Dispiitcli, nmh'v tlic jninl liisiM.cti..ii uf M' Lnsc-llcs an.l .M. S..^r,.Mt, an.l they were cntiivly razcl in tl.c L.-vol „f tlio Strand, and the whole Work tinisIiM in tin- M.-^inninj,' of tlip last .Mnntli tn tli.' fnll Satisfaction of Col. LasccllcN (tlio liriiisli Coiniiiissary)." Wo will now rovort to tlio cwnts that took pln.t. in Spnin niid the Aloditorraiican .luring- this war. On April (itli. 170-J, a U arrant was issued for an Ordnnnc'e Train to accompany the expedition lo Cadi/ under the l)uk(. of Ormond and Admiral Sir (reorge Rooke. The command of this Train was in the first place given to (Colonel George JJrown.N who, as already stated, was removed from a similar post in the Holland Train foV the purpose l)ut he died, hefore the expedition sailed. Tlu' command was then ^rfn-*''/,'"^""*'^^^^''^" ^ ''»•'''»' '^vlio iilready lield the appointment of ( nef JMigineer to tlie Train. AVe get a contem])orary view of the character and attainments of (,'arles in tlie following extract from the journal of Colonel John Richards, second in command of the Portuguese Train in 1704 : — " 1 wonder not at all tliat a man slnaiM Imvo a natural iiulinatiuii tn Olio ot his own country, his ,,wn ivlioion, and a sullcivr in the same cirenmstauees. My Li.rd Calway is nmiarkal.le, and indec.l I think very lecommendal.lc for his great repaid to the French L,r,.„tlemcn refugees'" (u: Hugnennts) "which rat]i(>r seems charity than friendship, for his sun shines upon all sorts uf people, as well tJie unworthy aa the worthy. Amniin the rest luaie was more distinguished than ( 'olonel Carles 'a Person who in my Judgment deserves a much better character thau'is eomn.only friwiihim l.y our Knj,dish, and falls much short of the opinion which some of Ins countrymen would have of him. My [,,,r.l Calway was one of th(.m. lie gave him a great part ot his conlideiice, he left nothing undone to procure liini a l^ettcr Kstal.lishi ".nt from the Hoard of Ordnance than what those gentiemen were iuclin 1 to give him, and so well did he recommeml him to tlie Court of Portugal that they thought there was no makin- of war without him. They made liini (,)uai"ter Master ({eneral of the Army, but I know not how thev came to keep him hugineer in Chief, except it were by the enemies he iuade himself in his .■mi.loyment of (,)uarter Master Ceiieral, when he disgusted s..veral persons nf (piality by his rash and indiscreet conduct. This genthMuau has had since the vanity to brag of the great hand he had in the resolutions which were taken the last winter about summer operations, but truly the dis- position that was made to go through with them was so poor that neither he nor anybody else that had a hand in it can pretend to have gained much credit thereby."— (Kichaids' Pa])ers, xxi. 1. •?!>.) John llichards, the writer of tlie above, and brother of Jacob and Michael Eicliards, though not, like them, an Engineer, was a lioman Catholic, hence the animus which seems to show out in parts of this extract ; Peter Carles having been, like Lord Galwav, a French Huguenot. •n ■''■i X I it; • . 'I >"«■ {, •- .,!■[ IIH HlHTOUV Ol' TMi; (OKI'S [«H. VI. Tlu-iv wviv iiltng..llu.r l(i Kn^nnoors attaoliod to thiH Train ^AtM. MS8., iJrit. A[u«., .■>:!)'), fol. 201), but thoir naiuos ar»^ nr.t j>iv.'ii. KiMiii othci' soinrcs the rollowiiin- (.jni In- fniccd as having- Itccii ani.)ii of the Isle of Le(m (ou which the town stands) were three hays, " V(>ry pro]ier to make a descent in." Their opinion was overruled hy the council (d war which was held on their return, and it was decided to land in the liiiy of Hulls. Tliis was done on the 2()th, and the roast town of Rota ])rom|.tly .surrendered to the invaders. They afterwards jiroceoded to attack the fort on the Matagorthi penin.sula. Carles, with a body of 2, lOo Kngli.sh and Dutch, under the command of Haron S[)arr, opened trenches on August oth ; and hy the l-'Uh, having con.strueted one battery for four guns and another for four mortars, opened on the fort. After three (hiys' fire, the gun battery, which was situated on marshy soil, began to subsid(> ; whilst the approaches, which had been' advanced to within 140 yards of the i)lace, were knee de.^p in mud. The attenii)t was therefore abandoned. After some (h-lay cau.sed by a di.scussion as to wh(>ther the town of Cadi/ should be subjected to a bombardment, to com] )el a surrender, the troops were re- embarked and the project given 11]). The next f)])eratiou was an attack on Vigo, where a convoy of treasure from South America was lying, covered by the French'and Spanish fleets, which were moored in the harliour and ])rotected by a str(mg boom. Tlio attack was successful ; the fleets were destroyed or captured, and the treasure, amounting to six millions of dollars, secured. There are no records to show AA-hat share Colonel Carles had in the affair, but, as Ormond landed with 2,oOO men and took the fort which guarded th(> jia.s.sage into the harbour, we may fairly assume that he assi.sted at the operation. In 170a, tiie King of Portugal, who had at first been inclined to side with the French and S])aniards, changed his views, and con- cluded an alliance with Great Britain, by which he undertook to iTO'i-iriM.j OK itoVAi. i':\rjiNi;i',us. ll!» ivcMv.. a mnilMu...! IWitish an.l Dut.^li foroo into Portugal, and to tunii.sli '2H,m) (ioopsot his ..wntr. act wifli fliom. In onlor to carry out tliu ol,j,.,.t „f this tn.it.v, an Onlniuirn Train was asHMuh ...1 l,v AVarrant .latocl Jnly 24th, ITlM. Of this Train, I ..lon.'l AllMTf Wnv^nvil was made Ciinnandant. I[(. waw at this timr l„„nwis iN.t'it and John Alassey who were also lent from JJorgard's Train. Talbot Ldwardcs and Lewis I'otit were recallc.l from Cibraltar shortly i.tter the termination of the Pranco-,S].anish siege ; th(> former to proce,>d to V'h1'''"^\' ,'^'"\V'^ ^"^^^'* *•* '^^^ "« ^"l^i^f l-^"H-ineer of the Parcelona Train. The A ..rant fov this Train was^dnted April . Ii, L(».>. Ihe other K„o,„eers attached to it were Captains John Railway, riioma.-, Philli])s, and Theodore Collier, the latter oj whom was Adjutant. There were tlau'cfor,. now three di.stinct 1 rains ,1, be Peninsula, viz., that for Cadiz, commanded bv Boij^.nl ; that or Portugal, by Peter Carles; and that for Barce- lona, hy ( i.lonel John Pichards. Tlu' Barcelona Train was augmented in 1700, and several changes made in its constitution. ( 'oilier was promoted from the A( jutaucy to be Major and .second in command under Colonel John Kichards; an.l two additional Engineers, Alexander Porbes and James Johnson, were attached to it. The new Adjutant was not an Lngmeer. Shortly afterwards. Colonel Isaac Petit also jome.l It, as we read in tli(> following ( )rdnance Mniute :— , •' y'';\VV^;'"'';' '"' "'1''^ to ^I V Lord ]'ctcrl.uro,i^d. rocoianiemlin^' to him Lulc„u;l 1 Vt.t who IS bieut. Colonel, to ^ly Lord Mohun'.s ia-i.neut, which Mup ^Mll please to appoint him to succeed."— (^farch 12th, 170G.) w.,sV!l/^lf \^''^ T^'^V' \'T ^'^'^"^ ""'' ^^ ^'^ Engineer, as he Mas kiUed before the close of the year at the siege of Alicante. •■' -I ■fv 120 HISTORY OF THE COKPS [('H. VI. The principal interest connected with the Engineer service in the Barcelona Train gathers round Captain George Carleton. In the year 172.S there was published in Ijondon an autobiographical Avork, entitled " The Militarj^ Memoirs of Captain George Carleton, from the Dutch War, 1672, in which he serv'd, to the Conclusion of the Peace at Utrecht, 171. '3." Much discussion has arisen as to tlie authenticity of these memcirs. On its publication the book seems to have carried but little Aveight, and it was not until Dr. Johnson, in 17(S4, noticed it for the first time, that attention was draAvn to it. Following his example, Sir Walter 8cott, in 1809, edited the book, and introduced it to the public as a fragment of genuine military biography. From this time forward for some twenty years it was accepted as aiithentic, and the various historians of the epochs referred to by Carleton adoi)ted his statements more or less com- pletely. In 1S;}0, Walter Wilson, in his " Life of De Foe," attri- buted the memoirs to that author as a romance, conceiving that the similarity of his style to that of the stipposititious Carleton was a sutficient evidence of his hypothesis. In this he was followed, some seven years later, by Lockhart, in his " Life of 8ir Walter ►Scott." From that time until recently the work has been con- denmed as _a piece of fiction as strongly as it had been accepted for authentic history previously. Circumstances have of late years been traced which prove that the book, if not, strictly speaking, genuine, is at all events based on incidents in the life of a real person. I'arnell, in his " Hi-iory of the War of the Succession in Spain," thus sums up an elaborate investigation into the question : — " However, tlie identity of the writor, tlioughof literary iiitfroyt, is lujt a matter of iiiuuli historical iniportaiRT, and perliaps will never be irrefutalily e^tablislied. AVhat is certain about tlie work is, lirst, that it is not the txim't-jiih' memoirs it profe.'ises to be; .'•:(;Conilly, tliat its version of events connected with the War in Spain is intentionally untriie : and thirdly, that for eighty-five years after its appearance it was ignored by all historians." Granting that the narrative of the War is intentionally dis- torted in order to glorify the Karl of I'eterboi'ough and t(j asperse the memory of numerous other ofiieers, still, as Carleton un(pu^s- tionably did exist, and did serve in i\w p(>siti(jn he describes during the Spanish War, his narrative is interesting from an Engiiu'cr point of view, as tlie details he gives of that branch of the service niiiybe more or less taken as true and unbiassed. The names of the Engineers in the Train, wlien mentioned by him, are always correct, although he nowhere alludes to tlicm spcr-jiiciillv as Engineers. We, moreover, find traces of Carleton in the Grdnance Minutes ^yv 17(V2-17i;}.] OV KOYAI. ENGINEERS. 121 ;iiid elsewliere which tally precisely with his account of himself. Although not originally attached to the Train in the capacity of an Engineer, he seems almost from the first to have been employed iis such. In his address " To the Header " it is stated— " Our Author having obtain'd ])y his long Service some KnoAvledge of tlie pratick Vart of an Engineer, and seeing at tliat critical Tini° tlie great V\ ant of such, readily acted as one, whicli gave him the "reatcr Opportunity of being an l';ye Witness of his Lordship's" (the Earl of IVterboroiigli) "actions, and consequently made liim capable of setting them forth in these his Memoirs." "^ In the book itself he states how he first came to turn his attention to Engineering : — "The War thus ended by the I'eace of Nbnewien, the Regiment in wlucli I sei'vd Avas appointed to lie in CJarrison at the amvp. "We lay there near four years, our Soldiers being mostly employ'd aljout the I'ortifications, and the pratick Part of an Engineer M-hicJi in mv more advanced years was of no small Service to me." The early part of the siege of Barcelona did not present any details interesting to the Engineer. After much delay the fort of Montjuic was captured, l^rince George of iJarmstadt losing his life during tlui operation, and it Avas not until after this event that the Eiigmeers were able to break ground and erect their batteries for tlie purpose of breaching the enceinte of tlie town. The following descri]ition is given by Carleton of this stage of the siege, and it bears the stamp (d truthfulness in its main points though, perhaps, slightly boastful as regards his own doins'S :— " The Fort of il/nw/o^//r/,- being thus surprizinglv reduced furnish'd a stiange Vivacity to Mens Kxpcctaf ions ami as extravagantly flattered their ""!"'''• • • • • "Accordingly every I!o(lv now began to make bis utmost Kllorts, ami look'd up..n himself as a Drone if he was not I'luploy'd m doing something or other towards pushing forward the Siege ot liarrflniia it self, and raising ; roper I'.atteries for that I'urposi''" • • . . "Captain Littl-tnn in jjarticular, one of the most advanc'd ( aptains ui the whoh' Fleet, otfer'd of himself to take eare of the Landin-' and Conveyance of the Artillery to tlie ( amp. And answerable to that liis hrst Zeal wms bis Vigour all along : for finding it next to an Impos- silulity to draw the Cannon and ]\hirtars up such vast Precipices l,y Horses d the Cmntry had afforded them, he .aused Harnesses to be made for two hundred Afen ; aii.l by that ^Feans, after a prodigious Fati.nic and l.ahour, brought tiie Cannon and Mortars neeessarv for the Sit-e up to !h.' very ]5atteries. In this Manner was the Siege begun, n.ir was it '•arry d on with any less Application : the Approaches being made hv an Army of l!,>siegers, that veiy little, if at all, c.Kceedcd the Number of the I'I'siegd, not altogether in a regular Manner, our few Forces would not admit it ; but yet with Kegularity enough to secure our two little Camps i, ^.■!'i M \ I ■ ■ ^ \ ]", ! » '' 122 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [VH. VI. and preserve a Communication between both, not to be interrupted or incommoded by tlie Knemy. We liad soon erected three several Batteries against the Ph-ice, all on the West Side of the Town, im one of nine (Urns, another of Twelve, and the last of u])wanls of Tliirty. From all which we plyVl the Town incessantly, and with all ima<,dnable Fury and very often in whole Vollies. Nevertheless it was thought not only adviseable but necessary to erect another Battery, upon a lower Piece of Ground under a small Hill ; which lying more within Reach, and opposite to those Places where the Walls were iinagin'd weakest, would annoy the Town the more ; and being design'd for six Guns only, might soon be perfected. A Frenrh Engineer had the Direction and indeed very (|uickly perfected it." Caiieton does not inform us who tliis French Engineer was. It could not have been Lewis I'etit, who was not French, and whom he mentions fui-ther on. In all probability it Avas Carles, Avho commanded the Cadiz Train. He was the senior Engineer in the Peninsula at the time, and might very probably have visited the exj.oditionary force whilst engaged in the siege. It has already been stated that he was a French Huguenot. " But when it came to be consider'd which way to get the Cannon to it most were of opinion that it would be absolutely impracticable by reason of the vast Descent ; tho' I believe they might have added a stronger Keason, and perhaps more intrinsick, that it was extremely expos'd to the Fire of the Enemy. Having gained some little Kcputation m the Attack of Moiijouick, this Difficulty Avas at last to be put upon me, and as some, not my Enemies, suppos'd more out of Envy than good Will. However, when I came to the Place and had carefully taken a ■\ lew of it, though I was sensible enough of the J)ilficulty, I made my mam Objection as to the Time for accomplishing it ; for it was then between Xine and Ten, and the Guns were to be mounted by Daylight. Neither could I at present sec any other Way to answer their Exi)ecta- tions, than by casting the Cannon down the Precii)ice, at all Hazards to the J'lace below, where that fourth Battery was erected. This wanted not Objections to ; and therefore, to answer my Puri)ose as to point of Time,^sixty men more were order'd me, as much as possible to facilitate the Work by Numbers, and accordingly I set about it Just as I was setting all Hands to work and had given Orders to my ^Fen to begin some Paces back, to make the Descent more gradual and thereby render the Task a little more feasible, Major Co/licr who eonimanded tho Train* came to me ; and perceiving the DilHculties of the Undertaking in a Fret told me I wasimpos'd upon, and vow'd he would go and tiiul out Brigadier ' Ihe reason Carleton speaks of Major Collier as commanding the Train is, that John Richards, being a Roman Catholic, was not, strictlv speaking permitted to hold the post; but he received the pav, and the otti tiers of the J laiu were ordered to obey liini. I 1702-1713.] OK ROYAL ENGINEERS. 12a let It (local rank had evide.itly been given him) "and let him knoM- the Impossibility as well as the Unreasonableness of the Task I was pi t upon. He had scarce utter'd those Words and turn'd himself round to perform his Promise, when an unlucky Shot with a Musket-Ball wounded hi 1 through the 8hou her, upon which he was carry'd off and I saw W no till some considerable time after. By the painful Diligence and 1 e additional Compliment o Men, however, I so well succeeded (such was my great good lortune) that the Way was made, and the Guns, hvlhe He p of la^cines an.l other lesser Preparations below, safely let down rST f ';T/^'"* "^f ^"Y*'^ ^""^'"'y ^egan to pk; upon the Tow before Break of Day ; and with all the Success that was propos'd." The whole of this story poi:its to the probabiHty of Carles havmg visited the works and ordered the construction of tliis nn 1 f-L ^ ^ '"'T *''• ^''""^ ^^^" '°"^^ i^^^°W in the matter, and the Barcelona Engineers were evidently ready upon smal provocation to condemn the site. Carleton, although he naturally makes out the case so as to reflect the most credit on himself, does down diT '^ '''''''' '"'"''^ difficulty in the task of letting In addition to the wound received by Major Collier, as refen-ed to m Carleton s narrative, Colonel Petit was also disabled by an injmy whilst in the batteries, but was not long absent from duty ihe breach was made practicable after a few days' fire, and then the Govmior Velascx), surrendered. The siege had lasted from August 2ard to October 4th, but for the first three weeks no active operations had been undertaken ; and it was not until after the td of lort Montjuic on September 17th thot the engineering A\ ork can be said to have begun. ^ The capture of Barcelona was speedily followed by that of the city ot\alencia, together with many other places of minor im- portance, so that he Avhole of the ]n-ovinces of Catalonia and DutXTllie! ^^'""^ ^'''''''^'' '""'^ ^"' ^"^^^'^ ^'''^ Meanwhile, efforts had been made to advance the cause in the ^("st, and tlie Cadiz Train imder Borgard, with Carles as Chief Engineer, was fully employed. Its first movement was for an attack on \i^^nm, which began on May 2iid. In tliree days the Lngmeers had thrown up tlieir batteries, which began at once to play on tlie face of one of the bastions. (Jn the Stli the breach wns stormed and the place taken. In this siege Borgard was wounded losinghis left arm, in eonsecpience of whicli he was eoinpelled to relinquish the (>ommand of the Train. The vacnnt post was conferred on I.ieutenant- ( \>lonel Maucleiv, a (Queen's Engineer, who, hke Carles, was a Huguenot. On June I'itli tlie Board of Ordnance \\Tote to Mauclere— m> ■*.* > i ■ •'toil . t*"!l '*• ' ■ .h. ■•|i 124 niSTOKY OK IHK ( OHTS [.H. M. " As regards tlic S Gunners fcnt by the Prince of Hesse to supply tlio Train in Portugal, that a letter be writ to W Mauclere Engineer about the said Guimers, to the same purpose and to approve of his keeping them sober. The Board are sorry that Colonel V)orgar(l and others of the Train are wounded." Apparently, Mauclere did his work well in his new position, as we read in a memorandum dated Ootoher 14th, 1705 — "That a letter be writ to Lieut. Colonel Mauclere that we have received his of the 15"' August from l>eja, and are very well satisfied with his conduct in the management of the Train." On the same day that the first of these minuter was written, another emanated from the Board, placing Colonel Carles on the <^stablishment of Queen's Engineers — "That a letter be writ to ]\[y Lord ( ialloway, Captain (General of Her Majesty's Forces in Portugal, to acquaint him that since he believes Colonel Carles may be of great service the I'oard concur with him in making him Enginrer, in the room of Captain La Mott deceased." After the capture of Valenza, Albuquerque ^\■as besieged. In this attack the name of Joseph Ijennet occurs. On the an-ival of Talbot Edwardes at Gibraltar to assume the post of Chief Engineer, Eennet's position there became anomalous. He had been sent to take the connnand by Galway, on account of the emergency, and without instructions from the Board of Ordnance. Edwardes having superseded him, he returned to his normal position in the Portugal Train ; and at the siege of Albuquerque, between April 1 6th and 20th, he took charge of the engineering operations. We read of his driving a mine under the works, and of his being wounded.* On the 20th the place was captured, and then arrangements were made for the siege of Badajoz. Differences of opinion on the j^art of the allied commanders led to its post- ponement till the autumn, and when it was attempted in October it failed. Lord Galway having been severely wounded by a round shot, which shattered his right hand. Nothing further was accomplished by the Portuguese Train during the remainder of the year. As soon as Barcelona had been captured and the neighbouring provinces had declared for King Charles, Lord Peterborough pro- ceeded to Valencia. It was about tliis period that the following- incident, as narrated by Carleton, must have occurred — assuming that it is not a myth. I^eterborough did not bear a very good name on the side of his moral character, and there is no inherent Rennet shortly afterwards returned to Gibraltar as Chief Engineer. In * I I OF ROYAL EX(U\KKKS. 125 1702-L7Vi.] improbability in the tale, which is worthy of rescue from oblivion it only tor the quaint simplicity with wliich it is told. " While we stiiy'd at Hudfe tliere was a little Incident in Life wJiich ^'ave me great Diversion. The Karl, who had always niaintain'd a L'ood Correspondence witli the fair Sex, Jiearing from one of the Priests of the 1 ace That on the Alarm of burning the Town one of the finest Ladies in an^.S/.a«« had taken Kefugc in the Xunnery, was desirous to speak witli "The ^'imnery stood upon a small rising Hill within the Town • and obtain the A lew the Earl liad presently in his Head this Stratuaem • he «ends for me as Engineer to have my Advice how to raise a proper rortihcation upon that Hill out of the Nunnery. I waited upon his Lor.l- s lip to the Place, where declaring the Intent of our coming, and oivin- plausible Reasons for it, the Train took, and immediately the Lady Abbess and the fair Lady came out to make Intercession That his Lord- ship woul( be pleas'd to lay aside that Design. The divine Oratorv of one and the beautiful Charms of the other prevail'd, so his Lordshii) left the lortihcation to be the \Vork of some future (feneration." The loss of Barcelona had been mucli felt by the Kiuff of Jj ranee, and he took early steps to recover the fortress as soon as the general condition of the cami)aign admitted of a powerful advance. By us orders, Tesse, who commanded in Estremadui-a, moved by Madrid towards the place from the west ; whilst Lejral advanced on it from Roussillon. At the same time a numerous Meet had assembled at Toulon, and was ready to act in coniunc- tioii with tne land forces, and supply them with the necessary Tn/i'i ?J ^ ^^^S^- ^^^^^ combined movements were verV skilfully effected, and on April :2nd and ;ird, 1706, Barcelona Avas surrounded. At this time the Governor of the place was Count Uhlfeldt who had been raised to the rank of general, and appointed to tliat post by King Charles, who himself was also present The regular garrison consisted of 1,400 men, of whom ;J00 were Lnghsh, with a small Train mider Lewis Petit. In addition however, to these were 1,500 Spanish militia and 5,000 towns- people, who were enrolled for defence in companies. M " J''^-/"^"-''^ Engineer was Colonel Petit, and owing to his exertions the tortihcations were in an efficient condition, whilst the place was well provided with guns, ammunition, and defensive maferi,-/. At Montiuic the halt-formed outworks had been completed into a good line of bastioneil fortification, with ditches, covered Avay, and glacis ; whilst in trout of a demi-bastion on the west a small lunette had also been thrown up. ( )n the new ramparts several guns had been mounted, and the old tort formed a strong keep to the main lino of .lefence thus created in advance. Moreover, between the fortress and xAfontjuic, in substitution ''T*^.i 126 HISTORY or THE CORPS [CH. VI. for the small detached work of St. P.ertran, which had been demolished. a continuous line of intrenchment with a palisaded ditch had been constructod."* Two days after the investment the garrison was augmented by 1,800 men, who eluded the blockade of the French fleet, creeping along the coast in boats, and landing at the place without the loss of a man. On April 6th, trenches were opened against Fort Montjuic, and from tliat moment the siege was inished forward with the utmost vigour. The advanced lunette was captured on the 15th, and a lodgment on it converted into a five-gun battery Twenty-five guns and four mortars were now plaj-ing on Montjuic, and two large breaches were the consequence— one in the western demi-bastion, in front of which the lunette liad been throAvn up, and the other in the central bastion. Whilst this attack was progressing, the French liad opened trenches against the fortress itself, and thrown up an eight-gun battery, which opened fire on the 19th. At the same time the ships began to bombard the town. On the 21st the eiu-einte of Montjuic was stormed and captured. Four da_>s later the keep was al);,udoned by its defenders, having become no longer tenable, and the besiegers were from that time abiv3 to concentrate their efforts against the town itself. By the 2Hth eighteen guns were playing on the St. Antonio bastion and the curtain to its left, where two breaches Avere soon formed. Petit, who was generally considered tlie soul of the ':)fence, now constructed retrenchments to isolate the weak points. - f)rtunately for the garrison, lienatid, the Frencli Engineer, who was so ably conducting the siege, was killed, and this casualty had a very prejudicial effect on tlie attack. On May 3rd the besiegers began mining operations witli a view to enlarging the main breach, but Petit met them witli countermines, blew in their galleries, and checked the subterranean advance. Matters were now very critical, and there is little doubt that had a determined assault bee?! delivered the place would have fallen. Most fortimately, on the Sth, Sir Jolm Leake arrived with a relieving squadron, on which the French fleet hm-ried away from tlie scene of action and escaped to Toulon. Tessc, the commander of the land forces, finding himself isolated and left without a base, struck his camp on the night of the 11th and raised the siege, leaving the wliole of liis train and 900 sick behind him. The success of tliis defence brought great credit to Petit, to whose persistent gallantry and engineering resource it was largely due. ParneU's "War of the Spanish Suecesbion," pp. 154, liio. 170-2-171;}.] OF nOYAL KNC;i\KKKS, 127 subject :-"^''''^' '^' ^""'^'"^^ ^'^^'' ^' ^"^^^ ^"^e «" the " im«ff>i' AT''"' :< r , "Barcel.mu 29'" ^fav 1706 f V A?'^,;'' f "^^ •^''''' ^^ obligations to all y" oflicors and nviy'ite ni.ni of Your Maj'-- that havo assisted by Valour in .Mtni. in r fl IV' ,, i l ;;f uie F'rSrr'"^^^'^^^"^^ ^^ ^"^ petL'^d ?)ui;;Sot'iS: put the l^ortihca ions of Monjou and of this Capital into such a Gondii on of Defence, which gave time till the Arriving of the Fleet The Zea lam Application both the said Coll- have shewn" during the whole sei^e Ins been so extraordinary and that service so iniportant%,hat t "y h^ve lone me on this occasion I should wrong Your W'- cronerositv^ if I ;ilw recommend them to Your Clemency. I be. to beCrsuadod lil 1^^^^^ FJ in everything that will be ine in ^^ir iS" f ll' t' S Scoli^ 71 r 'V'^'^'^^'f tjie I]o.rd of Ordnance Colloi ^iut" me Lieu Coll of the Trayne of Artillerv, .u.cordin- to the Dito of X Connssion from the Earl of Peterborough' (being from the '>8'N) tM7oS And ha he and Cdl' Petit and their Familys°may .-n '; the b nefi^ of \o Just.ce and lenerosity that are us'd to tLse\U dis in^uirh themselves m my Service and in that of the Comon cause. ''''''"""''*' "I am with eternal acknowledging Resj^ects /Av /^^ J • ^ "Charles." — (Warr. Ord. in Co., and in W. O., vol. xix. p. 4,5.) AVhilst these events were proceeding in tlie east, Oahvay was advancing with the allied force of Englisli, Dutch, and VoZjeTe from Portugal towards Madrid. It will be rem;nbered hat at time of Borgard being wounded, Lieutenant-Colonel Mauclere he Engineer had been placed in command of the L'ortugal Train eter Carles being the Chief Engineer. Borgard, now recov'ered from his wound liad resumed coinmand, and tauiei7 in con'e- irSsret'nVV" 'T" P-iti- - l^^ngineer under cS. n+ \lno f f- ;"^P"^'tance in the campaign was the siege oi Acantara, which was opened on April lOth, 1706 aid brought to a successful issue by the capitulation of the town on n, d l1 1 ' *''^*'"" Lieutenant-Colonel Mauclere was killed ai Borgard again severely wounded, so that the command of tlie "iXtSmeir"""^'^^' "^ ''-'' '' '''' ^''''^' - ^"^"-er to S E^:^ isir tbf 1 1:; '''-''''- ''- ''-' -^^^ ''sh.,ul.l be very ready to comply with his re.iuest in makin-r Ca.^tain Massey Fngn.eer on the establishment at £100 per annum in the room of ^ ::if t he'di:: 'f 'I^ l-t His (h-aee tl. Dulleof Marlho;:>' t'^S fo i nustlf the disposal of such places, that according to Mis Lordshin's .>.'■ . i ! , . i '<■ m : ..iH 128 IIISTOUY OF TllK (OKI'S [en. \"i. The coiumaud of the Train apparently remained for some tinio vacant, and it was not until Maroh 2()th, 1707, that Major Theodore Collier, Engineer, who was second of the (!atalonia Train xinder John Richards, was ordered by the Duke of Marlboi-ough to take command of the Portugal Trahi, "instead of Colonel Borgard." Immediately afterwards we read in minute of March L\5th— "An Imprest for JHOiS 3 months pay advanced to Colonel CoUitii ^foing as Colonel to the King of Portugal's Train." After the capture of Alcantara, (jalway pushed steadily forward to Madrid, which he entered on June t27th, and there proclaimed Charles III. Kinp- of Sjiain. Whilst this movement was being made by (lalway, the force which liad been sent under Admiral Sir John Leake for the relief of Barcelona was employed in reducing several maritime towns in Valencia. After having secured Carthageua without firing a shot, he proceeded to Alicante, which he found prepared to resist his summons. He therefore landed his troops on August 1st, and ground was broken before the place. Colonel Isaac Petit, who was a (iueen's Engineer, although not at the time employed as such, being in command of IVIohun's Regiment, was the onl}' person present capable of conducting the Engineer operations. Under his direction a battery for six guns was thrown up, and a few lines of approach pushed forward. On the Gth, tire was opened and a breach formed, which on the 8th was stormed and carried. At the same time an attack was made by boats on a breach that had been established by fire from the ships, and the result of the joint attack was that the town fell into the hands of the sailors. They promptly opened the gates and admitted the soldiers who had carried the breach in the suburbs on the land side, the garrison retreating into the Castle. In this affair Colonel Isaac Petit Avas killed whilst reconnoitring in tlu! suburbs. The Castle held out until September 8th, when it was surrendered. In the summer of 170G a new Train was assembled, which was intended to form part of an expedition under Earl Rivers for the invasion of the west coast of France, a French nobleman (tl'.e Marquis de Guiscard) having submitted a scheme for that puri)ose. This force, having discovered the futility of (hiiscard's project, proceeded to Spain and landed at Alicante on February 8th, 1707. Colonel Michael Richards was C'olonel of the Train as well as Cliief Engineer, and under him were the following Engineers, vi/., Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Durand, Captains John Chardeloup, Paul Robert la Mouline, and Pierre trilbert de Pagez ; and two Sub-Engineers, viz., John Andre d'Agnecourt and Maximilian \"I. i ,' 1702-1718.] OV HOYAI, KNTilNERRS. 129 siion.knoe with h,s bmthei- Michael. The foUowhi «tmcts are amusing The tot shows that he had no love Khe Arti e?v Pos„bly l,e jealousy which has from time to t"me croroed u^i between l,e «stcr service, existed even in those days anT e con sueivd that he would find a syn,pathi.er in his EnTneerbrothr" help, and seeing yo/wiH S „ y" i Mr' le 'i''^!';' ntT'T-""'" honest fellow as ll„,-.r„i,l would eoie here ' '" """^ "" Jea?.fieii:;^^L«;;„i'^C,-^^^^^^^^^^ .no:^Sr:sT^^s'iS;;,«:S»'--^tt^^ ChM X""' J°'"' Bi«'»»* tad apparently quarrelled with his (hiet hngmeer at Ahcante, Captain Pierre Giltert de I'ngez - Galway haying been driven from Madrid, owing to the superior forces brought against liim by Berwick, had retreafed o vXl ihus strengthened, he made ])reparations for a fresh advincfi towards the niterior, with a view to the recovery of Sb^^T -der to effect this it was necessary fox l"m o o-ive tftle to Wk, who barred the way to the c'apital. Galwa^^s forf even men ^un '."""* ^^'•^^"'^' '''''^'' ^^^'^'^ '^'"'^ not^ex<,He JS men, and las iram, whicli was commanded by Michael Kichards, K .|'-f ) f,m . i f t-- 1 - >(| i . *• )'. / ^^ 130 HISTORY OK THE CORl'S [C'H. VI. witli Borgard as his second officer, only consisted of six pieces of field (irtillery. On tlie other hand, Berwick was at the head of 2o,000, with a large train of artillery. Undaunted by this great disparity in numbers, Grulway pushed forward, and after some niiuueuvring, in which lie captured a quantity of stores from tlie enemy, the two armies came into collision on AjU'il '20th, 1707, at Alraanza. The result was r. disastrous defeat. After a battle of two hours, the allied forces were beaten at all points, and suffered great losses. Galway was enabled to withdraw the remains of his army in good order, under cover of some dasliing charges of cavalry'. '• ikit before doing so he sent off, under Michael Richurdi^, tlic lui,i,'li.«li train of six guns, most of the Allied camp ei|uipnient and baggage, the commissariat stores and the ambulances with th(! wounded and sick, and these, which formed a convoy of 400 waggons, arrived in (hie tinu- safely at the Grao of Valencia."* The result of this battle was that all the open country of Valencia and Catalonia Avas lost to King Charles, only the f« rejieated on the following day with the same result. The French then further developed their attack and threv,- u]) new batteries, from Avhich they made anothci breach to the left of the original one. Fresh assaults were nnid-' on July iOtli and 11th, the latter by the whole available forces Ti * Parnell : " War of the Succesaiou in Spain," p. 220. 170'.>.i:iM.J OK KOVAI- KN(iINKEKS. |:JI of the besiegers. On both 0(3easion3 thej were driven baek with great slaugb er, the result being tlmt tlie siege wa« raised af or . Zf ^ 1"« -1 tjventy-seven daj^. The Froncti loss i h ' luti l effort was -5,oOO of whom 1,>00 were killed, whilst that of o cTedit on Charde lonp, who had eondueted the Engineer ])ortiou of It with iMueh skill and determination. ^ ^ bei^g r.lf ''""^ '^'''' ^''' ^^" ^^"^^"^« '^ ^'^^-^-^^^ were ,, "^^",?'''-y„^'!'' ^^''-'''"^^ Riclmrds (accnnipanie.! by Lewis Petit and Borgard) w.th the field train from AhnanL had JrrTveTl at Torto". L e t.-Cul0nel J)uraud wassent to Tarragona, and si.nilarly other OueeS L. gineers were de.spatche.l to Lerida, Mequinenza, Mongon and t le various towns along the Aragon frontier."* " Tortosn"*nnLi''1'^?1 interesting to Engineers was the defence of ioitosa, conducted by Colonel Lewis Petit, assisted by Ca,)tain La Mouhne On June 11th, 1708, the Due d'Orleans invested he place with a force of 22,000 m^n, the garilof m^e Cou d Lsseren being ;j,200 regulars and 1,000 militia. war/kVv!" ''' were begun on the 21st, and three days after- wauls hre was opened from sixteen guns, besides mortars. The defence was yeiy spirited, and in a sortie on the 27th much damage was inflicted on the besiegers' batteries. " On the 8th July Orleans had sapix-d to within fourteen yards of the l™l"led''';n?'^' 27 guns were piercing the esearp, and the' next nigh half the Austruius poured on it a shower of projectiles, after which ^S'^enX^ ;^ J^' ennined sortie, in winch, beini Jconded hy muskeliv au.l giena es, lie edected considerable injury, and on its cue lusion Petit Tc^^W i;:;;jlf -^ -- «f the charges which he had placed in^r All the efforts of the defence were, however, futile, owing to be great superiority of the besieging force, and on July 10th Wen surrendered. Captain La Mouline was killed during the In the month of January of this year all the Spanish and lortuguese 'ri-ains ^yere consolidated into one, of Nvhich the olonel and Clue Engineer was Michael liichirds, whilst the l.ieutenant-tolonel, and second in command, was Albert iJor- gard. 1 here were ten Engineers attached to this amalgamated Ham. but no record exists of their names. Taking, however, the .r}i ' ■ ■ 1 Parncll, p. 231. t If»(f. p. 248. f 132 HINTOKY OK THE (OKI'S [(H. VI. ft ^■': total number of KnginoorH serving with the 8P])arate TraiuH, and oniittiug tlin names of tlioso who ha ."U"' 1708. — -That a Rtiitn-Hentation bo inmlc to His Gnice the Duke of Marlborough, Master (Joncral of the Ordnance, upon a Memorial delivered to His (iraee by Colonel Carles for leave to go to serve the King of Portugal and to order the payment of Engineer's place he has in the Train that was in Portugal and went to Spain Pel)' 3"' 170H. On the aliove His Grace was pleased to return for answer by Mr. Craggs that the three Trains in Spain and Portugal being reduced to one, and the Ivortl Galway having tilled up all the Engineers' ])laces in that Train, and the same being approved of by the (i>ueon, which the Board cannot add to or alter, His (Jrace agreed to the same and referred the Colonel to Her Majesty." Ou this we fiiul that the Board received a letter from the Earl of .Sunderland, dated February lJ)th, 170S — "Signifying Her Majesty's pleasure that ^lonsieur Carles (in con- sideration of the pressing instances made by the Envoy of Portugal in the name of the King liis master) l)c made one of the ten Engineers upon the Establishment of Spain on the tirst vacancy, and that in the meantime £100 jier annum u[)on that Train be added to his salary." In the month of August, 1708, General Stanhope, with a force composed of ] British Artilkny and Marines, and a few battalions of Sj)aniards, I'ortuguese, and Italians, landed in Minorca, and immediately laid siege to Port Mahou. Colonel Lewis I*etit accompanied the expedition as Chief Engineer, and conducted the siege operations. The place fell on September MOth, and a few days later the whole island surrendered to the Pritish. ( 'olonel Petit was appointed Governor of Fort St. Phili]), the fVu-tress of Port Mahou, and Lieut. -Crovernor of the island. The result of this acquisition was the formation of another Ordmmee Train, for the defence of the place, in January, 1709. Of this Train Colonel Peter Durand was ap])ointed Commandant and Chief Euffineer. In a list dated March tiOth, 1712, we find him named cun- 1702-17 l.l.J OF noYAT, ENOIXKKRS. 138 ns 15riga(li(M- niul Cniiof Kngiueor nt Malion, and (Jantain Robert liafham as Ktigiiicor. In 171-2 ihmm-id Mioliael Kiolmrds, tlum Uhiof Knginoor of the kingdom, roportw : — ''I Imv.i cxuiuincHl thn ]>l,in,s and EstimutoH of the Fortifif'atioiis of Malion. In rolalK.n to wlurh it inny bt; ic.|ui,sit() to a('(iuaint you that 1 (litl n«!Vor intorftMo with tho Foitilications thcio, licing always eniployo.l in tho service of the Artillery, and wan hut onco at Mahon a fow days to lodge tho stores that earn.! from England in 1709" (these were evidently the stores which accompanied the Train under Colonel I'eter Duraiid) ;'at winch time the works at S' Thilip were hut just begun. So that 'tis impossible I should boa competent judge. As to the project of tho 1 Ian, 1 humbly coneoivo it was concerted on the spot by the Knd Chief Engineer of the iram to proceed to Scotland for the army of the iJuke of Aro-yll « ' k>\ \ 1 I . r i' ;ll i;34 HISTORY OF THE COKVS [oh. VI. against the Pretender, Avhere he went accompanied by Captain Philips and Captain Grreiiil. Soon after this Brigadier Durand died at Gibraltar, and a letter was sent on June 29tli, 1716, from Mr. Secretary Stanhope to the Lords of the Treasury, signifying His Majesty's pleasiu-e " for Brigadier Petit to have an allowance of 30s. per day as Chief Engineer of Minorca, in the room of Brigadier Durand, deceased."* To revert to affairs in the Peninsula. On November 1st, 1708, the French once more besieged Denia. Chardeloup was still in the place, and conducted the Engineer branch of the defence. Under him was the Captain Greorge Carleton already referred to, who, although not an Engineer, acted voluntarily as such on this occasion, as he had done throughout the campaign. After a siege of eighteen days the garrison was forced to capitulate, and both Chardeloup and Carleton became prisoners of war, in which position they remained until the Peace of Utrecht restored them to liberty. The French next advanced against Alicante, the last Yalencian stronghold which still resisted their anns. Major-Greneral John Richards was the Governor, and Captain Pierre de l*agez Chief Engineer. The latter v>'as assisted by Captain Pobert Latham. The fortifications of the town were very poor, and liiehards had devoted most of his attention to developing the strength of the castle, deeming that he would be better able to maintain his defence at that point than by endeavouring to hold the town. Consequently, when the French arrived before the place on December 1st, they found no difficulty in making them- selves masters of the latter, Ivichards having withdrawn the garrison into the castle. This the French General soon discovered to be almost impregnable by breaching, and he therefore resorted to mining, for which ])ur})()se he jnished a gallery through the Rock, on the summit of which, nearly 200 feet above the level of the town, the castle stood. The garrison was not strong enough to undertake a sally, and so tlie work went on undisturbed for no less than three mouths. I'ligcz ench'avoured to mitigate the effects of an explosion by sinking a shaft through the parade, as nearly as he coidd judge over the position the chamber wonhl occupy. ( )n February 2-jth, Richards contrived to send off a letter to his brother Michael, telling liiui of the mine, and of his intention to stand its effects, ending with the words, " Good night, Micky; God * Durand diid at (iibraltar, wliore ho liad acted as Chief Engineer in suc- cession to Joseph lU'unet. lie nas apparcntlj- holdinfi: the same post for both stations, Lewis Petit not havino; taken over the Minorca command from him, as it liad been intenditl that he should. ■;'1: 1702-171^1.] OF H(>YAI. K.\(ilXKERS. V\b .send us a merry meeting-. '' The cata.stroplie may well 1 )e desfribed ni Parnell's words : — "Tlic, cliainber D'Asfeld had excavated was loaded with 1200 Imrrels ot gunpowder eacli eontainiiig a (|uiiital or 9.S 11,8. Eii<,disli, and tlius tlie total amount was 117,000 Ib.s., whicli is perhaps tlie greatest 4u^h charge that has evei been used in war. On February 20th IVAsfeld sunimoned R.chaid.s to surrender, and invited him to send two olhcers to mspect the mine. He accordingly despatched Pagez and ihornicroft, who reported that it was a Uma Thh' one and ready to be sprung. 8tdl the rock was honeycombed and traversed bv various niternal clefts, and it was not niu-easonably hoped that these'with the shatt sunk by Pagez would to a great extent render nugatory the effects ol tlie blast After carefully weighing the reasons for and against hold- ing out, Richards informed D'Asfeld that he would abide the s]irin<'in'; I'^'^'ly "11 the morning of Mondav March •iril Richards, accompanied by 8yburg and Tli. nicroft, and attended Iw the senior officers of the garrison off duty, .hdiberately took ui) his station on the parade under which the gallery had been driven Shortly before six o'clock the people below were observed to be fleein-' 111 crowds from tliat part of the town nearest the castle. Soon a slight smoke was seen ascending the face of the precipice and the corpoiaf of the adjacent guard cried out that the hose was lit. Almost at the strt)ke of SIX a convulsion shook the rock and the parade was split by several long irregular fissures which opened and immediately .shut anain In the.se rifts the heroic Richards and many of the devoted ofHcers an.uiid liim were literally cnfnmbcd alive, and with them the greater portion nt the (ruards. Itesides the Goverii.n-, -Syburg, Thornicroft, and .Maior \ignoles, there perished by this dreadful death five cai)tains, three lieutenants, and forty-two soldiers." Tliis calamity did not cause the surrender of tlie castle. Lieut - (olonel D'Albon, wlio by Kiehards' deatli beoamo tlie senior officer of the garrison, at once answered the explosion (which had done but little damage to the works) by opening fire from all his artillery. lie i)hiced his troo])s on short commons, and deter- mined to keep up tlie defence until lie was relieved. At leno-th, o loO Travelling allowances. 20s. Od. a day. l;5s. 4d. „ ' 18s. 4cl. „ i Engineers I'eter Carles Thomas I^liillips Richard King . Jolin i\a'mstrong James Moore John Romer 100 { Actual expenses ( incurred. i ' Hi r ■: I 140 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. VII. New Establishment. Pay per annum. Travelling allowances. Engineers Sub-Engineers £100 ( Lewis Petit Albert Borgard. . John Ilanway . . John Armstrong Thomas Lascelles 1^ William Horneck Francis Hawkins '\ John Barker . . ( John Selioke . . L Benjamin Withall ; It iv'U be seen by the above that John Armstrong was on botli establishments, consequently he drew pay from both. 50 Actual expenses incm-red. Ditto Special Estabijshments. North Britain Gibraltar . . Minorca . . Newfoundland New York Flanders Train Spanish Train Theodore Dury Jonas Moore Peter Diu'and George Vane John Eedknap Pay per annum. £127 15s.^ 182 10s. 365 Os. 365 Os. 148 10s. Travelling allowances. Actual > expenses incurred. Half-Pay List. Sub-Engineer Nicholas Dubois £50 Engineer Jean Chardeloup . Maximilian Faviere John Grreuil Bloom Williams . . ^ Sub-Engineer Edward Eidley . . ' 50 01 5 Other Trains, Engineer Joseph Bennet . . £182 10 Gibraltar, &c. „ Francis Hawkins 91 5 Flanders, &c. „ John Eedknap. . 74 5 New York. To these were afterwards added — Sub-Engineer Noel Merchant . . £50 „ Francis Leep . , 50 From this it appears that Francis Hawkins und John Eedknap drew half-pay for former services whilst still en the Establishment. 1713-1748.] OF KOYAT- ENGINEERS. 141 Two men who had been Engineers, but were now serving as Artillery officers, were in the receipt of half-pay for their Engineer services, viz. — Lieutenant- Colonel Roger Davis . . £182 10 Major James Petit 136 17 6 ( ■ 4 Irish Estahlishment. Chief Engineer Thomas Burgh . . . . £300 Second „ John Corneille . . . . 182 10 Third „ James Wybault . . . . 146 To complete the list, the following should also be referred to : Brigadier Theodore Collier and John Massy. Collier, formerly an Engineer, had latterly been in command of the Portuguese Artillery. Mass}' wa- in the same service as Chief Engineer. These officers, had they returned to England, would have been entitled to a place on the half-pay list. Such was the Engineer estaolislunent in the year 1714. By this time the system had been foimd to work very badly. The Ai'tillery were naturally discontented at the comparatively sub- ordinate position in which they found themselves, and the Engineers who had served throughout the war but were not on the establish- ment, were clamom'ing to be placed there. Those who had been fortunate enough to secm-e a position on that coveted Hst com- plained at the same time of the smallness of the pay they were receiving, and pressed urgently for an increase. In this conjuncture, Michael Richards, the Chief Engineer, put forward a scheme for the separation of the Ai'tillery and the ' "'^ f>''P>'^y'-"g their .onius in seeing what works are uJT- T : • ; I* i"-'*^ •''^'" ''° observed that the propos.,.,! Xew tstabl.shmen may be calculated within the present charge of the Old or present Kstabhshment " . . . " as does more plainly appear by severa calculations made by Mr. Mercator in an Essay of h[s for a Ke^imon a ^ Ih ' I W ]\ ^'" t'" ^''"'"'^l" "'"^^ "^ ^^ '-^ -'"^ the appfob.;; o ot the hoard has put me upon this attempt of revising it; hopin- that this short account, as imperfect as it is, will .^uffic, to g"ve an ide^of he greai benefit which may arise from such a form, sinS it may be lily made to appear that the Stores of Artillery and Fortifications may be cheaper an.l bet er looked after by the methods and regulations that will pSe"; on"" Establishment than they possibly^can be htm Z, Meanwhile in a minute of the Board of Ordnance, dated foSnt'.-!^ ' "^' ^"'""^ ''^^''' appointments appear the "As also the Honb" Ihigudier Richards's Patent constituting him Surveyor General of the Ordnance, in the room and stead of Wdliam Bridges Esq" decease.l, dated the 2'- inst. . . As likewise Colon" John Armstrong's Patent appointing him Chief Engineer (in the room and stead of P.rigadier General Richards promoted as above), aid to sit and ac at the P>oard as a Principal Officer of the Ordnance, dated the-2"" inst? This is followed, four days later, by another minute :— "Several applications being made to His Grace y" Duke of Marl- borough Mas Gen' of y" Ordnance, for \'acancys of En-aneers i mon v" Estal^hshm' of r office w"- His Grace hath referred to y" Board ^ It i herefore ordered that upon all such Applications The persons so nret- tending shall sett forth a memorial y" time of his Ser vie where employed yearly, in what Sieges, Works X'c, giving an Acc^ of pian i, - Journal s he hath presented to y'^ Board according to his Inst re ton And > y Chief Engineer examine ,1' certifie to y" Pnard how he finds such Persons (..ualified, .V: whether they have informed then selves in such parts of y Mathematicks as are absolutely re-juisite for an En^inee s;;e:f ;;;% 'v^^ ?'r '■' ^'f 'r- ^ ^ *° *" ^^ ^" ^^^^ «f «- ^^^^ given to y Chief Engineer for his Instruction." It is evident that by this time it was generally known that great changes Avere impending, and the applications for admission into the new establishment were numerous The Engineer element of the Board was now much strength^ ened. With such men as Richardsjind Armstrong forming two [CH. VU. l>y wliich I liave the works are wst.'d Xew the (,)lil or l)y several tcginiontal pprobation aping that tlua of the 1^ be easily IS may be; 3 tliat will from th(! 36, dated pear the siting him t William e Colonel room and iit and act }"" inst." of Marl- I upon y' rd It is so pret- :e, where I'lanns or tractions, his Time. he finds selves in Engineer, order be \vn tliat Iniission trength' ing two )poseJ by 1713-1748.] OF ROYAJ. KXGINEERS. 143 out of the very limited number of which that body was com- prised, it was not likely that the interests of their branch of the service would fail in being brought to the fore. Wo therefore hud that the scheme originally ventilated by Richards was developed. The Artillery was placed upon a proper footing as a separate estabhshment of two companies, and, what more concerns this history, a regular (Jorps of Engineers was formed, to consist 1 Chief Engineer at 27s. Od. per diem . . 'i Directors at 20s. per diem 6 Engineers in Ordinary at 12s. per diem 6 ,, Extraordinary at 8s. per diem G Sub-Engineers at 5s. per diem . . _6 Practitioner Engineers at -'is. per diem £501 17 1,095 1,314 870 547 10 328 10 () ^^^ £4,062 17 6 The Warrant for these great changes was given at St. James's, May 20tn, h 10, m the second year of George I., and was signed " Stanhope. " This day may therefore be taken as that on which the Engineer branch of the British army blossomed into a distinct Corps, ^^hh grades, and a prospect of steady and continuous advancement trom rank to rank without impediment or hiatus. It is also tlie birthday of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. From this time that Corps became quite distinct from, and was no longer con- trolled by, the officers of the sister service. It rapidly reached to a sturdy manhood, and few Avho have not studied the details of the Ordnance history of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries have any idea how recent has been the emancipation of that noble regiment from the control of the Engineers. The next step in development was granted in a AVarrant dated Aug_ust 22nd, 1717, when establishments were formed not only for the L nited Kingdom, but also for Minorca and Gibraltar Th( numbers ■' • — follows :■ by this Warrant were raised to thirty-four, classed as For Great Britain 1 Chief Engineer at 27s. Gd. 2 Directors at 20s. 2 Sub-Directors at 15s. . . Engineers in Ordinary at 10s. Engineers Extraordinary at 6s. Sub-Engineers at 4s. . . _0_ Practitioner Engineers at 3s. 20 £501 17 6 730 547 10 1,095 657 438 328 10 £4,297 17 6 T^^^^ ' Scotch rebellion of 1715 h;id run its course. The death of (iueen Anne in . ngust, 1714, and the accession of (reorge I. had been followed b>- a general rising of the clans. On the first symptoms of the coming storm, (jeneral Maitlaud, who commanded at Fort WiUiam, applied in haste for an Engineer : — " All tlie platforms are wholly out of order, a new (,'ate is wanted for the principal port, a new ^'atc to the ravelin, and new <,'atcs to the Sally- The r 171-3-1748.] OF ROYAL KNfilNKKllS. 145 OK ly.lK-J^X^v!^^''' are entirely out of order, and the pallisadoes all along tnc river Jsevis are perfc('tly ruinous." And again, tliree weeks later, — "Wo are very l.usy .Iressincr tl.o paiapetH, planting ..allisadoes and doing all we can to mako the host of a Inul bargain. .^ . Once mor " ontro, ; you to get an Engineer sent to this foit and the outpo.sts." In reply t'' this request, Brigadier Lewis Petit was sent to .Scotland m hepteniher to assi.i the General with his adviee -xmX u report on the state of the works there as well as at the ,ther torts und castles m Heotland. Having done this he returned 1^ i.ondou with his proposals an.l estimates. Theodore Dury was at the same time scouring the country, visiting the castles of ivhi.l.irgh, Mirling, Dumbarton, and others, making such arrange- ments .It each as slioidd render it safe from sud.h.i attack ^ Imminent^ as Nvas the crisis, uttieers of the Board of Ordnance vere not to be moved from their usual routine. Having received ohts report, they decided that it should be considered and ll c ore the King •' n^..unst the spring, tlie present season no being proper lor doing any work" (War. Urd. in Coun. in \V.()., Aol. XX. ])p. J2() to \'y^). The next year was a busy one for the Engiiu'ers in .Scotland Tl eoZ '?) " ^W-ir *'"■ f;ll''^ving olticers wei^ in that country : ilieo.lore Dury, WiUiaiu Horne<-k, Thomas Lascelles, John liomer and JolHi (ireuil. The latter was present at he battl ' i' Mieriffinmr on November l;5tli On November 2rth a Warrant was issued for an Ordnance irjmi for servxc m Scotland. Of this Train Brigadier I^Ws t i If ' 'W""'r^ Commanding J^Jngiueer, Albert Borgard being T he itk / r^r r^'"' r'^'"'^ ^"" ^^^^ *'«^' -'"^^^ active service I he Duke of .Afar borough, at tiie cud of this year, ordered r;^s ".oT';"'^"!*'"'^^^' \" l""'"'^'"'^ "^ the^rtifieations, Lauacks, and storehouses in the kingdom. Engineers Avere theie being at the time no reconls, an.l l.ttle heing known of the Captain Tall,,. t I'dwardes, Second Engineer, Portsmouth Division. I ort.smouth ^Fown. Yarmouth, \ Nouthsea Castle. 8andl> nn, Blocldiouse Fort. Carisbrook. i Uiarlestort. Cowes, ) James Eort. Hurst C-.stle. ^r^T^'^\^\ C'^ls^^^^t Castle. i he Dock. Isle of Wight. ^«iK \ 14U msioiiv or jHi'i (OKI'S [cil. VII. \t '• (Jolouel Lilly, Third Kuginct'r, Plymouth Division. Portliind ('iistlc. i'didcniiis. I'lymouth. St. Mtiwcs. St. Xicholiis island. Scilly Islands. ('nptiiin Tlu'odoiv Uiiry, North Jiritain. Edinhnrgh. J)unibartoii. Stirling. IMaokness. Fort William. (.'aptain Thomas Philli))?, North of England. Scarborough Castle. ( 'liil'ord's Fort. ]5i3rwi(k. Jlnll. ]loly Island. Carlisk". Tinmouth. (.'nptain John Grreuil, Medway liivcr and Chathani. Shoerness. James ]}attery. Howncss. ' ;N[iddl('ton Battery. Gillingham. Upnor. Cockham Wood. Lieutenant John Komor, Tilbury and Gravesend. John Brookes, Cinque Ports. Dover Castle. Monts JUdwark. Archclilf Fort. Sandown. Deal Castle. AValnier. Sandgate. The following stations were also to be r(![iorted on, but a' the date of the above selections (January lOlli, 17 IG) the oltieers had not been named, viz., Harwich, Landguard Fort, North Yarmouth, Chestin-, Jersey, (hiernsey, AVindsor, Whitehall, and Tower of London (Mast. (ien. in W. O., No. v. ])age 74). On July -'{rd, ITKi, a Warrant was issued to Brigadier Lewis Petit, as Chief Engineer and Connnander-in-Chief of all otHcers. bondjardiers. gunners, and other attendants of the Othee of Ord- nance at I'ort Mahon, AEinorca, with pay at the rate of 2<>s. ])ci' day, and on March ISth, 1717, another AVarrant was granted by (ireorge I. a])pointing I'rigadier Alichacl Ivichards Suiierintendent- Oeneral of the inspection and direction of all the foundries of Oreat Britain, with a salary fixed by the Board at £500 a year, and *20s. per ihiy for travelling allowances. On Julv 17th, 1717, John Armstrong was commissioned to the Th Til Th [CH. VII. I71;M7IH.] "!•■ IIOVAI, KN(*INKi;ilS. h; , but n' J oltioers , North lall, iui(! I. )v Lewis otficci's. of Ord- •2ih. ]..■!■ iited hy toiidoiit- (Irics of ' a year, (I to tlic (f nor. • "^ Marlbor.>ngl,). Ho wan al.so (iuart..nnaste - ("CruuniissKm l{o(,k,"l712,vol iJor. „ 17^ v ^ a' "^ ]npn..o,. of (imtt Britain, ono of tho IW ,a/ m;.n^, Hv tho yoar 1 ?•.>■,> thoro had arisen ten vacanoies on flu,nl,l In, 1 v f i ^""^*^'''" vaoanoios still to be filled ; but these had to await further casualties on tho old list Tl e me , .till The foreign establishments stood thus •— Annai.olis— Engineer, Paul ^Masearine. 1 laoentia--J^ngineer, Jfumphrey Herbert, feoutii ( an.lina— Kngiueer, John IJarker. Jamaioa-lMigineer, Fruiu-is Hawkins. \ifi\\ letei i^aiiiimaudaye and William . 1 , 1 (■■;'* * 1 \.. ! . , i 'l;i ,1, ■ 148 lll!STOUY OF THE t'OKPS [^•^{. VII. Skinner were ordered from Minorca to (libraltar, to be employed under Jonas Monro. Whilst there they executed a general survey of tlie liook. At the same time James Wibault was sent to ]Nrahon. Tliese chnnges were really necessary, as there was no Military Acadenn', no examination, and no competition; tlie candidates were selected hy the ( 'liief Engineer of tlie kingdom, and it was certain tliat under such circumstances there must liave Ix^en many ap]>ointnients of men hut ])oorly fitted for the olUce of an Engine'.'r. Tlie cadets of the Ordnance were all intended for the Artillery service, and uj) to tliis time tliere had hern only one inst.ance of a cadet-gunner becoming an Engineer. Tliat Avas Thomas Armstrono:, the brother of the Cliief I'^Ti^'incer. In such a system of pure patronage, it was absolutely necessary to afford 3'ouiig officers every possible opportunity of obtaining the ]iro])er training by serving at dilbn-ent fortresses, where; they would have tlie means of stiidying the best i>riiici])]es of fortification adapted to exceptional circumstances. In ITJiO, further vacancies having occurred in the old estiiblish- meiit, the Corps was increased by ]m)motiiig John liomer to the rank of 8ub-I)irect(»r, Jose])h ])ay to iMigineer in Ordinary, Thomas Armstrong and William Skinner, Engineers Extraor- dinary; Thomas Moore, P)l()om Williams (who had been dismissed some years before for refusing to go to South Carolina and was now reinstated), James Wibault, and (Jharles Camitbell as Sub- Engineers, and Leonard lUckerstail'e as J*ractiticiucr. The last two were new ajipointnu-nts. On I)ec(>mber ISth, in this year, Thomas Burgli, the Cliief Engineer and Surveyor-deneral of Ireland, died. lie had had a lengthened career in that country, having starved under AYilliam III. both in liiS Irish war and afterwards in Elandiu's. He had liehl the i»ost of Chief Engineer of Ireland for man}' years, and was meml)er ol' Tarlia- ment for Naas from 171-") to ih-?' time nf his death, lie was succeeded by Sir Edward liOvet l*(>irce, whose Warrant as Chief Enginec and Surveyor-! ieneral was dated on .January Kith, 17;>1. He was at the time member for the boi-ough of Uatoath, and liad been the designer of the Irish Houses of I'arHjnnent, the first stcme of which was laid on February ^h'd, 17'2!' ("Ldndnn (fa;5ette," February 11th, 17"i!>). He did not live to witness the eom]iletion of his noble pile, as he died in IT-'v'J, the work not being finished until 1711 under the charge of his successor, Ai'lliur Dobbs, wliose AVarrant is datetl Alay 'ind, 17;H. He also was a Mendun" of Parliament for Castle 1 )obbs, Lisburn. In M'ly, 17')-"). Colonel .lohn Armstrong, the Chief I'higiiieer of the kingdom, was commissioned as Colonel of the Itoyiil K'egiment of Ireland (now the Royal Irish) in the place of Sir ('li.nles !'.'i Iv 1713-1748.] OF KOYAI. KXGINEKKS. Ii9 llofham, Bart., " and also to have a Company in it." On November ^ rn, ".^ ^'"^"^^ y^^^^' ^^^ ^""'^^ "^^^6 Brigadier-General Ihe first_ code of instructions for the new Corps of Engineers was published in 1/40. It was entitled " (ieneral Instructions for the Engineers, to be sent to the several Garrisons." The only portion of these instructions that need be referred to here is that connected with the Ordnance. This shows clearly that even at this date, a quarter of a century after the Royal Artillery had been formed into a separate service, the Engineers were supposed to liave control oyer Avhat is now the peculiar province of the sister service in the sixth portion of the instructions, after dealing with the necessary inspection of tlie Ordnance Artificers, the document proceeds thus: — "And as it is ob.sjervable that we have more (Juns in our Places tlian our most powerful .Neighbours, altho' they arc joined upon tlie same Continent and we on an Maml, so M-e expose all our Guns mounted on Outworks to the Injuries of tlie Weather, botli Carriages and Platforms, and even suliject to Surprize in the Outworks, whereas theirs are secured both irom \\ eat ua- and Surprize under proper Sheds except some few for A lanns and Salutes, and the same is to be said in Articles, of Pallisades which we are as irregularly profuse in and to as little purpose, since it would be very much for the Service that they should be preserved under Covers, except sucli as shall be necessary to secure the several Entrances and keep the Castle from tlie Works. It is therefore ordered that you take a regular an.l exact Account of tlie lumbers, ^futures. Length, and \\ eights of the several Cannon and how Mounted in each Carrisou You are to .NumlK-r eacli Nature by itself either in Paint or Cut upon the Gun heginnmg with the lowest ami so upwanls as far as it will go' until tlie .Number of that Xat' ire is complete.1; the same to be don ° upon everv nature and sent to the OlHce, to facilitate supplying them with new Car- nages as Occasion sliall require, according to the table hereunto annexed " (then follows a sample of the table to be compiled ami the manner in w uch It is to be hlled in). '< That you carefully eonsi.ler and compute what ^mn\mvoi (kins are necessary for the Defence of each place in- rhuJiwi tl,>' luehl J rain* (where there is any), observing in general lat no gun above a 12 Pounder is requisite toward the land, and that lie natures above it bo only employed towards tlie Sea. And as it is in- hnded that there shall bono more ( iuns mounted than what shall be absolutely necessary for Alarms and Salutes according tu the einrnm- stances of the Placets \ ou are to look out for Places for P.uilding of Miedsfortlie whole Number of ('a:, Carriages, Platforms, an.l Pallisades, and for the laying of the Guns on Ski.ls i„ g.u.d order before the said Nieds, excei.tmg at such places where it may be very .liflicult to -et the ■uns oil and on the Platforms, it should be endeavoured to make'sheds lor them there if the place will admit of it. That sudi number of ■:■! 1 1' ■' 'l * ;.f * Writer's italics. 150 HISTORY OF TTIE CORPS [CH. -VII. (iuns (as) shall be over and above those tliat shall be thought necessary, be laid apart, in order to be transported to Woolwich. That all the Brass Guns not included in the Field Train be also trans)X)rted to Woolwich, and that therefore he give the Board a particular Account of all he meets with, /«/,/?/;/ Nate irhrflter anij of the Brax^ Guns he. nhaU so iiieef irith may not J>c proper fnv the Field Train where they are."* The following instructions for the preparing of plans and for scales are interesting : — " When any new I'rqject is to be made on an Old Plan, the Xew Plan is to be drawn in ( )ccult or l^rick'd Lines and Coloured with Yellow, the same to be observed in all Profils and Sections, that the difference between the Old Work and the Xew may be the more readily discerned. The following Measures for ( ieonietrical Scales are certainly the most useful, being applicable to all sorts of Practice and lieing aliquot parts each of the other, the Plans Surveyed to any one of them may be readily enlarged or contracted as occasion shall require : " — " 1st. A Scale of IGOO Feet to an Inch for the Creneral ]\Iap of a Coast or sniall Island, ite. " 2nd. A Scale of 800 Feet to an Inch for the Plan of a Town and parts adjacent. " 3rd. A scale of 400 Feet to an Inch for a particular Plan of a Town or Settlement. " 4th. A Scale of 200 Feet to an inch to Survey the same by. " 5th. A Scale of 100 Feet to an Inch for a particular Plar of a Fort Battery or the like. "6th. A Scale of 10 Feet to an Inch for a Magazine or particular lUnlding, Sections, or Profils of the same. " 7th. A Scale of 5 Feet to an Inch for a Draw-Hridge, ( hin Carriage, or any other Carpenter's Work. "X.B. — That a Chain of One Hundred Links, each Link one Foot in •length, is the most i)ropcr to be used with the above Scales. Each Chain's length being 100 Keet, 20 ( ieonietrical Paces, or 40 Common Paces."— (Fyer's " Notes," pp. 03-85.) War had at this time once more broken out between Great Britain and Spain, owing to the riglit of search claimed by the latter conntry, and on March I4th, 1740, a Warrant was signed for {^1 'Jrdnance Train to accompany the exitedition tlicn forming under Lord Ciithcart to sail in the fleet under Admiral Vernon. To this Train one ( "hief and ten Engineers were attaclied. Colonel Lascelles was, in the first instance, named to take the command of the Engineers ; but it proved inconvenient to the service to spare him, and Jonas ^[oore, the Chief Engineer of (xibraltar, was selected in his place. * "Writer's italics. 1713-1748.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 151 By AVarrant of July 24tli, Captain Jonas Moore was authorized to take np tlie command of the Artillery attached to the expedition m the event of any casualty occurring to either of the artillery oiticers, Colonel Jonas Watson or Major Jonathan Lewis (AVar and Ord. in Exped. 1740-60, p. 7.) The following are the names of the other ten Engineers, of whom the first five were on the establishment, and the other 'five warranted for the expedition only :— Thomas Armstrong, Samuel Speed, Simon Elliot (not to be confounded with G. A Eliott afterwards Lord Heathfield), Justly Wat«oi^ John Thomas, John Saye, Hugh Mackay, AVilham Blane, Thomas Innes, AVilliam Cunningham. Three other Engineers were afterwards added at their own request, who served as Volunteers Avithout pay, viz , iiarles Campbell (on the establishment), Patrick Clark, and (^harles Ivnowles. The fieet with the land forces on board arrived at Jamaica on Janunry 9th, 1741 ; but the IhukliHjJiaiii having been disabled in a storm was ordered back to England to refit, and Thomas Lines, who^ was on board, returned with her, thus reducing the number of Engineers with the force to thirteen, including the volunteers. Before Jamaica was reached the land force had suffered the irreparable loss of its commander. Lord Cathcart, who died at Dommica. He was succeeded by Creneral Wentworth, an officer by no means fitted to cope with the difiiculties of the situation. Froir the very commencement there had been jealousies and disputes between the naval and military commanders. Wentworth's weak- ness and inability to cope with Admiral Vernon proved in the event most disastrous. The point of attack was Cartagena, a strongly fortified place the garrison of which was at the time reinforced by the crews of some of the Spanish fleet. The Governor was Don Bias de Leso an officer of much experience. The liarbour of Cartagena, called the Boca Chica, was protected by several outlying forts, called St Louis St. riuhp, St. Jago,and the Charaba, which it was necessary to reduce before the fieet could enter. The troops were landed on March Otli at Playa Crande, to the west of Cartagena, and trenches with batteries were at once thrown up by Thomas Armstrong against St. Louis. Moore, in the Wilt- xlnrc, had been driven by a storm to leeward, and did not land and assume command until the 11th, so that for the first three days Armstrong had the conduct of the siege. The difficulties er.eoun. tercel m carrying on the works were very great. The pioneer force consisted of a body of negroes, with some white Americans, suii- I'lemented by the troops as required. Twenty carpenters from the iieet we.>. also added to Moore's command, for laying platforms \.. I , ! t V" I 152 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [ (H. VII. and other engineering artificer's work. The negroes were found very difficult to deal with, and it was almost imiiracti(>able to get tb.oni to work under fire. The result was that the whole brunt of the labour fell on the troojis. Sickness soon broke out, owing to the intense heat and the extreme unhealthiness of the spot where the operations were being carried on. The Engineers in conse(juence found themselves eneom])assed with ditfir-ulties They demanded assistance from the fleet, but this the Admiral steadfastlV refused to grant. They were therefore compelled to do their best without it, and were warmlj^ seconded by the troops, who toiled on with the utmost good will, though amid ever increasing sickness and privation. A battery of casks filled with sand was thrown up between, the forts of St. Philip and St. J ago for forty mr.rtars and (!oehorns. This was opened on March iJith, the same day on which the main battery for twenty 24-pounder guns was begun.' This was constructed in the midst of a dense wood, and when finished Avas unmasked by clearing a\vay the underwood in its front. It opened fire on the 2'2nd, and on the following day Jonas Moore, whilst booking through one of the embrasures, was killed. Armstrong then assumed the command, which he retained till the close of tlie operations. The Fort of St. Louis had been isolated by cutting off its communications with the town, and the effect of the batteries soon rendered it practicable for an assault. This was delivered in the afternoon of March 2oth, when the fort Avas captured. Justly Watson Avas the Engineer appointed to accompany the storming column. As soon as the troops had fairly entered, Engineer William lUaine Avas instructed to destroy the boom across the mouth of ^he harbour, the end of which had been covej-ed by the Avork. This Avas speedily accomplislied, and then the fieet Avas able to enter the jiort. Up to this ]ioint all liad gone well. The outlying forts had been abandoned, and it only remained to captm-e Fort St. Lazar, the citadel of the toAvn, to complete the success. Here, however, the jealousies betAveen the naval and military commanders broke out on?e more, and each seemed more anxious to disgrace his rival than_ to carry out the enterprise to a practical conclusion. The admiral declared that the general could capture the fort by assault Avithou^ assistance, Avliilst the general complained bitterly that so powerful a fieet Avas suffered to lie idle in the harbour, Avhilst the whole burden of the operation Avas thrown upon liis troo^ ., Aveakened as they Avere by casualties, hard Avork, and sickness Armstrong Avas of opinion that tlie f(»rt should be approached by trenches in the usual Avay, and not stormed until a practiijablc breacli had been established. This Avas opposed by the admiral, who scoffed at the prudential advice of the Engineer. 1713-1748.] OF HOYAI, ENGINEERS. 163 btung by his sarcasms Wenhv..i-tli decided to attempt the work l.v e...alade In this lie was much j^u^^ded Ly the reports brought lu by several j-panish deserters, whieli were corroborated by the observations oi some of the l-:iigine-n-s. These, having crept iip to he for by night, stated on their return that the walls were no? too high to a.dmit of ^scalading, that there was no ditch, and that the rr,ad up to the Mil on the rigLl was broad and easv'o? ascent i he orders were given, and a column of twelve hundred men, led by treneral Gmse, was guided to the spot by a deserter. Whether the man wa« acting treacherously or in realil - missed MS way IS doubtful, but when day broke on April 9th th. troops found th*^iselves oppr^ite the very strongest front of th<. fort and, what made the position the more desperate, the ladders proved f fiO(. ,ln I if 1 ''r^'* '""f f T^'^'^' ^^^^^^•^' '"^*i «fter a loss of W>() men killed and wounded, the^.^ were forced to retire. Justly ^Utson who at the time held only an Ensign's connni.sion in the fl^'Vv V.^^'' 7 distinguished himself in this unfortunate affair tlia^ the General gave him a Lieutenant's commission as a reward. Anril 7m 'l"?^ r^'' l^f^' Head-quarters, La Quinta, Apiil 10 hi, 41, and named him Lieutenant in Major-General Harnson s Kegunent of Foot (Cn.ui. Book in W. () 1740-44 p. 24?)). , i<-*u -f±. The result of this disaster was the abandonment of tlie under- taking ; the troops were embarked on A], ii Kith, and sot sail for -J amaica^ i he Lngmeer losses in this mi fortunate and grossly mis- JatiKlv Llai^v. Captain .John Selioke, an J":ngineer on the old estabnshment serve^ .vitli his regiment in the expedition, and died tiom the efhH.ts of tlie pestilential climate shortly after his landing at Jamaica as did also I'eter Laprimau.lave, who acted as I'ay- niastcr in the force. ' ' Themiscamage of this attempt was no sooner known in England than a vehement outcry was made. A ^•ast sum of money had been expended to ensure success; the disappointment was the'refore the more acutely felt A ].amphlet was promi.tly issued called An Account ot the Expedition to (artliagena, vith Notes and Observations. This was evidently inspired if not written by Admiral \ernon, and the military received unmeasured abuser xlus IS what Avas said of the Engin(>ers :— "A-idforthe .life .,.,rs, bombardiers, ami -iinuers, worse never b.nv die name or cuda ; . picked out of ali Kur.-pe. Amon-st the ten '-■iginccrs there va: ,)ut one ^vh^ eve, saw a s e-'e, and tliat was the sunple SH.,e of ( Hbralt.r (in 1 727), and he was killed :tU^ aZ^^ ho midst ot u. own defeneeless works, so that the rest mav justly have ' " ^"-^ <" '"■ l^f^ -i""Hit a head. A. for tlie bnn.bardiers'ailglne,^; •■ J 1.;, t ) 154 HISTORY OF THK COUPS [CH. VII. the colonel conimanding the train was in his gnuul climacteric, and con- S(fquently very uwlit to he sent on this Expedition." A reply was speedily fortliconiing, in which tlie cause of the Engineers was warmly taken up : — "The principal engineer, ^fr. ^loor, was deservedly esteemed for his ])ravery, his capacity, and skill in his profession ; the battery on which he Avas killed viewing the effects of a shot through an embrasme was well constructed, and fully answered the end for which it was raised. lie had served with applause in the defence of ( Ubraltar, one of the principal fortresses of Europe, which was attacked by an army of 40,000 men, composed of the best troops of Spain, and battered by 100 pieces of large tannon, yet that army was by the gallant defence of the garrison obliged to retire, after having been almost totally ruined at this xinipli- siege, a.s the author of thi> pomphlet is pleased to term it. ^Ir. Armstrong, the gentleman who succeeded as principal engineer on the death of iMr. Moor, had ..II the experience which could possibly be acquired in time of peace, having been continuously employed during 16 years in the different works about the kingdom, nor could any person whatsoever perform his duty with gre;iter attention, or more cheerfully exj)Ose his person when- ever he thoii'^hf his presence could in any wise contribute to the public servitH'. It is certain that no more than two of the sub-engineers had ever served in the face of an enemy, which surely ought not to be imputed to them as a fault, when after so long a peace few or none (|ualified were remaining. But nothing had lieen omitted by those gentlenKm to rei)air their want of experience, both by their aiiplication to the study of their profession at home, and by visiting the fortifications in foreign parts, and when on real service it was very evident that they spared uo endeavoiu' to make up that deficiency by their diligence and gallant behaviovu". Xor is there the least room to doubt but that the/i"»; who have returned from that fatal expedition will, whenever they shall lie called upon, be found ([ualified to do effectual service to their country."' — (" Exi)edition to Carthagena, with Notes. In answer to a late pamphlet, entitled. An Account of the Expedition to Carthagena." Pamph., 8', 17-14.) In this year the first step was taken towards tlic estnhlisliment of a military school for nlHcers of the Artillery .anw. At iW battle of Dettingen, which was tmight ou_June27t]i. 174;^, five JMigiiieers were present with the Irani, which was mider the command of Colonel Thomas I'atterson ^liott was with his regiment, and was severely wounded. :Matt]iew i'lxon was also present, though not at the time serving as an JMigmcer. _ At the muster on December ■•}rd, 174:}, all the Engineers were in winter quarters at (Jlient except Samuel Sliced, who liad returned to England. In 174^0 we find that tlie Engineers in Flanders wore Elintt Smelt, lenner, David Watson, Thomas Jun'., Bramham, ami 156 HISTORY OF TIIK (( M'S [••H. \\\. I-* "William Green. In addition to these there were several others serving with the Train, but their names cannot he traced. Those mentioned were all at the battle of Fontenoy on May 11 th, ITlo, where they threw up some hasty entrenchments, as well as some batteries. Eliott did duty with his regiment, the Horse (Irenadier Guards, and was again badly wounded. Soon after the battle, Captain Frederick Scott, Avho expressed a special desire to serv(> as an Engineer with the Train, was warranted as such, with the rank of Engineer Extraordinary until a vacancy should occur, when he was to be promoted to tlie ])osition of an Engineer in Ordinary. Davi'.l Watson and William Cunningliam were both i)resent at the unsuccessful defence of Ostend, which surrendered after a short siege on August l^^th, not without suspicion of treachery on the pait of the Dutch governor of the place. Meanwhile the Corps had been gradually developing and reaching the dimensions that it was intended it should assume. In 174 ': the following promotions took place in consequence of the fiu'ther vacancies that had arisen on the old lists, viz. : — James Wibault to be Sub-Director, Leonard Bickerstaft'e, John Henry IJastide. Justly Watson, Dougal Campbell, Samuel Speed, and AVilliam Cunningham to be Engineers in Ordinary ; ^Vrchibald I'atoun, Leonard Smelt, George Augustus Eliott, John Armstrong, Patrick Mackellar, and AVilliam Cowley to be Engineers Extraordinary ; Kane AVilliam Horneck, John I'inkerton, l)avid AVatson, Edward Tenner, ( 'harles Hi vers, and Matthew Dixon to be Sub-lOngineers; and Charles Parkinson, James Pramham, John llnrdesty, William Green, AVilliam Eyre, and the Hon. John Elphinstone to be Practitioner Engineers. On the American continent for several years there had been constant employment for the Engineers, cither in connection witli the work of fortification, which was continually being carried forward at all the more prominent stations, or on active service in the numerous minor ex])editions which were from time to time undertaken. In this year, however, an operation of some import- ance was carried out which merits special mention. Tiiis was the capture of the Island of (!ape P)reton, which resulted from the siege and reduction of Ijouisburg. The project had been drawn up by the (Jolonial Government, who levied a force of some 4,000 men at ]5oston. These were placed under the command of a local trader named I'epperell, who, although utterly deficient in military training, was entrusted witli the conduct of the war from a strong belief in his intrepidity and general caj^acit}'. Tlie IJritish fleet of four men-of-war, imder the conmiand of Commodore Warren, was directed to co-operate with the land forces, which were reinforced by 1,000 marines from the ships at the station. Those fleet of 17i;3-174S.] OK ROYAF. KNGIXKERS. 157 'I'ho garrison of r.onisburg oonsisted of V20() men of the French regular army, under the eomniand of Afonsieur Chanihon. Tlie phice was strongly fortified, mounting in its various outlying batteries an. in the eneeinte itself no less than 150 guns and ten mortars. ilie attacking force landed at Louisburg on May Ist, 1745 and ground was at once broken. At tliis time there Avere no Jh'itisli l-.nguKHTs with the troops, Colonel Richard (iridlev, a colonist being placed m charge of the siege operations. As he, however' possessed a very slender knowledge of the nature of the works necessary to be thrown up, Vepperell, who Avas himself also utterly ignorant of the matter, wrote to John IJastide, the Engineer m command at Annni)olis, to send him professional help as quicklv as possible, liastide determined to proceed thither himself anil took with him William Cowley to assist in the attack They arrived before the place on June 5t]i, and from tliat date till the surrender of tlie fort on the 17th of the month, iJastide oiulucted the o])erations with a spirit and cfHcieney whidi elicited the warmest approval of I'epperell and Commodore Warren. iiie island having thus fallen into the possession of Great r.ntam, IJaslide was directed to carry out such repairs as were immediately necessary, and to make a report as to the expenditure that would be recpured to place its works in a proper state of defence. This he did, asking for a total sum of £}),():}.•{ ,Ss (id Llie Board of Ordnance, to whom tliis .vstimate was referred from Uhitehall, replied tliat as J..aiisburg was not on their establish- ment tliey had nothing to say to liastide's estimates, excel )t to remark that as they were framed in haste with little insight into the exi)ense of coh.nial labour, and the nature and extent of the materials procurable on the spot, it would probably be found in the execution of the several services im^luded in the estimate tliat the aiuount would be largely exceeded. (Letters :Mast. Genl. vol \1 '•■) For his conduct during this siege, Bastide, who at tlie time only held the military rank of a lieutenant in Sowles' Keo^iirent was given a comi)any in Shirley's Regiment, tJu'ii about to'' be formed Me was also warranted on October JlJth as Chief Encnneer of Lnmsl)urg, leaving Cowley in charge at Annapolis. " The r-sult of the various campaigns that had taken place in .N<'itli America was to leave in the hands of the liritish many tnmg points which had from tim.> to time been wrested from the I' ivncli l<:acli of these luid been occupied by detachments, both "I Arhilery and Engineers. It was now determined to consolidate ilieia into a Tram of two companies, one for service in Xewfound- l.'iiid, the other for \ova 8eotia and Cape Breton. The J-higineer establishment for this Train was to be— for each ■'•• i " I M 158 HISTOKY Of nil, lOKI's [(II. Ml in station, Olio Chief Kiigiuoor, at '^Os, n day; ono Ki :^ineer Ordinary, at lOs. ; and ono Kngineer Kxtraordinary, at Gs. Tlioro were at tho tinio four Engineers at these places. James Wibaidt boeame (.'hief binginoor at Newfoundland ; and, as has already been stated, Jnlm IJastide was given tlie siniilai ]>ost at Louisbnrg; John iU-ewhO beeaiiie Sceoiid i'lngineer at Newfound- land, and William (Jowley at Annai)olis; leaving vacaneies for two Engineers Extraordinary to be sent from l"]ngland. On August nth, 174'), the 8eotch liebellion ouee more broke out, the Young I'retender setting up his standard on that day. His ( 'hief Engineer was an Irishman, ('olonel Sullivan. Uostilities began witli an attaek upon a small foree under the command of Frederick Seott, who had only a few months before been ajipointed Kn- gineer Extraordinary in 1^'landers. H. iig taken by suri)rise, some of the foree were compelled to surrendi r, but the rt^niainder with their commander made good their retreat to Eort William. At this time only three Engineers can be traced as being in Scotland, viz., iJougal ( 'ampbell, John h]l|)hinstone, and the above- mentioned Scott. It is jirobable, although no distinct record of the fact exists, that the former was present at the defence of the Castle of Edinburgh, which held out after tlio ( 'hevalier had occupied the city. This defence Avas very energetically carried on, and the castle successfully held until the rebel force moved southwards. Carlisle soon fell, and the advance of the Scotch appeared so dangerous that the authorities were forced to bestir themselves. The (iovernor of Hull promptly ajjplied for an olHcer skilled in the art of engineering to superintend the towns])eo])le in restoring the fortifications Avhich had been allowed to fall into a ruinous conditi(m, and which the inhabitants were beginiung to put in order at their own cost. I'eter Henry Bruce, who had recently returned liome from the I'ahamas, Avas told off for this duty, and ho arrived at Hvdl on ( )ctober Stli. ( )n tlie iollowiiig day hi; made his inspecti(m accompanied b}' the (Tovernor (Ijieutenant-Ceneral Jones) and the municipal authorities. He was surjirised .at the amount of work tlmt had been done, and the judicious Avay in which it had been directed. Tlie moats had been m.sed the entrances to be examined liv two ot ilisMap.stysLngmeers, whose report we hav(. receive.l in relation thereto and having conside.vd the same we are of opinion that the only ..Itectual u.ethod to be tal for the security of the .aid c'lties and suburbs will be byerectmg lorts and redoubts at convenient places, ui.on nr near the principal avenues, and then jnin th- same by a line of coiii- 'uunicaliou with small bastions or redans nt proper distances, whidi will encompass the whole cities and their suburbs. «„ch as were thrown up in he year G42 and are delineated upon the enclosed plan, whieh is humbly submitted to your Grace by my Lord, \c., »Ve. "(S".) "Thos. La.scem.es, (Jeu. GiiKt.ouv, W. K. Eahle." (Lett. ]\rast.-(}enl., Xo xi., p. 12.").) No trace can no^y he found of tlie iviM.rt or plan rc-ferred to, nor C^ >° WJ-.A v ^ r^. 4 C^:'. C/j I. I.I 1.25 iS" 112 :!f iSig 1^ = III 22 2.0 |||||m 14 IIIIII.6 V] vl ^;. 'cM *^ .^^^ o 7 /A f Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 « ^1 ^ ^ ^m. v '^'b™" ^1> s ^o ^^^ C<:'- ^ f/j r 160 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. VII. M • Although the English suffered a severe defeat, AVatson must have distinguished himself, since he v/as made Dei)uty Quartermaster- General of the forces in North Britain, and his commission was dated on the day of the battle. By this appointment he became a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Arm}'. The town of Stirling liad fallen into the hands of the rebels on January 0th, but the castle Avas held firmly by General Blakeney, who had with him Dougal Campbell and John Elphinstone.* After a feeble attempt at its capture, wliich lasted till the place was relieved by Hawley, the rebel force abandoned the siege. Their success at the battle of Falkirk induced them to resume it, and ground was once more broken against it, desperate efforts being made to overcome Blakeney's resistance. Supported by his Engineers, he was able to hold the place, until the arrival of the Duke of Cumberland, on January ;30th, compelled the Pretender to raise the siege. Charier, Edward then retired on Inverness, and captured in succession Fort George and Fort Augustus. The fonner had been designed and constructed by John Romer, the Engineer, at a cost of about £-jO,000, and it was now blown up by order of the Prince. The French Engineer who had charge of the operation, Monsieiir Mirabelle de Gordon, was killed by the explosion. Fort Augustus was destroyed in a similar manner, after which siege Avas laid to Fort William. Here tlie Engineer Scott was in command, and he was not prepared to surrender his charge so readily as had been the case at the two above-mentioned forts. When the rebels first appeared in the vichiity of the place he was absent, and it was not till after niueh difP.culty and tlie delay of several days that he was able to rejoin his garrison. ()nce within the works he main- tained a stout defence, keeping up a lieavy fire on the besiegers' works, and at last making a dashing sortie, in Avhieh he destroved one of their most im])ortant ])atteries. Tlie result was tllat^)n April ;3rd the attempt was abandoned and the rebels retired, leaving eiglit guns and seven mortars behind tliem. "It were wislied." said one writer, " f hat the several fortifications liad had eonnuanders of ecpial merit." For his gallant conduct in this defence Scott was rewarded by a ]^[ajority in Guise's Pegimont of Foot in the place of Major Wentworth, casliiered for having sur- rendered Fort Augustus (" Lond. Gaz.," :\[ar. 18-22, iriG). On April 8th the Duke oi (,'umberland (piitted Aberdeen and marched northward, intending to crush the rebellion by a ^roneral • It is assumed that these two Engineers were with Bkkenev, because, in the British Museum there are plans of Stirling, showing details of the attack, bv both 01 these oliicers. [CH. V^T. nust have ;ei'nia8ter- ssioii was became a rebels on Blakeney, linstoiie.* place was e. Their ne it, and iing made Ingineers, Duke of [• to raise ptured in had been at a cost ir of the )peration, on. Fort .siege was lonimand, ly as had the rebels nd it was 's that he he main- besiegers' clestroj'ed 5 tliat on J retiied, ' It were i liad had : in this 5'inient of ^■ing sur- -0). deen and a general because, in he attack, 1713-1748.] OF ROYAJ, iiNGIXEEKS. 161 SdW^n.'^'Tltir^fS '^^ battle of David Watson, DougaTc'^^ Ln fnl ' -&? -^^ "'^^«^«^ ^^^^^^ Eyre, Daniel Paterson Ss kl ?1 ^^^^^^stone, William Establishment), and John rTp. ^T^' ^^^« ^^ the Irish Elphinstone and Paterson W bo^h was severely wonnded. one of which is in the Kin^s T t ! .?^^".'. ^* ^^' ^^t^ie, and the other in the Offierff ^^f!"^'^ 'i* ^^'^ British Musenm tions. The rebellion was now at l^'^'''^^'-^^^^^^^ of Fortifica' for the Engineers bnt to do tTei; nt.'osTin 7^ "1^"°^ '''' ^'^' ruined defences of the king^lom ^ restoration of the The success Avith which the IntP off<,..l. ^ n -r, crowned led the British f/ovenm^T^n ?'^l^^^^'eton had been of Quebec, the c..7' ?" i-iV^. ;^"^ ^^?«»- John Arm- Justlv strong, who had alrea' 'I'-.: jfl I > > I iW (| '! I.--' i 3 1 i 162 HISTORY OF THE CORVS [CH. VII. Watson, who adhered firmly to their previously expressed views. Thereupon a council of war was held on board the Princesm, the flagship of Admiral Lestaok, at which the two Engineers and Captain Chalmers, of the Artillery, were present. These three officers, being all of the same opinion, it was decided to make tJie attempt, and orders Avere issued to that effect. The result proved that they were grossly in error in their views. Without a proper . strength of artillery, without ammunition or stores in anything like a sufficient quantity, they plunged into the affair only to find that when they had fired away almost all their shot, they had made no real impression on the works. Much dispute and recrimination arose, and several fresh councils were held. Ulti- mately it was decided that the Engineers had made a wrong calculation, that the men had suffered great fatigues, and that the prospects of success were not sufficiently good to warrant a continuance of the siege. The attempt Avas consequently abandoned on September 27th, and on the following day the troops were re- embarked. There is no doubt that the failure of this attack reflected much discredit on botli Armstrong and Watson,' who seem to have considerably underrated tlie strength of the place and its powers of resistance. The means which the assailants could command Avere ridiculously inadequate to the purpose, and, as has well been observed: — " Notliiug could be more aljsurd or precipitate than an attempt to distress an enemy by laiuling a handful of troops, without draught- horses, tents, or artillery, from a fleet of ships lying in an open l)each, exposed t(j the uncertainty of the weather, in the most tempestuous season of the year, so as to render a retreat and re-embarkation altogether precarious."— (Gust's "Annals of the Wars of the Jughteenth Centviry.") ^, The Avar in Flanders had for some time been prosecuted with great languor. It Avas noAv determined to push it Avith vigour. The Ordnance Train had become much reduced in the com-se of time. It Avas therefore to be remodelled, and for this purpose a ncAv AVarrant AA'^as issued dated February -'Jrd, 1747, in Avhich a " Bri- gade of Engineers " Avas ordered to be employed under tlic command of H.li.H. the Duke of Cumberland. The appoint- ments made under this Warrant Avere : — Dougal (\anipbell. Chief Engineer, at los. per day. John Thomas . . . . \ William Green . . . . ] James Braiuliam . . f Engineers in Ordinary, William Eyre . . . . ; at 10s. per day. Robert Clerk . . . .\ ^ John H.eatli . . . . ) ■ [CH. VII. •essed views, e Princcma, gineers and These three to make tJie 3sult proved ait a proper ill aiiythiug fair only to r shot, they iispute and leld. Ulti- ie a wrong IS, and that ) warrant a ' abandoned troops were this attack '^atson, who le place and .lants could »se, and, as 1 attempt to out draught- open l)each, tempestuous )n altogethei 1 Century.") ;ciited with igour. The rse of time, pose a ne^v eh a " Bri- under the le appoint - lav. 1713-1718.] William Hall . George Momson Hany Grordon . Hugh Debhieg . John Baugh William Bontein Daniel Paterson . Thomas Waller , ■. ^ OF ROYAL EXGINEERS. • -0 163 [Engineers Extraordinary, f at OS. per day. I ,- on the staff of the Duke t„uZut the ^a/ ?"l^''^7™'i vilLiT^^ir-Tain W°"tr"P°T "' ™"«'*i"K tools into tl,o in tlfviSlS' a J^'iCaSn' ;:,£ S^rZ ^[f '""""" sot on lire, bnt was or,le,od to bo oxti™. uisM I vHi, R ,1 hT '™' In bringing off ^y „ ons I was wonmM i , tl,? . ? Highnoss. garrison bemg composed of Dntch and En»H™tmom i ton • K^is'"'„t rtTsh""' "' '"^ ^—S^'irZtZ The first British Engineers were sent into the town on August Of hinlT- ^"""^'' ^''' "^^^^^^ 25th Admiral Anson ^wrote "I believ-c ho is a perfect master of al! the tlieory of tliat science liobins set out for Holland on August 27th, and soon finding u* illi I \ ■ \ Mi i . i'^ : .4 164 HISTORY OF THE COHl'S [CH. VII. ''I' Mi nil entrance into the fortress, assumed tlie office for which he had been selected. The attack was most vigorous, and the defence very determined. Lowendahl lost a vast number of men from the unceasing and heavy fire which was brought to bear on the trenches by the garrison. Mining also was freely resorted to, and in many instances with much effect. One of the mines was fired on August 11th, by Captain Bonteiu. The enemy had made an assault on the lunette of Zealand. Bontein, who had his mine ready prepared, fired it at the right moment, and destroyed two hundred of the assailants, who were so dismayed that they abandoned the attack. He himself was wounded in "the shoulder. (" Lond. Gaz.," 8,G6o, Aug. 8-11, 1747.) " From the 16th of July to the 15tli September, the siege produced an uninterniittiii^' scene of horror and destruction : nothing was to be soon but fire and smoke, nothing hoard but the perpetual roar of bombs and cannon— the town was laid in ashes, the trenches filled with carnage." — (Cust, ii. p. 121.) The place was after all taken almost by surpri^o, an assault being made at a point where the breaches were not considered l)raeticable, and where, therefore, the precautions taken were not so complete as they should have been. This occurred on September ICth, on which occasion Eobert Clerk was taken prisoner. He saved his life by proclaiming that he was a relative of Count Lowendahl. When brought before the Count he admitted the stratagem, which he said was the means of preventing his captors from bayoneting him. Lowendahl Avas much amused, and gave him some money to present to the soldiers who had taken him. (Walpole's " Hist, of Cleorge II.," by Lord Holland, iii. p. 4;{.) The garrison generally made their escape from the town after a des])erate fight, in which the loss on both sidet- -as very great. (Charles Bisset, a lieutenant of the 42nu xlighlanders. had taken an iictive part in the siege as a vohinteer assistant ]<]ngineer, and had shown such energy and capacity that he Avas afterwards wan-anted as an Engineer Extraordinary in the Train. We this year find the first trace of the employment of British Engineers in India. On October 27th, 1747, a Warrant was issued for a Train to accompany Admiral Boscawen's expedition to the East Indies. To this Train were attached the follow- ing : — Leonard Bickerstaffe and Edward Jenner as ('hief Engineers at 20s., and Matthew Dixon and John Apperlv as Engineers at lOs. Unfortunately, the results of the undertaking were not such as to add to the renown of the ( 'orps. Boscawen MttMcked rondicherry ; but in spite of the zeal of his Engineers the sege proved ii failure. The French Engineer, I'aradis, was more [CII. VII. Iiioli he had letermined. iensiug and lies by the I in many on August lault on tlie r prepared, ired of the tlie attack, az./' 8,660, produced an IS to be seen f bombs and th carnage." an assault considered were not so September 'oner. He of Count initted the his captors , and gave taken him. iii. p. 4.'5.) )wn after a ' great. iders. hnd I'jUgineer, afterwards a. of liritish irrant Avas expedition le follow- as (Jhief L])perlv as iidertakiiig l)0scawen >ineers the was more I7i;}-1748.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 165 Bosoawen was oomnollpr^ f r. V • It • '"'"^'^ °" September 1st. lost upwardfof 1 Joo '11" '"^' '^'' '''^' «^ October 6th, having i:aglaid. Engineers John TTn„ 1 ™? "^^^''^'^ «atisfactorv to .been prisoners^ of wat ere .ni' 'f Robert Clerk, who had exchange. All the me^ wbl '™"^^^-^? ^^ithout ransom or were ,fot on the p™ ^ ."t e'stlf r T ^^t ^^^""^'^^'^ '^^-»' ^'^^ of them, Thomas WaZ a^d ithard"?^^' ^T •^*^^^^^^^' ^^"^ half.pay, with a view to heh ulHmn?« ? ""T' ^'"^^ P^^^^^^ «'^ roster. ^^" ultimate absorption into the general on Ztll^, ml '^ ^^°"' "^^^ ^ ^^«^ -f *^e Corps as it stood Chief Engineer Directors Sub-Directors Engineers in Ordinary Engineers Extraordinary Sub- Engineers Practitioner Engineers Thomas Jjascelles ) William Skinner ( John Henry Bastide " I Justly Watson \ Dougal Campbell ." ." / Leonard Bickerstaife i William Cunningham ; Ai-chibald Paterson ] lioonard Smelt GFeorge Augustus Eliott \Jolin Armstrong /William Cowlev Kane William Horneck David Watson Charles Eivers James Bramham \ * John Hardesty /Matthew Dixon William Green William Eyres ' \ The Hon. John Elphinston Joim Archer . . .Greorge Weston William Bontein George Morrison Harry Gordon WilHam Hall John Baugh . . \\ Hugh Debbieg Date of Appointment July 1st, 1742. Sept. 30th, 1746. Jan. 2nd, 1748. - '' " )> Mar. 8th, 1744. " >) M Jan. 2nd, 1748. Jan. 3rd, Jan. 4th, Jan. oth, „ Mar. 8th, 1744. Jan. 2nd, 1748. Jan. 3rd, Jan. 4th, Jan. 5th, Jan. 6th, „ Mar. 13th, 1744. Jan. 2nd, 1748. Jan. 3rd, Jan. 4th, Jan. 5th, Jan. 6th, „ April 2nd, 1748. i1 '> J) mr : ' .M !■!*'" * ■' ( .• :\u -' m.A,n 166 HISTORY OF THE CORPS fcH. VII. I. ■ i • i Chief Engineer. . Practitionor Engineer , GliniAl.TAH. James Montresor John Manson Jan. 2nd, 1748. April 16th, 1748. Thomas Armstrong Patrick Mackellar . . Jan. nth, 1748. Jan. 2nd, „ Minorca. Chief Engineer Engineer in Ordinary , These thirty -three were all on the establishment, as by Order in Council of August 22nd, 1717. Besides them, there were the following special appointments on that date, viz. : — LoUlSHURG. . . John Fleming. Annapolis. . . William Combum. Engineer Extraordinary Sub-Engineer Newfoundland. . . Lieutenant-Colonel William Cooke. . . John Brewse. . Adam Gabriel Fournier. Chief Engineer Second Engineer . . Engineer Extraordinary . Georgia, and South Carolina. . James Campbell. . Griffith AVilliams. Rattan. . Thomas Eyre. Jamaica. . Ai'chibald Bontein, India. . Edward Jenner. . John Apperly. Engineer Sub-Engineer Engineer Engineer Chief Engineer Engineer in Ordinary Chief Engineer Engineer in Ordinary Engineers Extrf. ordinary Practitioner Engineer Flanders. . Jolm Heath. . Robert Clerk. ( I>aniel Paterson, Thomas Waller, . I Kiehard DaAvson, and Charles ( Bisset. . Richard Dudgeon. I*" fcH. VII. >nd, 1748. 16th, 1748. Ith, 1748. !nd, „ IS by Order intments on Ham Cooke. lias Waller, ud Charles 1748-1763.] OV ROYAT- ENGINEERS. 167 CHAPTER VIII. 1748-1763. One of the results of the Scotch rebellion of 1745 was the com- pilation of a map of the Highlands, which became the pre.tsor^f the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain. This was beiun by Lieutenant-Colonel David Watson in the winter of 1747 lie had lZf:^Xrl'wer''' '-' ''' ''''^-'^- ^' '^^ ^^- ^s one' \nf ?r'^)"7'°^' ^r ^' .'• ^^"^''^f^ ^^^^^'"^ *« ^^ «» exceedingly good service hat "ilo/n' ff.^^'^^^ ;^-^". J '^oubt not, prove effectual to a i77r tltX Z.m^Twc^^'' ''^""'^^ '^"'^" •^' ''''• ^' Again, he wrote a fortnight later :— "Haying had the honour to transmit to His Eoyal Highness l^ilrr^ If ^'' ^''''-'f^^^ the depredations of the° thievin. mah- yo tL HRTr" • • • lamtoacquait execution." ^^^'°''' *^''''^' '"^^ ""^'^^ '^ ^^ould be put in of ^Itrlf?""'" '"'•f^'^f *i^' 'V'y °* *^^ ^°^^^y ^nd the cutting eerfnt L^ Perimt patrolling by small armed parties encamped at .in^^-n'"''^''''^r.''*\?'' ''^''^^ "^^^ g^^^^ *« Watson, who was made Deputy Quartermaster- General in Scotland for the purpose. ile was placed under the direct orders of the Duke of Cumberland. :^l if i •' f f" *' ' i ■ . i j n^A 1 -i r- 1 I J J 08 HISTORY OF Tlir, ( OKPS # [CH. VI II. who took a warm intorost in tlio work. In a letter from Fox to oneral J51an.l..f April !)tli, 1718, h, allu.les fo a eonununieation from Colonel Yorke, of tlie 4th (')f tl lat month, eonvejinfjf the n ).ike s '•omnmnd • that the two Engineers who are gone down to hcotlaml to hell. ^V atson in his survey of tlie country ar.> to have OH. a day. J hese Ayer(> not really Engineers but rather draughts- men One was Taul 8aTidby, wlio nuido a name afterwards as a jiamtor, and the otiier John Mansou, who was before long brought into tlio ( oriJH. '^ *' • ^^ii^"* lio.y is first mentioned in connection with this survey in a leiter dated August 15th, 1740, at which time he held tlw appointment of Assistant to the Deputy (iuartermaster-Oxeneral Koy shortly afterwards received his Warrant as Practitioner Engineer The result of the labours of Watson and Roy is to l)e n*'-rT7r^''* '" "'"r'^^ ^^'^ ^''^^ °f Cumberland's map, now in the iiritish Museum. It is thus described by Sir Frederick Madden :— "A very largo and highly-tinislied coloured military survey of the kingdom of Scotland, exclusive of the islands, undertaken by order of }J,' !^"i ^^g"«t"s, Duke of Cumberland, and executed by Lieutenant r In '?T?''^ ;»i^l Other officers, under the superintendence of Lieutenant- V:7""r'^'\^^^t««"; Ii«P"ty (Marterniaster-General of the Forces in 1 / 47-1 and tinifs ooni|,,.lk.,I to do J-ngmeew, they wore «ome- Cumberland viewed their request favoura Iv „t fl; , ■ °* lu-«aed with its justice used h'i, iXrr'obta™^^^^^^^ does not seem to have had nnv nT -^^ ^ .- P°'l*'°" ^' ^^^'^^ l..otty Jroh'to" ^hf CiZriftfT '° ""''= '"^ "e""'^ *- -fl-1 .h.t u of ti ote'S'Si^zti:7itt;'r;;...'''^''''™^ '° ^= '» His correspondence has been guarded in the records nf fl,« li. /i " am glad you ar« under so agreoa' 1e a commander as Colonel Corn- b:. ;-i •, 1 f ■ 1. i Ml V ■',', ,■ i • 1, 1 l-',^^ M 1 170 HIsroKY OF TJIK COIM'S [ru. A III. ill I wnlliH, Tho nofiid Imvo promisod td pruvidc for you in Nova iScotia, wlitii an cstalflislinu'iit is mottled. I rocommcntl you to press for nmro pay ; it will i)ut them in niiiid of you. Tell them that mh tliov had appoint(!d an Knj^intH-r at 20"/ per day, who nevisr appeared " (tiiiH was John Arnistrnnj^'), "and you luive dono the (hity, you hope they will think you deserve that allowance-. Your project for fortifying,' Halifax lias come safe. 1 hope you Imve had no more trouble with Cowley." Tho last reninrk refers to nn unpleasantness wliicli had arisen between Brewse and (-'owley, the latter having claimed the right to interfere owing to his snperior rank, althongh ho did not liold any "Warrant for Nova Scotia. Ih-ewse had held his own, and corn- polled Cowley to retire from tin; scene. We come across another friendly hint, this time addressed to Ilardesty : — " You had 1)etter send up your hill at once for Roing to Scotland, than keep it till winter and make up one for the whole year. My reasoi is founded on tho general aversion I see to those bills which come from ditlerent ((uarters. However, two small ones may go down where one large one will not. ^lake what use you can of this, hut take no notice whence it came." Later on, he writes again to Brewse at Nova Scotia : — " Your father is anxious to have you placed on the Home Establisli- ment. Mr. Armstrong does not come your way." (He was retained in NcAV York.) ..." "Whenever you go to Placentia you will find a very agreeable second is ajipointed to assist you, — Dawson. He bears an excellent chnracter, and I can't help recommending him to your favour. The Engineer for St. John's, I fear, is not so happy in a second." (This wa.s Hylton.) " Mr. 15asti(ie is gone to settle everybody in their new stations in Newfoundland. Ho has 20"/ a day as Director, 20'/ as Chief at Annapolis, and 10"/ in lieu of a clerk. He is next to visit Annapolis and your friend Cowley, who, if I guess right, is too proud to bi^ a favourite of hi.s." On June 2nd, 1750, he writes : — "The Pondicherry Engineers arc all in London ; those from the American Colonies are recalled. Mr. Campbell died soon after his return. Mr. IJrewse is at Nova Scotia; no other Engineer. The settle- ment goes on extremely well, by all accounts I hear, but at present wo have no establishment for that i)lace, so that Mr. lircwse i.s only lent them. The Corps of Engineers have petitioned H.R.H. the Duke of Cumberland to be allowed rank in the Army, and have hopes of succeed- ing. \Ve have no Chief Engineer in the room of Lascelles." In 17i")4 Avar broke out once more between Knglnud and France in their North American colonies. The question at issue was a disputed boundary, the French being very desirous to restrain the British from approaching the Canadian lakes. There had been 1748-17r):{.] (»K HOYAI, KNOINEKR8. 171 Honio (loHultory fi^htiiiK on tho pnrt of tho provinciiil troops, hnt the King now (k-cidod upon wending an oxpodition from Mngland, to li(» iindor ♦liu conmiand of Genoral Hraddock. ()n November 24th, 1751, a Uoyal Wan-ant was issned for the Engineers to ao(!ompany tho force. These were to be Hiib- IJireetor James Montresor, as Chief Engineer ; and under him Knginoer in Ordinary, Patrick Mackellar; Sub-Engineer, Harry (rordon ; and J'ractitioner Engineers, A(him Williamson and Thomas Sowers. On the arrival of tho troops in America separate oohmins wen* fomied for tlio attack of dilferont points. One was directed against Fort lieau Sejour, in Nova Scotia, under Colonel Monckton; John JJrowso, tho local Engineer, was with this force, and under him Ensign Winkworth Tongue, of Warburton's regiment, acted as Sub-Engineer, although not on tho establish- ment. This officer was wounded during the operations. After five days of open trenches the fort was captured, and its name changed to Fort (Aimberlnnd. This easy victory secured Nova Scotia to the British Government. Lieutonant-Q-ovenior Lawrence Avrote on the occasion — " 1 liave reason to believe our succeodinf,' .so .soon and with m littlo loss is owing to the good conduct of Ur. Browse, who nctrd there as Chief Engineer."— (" Lend, (iaz.," 9,497, July 2G-29, 175,').) Braddock, with the main portion of tho force, proposed to advance from Virginia across the Alleghany Mountains to the attack of Fort Du (iuesne, at the junction of the Ohio with the Monongabela. Ho started from Alexandria on May yOth, sending in advance a detachment of GOO men, with whom was Montresor, the Chief Engineer, to direct und assist in forming a road for the main body. This pioneer force was employed in widening and levelling the forest paths, and throwing bridges across the streams encountered on the way. The labour was very severe and the pro- gress necessarily slow. It was not till July Sth that the column reached a point within ten miles of Fort Du Quesne. On the fol- lowing day, whilst continuing their march through the woods, they were sur])rised by the French and their Indian allies, and cut to pieces. Braddock was killed, and of tho five Engineers present four were wounded, viz., Montresor, Mackellar, Gordon, and Williamson. Another column was i)laced under the command of Major- General Johnson, with the intention of capturing the French fort at Crown Point, which, it Avas asserted by the I'.ritish, had been built within their territory. This party started from Albany on August 8th, having a long and ditticult march before them. Johnson had applied for an Engineer to be attached to his force "as of great necessity." Captain William Eyre, an Engineer Extraordinary on the establishment, was named for the duty, and I'. I IP •'■i ; 11 ','■ J ' '' '■'■iV ■ i 172 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. VIII. performed his share of the work much to the satisfaction of his commanding- officer. From the camp at Great Carrying Point to Lake ht. Sacrament (afterwards called hy General Johnson Lake George), Lyre constructed a road for the passage of the troops When at the latter point, Johnson heard that the French under JJaron Dieskau were approaching, and he determined to receive them where he stood. Eyre at once improved the position, already naturally very strong, by felling a number of trees, and in front of a breastwork constructing an abattis at all points not covered by lake or swamp. In the salients he planted his field-pieces, as well as some heavier ordnance wJiich had accompanied the march The battle was fought on September 8th, 17o5, and lasted for lour and a-half hours. Eyre had command of the Artillery as well as of the Engineer operations, and his handhng of that arm was so effective that he received the special praise of the General who in his dispatch of September 9th stated that he had 'dis- charged the duty "in a manner very advantageous to his character. The result was a complete victory for the British, Baron Dieskau being Avounded and taken prisoner. It formed a satisfactorj^ set-off to Braddock's disasier, and was consequently hailed with general enthusiasm. Johnsou was made a baronet, and Lyre received a Majori . There had been no authorized increase of the Corps since its establishment on August 22nd, 1717, and year by year the difficulty of carrying on the service Avith such limited means had become more apparent. Sir John Ligonier, who was at tliis time Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance, now took the matter in hand and pressed peisonally on the King the necessity for an increase! ihe result of his interposition wae that on December 16th, 1755, a Royal Wun-ant was issued giving an augmentation of eight 1 ractitioners to the Corps. The men who under this Warrant wore received into the establishment were William Spry, Wil- liam Dundas, Robert George Bruce, Augustus Durnford,' David Duvidas. Thomas Bassett, Wir.'am Roy, and Charles Tarrant. \V ith t]\is addition the strength of the Corps appeared as under-— On ihe Home Establishment Minorci Gibraltar Newfoundland Nova Scotia . . . . ;37 . . 2 . . 2 . . 4 Tirginia West Coast of Africa. . . , [[ 5 Tc^al 56 VIII. 1748-1763.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 173 ihl^m "" ""f Vr'i ^o^^^v^r, only forty-nine, as seven o'' the oftoers are counted both on the home establishment and in the Tl^ nflF""'* ""* ^^t^ ?''^^^^^^ ^^'^«' «8 ^l^eady recorded, vacant. Ihe others were filled as under:— Director Sub-Director . Engineer Extrn ordinary Sub-Engineer Engineer in Ordinary Practitioner. . Engineer in Ordinary Engineer Extraordinary Sub-Eagineer Practitioner. . Engineer in Ordinary Engineer Extraordinarj' Sub-Engineer IVactitioner. . ?) Engineer in ( )rdinary Sub-]<]ngineer Engineer in ( )rdiiifiry Sub-Engineer Practitioner. . At Home William Skinner Dougal Campbell George "Weston Hugh Debbieg Leonard Smelt Greorge Garth. . I David Watson (Surv I John Hardesty John Baugh . . Thomas Walker ej diaries Rivers George Morrison John Manson . . Charles H. Ilerriot Thomas Wilkinson Geo. Aug. ]^]liott liobert Clerk . . / John Armstrong llichard Dudgeon John Williams Engineer in | < Ordinary ) Practitioner. Abroad. Arch. Patoun Matthew Clerk John Phi[)ps . . Ireland. Medwav. Plymouth. /. Scotland. Cinque Ports. ( AVith Prince of I Wales. Channel Islands. ! IV.rts: mouth With their Regiments. Invalided. P^nemployed. Not stated. Gibraltar .■^•^1 ! ■ -1 Iv. >•,(, ... i * 1 t ' < ! -lip i:1S hi I I iiT' t 174 HISTORY OF THE (OKI'S U [cn. VIII. Director . . John Henry Bastide . Enpineer in ) -K-tr-u- /i • i /-jYi- . r VViliiam (Junnmghani Eng-iiieer I t i, a i- T7 4. * T > J ohn Archer Extraordinary ) Director . . Justly Watson Enffiueer i y hi XT I ^^ 1 J ames J Jramham Extraordinary ) Practitioner. . John Apperly James Montresor I Minorca. * ' I West Coast of ■ ■ i Africa. Sub-Director Engineer in Ordinary Engineer Extraordinary Sub-Engineer Practitioner. . Engineer | Extraordinary ( Sub-Engineer Practitioner. . Engineer Extraordinary Sub-Engineer Patrick Mackellar William Eyre Harry G-ordon Adam AVilliamson Thomas Sowers William Green Richard Dawson Edward S. llylton Matthew Dixon Virginia. > Newfoundland. \ Nova Scotia. John Brewse . . William Bontein It will be seen that in the above list three officers are shown as serving on the West Coast of Africa. They -were the first Engineers ever sent into that ]iart of the world. They had been directed, by resolution of the llouse of Commons passecl on April 22nd, 17o->, to inspect the fort at Anamaboe and the other British stations on the coast. The two senior officers returned to England in the summer of 175G, but Apperly remained on the (;oast for some years super- intending the construction of new woi-ks at Anamaboe. Th*^ year 175G opened with a serious alarm in England of a French invasion. Hitherto the conflict between tlie two countries had been confined to America, but it was now evident that hostilities would soon break out nearer home. Under the circum- stances Colonel David Watson and Practitioners lioy and Dundas were employed making military reconnaissances t.irougliout such parts of the country as seemed most open to attack. This work was carried on for nearly two years, and the results are to be seen in the King's Library in the British Museum, in a series of coloured plans and sketches by the two Practitioner?. PE=" \^ 1748-1763.J OF KO\ KNGINEERS. 175 They include the coast from the island of Portland to the Bay of Southampton, by Dundas; coast of Sussex with part of the country adjoining, by Eoy ; coast of Kent from New Eomney to North Foreland, by Eoy ; coast of Kent from Whitstable to North Foreland, by Eoy ; country from Salisbiuy to Winchester and Alton, with the road from Petersfield to Godalming, by Dundas ; roads from Guildford to Godalming and from Alton to Bagshot, by Dundas. As early as March 19th, 1756, the Board had fathomed the real object of the preparations which were being made at Toulon for the equipment of an expeditionary force. It was not the invasion of England that was contemplated, but an attack upon either Gibraltar or Minorca, the two valued possessions of Great Britain in the Mediterranean. They wrote to the Duke of Marlborough, the Master-General, that this was their opinion, and suggested that a force of Miners should be sent out to attend to their peculiar work in defending the fortifications (Letters Mast.-Gen., vol. xii. p. 151). This seems to have had no effect, nor were any special precaiitions taken. The position of the Engineers at this time at Minorca was somewhat peculiar. When Director Thomas Armstrong left the island on being invalided home. General Blakeney, Avho was Governor and Commander-in-Chief, appointed Williani Cunningham, the second officer, to take up the duties of Chief Engine r, pending approval from the Board. These gentle- men, however, were not prepared to accept his nomination, and appointed John Henry Bastide to fill tlie vacancy. This was unquestionably a very ill-advised proceeding. Bastide, although he had always proved himself a good officer and a talented Engineer, Avas now growing old, and suffering from gout and other ailments incident to his time of life. He was, therefore, most unsuited for a post which was liable at any moment to require a man in the possession of his full physical powers. Cunninghani was so disappointed at the loss of the promotion that he applied to the Governor for permission to leave the station. This was granted, and he with his wife and family proceeded to Nice, en route for home. Whilst there Cunningham heard of the threatened attack, and determined at once to return to his post. He invested a sum of £1,600, saved dm-ing his stay at Minorca, hi the purchase of timber and other necessary Engineer stores, which he well knew would prove most valuable, and freighting a ship, he promptly set sail for the island, where he placed himself and his goods at the disposal of the Governor. This act on the part of Cunninghani met with general ai)plnuse. Walpole thus wrote of it : — "Captain Cunningham, who had been ill-used in our service, and ■ " '.'^ ' .'• ')! , ! - , •■ • j ':.-A '' ^ t '■ ' , h •' , : 176 HISTORY OF THK CORl'S [CH, VIII. U 'J'-f!' Smollett 18 very strong on the subject— of '2\\ !! r''^'' ^f^^'Y- .'"' '^.''" ^^''^ opportunity of recortlinff an instance of f(allu«try and patriotism in a Britisl, ofHc.r which woulfl have done honour to the character of a Ronuvn tribune. Captain C uii Xin an acconiphsho. young gentleman, who acted as I nginee^ i S a Minorca, being preferred to a majority at home and reci led r l.'l i^jmc^t by an exj^ess order" (tllis ^4 not tC'c^ '' S^ re^^i ^ i 1 n Tf^' V T^'*^' "\^^''^^'' ''^''''^ ^'« ^^'-^it^^l tl'<^ opportunity of a F ncl. ';"«''"^^V'^^.^'" 1^^' received certain intellgeiu.eU at the lacij uhom he tenderly loved, was just delivered, and two of 1-is r 'S J S ^^~ -^^-^^^^^^^'^ - Se!^ t^nf f e^^he IX^J Se=- ^^f 't -^Se ^^^^Jf ( s:r';^t.^;;:;t;'r'^"^i^"^^'r"T ^-j^- f- the p,x:::lld hL f f • ^ garrison, hired a ship for transpoitiiK- them ^^^r"t rr^ '"'"'''! ^^""' 1'^'^ "'^'' ''"'l '^l"'''-". thus ]eft"amon<; k evr, L^M?:^^'"'^'^'''i'>^^ "K'u» for Minorca, where he kiiAN he .hould be n a particular manner exposed to all the dangers of a furious siege. "-(Smollett's "Hist, of EngJ' iii. 49(5.) " * On April ISth the Frencli landed ii^ great force at (liudadella r r T-""^r? *''"' ^t'"'- ^^^^"'tinie General ilake^^^^^^^ who was himself a very old man, but one who had seen mud meritorious service, had tlie following Engineer saff '0 depend on :-John Henry Eastide in command^ Wlli^^fcu;! mngham voluntarily acting us second Engin;er), and Jo m Ai-cher. There w^ere also four Acting-]<]no"„eers-Seutem Bowen of ( .rnwallis's, Lieutenant Hewitt oi the Royd Wei & Vl^lt^r' ^™^^^'"^^ ''' Effingham's, ZT2S^ One of the greatest eomi^laints afterwards made, and with some justice, was that the Governor ond liis Clue Ci eer neglec ed to des roy those houses in the town which would afS cover to the besiegers Something more in this line might and ceiiain ly should have been done than was attempted ; but ft outh not to Imve been eft to the last moment to caiy o^t sue work Ihe houses should not have been permitted to stand wlien the works about St. Philip's were first thrownup, rendering,as they did o many ot tlie defences almost nugatory. It is diffic lit tc deei e to what extent this evil liad been allowed to exist. Armstrong [cH, vni. . . No lad, bought 's."~nVal- [lu instance have done inghiim, an sccontl at lied to his d repiiired ;unity of a '0 that the ted. His vo of liis 'ctcd that sablod by e fortress, mediately :i)ended a forms and iiig tliem ^;ft anion" wh.'re he lungers of Lidadellft, llakeney, ni much itaii to im Cun- d John jutenant I Welsli Ensign id with Engineer 1 afford ^•ht and it ought li work, lien the bey did, : decide istrong 1748-17G;i.] OF KOVAI, ENGIxNKKKS. 177 who had been Chief Engineer, and who wrote a history of the island says that in his time the liouses which might have been of service to an enemy were pulled down, and a sufRcient esplanade left betwen the villrge an.l the fortifications (Armstrong's "History ot Minorca ). John Hargrave, who succeeded Armstrong, also cleared away a g.eal deal ; but still much that proved obiection- able was ajiparontly left. When Blakeney called upon Bastide to report what further clearances should be made, he onlv proposed the demoliti(m of his own house and three mills Ihere is a letter from W. Horneck (who was Chief Engineer of Minorca ul the time), addressed to General Anstruther, the Goveriior, dated August 14th, 1738, which throws a little light upon t^iB difficulties attending the demolition of the village near bt. Philip s Castle. The following extracts bear on the point :— " ^^''^'?'''",.''i' f- o^ the village or Carraval of 8t. Philij.'s Castle is so near n,ir lortif- that some of y^' Houses overlook the palisades, and tlie wl)ole ,s built in such manner as to be vastly detrimental to Us, in case ot Attack, some streets being made as direct lines for an Ene>- Batt^ Sz y Jieight of the neighbouring houses command part of the covertway 'nf l^ 'a ' ,".• *f •; *^^« l\^^'^''ty to represent to you the vast necessity of the demolition of those lines and that Carraval as soon as possible m^ ''''T!! f«V?"l'l'°'^'"° ^^'^ ^^"''^»« 1'''^'^ ^'<^'^» on a/c of Q- for the or and the soldiers of the comp'' of the 2 Reg'» generally destined for \rfv !.^f , hh''f; X i' y'^-y^'^'illi'iitsarea, can only contain the Art. people & 5 Co of foot, ct the little fort of S' Carlos, with much ado holds one more, so that there being no other shelter for y other U Co^ but y Houses in y" Carraval (such as they are), those (^ have been kept up by necessity, and that necessity carries with it that by their vicinitv to y works it may prove the loss of S' Philip's by robbing y" garrison of u fair held for making a proper defence." ^ Horneck then goes on to propose the erection of suitable barracks tor officers and men — "At.su,;!, .list from the castle that they may be no shelter to the approaches ot an L.iemy, for in y" Castle & amongst y" works there is no room for 1 -'except n 8' Carlos, a place often ^opo^ed tlio' I th nk never resolved. He goes on to point out the ultimate economy of such barriuks — "The repairing y" miserable Houses the soldiers are in are a yearly exp to y Gov'- & r repairs of y" Oil- (,)- w'" is & has been for' many ears done a tlieir own exp- is a hardship scarce ever laid upon any hoops or ()({• whatsoever, c^ for y" sul,alterns in particular, it robs them of a great part of that little ■>>:, ■: they have to subsist on ?,ut v'' erecting of li''^ w" put an cna .o all this, the soldiers w- be quartered .lea tliily & wel , the off- ease.l of their burden, .^- the Carraval demolish ontself without any grumblings, heart burnings or complainings on any N Pmm i\ I ' ■l.tti ill* ■'.( ■J H-:|#rim:i 4 ^ ^«i *■' 178 HISTORY OF THK CORPS [vu. VIII. II I It t The barracks were never built, the village remained in the occupation of the troops, and the result of the parsimony of the Board of Ordnance was now to become apparent. It is quite dear that Avhen the enemy advanced they made great use of it? streets for cover, enabling them to dispense witli trenches, which would have been difficult to construct in the solid rock. St. l*hilip's was itself a very powerful fortress, and considered one of the strongest places in Europe after Gribraltar. The castle was protected by a series of outworks, and additic^nally strengthened hy a vast network of mines, as well as subterranean chambers for tlie shelter of the garrison when not on duty. When tlie island first fell into the hands of the British the defences of St. PhiKp's con- sisted only of the castle. ^ This had been greatly developed by the designs of our Engineers, and the outworks were entirely the result of their efforts. Lewis Petit, Durand, l»age, Horneck, the two Arm- strongs, Hargrave, Herbert, Mackellar, Patoun, Cimningliam, and Bastide, all added their quota. Had the garrison been equal to the extent of line to be defended, the place could have been held against a far larger force than had been landed on the island. As it was, it consisted of only 3,000 men. This mmiber did not permit of the profitable occupation of all the works, and the G-ovenior was compelled to Avithdi-aw from many points which it would liave been most advantageous to occupy. The enemy, having entered the town, were not long in throwing up their batteries, and opening a heavy fire on the works, which soon began to show the effects of the breaching to which they were subjected. In the Eoyal Artillery Library at Woolwich is a MS. journal of the siege, by one of the Ai-tillery officers present. As is natural under such circumstances, the details given are principally— indeed, almost exclusively— referring to that branch of the defence. There are, however, here and there entries which give one a glimpse at the Engineering portion of the operations. Thus, under date May 7th, we read—" The masonry of om- works gives way by the explosion of our own guns." This certainly looks as though the construction of the raniiiarts iiad not been very efficient. So also on the following day it is recorded — " This day there was an order not to fire tlie same gun al)ove once an hour, there being many bad guns and the embrasures slight." ".June 5th. Lieutenant Armstrong" (an Acting Engineer) "much wounded on the top of tlit; Castle from the new l)attery." "June 1,5th. Lieutenant Armstrong died this morning of his wounds." The Engineers did all in their power to remedy the deficiencies under which the garrison laboured, but it was very upliill work. The Governor, although a most gallant officer, was far past the 1748-176;}.] OF ROYAL E.VGINKKKS. 179 gu„„ .„ w„„ that thfyif r f r d ™"ZTr'*'' """ .'m hour, It is not to be wondered -it flinVl fi • . """^'^ "^ The besiegers soon foun out fl nt f "^"7^^""^ ^^«"t badly, be a very .lifficult (me and tCl ^'''^ '^'^^ ""^ ^^'^elj to to ln'eJiov^y^dZXny fctr '^"^"^"•^8^?^ ^^ consequence The British fleet, u XrAdmiml V "'1, "T"^''^ *" /'^^^"^ ^J^«"^- on May 18th, bn dS not ^i, ^ ^' ^'^ '^IIP'^''^^^ «« ^^^ imrtialincoun ex td taken pC^^^^^^ p"'^ !^'' ^^™^°" A "leans disadvantageously ^Hae Msh ■ W^IS ''^^'^^''^V; Vno e^^^^dtt^---^-^^ they'.i;:;ir:::l:^riaW^3'^^^^ ^- disabled, they were surrounded by the num^^^^^^^ ^^^J^i' ^^^^ when ^lubrasures and parapetJ vl roSe^ S '^' ^''' ''^''' '^'^' only to the Iieavy artillery but to he .r^i ^"'^ "l*'^' ^^^'^^ ^^Posed not and houses in the town "-(Cu.t) " '""^ketry from the windows gentaK;;r ^ ^^J^^ deRi;ohelien ordered a and his han^lTt^^dryttStrt? ^^^.^/•fh^™^ compelled to retire • iml nlfl 1 i ^ J ^^'''^ disabled, he was dislodge threLmyCiir^^^^ ''''' ^^'-^de to they remained masters n/ff^^- """"'' '^ '''''' °^ "« ^^'^^^L ^nd Blakener us denritd of sot'' ,7^'''''^'!' «^^tworks. General a council of LtaXalSntfn' '"""'^ '"'t"^ "«^^^^'«' ^^^^^d marching out wi rthe iioTo ,r^^^^ '^?^^ "^' *^^ garrison French slips tolValtai ''"'' """'^ ^'^"^ ^^""^^'^^ "^ A special clause was inserted in the Articles of Surrender that- The King: av ni. ■as ^u struck with this gallant officer's conduct, that , , ,» I . ' ir'^ |! -1 ••h'y His Majesty's Command, II I.-, , „ , ■., ,, " Marlborough. Entered with the «< Entered in the Office of ( )rdnanc; hecre ary a \\ ar, « this 1 7th day of May, 1 757. "Iho" Tyrwhitt. « w P Vnrio tm i\ a ... " W- Skinner, Es,'- Chief Engineer and cln!i. '' ^' ''"'" "Ent" fu. 2a." W- yi ■"t ' ■■ •'tl . ^ ' .1 [^ m •if 182 IllsroKY OK VWK (OKI'S [cm. Mil. .m»^ It Hocnicd at fliis tiiiui tliiit iilmosl (wcry t'xpcdilioii Httod oul to 8tvik(^ a blow on Ihc Conlincnt wuh (IootiumI (o I'liiliin', (Mtlit^r from iiicajjacity on tin* ]tart ol' tlio IcadiTH, or I'roni sonio groHH d<>lay or n(^fj;l('('t in the pntparation. Tlit' cxjx'diddn apiinst Uonlu't'ort, which took phico in I?-")?, waw no (*x((n|ition to the rnlf. As, liowovor, an Enginocr olliccr was t!oimoot(«l with it in a nianncn' moro ]>roniin('iit tlian nHual, il may Ix' W(>11 lo givo a brief Hkiilch of Iho all'air. Kobcrl Clerk, in rotnrning to England in 1754, had viHilt'd tho wotstcrn coast of Franco, ni roitft'. lie hini- Bolf says : — " I hud heard that Rochefort, thouj,'h a place of the utmost impnrl- aiioe, had been very much utf^'locted. I went thtM'e and waited (in the (idvernor in my re}j;inu>ntal8." It soenis that Clerk travelled always in nnifonn, and found liiniaolf in e()ns(u][uenoo overywlu>ro treated with the greatest civility. " I told idm that i was upon my way to lMi<,dand from Gibraltar, and that 1 camo on i)urpose to see the place, the dock, and the men of war. Ho was very polite ; I was showed overythinj,' ; went aboard tlm Ships of tile Luie new built, and an Engineer attended me in going round the l)Iuco." The result of this o.vtraordinary conii)'o,isanec was that (Jlerk took note of the nunior'^us deficiencies of the ])lac(s which, in his o]»inion, reudcnnl an attack by sudden assault a matter of no great ditliculty. Although at tho time Clerk was (mly a Sub- lOngineor, he had evidently become known as a nnin of cai)a(!ity. lie is called "a worthy, intelligent, and skilful otllcer," by Kntick, and in the political jjamphlcts which arose on the subject of Uochefort, he is described as an Fingine(>r of distinguislu^d merit. Sir John Ligonier, the liieutenant-tfeneral of the Ordiumce, listen(>d attentively to his ])rojeet for the capture and destruction of the place, and called on liim for a repcn't on the subject. This he drew up, and from it the foregoing extract is taken. The matter was referred to the Cabinet, and ( 'Icrk was examined closely by the Ministers as to the state in which he found the place. The scheme b)oked so promising that an expedition was decided on. To Sir John ]\tordaunt was given the chief command, with Generals Conway and Cornwallis as Brigadiers, (ylerk was ap- pointed Chief Engineer, and the unprecedented sto]) was taken of promoting him at a bound to the rank of liieutenant-Colonel, he being at the time cmly a lieutenant (Commission Book, No. 127!), p. *2t)()). This is the sole instance on record of such rapid pro- motion having been given to any Engineer. Under him were Sub- Engineers liichard Dudgeon and Thomas Walker, and Prae- I74«-17();j.J OK KOVAI, KN(ilXKKU.S. I8U «!(io..orH HnhM a. IJni,.,,, AugustuH Durnf.ml, William U„v, au.I TiiH ...luiimi.mt ni the forco wan „11 llmt c.uld Im ,I,.,si,,Ml ,m.I with nuuh.mto .......gy a„,l tho Hn.uUoHt anx.unt of cImhI,, tl.;,,. in IHH,. .loul.f thuf tl„. uKack w...,l,l j.av., ,,n.v...l .u,..ohsIuI Two nain.'s wli.,,1, w.-ro HJicrtly t„ hocnno famous in 11,,. anm.ls c.f their eountrv, woro ooimoctod with this ."xi„Mlifi„n— U„w.. ai.re prevalent that lloclu-fort had heen s re..gthene.l that a large lorce had heen thrown into the place, that rainj.arts had heen constructed at the parts which on (4ork.s previous visits w.ar open, and, worse than all, that the garrison luul tlu,. power of hitting wat,u- into the ditches It was at length decided not to run the risk of the attempt and the fleet ignominiously ret.irned lumie in the heginning of (Jcti.her ihe eoinmaiKh'r, Sir John Mor-launt, was hrought t(. trial for the taduns hid a(Miuitted. It was then said that Admiral Bvny had been shot for thus about the failure:- "The whole alliiir turned upon Iho iinpracticiliih-ty of escala.liuL' Ku.h.sfort and tho two evidcncoH l.rou^'ht to prov that the ditcli was wet ni opposition to tlio assertions of th.- Chief iuiKineer, who had been iu 'iv..l, '"wwf '?'fr •' ^" •','"""' '" '"•>■ "'""'' '■*''■•>' ^'"1^' "«ili^' «bould be «i\ . . \>ithou t,h..ir evidence we should have lande.l, and nuist have n.aiehed to Roehefort ; and it is my opinion that the place wuul.i have ^^5^''^;;;,:;rw:ivV:'3^?■""^ iu>ui.s."-(woife .. Kichso... In the year 1708 threi^ separate descents were made on the coast 01 in-ance, two of which were sad failures, and the third, altlumtrh successful in attaining its object, viz., the destruction of Cherbouitr did not achieve anything that could he considered equivalent to its importance. They may he dismissed very hri,.flv in their order. IJiehrst was under the .wnniaiid of the JJuk(> 'of Marlbonmoh and was dimmed for the capture and destruction of St. Malo The fl-ngineers attached to the force were Lieutenant-Colonel William Cunningham, as Chief Engineer, Captain Ueorge Morrison, Ensign harles larrant, with Ensign Eobert Morse as a volunteer fbr Engineer duties. Tlie troops were landed at Canc^ile on June oth, and the 1 ' - : >K ' 1 ( * v.' ' 1 w jf 184 HISTORY OK IIIK (OKI'S [(JH. VIII. »•:» Eii<;iiioors nt once took nioasurcs to cover tlio place with fitroiij^ liiicM. Little or iiothiiif^ was ac(U)ni|)lislie(l l»y llie troopH. Some* sliippiiij,' wuH (l»'stn)yc excpjjtion of the hrass ordnance, which was (tarried away; the troops ro-emharked, and set sail for home on August IHth. Encouraged by this success, the same forces wore again embarked at the end of the month, to make a second nttem])t against St. Afalo. Robert (Jlerk, who had ceased his connection with the Corps, was present on the general staff, as also was George A. Eliott, now a Brigadier-General. General lUigli landed his troops in the l)ay of St. Lunaire on 8ei)teml)er 4th, and r(Muained on shore for a week, doing, however, hut little damage, and utti'rly unable to carry out his design against St. Malo. On the llth they made a hasty retreat to their ships. The embarkation was not effected without an attack from the French force that had been collected in the vicinity. The loss of officers and men in the rear guard was very heavy, no less than 700 having been killed, drowned, or made prisoners. This disaster miturally led to much recrimination at home, and liobert Clerk was hotly attacked for his share iji the business. F^tforts wer(i made this year (17o8) to carry on the war in Xorth America with more vigour and suc(;ess. The army there at this time amounted to 2::3,000 regular troops, witli an even greater nnmber of colonial levies. The whole was under \h>: (oinniand of Major-General Abercrombie. Three separate ex'ieilitionN were decided on. The first and most important wae llic i':din ^ion of Louisburg, which, having been restored to the French by the treaty of Aix la Chapelle, was now once more to be attaciked. Major- General Amherst was placed in command of aoout 12,000 men for this service. TTnder him was Brigadier Wolfe. The Flngineers waie ( 'ol'^iel J. H. Bastide, as Chief ; Major Patrick Mackellar ; (Japtain Matthew Dixon ; Captain-Lieutenants John Brewse, Hugh Dt>»li.ie', V^ liam Bontein, Richard Dudgeon ; Lieutenants George Gai'lb , W illiam Spry, and Ensign Augustus Durnford. 1748-17G.3.] OF HOVAI, KNOINKKHS. 185 Tlio oxpodifion finilod from iralifax o?i May ^«th, and laiulod at (lapo Hrt-toii on Jmu* Htli. Tlio dis..inl)Miktilioii wiis not t'fl'fft(>d without grcMit n-HiHtanco on flu> part of tlio dofondera, but WoU'.t's f,ndlantry and dash onabU'd tho operation to bo succesHtully acconiplishod. llo Hoizcd Lighthcmw* Point on tlio lu>th, and tht> samo night Major MackoUar broke ground against th(< fortroHS. iho(}('iu«ral was oaroful to8e(!ure bis canip with intrcnchincntH, m bo t'oart'd an attack in his roar from the CanadianH in tho interior of tliu ishmd. Tlio entrance to the harbour had been blocked by sinking three frigates across its mouth. Tho rest of the fleet, consisting of five ships of the line and two frigates, were anchored in a position from ^yhl(•h they could annoy tho besieg(*rs with their fire. In spite of all obstmiles the Engineers persevered with the construc- tion of their batteries and trenclu's. S.^veral sorties were mado agamst tlieni, but invariably repelled. In one of these, on July {>th, Cai)tain Ibntein was taken prisoner. On the previous day, Colonel Bastide had been wounded in the leg with a musket shot,' and from that time tho conduct of the siege was entrusted to Maokellar. On July 2()tli his batteries set fire to thre<> of the largest of the enemy's ships, and shoi-tly afterwards the Admiral captured tho other two ; the frigates, how(*ver, made good their escape in the night. The batteries were now turned with full effect on the fort, and the apjn-oaches driven nearer and nearer, until, on July 27th, the garrison surrendered without wuitiu"' for an assault. The Brilish loss in this dashing affair was'"rm killed and wounded. The capture of Louisburg involved the loss to the Frencli of the whole island of Cajie Breton. The name of tho fort was changed by the victors into Pittsburg, in honour of the Trime Minister. General AVolf(» was very dissatisfied with the engineering opera- tions at this siege, and in his letters to his uncle siioke bitterlv on the subject :— ' -^ " The parapets in f,'eneral are too tliin, and the baiKpiettea every wIk-io too narrow. Tlic treneli of th.> parallel should 1)0 wide, and the parai)et.s more sli)[iing." "()ur next oi)eiutions were exceedingly slow and injudicious, owing partly to the (litlicnlty of landing our stores and artillery, and partly to the ignorance and inexperience of tiie Kngineers." " It IS inipossible to conceive how poorly the engineering business was carried on here. This place could not possibly have liel.loiit ten day. s had it l)een attacked with common sense."— (Wright's "i.ife of Wolfe.") It is right to quote these condemnatory remarks, but it is probable that Wolfe, ^^'ho was of a very daring and impetuous character, chafed under the delaj-s of siege oi)erations, and mis t ^% r ; ''1 4-, ■ « 1 186 HISTORY OF THE ( OHPS L(;h. VIll. disposed to blame the Engineers for adliering to the ordiunry pules under which they are conducted. Undoubtedly Bastide was too old and iitfirni to have the charge of so important a work, and in speaking as he did, possibly Wolfe was really blaming him. Meanwhile, the main division of the army, under General Abercrombie, embarked on Lake George on July 5th, with the intention of captui'ing the Frencli forts on that lake and on Lake C/iamplain. The Engineers with this force were Lieutenant- Colonel James Montresor, Chief Engineer; Captain William Green ; Lieutenants Thomas Sowers. John Williams, Matthew Clerk, and Ensign John Montresor. The army landed at Sabbath Day Point, and a portion of it advanced on Tieonderoga. On arriving in the vicinity of that post, Matthew Clerk was sent with sojTie staff officers to reconnoitre the defences. They reported in favour of an immediate assault. This was considered the more advisable, as news had reached the General that the enemy were expecting a reinforcement of 3,000 men. Under these circumstances, the attack was determined on without waiting the arrival of the artillery. The troops pushed forward at noon on July 8th, and made a most gallant attempt to overcome all resistance. They found, however, that the defences Avere far stronger than had been imagined, and after a desperate conflict, which lasted four hours, were utterly beaten. Nearly 2,000 men were placed /wy.s' de roin/iof, and the array was coni})elleu to retire preeipitatel3'. No doubt Clerk and the staff officers were much to blame in having reported favourably upon the ])ractic- abilitj' of the attempt. He jjuid the penalty with his life, as he died in camp on July 18th, of wounds received during the storm. (Letter dated July 26th, " Gent. Mag." 17o8, vol. "xxviii. p. ^!»8.) He seems to have been the only Engineer present on the occasion, the others having all been witli General Stanwix at Albany, or moving Avith the other columns. As soon as the force had reached its camp, Abercrombie detached Colonel Bradstreet, with 3,000 men, to capture Fort Frontenac, at the point where the St. Lawrence joins Lake Ontario. Sowers Avas detailed for Engineer service. The object of the expedition Avas accomplished ; the i)lace fell into the liands of the British, and Avas destroyed Avith all its stores. Several slajts were at the same time taken. Encouraged by this success, Brigadier Forbes Avas sent from Pliiladelphia to seize upon Fort Du (iuesne. Engineer Ca]itain Walker, avIio had recently arrived in North America, ac^om])anied tliis force. After a severe check iit a i)lnce called liyal-Henning, in Avliicli 1!) officers and 300 men Avere lost, Forbes rej.ched the fort, Avhich he found abandoned. He at once gariisoned it Avith oil i: 48-1763.J OF KOYAL E^•GI^EERS. 187 provincial troops, and rejoined the army. The result of this campaign was greatly to weaken the French hold on her (^'anadian ju'ovmces. On February 23rd, 17o9, the Board of Ordnance addressed the tollowmg letter to the King : — " May it please Your IMajeaty,— "We, the Principal Officers of Your Majesty's Ordnance, humbly beg leave to represent that tlie Establislunent of Engineers, Confirmed bv rder in Council the 22n.l day of August, 1717, being too small to answer the .Services whicli have since arisen, other Estaljlishments were made trom time to time for the Foreign Oarrisons, and the number of Prac- titioners at home have been increased, and some of the Engineers bein.» buperannuated, have allowances granted them upon the Establishment" Ihese several Additions and Alterations have in course of time caused such Confusion, that it is hardly Possible to Comply with any of the before mentioned Establishments, without distressing the Service in time ot VVar, and the necessity of the times likewise requiring Forts to be erected and maintained in various Parts of Your Majesty's Dominions, at home and abroad, and Enterprizes of great importance to be undertaken in America, which had occasioned so many Demands for Engineers that at this time, there are no more than five left in Great Britain, which are not sufficient lor compleating the works carrying on here. It is therefore ot the utmost Consequence to Provide Speedily for the increase and better Regulating of the Corps of Engineers. For which reasons We l)eg leave to lay before Your Majesty an Account of the Establishments as they now stand, shewing the present Charges thereof, as also a Scheme of an entire New Establishment, whereby all the Engineers will be formed into one Corps ; their uay will be made the same as other officers ot like rank in the Army ; the number will be Increased from 49 to 01, and the Annual Charge will be no more than Eight Thousand Ninety I hree Pounds Seventeen Shillings and Sixpence Provided the Siipcrdnnuated Persons are not included therein. If the proposed Scheme for a ^ew Establishment should meet with your Royal Appro- bation ^^, InuuUy Pray to Receive Your Majesty's ( ommaiids for .1.. continuing all the former Establishments of Engineers, also for yarrymg the New Establishment into immediate executi.m, and for (^barging to Parliament the Pay of the Superannuated Engineers for the futures which we apprehend will givatly tend t.. the good of Your Majesty s Service, and will be a much Cheaper method of Increasin-' the Migineers to the number now necessary, than if an Augmentation should l-e made by adding the same number to the present Mstabjishnient "All which Ks humbly Submitted. "S'' (iK(i. SacIvVii.i.h, Cuaki.ks Fhedeiuck, »..«; r .. , ^^- ^- ^'^•^"^*^' ^- ^^'»''KlN'i^"N, CUAKLES CoCKS." Office ot Ordnance, "2;5 February, 1759." The accompanying papers showed the existing establishment to mr.:^' « '• ) ^\ r 1 -J ' ; V * ■ \ (: •) • ^% -aftiliaKrri,-i>iiiiri- 188 HISTORY OF 'IHE CORPS [CH. YIII. consist of 50 Engineers, as under : — Home strengtli, lil) ; Gibraltar, 8 ; Annapolis, 3 ; St. John's, 2 ; Halifax, 1 ; Placentia, 2, — at a cost of £7,418 12s. Gd. The proposed new Establishment was to consist of — 1 (!!hief Engineer 2 Directors •4 Sub-Directors , , 12 Engineers in Ordinary. . 12 „ Extraordinary 14 Sub-Engineers . . 16 Practitioners at 27s. 6d. 20s. Od. 15s. Od. 10s. Od. 6s. Od. 4s. 8d. 3s. 8d. This was approved by the King in Council, and the order directing it to be carried out bears date St. James's, Marcli 3rd, 1759. It will be seen by the above that the pay of the two junior grades was raised in each case by 8d. The breaking up of the foreign estfiblishments entailed a loss of pay on most of the (^Ificers there employed, should the Privy Council Order be strictly adhered to. To meet this difficulty the following extra allowances were granted to those serving in the colonies : — Director and Sub- Director, 5s. ; Engineer in Ordinary, 2s. 6d. ; Engineer Extra- ordinary, Sub-Engineer, and Practitioner, 2s. When the necessary promotions, consequent on this order, had been carried out, the Corps stood as follows : — Chief Engineer — Major-Greneral William Skinner. Directors iiud Lieutenant-Colonels, J. H. Bastide, James Montresor. Sub-Directors and Majors, William Cunningham, Archibald Patoun, Patrick Mackellar, James Bramham. l^ugineers in Ordinary and Captains, William Grreen, Matthew Dixon, William Eyre, Greorge Momson, John Archer, Greorge Weston, Harry Grordon, John Brewse, Hugh Debbieg, Jolni Baugh, liichard Dawson, liichard Dudgeon. Ihigineers Extraordinary and Captain-Lieiitenants, AVilliam Bontein, Charles H. Herriott, Thomas A\'alker, Adam William- son, Thomas Sowers, Thomas Wilkinson, Jolm Williams, Greorge Garth, John ]*hipps, William Spry, William Dundas, liobert G^eorge Bruce. Sub-Engineers and Ijieutenants, Augustus Durnford, David Dundas, Tliomas Basset, William Koy. Charles Tennant, John C. Eiser, Ricliard Muller, Theophilus Lefanue, Archibald Camp- bell, I'atrick lioss, Jolin Montresor, John CraskelJ, Henry Watson, Samuel Beardsley. Practitioners and Ensigns, itobert Morse, Joseph Heath, Abra- on, James 1748-1703.] OF ROYAI, KNcnNEERS. 189 ham J) Aubant, Irederiok G. Mulcnster, Elias Durnford, William ; rroen Alexander Meirer Andrew Fra/er, John Marr, Ciilbert iownshend, Archibald Kobertson, Daniel Hlack, Abraham Walsh, and three vacaiujies. Towards the end of 17 08 an expeditionary force sailed for the West Indies, with the object of reducing the French islands in he tarribbean Nea. Creueral Hobsou was placed in command of the troops which compris. d six regiments. The Engineers appointed for tlie service were— Lieutenant-Colonel William Cunningham as Chief Engineer; Captain-Lieutenant Thomas Wilkinson ; Lieutenants Kichard MuUer, Theophilus L..fanue, Archibald ( anipbell Patrick Eoss, Thomas Craskell, and Ensign Robert Moi-se. The armament sailed from Barbados on . anuarv CJth, Lo9, reaching Martinique on the following day. ihe trooj.s were landed, and an attack begun upon the pnncii,al defensive post of the island ; but from some unex- plained cause, probably dissension between the naval and militarv branches, it was not prosecuted; the troops were re-embarked, and^^set sail for Guadaloupe. Here they arrived on January " Thougli the tovvn of Bassterre, the metropolis of Guadaluup.j, was very tonm.lably fort,h(3nu and the Invnch evacuated the place. Lieutenant-Colonel unninghain, who had acted as Deputy Quartermaster-General to the force as well as Chief Engineer, on its landing, died at Uuadaloupe shortly afterwards (" Gent. Mag.," xxix p %}'>) Dimng this year great (>tforts were made to drive the French out ot Canada by simultaneous advances against them at lw?\> ^T'^- ^^'^^' ^1";; '"^''^ '^ ''''' l^^'^l''^^^^ t" attack Co VII iont, Niagara, and the forts to the south of Lake Erie • whilst at the same time a larg(^ combined naval and militarv force was to enter the Itiver St. Lawrence, and endeavour in seize •iu.^lH'c. General Amherst Avas in chief command, and Ik- with un army of 1'2,00() men, pushed forward to Ti,..n.leroga and Crown lomt. J3oth ol these places were abaiuloned "by the enemy on his approach ; but he was not able to carry his success ii''.;' «' * 1 1 , *» " \ 1 \ V r- t. 1 i 1 '^''•i,; . ., '*'-' }'%■:: ) r i 190 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [ciI. VIII. further, and wintered at the latter post. Lieutenant-Colonel Eyre ^^ils his Chief Engineer. The main interest of the campaign centres round the force commanded by Gleneral Wolfe, which was to attempt the reduc- tion of (iuebec. Major Patrick Mackellar went as his (yhief Engineer, and under him were (Japtains William Green, Hugh Debbieg, and A. Williamson. Major Mackellar wrote a short account of this expedition, which he illustrated by a plan. This has been published in the " Iloyal Engineer Corps Papers " of 1849. Curiously enough it has been wrongly attributed in that publi- cation to a Major Moncrief. This shows how little the history of the Corps Avas known at that time. There was no Major Moncrief on the list, and the paper is initialed P. M., which evidentl}- stands for Patrick Mackellar. The account which he wrote is exceedingly simple, and he does not in it refer to the work of the Engineers. Moreover, he seems not to have considered the scaling of the heights of Abraham a matter of much diificulty, and his description of that operation is meagre in the extreme. He states that Louisburg was selected as the place of ren- dezvous, but as that harbour might not be clear of ice early enough, Halifax was also chosen, and that the first steps were taken at that point for organizing the force. Brigadier-Cxeneral Murray was already at the station, and Brigndier-Cfeneral Monckton arrived there on April '2'2nd, furnished with full instructions as to what was re(iuired. On April -iOth Admiral Saunders brought the fleet from England, having on board Major-Greueral Wolfe in chief command, Brigadier-General Townsend, Colonel Carleton, " and some other officers." It may be noted that throughout the paper Mackellar uses this phrase when he wishes to record his own presence. We may therefore conclude that he was with the staff. Wolfe approved of the steps taken at Halifax, and the forces were gradually embarked for the rendezvous at Louisburg. The entry of May 31st (evidently at Louisburg) runs : — " l>i'iga(;lier-(Jeii' ^Monckton arrived with four buttalions from Halifax and two battalions from the liay of Fundy. ( )ur wlioie forc(! was now assemljled, consisting of ten battalions, three comi)anies of (Ircnadiers from the garrison of Louisburg, a (Uitachmnnt of artilhu'y, and five com- panies of rangers, the whole amounting to S,.'}."?,') men lit for duty, otficers included." The fleet with the troops on board left Louisburg early in June, and arrived at the Isle of Orleans, opposite Quebec, on tlie '.3(ith. " In till." evening the last division of our transports passed through the traverse at the lower end of the Isle of Orleans, which, though rci^koncd , a?ul tl . Xm ^.Z v' ! 'l''/"'' ^^""'^.V ^'"^'"•^<1 l-Kan tn five. Thr.o ccnpan es 'f ,.h ^'n "'t'^ *""^ *^'^' '''^''^"" «'"! onlercl to g.t up the bank to tl.. rH.t ff i n^/l "^ ''''''\ '""»<^:''^*^'«>• '-"W^ forn.otl on tho bead, a.s thev Jan.le, ^n,! "now l" ^ ''"ttalions were and form above. T1h> li.^it i. f .nV. ' ^'''^'•'*" *« S''t up tho bank upon our left flank ^'^S^SeZuT'^ '''' """' "'^he woo.]: l>ank towanls the town." .fin';?" "^'^"''^ 1*> «cour the face of the "^v got up.H, the top of the bank tho Hvl?'?' °f 5'^" "''*^ ^'^"'""^ being a l>attory of four pieces of cannon 'm^'i^h ''' ^'\'" ''''' ^^"'' ''^^^^'^^ «? «amosse about a^ nnle a„d™f , ^r^'lf ''"! '^'^ '^ ^'^^^ -^"-' mam body of tlie fiiNf l.m,i;,. ' ^''^"^ '^''^f^'X . . "Tho i-igl't cafled th ^. ur KlbS^r ^l"^'f "I' ^" "- M>of Th ■'Ti'oy remained but Tsl ort tt o f Ji •''^"''- -^"""'^ ' l''^"""" • ■ the St. Louis road), << vhen t . J "f T'^-" " ('•-. in line facing J'.ght, ch-scovere,l tl/e enen.y a. em &!{?'?: f/ "'• '"""^"'^'^ "P^" tho J"'" --1 the town, and obst "?I^i IS , • "''^'"g »r""'l '-tween position of his line, and faced towards rm" "''''"''' ^' "'^^^^'^ the md now become pretty nun.erous o ' i' ' " ' , ; ^"th armies tins time had joined us, and tS W tl.e^r Zn^'T^ ^'if''"'^' ^^'^^^''^ '^v were coming up very fast " ^ ""P' ^''*''" Beauport, winch ^nil^llll^SlT^^^S^^^ ^^ «- ^^^tish lino, the French. The crisiL Toon aSved " ^'^^^^^'-^^d^^'^' --"' ''''^''- ^l^eir fronl throughout the whole in a n'ld ' .H ' '"' '»""«<^i'^tely foUowe.l to waver, but contirn.ed adv nc^lio ^ r/.'r '"""'r''' ?^''*^'^' ^''^'^ began they were within 100 yanllof "^s o 1 "' •^/'^«^'^b,rly fire. Whon ■steady fire, and when ^^^thi„ 'Jo 30 - ,, "''V'r'-'^ "^^ ^'^'Snlarly with a Ke sS i!;:t.r-s,:^- ^-^^^^^^^^ sSut zi IvilKnl and .55 woundcj Vi no , • •'^'"", ^''^ ^^''"'^^ ^™« ^ ofHcers ki^^^'J. and 542 wouml. d ' """-^"""»'««'«>-' "fticers and private n.en a i^w^^;;!:•^^.ss^ '^^^!r^'^ ^t heM o.. .. iav(,nral>lo sifo now in I hpo.nr i'^f" ^^''^ '^^^'^^''^' ^^P"" Hio begun about im^S^T''"^ '•^'. "?^"' '"^'^ '^ -^^"-^'t ^.luib iioni the enoemte, to cover a battery iii J ' ■ir':^ ' f-'l. (f.l , ■■■1 vO .. 194 HISTORV OF THE fOlU'S [CM. VIII. which it was iuteiidod to construct ugainst the hastiou of St Ursu a. Tins was on Soi.teiuber lOtli, and on th.. following day the iireneh cajntulated. * "^ Brigadior-deiioral Murray was i)laoed in oomniand of the newiy-a(M,uired city m (fovm-nor, and Mackellar remained with him as ( hief hngineer. The defences were found to l)e in a very ruined condition, and l)ut little means were at liand to restore tliem. Meanwhile, tlie French having recovered from the blow, once more rallied and prepared to regain tlieir lost . possession hy a new siege. In the month of April they advanced tor thus purpose with a force of 10,000 men. Murray determined not to await tliem behind his ramparts, but marcliing out in person with some light artillery, and the greater portion of his garrison, took up a position at SiUeri, where he gave battle to the advancing enemy, lie was, however, badly defeated and driven back into the town. In this action Major Mackellar was (la ngerously wo unded . The Frencli after tlieir victory commenced the siege of the town We read m General Murray's despatch of May 2-Jth, 1700 :— " ()n tlie 28th Ai)ril the enemy opened trenches against the town, and fit the same time wo set to work within to fortify it, which we never had m our power to attempt sooner from the .severity of this cHinate, and tlie al.so ute necessity of executing works of more importance last autumn before tlie frost set in. I wanted the assistance of Major Alaekellar, the Lluef Engineer, dangerously wounded in the action. His zeal tor and knowledge in the service is well known, but the alacrity of the garrison made up for any defect." (" Loud. (;az."Ext., June 27th, 17G0.) The advance of the British fleet up the St. Lawrence, and their attack iipon the French ships lying at anchor at the Foulon caused the siege to be abandoned and (Quebec to remain mimo- lested in the hands of the ]3ritish. _ One incident should be recorded connected with this secouu siege. It is thus related in Mante's History of the War :— "It was likewis.,' necessary that (General Amherst should be made ac(iuainted witli the critical situation of the garrison. The consider- ation of the great fatigue, dangers, and difficulties with which the conveyance of such intelligence must be attended, prevented the bovernor from excuting his authority to force the commission on any one. Lut his wishes were no sooner known than Lieut. Montresor an Engineer, uffered himself for the performance of this necessary duty and having received the Governor's despatches the latter end of January, he in twenty-six days delivered them to (leneral Amherst after enduring in his journey every ,, 1 ■ !. ''""ininnd of (ionornl Maokollar, and under h . T Z^'^'' Lieutenant-( Jolouel Williamso'n, and W Hi^u ''tI ^'T ^f-^T G^ordon, A '•It Barhados, ap,>eared hX; J'^t- '>^'''^'^'''" '^'^^''"^ as,s.,uhled The first att^njt at lamt^S '^'^"uarjwth, 17G->. that it diseniharked at fi^oi.d n ^ '«th The capture of this work was ettV >f 7 '"'^^ *^''"» ^'<^rt Royal. trouhlosome siegxs in XyVZ-Mo ''• ^'l^T'^ ''^'^ ""^'^^ ^ This sivecess was -ron^X Sta .'?? "^"^^'^'^^o" ^he hesiegers. i«hu.l, aecompaTuid hy tl ut of tho n f f.^fj^^^f of tiie wliole in possession of tlie IWh '' ^'"'^ '^'^^ remained foSXSo^eltS *^- expedition was the Spanianls. With Sis " W the Earf T U^'" T'''^' placed ,n cominaud of a force to hi 1 -^^^/ , ^^ Alheniarle was Admiral Sir Geoi-ffe iCnXZ- ^\^''«rtched from England, Enghieersaccom3ed t^^^^^^^ "^' ^'^^ ^^^^ «ix Lieutenants A C-Sm W ^ ''.y/':' ^'^^'^'^"^ ^^'^^thew Dixon, Abraham Walsl!;r/d"'^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^f Ifobertson; Portsmouth on Mavdi -»fi, „ i ^"-""^y©"- iiiey sailed from the troops lat ly engt.ed in tlT' ^'^^1^ ^^'^^ V^^'^ o] them oil- Hisp,JnVda^rMry27th ^^ll-^'^'^">^^' ''^'^ ^^' pedition was to he formed at NevvYn t^ V^ ^'°"*^"'^ ^^ ^^'^ ^^- the main body at Hav^nm^^^ leoided on; Lieutenant Tnln l a? I'n^'' "^ '^^"^^^ ^''^'^ heen ■>^ief Engineer t addition to the^^^^^^ '"T '^I^P-^^^^^l ^^e = laving'sailed fron Chi d he t T'^ °f ''i • ''^^^"^^ ^'^umerated from the American estSm^nt 1 ''""'^^l^ orders nine others Archer, Gordon, Wi ha.ns S Wm"''"^"'* ^^^ "^''^ ^''l'^^^^' others are not recorded ^^^Iharason ; the names of the a l^fq/S 1 1;::^» -?f^^- ^ «^-P encounter witii fort called El Moi^ wS'wa n ^/^ '^'?^ "^^ '-^ ^'^^VV strong entrance of the Imrbmu T^?' • ' ""^ ^''" "^'^"^ '^^^^^'^'^^es at th? of roat 111,, - -""ds by racks had to be cut through the -ill ]''': i %. I!m; IIIsroK'. Ol I'lIK (OKI'S CM. \lll. dciiHt' V('}r('liifioii dl' 11 h-opinil lunwl to lonii (•(iiimmniciilioiis, iiml flit- intense liciit luldtMl i(» nil th(» othor olKstnclcH t Lord AIIm'ImimIi' whn, iis nlrcndy Mtiitcd, in diii.i liiciitt o lu'ogrcss. . ('(HiuiiHiid, and under liini wus Lieutenunl-i ieneiid (1. A. hiiiott, the (*x-Mnj.,nneer, who ndviin('(>d n »Mtr|is a eonsideniltle way into the (onntiy to cover the siep' operations. Don Luis (h* Vcilawio was fho gdvornor oi" the islitnd, and li(> (ondueted his (hd'eiiee in the most jrallant and enerp«tir manner. The navy n ..dered j^reat assi.stance to the besieeers, hoth on land and water, and on ono occasion made a hold, thon^rl, unsneeessrul. attempt to <'rn.sli the lort hy a ,sea honiliardnient. On .lun(^ IHlh tho New York division arrivod, lirinj^'in^' witli it II weI ad(h"tion to th(< stall' of Engineers, and on tin lollowin;;- day the h<>sien.,.i-s erowned the covert way hefore the salit>nt(>l' the hastion on which tliey were advancinfr. ^V,. ,vad in ^' "".<'''« ' <>'""< oi' tli(> si(> .. Itniultii at to|). 5G' 105 43.1/" Fiiciiij,' the laud bastion This gij,mntic obstacle (ould only be overconu> by mining — dillicuit as tluit operation was — and we road : — "The Muj^iish continued their siibtcrrauoan labours nuich impeded by the obstruction of very Iiirj,'c stones. Jlowover, by two in the uioruing, •2-2\u\ July, tlu'ir miners had penetrated eigliteeu feet under the face of the basti(ai of the Moro that was opposite to tlwiir riyht. The sa}), too, was in .some de>,'ree formed hefore tliis face, and part of the curtain near the palisades, where the Kuoineer.s, fearing it should be taken in tlauk from the town, bad directed it sboiUd turn olf from the glai'is." . . . . " (."iirlcton, P.rigailierof the day, dii^approved this deviation from the glacis, on wbicii alone there was sullieient ear li to carry on the work. But even with this advantage, the work could not Init prove both diflieult ami tedious." . . . . " r.rigadier Carleton .sent for Captain Di.xon, the enginec of the night, and taking bim along the pali.« u'-s to the left, pointed out that spot to bira as alom- proi)er for that purpo «inco there the sap might be carried on with ease and safety, and w' made would ccm- mand the entrance to the ditch and front attacked. The new plan being approveil of by Captain Dixon, the worknu-n were ordered to conform to it." iitiuiis, iiiul rcNM. iiiiimkI, iiidI -Mii^''iii(M'r, vy i<) cover ;(»v(irn()r ol' ;ii]ltiiit iiiul iK'i' to (he •ri niiiilo II 1>.V II mni iif^'in^ wifli 11(1 oil tll( Itcfoic ilic V^' rt'inl ill H Asisistini! ry <»!' tlic h"— "As y in tln' ■wanlH, lit' lliul luH'll Itiviultli lit top. .. 50' .. lOf) .. 43}," luiiiing — inipodcd by 10 iiioriiiug, ) faco of till- il>, too, was lin nwir thi' Hank from 11 the ^'lacis, But even liflicuU and Dixon, til'.' oft, pointi'd ore the m\> rvoiild cciii- plan boin;,', to coiiforiii iriH.|7(i;i.) •••' IIOVAI, i:.\(i|.M.;KH.s. 'P. un "^^^i::'K;;;i:;:rrt^^^^^^^^ ., WIN ::■ : :::!rz::^,:ztz:::rtr: in y'- '"" "'-"t .W n„.|. rovcn-d nlr.h" Imrboiir, a p„,ty „f Hl'''Hlyhy(|u.,,,,,i,;,-, .'•-'•••''• •'^V''^• '"^waHlolIovv..lv..ry w.'n. both .sovondy'vo.uS "'•"'" ^'"•■•^"" '""' ''^"->" M<'n!:,'ion' p..Mit;i n!'.;::'?',^;:;';?;;^^!';^ <^ ti;.o,.on.,ion, whi.ii ... "'"i'-'iai:;: ';;;;:;\;rt,i;r:i,:;:;;'''j '''""."^ ••'•' ""•■'■"•-- ••' ti.iH «iKn-d by th. Cbio : „?^ ' ^ ;'''7""^^'- '" ^1- 'i'itisl. Ministorn. t'.-^;'onf,.sio,,.biH.ovei;;i::j;:ii— ;j:^^^^^^^^^^^^ Ilavm.nnh :- "' ''* "'"^^ ^^■'<'' '■^''t-nm.'o to flu- .upture ol' -t path to th.'i,. not i'^ r 'Z;;:^?,^ ■^''■V'''' ■'■^ ^'''' •^"••'•■^' ''"'H- 1W.S Hrsrouv OK iHK rniirs |(H. VIII, r . \:i (h\o moro incident ronmins to l»o rocordod wliioh took ]tlii('<' in the your licfon* tlio cnptni-c ol' MnHiniiinc mid Hiiviinniili, iind tliiit is the siege of Holleisle. Tliits JHland, which •' ,s off the coiisf of Mrittiinv, and now forms part of the I)e|iartnu>nt of Mor- hihtin. was at tliat time, owing to it.s ndvantagcouH sitnation, much fretiucnted by the French privateers whieli preyed on Ih-itish eommoreo in the (Jhann<'l. It was, therefore, conHithn-ed advisabh' to undertake* its ca]itnre so as to check this evil, ami at the same time soouro the benefits of the harbour for onr own fleets. The expedition munbered 1(),00() men, and was under the conmmnd of (Jeneral Hodgson, with (Jolomd Dcsaguliers as his Brigadier. The following I'iiigineers were d(>tailed for the service: Major Mramham as Chief Engineer (in the place of liieutenant- C'olonel \rontresor, sick), ('a])tain8 Archer and Wilkinson, ( 'aptain- Tiieutenant Walker, Lieutenants Tiefanu, Watson, Morse, and Jleath, Knsigns Dnrnford, Green, Mercer, Townshend, Walsh, T(dby, and Uitso. Tlu^ force arrived befon^ the island on April 7th, and attemiited a disembarkation, Avhich failed, causing a loss of 500 men. It was some time before tluMveatlier would permit a second elfort ; but at length, on April 'ilst, the o])eration was successfully carried out, and the enemy driven into th(> cita for its reduction. There exists in the Eoyal Artillery Library at Woolwich, a MS. journal, "by an otKcer who was present at the siege," from which the following extracts are interesting as bearing on the Engineer branch of the work : — " May .'")"' ... Ill the evening tlie chief eii<;iiieer dosed tlie right of tlie trenches with a redoubt, which they liegan to work upon this iiii,dit. " .May 6"' The chief engineer was ordered to advance a work before the Trendies, for a battery opposite the Dastion du (jouvornenient and in iiiinli, iiihI ft' tlu> coast it f)f Mor- < situntioii, ])r('yc(l r('(l 1 evil, imd r)r our own under tlu' icrH iiH his lu' wcrvico : ji(Mitenant- 1, Captiiin- lorso, and id, Walsh, atti'mj)ted n. It \v(is irt ; but at nrricd out, y town on luhan, and ioh, a MS. !?e," from ng on the clusctl tilt' work upon vork befoi'o ifimc]it and ncer, went ■ nost proj)!'!- seines and i ^'ivon him kin<' nso of iriH-iTiv.ii OK ROYAI, K\(HNKKKS. If)J) tn!l:i'/ " '"""""" -^''"^ "' '"" ^^- ••'--'« " -""^•t «'.. tin. right of the .1 ,, . . «•■" "■■-', mill >v»?ro ( tlu. Lonm. ' -ni-clii..f in .Tcctin- ;mtt(.ri..s on till! l.-ft uf tli |. second 'r ^;.: H«:rS;::-i;;;:i:z::S'^i;:Si:;!i ' "-" '-«- Tjwf'>urofH..orH«ll,uh..lt(,wor(3Lioutenant8E.Walkor I) Soott of". ! da, .^'' '" •^"" '''^''' '"'^^ ^'^^^^^^'l -^^- P-^y at L rate "May 20"' Thoro was so great ,i want uf battery „lank tliat tl... nn,l ■,',""!i f'" ''•"«""■■;•"' !"»'" '" "'■■«■' « ■'«» LaltiTV (,„■ „„„ s.f„. h„„' 'M ..'« nn .. , f 1 . t ' l''k<'\viHO l.cj,'an to raise a battorv for to the t',f Tr""l ' ""* '^ -^''"t ''^^"^« ^'>^' ^f*"'"" >'"ttery'a K rm Aitilleiy. llu.s ..jht-er, who was wounded on Mav l.Mtli n\.,l again on J,uu^ L>nd, died on Juno 18th ^ ' ^"^ l.Jn T '''';'"!^".'l'^'V'-''''' ^'*'''" l*'^"^^'^'^ ^^^" forward, and a i.raoticable . n 1 '. '^ !'^' *'"^ ^^"s taken possessbn of by the British F^nei; Tlu'rM /1^'- ^--?^V-r'>* 176;iro.t^>.^i;rS sent t ■ ]Jol sb n °'"T ''^ ^ "S'^'"^*^' ^^'^"•^••"' ^''kinner, was senr to Jielleisle to survey the works and irive sucli insfr.u'f,V».. as he nnght think neeessary for the restoration tie^^^^^ and tin. ae,.on,nn,. atiou of tlie troops .lestined to hold the i krid He spent a consn erable time in arranging matters a d imde many n-ports on the subject. '"'uins, ana made i ■ _ t (s I i i'.-:. i J..* I nunil)er of i Trenches, r which M'e who was '1 200 HIS'JOHY OF THE (OKI'S [('H. I\. CHAPTEE IX. 1763—1799. Peace of Paris-llestoration of Minorca-Pensions for Widows of Engineers— \l^\-?- ^bief En-ineer increased — Separation of Indian Engineers- Abolition of Engineer Grades— First General Brevet-The American Kevolution— Battle of Bunker's Hill-Occupation of New York, Phila- delphia, and Tuionderoga— Defence of Savannah— Capture of Charlestown —Surprise of utrsey-Hecond Siege of Minorca- Close of the War-Corps fj!^^i\^,^''''p}l<'^r^~^^i!^^^^^^'^entoi Extra Pay-List of the Corps in 1^«4— litJcof Koyal Engineers granted in 1787— Successive Augmenta- tions-War in the Low Countries -Siege of Valenciennes-Death of Moncrieff-Capture of French West Indian Islands and of Corsica-- Expedition to Holland in 1799— Correspondence between Howe and Corn- ''l }l^'7r..?^ I-ieutenaut-Colonel Hay-Close of the Campaign^ Dress of the Koyal Engineers. As stated at the end of the last Chapter, the year 1703 was ushered in by a general pacification. The late Avar had greatly increased tlie possessions and prestige of ]m. gland. She had expelled the ^rench from Canada, the West Indies, and practically from India. Her own losses had been few, the only important one being that of the island of Minorca. By the I'eace of Paris, which followed closely on the Treaty of Fontainebleau, England was to recover possession of tliat island, as well a-- Elorida and Louisiann.. She was also to retain all her coiK^uests in North America and India. On the other hand, she was to restore Havannah, Pelleisle, and the Irench West Indian Islands of Martinique, Guadaloupe, and St. Lucia to their former owners. It became, therefore, necessary again to form an establishment for Minorca, and Eieutenant-Colonel I'atrick Mackellar was nominated its Chief Engineer. He ac once proceeded to his new post, and on June 4tli, 1703, wrote a rejiort to the I*rincipal Officers of Ordnance, dated at Mahon, in which he sa.ys :— " The Frcnoli troops arc this day embarked, and we ari; in possession of all the usual garnsons and civil govcrniuoiit of tlio island. This busiiK'ss has l)een condu.'ted with .Ljroat unanimity on both sides, and tlie inhabitants are very liappy in the chaiijre. With re-ard to the fortifica- tions, I must observe ujK.n the wliole they are in mucli better condition than c' be expected, w'" we owe to their repeated expectations of our paying tkcm a visit. I Uvi, likewise gone thro' the niaoa/ines and store- houses, w'' are kept very dean, and wliat few strn'os are left are in LCH. T\. 17()3.1799.] OK KOVAL KiXGIXEKRS, 201 Engineers — Engineers^ — he American York, Phila- Charlestown War — Corps the Corps in 9 Augmenta- s— Death of )f Corsica — ve and Corn- )aign- Dress '^as ushered /' increased qielled the roni India, ing that of 1 followed to recover ana.. She md India. leisle, and oupe, and ihnient for loniinated post, and )thcers of possession iiul. This i3s, and tlie 10 fortifica- 1' condition )ns of our and slorc- I'ft cU'o ill excellent order I sm „„ ti„,b„ jj^,,,, „, ,,„ , , L>unug the next ten years England enioyed a respite from ». Chief Engineer in the M„,™ E al T^d 1^ ^^el^lXv lifificecf ()r,h,„„„. iV "Xtnt ,\. " i *""''' '" l"""' ''■>■ "" the Wi,l„„.» of on ;„ ,t|" \\ ° '^""f.'™' "■" "■■" ••'"<■"■•"' "> ...e M„.e,.C.„e™, » VhI .^l .^^il? JI .^iS^rVl^Z iT..'" The Wam„tgr.i,,ti„s this boon is ,l„ted A.iRust ->!)th ITOT In the yeer 17,0 the King, by another Wanant < ate. Tlie captain- lieutenants then serving received captains' commissions hearing that date, and from thencefortli the . commission of captain- lieutenant carried with it that of captain in tlie army. In ,1770 an augmentation of eight Practitioner-Engineers took place, raising the strength of the Corps to sixtv-nine, and tliis was succ-eeded m 1780 by a fiu-ther addition Jf six Practitioners, raising it to seventy-five. These rapid increases liad been caused by the necessities of the American Pevoliition, owing to wluch a great demand for Engineers was created. Ho large a nuniber of Practitioners disturbed tlie proportions of the several ranks which had been settled in 1759, and it soon became evident that some reorganization was necessary. On January 1st, 1782, tlie Duke of Eichmond became Master-Greneral, and he very promptly undertook to remedy tlie evil. In a letter to the King he drew attention to the anomaly, and submitted " a new plan of establishment for giving tliat eneou- rageinent to which so meritorious a corps is justly entitled." ihe King approved of his scheme, and on November LStli, 1782, issued a Warrant to carry it into effect. This Warrant is interesting, from the fact tliat by it the ]i:ngineer grades, which had of late years been coupled with their military rank, Avere abolished, with the exception of that of Chief Engineer, and from this time army titles alone were adopted. The new estab- lishment was to be as follows :— I Chief Engineer and Colonel <> Colonels Commandant 6 Lieutenant-Colonels 18 Captains | ^!''^ , , . t • ' ". ( JNiiie Capt. -Lieutenants 22 First Lieutenants 22 Second Lieutenants 7o Total. at 44s. per day. „ 17s. „ ,, los. ,, ,, 10s. „ „ 6s. „ „ 4s, 8d. „ 4s It AviU be seen by this list that the rank of major was abolished. l]iis_ was stated to lie because no troojts belonged to the Corps requiring officers of that rank. iVt the same time the large number of field officers of the higher grades was justified by the many im])ortant commands whicli tlun^ were called on to fill. In tlie year 1777 occurred the first general brevet in the Corps. It was dated on September lOth. and the following officers gained a step in consequenne ;— Lieutenant-Colonels P. Mackollar, W. Bramham. W. Green, and W. liov to be Colonels, and :^[ajors M. [CH. IX. to rank as lie captiiiii- ms bearing ;)f captain- y. 5'ineers took nd tliis was [•actitionei s, had been 1, owing to (So large a the several -nie evident ' 1st, 1782, d lie very Dnialy, and liat eneou- entitled." LStli, 1782, V^arrant is des, which ■ank, were ineer, and [lew estab- i- day. )j )» abolished, tlie ( 'orps the large ed by the o fill, the ("orps. ?rs gained :.'llar, W. ktajors M. 176-3-1790.] OF ROVAI, KNGINEERS. 203 dgreeabl, „.e„,„,.y, ,„t j ,„,„ ,,„„ „„ „b|„>r ^nt'r' witZe °a This is a reference to Montresor's wnnnrl T^^ t, ^i , from the^ context that hetZbe:rtr; ig '^ eT E^ f ^^^^^^ Amande " without any beneficial effect. The letter ifwHtten t it ''ur/7onll"r ^''•'' ^'": "'"f«™^Jy«« erroneou«a.s to conn.lotely ruiu Cm n To r'' "• '■ '''"'' '''''' considerably affected tV Mo h t^oni ti\. Ihe Commissioners are arrived and k-in to treif JlhlTr should suppose this Campaign will be employed "n n^t^tiaou A\e are, it .seems, to evacuate this city, whi.h I should th nl- 1° ? era crd;::ii^/^^^^^^^ - a piparatiin' In sho^tt ^rt: IW.' ^ ''' °' "" "' *''*^ ^""""' ^"^1 "«^v comes on til; ou^II^kIm^TS^ ^^^^ "^ ^^^^^^^-' ^^t^d - above quoted. AwlP' T r''''n^ *''" '^'"'^l^' ^'■'^ ^« «^'=^"'1»" tJ»s City ; we shall man tl,e Ihen there is the following postscript :— ^^^^T%{::<^'"' ^'"'" ^'"''" '«''"''^' ^^''*^'l' J''^^ '-^'^ attended cv Im^ I ^ '^j ^7"V^-'"«:- '-f ^i>;" this Day on hoard the rn^/enf] im.y nave, 1 uiul(>rstaiul, received their Answer from Ih.-iv l,i.,K M.ght,m..sses the Congress-I have heard--0,ut iow u> i^ i 'H their offer.s are too late,' Altho' they o«er all they wish ■..' ' Ala !i and much more. !■' **4 |.. •■ , t. r ''■^"' : • ^ ni H s poor Great Ih-itain ow art thou, &e., &e., &o. \^f *204 HISTOKY OF THE CORPS [CH. IX. "Our Matters in this Country are too ba-l to Relate just now, so shall Bottle up until I see you." lu 1790, Lieutenant-Colonel John Small wrote thus to Page, then rMr iliomas Page: — ° " The interesting position Ave were placed in side by side at the memorable Battle of Bunker's Hill will never be forgotten, and will ever excite the most anxious emotions in the breast of the fellow campaigner who has now the honor of addressing you ; who witnessed m the most tri/mr, nioments, your inrnfr wortli, your pr<,t\^,innal In- trepidity and skill, and was most seriously affected when at' your side he saw you ftall from a very dangerous wound, n^ceiv'tl when displaying your exertions in the ffield, when your ruol awl manly example and sound judicious advice, contril)uted much to acquire success and victory » bata'oTtnSs'l^S;^'^^""- '' """^^'^ ^" ^^"^^'^^ ^'^^^ '' *^^ Boston having- been evacuated by the British, the lV>ree retired to Halifax m Marcli, 1776. General Howe remained there for a (>ouple of montlis awaiting reinforcements from England, which were to be brought by his brother, Admiral Lord Howe. As they had not arriv.l at the beginning of June, he determined to take action witliout further waiting, and started for New York with the troops he liad with him. Here several actions were lought, winch terminated in the driving of General Washington ami lus forces from New York, and its occrnation by the British, ivaptam Montresor, Lieutenant Kesterman. .md Lieutenant Fyers ook part in the battles at Long Island. York Island, and I.rooklyii the former acting as Chief Engineer. Owing to his position Montresor was afterwards examined by a comniittee of the Mouse of Commons, appointed to inquire into tln^ conduct of the American War, especially with respect to this portion of it and m answer to questions replied • " That the lines on Long Island were s,. vcrv strong that tiio mornincr they were evacuated it was with great difficulty that he an.l a ori.orars patrolo of six men could got into them to view them. . . . The works couhl not be taken by assault or storm ; they called for rocrulav approaches. It would be a forlorn hope to commit naked men to slorm redoul)ts without fasciiu .., scaling ladders, .Vc." . . . "The lines were evacuatc.l on the night of the 1>8'" (Aug*, 1776), and he discovered it at our c](,ck the next morning, with the patrole alrea.ly mentioned."- ( Hist, of War m America, 1780." App., p. 40.) At the_ battle of Brandywine, which took place on September if^'l' J''^' ''"1(1 which led to the occupation of Philadel])]iia by 1 '.1 ,., 1^'. ''^'^'''"' ^f*>"«'ieff was present and served as guido ^•' the -1th llegiment in crossing a ford of (ho river (Bc-vtson, iv p. 2obj. ihe same authority also shows that Lieutenant Twiss [CH. IX. low, so sliiill Page, tlien side at the !n, and will the fellow lo witnessed ettsionaf In- f'our side he )laying your and sound ;ory." 'got at the fee retired here for a Liid, which Lowe. As snnined to New York ions were asliington le British. lant Fyers land, and ng to his iiiiittee of e conduct tion of it, le morning . corporal's The works or regular n to storm linos wen; ver(Hl it at tioned." — lepteniber ?l])lua by as guide atson, iv. mt Twiss 17G.'3.17f)9.] OF ROYAL KNGINfiKRS. 205 ^^S^'^Z^I^Jr/^' that General Burgoyne was way^oftlielTkes AtT^^^^ T "" J ^"^^lon with Howe, by the fort, and ho reptted tTn T^' ^' ''"' T^'''"^ *« reconndtiJ Sugar m^z:T^o^i:^'jst'f'''Tr''^'^ ^•^' reee ve cniiuon anil tli,t ., ! ic • f, * , '"' le™"e'l so as to li.*e.l y,itCl^yZJ\^r"n^ «°"^ "?? "«''' ^0 "»«"''- Twiss's advice anrt o ,W, \ J''"-goji,o determined to art on Engineer pulW it wtk ,vM> '^ 7 *° ^ ^'^T"" "l'' ^''^ of the nJi.y the hate' ^l!! Cv tr^^S; t* '\t\r^ IS' bS""^' '"'"■'^"-^ '-^ '«.wi,i„hr"„t*™ee^J::;s;: strong force^n the Lw tW '^^l^^^P^^^' Jth, who tnrew u induce hin/to ^^rS WiX^d"" S'the ^77"' '^"^^'^ ^^' dared witju>ut an Wt b^ing Tde to r^;!' •?. ^^^"^' ''''' '^''''^^^- ^^^^^ ^^£^T^^'ca:^^.7^ ^'- fHant commendation. The combTne 1 V..? r -^'^"''^"^fff, ^'^"^^^ gi'oat forces (the former comn S bv A 1 ^^:'^^'f 4"/^\-^n^erican lan.l latter by General LiiZntnt, ^^ .^'^""ir^ D'Estaing and tlie were sunmi^e f to ^il^^^^^^^^^^ '" '^'^''^^ ^'''^ ^'^ ^"tish town, and Captain ZSeff' tl J W ^ ''' ^-^'^ ^1-' develop its deLces and ^^^^.t ^ vte^;:::^^r' '' the negro^popullr, c iTd ine' " T/'^'r'"!"' ""^'^^^^^ ''■^- vening redoubts which covr e 1 H.o I intrenchments, with inter- tolerable state of efenceTMsilTT' ^'■'^ ^'^''''^ ^^'^ **^^^-» >■» '' tin,e than the enemr .uirJl o T ' "^K' ''"'' '''''^'^''''^ "^ '^^'^'^ was the celerity with w ch he w ort ^'''^'^'''^''9, ai.proaches. Such that the Fren4 office s'Ll-odT^^^ on and completed, battenP« «nrin" un lik. i '''V'" ^'"-^'''^'^ Engineer mn\\o hi^ piiijg up like mushrooms.' — (Stewarts " ^Ti-.,* i, r l^ Highlanders of Scotland," ii. p. loj),) ^^^'"ait^^ Sketches of the . I It' ,^1' '1 1 ) "t : ■ '•1' fi t > ■ ■' ■ h *■ V 1- i , M i . < ; , ' ' » ■ t 5- HI , ( 1 ^06 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [C'H. IX. i-» "The forces opposed were very disproportionate in number, the assailants being reckoned at not less than 7,000 men, while Z. '■• n-ison Ihe town of Savannah had been greatly strengthened by Captain Moncnetr, an Lng.neer officer, wh„ gained great honour by his )SZ wen as by Ins energy and judgment. A hundred pieces of cnn, n battery already supplied the place of the eight or ten that were 1 on v :' r iKir Cj;:tnl^.'r"^°"^ '' ^''^''"^' summons."-(Cust,^^;^li ^nJ\Tf\TJMF7''i *^''V' ^; ' "^"^^^ *'^^ ""^^^1^ «f September, and by tlie 24th had pushed t ,.r sap to witliin ;»)() yards of the mti-eiiohments On that day a sortie was made, which cx^ated uutd the night of October JJrd, when a violent bombardment was opened on the town from both fleet and army The art lleiT Si'Ttf^r ""^'*' "" S""""''^^ "^^^^"^^^ -- delivered":^ •essted ,n 'fl fv ''''"' 'T^ energetically and successfully usisted and the allies were forced to retire with a very heavy OSS Admiral I^'Estaing being among tlie wounded. Thk f iS nlaee^In 1 H^^f "le attack on Savannah, which, from the state of the lace and the force of the enemy, promised a very different result ; but the talents o the officers, the iirmness of the trips, ami the ex..ele, C aptain Moncrieft, he Chief Engineer, supplied the dehciency of numbers and strength of walls. "-(Stewart's " Sketches," ii. p. 131.) Moncrietf added to liis renown by the manner in which he conducted the siege of Oharlestown in the following sprino He iV Vf ^;, J^^ trenches .ere opened in the middle of April and by May 6th the tliird parallel hid been completed, and a sap pushed forward to the ditch. This being a wet one ^ould hav? lie wnt' '"T "^'^'t' ^''^ ^'""''''^ '^-«^«^l^d in draining oft' tJie water. His^operations were carried on with such energy and .access that on May <)th the place capitulated ; 6,000 Americans I'let'of" ^n^^' '^^"^ "" commodore! beoanie ^.risoneit, a 1^400 pieces of artillery were captured. The French naval force lyinff BrSsh '' "'*^ '''^' '''''^'''' ^^'' ^'^^ "^^« t»^^ banrof t^ Sir Henry Clinton, in his despatch of May 13th, 1780, to Lord ireorge Germain, thus spoke of Moncrieft :— wiil/\te^V^!ri'.?^°"f"'^S^^' commanding Kngineer, who planned and, Mitli the assistance of such capable officers under him, conducted the [C'H. IX. uiubcr.s, till' tlu! garrison, xcoi'd 3,000. by Ciiptiiiii his skill, as if c'iiuioii in ere the only ^ust, " Wars September, urds of the ich created i continued linient was le artillery liveried on uoeessfully 'er>- heavy ^his failure operations state of the result ; lint exL'ellcnt, lirection of of numbers rr(i.'}-17i)9.] OF ROYAL ENGINKKRS. wliich he ling. He under Sir e of April, and a sap ouhl have aining oft' iiergy and LUiericans, i, and 400 3ree lying tids of the •, to Lord mued and, lucted the 207 •>Ofb I7«i ,,,. .'fe'""'^ ^^f, ^fter, Cornwalhs wrote on October The st(uy of Muleaster's doings can be best told h. I.;. mmimmM lost for ouinion T fnnl' I '■".'^^/"'^■*»^"'fe »i fui'cc. ^o tune was to be opinion. I took a decided ono, spurned at the terms, and sent a I? '» ■ ^' i.- '*> ''I f:-!. J^A -./W 208 HISTOHV OK IHK (OKI'S [cil. I.\. I . verbal niessa<,M! tliat I should defcml the Castlo to the last cxlreniity.* The inesseiiger was no sooiht out of tho gate tiiaii I onlcM'cd a shot to ])c tired wide of them, as a respect to the tlag of truce, as I would consider the messenger in no other light ; l)ut the enemy still advancing, I ordered one to be directed at them, which, killing two men ami taking oil' the leg of an oiiicer, had tiie desired elfeet. They returned to town" At a (juarter-past nine 1 sent to ('apt. I.umsdaine, commanding the 78"' Regiment, to send me some gunners from the Militia, and at the same time acciuainted him of the determined resolution to defend the Castle. I was to hear in a short time that ho had already made a similar reply to a like message, and he sent the gunners reciuired. I sent a messenger to Major Pierson, now commanding-in-chief, of the step I had taken. Aboiit half an houi after ten o'clock Captain Aylward, of the Invalids, got into the Castle, and being the eldest otHcer I gave up the command' having ac'c^uainted him with the disposition 1 had made. A (quarter hefore eleven o'clock a trinnpet came in attended by a gentleman. He brought the French general's proclamation and the other articles of capitulation, and an order similar to that which T had first received to deliver up the castle. Neither the proclamation nor capitulation were read, but an answer sent of the same nature as before. These, my Lord, were the proceedings in Elizabeth Castle." The letter goes on to describe at some length the steps taken b}' Major rierson (Doth Reghueut), Captain Lumsdaine (commanding the 78th Eegiment), and otlier officers to attack the French from different points, winding up with the conchision of tlie attempt. " The face of affairs being in a few hours thus changed, the enemy's vessels quitted the island, the troops they had landed being drowned, killed, wounded, or prisoners." Unfortunately, Major Pierson fell mortally wounded by one of the last shots fired. Lord Amherst made a suitable rejjly, in which he says — " What fell immediately to your share in Elizabeth Castle while you commanded was jjcrfectly well executed. As your letter was the clearest and fullest account I had seen 1 laid it before the King, and His Majesty received it graciously." The French and Spaniards had by this time been for two years besieging Gibraltar, as is related in Chapter V., and they now * According to the account given in the " Morning Chronicle" of Saturday, January i;}th, 1781, the message was as follows: "Mr. I)'Auver!>ne, the overseer of the works, went to the castle and told them he feared if the'v did not surrender, the French would hang the Governor and burn the town, Mulcaster answered, Let tbeni begin to hang, burn, and be d d to them, tor he would not surrender the castle or the IJritish flag so long as he had a man to defend it, to save auybodj'.' \ ' [cii. IX. cxlroniity.* I shot to 1)(' ilil consider viiiicing, I and taking ed to town, nj,' tho 78'" b tlio same the Castle, niilar reply I iiK^ssengcr had taken, le Invalids, I com ni and, A quarter snian. He articles of •ecfived to lation were Tliese, my 5 taken by amanding such from -ttempt. le enemy's f drowned. by one of while yon 1' was the King, and two 3'ears tliej^ now ' Saturday, 'er!>'ne, the if they did tho town, •d to them, us he had a 1763-1799.] OI' ROYAL KNfflNKEKS. 209 ot which by tho British ivndoi-od the effective blockade of (hbrnltar a matter of much .lidhmity. The Due de Son w appointed to command a mmlnned Krencli and Hpaninh force for tlie siege of Fort St. i>hilip's, and lie landed in the island wi^ho opposition on August 19th. winioui hnfbpln '^'^*- f,^':^T^ Maokellar, Lieutenant-Colonel Brewse had been appointed to the post of (.'hief Engineer in the island and he held that command d.iring the siege 4ich ensued Un ler DW w'^Tl'^f ^^^YV^r^^^^'/^"'^' ^"^^ Lieutenal Rot 1) Arey, W. Johnston J li Douglas, 0. Shipley, and J. Fiddes. relienl Th 7"''^^'^ ''^ '^ ^""^"^ ^^''^ ^^« Hanoverian regmients. The formev were the olst and the Gist, the Avhole under the command of C eneral Murray, as Governor; Sii W mam S %.^^''S^'^'^\ for the Hanoverian troops. Including. Artillery Miners, Oonicans and other foreign levies, the ga^Ti on amounted to about ;},000 men. A MS. journal of thfJe o which was kept at th. time by an officer who was present and tatham TheTl/'' ^^^ " /" ''" ^^"^^^ Engineer ^Libmy^^ (vhathara. The folloNang extracts taken from that lournal o-ive oV^n^ir^^^^^^^^^ '' ''' '^'^'^' -^-^^% tCtarTng "Journal of the Blorladeand Sie.je of S. Philip's GaMe, in the Island (>J Minorca, 1781 and 1782 "Sunday, 19'" August, 1781. About 10 o'clock the si-nial for an Enemys fleet was lioisted at the signal house of Cape Mola Abo^ 12 one division of the fleet was off the Harbour, Lul went tun towards Sandy Jiay, where they landed a large Deta hment and in lie of th fl^!f '"^^ '''• '''''''r?l ^^""^^ '^^ ^^«™<^"'«. tl^« otheiMff^ision morX T ;rcS T''^ ""'''' ''''''' "^^^ Disembarked nex morning. iJie tTarnson under Arms most part of the ni• ™-'» «"" "-w" »"=...!.* and ^Colonpl ' n/'ll' '"p '""" *^'' 9''""* '^'^ ^""°"' 2^"' »«" *« the Due Govornor!" ^'°""'"' ^'^ ^^'""^'^"Ses Breakfasted with the The result of this entertainment was made clear by the entrv o± October IGth, whicli runs thus:— "^ ^ thll^J^ri^uJ^I^'^'^Y''''''^^?'^''^'^''^' *" t^« ^'^™«o" that Ma^totH;:f;li;:^t!*^^-°"^^ ^^^ ""'''' ^^^^ -^l-MiHion of to 'm.f 'V*?on 7^V r""'"'"' ^' *'"' '^'^''^ ^''•^'"■'^' 'i'-^^ tliought proper "30"' Oct'-. A'arious reports in the Garrison concerning the Fneniv's operations, most of which we find very nuich exaggemted o f" e '^^'?: ^fl^!;.' ^T'r^!7' -'^--" t« J^-- increastl ,>f late Fnon.t 1> 1 ^r ^^ ^'■""' ^''' '^'^"^''^ ^^'•^«t Lunette fell into the Enemy s Powder .Alagazine at Turk's mount, wliich blew up witli n rreat explosion, and set off a number of loaded shells ^ ° L;: •::^tii";i[!^^ i^tT' \' Phihpet will.- ^'" '"" '^""^ ^^^"^^^ «'-»»'^^ -»'• began to fire at the ca.:y ^ ^S; .:S "'BJIt!:^ so ^a^T7 ""■'^•" '^^^'"« ^"^^ '^ his powder. The Garrison ni"l fie a ea d 7," T^. '' ^''^^"? "^ do it without Orders. " ^'^^ "'''''^' ^"* "" 0"^ dare Duc'v'v'^cldld mf :; ^'TS^'l""'^) ''^ ^^'^••'^^' *'- g— r o'clock, thev ;^, t r,l U work"' T\^'''' ^" '^'^ ^^^^J- ^'-^^t 11 e^nonced and eoX Lj ^Ih ' Li^t^ ^ xr^^^ nl^'^^^^ wiX/ui • e^e— x,i!;^ £^;:t;er!^o?r^'£ SX'S.r^'\l;:rlf,: Humbug.tre-:^ a^;;i^tr:? wiin„. About in the morning our Doubts were settled :^l f .. i/'>i kn ■ *• :! ' i / \^ _^^ 212 HISTOUV OF IMK CORPS [ril. 1\. ill i! • By hciiriiiga K(HI dv. .loio liird l,y the Spiuiisli .Army, IK'iiiiiin^,' upon the riKlit nt Turk'n nioiint, and ciKlinj,' witli tlic Frcncli cuiiip^it St. Antlioiiy. After Uu/muw^ tluvc times, and upon tlie w^nnl of a Roekctt, All tliuir Hatterics opnicd at once, and continued lirinj,' the whole day without tho smalleflt int(M'mis.sioii. "8"'.lan>. A Mortar liattery attraeln our Attention from tho UiHtance, lieiii},' at Turas.sh, upwards of a Mile olf, aid from the lioi},'ht tho Sholis Ro in tho air, and tho Volocity with which they Descend, wo aftorwards tin.l they are called Mortars de la Piaek. Thc^ Mortar and the lied are cast toj,'ether, and are of an amazing size and weight -Can throw a shell of l.'i Inch near tiireo mile— and tho chamhor can contain 32 Lib. of Powder. Croat nund)er of Shelis fail in the Castle s(|uare. rho Amusement of the. Spy glasses and walking about almost put a stoi) to. " !)•'' ^\: 10'" Jan-. The lunettes are now fiunid very iiseful by receiving tho Rubbish battcr'd from the works, and keeping the Ditches clear. 2!) shells counted in tlie Air at once, 7 of which fell into tho Castle square. ... A shell fell through a small hoht in the Castle, which gives light to the pas.sage l)etwixt the (Jovernor's and Maj' (ien'do Sydow's quarters ; by its ex]ilosion, wounded Capt. Head of the Artillery, and .several^ others in the ( Jovernor's. During morn, Another forced itself into Col. Acklom's (juarters, broke all his glas.ses and some of his wine. "ll'"Jan>. The Prince of Wales's Battery somewhat shattered; declared untainal)lo ; the Sentries withdrawn, and the Staircase blocked " 14'" dan'. No further ajjproaches can be observed, but they seem contented with pelting us most confoundedly. "19'"dan\ Tho' many of the Works are much .lamaged, yet no practicable lireach is made. . . . Our Soldiers are turning sickly with the Scurvy. " 22"" Jan''. A Deserter canio in to day from the Turk's mount side. He says tho Knemy for some time past have bi^eu mining with an intention of blowing up the Marlbro'. " 2:V'' Jan- . Our :Miiu>rs set to work sinking shafts, in order to Countermine, should the enemy attempt it. " 2-4"'Jan>'. The works cursedly pounded. " ."U^-' Jan-\ Sickness increases,' 40 or fiO men falling sick daily. ^ " 2'"' ¥eh>. The ( Jovernor orders the Cxarrison to be examined by the Faculty, who are found to be in a very Scurvy situation. ";i"'Feb>. A Council of War to night. We umlerstand the Governor intends surrendering to-morrow. " 4"' Feb>. A White flag hoisted on one of the Bastions of the Castle, and the tiring on each side ceases. " 5'" Feb''. About 12 o'clock, the Garrison march'd out i)assing through the Army, and grounded their Arms at ( Joorge Town; were afterwanls marched to Aliore, about 10 miles in the country." The state to which tho scurvy had reduced the garrison, i.s shown [(11. IX. iiiiii^' upon iiiip at St. u Rddvctt, wlioli! rliiy frnm tlio the hoij,'lit ifscoiKl, wo lav and tlie •if^lit — Can ;an contain tic .s(|uan', put u stop y receiving •hi'H clear, tho Castle ■ ► ■MM -^'■' ;'!> ^i J:1'- • V :,' ■- i ti 1 ;, i 1 i .' '■ 1, ' i ,' i I m TV >.\ ^ X ■>^ ^ S: •^^ ^ V ^ * V y^ % ^ si ^ . S^ ^^.>. N ^ •V < ^ ^ 5 ^' ■^ ■^^ a; ^ >.^- ^ r V V C\ ^. V -.N ^ X ^^ ^ St •^ ^ V ^ < *^ ■N, y> % ^ si ^ . S^ ^^.>. s K •V ^ ^ ^ ^ S \- -li S ^- r ^ ■ V \i. 1763-1799.] OF ROYAL engine eks. ^15 The ColoiiPls and Lieutenant-Colonels were ffiven the follownic, commands :-l at Gibraltar, 1 in the West Indfes in Sh tt Tower ""'^"'"^ """^^ ""' ^"""' "'^^ ' ^'^ '^'^ Committers f w ""^.v^-*" i^^^^''*^^''ti"g <;« give a list of tlie otficers composing the Corps at this time, with their stations. N.B.-The letter rTSnf.^ Commanding Engineer at the station. '"''*^' Chief Engineer . . Major-Ceneral James IJraniham. Col^^els William Green, Gibraltar, ( !. " • • Mathew Dixon, I'ljmoutli, C. " John Archer, Unemployed. '» Ilany Gordon, Grenada, C. " John Brewse, Tower Committee. . " IV, ; • / • -^"^"^^^ l-)ebbieg, Unemployed. Lieutenant-Colonels J James Monorieff, Gosport, C. >» John Campbell, Halifax. " . r'-' ." " '-^'^^""if^s Hartcu]), Languard Port, C. Captain-Lieutenants Gotlier Mann, New Brunswick. " • • William Twiss, I'ortsmouth. " • • John Wade, Antigua. " • • John Evelegh, Siu'vey. " • • Matthew I'itts, I'lymouth. " • • William I'arker, Isle of Man, C. »» • • Sir Thomas Hyde Page, Dover, C. • • Henry Kudyerd, Scotland, C. " • • AViUiam Campbell Skinner, Gibraltar. " • • Andi-ew Darnford, Chatham. . M . . Alexander Sutlsorland, (iuebec. first Lieutenants . . Benjamin Eisher, Quebec. ' '^^Mr.,-' 1 •' .' ■' :l •'■: V'-4 ■I Im '\^ p IfH^N m i •• i Vi ■1 l^f 1 * ■; i' ■ ■ :■ ' 216 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. IX. First Lieutenants »> Second Lieutenants . Charles Shipley, Scotland. . Henry Haldane, Gosport. . Thomas Nepean, (rravesend and Tilbiiry,C . John Caddy, Newfoundland, C. . William Booth, Halifax. William Fyers, Portsmouth. John Chilcot, Plymouth. Thomas Skinner, Sheerness. John Robert Doudas, St. Vincent. James Stratton, Chester, C. AVilliam Johnston, Gibraltar. William Kersterman, Gibraltar. John Johnson, Guernsey. Charles HoUoway, Survey. Thomas Wliildale, Yarmouth, C. John Hunifre^', Quebec. James Fiddes, Survey. Richard Hockings, Plymouth. Robert Beatson, Scotland. Robert D'Arcy, Barbados. James Lees, St. Kitts. " • • George Bridges, Gosport. >» • • William Birch, Jersey. » • • James Glenie, New Brunswick. » • . Lewis Hay, Languard Fort. » • • William Malton, Portsmouth. '» • • (reorge Phip])s, Portsmouth. » • • Thomas Smart, Gibraltar. » • . Peter Couture, Survey. » • • William Ma(!kerras, Gosport. Q " • • Riehard iJowse, Newcastle. bupenumieraries . . Samuel Trevor Dickens, Gibraltar. »» • • John Mackelcan, Chatham. John Rutherford, New Brunswick. Douglas Lawson, I'lymouth. Ralph Henry Bniyeres, Quebec. William Gordon, Jamaica. 17«?® T-^^ Engineer Warrant was that issued on April 25th, iJf fW . iJ^'^^^r^i ^^'^ designation of the Corps to be altered into that of Royal Engineers. Li the same Warrant its rank and post m the army were established. These were to be— " ^^'^th/"'' J^^.V^l Regiment of Artillery, and whenever tliere shall be occasion for them to take i-ost with any otlier corps of our Army, tlie post of the Corps of Royal Kngineers shall 1)e on the rigiit with the Royal Regiment of Artillery, according to the respective dates of the com- »> the 1763-1799.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 217 Cxrer Ba'f ^I'J^r-l^'^f^^?^'^^ to Major-General Sir William IwS;,- V ^ ^^^^'^It^r fame), the Master- General explains S„ A }-f ^vl^en eonipames or detachments of the Koyal W next fh iT" r* ^t'""'"''' "r ^""'^^'^ ^^-r P°«t would be next the Koyal Artillery on their left; officers of Itoyal On May 2l8t, 1790, a fresh Warrant authorized an augmen- tation 1 Captain, 1 Captain-Lieutenant, 2 First Lieutenants and 1 Second Lieutenant, all for the acti^ list, thus aSw^^^^^ rSo skT"^ • ' ;'^--' ;T^^ V'"^^"^8- "P *^^ numbers of all ranks to sixty-six, inclusive of Invalids. ihe war which broke out afresh in the beginning of 1793 led ^osevera accessions to the strength. A Warrant lated January 2oth L93, added 2 Captains, 2 Captain-Lieutenants, 4 Firs^ Lieutenants, and 2 Second Lieutenants, making two more eon pames, whist another dated on December llth?f the same year added a sixth Lieutenaiit-colonel. The number on the acHve^S ot the Corps was now 77. to ^a's^r^h^Yhilf' F " ''^'^" ^'""^ '^ ^^"^^ ^^^^^'i ^^ ^^li-t''"^t to assist tJie Chief Engineer m such portion of his duties as •elated to military organization. The fikt officer named fox thl post was Lieutenant John Rowley. In 1796 a new AVarrant, dated February 9th, added three Captains, bringing up the establishment to 81 It has been said above that war broke o^t once more in 1793 On February 1st, m that year, the French National Convention declared war against Cxreat Britain, Spain, and Holland I consecpience of this step a large liritish force was ent t Holland to aid m its defence. This was pla.-ed under the command of the Duke of York. Colonel Jamel MoncrierRo S Engineers, was appointed (iuartermaster-General. fn M *"l^7""g^,*^"8-Vn^ers were attached to the for<-e in addition to Moncrieff :-(.\aptains A. Sutherland any tho ignorance iind lazincHa of people in the differcint departmeuts the (teueral in kept back much longer than he wiHJicd. Our advancetl battery will not be made this night, I am sure, much to his 4 "« »» ■ ' t 1 . % %' -.fu 224 HI«*T(»HY OK THK ( OIll'M [CH. IX. Sir Kiilph Al)oriT.)iiil)y, I ,il.,s.>lutely r.ffiiHo,l to mittor Sir Rulpli to ol.tiiiu for hmitho. rank of r.imit.-Colonel, iilthongh lii.s rtM,i„.,st wuh (..u.it.-nu.icud by IIi.H Koyal IIi>,'liiiosa imd Mr. Diimliis. " Itiit, althoiijrh I liiivc iilway.s uctod, iuid hIiuII always as loii" aa F am concerned, coutinuo to act, upon this ^'..n.-ial iMincipl... and am sonsil,!.. that it is a (h-licalc matter to depart from it, yet I do not think tliat any ride respecting rank can lie made absolute and invariable without Its being in some degree prejudicial to the service and dis- .ouragmg to the exertions of those who are placed entirely out of the reach of all extraordinary favour. "Major liay has been now for the tliird time selected to attend Sir Kalph Abercrombie, to whos.- lot the most difheult and irksome part of the service in tlu! [>ro8ent war has principally fallen. That (leiuiral nihcer repre.Hent?d to nie that Major Hay was to go with him it. very important service as Commanding Kngineer, that he (^xpe(aed a junctioli with troops of other nations, and that fioin his want of rank lie mi-'ht oft<'n be prevented from availing himself of his services, and expressed a hope that 1 would not a second time put a negative, on his promotion. " Tnder these peculiar circumstances 1 did not feel that either in respect to Major Hay, Sir Kalpli Abercrombie, or the general good of His Majesty's service, 1 couhl be longer justified in withholdim' my consent. " •' I have, »Vc., " COUNWALLI.S." It is not necessnry to enter into much detail of this short oam])aign. The advanced j.ortion of the force under Ahercronihie m VM) transports, witli a fleet of fifteen sail of the line and I'orty- fiye other vessels of war, put to sea on Auf^ust L'ith. Thoy disembarked .it tlie llelder on tlie 27t]i, and were at once attacked. A smai-t engagement ensued, in which the British were successful, and towards night the Dutch withdrew, leaving Abercrombie in possession of the contested point, and this was followed by the capture of the Dutch fleet. Unfortunately, Lieutenant-Colonel ] lay was killed in the action, having only enjoyed his hardly- obtained rank for a few days. Lord (JoiTiwallis thus alludes to the event in a letter to Major- (reneral Koss, dated Sei)t ember 4th, 1709: — ..." I lament poor Hay very much, who has left a wife and several children, and, I am afraid, l)ut ill provided for." (This was remedied in a^ very handson,c manner by the (Jovernment, who .settled a pension of £600 on the widow and of £100 on each of the children.) " The force destined to serve in Holland, which is one of the most considerable in number of our national troops that has ever been employed on the Continent, has now no Kngineer of rank or character. Should not the < )rdnance say suinething to the J)uke of York ? Even if U.K. II. should make no application I should have thought that Twiss, who is co.rUiinly 17();j.l70!).] OK UOYAI, ENQINKKHS. 225 our boHt, should hiivt) tlu) direction, with sonit! nssistaiitH who would be more abh) in point of Ixidily fatii^uo." It was, (loubtloss, in c'onfl(Miuon(!e of this letter that the last of the before-mentioned angnuaitations of five otfioers, lieaded by Twiss, was made to the Engineer strength of the force. Twiss rf>ooive{orth, when he was selected to command the Expedition to Holland, and received as an honourable acknowledgment of his services previous to his em- barkation the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. His conception was stron" and accurate, and his information solid and extensive. His manners were as mild and unassuming as his mind and conduct wore manly and decided, and, indebted solely to his own deserts his character, without eilbrt or ostentation, gradually and forcibly displayed itself to the world through the veil which his own modesty uniformly i)resented. He was about forty years of age, and promised fairly to fill and grace the highest posts which his profession might enable him to hold Colonel Hay, the moment he was wounded, was ijrepared for the worst, and begged to express his last thoughts and wishes to General Aber- crombie, who was near the gallant Colonel, and inunediately attended Will "— ("(;ent. Mag.," 1799, vol. Ixix. p. 818.) It is not necessary to pursue in detail the further movements of the force. The Duke of York having in the interim assxmied supreme command of the British troops, they were advanced in conjunction witli the llussians, and fought the battle of Alkmaar on September l{)th. This was well contested and bloody, but without result. M ■^ ,f'^j^ 226 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. IX. " Both parties at night resumed on all points the positions tliey had respectively occupied the previous day."— (Gust.) ^1, ^1° ?.f^^^i?^^ ^ ^^^^^^ advance was made, which brouffht on the battle of Bergen. On this occasion the allies were successful • the enemy were driven back, and the ground occupied by the invaders. Little more was effected. Large reinforcements arrived to strengthen the Dutch and their French allies, and the Duke saw tliat it was not possible to obtain any real hold of the country JNegotiations for an evacuation were therefore commenced but foi' some time seemed likely to be broken off on the question of restoring the Dutch fleet, a matter which the British commander declined to entertain. He, however, consented to send back to l^rance 9,000 prisoners of war then detained in England The J^rench general accepted the alternative, and a suspension of hostilities took place on October 18th, although it was not till November 19th that the whole of the expedition had been with- drawn. During the time that the negotiations were being carried on, and when it appeared not improbable that they would fail the question of securing the retreat and protecting the i^oiiit of embarkation was much discussed. "The Ijatteries of the Holder and the works which had been added to them furnished a point of support, Init Colonel Twiss, Major Finlav and the other officers of Engineers who had themselves constructed these works, declared that, should they even be defended by .S riOO of the best troops, commanded by the Ijost officers, they could 'not be manitamed for more than two or at most for more tlian three day^ -tor the Sandhills presented, at a short distance from these works places under cover of which the enemy might establish mortar l)attorios secured from the fire of the English. The idea of levelling the Sand- hill.s presented itself, but tliat did not appear feasi])le. Admittin-- then that in this space of time the second division should gain the shon' with' the whole of its military train, and embark (a thing har.llv iiossible) T,. '■^':^:'^'^ T''^ '""«t have remained a sacritici; for the accomplishment of tins ol))ect. —("Hist, of Campaign in Holland," 1799, v. 202.) Ill addition to the name of Lieutenant-Colonel Hay, killed the list of casualties during this short campaign embraced tlie following Lngineers as wounded :— Captain-Lieutenant Evatt, Lieutenants S. 1{. Cliapmaii and J. Squire. Keference has been made in this chai)ter to the fact that, owino- to tlie dress of tJie lioyal Engin.nn's being somewhat similar to that ot the In-ench olKcers, casualties sometimes occurred from their being niistakeu for enemies. It may not be amiss to state what tliat uniform Avas. In a letter addressed by Bramliam to Debbieg, dated December *4th, 1 i H'2, he says — [CH. IX. ions tliey had L brought on 'e successful ; ipied by the Qents carrived ad the Duke the country, need, but foi' question of comniandei' 3nd back to gland._ The ispension of was not till I been with- )eing carried would fail, he point of I' T I < 1 I been added dajor Finlay, ; constructed by ^..'lOO ol oiild not be tlii'i-e days, ivoi'ks, places tar batteries g the Srtiid- littini;', then, ' shine, with ly possible), uni[)lishnient 20-2.) [ay, killed, braced tlie ant Evatt, that, (jwing- similar to iirred from iss t(j state . December 1 i :> k I) Vd.l. fhiiir ( / ./J /' c 7; ////'.), P'i'ir :':'/" 1763-1799.J OF ROYAL P:NCtINEERS. 227 " His Majesty directs the Uniform in future to be worn by the Corps of Engineers to be a blue coat faced with black velvet lined with white with white waistcoat and breeches." ' From Order dated November 15th, 1796, we gather , > follow- ing further particulars : — "A crimson and gold cord round the Hat, with crimson a, i c^old rosettes or tufts brought to the edge of the brims. The sword to have a brass guard, pommel, and shell, gilt with gold, with the gripe of silver twisted wire. The blade to be straight and made to cut and thrust, one inch broad at the shoulder and .32 inches in length, according to former orders. The sword knot to be crimson and gold in stripes as required by H.:\r. s present regulations. The sword to be worn in a cross belt (white) with an oval plate gilt, having the King's cypher with the crown over it, engraved on the middle. To be seen at Kimblev's, Cutler Charing Cross." ■/: 228 HISTOKV OF THE CORPS [CH. X. CHAPTER X. 1800-1809. Capture of Malta by 15onaparte— His Occupation of Egypt— Military Mission to Constantinople— Expedition under Abercrombie— Death of Mackerras, and Fletcher taken Prisoner— Battle of Alexandria — Advance of the Turkish Contingent with Holloway— Battle of El Hanka— Capture of Cairo- Inscription on Pompey's Pillar- Second Expedition to Egypt in 1807— Battle of Maida and Capture of Snylla — Occupation of Cape Town, Buenos Ayres, and Monte Video —Bombardment of Copenhagen, and Seizure of the Danish Fleet— First Peninsular Campaign— Battles of lloleia and Vimiera — Lieutenant Wells taken Prisoner— Advance of Sir John Moore into Spain— The Retreat to Corunna — Walcheren Expedition— Bombard- ment and Capture of Flushing— Destruction of the Docks— Sir J. Jones's Criticisms on the Leaders of the Force. The nineteenth centuiy opened with the first throes of that severe struggle between Napoleon and Great Britain, which, after ex- tending over a period of fifteen years, culminated in the complete overthrow of the Frencli Emperor, and the elevation of the victors to the first rank among nations. It is true that the last decade of the previous century had seen war earned on with more or less success against the republican government of France; but the strife had been interaiittent, and the French forces were led by men of a far inferior stamp to the great warrior who was now about to dazzle the world with his achievements. In 1798 the French Directory assembled a large force in the port of Toulon, and placed it under the command of Greneral Bonaparte. This he led to Malta, and in a few days obtained possession of that powerful fortress, more by the supineness and treachery of the garrison than by any able strategy of his own. The Knights of Malta Avere dispersed, and a strong Frencli garrison established in the island. Then, after having plundered the treasury, the churches, and all the otlier public institutions of the island, he set sail for Alexandria. H's triumph here was com- plete. The Turkish forces opposing him were easily overcome, and in a very brief space of time Egypt was under the conqueror's heel. Now, however, whilst all seemed most promising, he was destined to receive a blow which ultimately baffled his })rojects, Tlie battle of the Nile destroyed his ileet, and cut him off from Buccoiu-. From that day he was obliged to trust to the country he [CH. X. 1800-1809.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 22S tary Mission to Vlackerras, and of the Turkish ire of Cairo — :ypt in 1807— 3 Town, Buenos md Seizure of of lloleia and >ir John Moore ion — Bombard- -Sir J. Jones's f that severe 3h, after ex- the complete ji the victors ast decade of iiore or less ce; but the were led by p^ho was now force in the of General lys obtained pineness and of his own. •ong French g plundered istitutions of ere was com- vercome, and conqueror's sing, he was his })rojects. liin off from le country he was occupymg for everything he required. Manufactories had to be started to supply his army with powder, weapons, food, and clothing. Nothing but the supreme energy and power of organiz- ation, which were leading features in Bonaparte's character, could have enabled him to recover as well as he did from the cnishiug disaster he had encountered. Even after all his efforts, it was soon made clear to him that the dreams of Eastern conquests, in which he had so freely indulged, were not to be realized ; he therefore took an early opportunity of abandoning his army and returning qtdetly to France, leaving his successor to make the best terms he could. As soon as it became known in England that the French had seized Egypt, the Government began to devise methods for thwarting his designs. Their first step was to send a military mission to Constantmople, to advise with the Sultan and assist him in every possible Avay in organizing his forces to resist the invader. Brigadier-General Koehler, R.A., was placed at the head of this mission, and under him were three Engineers— Captains C. •Holloway and 11. Fletcher, and Lieutenant T. Lacy. They ai-rived a,t Constantinople (after having narrowly escaped Avith their lives from shipwreck at the mouth of the Elbe) on Marcli 28th, 1799. In the following Jime, Holloway was ordered to the Dardanelles with Major Hope, E.A., to devise means of defence for the Straits, the island of Tenedos, and the Gulf of Sinos. When this had been set in motion, the mission joined the Ottoman army, which, under the command of the Grand Vizier, had retired from Egypt to Jaffa. Here they arrived on July 2nd, 1800, and encamped with the army. They now devoted themselves to its reorganization and equipment, and in the necessary preparation for renewing the struggle against the conquerors of Egypt. On December 29th General Koehler died, and from that time Holloway was placed in control of the mission. The difficulties he encountered were very great. The Turkish troops were utterly demoralized by their easy defeat ; the plague was raging fiercely in their midst ; the officers were very untrustworthy, and the discipline of the men so loose, that it seemed almost impossible to make them fit once more to face the victorious troops of France. Meanwhile, other steps were being taken at home. Sir Ralph Abercrombie was named for the command of a force to prooo(^d froni the Mediterranean to Egypt. At tlie same time, a British contingent from India, under Sir David Baird, was to push through the Red Sea, cross the desert, and, on reaching the Nile, descend that river to Alexandria. The Turks were to march from Syria to join the other troops ; and witli this triple combination 'the French were to be driven out of the country. 1,. .-;■•' > ,' *• ■ ji '.' i t • ,,' i't 230 HISTORY OF THK CORPS [CH. X. The army under Abercrombie was about 17,000 strong. Major Mackerras was named the Commanding Engineer, and uiider him were Captain A. Bryce (who, after Mackerras was killed, became the Commanding Engineer), Captain W. H. Ford, Lieutenants J. Handfield, C. Hayes, C. Graham, C Kennett, Hon. R. L. Dundas, H. J. Brownrigg, J. F. Birch, J. R. Arnold, and J. Squire, Second Lieutenant Gr. Cardew. Second Lieutenant J . F. Burgoyne was originally told off for this force, but he was afterwards sent to aid in the blockade of Malta. Much delay arose before the start, it being considered advisable to allow some time for the reorganization of the Turks, a task in which HoUoway and his brother officers were busily engaged. At length, however, Abercrombie decided to make his attempt, whether with or without the assistance of the two columns under Baird and the Grand Vizier. He therefore sent Major Mackerras, his Commanding Engineer, in company with Captain Fletcher, to reconnoitre the coast and choose a suitable spot for the debarkation of the Hoops. "They had I)een sent in the Pmfhipe before the fleet sailed from- Marmoriee to reconnoitre the coast ; but when off Alexandria they got into the I'eturrl, and in Ii^r boat, in the night of February 27th, proceeded into Aboukir Bay, to discover the proper point of landing. In vain was Mackerras advised not to enter too much into the cul-de-mc of the bay. His sense of duty and enterprising spirit urged him to advance, and he even landed on tlie subsequent ground of debarkation. At dawn of day, as he was returning, a Frencli gunboat full of soldiers, the com- mander of which had been informed of their reconnoitring, and who had expressly sailed witli her out of Lake Maadie, where she had been stationeil, appeared to windward, and instantly liore down, commencing at the same time a fire from her carronade and small arms. A shot soon disabled the Knglisli boat from continuing under sail, and, a musket ball having killed ]\i[ackerras, tlie master of the boat, as the guidwat came alongside, surrendered her. Major Fletcher and the boat's crew Avere then all alloweil (piarter, and carried as priooners into Alexandria, and from thence to ( rcneral Monou at Cairo. The death of Mackerras was, as well as the severest private loss, a public misfortune ; his ability justly obtained tht,' greatest coniidence, and placed him in the high station he held in the army. His former services justified the hopes of his acquiring still greater character ; and while the man was mourned by his friends, the loss of the officer was universally deplored." — (Wilson's "Hist, of Brit. Kxp. to Egypt.") Meanwhile the expeditionary force hiid left Marniori(ie for Aboukir Bay on February 2''kd, and arrivil there on March 1st. On the following day Abercrombie suoeeeded in landing his wliole strength m the face of the enemy. Th^-; -.; lUiant operation was not completed without severe loss, five iiuudred men having been M [CH. X. )0 strong, ^ineer, and ikerras was \ H. Ford, mett, Hon. .mold, and Lieutenant but he was i advisable 1, a task in !:aged. At pt, whether ader Baird )kerras, his letcher, to [ebarkation sailed from* ia they got I, proceeded In vain was of the bay. lice, and he it dawn of s, the coni- u;, and who B had been loiiniieneing A. shot soon musket ball iiboat came crew Ave re mdria, and kerras was, jility justly station he pes of his rued by his —(Wilson's niorioe for klareh 1st. his wliole on was not ving been 1800-1809.] OF ROYAL ENGINKEHS. 231 killed and wounded ; but the moral effect of so dashing an affair was very great on both armies. A smart action took place at Mandora lower on March iJJth, wliich led to the retreat of the French on Alexanth-ia. On March 21st was fought the battle of Alexandria. The result of tlie victory was to drive the French back U) Damietta, and practically to seal the fate of the cam- paign. Unfortunately, this advantage was purchased at the cost of the life of the British commander. Sir Kalph Abercrombie having been killed early in the day.* The movements of the British force after the battle of Alex- andria were cm-iously slow. It was not till April 8tli that Eosetta was seized ; and on the 19th, Fort St. Julian was taken, after a siege of three days. Early in May a reinforcement of 3,000 men join-d the British army, and General Hutchinson, who had succeeded to the command, on the death of Abercrombie, now made arrangements to resume offensive operations. Meanwhile the Tui'ks, accompanied by Holloway and Lacy, were pushing their way forward to carry out their share in the war. They had started from Gaza on February 25th, and made very slow progress, owing to the dilatory character of the Grand Vizier. Had it not been for Holloway's incessant exertions and strenuous remonstrances, it is doubtful whether the force would liave reached the scene of action before all was over. As it Avas, the end^of March Avas upon them before the desert Avas reached. In AVithman's '* Travels in Tui'key " Ave find constant allusions to the Avork performed at this time by the energetic Major of Engineers in command of tlie mission. At page 268 he records that the disposition and order of march were due to Colonel IIoUoAvay (he had the local rank of Colonel). On April 2nd, that he delivered, in the name of the Vizier, summonses to the gan-isons His hddy was pieserved in spirit and taken to Malta for burial. It Avas there laid in a vault at the salient of a bastion near Fort St. Elmo, which has sinee always borne the name of Abercrombie's Itastion. It fell to the lot of the writer to be called on to open this vault and remove the remains in the year 1H72, the spot where it had been constructed being required for the emplace- ment of a gun on a lower level. It was transferred to another vault iu the same bastion. During the seventy years that had elap.sed, the leaden coffin had burst, and the remains were distinctly visible. They were those of a man under the usual height. 'I'he hair, which still adhered to the skull, was of a reddish colour. The wooden coffin was decayed, but iu paits still clearly traceable. The brass plates which had been on it Avere transferred to the new oak coiKn made to receive the leaden shell. The curious point in this atfair was that the whole coffin had evidentlv been replaced in the leaguer or large cask in which the body had been brought from Alexandria ; the hoops were still /« «^;/, and the h«^•ld intact. The -taves, although thcv had given Avay, lay in all directions around the coffin. This leaguer had been covered with crimson velvet, and was adorned with gilt-headed nails. I- M ■V ; Hf! 4'' u ■; <'. '. J 232 HISTORY OF THK COKl'S [cH. X. of Tineh and Salaliieh, both of wliieh places yielded (p. 270) ; and again, on April 2;ird, a summons to the fort of Ijesbie, at Damietta. On April 27th the march across the desert, a distance of 150 miles, was completed. Still pushing forward, a battle was fought on May 16th, a few miles from El Ilanka, which terminated in the retreat of the French towards Cairo. As regards this battle, it is recorded in Wilson's " Egypt " — '• Colonel Ilolloway, and tlie otKcors with him, did all they could to encourage the Turks, but could not effect all they wished. Colonel Ilolloway and ail the British oflicera present distinguisiied themselves by their exertions, and the Vizier was sensible of their merit." In this action Captain Lacy was attached to the division of Mahomed l*asha, and guided the movements of that force. The result of the battle was to throw the French back on all sides to Cairo, and Greneral Hutchinson pressed forward to besiege them in their intrenchments. These had been made very strong, but were so extensive that the reduced number now at the disposal of the French commander were not capable of properly holding them. On May 21st, the day after the investment. General Belliard capitulated. General Baird's Indian force, with Avhich was Captain Howard Elphinstone as Commanding Engineer, did not arrive till August lOth. Although < 'airo was now in the possession of the British, and the French army of 14,000 men had surrendered. General Menou determined to hold Alexandria, in ho])es that a reinforce- ment, which Admiral Gantheaume was expected to bring, might enable him still to retain his hold on the country. I'reparations were therefore made for a siege of the place The capture of Fori Marabout Avas a necessary preliminary to completing the investment of Alexandria. This fort was situated on a tongue of land which imites the town to the opposite side of the lake, and was the road whereby the garrison of Alexandria drew in their supplies. We read that, on August iJith, Colonel Anstruther and Captain Brvce, C.E.E., reconnoitred the fort and islet from a boat, and landed under the adjacent heights (Wilson). Major-General Cooto was api)()inted to carry out the siege operations against Marabout, with Captain Ford as his Commanding Engineer, under whom were Lieutenants Graham and Kennett. Coote and his force landed from Tiake Mareotis on the 17th, and established himself in a position to begin siege operations. Batteries were thrown up and armed. These brought so heavy a fire to bear on the fort that it was soon reduced to a heap of ruins, and the garrison surrendered on the 21st. In his despatch. General Coole spoke with praise of the prompt arrangements of Captain Ford, I i 1 [CH. X. 275) ; and Ijesbie, at a diHtance battle was ika, which W"- ey could to J. Colonel themselves erit." livision of oe. 3ack on all to besiege 3iy strong, he disposal \y holding ;, General .'ith Avhich jineer, did ritish, and , Greneral reinforce- ing, might eparations 'aptiire of leting the tongue of lake, and w in their "uther and im a boat, )r-General 18 against Engineer, Coote and istablished Bries were ;o bear on , and the eral Coote ain Ford, I i 1800-1809.] OK UOYAI, KXGINKKR8. 233 the Commanding Engineer. General Ilntchinson meanwhile was making his plans to conduct the siege of Alexandria itself, in conjunction with (Jaj)tain Bryce. It was attacked on two fronts, the eastern and the western. Hutchinson himself commanded on the eastern side, and Coote, after the fall of Marabout, took charge of the western attack. On the night of the 17th the first parallel was opened against the eastern front, at a distance of 1,200 yards from the place; it extended for about 150 yards, and was flanked by enclosed redoubts. Batteries were then thrown up and armed. Meanwhile, Coote, after demolishing Fort Marabout, i)ushed forward on the west, and was also constructing batteries ou that side, having in his advance had an encounter Avith a French post which was endeavom-ing to retreat into the town, but which he intercepted. On the 2Gth the batteries opened fire generally. Those on the eastern side consisted of ten 24-pounders, six 12-pounder8, and two howitzers. Th(>y were principally directed against the right of the French position, but more particularly against a small redoubt which covered the bridge and the right bat- tery of the intrenched line. At the same time the Turk.'sh giui- boats took the defenders in flank. The French fire was soon silenced, and Captain Bryce about midday made a bold attempt to ascertain the state of affairs. He discovered that the guns wei'O withdrawn, and thereupon the batteries ceased fire. Tlie garrison now sent out a flag of truce. A three days' armistice was granted, which was afterwards extended; and on September 2nd a capitula- tion was signed, and the last body of French troops evacuated Egypt. General Hutchinson spoke tluis of Bryce — "Brig.-Genl. Lawsou, R.A., and Capt. Bryce, the Chief Engineer, have both great merit in tlieir different departments. The local situation of Kgypt presents obstacles of a most serious kind to military operations on an extended scale. The skill and perseverance of these two oliicers have overcome difficulties which at first appeared insurmountable." Bryce received a Majority for his services in the campaign. Colonel Holloway was knighted by the King for his able conduct of the military mission, and he as well as Captain Tiacy received gold meilals from the Sultan for the battle of El Hanka. The former also received five pelisses of honour, and the latter one, at different periods during the campaign. On September 18th, Major Fletcher arrived at Cairo from Alexandria, where he had been detained as prisoner of war since his capture in Aboukir Bay. One ciu-ious incident remains to be noticed in connection with the Engineers in this campaign, which is thus recorded in the " Gentleman's Magazine " of 1803 :— , i f ■ ; *l i ' ••* I,-. * 234 HISTORY OK THK (OKI'S [('II. \. "It a])i)L'aiM hy the inscription pillar commonly called Pompey's, thnt, ilii.s j»illai, contrary to all former opinions, was ero'ted in honour of 1 tiocltiti in liy tin," tln-n prefect of E},'ypt, Fur this discovery ilie IcirnM-l are indebted to Lieut. ! >uudas of the Royal Engineers, and Lieut. Desade of the (i»ueen's German Re>,'iment, aid-des- camp {■'ic) to Lord Cavan, who accomplished it with much perseverance and difficulty. The letters were so much defaced by time that it was only during the hours when the suu cast a shiidow from them that any observation could be made. In sonu! parts a few characters are totally incapable of being traced. Tlitsu characters have been filled up by Mr. Hayter " Captain Squire, K.E., and Captain L(.'ake preseiit tli^ obliterations for S({uire's and Leake's inscription. There is some discrepaiu^y between the two readings, principally in the letters as su])plied by Dr. llaine compared with those of Mr. Ilayter, and a lengthy discussion arose in the " Grentleman's Magazine " in conse(iuence. The main facts, however, were undisi)utiMl. It was proved that the pillar had been erected by Pontius, Prefect of Egypt, in honour of Diocletian Augustus. Sir Eobert Wilson thus describes the incident : — "It (the inscription) has, however, at length Ijeen traced, and this pillar will hereafter be recognized as a monument of IJritish industry and talent. Franco sent her sarau" to procure the lionour of these discoveries, which might interest mankind by promoting science and establishing historical data, but their efibrt to mark the period wluui this sujierb column was erected, or to whose fame it was consecrated, proved altogether fruitless. They (!ven pronounced the decipluM'ing impossible. But their veto against further enterprise did not daunt the en(iuiring genius of two Ikitish olii(;ers. Captain I )unilas, of the Uoyal Engineers, and Lieutenant I )esade, of the (^)ueeii's (ierman Kegiment, determined on the attempt. For one hour only in each day, whilst the sun cast a shade on the inscription, could they at all discern the characters, but, after a labour of three weeks, success crowned their perseverance and they traced the inscription excepting 17 letters " It may here be mentioni 1 that in the year LS07 a fresh expedi- tion was sent into Egypt. Jiy tJiis time the Sultan had developed strong French proclivities, and was in warm alliance witli Xjqjolcon. After a futile effort to coerce the Turks by sending a fleet to Constantinople, it was determin d to make an attempt upon Egypt. It was hoped that by once more occupying that country it might be rendered safe from Erench incursion, the (jrovernment knowing well that N.ip(!]<'on still had designs in tliat 'lirection. A force of o,000 men under Major-General Eraser was em- ^^1. [en. \, 1800- 1809.] OF ROYAL KNOINEKRS. 235 inonly called i, was erc'tcd )t. Fur this )f tlio Rt)yal ineiit, aid (les- pcrscvoranco I' that it was hem that any ars are totally ed up by Mr. (I a nieinoir ued to have obliterations diserepaiK^y su])i)lied hy cl a lengthy 3onseqiienoe. proved that )t, in honour ;ed, and this tish industry lour of those sci(4ice and jMiriod when i consecratcil, deciphering not daunt the of the Kiiyal m Regiment, vhilst the sun lie characters, perseverance resh expedi- -d developed :liXii[)()h'on. f a tieet to ipnuEuypt. try it might )iit knowing er was em- barked at Messina, the Engineers being— Captain V. M. Thackeray, Commanding Engineer, Second Captains J. F. iJurgoyne and W. Nicholas, Eieutenants (I. ( '. Ilf)ste and E. Parker, the latter of whom joined for the purpose from Malta. The results were most unsatisfactory, and the Engineers had little or no opportunity for distinction. The advanced portion of the force reached Aboukir on March loth, and lauded on the following day. Nicholas writes thus on the subject:— "We landed on March 16th. In the night of the 18th stormed the enemy's outworks and intrendimonts, and drove tliem within their walls. They capitulated on the 21st, and we entered on the 22nd. . . . The first seven days 1 never pulled off my clothes or changed my linen, and lived on tlie soldier's ration."— (" Royal Mil. Chron.," v. 255.) Nicholas went with the force under Major-Greneral "VVauchope for the attack on Rosetta. It was promptly assaulted, but not taken, General Wauchope being killed. Another force of greater strength was then sent to renew the attempt. It was not Nicholas'* turn to accompany this party, but he specially applied to be sent, on the ground of knowing the place, and so was permitted to go. "We ai rived agiun before Rosetta, but a difl'erent system of attack was to be adhered te. We were to destroy the town with shot and shell. AVc made battericss innumerable ; but the difficulty of bringing shot and shells from Alexandria prcivented our keeping up so hot a fire as wc could wish. ^Ve continued in this position before the town from ISIarch 22nd to April 21st, tlie Turks making sorties and annoying us Avith shot and shell dai.y during the whole tune."—{I/,i>L, p. 257.) The siege was then abandoned, and the force withdrawn to Alexandria. Meanwhile a large detachment which had been sent forward to El Hammed on false information was cut off by the Turks. Eraser now found himself wholl isolated in Alexandra, without any prospect of success in the 1 1 other prosecution of the campaign; he therefore opened a parley with the Turks, and offered to evacuate the country provided the prisoners that had been taken were re^ )red. This was agreed to, and on April '2-ki\ the troops embarked and returned to Sicily. This force was a portion of that which had been sent by England to join a similar body of liussians in a combined expediHon t > the kmgdom of Naples in the winter of l,s0o-6, and which had In led m its primary objects in consequence of the withdrawal of the Russian contingent. Tliis abandonment of the undertaking by Russia had arisen from the panic created by the result of the battle of Austorlitz. The 13ritis]i being now without an ally, thought themselves no longer able to maintain the defence of the ((. , I ii .' • 236 HISTORY OK THK COUPS L«u. kingdom, and withdrew to Sicily, leaving the Neapolitnn army to withstand the invasion of the French nnaidrd. The residt, so far as that [»art of the kingtloin was concerned, could not 1)0 for a moment doubtful. The Neapolitan army, consisting of raw levies, was comphitt^y routtxl at ( 'ampo Tenese, and, in eoiisecpionce, the whole er)untry, with the single exceptiim of the fortress of Gaeta, fell into the liands of the invaders. No attempt was made to save any of the forts or arsenals. These, with all their stores, equipments, and ertillery, were sun'cndered without fiu'ther struggle, and were occupied hy the Fr«>ne]i. Of all these losses, the most fatal was that (jaused hy the surrender, without a blow, of the castles of Sctylla and Ueggio, the jtossession of which gave to the enemy the full command oi the Straits of Messina. The ease with which they had been enabled to seize the wliole military strength of the kingdom rendered the Fi'ench com- manders somewhat foolhardy. At that time England had not shown the metal of which her armies were com})osed. The great victories of the Periinsidar War were still in the womb of futurity, and although it was known that a force of 7,()()() Biitish was assembled under Sir John Stuart in and around Messina, it was not thought that they would be sufficiently daring to strike ii blow at the vastly superior forces with which Cidabria was over- run. In this, however, they were mistaken. Sir John Stuart, observing tliat the hostile army wiis nuu'h scattered, conceived the plan of landing on the coast with the greater part of his troops, and, by penetrating between the divided portions of the enemy, endeavour to beat them in detail. Tliis \u) was the more encou- raged to do, as the garrison of (xaeta, under the I'riuce of Hesse, was making a most gallant defence, and he h()])ed by his advance to create a diversion in their favoiir. With this view he quietly embarked a body of o,()()0 men on board the transports then lying in the Buy of Messina, and landed them in the Bay of St. Eufemia in ('alabria, on July 1st, 1806. The Engineers accoiiipanying the force were; Captain (.-. Lei'ebuve, Commanding J^^ngineer, Second Ca])tains C. W. Pasley and J. T. Jones, Lieutenants G. Lewis, W. Nicholas, Gr. Macleod, and G. C. lloste. As soon as the artillery and stores were on shore, Stuart, although without any cavalry, advanced confi(L'ntly against what he hoped would ])rove a scattered and disorganized enemy. The French, however, had in some way received timely notice of his project, and when, on the 4th, the tw(» armies came in contact, Stuart found that the force in his front was fidly S,()0() strong. Undaunted by this change, he pushed boldly forward to the [<'U. X. itnn army to 8 concoruod, )litaii imny, iiipo TenoHo, It' cxi'cptiou vadors. No lals. Tlifso, surrcudi'ivd Fivneh. Of le stivrender, lie ]»<)S.si>ssinu he (Straits of zo tlio wliole 'reiu'li oom- Liid liad not The f^ivat 5 of futurity, British was issiua, it was to strike a ia was over- lolin Stuart, •onc'cived the f his troops, tlio enemy, more eueou- lee of Hesse, r his advance ()()() men on L, and hiu(h'd ly 1st, 180(i. C. Lefebure, PasUy and Q-. Maelef)d, liore, Stuart, against what 3nemy. The notice of liis e in contact, <,()0() strong, ward to the 18U0-1809.J OF ROYAL ENOINKKRS. 237 attack, and the battle of Mai(Ui was the result. The French were utterly routed, and driven from the fiohl in the wildest disorder. The whole of the Engineers were present at the battle. On this subject Lieutenant Nicholas wrote — " Ciiittiiin Lcfoburo Imd liis liorsc shot uudor liim I never was HO fiitlKUod as when I got on my horao to mount to tlio field. I had been on liorsoluick the whole day before, returning only at 7 o'clock on the evening of th(^ 3r(l, when I got some bread and clieeao and wine, anil at \ past 8 was ordered to post a regiment in a wood in the dark, from which I did not return till eleven. I tben laid down for an hour under a tree by my liorsoa, and was waked at 12 by tlie General's servant to mount, as the army was to movti in half an liour. I was seven days without taking oil' my clothes, sleeping witli a blanket ami cloak under the bushes A cannon ball carried away a boat cloak and pad wliicb was strapped on behind my saddle, which by the shock was thrown on one side, and my lunse rearing and plunging threw me on the ground. A few inches more must have carried away the whole of my hind (juarters ; but the shot, of small caliln-e, passing through the cloak, which was very large, and lined with green baize, lost its ebict in going l)y mo" [Nicholas was acting at the time as galloper for the General]. —(Lieut. Nicholas, R.E., in "K. M. Chronicle," v. 253-254.) After pursuing the flying enemy for two days, Stuart returned to Monteleone, and took measures for the recovery of the fortified posts round the extremity of the peninsula, chief of which was the Castle of Scylla. For this purpose he despatched a brigade under tJolonel Oswald, witli some light artillery and two Engineer officers (Captain J. T. Jones and Lieutenant I^ewis), to conmience operations against that post. They arrived before tlie fort in the night of July 11th, and on the following morning made a close reconnaissance of the place. The Castle of Scylla was perched on the sunmiit of a rock, about loO feet in Insight, which jutted out into the sea, and was connected with the land by a comparatively narrow isthmus. Behind this the grouiul rose to a height t (early equal to that of the rock on which the fort stood. On the land side, which pre- sented the only possible point of attack, the defences consisted of a bastioned front of unusually lofty profile, which completely defiladed the interioi- of the work. In this front were spacious and airy casemates, Avith embrasures looking out on the ground before it. The town of Scylla stood partly on the high land in rear, and partly on the neck connecting the fort with the mainland. The whole of the sappers and miners of the French Calabrian army, as well as its reserve artillery, in all about four hundred men, constituted the garrison under the command of Colonel Michel, a French Enghieer of some distinction. ,■■ i i ' . f ^!' '< t ': IV ..; H Barf«B|fwriliMW ■ 238 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [(JH. X. 4 a.et.tc.ct. tc BTiti,shBatt&rus> vUl ATTACK OX CA^iTLK 01' SCYLI.A. It was deeidetl that guns sliould be sent for from Messina for the purpose of broaching the land front, there being at the time nothing heavier tlian twelve-pounder field guns with the force. Meanwhile a battery was to be thrown up for such guns and howitzers as were on the spot ; these were to bring fire to bear on the embrasures of the casemates, and to enfilade the terrepleines of the front about to be attacked. The battery was begun on the night of the 12th ; but when completed and armed it was found to be too distant for the work it was intended to perform. A new battery Avas tlierefore thrown up about 120 yards nearer, and the guns moved into it. On the 15th Captain Lefobure arrived, accompanied by three other Engineer officers. There were now present at the attack Captains Lefebure and J. T. Joiies, Lieutenants Maclcod, lioste, Lewis, and Boothby. The Connnanding l^]j.gineer approved of the plansof Captain Jones, but added a third battery for the field howitzers still fiu'tlier in advance of the existing works. From these a heavy fire was kept up with little intermission imtil the lOth, when the breaching guns arrived from Messina. Two new batteries were thrown up for their recepticm, to the left of those already in play. Tliese works were begun at nightfall on the l!Hh, and were carried on so briskly and energetically that by 11 a.m. on tlie following day they Avere ready for their guns, although the para[)ets had been made twenty feet thick. Tliis rapidity of construction was due to tlie fact that whilst the force [(JH. X. -S' V^^ Messina for ^ at the time h the force. 1 gixns and e to bear on terrepleines legun on the it was found perform. A ) nearer, and led by three t tlie attack ik^od, lioste, ajiproved of for the field )rks. From on imtil the ,. Two new eft of those it fa 11 on the illj that by their guns, hick. Tliis list the force 1800-1809.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 239 was waiting for the guns a quantity of materials had been accu- mulated on the spot to form the mass of the parapets. On the morning of the 21st fire was opened, and by the afternoon of the 2-2nd much injury had been done to the escarps, and it was evident that before long a practicable breach would bo established. Colonel Oswald, anxious to spare his men the hazard of an assault, now summoned the garrison, offering them the right to return to France if they would evacuate the place. This offer was accepted, and a capitulation agreed to. On the 2;3rd the garrison handed over the fort to the British, and embarked for France. Durino- the few days they were under fire they had lost three officers and thirty-five men. These casualties were entirely due to the fire which had been directed against the embrasures of the case- mates. Captain Jones, who saw their condition before any steps had been taken to cleanse them, reported that from the indenta- tions on the walls, and the marks of slaughter and destruction visible on all sides, the effects of the fire must have been most disastrous to the defenders. Lieutenant Boothby, one of the officers who arrived at the siege on the loth, with Captain Lefebm-e, only remained before the place for three days. On the 19th he wrote a letter to Captain Jiurgoyne, li.E., dated from Messina, of which the following is an extract : — " Our artillery is all obliged to be dragged up a steep precipice, whicli of course tlirows upon the reduction of the place considerable ditticulty. The coluiun of infantry was accompanied only by two four-pounders, whicli, after a few shots, they found to be perfectly useless. >Sir Sidney Smith dragged two twelves and a mortar up to a' point at 700 yards distance, which was too far to be of great service ; the gunboats also were of little or no use, tending, Ijy the wildne.ss of their fire, to encourage rather than dismay. Two six-pounders were next got up, but were too light for the service ; next, two howitzers and two twelve-pounders Imng ready, we ran up a breastwork in the night, within 250 yards of the'^ca.stle.' It fell to my lot to have this job, which was rather nervous, as, had we not by the strictest sileiK'c kept undiscovered, we must have lost lialf the party. What favoured us also was, that they were at work in tlic castle, every move of which we distinctly heard. At daylight, however, I had the satisfaction to find myself well covered from musketry, of which they began from the castle a very j)lentiful play, whicli continued for about an liour and a half, unt.i at last they were completely silenced by Dyneley with the howitzers, who threw almost every shell exactly over the spot. We had only one man wounded. All yesterday the twelve- pounders played, and knocked away a gallery which had always been lull of musketry, t(. our great annoyance. The next step that will ho taken is four twenty-four pounders witliin 100 yards of the < astle, which certainly must bring it down. Tlie man ii extremely active and clever ■ 't r . ft ■*■ I-.' ;'5.;: I 240 HISTORY OF THE CORP.S [CH. X. in his defence, and gives every i)roof that he is determined not to surrender until breached."* On July 27th Sir John Stuart arrived to decide on the fate of the castle. At this time it was the almost universal opinion that it should he destroyed, on the assumption that any garrison lodged therein must inevitably he made prisoners whenever attacked in strength. Captain Jones, however, was strongly opposed to this step, and urged the retention of the fort as an advanced post to the army in Sicily. He had observed that the rock at the back of the castle on the sea side could not be seen from any of the adjacent ground, and that boats from Messina would be covered fi'om fire when they had arrived within from 600 to 700 yards of the fort. He therefore proposed to cut steps in the rock, by means of which the garrison could i-eaoh the water's edge and be taken off at any time sliould the fort be considered no longer tenable. Sir John Stuart, after a careful personal inspection, concurred in the wisdom of this advice, and decided to maintain the castle. Lieutenant Macleod was entrusted with the superin- tendence of the necessary work, which was successfully carried out. At the same time the land front was restored and strengthened. A Britisli garrison was placed in the fort, and held it until the month of January, 1808. They were then attacked by a powerful French force. The defence was maintained until the land front was a heap of ruins. The climax may be described iu the words of General Sherbrooke in his despatch of February 2;jrd, 1808 : — "On the morning of the 15th inst., Lieutenant-Colonel Kobertson having informed me by telegraph that the jiarapet of the work was destrnyed, and that all his guns were dismantled or disabled, I felt very anxious indeed to withdraw the troops, but a continuance of the gale rendered this impracticable iintil the 17th, when, during a temporary lull (every necessary arrangement having previously been made), the trans- port boats, protected by the men-of-war's launches, ran over from the Faros and succectled in bringing away the whole of the garrison, who efl'ected their retreat by the sea staircase to the boats, when they were exposed to a most galling lire of grape and musketry from the enemy till such time as they could pull out of the reach of it.f I am happy to add that the loss of the troops in this exposed situation was only four killed and live wounded, and that of the seamen one killed and ten wounded." As a matter of fact, the French were scrambling in at tlie breaches at the very moment that the garrison were retreating by the steps. In the autumn of 1805, a force of nearly 7,000 men had been Wrottesley's " Lite and Correspondence of Sir John IJur^'oyne." This was after they had passed the 700 yards of dehladed water. [CH. X. jrmined not to on the fate of I opinion that arrison lodged 3r attacked in ^posed to this 'anced pobt to at the hack of II any of tlie lid be covered 700 yards of the rock, by er's edge and ered no longer lal inspection, d to maintain 1 the superin- ly carried out. strengthened, d it until the by a powerful the land front d ill the words I'kd, 1808 :— [onel Kobertson the work was bled, I felt very nee of the gale 1 temporary lull ade), the tran.s- over from the garrison, who when they were rom tlie enemy I am happy to n wa.s only four killed and ten ling in at the ) retreating by men had been lU'K'oyne. ' led water. 1800-1809.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 241 sent under Sir David Baird to effect the capture of the Cape of G-ood Hope fi-oni the Dutch, it being feared that otherwise that important statioii on the road to India Avould fall into the pos- session of Prance. With these troops, Second Captain J. C. Smyth was Commanding Engineer, and with him were Second Captain Cx. Kenrett and Lieutenants E. Fanshawe, H. Smart, tmd H. Vavasoui. A portion of the force was landed at Saldanha Bay, and the remainder at Leopard's Bay, between January 4th and (itli, 1806. On the 8th Ijaird commenced Ji.is march on Cape Town, and after an entuunter with tlic Lutch, who were easily defeated, the place surrendered on the 10th, and was taken pos- session of by the British. Xo incident of interest occmxed in connection wdth the Engineers. It was from this force that an expedition was sent to South America under ^lajor-Greneral Beresford, ».o!isisting of 1,200 men. Captain Kennett Avas the Engineer selected to accompany liim. In a des])atch written by the Greneral, dated Fort of Buenos Ayres, July 2nd, 1800, he saj^s : — " I had sent Capt. Konnott of the Royal Engineers (not liking myself to leave the troops) in the N'arci><>^us, to make such reconnoitring of the enemy's places on the river as circumstance.s would admit, and to collect every possible information concerning them.'' The landing took place at Point de Quilme on June 25th, 3800, and on the next day au action was fought in front of the village of Eeduction, in which tJie British wore easily victorious. They then entered Buenos Ayres without fiu-ther obstacle. In the above cpioted despatch, General Beresford Avrote — "Captain Kennett, of the lioyal Engineers, Avas particularly serviceable by his intelligence and zeal." This success Avas ver}' sliort-lived The Spaniards soon reassembled in superior numbers, and com- menced a siege of the place. On August 12th Beresford left the (utadel, drcAV out his men into tlie great square of the city, and offered battle. This the Spaniards declined, preferring to harass their enemy by firing on them from the houses. Xothing, there- fore, Avas left to the little force but surrender, and t)u\v AA'ere made iirisoners of Avar. Just as hostilities Avere about to cease. Captain Kennett received a shot in tlie breast from a near AvindoAV, and fell i>s Avere led into the tOAvn. Here they found themselves surrounded and exposed to heavy musketry from the houses, Avhilst ditches had been cut across the streets, from behind Avhicli grape Avas poured on the attacking columns. The Avliole affair Avas grossly mismam ^'ed and a sad failure. At tlie end of the day, Whitelocke found himself Avitli only 2,o00 men, the remainder having all been ca^itured. Under tliese circumstaiu'es lie was forced t(; come to terms._ It Avas then settled tliat lie should evacuate the Plate, in consideration for Avhich all tlie ])risoners Avould be surrendered. The outcry in England Avas very great at this most unlooked- [CH. X. li you, it con- i will see my ort to embark, ppow, twenty cilled." "3sh expedi- •-fieneral Sir I Squire was Lieutenants liiver Plate lUte Video, a m admirable L6tli. and on re they were ai, but were ,nd batteries ontinued till en nearly all ) alternative letion of tlie the 3rd, and ,v determined JO more men 3t a junction appointed to ' 8,000 men. ?e the Engi- we had also ited by se; m ineer. It was ■^rial. Captain Squire was called uj-on to give e'.-idenee Kafore tlxis Court. It having come to the knowlerlge of the British Government that ouie of th<^ secret articles of the treaty between Napoleon and the Emperor oi liusiiia at Tilsit involved tl^e combination of all the fleets of the northern Powers againsi: England, it was deter- mmed to take the initiative, and seize the Danish fleet with or without the c-r,>nsent of that l^>wer. For thi* purpose an expedition was prepared with the utmost secrecy, v hich set sail froTii Yarmouth Eoads on July 27th, having on kiord 20,000 men under the command of Major-General Sir Arthur Wellesley. The Engineers consisted of Lieutenant-Colonel E. D'Arcy, Com- manding Engineer ; Captain li. Fletcher, J. F. Birch, and S. II. Chapman ; Second Captains C, \Y. Pasley, H. Goldfinch, and(;. S. Jihodes ; First Lieutenant G. Collyer. The armament arrived on August 3rJ at Elsinore, where it was joined by a detachment of British troops which had been for some weeks ir the island of Pugen, under Lord Cathcart, who now assumed the chief command. After a futile attempt to obtain possession of the fleet by negotiation, it Avas determined to use force, and the troops were landed on August iGth. Som. skirmishing' ensued, and the operation of throwing up bafterie.- was to a certain extent im- peded by the fire of the Danish gur/boata. Copenhage-i, although strongly defended on the sea sifle, was comparatively open by land, and the besiegers were able to cOiiiplete their batteries and commence a bombardment without the delay usually necessary in the attack on a fortified place. On September 2nd tlie fire commenced from twenty 24-pounder guns and forty-eight mortars and howitzers. Pockets were also used on this occasion f(/r the first time. For three days the fiery tempest raged, and an unceasing storm of missiles was poured upon the devoted city, which suffered dreadfully. No less than 1,800 houses were destroyed and 1,.jOO of the inhabitants killed. At the end of tliat time. General Peymann, who commanded the defence, hoisted a flag of truce. This led to a capituljition and the siirrende- of the fleet to the Britisli. The object of the expedition liaving been thus gained, tbe whole force was re-end)arked and set sail for l']iigland, carrying with theni t • ;itecn Danish men-of-w^xr, and naval stor^^s of all descriptions 1 . the amount of 20,000 tons. The next- point of interest in Avhieh Engineers took part was tho first J'eninsular campaign in 1S()S. Sir A. Wellesley was placed in commanL. of an army of !),000 men, which sailed from Cork on July 12t]i. Tlie l':.H,Hiieers were Captain It. Eli)liinstone, ^'ommandmg; Second Captain J'. i>atton. Lieutenants J. A. Williams, 1 f i t ! if 1 . . "» ■■■f' 1 1; 244 HISTORY OK THK COUrs [.H. R. Boteler, J. N. AVells, and T. English. They disembarked at Mondcgo Bay, midway between ( )i)orto and Lisbon, on Angnst 1st, and on the Jird Avere joined by the division nnder ^lajor- Gfeneral Spencer from Cadiz. The Engineers with this latter bodv were Captain (1. Tjandmann, Licntenants E. Mnh.-aster and C. Mercer. Captain Elphinstone, as the senior, took command of the wliole, hftving appointed Mnlcaster his adjutant. Elphinstone, Landmann, English, AVells, and i^Iulcaster were present at the battle of lioleia on Angnst ITtli. In this aifair Elphinstone was severely wounded, and I^andniann assumed the comniiintl. The latter,in his "llecollcctions," states Ihat Elphinstone was shot through the mouth, the ball carrying away three of his teeth anil the jiortion of the jaw which lield them together, lie was placed on board a transport for conveyance to England, and Avhilst on the voyage, being very seasick, he vomited tlie piece of jaw witli the tln"^ee teeth attached to it, Avhicli liad been driven dow);. his throat on receiving the wound. On August 21st was fought the Ijattle of Vimiera. Tlie same Engineers were present as at Koleia, exccjit Elphinstone (w^ounded), and' with tlic addition of Tieutenaut Wells, who liad been attiiched to Major-General Acland's brigade, and landed with them on August lOth. In Liindmaun's " ItecoUections " we have some interesting records of the Engineers on this day : — " At one period of the action, Sir Arthur was watching with particular attention and interest some movements of the enemy, and was at that moment on the brow of an elevated position. Duruig tliis time the enemy's voltigenrs were creeping up the hill amongst the bushes, and firing very deli^ierateiy at Sir Arthur and his stalT. ]\[ulcaster (Adjutant Royal Engineers), had with anxiety been watcliing these ritlemen, and fearing that unless tliey were quickly disturbed they would very soon succeed in hitting the Commander-in-Chief, he went up to Sir Arthur and in a most respectful manner pointed out ]:is dang^'r, but of which the only notice taken of his gnod intention was, ' Very well, Sir, I see them.' Sir Arthur, however, was too much otherwise engaged to remember ]N[alcaster's warning for a moment ; and the enemy, accpiiring boldness at the inditl'tirence. manifested towards them, continued to advance gradually, when, after several shots fired by these fellows, which had happily passed amongst the group without effect, Mulcaster repeated his commiuuca- tion, "which however, well inteiuled, ratlun- annoyed Sir Arthur ^ by disturbing him in his observation, upon which his flxcellency said, ' Very well, sir, go then with such of the dragoons as you can gather, and drive them back.' Tho' thore was no cavalry at hand but the small number of orderly dragoons of tlie 20th Regiment close in the rear, and belonging to the (leneral's staff, yet upon receiving the order lie called them up, and, drawing his sword, ordered them to follow him; when in a few minutes, having cliarged into them, he sabred some and put the I [("H. X. iibarked at on August lev Miijor- tliis latter l(;aster and Dmmauil of •aster were this aifair ssunied the 'jljildiistone lu'ce of Ins etlicr. lie igland, and he piece of )een driven Tlie same (wounded), en attached 1 thorn on have some til particular [ was at that lis time the hushes, and er (Adjutant I'itlenien, and Id very soon r Arthur and of whicli the I see them.' ;o renieniher g holdness at icc gradually, sppily passed coinumnica- Arthur hy y said, ' Very gather, and ut the small in the rear, the order he w him; when 3 and put the 1800-1809.] Ol' UOYAL ENGINEKKS. 245 remaind(!r to flight. On riding hack he reported to Sir Arthur that he had carried his conuuands into efl'ect, which called forth a distinct approbation from the Connnander-in-Chief." [I^andmann states that this was eomnuniicated to him hy Lieutenant-Colonel Torrens, the Military Secretary.] — (handmann, "Recollect.," ii. 2;}7-2.'?8. ) Lieutenant AVells was taken prisoner in tliis a?tion. He liimself narrated to Landmann how it occurred. During the battle, Major-deneral Aeland observing some forward movement made hy tlie l*ortuguese cavalry, wlucli ho considered wers pusliing too far in advance, directed Wells to order tliem 'm fall back. Upon this, "Wells, whose sight was not very good, incj^uired of the Gleneral in what direction he should find them, and was informed that they were just beyond some rising ground to which the (xeneral pointed. AVells started off on his pony, and, not i finding the cavalry where he expected, advanced over some more I ground of the same (tharacter, when at length he came upon a body of cavalry which he took for tlioso of AVJiom he was in search, liiding u]> to the officer in command, lie addressed him in French (as he could not speak Portuguese), and directed him to retire. His French was probably not very good, for the officer misunder- stood him, and replied, " Que ditos-vous, monsieur ? Le General demande si nous voulons nous rendre 'r* " Upon which, Wells rei)lied, " Le Grcneral vous ordonne de vous retirer, monsieur." " (iuel deneral?" " Le General Aeland, monsieur." "Mais a (|ui a-t-il donne cet ordre ':' " '• A la cavalerie Portugaise." " Ma foisi Voila qui est plaisant ! Allons done, /ousetes mon prisonnier." AVells was marched off to Junot, who desired that he should be taken to the rear, where he told him he would find plenty of his " camarades." Then Wells asked, as he had seen the first part of the battle, whether he might not be pi'esent till the end of it. Junot was anuised at the (pian'ln.ess of Ihe rerpiest, and consented to his remaining with the staff, on giving his parole not to attempt to escajie. He therefore witnessed the British victory, and then returned with -Tunnt to Lisbon. The French Cieneral tfjok much notice of AVeils, and invited him to his table. The young Engineer, with, it must be admitted, sonre want of tact, askecl liit! host why he liad attacked the British at Vimiera, upon which Junot good-humouredly replied, " C'est, mon cher, parceque j'aime mieux donner I'assaut (pie il'etre attaque." After the convention of (Jintra, AVells was released, and rejoined his corps at Ban xViitonio-de-Tojal (Ijandmann). Ca[)tain Ijandnuiun gives a full detail of his own experiences at A^imiera, of which the following may be taken as a specimen. lie had been attached to Fane's brigade, and during the pursuit at the end of the battle he saw a party of the enemy's artillery ii;;l^!; ) ' 246 IlIiSTOHY OK THE t'ORl'S [CH. X. witli a gun, in a ravine endeavouring to escape. He drew Fane's attention to it, and tliat officer accompanied by his staff, including Landmann, daslied at the Hying gun. Landmann cut down the rider of one of the wheel liorses, Fane shot one of the other horses, and so the gun Avas captured. Tlie General picked up from the ground a long green feather which ho saw lying there, and, hand- ing it to Landmann, said, " There, my boy, wear that feather; you have rendered yourself worthy of being a light infantry man." Whilst the convention of Cintra was being arranged, Sir John Moore arrived with an army of 11, 000 men, and, landing at Maceira, joined the British force. With him came the following Engineers — Captain J. Squire, Second Captain J. V. liurgoyne, Lieutenants C. Boothby, F. StauAvay, W. Forster, and W. 1). Smith. Later on, another corps landed at Corunna under Sir David Baird, with Avhich were Captain C. W. Pasley, Lieutenants F. A. Yorke and H. Davy. The senior Generals having been called to England to give evidence on the subject of the convention, which had caused much popular discontent, Sir John Moore was left in command of the army. It will not be necessary to trace the details of his ill- staiTed advance into Spain which now took place, followed as it Avas by the retreat to Corunna. All the above-named Engineers, with the exception of Stanway, Pattou, J. A. Williams, Landmann, and Mercer, accompanied the army. Major Fletcher being Conmiauding Engineer. In the retreat, on arrival at Astorga, Moore sent General CraAv- furd's brigade by one rond to Vigo for embarkation, Avhilst he himself AAdth the main jtoi-tion of the army retired on Corunna. Cap-tain Burgoyue and Lieutenant llutciiinson Avent Avith CraAV- furd ; Fletcher and the other Engineers accompanied Sir John Moore. The duties of the Engineers during this trying time Avere practi- cally tAvofold. Some Avere in advance of the retreating column, recon- noitring the roads, repairing bridges, and in other Avays supervising the safe })assage of the troo])s ; the others (and these had by far the most responsible and critical duty) Avere Avith the rearguard. Their occupation was princijjally confined to the destruction of the bridges that had been crossed, and in ]ireparing every ])ossible obstacle to impede the advance of the French. Burgoyne Avas acting in this capacity, and on one occasion had prepared the bridge over the Esla for demolition : — " As it Avas necessarv lo delay the destruction of the bridge to the last moment, iu order to permit the stragglers of tlie army to pass, the French cavalry readied the farther ei'd of it before IJurgoyue ex})lod(.'d tlu; charge, but as the other extremity Avas held by our rearguard, they were unable [CH. X. Bw Fane's including down the ler horses, i from the nd, hand- ither; you man." , Sir John t Maceira, Engineers ieutenants Later on, lird, with iTorko and d to give ised much nd of the of his ill- )wed as it Stanway, )anied the jral Craw- whilst he (,'orunna. ith Craw- Sir John ore praoti- tnn, reeon- iipervising lad by far rearguard, ruction of ■y ])ossible ^oyne was pared the to the last the French tlie charge, •ere unable J 1800-180!).] OF ROYAl, KXCilNEKR.S. 247 to pass it. Diiruig the night the French patrols came several times to their end of tlic bridge, to ascertain whether tlio Englisb still lield it ; but, on being cliallenged by our sentinels, retired. One French dragoon, more daring than the rest, advanced nearly up to the Knglisb guard, and a sentry of an Irish regiment, turning round to Captain Burgoyne, said to him, ' Will I shoot that fellow ? ' ' Certainly not,' was the answer. And the French dragoon, hearing th(! voices, retired. IJefore the bridge was blown up, a large body of French staff officers, with an escort of cavalry, were jdainly descried on the hill on the o[)posite bank of the Esla ; and Sir John lUirgoyne always considered that the Emperor ^'apoleon formed one of the group watching their proceedings on this occasion "♦ Sir John Moore had originally intended the whole army to retreat on Vigo, and Burgoyne was sent forward to report on the capabilities of that place for the embarkation of the troops. Lieu- tenant-Colonel Fletcher had been sent on a sim-'ar mission to Corunna, and he having reported very favourably of that port, Sir John Moore changed his line of retreat in order to adopt it. This alteration did not affect the Light Division, which, as said above, embarked at Vigo. Just prior to arrival at Corunna, Lieutenant Davy, 11. E., was killed whilst destroying a bridge at Betanzos. These clianges and casualties reduced the number of Engineers who were at the battle of C(u-unna to the following : — Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher, Com- manding Engineer; Captains J. C. Smyth, J. Squire, C. Lefebure, J. F. Birch, and C. W. Pasley ; Second Captains J. T. Jones and F. Fyers ; Lieutenants C. Boothby, W. For.ster, W. I ). Smith, 11. Boteler, J. N. Wells, F. English, E. Midcaster, F. A. Yorke, and A. Cheyne. On arrival at Corunna, which was on January 1 1th, 1809, the h]ngineers set to work to strengthen their position. It was not possible to effect much, the principal business being to destroy ii store of powder which had been land.^d for the use of the Spaniards. On January 16th the battle was fought, and at its close the British were left unmolested to embark on boai'd their transjiorts. Sir John Moore was killed in this action, and buried in the citadel of Corunna. Sir David liaird, his second in command, had his arm shattered by a grapeshot, so that the conduct of the forces fell upon Lleutenant-Creneral Hope, who atteiuled to the embarkation and return to England. This disastrous campaign led the Emperor Napoleon to conceive that he could, for a time at all events, neglect all extra ]u-ecautions to guard against incursions from the British troops. Hitherto he * Wrottesley's " Life and Correspondence of .Sir J. Burgoyne." i ■ .1 t- ;i I '"■ h ( I 248 HISTORY ()!• TIIK COIM'S [c.r. liad pvotectotl his naval I'ntabli.slmu'uts on Ilu> Sdioldl witli tlu> ulniost ciU'c, iiiiil with ti vt'i^ liirp' force. Tlicso liinl Ix'cii of llir grcattsst value to liiiii.aiid from tlicm he had already In niehed and titled out a powovful iloet, which was lyinj? imdor the gdus of the foi'ts conslructed to •^•uard the apiiroiiclies to the river. Now, however, he tliought that he might safely withdraw a large portioti of thetroojis stdtioiiediii the district, in order to swell the mimhers of tlie army with which he was ahout to invade Austria. He (h'cided to trust the protection of his llei't to its own crews, covered Ity the numerous forts mid liatterii's with which the many entrances to the river were stiuhlod, and sup- ])orted hy the l'ortress(>s of I'^hishing, Ih'rgen-op -Zoom, and Antwer]). Tlie British Government was not, however, so [)rostrat(! and ]iai'aly/e(l as lie imiigiiied. The estiihlishmeuts on the Scheldt had long been considered a stiUiding menace to Mngland, and, now that they wore denuded of so nuich of their strength, it was decided to strike a prompt and powerful blow, and, if possible, effect their utter destructi«)n, including the demolition of their ai'seuids. With tills view an army, uund)ering nearly 40,000 men, wns assembh'd, and placed under the command of tlu> I'^iu'l of Chathiim. The licet which took pnrt in the ex])edition consisted of thirty-live sail of the line with lifty-liv(> sniidler vessels, tlie whole under Itenr-Admirnl Sir Uichard (StracliMU. The army was originally divided into five dilferent corps, tlie hirgest and most importimt being that placed under the orders of Jjieuteuant-(ieueral >Sir Kyrc t.'oote, which was destined for the I'apture of the island of AVfilcheren, including the fortress of Flushing, situated at its I'xtreme southern ])oint, and covering tlu^ entrance to the AVestern Scheldt. The ( 'ommanding ijoyiil Engineer with this corps wi's Lieutenant-Colonel Iv. I )'Arcy. Another body of 7,000 men under Lieutenant-tieneval Sir .John Hope Avas to seize upon St>utli Hevcland, and capture all tlu' batteries which had been established on that ishmd for the purpose of sweeiiing the channel of the Western Scheldt. Tlie Commanding I'higineer with this force was Captnin Scjuire, Colonel Fyers holding ii simihir posi- tion over tlie entire army. The original ])rojeet contemplated a vigorous and simultaneous attack uiion the various ])oints covering the east and west entrances to the river, to be followed by the occupation of all the islands on the coast. The main object of the exi)edition was the capture of Antwer]i, but this miist necessarily be preceded by the reduction of Flushing, and the renu)val of all obstacles to the advance of the lleet. It Avas hoped that this would be effected before any reinforcements could bo thrown into the place. Such was the Ti .1- [cir. X. with the 'I'll of lilt' iiflii'd mid ins of tho ithdiiiw 11 ?v to swoU to invmU' cot ti» its I'ric's with and sup- oom, iuiil trat(! and le Sclu'ldt , and, now as decided "llVct their ids. men, was ("liatlunn. thiriy-iive iih> undev (tviginally iniiiortimt .'iieral >Sir i island of I'd at its e to the with this V of 7,000 cizo upon liad been le channel witli tliis liliir posi- udtanoous entrnnces islands on oa})turo of rodnction idvanco of efore any I was the 180(1- 180!).] OK ROYAL KNOI.NRFHS. 24f> sclionio of attmsk, and there is no doubt that, had it been inrrietl out with sufficient enoix 'nd pi'inptitudo, it would have proved ■oiiipletely successful, in ,-ite of all the tlifficulties with which it ,vas beset. The nmstcr mind which should have cr)iiti'olled the ojifriifion anil push< ward, overcoming nil obstacles, was not at the head of alVaiiv. Opportunities were losi, time was wnsteti, and the enoniy allowed to rally from their disorder and make ^very prepiuation for a determined resistance, so that an undertaking whicli beg; very i)r()Hperously fiKU'il in disastrous failure. So many difficulties and nii.slia]>s oeciu'red in the attempt to attack on various dill'ereut points at once, that tlie matter ended by th(" entire force being oiici'iitrated on f ji(> Kastern Scheldt, and ronlinin^ its efforts to the occupation of the islands of Walehcren and South JJeveland. Under these new arr ;4-ements. Sir Eyre (.'oote was to under- take the eai)tur(> of \Valelioren and the rediictif)n of th(> fortress of Flushing, whilst Sir John Hope Avas to s izf^ upon South J5(>vc- land. The op(>rations of the former began »n July ;jOtli, 1800, but, owing to bad weather, Sir John Hope could not disembark liis , the force landed in Walcheren had occupi(Ml the whole island except the fortress .f Flushing and Fort liamniekins. I'reparations were at once coiunienced for the investment and sieg(^ of th(> former, and for this jiuri)ose all the Engineer officers with the army were suni'noned thither. They were as nnib'r : — ('olonel Fyers, Commanding Royal FiUgineer; Ijieutenant- (V)lonels D'Arcy and Tilkington ; Captains lludyerd. Birch, Scpure, Pasley, Fanshaw, Maeleod, Boteler, and J. T. Jones, who acted as ]3rigadt> Major ; lieutenants Calder, Lascelles, ( 'ardew, Hutchinson, Itoss, Brown, Harry Jones, Rawlinson, Bonnycastle, Trench, Colby, Longley, Power, McDonald, I )iekenson, and AVells, with Meinecke of the King's (lerman Legion. ITnder them were Sub-Lieutenant liobinson, with 260 non-commissioned officers and men of th(> lioyal Military Artificers. The fortress of Flushing Avas enclosed by a line of nine bastions ; seven of these were unrevetted, being protected by a broad Avet ditch too deep to bo forded. The demi-bastions at "the extremities were on the sea dyke, and, having no ditches, their escarps were revetted. There were only two ravelins in the whole line, but the dyke bastions were covered by advanced fleches, closed at the gorge with heavy iron ehevaux-de-frise. The whole 1 \ 1 , ■' y '" I i ^> \n2 V%^. -^' ^-^^ ^^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I "^ at A Hi ^ ^ 1^ M M 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 « 6" ► Photographic Sciences Corporation ^'^ x\^^ % \ ^ '1!> ^ '^ » % V '% 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ) f/. ^ 250 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. X. J-.' IB f W£Sr SCHELDT. BOMBARDMENT OF FLUSHING. f •W of the ground outside the line, except certain detached points, was below the sea level at high water, and could be inundated by sluices constructed in the counterscarp. It was therefore impracticable to form the ordinary siege approaches or to attack en regie. The only points on which such approaches could be made were _ the narrow dykes on either side, from which access could be obtained to the demi-bastions at the extremities of the line. On the other hand, there were many reasons why it was probable that the place might be rendered untenable by a vigorous bombardment. The garrison was known to be composed of inferior troops, the inhabitants were disaffected to the Fi-ench Government, and there was an almost complete absence of bombproof cover. It was therefore decided to trust principally to the effect of artillery iire, at the same time thi-owing up the batteries and other works in such positions as would prove useful should it become necessary to form approaches along the dykes. In order to carry out even this limited plan it was necessary to procure certain stores, more especially tools, and, pending the receipt of these, an attack was made on Fort Eammekins, a work Avhich commanded the entrance to the Sloe passage, an arm of the river wliich runs into the sea after forming the eastern boundary of the island of Walcheren. Until the fort was captuvod no use could be made of this passage. Colonel Fyers was directed to undertake its reduction, an operation which he carried out with the utmost facility. Before he had even completed the battery I [CH. X. .ed points, was lated by sluices upracticable to en regie. The lade were the Id be obtained On the other that the place irdment. The ar troops, the ent, and there iover. It was !ct of artillery id other works come necessary as necessary to , pending the nekins, a work an ami of the stern boundary iptuiod no use -^as directed to irried out with ed the battery 1800-1809.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 251 by which he proposed to breach the escarp, the garrison, con- sisting of 127 men, surrendered. This having been accomplished it was decided to break ground against Flushing, althougli the stores which had been demanded for the siege had not yet arrived. Availing themselves of the small supply of tools which had been used for the reduction of Fort Rammekins, the besiegers on the night of August 3rd commenced their first battery, intended for the reception of six 10-inch mortars. The site selected was on the highest ground that could be found within reasonable distance of the place. It was nearly opposite the centre of the land front, at a distance of 1,400 yards. .Two days afterwards, the stores having meantime arrived, a second battery for ten 24-pounders was begun about 400 yards nearer to the place than the first. It Avas also thought advisable that batteries should be throAvn up on the dykes on either side of the town, from whence very advantageous enfilade fire could be brought to bear on many of the fronts. Whilst these were in progress the garrison made a powerful sortie. The island of Cadsand not having been occupied by the British, the French had been enabled to augment considerably the strength of the garrison of Flushing, by ferrying reinforcements across the Weilmge Channel. The Governor- General Monnet, finding himself now at the head of o,000 men, determined to assume the offensive, and on the afternoon of August 7th advanced tlirough Old Flushing, and attacked the besiegers on their right. His object in this was not very clear, as he made no attempt to injure their works, nor indeed were there any in progress at that point. Lieutenant- General Graham's division, which opposed him, succeeded in driving him back after a somewliat smart affair, in the course of which it lost about 150 men. Fresh })atteries Avere added almost daily, until by the time it was intended to open fire there were no less than nine in hand, of A\]iich eight were completed and armed. These had been con- nected by a parallel extending from the first battery round to the western dyke. The line of this parallel was very erratic, it being necessary to keep as far as possible to the higher level of ground irrespective of directions. Much anxiety was all this time felt at the progress of^ the inundation. A perceptible current was flowing in all tlie ditclies with which the country was intersected, showing that the besieged had opened their sluices, and were endeavouring to submerge the ground occupied by the British. Fortunately it had been discovered that Middlebm-gh, in the centre of the island, was tliree feet lower in level than Flushing. By keeping tlie sluices open at that point at low tide, it was teasible to draw oif a large (piantity of Avater tAvice daily, and , < !' J fc;*-'! ■ ! .' as received with extreme joy by the British forces in Spain, as may be seen by the follow- ing extract of a letter written by Captain Mulcaster to Captain Burgoyne, dated Badajoz, September 17th, 1809 :— ^ " My dear Burgoyne, ... A mail arrived some days ago from England, bringing papers and divers letters, but none for us. The batteries and Spanish troops of the line here quartered have scarcely finished their loud salvoes in honour of the surrender of Flushing to the British arms. I am sorry that this agreeable news must be clouded. ( )ur poor friend Pasley is badly wounded ; he is, however, doing well! He had a musket ball through his body, and a bayonet stab in the thigh! He was wounded leading the storming party which carried one of the advanced works under Colonel Pack. He stuck one Frenchman, dis- armed a second, stabhed a third, and was attacking a fourth when he fell. What a desperate dog ! Colonel Fyers is slightly wounded. Lord Chatham is very fair in his commendations of us, and loud in his praise of the sister corps." The remainder of the story of this ill-fated expedition is well known. The inexplicable delay in pushing forward on Antwerp imtil it was too late for success, and the ultimate concentration of the force upon the pestilential islands of Walcheren and South Beveland, Avhere they were soon prostrated with fever, are matters of history. Of the small body of Royal Military Artificers, no less than thirty-seven died ; almost all the remainder were attacked and had to be invalided home. Matters grew at length so bad, tliat in the month of November orders were received to destroy i\iQ docks and IK . [■1;. r ■ -^ u i] H'i fl '^'^'■' 1 ',' " \ ' ji 1 '~ »'■* 'I'* ' I::, r-i.iji:, '? . 254 HISTORY OF THE COUPS [CH. i t» 11-' ;' '4 ,!»*• 1' } ■ 1 '■ ; i : . ! , ; ' fl basins of Flushing, together with all the naval defences of the island, prior to its evacuation. The execution of this work was confided to Lieuten«mt-Colonel Pilkington. A party of 400 civilian artificers and miners was sent over from England to assist the Royal Military Artificers, as the latter had been reduced by deaths and invaliding to under eighty of all ranks. The demolition of the piers of the flood-gates was the most im- portant and critical part of the work. The difficulty of effecting this was much enhanced by the close proximity of a niimber of houses, the inhabitants of which were in a state of the most abject terror at the nature of the operations which were being carried on. In the event, when the mines were fired, the result was perfectlj- effectual, and yet not even a pane of glass was broken. The bottoms of the piers were blown out by a series of small charges, and the superincumbent mass merely subsided without any lateral disturbance. The whole series of demolitions was equally successful, and at its close the party was withdrawn to England. Second Corporal Thomas Stephens, of the Eoyal Military Artificers, the senior non-commissioned officer, was promoted Lance-Seigeant for his share in the work. It is not diflftcult to trace the causes of this disastrous outcome of an expedition prepared on so large a scale, and from which so much was expected. It was solely due to the incompetence of those who were placed at its head, and this is clearly shown in Sir John Jones's outspoken criticisms, as recorded in his " Memoirs :" "The nomination of Lord Chatham was forced on the Ministry by George III., who had promised his favourite the command of the army in Portugal, which kind intention had only been frustrated by the general feeling iu favour of Sir A. Wellesley ; and his Majesty now insisted on his being recompensed for the disappointment. Lord C. was a man so notoriously indolent as to have ac^ fed the soubri(iuet of the 'late' earl. The ai^pointment, however, was one he earnestly coveted. He was sadly embarrassed in his circumstances, and if he sliould not attain fame he was at all events certain to acquire the means of paying his debts. The second in conunand was a man of acknowledged gallantry-and of much experience, but sadly deficient in headpiece, if not actually labouring under the al)erration of intellect whicli shortly after- wards caused his ruin. Of the general officers, some were better known on the turf than in the field, and others more celebrated for their convivial than their military talents, and only one or two had any recent military experience. Furthermore, the honours and pensions bestowed on the captors of Copenhagen two years previously dre^v forth from their snug abodes many of the heads of tlie military departments under the expectation of obtaining similar recompenses. Thus a veteran who had held a snug and lucrative post at Woolwich for more than thirty years, L* k£Bb [CH. X. [lefences of the this work was party of 400 agland to assist sen reduced by as the most im- Ity of effecting )f a niimber of the most abject sing carried on. t was perfectlj- 1 broken. The small charges, lout any lateral cessful, and at econd Corporal ors, the senior igeant for his strous outcome from which so icompetence of 3arly shown in lis "Memoirs:" tlio Ministry by and of the army istrated by the is Majesty now iient. Lord C. he soubri(Hiet of irnestly coveted, f lie sliould not UKians of paying i acknowledged headpiece, if not di shortly after- sre better known jrated for their had any recent nsions bestowed forth from their meiits under the ,'eteran who had lian thirty years, ■.V . 1800-1809.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 255 and who had never served in the field except as a subaltern, now reappeared on the stage as Connnanding Officer of Artillery; and an equally old officer, precisely on an equality with the last described, with respect to experience and service, came forth from an office in London as Connnanding Engineer. The Horse Guards also sent forth one of its chiefs, aged and deprived of activity and energy by long official employ- ment, to perform the duties of Quartermaster-General. ' The Admiral in command of the fleet was also old, and far more distinguished for courage than talent, and for rough temper than consideration. .Such was the exi)erience and energy brought together to command a force destined to invade the French territory and contend with the most active and intelligent troops the world ever saw." This was the verdict pronounced on the leaders of the Walchcren expedition by a man who, from his position on the staff of the force and from his general experience, was well capable of forming a correct judgment, and who wrote these lines many years after- wards, when the keen sense of bitterness and disappointment at the ill-success of the attempt had had time to be softened. .i ■ * ,5' 6 . ,1' >■ ■ :' ♦ 1 ( J' i r v ..• 1 1^ 1 ■: if - 1 1' ■ ' '* '*'^ -";/ i * t i 1 t ■t ■' . i' f . ■ ! 1 ' 1 ■■■■■' ' • . , ' '', ' ' ■ t-^i' .-hli '..,.. 256 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. XI. ! I CHAPTER XI. The Peninsular War.— 1809-1812. Passage of the Douro— Battle of Talavera— The Lines of Torres Vedras— Retreat of the British Army— Advance of Massena— Battle of Busaco — The Lines occupied by Wclfington's Army— Jones's Reports— Burf,'oyne's Journal— Division of the Lines into Districts— Destruction of Fort Con- cepcion— Blockade of Cadiz — Death of Captain Lefebure — Battle of Barrossa— Pitts's Journal— Defence of Tarifa— Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo— Its Capture— Remarks on the Siege by Captain Burgoyne. AVhkn Sir John Moore marelied from Portugal into Spain with the main portion of the army that had been assembled at Lisbon, he left Lieutenant-General Craddook to hold that city Avith a small British garrison. Included in this force were the following Engineers :— Second Captain P. Patton, Lieutenants F. Stanway and J. A. Williams. The shattered army from Corunna and Vigo arrived in England in the middle of January, 1809, and steps were at once taken to complete and reorganize the regiments, Avith a view to their prompt return to Lisbon. This was soon done, and in the month of March they were despatched to their destination. The following Engineers sailed with them : — Lieutenant-Colonel R. Fletcher, Second Captain J. F. Bm-goyne, liieutenants G. Hamilton, C. Boothby, and E. Mulcaster. A fresh division was also sent under Major-(TeneralSherbrooke,with whom went Captains S. R. Chapman and H. Goldfinch, Lieutenant Rice Jones, and Second Lieutenants A. Emmett, A. Thomson, and E. Fyers. Lieutenants W. Forster and R. Z. Mudge also joined in Portugal about this time. Sir Ai'thur Wellesley was appointed to the supreme command of the army, which now numbered some 20,000 men. He arrived at Lisbon on April 22nd, and was named Marshal-General of the Portuguese troops, which had been placed under the immediate orders of General Beresford. From this point commenced that glorious series of campaigns which ended in the complete expulsion (jf the French fi'om the Peninsula. It is not intendec^ in the following chapters to give a connected sketch of the military operations of the war, Certain events dm-ing its course brought the Royal Engineers and their services f! tt- OH. XI. 1809-1812.] OF ROYAL KNOINEKRS. 267 Torres Vedras — ttle of Biisaco — )rts — Burf^oyne's ion of Fort Con- )ure — Battle of iudad llodrigo — to Spain with led at Lisbon, t city Avitli a the following s F. Stanway ?d in England once taken to ) their prompt the month of rhe following R. Fletcher, Hamilton, 0. Iso sent under 5. R. Chapman d Lieutenants ts ^y. Forster time. )me command . He arrived xeneral of the he immediate nmeneed that lete expulsion h e a connected ^ lertain events u their services into prominence ; these will naturally be dwelt upon. Beyond this, where accounts of other military operations have emanated from the pens of Engineers, they being oyo-witnesses of what they describe, it has been thought well to include such narratives. Ihus we have the following account of the passage of the Doiu-o given by Captain Burgoyne : — ' "May 10th, 1809. Tho army advance at 7 a.m., and near Villa Xova turn to the right and come by a road down to the Doiiro, wliere a fcnv l)oats come over to them and take over Lieutenant-(Jeneral Pag^t and three companies of tho Uuffs, who get up a high rock of two hundred or three hundred feet by a road, and occupy a larue unfinished house called Seminario do Bispo, just above tho road and out of the town without resistance ; hero they were attacked but maintained their post, and General Paget, while encouraging tliem to advance, was wounded in the arm, which was afterwards amputated. In the meantime, CJeneral Hills brigade were coming over, and the Frtaich were gradually forced back through fields with stone walls, and our people occupied more ground till after about two hours, just as General Stewart had got pail of his troops oyer, the French retired hastily by the road leading to Amarante. On the first alarm, the sentries on the quay where the floating bridge had stood, which they blew up during the last night, retired, and boats coming over the Guards began to ])ass in that part. General Murray went up the river to A Vintes and crossed it there with a squadron of dragoons, two guns, and one battalion, and coming across the road by which the F'r'ench retired, had some skirmishing with them ; the dragoons charged right into their infantry, took a great many prisoners, and lost between thirty and f.jrty out of eighty-five men. Hamilton " (R.E.) "had been sent to place some riflemen, and on his return met the dragoons cliarging down a lane ; finding, if he persevered, he must be run over, he thou'dit it better to turn round and charge with them, and got shot tlirough"both thighs. I had been sent to collect boats at A A^intes and Arnelas, which having done I was returning, when I beard the firing, and got ovi^r the water just after (General Hill's brigade had landed. Three guns were taken in retiring, most of the horses being wounded. The French lost a great many men yesterday and to-day, and a great number of prisoners were made ; all their sick. Sic, left behind." Captain Bm-goyne was not at the battle of Talavera, having been sent on a reconnoitring expedition, and only rejoiniup- four days after that event ; but in his journal he thus describes it":— "August 2nd, 1809." .... " Went on to Talavera de la Reina, a town on the lagus, over which is a bridge ; find poor Boothby (R.E.) had lost his ieg at the battle, but is in a fair way for recovery.* . . . The extent of the line taken up was about two miles ; the right was on Talavera, • Lieutenant Boothby, after recovery, retired from the (.'orns, and after- wards took Holy Orders. "A if. ' • Si , 'J 't ' 'I 1-1 ij. i » * ■>■ ! .:'i.i' f»i 258 HISTORY OF THK COIU'S [(;n. XI. 1 , r I whicli town is iiimifdiately on tlio Tiif,'UH, and tlif left on tlio .stoop lu!ij,'lit.s (if Miulellin ; boyond tlit'so liuightH is a valley of about half a milo wide, which separates thoni from a ridgo of rugged mountains which runs nearly parallel to the river Tagus. In front of the heights of MaS(|uire and Ilolloway, and Lieutenants ]Meineke,* Dickenson, Trench, Piper, Tapp, Keid, and Hulme, of the Engineers, arrived at Lisbon on the 28th ult. Lefebure, of the Engi- neers, with the rank of jMajor, and Bird, Nicholas, Wells, itc, are r^one to Cadiz." The Linp:s of Torres Vedras. The design and construction of these celebrated lines were so entirely the work of the Koyal Engineers, that it is proposed here to give a brief description of them. The original idea of creating a defensive position at this point was due to Lord Wellington himself. The results wliich sprang from the battle of Talavera had sho\vn him but too plainly that • King's Hanoverian Legion. [(;n. XI. . on the Htoop f about half a !('(! luouiitains of tlic hci^'hts V small stream and plain, but 11(1 the hoij,'htH ml about iiiid- )t was begun, t on the little ilavera and the itiroly open, as iwn up, but in and wood, not ,000 men were down on July etired quickly, J clone in fi't)ut ts to gain the iolutoly got on y ; they main- ng driven back 8 first attempts ined attacks in icd ; they then ine, which was in the morning lerche to their i5[)aniards were ling our right, had seventeen ) id Lieutenants Hulme, of the i, of the Engi- , itc., are gone lilies were so n'oposed here . at tliis point rt'liich sprang 3 plainly that ■J 1 ' i ' '# 1 t 1 1 sikxf ■ Ar mi 1 S/ftrc// or C/fOi/Ao occi/p/£d ay 7?tt Jeff era i L/ne of t/>« /fe/foi/^dj /s j/ferYf} •--*■••*> ^esvf} '•--«'••*> IHOD-lHl'i.] f)F UOVAI, KNfllNKKHR. 26!) r no confldouoo was to he plurcd in the SpiuuHli iirniy, mid that in his future npemtioiiH li,. would hiivo to tni»t uuliruly to his HleiKkn- JUiliHh ioicc and to his l^ortu^Muw) aUics. Matt.-rs, iii(h.(.d at that tune hxjked cxtrenioly critirah Th.- Fiviicli arnii..s w.-n' in such iuviH)nd.'ratiiijr stiviifrth, and the rosoumw availahlo to tmc'ountcr thorn so limited, that nothing heyond a strictly d(.f,>n. 81V0 pohoy Boenuid teasihhn A l-Vench advaiKH- on I'ortugal was iiimiinent ; to cover Lishon was thereforo the first consideration. Jk'yond this, there was the serious (H)ntingency to ]»(* faced, that it nnght hecome nec<'8sary to ahan(h)n entirely the defeni'c of rortugfd, and to enihark the nvniy. It was therefore ahsolutely imperative to take suoli measures as niiglit facilitate bc^tii oDera- tions. ^ To secure the latter object, which was the first to bo triken into account, a point for ena)arkation was sclofjted at the oxtroniity of the |.onin8ula, on which stands Fort St. Julian. Here there was a small l)ay not over convenient for the jjiirpose, and but pai-tiall protected from the liigh seas which prevail on that (;oast; it was however, covered by the guns of the fort, and the form of the peninsula rendered defensive works comparatively easy. The fort Itself reciuired little or no development, but a large enclosed work was thrown up on the high ground in its front capable of con- taimng a considerable garrison, to hold the position whilst the embarkation was proceeding. Should time permit (as it afterwards did), it was intended to enclose the entire peninsula with a line of mutually supporting redoubts. Having thus arranged for the security of his proposed point of embarkation, Lord WolHngton next turned his attention to the protection of Lisbon. Thut town was admirably situated for defence, and was so solidly constructed as to be almost incom- bustible; it was, therefore, considered that no strengthening works were necessary on the spot, and that it might be confided as it stood to the irregular efforts of its inhabitants, supported, as they would be, by a large force of the national militia. The energies of tlie liritish Engineers were, therefore, entirely devoted to the defence of the country in its front. A glance at the map will show that Lisbon is situated on the right bank of the river Tagus, at the eastern side of a large peninsula formed by that river and the sea, by the latter of which it IS boimded on the south and west. A line of defence on the north starting from the coast, crossing the peninsula, and termi- nating on the banks of the river at a point below which it was impossible to cross, would secure the whole of the enclosed ground until the line had been forced. Natiu-e had done much to lacihtate its construction. Two ranges of heights of considerable I; 3/f£TCf/ or C/fotyvn occl/p/£d ay ns i/Aff.f or |(.n, \! 7?feje,7erai o/?e of t^e ftet/ooifd:) ,s s/?etvr/ ! ;ii<' left on tiic ,-l, nute •■ sejiarates um'mi tunn u ridgf of v v^-i^ ^i'm\\■n\\■ '■'"■ • • {'uriUlcl t) tlu' river '''agus. [n IVy^r^if tho heii^in ^ully through which passes ia winter n. sjiial! strcM: lUins, and bt;.^j_! hJ iLiii*^ ki''^>"»<^ i ' ''i':}-^-rji^$P^f^5^-"' lO 'ft on till! i:-U'>. 'a/yr/r os /?ol % rcr/T/rss l^/TDB/fS 260 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. XI. ^IP \u command, and at many points extremely rugged, cross tlie peninsula from Torres Vedras and Ericeira, respectively, imiting in the vicinity of Alhandra. Only fom* roads traverse the peninsula on the Avest of the Tagus, all having Lisbon for their objective. Three of these cross the heights by passes, whilst the fourth runs near tlie river, but is under the command of the bluffs with which the ranges of hill terminate near Alhandra. It is also swept from the high ground farther back near Villa Longa. The defence of these roads Avas the main object. Some time previously (October, 1809), Lord Wellington, accom- panied by Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher, as his C.ll.E., had made a personal reconnaissance of the ground, and directed that the Engineers should examine and sketch carefully all the salient featm-es of the country, lie at the same time ordered work to be begun as soon as possible at Monte Grraca, Torres Vedras, and St. Julian. This was at once done, and on November 4th Captain AVilliams laid out the trace of several works at Monte Grraca, whilst four days later Captain Mulcaster broke ground at Torres Vedras. The redoubt at St. Julian had been begun on November 3rd, under the superintendence of Captain Wedekind, of the King's Hano- verian Legion, one of the Assistant Engineers. Captain Mulcaster, whilst engaged on this redoubt, Avrote the following characteristic letter to Captain Bm'goyne : — " Torres Vedras, January 2iul, 1810. I trust my dear Burgoyne, you will believe me sincere when I wish you many, many happy returns of this (I think) vile season. I have a note from (Joldiinch (R.E.). lie tells me that we are on the eve of a war with America. Vim ! ^^'hat you call 'properly in for it,' diving as hard as Ave can. Ministers, at all events, seem determined that the nation shall not jiine in inactivity." .... " My intrenchmcnts are getting on, but not so rapidly as I had hoped, for I have met Avitli a large proportion of rock and hard grave), and have a month's Avork in store to tinish completely and give myself a Aveek over. I Avisli you could see my intrenchmcnts. Unlucky dogs that ever have to attack them ! There are so many redoubts in store tliat I fear the army Avill retire upon us before Ave can advance to it. I, how- ever, sincerely hope that you will come in for all the good things going, only think occasionally of your less fortunate friends. Adieu." These Avorks Avere carried on all through the Avinter. Mean- while the ground had been carefully sketclied throughout the district, and a general sclieme of fortification prepared for the protection of the passes and other vulnerable points. Early in Februar}', 1810, it Avas found practicable to begin active opera- tions. Tlie defences of ^Mafra Avere placed under the supervision of C'iptaiu l^nsp,, A\'ho pouimenncd on Febvu.nry 17tli. Ericeira. mider Lieutenant R. Jones, Avas begun on the UJth. Montechique [CH. XI. cross the , uniting in 9 peninsula : objective, fourth runs with which swept from defence of ton, accora- , had made d that the the sahent ed work to 'edras, and tth Captain raca, whilst res Vedras. • 3rd, under ig's Hano- , Avrote tlie ^"•nc, 3'ou will turns of this ). He tells ^^'hat you at all events, had hoped, e), and have self a week y dogs thai store tliat I it. I, how- hirgs going, er. Mean- igliout the ed for the Early in tivo ojiera- supervision Ericeir.a. [ontechique 1809-1812.] OF HOYAl JINEERji. 261 was also started on the same day by Captain Mulcaster, who had by that time practically completed the defences of Torres Yedras ihe redoubts for the high ground before Via Longa were begun on 1 ebruary 24th, under Lieutenant Stanway, and those at Ponte de Kol under Lieutenan^; Thomson on March 26th. In the early summer, the line of advanced redoubts intended to cut off the peninsula of St. Julian, which has already been referred to as in contemplation, was also carried out under the superintendence c* Captain Squire. Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher was in supreme command, assisted by Captains Chapman and Goldfinch, until July 6th, when they all three, as well as Captain Squire, Avere recalled to the head- quarters of the army, and Captain John T. Jones took over charge ^Tr^i. ^^""^''^ !®** "^""'^^^ ^^^ command were Captains Holloway, Williams, and Dickenson, Lieutenants Stanway, Thomson, lorster. Trench, Piper, Tapp, Peid, and Hulme. It was intended that the lines should be traced in such a manner as not to impede the movements of the army which might be called on to assume the offensive at any moment and in any direction. For the same reason their defence was to be entrusted almost exclusively to the Portuguese militia, the British forces being massed at convenient points in rear. These con- siderations led to the adoption of a system of detached redoubts, leaving the intervening spaces more or less open. The security of closed work .n considerable heiglits gave great confidence to the raw levies posted within them, and had they been called on to make an active defence, there is no doubt that the wisdom of the general design would have become apparent. The only exception to this system was on the right of the line stretching from Alhandra to Aruda. Here the rugged character of the heights rendered it easy by a little scarping to adapt the ground to a natural continuous line. The redoubts at all other points were placed on the most commanding positions, and were traced so as to bring their artillery fire on the roads and other weak iilaees in their front, ihey trusted for tlioir own defence to the strength of tJieir profile, and to the musketry fire from their own parapets, as well as from those of the adjacent works. Where practicable and necessary obstacles, such as abattis, trous-de-loup, and inun- dations, were created to cover the front from any sudden attack, ihe i-edoubts were of every variety of trace, to suit the demands of eacli separate case, and numbered no less than a hundred and fifty, their capacity varying to contain garrisons of from 50 to 500 men, and from two to six guns each. Ail the roads and bye-paths leading through the defences Avere blocked, and made practically impassable, whilst the interior M -'.t, if, '}) ■*:,.:- 262 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. XI. communications in rear of the lines were developed to their fullest extent, and when feasible rendered available for all arms. About the end of August news reached Lisbon of the premature fall of Almeida, a post which it had been hoped would maintain a stubborn and lengthened resistance. The result of this calamity was the enforced retreat of the British amiy. The fears of the public authorities at this juncture prompted them to give every possible assistance to the Engineers in their effort to complete the works. Labourers were conscripted for a radius of fifty miles, and at one time upwards of 7,000 men were employed. Every nerve was strained to push forward the defences. " The young officers, now for the fust time placed in charge of extensive districts, exerted themselves with a zeal which knew no limits, and everywhere throughout the lines a spirit of honourable emulation proved highly advantageous to the progress of the work."* The results of Lord "Wellington's foresight, and of the skill of Fletcher, Jones, and their comrades, is well known and need be but briefly referred to here. Marshal Massena, firmly convinced that the retreat of the British indicated an early embarkation and the complete abandonment of the defence of Portugal, pushed forward Avith the utmost rapidity. lie had received no intimation of the obstacles so energetically created in his front. Sanguine therefore of success, and burning to drive the enemy in disorder to their ships, he hurried on by the single line of road leading from Viseu to Coimbra, traversing the heights of Busaco. Here Lord Wellington gave him his first cheek. Calling in the divisions which had been guarding the line of the Tagus, the whole British force was massed on September 2Gth, 1810, and posted in a favourable position on the heights of Busaco, thereby denying the road to Coimbra and Lisbon. On the following day the French attacked, but were driven back after a sanguinary con- test Avith a loss of 2,000 killed and over 6,000 woimded. Burgoyne, Goldfinch, Rice Jones, and Chapman, were present at this action. Massena was not to be daunted by such a check as this. On the same afternoon he made a most skilful, though liazardous, flank movement to liis right, and succeeded in reaching anotlior road to the north of Busaco, which he found unguarded. Tlie Portuguese corps, to which its defence had been entrusted, arrived only in time to see tlie French in possession, and wore compelled to retire. Wellington thus found his position turned, and the principal results of his victory lost. He therefore commenced * Jones's "Sieges in Spain," vol. iii. p. '20. [CH. XI. lieir fullest IS. premature [1 maintain lis calamity ears of the give every miplete the miles, and iVery nerve 1 charge of iw no limits, e emulation the skill of id need he '■ convinced :'kation and ;al, pushed intimation Sanguine in disorder lad leading aco. Here lie divisions lole British tosted in a ly denying ig day the inary con- wounded. 're present this. On hazardous, ig another •ded. The ed, arrived compelled [1, and the commenced 1809-1812.] OF HOYAI- ENGINKEHS. 263 retn-ing leisurely towards his lines. Massena, finding that no attempt Avas made to dispute the passage of the Mondego, felt sure that all was over, and that the British were in full retreat to their ships. He therefore left all his sick and wounded in Coimbra, where c few days afterwards they fell into the hands of the Portuguese. He himself hurried forward with his whole force in rapid pursuit, trusting, at all events, to harass the em- barkation, and probably capture the rear guard. On the after- noon of October 10th, his cavalry and advanced guard drove the British out of Sobral, and then for the first time he discovered the true nature of the impediment in his front. Meanwhile, the rear division of the British army had marched into Arruda, and completed the occupation of the entire line. That all was ready for the reception of the army may be seen by the following report sent to Lieutenant -Colonel Fletcher by Captain J. T. Jones, in command at the time:-- " Alhandra, October 6tli, 1810. " I duly received your letter from Leiria, and I can now venture to assure you that every preparation for an instant defence of the lines is complete, and you need be under no apprehension for our credit, even if the enemy attack as tlie rear division enters the works. The moment I knew of the army having commenced its retrograde movements, I commenced our linal preparations, and we have neither spared houses, gardens, vineyards, olive trees, woods, or private property of any de- scription ; the only bhnd to the fire of the works now standing is that beautiful avenue of old trees in the pass of Torres Yedras. The Juez da Fora and inhabitants pleaded to me so hard for the latest moment lest they miglit be unnecessarily cut down, that I have consented to defer it till the day before the troops march in, and as I have trustworthy men with axes m readiness on the spot, there is no doubt of their being felled in time. Tlie pine woods on tlio Torres heights are down and formed into abattis. The abattis at Via Longa is also complete, the openings for communications being stopped up, the cut and salt pans arc full of water, and Lieut. Stanway Avill finish levelling the banks, itc, to-niglit. The water caslcs and hand grenades are furnished to every redoubi. The powder is in the cases to load the mines, and tlie otHcers, each hi his own district, is prepared to meet the divisions. The teli,'- graphs for the front line of posts were forwarded from Lisbon yesterday. It is lucky we commenced dressing otl" so soon, for now everything is in confusion, the people are all running away, and a string of men, ATOUien, and children, in cars, on animals, and on foot, are crowding every road to Lislion."^ ... "I flatter myself you will be altogether suiprised at tlie formidable appearance of our scarps here, and much pleased with the (piantity of work of every i ature done since your departure. When I heard of the Ihisaco busin-..^, I began to be alarmed for the conse- <|uences of having done so much, for if the lines had not come into play, the expense would most likely have been cavilled at as unnecessary, but ■ ■. 'i'W ' 1 >■ i| ; ,1 . ' ■ 1.' ■;k:-^ 'I y Ml 8G4 HISTORV OF THE COUPS [CH. XI. now of courso only the benefit derived from tin? strength of the works will he considered." Captain Burgoyne, in liis journal, tlui.s records his share of the occui)ation of the lines : — " ( (etcher 8th, Torres Yt-'dras Orders arrive for ( leneral Sonta", who IS ajipointed to coiniuand in tliis district. Mulcaster" (R.E.) " is the regu- lating otticer, whose duty, as is laid down in his instructions from Lord Wellington, is to make all the arrangements as one of his staff for the defence of his post. As General .Sontag had nc t arrived, nor j\[ulcaster, nor the militia, i^'c, appointed to this district, I assisted General Pict(Jii in making a temporary arrangement with the Portugiiese troops of the line. Besides General Picton's division. General Campbell's and General Colman's brigades of Portuguese arrive here, and Colonel de Grey's brigade of heavy cavalry are in fi'ont, who rejjort our pickets having being driven in near Caldas. For the defence of the district of Torres Vedras, the 58th Kegiment" (J.ritish) "of 300 men, a Portuguese regiment of the line, 140 artillery" (Portuguese) "regulars, four or(lenan<:i>!< artillery i)er gun, and three regiments of militia are allotted, and if this part is threatened, another regiment of British and another of the line" (Portuguese) " will be added. ^lulcaster and Thomson ' (R.E.'s) "arrive. Heavy rain last night and this day. At 8 p.m. receive an order from Lord "Wellington, appointing me regulating officer of the Buccllas district Xo. 4, similar to !Mulcaster's. The district extends from the Pass of Bueellas to the banks of the Tagus in rear of Alverca, and extends along the ridge of the Sierra de Serves, then to the right across the mouth of the ^'alley of Cabo to the Tagus. It contains sixteen redoubts and batteries, on which are mounted thirty-seven 12-pounders and twenty-two 9-pounders, and the works are calculated to require 2,G60 infantry. At present 1.100 militia infantry, 500 orden- ani-ex artillery, and 8 Portuguese artillery of the line, are allotted to it, the artillery to Ije assembled at head-quarters (Buccllas) immediately." We also have tlie following record on the suhject from the memoirs of Sir Jolm Jones, who had been in chief command over the construction of the lines : — " Happily every measure was complete, the new works armed, the ammunition placed in the magazines, with provisions and water in each redoubt, the abattis formed, the roads and bridges mined and charged for explosion, telegraphs established and mounted, guides held in readi- ness to meet the retirhig colunuis, and conduct them to their respective points of defence, when, on the day previous to their ai)proach, the fore- runners of the army, and immense crowds of fugitive Portuguese-men, women, and children — blockcid every road, set all authority at defiance, and rendered further exertion impossible. The autunnial rains sot in at this very moment, pouring down in torrents, accompanied by severe thinider and lightning, filling the streams and watercourses, and rendering the roads deep and lieavy, and furthermore putting the solidity of the h *^i i* .«. [CH. XI. )f the works ihare of the >Sontag, who " is the regii- is from Lord staff for the )r jShilcaster, iiieral Pict(Jii iroops of the and General 3I de Grej''s jkets havinf; ict of Torres lese regiment f onJcnanr.i'fi [, and if this )t]ier of the 3on '(RE.'s) 1. receive an fficer of the ;rict extends r of Alverca, to the right It contains thirty-seven calculated to , 500 orden- Uotted to it, lediately." 't from tlir [imand over armed, the vater in eacli and charged eld in readi- lir respective icli, the fore- guese- —men, { at defiance, rains sot in ed by severe nd rendering lidity of the 1809-1812.] OF KOYAI, ENGINEERS. 265 field defences to tlie severest test. Notwithstanding this conti-ctcmps, and the pressiu-e of the terrified and confused rabble which poured in on every point, no error of arrangement occurred, and each column reached the ground assigned to it with regularity and precision, and when the French approached, presented such a formidable appearance that IMas- sena, after making a close personal reconnaissance, ordered his armv to halt." The following was the letter of instructions from Lord "Welling- ton, addressed to the several Engineer officers whom he appointed in charge of districts : — " Head Quarters, Rio Alaior, "Sir, "6th October, 1810. " I enclose a memorandum, by which you will see the manner in which I have divided into districts the country Avhich has been forti- fied between the Tagus and the sea, the objects for which this division has been made, and that you are appointed regulating officer for the dis- trict No. . I likewise enclose a list of the redoubts and works in that district, stating the number with which each is marked, the number of guns it contains, and the number of infantry deemed necessary for the defence of each. The business of your situation as regulating offi-er of district No. is to arrange the troops in their several stations when they will be sent into the district to occupy the redoubts, to take charge of the mines intended to blow up the roads and bridges, and to carry my orders in the district into execution till an officer to command the troops within it will be appointed. You are then to assist him in making his arrangements as one of his staff, and in the defence of his post, with your professional abilities. " (Signed) Weluxgtox. "Captain , Royal Engineers." The Districts were to be as follows : — No. 1. From Torres Vedras to tlie sea. Head-quarters at Torres Vedras. No. 2. From Sobral de Monte Agraoa to the valley of Cal- handrix. Head-quarters— Sobral de Monte Agraca. No. ;}. From Alhandra to the valley of ( 'alh'andrix. Head- quarters — Alhandra. No. -1. From the banks of the Tagus, near Alverca, to the Pass of Bucellas, inclusive. Head-quarters — Bucellas. No. o. From the Pass of Freixal, near Bucellas, inclusive, to the right of the Pass of Mafra. Head-quarters — Montachique. No. 6. — From the Pass of Mafra to the sea. Head-quarters — Mafra. The Kegulating and other Engineer Officers were told off as follows : — No. 1. ('apfain Mu) caster; Lieutenant Thomson. No. 2 Captain Goldfinch ; Lieutenant Forster. ini, ,1 ':. • ■ 1 i . ■ ■ ( 'i '■■'.•' - .■ I . .. ..',' !•■ ■ ■■ • ■ ■ *< ■ ■ , ■ '. ^ . .^ •( i. '"{'• ' :l ii: 266 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. XI. «. ! j I , i^pp ' i Iffl No. ;}. (ynptain Squire ; Lieutenant I'iper. No. 4. Captain ]{urgoyne ; lieutenant Stanway. No. ;■>. Captain Dickenson ; Ijieutenant Trench. No. 6. (Japtain Eoss ; Lieutenant Ilulme. A very brief inspection convinced Massena that he had been foiled, and he at once retired from Hobral, which, on the following day, was reoccupied by the British. After one or two feints, which were never intended to be serious, and which only served to keep the defenders on the alert, the French went into cantonments between Santarem rnd Eio Maior, where they intrenched them- selves. Tiie ] British, on their side, advanced out of their lines, and took up a position in such close proximity to the enemy, that the foremost sentries on either side were posted on the banks of the Rio Maior, the river alone dividing them. Early in March, having exhausted all the supplies to be levied from the suri'ound- ing district, and feeling that the British position was impregnable, Massena retired, completely foiled at all points, his army dis- coiu'aged, and his resources greatly crippled. In the beginning of December, some movements of the French had led to a fear that they might attempt a diversion on the left of the Tagus, and steps were promptly taken to cover Lisbon from any insidt on that side. A chain of redoubts, seventeen in number, was thrown up on the line from Almada to Trafaria, under the superintendence of Captain (joldfineh. No movement was, how- ever, made on that side, and the French remained quiet in their cantonments. The whole of the actual work in the construction of these lines was performed by Portuguese labourers and mechanics, assisted by their local mil'tia. The number of officers of Engineers engaged in superintendence never at .iny one time exceeded eleven, and often fell below that number. Attached to them were two Hanoverian and four Portuguese otficers as assistant Engineers, eighteen of the Royal Military Artificers, and 150 soldiers of the line, mostly artificers selected from the regiments at Lisbon. " In some of the districts a subaltern olticer of Engineers, with tliat small number of English soldiers" (the 150 men were distributed in parties of two or three), " utterly ignorant of the language, directed and controlled the labours of a thousand or tifteen humlred peasantry compelled to work, many at the distance of forty miles from their home, whilst their own lands lay neglected."* Nor was this responsibility confined to the Engineer officers alone. * Jones's " Sieges iu Spain," vol. iii. p. 68, .i [CH. XI. 1809-1812.] OF ROYAL KNGINEKRS. 267 e had been le following eints, wliich 'ed to keep antonmeuts chad theni- j lines, and ly, that tlie inks of the in March, 3 sun'ound- ipregnable, army dis- the French on the left iisbon from in number, , under the was, liow- liet in their these lines cs, assisted Engineers i exceeded 1 to them -s assistant 3, and 150 > regiments •s, with tliat stribiited in lirectod and d peasantry from tlieir Rcers alone. The non-commissioned officers and men of the Royal Military Artificers wen* also necessarily placed in situations of great power. Two of them. Corporal Wilson and Private James I)ouglas, received promotion on account of their energy and zeal in this service. An amusing anecdote is recorded of the former : — "At Torres \'edras Corporal Wilson had charge of a work, and a party of the Portuguese Ordinanza Militia was placed under liis orders to execute it. Two of the men were put to a task to be com- pleted within a certain time, but regarding the work as imi)ossil)le, tliey refused to comply and comi)lained to their ofliccr, Avho took tlieir part and was inclined to censure the corporal. However, with more manliness than soldier-like propriety the corporal offered to bet the office a dollar that he would accomplish the task by liimself within the time. The bet was accepted ; Corporal "Wilson stripped, easily won his dollar, and prevented the recurrence of similar complaints during the progress of the lines."* During all the earlier period the Engineer officers had to un- dertake the duties of payment as well as superintendence, but eventually it was found absolutely necessary to relieve them of this work, which, besides being very onerous and arduous, was strictly contrary to regulation for Engineers to be called on to perform. Regular paymasters were therefore appointed to take over the accounts and pay the labourers. The total cost of the lines, including those of Almada, i-eached close upon £200,000. Lord Wellington thu's recorded his opinion of the mode in which the operation was conducted in his despatch to the Earl of Liverpool, dated Cartaxo, November 21st, 1810 : — "It is but justice to Lieut.-Colonel Fletcher and the officers of the Royal Engineers to draw your Lordship's attention to the ability and diligence with which they have executed the works by which these positions have been strengthened to such a degree as to render any attack upon that line occupied V)y the allied army very doubtful, if not entirely hopeless. . . . We arc; indebted for these advantages to Lieut.-Colonel Fletelier and the officers of the Royal Engineers, among whom I must particularly mention Captain Chapman, wlio has given me great assistance upon various occasions." The following is a complete list of the Engineers who from first to last were engaged in the construction of the lines : — Lieutenant-Colonel R. Fletcher ; Captains J. T. Jones, J. Squire, (j. Ross, S. Dickenson, E. Mulcaster, J. Williams, W. C. Holloway, S. R. Chapman, and H. Goldfinch; Lieutenants S. Trench, W. Forster, A. Thomson, F. Stanway, W. Reid, P. Wright, Rice Jones, J. Hulme, A. Tapp, and R. Piper. * Conolly's " Pioyal Sappers and Miners," vol. i. pp. 170, 17L i < '. „> 1. 1 ^1 • ■'■ « .( . f i ' i, '■'■'t 1 '■;< , »> :l' • 1 i :■;■ i ■[ J ^1 : : hi 1! 2().S HISTORY OF THK COIU'S [C,l. XI. I ■ ri Thk DKsi'iircnoN nv Fort Comcepcion. •. ?''\« lf^e"^l\'\'"l/ttcnii.tf.a to (le«troy this fort when evaeuatiiiff It 111 IHOH, and it liad reniaiiuHl from that time with its broaches very partially and roughly patc-hed up by the f^paniards. Lord Wellington sent Captain Burgoyne, in the month of May, IS 10 to repair the fort as far as possible, so as to render it tenable. It was in eharge of Urigadier-Oeneral Cox, the (lovernor of Alnunda being distant only a few miles from that fortress, liuro-oyne set to work as promptly as possible to restore the masonrv, and by stockading and other measures to inerease its jjowersof def.'nce Meanwhile Lord Wellington foresaw the probability that he would liave to retire, and sent fresh instructions that whilst continuing the work of restoration, tlie Engineers wore at the same timet? establish mines in such positions as would ensure the comi)lete demolition of the fort and outworks. This was done, and for some time everything was held in readiness. On July 17th Colonel Fletcher wrote as follows to Burgoyne :— " Sir,— I have this morning received your letter dated yesterday I have mentioned the contents of it to the commander-in-chief, who desires that you will retire witli the cavalry, liaviug i)revi..uslv destroyed ±ort Loncepcioii and its outworks as far as may be in your power, llis J.ordship does not think it necessary to complete any more mines than you have already prepared." On the 2 1st Captain Burgoyne destroyed the fort, and thus describes the result: — " Immediately it was ascertained that the French were in sufficient f()rce to push our peoph; hack, tlie mines were lighted in the fort Captain :\Iulcaster, of the Engineers, went up to warn me to light them but It was already done. Tlie dragoons I sent down to give every one tliey met notice neglected to tell him, and he was going up the ramparts to look for me when, smelling powder strong, lie looked into one of the passages, and saw the portfire burning. Of course he made off as fast as he could, and went down to tlie cavalry, wlio were skirmishing near Aldea do Bispo. When lie got down there tlie mines exploded, tmd he oljserved that those on that side took the desired effect. From \a\ de la Mula I could see that another side was also attended with success as well as those in the outworks and detached redoubts. At the enrn' provinces of Si)ain, with the sole exception of (Jadiz. Tlie Duke of Albrequerque, with a promptitude most unusual for a Spanish general, had no sooner heard of the French invasion than he at once i)ushed forward Avith a division of 8,000 men, and threw himself into the Isla de Leon, which- lie reached on Februar>' 1th, having marched a distance of 2o0 miles in nine daj-s.' lie arrived only just in time to barricade the bridge of Zuazo over the San Pedro, and to drive back the advanced guard of Marshal Victor's force, which was liurryiug forward to seize the island and town. Lord Wellington upon this sent a brigade under Sir W. Stewart to aid him in the defence, and a month afterwards Greneral Sir T. Grraham, with a force of 5,000 men, landed there from England, and took command of the garrison. Captains w T. W F. Birch, C. Lefebure, (1. Landmaun ; Second (Japtain Nicholas ; and Lieutenants J. N. Wells, T. H. Pitts Eoberts, J. Longley, 11. D. Jones; and Second Lieutenant li. Ord were with this Division. Tlie Isla de Leon forms a triangle, the base of Avhich is separated from the main land by a stream called tlie San Pedro, some eight miles in length. At the apex of the triangle runs a narrow tongue of land projecting some four miles into the sea, at tlie extremity of whicli is the town of Cadiz, cut off and defended by a single bastioned front on the land side. Its escarps on all the other sides are washed by the sea. Grraham promptly set his Engineers to work to throw up a line of defensive positions behind the San Pedro for tlie protection of the island; the dockyard of Caraccas, on the other side of the stream, being included as an advanced post. He also occupied Fort Matagorda, on the tongue of land forming the eastern side of the outer port, although it had been most injudiciously dismantled some time previously. I ■^ ': ,. I i-,.f i IlL 1>70 HISTORY OK 'l"Iir, ( ((Ill's [('If. XI Marshal Soult, on his arrival, finding it beyond his power to force the lines, invested tlie island with his blockadhig foreo, covering liis position with a series of earthworks, whieli stretched fr.-m tlie sea to the head of the inner port. ' He then advanced to th(> attack of Matagorda. Feeble as its strength was lie did not succeed in over- powering it nntil April 2ard, when the place, which liad become quite untenable, was abandoned hy order of Sir T. (frahani. At the very close of the defence Major Lefebure, the C.K.E., had his liead taken off by a round shot whilst inspecting the enemy's works from over the crest of tlie parapet, lie was succeeded in the com- mand by Captain Birch. Captain Burgoyne makes the following allusion in his journal to tlie death of Major Lefebui-e: — " May 18th, 1810. By a note from ^'icholas, at Cadiz, it appears they have not yet done much ; there is so nuu'h cereiuony and foini with tli(' Spaniards, wlio do not show a great desire to assist them. Poor Lefebure was the last man in Fort INlatagorda, and was in the act of preparing tlie mine to blow up wliat remained of it, Avhen a cannon shot struck Ids chest "June inth. iiirch lies very ill of the AValcheren fever at Cadiz. Landmann is also laid up there. Nieholas is cr.'..-ir,iui'nMv the senior Engineer there officiating. The most advanced of oiu batten ies there i 1,600 yards on the road to Seville beyond the l.-ili..' ( \t;. Uie Rio de San I'edro. The lOngineers are employeil in forming a chain of redoubts to cover La Isla." L)ming the course of the year the Engineer roster was increased by the arrival of the following officers :— Second Captain C. P. fcr-ii^h : Lieutenants J. Vetch, ^V. D Smith ; Second Lieutenants J. c Macanliy and J. Birch. Tb' lii s of San Pedro, when completed, oousistod of fifteen [('If. XI. ower to force , covering liis fri)in the sen ;ho attack of !cee.] dosed rodouhtH, besides eiglit other works on (hnninant points, 175 guns btung mounted in them. The bhx'kach' having h'on maintained rigidly throughout the year, and there l)eing no .signs of withdrawal, an at(('?ii])t was luade on tlu! jiart of the allies early in IS 1 1 to rai.so it by an attack in rear on the Fremth, it being known that at this 'time thi-ir strength did not exceed 12,0(»() men. The relieving force was to])o e()uveyi'd by water to Tarifa, whence it could march on the tlank of thn enemy by way of C'onil, liarrossa, and Uermeja. It was tlier(^ to l»e joined by tlu< remainder of the garrison under (fenei il Z lyas, who was to cross the Sau i'edro on a bridge to be thrown o\ er it dose to the sea. The troops having disembarked at Tarifa after much difficulty and delay, owing to the stormy weather, marched forward, tfie Si)aniards in tlie van and the British closing the rear, intending t(» unite at ( 'onil and make a joint attack from tiiere. General Zayas, having learnt that the force was on its road, carried out his share of the programme with comi)lete success. The bridge was constructed and held against a bold attack of the enemy. The commander-in- chief, General La PcHa, captiu'ed one of the flank positions oi the French and effected a connection with Zayas. He then sent a request to Graham to push forward as rapidly as i)0S8ible with tlie British to complete the victory. Tho despatch was received on the morning of March oth, at Barrossa, where Graham's force had just arrived, after a most fatiguing march of sixteen hours. In spite of ilie exhaustion of liis men he determined to hurry on, and gave orders for an immediate advance. During the march, and whilst his rear guard was still on the heights of Barrossa, a French army : — "The liead of the IJritish column wa.s aliout a mile in tliii wood, and its rear just entered, when an officer rode up to (Jeneral Ch-aham and im- ported tliat tlie Frencli were coming' out of tiie wood, about a mile to our riglit, in very siiperiijr force. Tlie IJritisfi immediately faced about, and every exertion was made to yet out of tlio Avood. As soon as tliis was done, the troops Avere formed as (juick as possible, tlie cavalry liaving alreaity begun to skirmisli witli tlie enemy: l)ut our brave felhnvs suffered dreadfully })ef()re our formation coufd be completed, in fact, it never was so properly. Tlie French were now in complete possession of tlie hill. The Spanish troojts who had fieen left ran away like lamplighters, artillery and all.* The Ihitish battalion, under Colonel Jkowii, effected its retreat, * A Spani^ll battalion with some artillery, and a British battalion, had hecn left as a rear ^niard (o cover the march. «' :> ■*i •li I % 1'- *• :-i u. \ T "" r 9 •272 HISTORY OF THE COKPy [CH. XI. and joined the British army at the skirts of tlie wood. Nothing was to be done but to drive tlie enemy from the position, and this was done, and done by soldiers fighting against superior numbers, under every dis- advantage possible to occur. I know very little of the general plan of the action ; it was occupation enough to push fonvard. The allied army was saved by the exertions of our brave fellows. All distinguished themselves. ]\Iy friends the Portuguese fought like heroes; they were tlie first engaged, and the French have reason to remember them. While I'ortugal i)ossesses such stuif as this, every iiope may be indulged. The Frencli behaved uncommonly well, and have suffered dreadfully; but our bayonets wheeled them to the right about. They would not have stood had our lads been fresh. Our victory must have been the ruination of the French army. (Jur feilov.'s were so tired that they could not get at them. Every now and then some dozen or two of the strongest pushed and got a dig at them. The French moved off in the most regular order, and at a steady pace, owing to our men actually wanting strength. The action was .short ; but perhaps there never was so sharp a one in the annals of the British army. We have suffered dreadfully. The (iuards behaved astonishingly ; but it is impossible to particularize. A cliarge made by a squadron of the hussars attracted the attention of all. The number of killed and wounded we don't yet know. An eagle (two Aviu-e taken, but the fellow who had it flung it away in order to figb.t on, and it was lost) and six pieces of cannon are the trophies of the day. I3ircli, Xicholas, Wells, Vetch, Smith, ]Macaulay, and myself, were" with tlie army. The (leneral rode up to Birch and Nicholas after the action ami took one in each hand, thanked tliem in the highest terms, and said, ' You are fim,' fellows at work as Engineers, you are fine fellows in the field, and I am more in your del^t than anybody's.' " ■**■ Captain Nicholas also wrote a very similar account addressed to Captain Burgoyne. After describing the arrangeminits for recovering the hill by a charge of tlie Guards, S7th, and 2HtL, he continues : — " The French for some time waited for us in line, firing, but soon turned; the (Guards anf a torrent times, but 3. On the eovei-ed hy the stream i-west were d tlie tower own with a 's of which d only l)e ishmd side lie strip oi )cciipied by alina. On rted into a ) jnen from cerrett, and i(jvernor ot added 70(» esent were J Longley, Burney, and J. Birch. The besieging force consisted of about 8,000 men under Greneral Laval. The town seemed to a casual observer almost incapable of defence against a serious attack. It was commanded at short range on the north-east by high ground, whilst the bed of the torrent on this side afforded shelter to an advancing column. Its walls were uncovered and worthless against artillery, and the resources of the garrison most meagre. In the opinion of many the attempt to hold the place seemed foolhnrdy in the extreme, and even those who were not prepared to recommend its complete abandonment wcTe inclined to limit the defence to the occupation of the island. The keen eye of Smith had, however, perceived that the forma- tion of the ground within the enceinte was favom'able for a determined and protracted resistance, if only the enemy could be induced to attack at a particular point. TJiis, curiously enough, was on that very eastern side which seemed to afford so much advantage to the besieger. True it would be impossible to prevent the speedy formation of a breach in the slender wall, but the sudden drop of the ground within, and the sloping sides of the torrent bed, afforded great facilities for interior retrenchments which would render the assault a most hazardous operation. On December 19th the enemy drove in the advanced posts of the garrison, and reconnoitred the place with a view to selecting theii- point of attack. All fell out as Smith had hoped and anticipated. Seeing the apparent advantages of the high ground and hollow way on the east front, they opened their trenches tliere on the night of the 22nd, and made their advances steadily under the fire of the garrison. Their batteries were finished and armed so as to open fire at daybreak on the 2!>th. The guns used were sixteen-pounders, and the result of a fcAv hours' fire was that the old Avali fell down in masses, and a gaping breach was soon visible. Skerrett thereupon called a council of war, at which he proposed to abandon the defence, and emba:-k the garrison on board the transports anchored in the roadstead. Smith steadfastly opposed this pj'oposition, and in this he was supported by Major King, who declared his intention of continuing the resistance with the Oibraltar contingent alone, if he were abaiuhmed by Skerrett. He at once communicated with Greneral Campbell, informing him of the turn affairs were taking. That officer, who fully realized the imi.ortance of holding the place, and vrho had implicit confidence in the judgment of Smith and King, checkmated Skerrett by ordering the immediate return of the transports to Gribraltar, f(jr- bidding tlieir communders to embark a single soldier. This step, by which his retreat was cut off, ])revented any further efforts on the part of Skerrett to thwart Smith in his project for a -r K >\ V ■ ■ . ■ ii HI i I , t J ■,'':■ ' ^ •.',.■• fc ■ ■;■; •»' Ujr •' > 1:: 1 • i. n V :j^-- ■ -r."-, ,. v*"'^'a^*--'W*a»»^paBw»r— ft^ WW mi MJ ' V K. ' KM mm 276 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. XI. I ■ I'. protracterl defence. Every preparation had, indeed, been made against tlie impending assault. Smith had early foreseen the point likely to be breaohed, and had taken his measures accord- ingly. Behind the opening in the wall, the depth into the street wasfourteen feet sheer drop. Here he had constructed every kind of obstacle. The houses were all loopholed and garrisoned, retrenchments were formed to enable every inch of ground to be disputed, whilst the Castle and tlie tower of Grusman were formed into a keep, to be held after the town itself had fallen. On both of the nights of the 29th and 30th, the foot of the breach was cleared of del>ri>i in spite of a heavy fire of grape, which was kept up from the besiegers' batteries. On the night of the 30tli a very heavy fall of rain brought down the torrent with such force that the palisades were swept away, the portcullis bent inwards, and the defences behind the breach seriouslv injured. The calamity only made the garrison redouble their "efforts. Urged on by Smith's persistent energy, the damage was promptly repaired as soon as the rush of water had sia)sided, and by daybreak all were at their posts, awaiting the onset of the enemy, which they felt sure would be no longer delayed. As soon as it was light, a column of French grenadiers wound its wav along the bed of the torrent, now once more dry. They did not at first attempt the breach, but dashed at the port- cullis. They had evidently ascertained that the rush of water had injured it, and they hoped to be able, with the means at their disposal, to force an entrance past it. In this, however, they were grievously mistaken. The portcullis held firm, and the 87th llegiment, posted behind it, received them with a withering volby, which crushed the head of tlie column. Thus chocked, and suffering under the unceasing fire wliich was poured on them, they soon lost their energy ; the bed of the torrent became choked with the dead and wounded, and the survivors, spreading to their left, strove to penetrate by the breach. Here, however, they met with an equally steadfast resistance, and soon became so much disorganized tllat it was a comparatively easj- matter to hold them at bay. All this time a field-piece, mounted on the north- eastern tower, pom-ed sliowers of grape into their midst. After a brief interval of indecision, tlieir leaders having fallen and tlieir ranks being cruelly thiiii^ed, they once more betook themselves to the shelter of the torrent bed, and retiirned, discomfited and utterly cowed, to their camp. This was the only attempt at an assault which was niade. The weather became extremely inclement; the severe rain greatly damaged tlieir batteries and trenches, and rendered the supply of the besiegers very difficult. On the night of January 4th, 1»12, ««i*»t'Sli [CH. XI. 311 made seen the i aeeord- he street eiy kind Ti'isoued, iiid to be e formed 1 both of LS cleared np from brought ire swept hind the garrison t energy, of A\-ater awaiting 10 longer grenadiers iiore dry. tlio port- ivater hud 5 at their vev, they and the withering cliocked, on them, ae c'lioked g to their they met so mneh ■ to hold lie north- it. After and tlieir liomselves itited and ade. The n greatly lie snpply 4th, 1«12, 1800-1812.] Ol" HOYAI. ENGlNKEHS. 277 they were heard making preparations for retreat. On the fol- lowing morning, therefore, the British assumed the ott'ensive. Sallying forth from the convent in considerable force, they drove the French from their batteries and trendies, and compelled them to make a hurried retreat, leaving everything in the hands of their assailants. In tliis short siege tlie French lost no less than 1,000 men, whilst the casualties of the allies were only 150. Lieutenant Longley, Il.E., was unfortunately amongst the killed. By general consent the chief merit of this defence has been awarded to Captain C. F. Smith. Sir W. Napier, in his history, says : — " Tai'if.i was Avortli tho efforts made for its defence, and, se'Lting aside tlie courage and devotion of the troops, without which nothing could have been (.'fleeted, the merit chietly appertains to Sir Charles Smith, the Captain of ICngineers. That officer's vigour and capacity overmatched tlie enemy's strength without, and the weakness and cajolement of those who did not wish to defend it within. Skerrett could not measure a talent above his own mark, and though he yielded to Smith's energy, he did so with avowed reluctance. . . . During the siege the Engineers' works were constantly impeded by him ; he would calboff the labourers to prepare posts of retreat. ... To the British Engineer, therefore, belongs the praise of this splendid action. He perceived all the resources of the place, and M'ith e(». ^■K" ^Bcwana 278 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. XI. British, if not impracticable, at least extremely hazardous. I^oril Wellington, therefore, as soon as the retreat of Marshal Massena had released him from the necessity of acting purely on the defensive, turned liis attention and thoughts towards their recovery. After two unsuccessful attacks had been made upon Badajoz, which will be described further on,* lie determined to make a vigorous attempt against Ciudad Rodrigo, and for this purpose cautiously and secretly began his preparations for its siege. Captain Burgoyne, who at tlie time was attaclied to Greneral Picton's division (the third), had received orders, as far back as -July 28th, to train 200 men of the division in the art of sapping and other rough field-work operations, wliich he accomplished in a very satisfactory manner considering the difficulties he had to contend with. He thus alludes to the matter in a letter to his sister : — "My i)i'incipal business now is training 200 men of different regiments to tlie duties required in a siege, wliich, to our disgrace and misfortune, we have no regular establishment eijual to, notwithstanding the repeated experience of the absolute necessity of sucli a corps to act under the Engineers in a campaign. For want of such an establishment we are frtMiuently led to the loss of valuable officers, and very undeserved discredit. The undertaking I am set about will be only temporary, and will supply very imperfectly this deficiency. " He continues thus in his joiu'nal — " December 18th. It appears to be the intention of Lord "Wellington to besiege Ciudad Rodrigo. By the general orders of this day the regiments of the 1st, :bxl, 4th, Light Divisions, and (Jenernl I'ack's Portuguese Brigade, are ordered to make fascines, gabions, and |)ickets of prescribed dimensions at the cantonments of the several regiments. Tliis arrangement appears bad ; as the parties will be so dispersed it will be impossihle to superintend them well. The distance to Ciudad Rodrigo is in many instances five leagues, and in some as much as seven; in many i)laces the materials are bad or scarce, whereas, about I'^speja and Campillo, within two leagues of good road, is plenty of stuff to employ the whole. " December 30th I am cutting planks for platfoi'ms at Puebla d'Azava. The number of gabions proposed to be made in tlie first instance was 2,.'500, of fascines 2,500, and of pickets 10,000. A l)ridge of trestles has been thrown across the Agueda by the staff eorjis. "January 2nd, 1812. A fall of snow. All the cars that can l)e col- lected in the cantonments of the 3rd Division an; ordered to be as.sem- bled at (rallegos and Las Agallas on the 5tli inst., and reported to the * It luis been th()Ui>lit advisable to ]iost])(ine the description of the two unsuccessful sieges of I5;idaj()z till tlu^ next chapttr, wlieu all throe sieges will be treated consecutivelv. [( H. XI. US. Ijoi'd 1 Massena y on the • recovery. Badajoz, o make a s purpose je. General Y hixck as f sapping- ilislicd in tie bad to ter to his ; reguiients ni.sfurtuno, le repeated under the ent M'e are indcserved )orary, and iVellingtou s day tlie ■rnl I'aek's id pickets regiments, ispersed it to Ciudad ! much as I'eas, ahnut ity of stuff atfoi'ms at in tlie first A bridyt' !■ '"'■■1. :aii be col- be a.-isem- ;ed to the 3f the two sifges will French i 180!i-18rj.] OK KOYAI, KNOIXEKKS. 27!) otHcur (if Knginocrs siege stores. . . "January nth, . to Las Aij;alliis fnjiu Lay,io.sa and >,'avi thui'c. Tliey j4,() loinlcd with fascines and otlior The cars convtiyinf.' <>■ .„ gabions, fascines, iVc, /as Frias caunot proceed fn^ni tlie badness of tlie roads, and M-ere left in the road." Ciudad liodrigo is situated on tlie right bank of the river Agueda. Its enceinte consisted of a rain|)art, tlie esear}) of which was over thirty feet in height. It was, however, of very old and faulty construction, and almost entirely unllanked. This lino was surrounded on all sides, except that covered hy the river, with a faussebraye, more or less broken into flanks, and having a glacis, but no covert way. The faussebraye, owing to its low relief and the natural fall of the ground, afforded but a poor cover to the main enceinte, and tor the same reason was itself but imperfectly protected by its glacis. The fortress, at the time of its siege by the British, was strengthened by the conversion into fortified out])osts of the three convents of Santa Cruz on the western side, San Francisco on the north-east, and San Domingo on the south-east, these last two forming part of a suburb which had grown up at this point. On the north side are two hills, called respectively the Ui)per and the Lower Teson; the first, which is distant about six hundred yards from the enceinte, rises to a level that dominates over the parapet of the rampart. From it the es(>arp could be seen over the crest of the faussebraye for more than half of its height. The Lower Teson, which 'is only about 200 yards from the enceinte, has far less command. The French had occupied the Upper Teson with a redoubt of sulHcient capacity to hold a fairly numerous garrison ; this Avas flanked by a battery placed on the roof of the convent of San Francisco ; it Avas also well protected by the artillery fire from the enceinte in '-ear. Such was the place which Lord Welliiigtr ii proposed to <.ce by a rapid siege almost in face of the enemy. Deceniber LSth, ISH, Lieutenant De Snlaberry received _rs to jointhe army with a small detachment of eighteen Koyal ililitary Ai-tificers from amongst those employed in the lines of Torres Vedi-as. For the same purpose a company was embodied to become the Fifth Company of the Second Battalion. This was also formed from the men at the time engaged in maintaining the lines, and had its head-quarters at Alhambra. It marched forty- one strong for Ciudad liodrigo on January 2nd, 1S12, conveying a large assortment of intrenching t(Jols to be used in the siege. The party encountered the most luifavouralde weather, and the roads being very bad and much cut up, they could advaue'c luit slowly. Many of the mules succumbed from fatigue, and the men i ^ h -^ .>'.i ■ %^ ; ^^. I ( --^/ffTCH or Co/Vl^FAfTo.^ ST DOAf/A-OO YUU o^'^it Ji80 HiSinUY OF THK CORPS I. [('It. XI. had to cany their loads. Aftor a toilHoiuo march of Hoventocii dav« they arrived at v'm.hid Kodri go on the very night of the assault . bill nut 111 time to take any [)art in it.* ( Jrders had heen eonfichmtially given to Lieutenant Piper, K.E to torni u ]»ndgo at Abrantes, for which purpose an w.uipment contammo; twenty-four pontoons was placed under his cjiar.r.. It had been intended to invest the fortn.'ss on January tJth but owiiip- to the severe snowstorms recorded by liurgoyne this 'was not etlected till the 8tli. ^ ^ On the previous (hiy, Lord Wellington, accompanied by his (commanding Lnginoer, Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher, and other oJhcers of Ins sfi.lf, made a ch)se and careful reconnaissance of the place, and dccidei)ended upon the move- ment.s of tlie enemy and tlu' time that could be allowed for the operation. This scheme was in perfect accord with the views expressed by IJurgoym^ in the year ISO!). Lic.itenant-Colonel Fletcher had asked him lor such observations generally on the defences as mi<-]it "ilT' /unr'"."- 7y. ^'''' ^'"^ '"^l'^^^'"^ ^'y '^ ^'PPoi't fl'ited Septembei l&tli, IcSOi), in which, after describing the fortress, he continues :— "Th(! weakest side of the place, and one aH'onlino much inoro advan- tages tu attack tlian any other, is tlie nortli, where at less tlian ;}00 yards IS a small height opposite one angle of tlie place from wlionco the es'cains may ho perfectly l,ivached. Tlie roar of tl:is height an.) approach to it are under cover, and at th.. hack of it are others from wlience tlie done in a short time to improve this part; there is no room M'ithin the work to form a rotrendiment unh-ss tlie cathedral cliurch, whidi is immodiatelv on this spot, were used as such, and tlio fall of the liill is such as not to allow of the escarp being covered under considerable lime." The weather was extremely cold and stormy. It was therefore (lecKlcd that the four divisions comi»osing the besieging force should remain cantoned in the surrounding villages. The duties of the Conollv, \o 1N4. :' :..t [cH. XI. entot'ii flays the ttssnult. Mpor, K.E., oquiniiiont liis (']iMrf»'('. •y titli, l)iit this WHS ied hy his and otlier iiico of the as to Htorm ; sto]*. As riiicd in its liattories le dcfoiioes orpowored. were to bo cluiin' bat- siogi' wore tlio niovp- ed for the p.ossod by tcher had s as mij^lit ^eptenibei itiiiues : — inro advan- ;?00 yards tlie csciups iniiuih to it lie defences i in a short to form a !ly on tliis to allow of therefore ■oe sliould ies of the IHOO-lSiii.] ••I' KOVAI, KN(iINKKKS. :^81 Siege wen^ t(. be earried on by <.aeh in (hiily rotation, the relief taking 1. ae(. at noon. This arrangement, wh'ieh was hy no means tavouriihh^ to the rapid proseeiition of the attack or the due protection oMlie working parties, was rendered absobitely ne(;essarv l»y the tact that the army was utterly unprovided with i.roi.er camn ecpupngo. ' ' ^ Tile names of the ofReors of lloyal Engineers engaged in the siege are as fidlow: — Lii^utenant-Colonel Fletcher, (■'oninianding Itoval Engineer- Captains nurgoyn(>, lioss, Kllicombe, Mneleod, VVilliams. iA[ul. caster, Mc( ullogh R. Jones, and John T. Jones (IJrigado Maior) ; Lieutenants Marshall, A. Thomson, De Salaberry, Sk.dton, Iteid, bUiot, Lascelles, A\ right, and Stanway (Adjutant). Twelve Line otheers actcl as Assistant l':nglne.«rs. There were alsf) attached to the depart iiKMit IS non-commissioned otHc(>rs and men of the Koyal Military ArtiHeers, and IHO men of the Third Division, who had during th(. ].revious f.nv months received a slight training in sapping and otiier hngmeer ..j.erations under I'.urgovne ; together with ^0 miners and (JO carpenters, selected from tlie" various divisions As the hrst stej) was to b(> th(> cai)ture of the Teson redoubt, orders were issued for its assault on the night of the Sth, diivctlv after the investment had been (>ompleted. As soon as it was dark a bri- gnde was f..nued np under cover of the reverse 8loi)e of the hill. Iwo working j)arties were also parach-d in rear— .•ne of 400 men to ettect a lodgment on the crest of the hill, and the other of .'{(K) men, to throw up the trench of njiproaeh from the rear. The nssaultmg column consisted of three companies of the -VJiid K.>o-i- ment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colcmel ( 'oUmrno, co^n- diicted by Lieutenant Thomson, li.L., and accompanied by a party of sappc-rs^carrymg scaling ladders, fascines, &c. On arrival (It the redoubt Thomson discovered that the palisades wliich had been constructed in the ditch were so lixed tliat their jK.ints were only three feet from the crest of the countei-scarp. With the aid ot Jus tascmes he was therefore enabled to form a bridge by which the stormers could pass over the palisades and jump into the ditch on tlieir inner side. The escarp not being revetted they carried the work Avith a rush. At the same time, another party had passed round to the rear, wliere there was no ditch, and had "forced their way in over the gate. The struggle was very short, the garrison being taken (completely by surprise-. They had never contemidated sucli_ ijromi.t actum on the part of the besiegt-rs, and had made no special arrangements for defence. In a few minut(^s the redoubt was 111 the hands of the ]}ritis]i, such of the garrison as had not l)een bayoneted falling prisnuers. to the ninnbor of fifty The gate was at once destroyed, and the rear thrown open by'makino- * t '. 'A I'M u 282 HISTORY OF THE CORl'S [t'H. XI. breaches in the enclosure wall, so as to prevent its possible reoceu- pation by the enemy. At the same time, the lodgment and tren,' /»« 28-1 HlSTOllY OF rilK COIU'S [c:h. XI. It' •'"! a musket ball. They also threw a number of light balls to discover the working parties. "Two or three bold men of the Engineer brifrade were always in readiness to run up and extinguish the hght balls as they fell, and gentr- ally succeeded in a few seconds in smothering them witli filled sand bags or by shovelling earth over them. Tiie garrison always directed their fire on the men whilst so occujjied, which diverted it altogether from the working party, employed, perliaps, at a few yards distance from the ball t(j its right or left. Some casualties occurred to the men thus employed, but generally they had extinguished the light ball before a second discharge of artillery could be brought upon them.* The three breaching batteries worked steadily throughout the 1 5th, and by evening the escarp of the main line, as well as that of the faussebraye, showed signs of a speedy collapse. It was therefore decided to throw up a new battery to the left and in advance of the others, to batter the wall of an exposed tower to the left of the principal breach as seen from the trenches. This Avas done, and fire was opened from it on Mie 18th. Meanwhile, the second parallel was extended so as to crown the ridge of the Lower Teson. As soon as the trench Avas finished it was lined with musketry to keep up a heavy fire on the breaches, which A\^ere rapidly becoming practicable. Whilst this work was being carried on, Lieutenant Marshall was wounded in the head Avitli a musket ball. On the 18th, a fifth small battery was thrown up on the extreme left of the second parallel; but as the assault was decided on before it could be completed, only a field gun and howitzer were rim in during the night to keep up a galling fire on the breaches, and prevent any measures being taken for their defence. On the afternoon of the 19tli, Lord Wellington, having made a close reconnaissance of the ramparts, decided not to delay for any further advance, but to storm on that night. For this i)urpose he sat himself down on the reverse side of the trench and Avrote in pencil his orders for the operation. The attack was begun a few minutes before 7 o'clock by a column co^uposed of the oth and 94th Eegiments, guided by Major Sturgeon, of the Uoyal >Stafi:' Corps, and accomjianied by a party of .Sa])])ers with axes and scaling ladders. The point selected for the attempt was that where the faussebraye terminated by being returned on to the main escarj). Tlie column issuing from behind the convent of Santa Cruz was soon at the spot, and being appurcntly (piite imexiiected, found little dirticulty in penetrating into the'ditcli and scaling thefausse- Jones's " Sieges in Spain," vol. i. note 11, p;ige 3(57. [CH. XI. ills to discover vere always in fell, and gentr- illed sand bags (lirectwl their ether from the fon) the ball tu ;hus employed, ifore a second i-oughout the i well as that Lpse. It was e left and in )sed tower to inches. This Meauwliile, ridge of the it was lined I, which A\'ere being carried ith a musket L the extreme led on before ;er were rnn )reaches, and A'ing made a elay for any i ixirpose he iind wrote in begun a few 5th and 9-lt]i Staff Corps, and scaling at wliere the main escarp, it a Cruz was ected, found ^ the fausse- 1809-1812.] OF KOYAI, ENGINEERS. 285 braye. From thence they found their way round to the main breach. Meanwhile, a party of loO Sappers, led by Captain Macleod and Lieutenant Thomson, advanced from the left of the second parallel carrying bags of hay. These they threw into the ditch at the foot of the counterscarp opposite the point of attack. The assaulting column, which was following close behind, jumped without hesita- tion on to the bags, and assembling in the ditch prepared to dash at the breach. The garrison had lodged there a number of shells and other combustibles, Avhich, most fortunately for the assailants, they fired prematurely, so that their effect was exhausted without causing many casualties. As soon as a sufficient number of men had been got together, a vigorous rush was made. At this moment the men of the oth and !)4th Eegiments, who had gained the terre[tlein of the faussebraye, came pouring along and joined in the attack. A desperate struggle ensued, the defenders making a most determined resistance. Cro-vning the breach, they })oured a withering fire on tlie mass struggling up its rugged surface. The assailants would not, however, be denied, and in spite of all diffi- culties, carried the work. Here they found that retrencliments had been made across the rampart on either side. It became, therefore, necessary eitlier to force these retrenchments, or to endeavour to descend the perpendicular revetment of the terreplein, which was sixteen feet hi height, and protected at its base by crow's feet, chevaux de frise, and otlier obstacles. Meanwhile a third assaulting column had moved out from behind the convent of San Francisco, and had, witliout much difficulty, carried the small breach made in tlie wall of tlie tower. The rampart being readied, and there being no interior defence, the column formed and made its way towards the great breach, where it took the retrenchment in rear. Further I'esistance was now manifestly hopeless, and the fortress fell into the hands of the Ih'itish. In leading the column to the main breach, Ijieutenant Thomson was severely wounded, but no other casualties occurred amongst the Engineers. Captain Jones, liowever, had a very narrow escape, Avhieh is thus recorded in his Memoirs : — "Immediately after the assault, Major Jones" (he was Brigade-iMnjor at the time) " possessed liimself of the governor's papers, and having delivered tliein personally to Lord Wellington, was ordered to make the tour of the works, to see wliat might be necessary to place them in a condition to resist any effort of ^Nlarslial jNIarraont's army to recover the place. Ill this peaceful occupation, and whilst congratulating himself on the safe and happy termination of his labours, he had nearly closed his career for ever. ( )n ap])roaching a spot where the rampart was very j*.i -1 1 ■■ ;. m i /■ HI .'.^1 / ^1 286 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. XI. narrow, and retained along its interior next the town by a hi-'h wall ho saw the earth suddenly tremble and open almost beneath his feet accompanied by a rumbling sound, and in an instant perceived twelve or htteen men soaring in the air directly up the street, as if propelled from a mortar at a low angle. These men wore English deserters, who had concealed tliemselves in a small magazine under the rampart, the door of which opened through the interior retaining wall in the direct ah,,imrnt of the street. These desperate men, on seeing an officer approach, deeming discovery and capture inevitable, and assured that an ignominious death would follow, had blown themselves up in the magazine which being very thickly loaded over the arch, the explosion had hrst found vent through the door, and had shot the refugees uii the street .Several fell to the ground still alive, but so sadly mutilated, distorted and blackened, as to be painful to behold, and they could not possibly have been identiHed as Englishmen but for their uniforms which the governor, by a wily though not humane policy, had caused all the deserters in the place to wear on the night of the as. ault. to their chdce'"^'^''''^**'' ""' ^'''''''"" """^^ '"''''^^^ ""^ '' ^'''^*''' P^««*^"t<^*l *<> The loss of the Engineers during the siege Avas two officers killed and hve wounded, out f a total number of nineteen. In Lord Wellington's despatch, announcing the capture of the toAvn, he states — ^ "I Hke\vise request your Lordships' attention to the conduct of Lieut.-Col. Fletcher the Chief Engineer, and of Brigade Major Jones and tlie othcers and men of the Royal Engineei . The ability with wnich these operations were carried on exceeds all praise." The narrative of this siege cannot be better concluded than by appending extracts from a letter written by Captain Burgoyne to Captain Squire, on the subject, dated February 7th, 1812:— "I observed a long letter for you from Jones, which I suppose contains all the information requisite on the siege, but as I am not certain of the nature of it, I enclose the rl Hi { ■ ;r I 1 • ^^ "•'i' 288 HISTORY OK THK COUPS [cir. Xll. CHAPTER XII. The Threk Sieges ,.Toz— 1811-1812. Description of IJadajoz— Projeot of A . — (.jiiing of the First Sie^e— Attack on Fort Christovul— Sortie oi the Garrison-Kuising of the Siege -Its llesuniption after the Victory of Albuera— Deaths of Forstcr, Patten and Hunt— Second liaising of the Siege— Cause of the Failure— The Third Siegp Sortie from the Town- -Fletcher Wounded— Impediments by Bad U eather— Deatii of JIulcaster— Assault of Fort ricurina— Attempt to Destroy the Hatardeau— Preparations for Storming— Escalade of the Castle— Failure of the Assault at the Breaches— Kscalade of San Vincente Bastion— Capture of the Fortress— Losses of the Fngineers— Descriptions of the Assault by Vetch, Pitts, and .McCarthy — Lord Wellington's Despatches. It has already been stated that previous to the attack on Cindad llodrigo, two unsuccessful attempts had been made against the fortress of 13adaj()'-5. It seems better to keep the description of the three sieges of this place together, ahhougli, as a matter of chronology, that of Ciudad liodrigo was intercalated between the second and the third. ^ The town of Badajoz is situated on the left bank of the river (juadiana, at the point Avhere the smaller stream, liivillas, tlows into it. The fortress consisted of an enceinte of eight bastions, starting from the north-west end of tlie town, and enclosing it round to the north-east. At this Inttor point stood the castle, on an elevated mass of ground, in th. uigle formed by the junction of the Guadiana and the Eivillas. The enceuite was covered by two outworks of some importance— the Pardaleras, a crown work of two bastioned fronts, imperfectly closed at the gorge, which was situated on the south-west ; and the Picurina, a lunette on the south-east, to which may be added the smaller lunette of San Roque (called by Lord AVellington a ravelin), a work of much less importance, situated on tlie marshy ground to the nortli of tlie Piciii'ina, and acting as a tt'te-di'-jioiif to the bridge over the Eivillas. On the north side of the (iuadiaiia stood Fort (.^liristoval, a closed work of four faces, with a ravelin on the outward front. A bridge across tlie Gruadiana led into the town, covered by a tefc-dv- pont to the west of Fort (Jhristoval. Marshal Peresford having retaken Olivenca on April Pjth, 1811, directed his attention to the more important fortress of I- [cir. Ml. •st Siege — t the Siege tor, Patteu, -The Third ats by Bad Uterapt to de of the n Vincente )escriptions 'ellingtou's n Ciudacl aiiist the I'iption of natter of between tlie river las, tlows bastions, jlosing it 3astle, on junction ivered by iwn work liich was 8 on tbe ? of San auoh less h of tlie over the lu'istoval, front. A a tete-dc- nl 15th, 'rtress of 1 I ,- i n ■' I. 1 ■>• 1 ' , :■ I ' ' f ' . "i' . K :h T/i/fT^ M.=-i., i 1811 1812.] OK KO\.\l, KNGINKKKS. 289 Badajoz. lie- luul at the timo under his oommniul three divisions, two Eng'lish and one Portuguese. In liurgoyne's journal, under date April 2;}rd, is the following entry concerning the movements of officers of the lioyal Engineers, which refers to five contem- plated operations against Badajoz : — "Captains J'.y, Maclcod, and Hotclor, Lieutenants Marsliall, Mcilviile, Frin^de, and Wri<,dit, Kn^ineers, and two drau-^litsmcn, are como out. The three ea[)tain.s as well as iJickinson are ordered up to Elvas, as also all the officers of Enj^'ineeis who were on their road for head-ipiarters. It is expected IJadajoz will l)e besieged. Dircli, Conunanding Kngineer at Cadiz, ih made Majorat the reeoiumeudatioji of (Jeneral (irahani in his despatches on the action of I'.arossa. Thomson is also ordeicul up to Elvas; and Mulcaster is to [)roceed there the momerit a siege is decided on. Lord Wellington and the hej".u-,iarters are gone to recoimoitre I'.adajoz to decide on the i)ractieahility o* ' esieging it. They write from the neigh])ourhood of Almeida that the dstruction of Fort Concepcion was very complete." Whilst Beresford was taking the necessary .steps to secure his conmiunications acro.is tlie Guadiana, Lord AVellington joined liim, and the two commanders decided that an attempt should be made to take the place b ' a hasty siege. Tliey found that the Castle, which (as lias beer said) was placed on steep and commanding ground, the base beiiig washed by the Gruadiana and liivillas, con- sisted merely of a wall built on the crest of the height. It was also observed that the interior of the Castle could be swept from Fort Christoval. The project therefore was to capture that work, and immediately afterwards batter the wall of the Castle. The assault of the latter would be greatly aided by the tire which could be brought against any attemi)t to defend the breach. A daring- reconnaissance made by Engineer officers to the very foot'of tlie Castle wall proved that the hill on which it was placed offered no great difficulties in the ascent. This point once in the hands of the besiegers, the resistance of the remainder of the fortress must cease. The scheme being thus decided on, Lord AVellington left the prosecution of the siege to Marshal Beresford. Considerable delay occm-red before^ the bridge across the Guadiana was estab- lished, the first attempt having failed owing to a sudden rise of the river, and it was not until May 8th that ground was broken. The Engineers employed at the siege were Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher, Commanding Engineer ; Captains Squire, Patton, Boss, By, Macleod, Boteler, Mulcaster, Dickinson, and John T. Jones (Brigade Major) ; Lieutenants Emmett, Forster, Stanway, lleid, Hunt, Thomson, Melville, Wright, and Rice Jones (Adjutant), with Captains Wedekind and Meineke of the Hanoverian Eiigineers. Twelve officers of the lino \oluutcured as assistant Engineers, and the force of Sappers consisted of twenty-seven non-commis- .1- ■■ ^^- Pl/fT£ JE tM.roij S/^ETCN TO /LLU^T/f^T£' — THS r/iAi££ s/£a£a of — i^nj^i^^h l/n€a 4 Sa£i0r/es s/rstrfft ■^'■t-Mm 290 HISTORY OK IHK {JOHl'.s [.■M. XII. I* 11 I siouHl ofli.orH Hu.l uwn of tho Iloyal Military Artifloors, with oi^hty-lmu- .•.ir,„.nt..rH un.l minors drawn from thr infantry In onlor to t.on(.,al tho ival point of attaok on Fort (JliriHtoval, mchos were opene,l at the sanio time as a feint against Fort 1 mlaleras and I'leunna In front of Christoval a parallel and bi ery were lu.gun at a distance of 4oO yards fro,n the fort and mth.n twenty-four hours Captains Uoss'^and Jio el • an i.W tenant Me vdle ha.l all been wounded. Work progressed very slowly eaitl. Vnv tins rms(,n eovor could not be obtained for th'e guard ot the lull, lie garrison percoivmg this, made a daring sortie on he morning ot he lOth, and for a few moments the battery an tren(,li were m then- luuuls. Tiie guard, however, spee ily ^ vaiH-ed am drove them baek, but, as Lord Wellington re ,oi-te. in his despatch to the Earl of Liverpool— *' " I'^'il^d in " I am eoncernoa to add that our loss on this occasion was very severe owing to the gallant but iiuprudont advance of th. truoi^s ' , l o t k' flT . r ^'•"•'^t"^''''' '^'"l to a situation in wluch th-.y w x o d t^dy^fu::: jZ?^"^ ■^-' «-^- ^-- ^'-^ --twork, a. .^11 as f^^l^he Lieut'il^^iidd :;:;!:j^^^^ ^^^^*^"^^'* ^^^^-^"^ -« ^^^^-^ -^^ Jiv^lost '"hu?"t\.!.v' ""'"'^ '"';^' f '^"T'"°"' •''"^"'^ "'«^ ^ »'"»>^er of lives veiL lo.t, but they were repulsed without doinLr any iniseliief tlioimh they liad possession of our works. Lieutenant Reidf . the 5i i T ?. was otbcer on duty in the trenches at the time, forn ed tl e picke .n d work,,. , party, and cliarge.l the enemy. Colonel Ilarcourt, {otU^. ^ime^ who_ was also wounded, wrote a handsome letter in his praise to t>rin At daylight on the Utli the battery opened but ow\ncr in ih. mexpenenoe of the Portuguese gunner^, is not .^^T?^^^^^^^^^^ and m the eourse of the day it was silenced through the heavy fire brought on It, only one howitzer remaining serviceable B was impossible o reopen this battery until mofe guns eo dd be brought across the river. Meanwhile, a second battery w^ com! menced, in order to pour a greater amount of fire o\i^ be place Another was also hrowu up in prolongatiiiicnt that ii conccnf ration of the HritiHli forcos was ncccsnary (o oppose' him. During the few .layw fhiif trcnclies wore open the Engineers lost two ofKc(»rH kiHcd and throe wounded. There can bo no doubt that this si.^ge was undertaken with a complete nnsccmcoptiou of tho power of tho fortress. Men and materials were alike wanting for its due i.roseculion, the weakness in artillery being pre-eminently fatal. Tlu- men under the super- inteiulence of the Engineers were utterly uninstrueted in snppinir and the eonstniction of Heldworks, th(. most simple details being lett to the jx^-soiml direction of the ofiicers, who alone had the slightest knowledge of the subject. Houee the comi)arativ(>lv numerous casualties amongst them. Marshal Beresford having gained a complete, thoii«di Idoodv viotcu-y over Marshal Soult at Albuera on May Kith, and thJ French having in consequence retired without communiciating with the garrison, the siege was resumed by a i)artial investment ot thp_ fortress on the lOth, which was (sompleted on the -ioth Lord Wellington, who had by his victory at Fuentes d'Onor on May oth compelled Marshal Massena to retreat, was able to spare two additional divisions for the siege, and he determined to take command of the operation himself. The necessity for rapid action was as great as ever. The French armies, though beaten, were still far more numerous than the allies, and it wis certain that they would again co-operate to raise the siege unless it were prosecuted vith the utmost rapidity. Lord Wellington therefore decided upon following the same scheme as was laid down on the former occasion, but, increasing his means of attack, to open his trenches against the Castle and San Christoval simul- taneously. The following Engineer otKcers were detailed for the service .-—Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher, Commanding Eoyal Engineer ; Captains Squire and Burgoyne,* who were respectively directors of the attacks on Christoval and the Castle. Captains * Captain Burgoyne wrote a letter to his friend Lord Derby at this time, of which the tollowinf;- are extracts : — " My dear Lord Derby, « Lisbon, May 2S)th, 1811. J •" ■ '^ ,; ,• . ^ K**^^ ^* length obtained an order to assist at the second siege of Badajoz about to be undertaken, and cross the Tagus this day on my war up there. Marshal Beresford has not gained much credit in the army by his late operations At the siege of Badajoz. by his acting contrary to tho advice of his Engineers and of every one else, he was he cause of a groat number of lives being lost, and on the tifth dav of open renches our hnding oiu-selves commencing the siege just where we Wht to have been on the hrst. .... I hope to arrive before they commence the siege ot Badajoz." "^ i 1. 1 ' . I ; .1 K *--,i t a H r i m 292 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [en. XII. Patton Eoss, By, Maeleod Mulcaster, and J. T. Jones (Brigade Sr"\V :^^;?*f/^t,« i- Thomson, Emmett, Forster, Stanway, Captains AVedekmd and Meineke, of the Hanoverian En- gineers, also eleven officers of the line as Assistant Engineers Under them were twenty-five Eoyal Military Artificers, with of the Hne' ^o^'knien, drawn from the several diVisions On the night of May ;JOth, trenches were opened both in front of the Castle and lort (Jhristoval, at the latter place four batteries with a connecting parallel being begun. Of these, one was ntended to enfilade the defences of the Castle, one to breach an exposed flank at Christoval, another to ruin its parapets and defences the foui'h being to enfilade the bridge across tho Guadiana. On the side of the Castle attack two batteries were also begun, to which a few days later a third was added, all being intended to form a breach in the wall, which was of poor construc- tion and completely exposed. The batteries at both attacks opened hre on the morning of June ;ird, and before evening the outer face of the Castle wall had been thrown down, leaving only a bank of clay behind it. The breaching operations at Chi'stoval were somewhat slower, but on the oth it became apparent that the flank was much injured, and in the course of th'it night Lieu- tenant lorster, E.E , the ofiicer appointed to guide the storming party, made a careful inspection of the breach, which he reiiorted practicable, i ire was kept up steadily all day on the (5th, and at midiiight a storming party of ISO men was led to the si.ot by ^orster. Here,_lioweyer, he found that in the interval between dusk and midnight the garrison had succeeded in removing so much of the ck'bn, from tlie foot of the breach that it was no longer pmc icable. Several attempts were made to penetrate by escalade, but they failed, and the party was at length compelled Vn 'f ?' '""i^ • *" }'''' ''^ *'^"^''^ ^^^^^ (including Lieutenant i^orster), and ninety Avouuded. Further developments were made in the batteries on both sides of the river and, on the night of the 8th, Captain Patton, who was to conduct the assaulting column against tlie Castle, ma.le a close examination of the fords of the Pivillas and the a/.proach to the breach. He was accompanied by a sergeant of the Royal Military Artificers and an escort of three men, tlie latter of whom wuie left at some distance, he and the sergeant pushing forward by themselves. Having completed his investigations, cfiptain Patton was returning to his escort when lie was discovered by a French piquet (Conolly states that he stumbled, and that the clanking of his sword betrayed him). A volley was fired, and he fell !. f ■,..■1 H Ifctt»»., t ' 1811-1^ 1 mortally arrival brouglii had bee breach. On t Captain consistii men. that g\ entranc Lienten still on to find i succeed footing 1811-1812.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 293 mortally wounded. Sergeant Rogers defended him until the arrival of tlie escort, who succeeded in carrying him off. On being brought into the trenches he was able to report that no obstacles had been placed in the bed of the river or on the hill below the breach. On the following night Christoval was once more assaulted. Captain Ross and Lieutenant Hunt guided the two parties, each consisting of 100 stormers with a working detachment of fifty men. Lieutenant Hunt's column was to carry the breach, whilst that guided by Captain Ross was to endeavour to effect an entrance into the work by escalade. Both attempts failed. Lieutenant Hunt was killed at the head of his column whilst still on the glacis ; the men, nevertheless, pushing forward, only to find the breach obstinately defended. The escalading party succeeded in raising their ladders, but all efforts to establish a footing in the parapet failed. The French, warned b}^ the previous attempt, and feeling sure that a second attack was inmiinent, had greatly strengthened the garrison, which now equalled their assailants in numbers. After an hour had been expended in a fruitless struggle, the two parties, which had become inextricably mixed, retired, having lost no fewer than 40 killed and 100 wounded out of the 300 men of which they had been composed. On the following day Lord "Wellington decided to raise the siege, he having that morning received an intercepted despatch from Soult to Marmont, which showed clearlj' that an advance in force for the relief of the place was imminent. The failure of this siege was due to the successful resistance of Fort Christoval. Until that point waa in the besiegers' posses- sion it was impossible to storm the Castle, although the breach in its wall was practicable. Had the Engineers been at the head of a properly trained force, the necessary advances to the crest of the glacis might have been made by sap, and from that point the breach could have been stormed without much difficulty or loss of life. It is worthy of record that, owing to the scantiness of the earth on the rocky ground in which the batteries against Fort Christoval were to be constructed, a large number of wool- packs were i)urchased in ^']lvas and brought up. These Avere worked into the body of the parapet, and succeeded admirably both in resisting shot and also in retaining their form. In his report on this siege to the Earl of Liverpool, Lord Wellington states — . MV) V I,,' '^i '■:■>' i I, ■ " " Lieut. -Colonel Flotchci, of tlio Royal Knginoers, \va? the directing P^ngiucor, and immediately superintended the operations on the left of flf'*.^'.. .'.»i 1 294 HISTORY OF THE CORPS »( 1 , ,[ 11 .i.. [CH. XIT. the (ruadiana,* and Captain Squire those on the right of that river ; and these officers, and the Corps of Royal Engineers, have by tlieir conduct on this occasion augmented their claims to my appro1)ation." On September 1st, 1811, Captain Burgoyne wrote a letter to Captain Squire, Royal Engineers, dated from Albergaria, Avliich bears on the second failure before Badajoz, as also on the approaching siege of Ciudad Rodrigo — " We remain here precisely in the same state of uncertainty as to our future operations as when I last wrote, nor can I learn what progress the heavy convoy of besieging stores is making. There is an account current that his Lordship says ' if he undertakes another siege he will be his own engineer.' Whatever faults weie committed at Badajoz, I suspect he was not aware of them " (this is evidently referring to what Burgoyne considered the mistakes of Marshal Beresford) ; " and I think it is very doubtful whether he knows them now. It appears to me probable that he did say so, by the mystery affected about our head- (luarters respecting the siege, which I believe, in fact, proceeds from their knowing nothing about the matter Macleod and Thomson are gore to repair the Pontc, Murcella and l)ridge of Val des Pinos. Reid and Wright are with me here, and Emmett is coming. Mulcaster IS marching up my company of artificers " (he had been sent to Lisbon suffering from a violent attack of fever, brought on by fatigue and exposure during the siege of Badajoz) " Gipps (R.E.), in answer to an order to join the army, has written a letter which has given offence, and, indeed, certainly might have been couched in more approi)riate language. He states that Mr. Pink refuses to advance the £120, which is the least an officer can set himself up with, and in con- e(pieiice he has not horses to enable him to take the field ; that IVIr. Pink did so before, but refuses now because the effects of some officers deceased in his debt have been given over to persons entirely out of the corps— a thing, as Cipps unfortunately expresses himself, which he believes nnirreo'drnteiJ in flic amnj. He has since written another on the subject, which lu^ desires the colonel to submit to the master-general and board. He is now ordered to remain in the lines, and some one else comes up in his place.! I have just proposed at head-quarters to ])ay sixpence apiece for ballast baskets, to contain a cubic foot of earth, to such of my people as choose to make them at head-((uarters in the heat of the day. Ten iiounds would be Avell spent, I think, in this in the event of a siege." Ciudad Rodrigo liaving fallen on January 19th, 1812, it was decided by Lord Wellington, after a conference with Lieut euant- * This is not strictly correct. Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher was in command of both attacks. Captain Biugoyne was the director of the attack on the left of the nuadian!!, t Gipps evidently afterwards made his peace with the authorities, as he was present at the approaching siege. 1811-1812.] OF ROYAL ENOINKEKS. 295 Colonel Fletcher, which took place at dallegos on January 2()th, again to attempt the capture of Badajoz. Stores were at once ordered to he prepared, and four Engineer officers, with a company of Royal Military Artificers, were directed to proceed to Elvas as an augmentation to the department there. Meanwhile the work of restoration of the ruined fortifications of Ciudad Rodrigo was pushed forward, and the place strengthened so as to render it more capable of Avithstanding a lengthened siege. On February 19th a Spanish garrison marched into the town, which was transferred to them on March oth, when Lieutenant- Colonel Fletcher gave over the charge of the works to General Calvet. The army had been on the march for Badajoz for some days previously, and noAv the head-quarters folloAved them. The necessary Engineer stores and siege material were being quietly assembled at Elvas, and a bridge equipment of twenty- two pontoons had arrived from Abrantes. On March 14th this was moved to the Gruadiana, and on the following day a bridge was throAvn across the river. The army at once crossed, and effected the investment of the fortress on the south side. Bur(i()yne\ Journal. — "March 15th. A bridge of small English pon- toons is esta'i.'"shed across tlie Gnadiana, about ttm miles below Badajoz, in the narnnvest part that could bo found (about 120 yards), there not being sufficient pontoons to form a longer bridge They are placed 4 ft. 6 in. asunder, and reckoned ei(ual to pass niue-poundcfrs. About a mile and a half higher up the river a flying bridge is comnienceil, composed of three large boats, to pass the battering train. The river is now fordable in various parts. "March 17th. . . . The enemy are working hard at a retrench- ment in the Pardilleiros outwork ; between that and the river they have countermined; they have dannned the little river Rivellas near the bridge leading from tlie Talavera gate to the detached ravelin, which is a most complete work, but small. . . . On the castle, the side we attacked last siege, they have made much improvenuuit ; tlie breach in it is l)uilt up in form of a large tower, the escari) in other parts is renewed, and a very go(jd parapet is made to the whole castle front, with several new embrasures and gams mounted ; the rocky side of the hill below is also occupied. Tlie fort of San Cliristoval, on the opposite side of the river, is well covered by a new glacis and covert way at great labour, and a strong new redoubt erected 400 yards in front on the height where our breacliing battery was situated last siege.'' In consequence of this development of the strength of Fort Cliristoval it was decided not to renew the attack on that work. Lord "Wellington therefore pro]iosed to begin operations by the capture of Fort Pieurina, after which the right face of the bastion La Trinidad and the left flank of the bastion Santa Maria were to ! > ir '1 1 i - < * n '^, 296 HISTORY OF TMK CORPS If > [CH. XII. be breached from batteries established on the higli ground around Fort Picuriiia. ^ The following officers foniied the Engineer staff :— Lieutenant- Colonel Fletcher, Commanding Eojal Engineer; Majors Squire and Burgoyne, Directors ; Major J. T. Jones, Brigade Major ; Major :^[acleod ; Captains Ellecombe, Nicholas, Williams, Hollo- waj, and Mulcaster ; Lieutenants Gripps, Elliot, Emmett, De Salaberry, Stanway, Melhuish, Lascelles, Wright, Eeid, Wells, Vetch, Harry Jones, and Pitts. (The last four only joined at the close of the siege.) The lioyal Mihtary Artificers consisted of the detacliment from Ciudad llodrigo, reinforced by a company from Almada, and numbered llo. With them were two sub- lieutenants of the Sappers, Wallace and Gfibb, who both volunteered to act as assistant Engineers during the siege, and did their Avork so well that^ their conduct was specially reported to the Inspector-General of Fortifications. Sub-Lieutenant Wallace was Avounded. There were also 120 men of the line under Major Thompson. These men had receiA'ed some instruction in sapping, and most of them had already served at Ciudad liodrigo. There Avere also 80 carpenters of the line, for laying the platforms, &o. nu)yo!,n>'s Jn/inmf.— ^' Sldvcli 17th. . . . Tlie workiiif,' parties are to be re]iev(Hl every .six liours ; tlie tliree general ufticers, Generals Col- viUc, Howes, and Kempt, are to tal<(! (hity of the trenelies in turns for twenty-four hours. Major Scjuire and myself are to be ilireetors of the works, and relieve each otner every twenty-four hours at 1 p.m. There are >sides eight brigades of Engineer.s, of one captain, one subaltern, and ne assistant engineer, each of whom are relieved threi; times a day." The first parallel against Fort Picmuna Avas opened on the niglit of March 17th, at a distance of only 1(50 yards from its covert Avay. Tlie Aveather Avas so tempestuous that althougli the Avork Avas carried on in such close ])roximity to the fort it remained un- discovered until daj'light. Two batteries in connection Avith this parallel Avere begun on the folloAving day. At 1 p.m. on the If)th a heavy sortie Avas made from the town, tlie column (,'onsisting of loOO infantry, accompanied by a party of 40 cavalry. The guard and Avorking parties Avere taken by surprise, and for a foAv minutes the trenches Avere in the hands"^ of the enemy. A rally Avas speedily made, and the attack driven back, comparatively little damage having been done. The cavalry had, hoAvever, dashed on, and were speedily in tlie Engineers' park, 100(1 vards in rear of the trenches. Here they committed sad havoc amongst the unarmed men at Avork, many of Avhom Avere sabred Avithout being ablo to offer any resistance. A relieving party promi)tlv advanced, and the assailants Avithdrew Avithout having destroyed i . H 1811-1812.] OF ROYAL ENGINKKRS. 297 nny of the stores. In this sortie the British lost loO officers and men killed and Avounded.* Amongst the latter avus Lieutenant- Colonel Fletcher, who was struck in the groin Avith a musket hall. The shot fortunately encountered a silvm' dollar piece in his liocket, and drove it nearly an inch into the groin. But for this the Avound must undoubtedly have proved fatal. As it Avas, he Avas incapacitated for active service imtil nearly the end of the siege. By Lord Wellington's order he retained the supreme direc- tion of the Avork, the Greneral coming to his tent eA'ery morning at eight o'clock to discuss and decide on the day's work. The Brigade Major of the Eoyal Engineers attended these meetings with a report and sketch of Avhat had been done on the previous day. He afterwards conveyed to the Director on duty the instructions of the Commanding Eojal Engineer for the coming day. nur'jnijn"'.'^ Jonrm/.—" :Slavch 22m]. . . Pliilippon" (tlie(}oveviiur of the fortres.s) "sentla a despatch for Soult, folded up in the button of a Spaniard's coat ; the Spaniard makes a 'fefmir and brings in tlie despatL-b to Lord Wellington. It states tliat he had made a sortie \vhi(;li had conii)letely answered all his purposes ; that Ave liad lost in it 600 or 700 men, and that liis loss had been o? ! ifv^'r' tr.' \ '.i:^. ■n ;'r 298 HISTORY OF THK CORPS '4 [CH. XIl. Letter from Major J. T.Jones to his brother, Oapt. Jones, E.N. :— ,., , " Camp before Badiijos, My clear Cxcorge, 24t1i March, 1812. " I understand there is an opportniiity for Cadiz, I tlierofore sit down to write you a few hasty lines. You will probably have heard that we invested Badajos on the 16th, and broke ground before it on ^lie eveiung of the 17th. A few hours before we began the work, the weather, which had been so long tine, broke, and there came on a dehigo of rain, which has continued nearly ever since. We commenced our operations very favourably, and, notwithstanding the almost incessant ram, we carried on our approaches for the first three days ([uite equal to our wislies ; but for the last four days the ground has becou)e so saturated with wet that it is almost impossible to do anything with it, and we certainly have lost forty-eight liours' work in conse(iuence of it. We expected to have opened from our first batteries this morning, and at •2 p.m. yesterday there was but little doubt of our having everything m readiness, but about 3 p.m. the rain came down in torrents, and continued to do so for four hours, wlien the ground became so soaked that at every step the men sunk in knee-deep, and vou may tlioie- fore suppose 24-pounders could not travel over it. " (Jur trenches liave all of them two and three feet water in them, and there is no prospect of a change in the weather ; we must, however, i)ersevere, and perhaps fortune may favour us in our turn. The attack is on the side of the outwork called the Picurina; we established ourselves the first ni"ht about two hundred yards distant from the fort, and we have had "for three days past two batteries in readiness to open upon the fort at only one hundred and fifty yards from it, the one for six 24-poundcrs, the other for four 2-l-p(.unders. There is no doubt, therefore, that we shall blow the fort Picurina to pieces in the first day's fire ; we might indeed do that now, but we cannot establish ourselves in the fort till the other batteries are ready to co-operate with us, as there are more than forty guns in Badajos which fire directly into the Picurina, and would make a lodgment nearly impracticable unless they were kept down by other fire. I am sorry to mention that Colonel Fletcher was wounded the other day in a sortie made by the enemy ; the wound, however, is not severe, and 1 hope in ii few days he will be able to go into the trenches again. We have only had one other office" wounded, and his wound is not severe. I have been in tlie daily expectation of the arrival of Harry, as he has been ordered to join us from Cadiz, as well as two other officers and some men If we get seven days' fine weather there is every probability of our being in Badajos by April 3rd ; if this weather continues it is impossible to say Avhen we shall get in. How much ilepends ui)on the accidental circumstaiio^ of good or bad weather! I am sanguine in my hoi)es of success. . . ." Tlie work in the trenches proopeded but slowly, being most iliiricnlt, ;iiul indeed at times ullerly imiiossibio to make the neces- sary drainage effectual. All traffic was for a time either siisi)ended J iHii.i8r.>.] Ol' KOYAI, KXOINEF.US. '29{) or carried on with extreme slowness. In spite, however, of nil im- pediments, six batteries were I'ompletod and armed by the '25t]i, two (as referred to in the above letter) against Fort IMcairina, two against the Innetto Kan lloiine, one against the Trinidad bastion, and one against the Hank of San l*edro. Jiunjiii/nt'ti Jniinia/. — " Marcli iTitli Poor Muleaster was struck in the head by a cannon shot al)out ten o'clock, and half of it was taken off ; his death was instantaneous. A better fellow or more [iiomising olhcer never existed." Fire was opened at 1 1 a.m., and although no great effect appeared to be prodnced by those bearing on the Picm-ina fort beyond silencing its fire, it was determined that that work should be stormed at 10 p.m. Two columns of '2(H) men each were told off for the first assault, a third of 100 men being held in reserve. The left column, conducted by Lieutenant Stanway, was to move roimd the right flank of the work and endeavom- to penetrate by the palisaded gorge. It was hoped that the day's fire had sufficiently damaged the palisading to permit of an entrance being effected. The right column, conducted by Ijieutenant Cxipps, was to move round the left flank, cut off the communication with the town by posting half its numbers on the roadway in rear, and then with the other half support the left column in its efforts to force an entrance at the gorge. The parties moved off at the horn- named, and reached their respective destinations without discovery. Here, however, they found that the palisades had been comparatively uninjm-ed, and were consequently too strong to be forced. After several in- effectual attemj)tsto overcome the obstacle, in which they suffered severely, they gradually drew round to the left Hank of the Avork. The escarj) at this point was well fraised, but the ditch was un- Hanked. Here they succeeded in mounting the parapet, and a desperate hand-to-hand encounter ensued. At this critical moment, and when the assailants seemed on the verge of being driven back, the reserve column, conducted by Captain Holloway, succeeded in escalading at the salient after a most obstinate struggle. The fort was now won. Many of the garrison Avho still maintained their resistance were bayoneted, others were drowned in the Uivillas in tlie attem})t to retreat, and three officers with eighty men were taken prisonei-s. ( )n the side of the stormers four officers and oO men were killed, fifteen officers and 250 men wounded. Captain Holloway and Lieutenant Gipps both being amongst the latter. These numbers are as given by Jones in his account of the siege. Ibirgoyne in his joiu'nal says : — "Our loss was about 170 killed and M'ounded, with a large, proportiuu ni otlicovs, araony whom Capt. Holloway, of the Engineers, was shot through tlie body and lungs, and Lieut. Gipps very slightly wounded in ,'-^Ji ' i. I 1 i "I i-j ■•Hi 3()(» HISTORY OF TlIK COUPS [('11. Ml. H' '19 i\w arm. Tlio retloubt was uxtiouu'ly strong', u piili.sadod covort way, tlien a scarp of about liftocai feet poi'imndiciilar, tlicu a V(fry .stroii<^' row of fraiaes, aii any perceptible effect Avas produced. It was not until the evening of tlie following day that the revetments were pierced and Ix^gan to fall. In another twenty-four hoiu's, at botli breaches the masonry had given way, but' in that at the Maria Hank the casemates in rear, and in tliat at the Trinidad bastion, counterforts, supported the cLiv backhig, and thus greatly im]ieded the destructive work of the batteries. On the evening of April 2nd a bold attempt was made to destroy the batardeau. This had been constructed by filling in the arches of the bridge across the llivillas in rear of San liotpu', tlius causing a wide expanse of inundation, whi(;h materially crampcHl the move- ments of the besiegers. Lieutenant Stanway was selected to cany out the design. He was assisted by f. party of twenty Royal Military Artificers, and had an escort of tliirty men. The jiowd'er (>harge of 4o() lbs. Avas contained in two cases. On arriving at th«> s])ot, Stanway found that tlie garrison had thrown up a bank of earth to sui)port the masonry of the batardeau, which liad shown signs of yielding to the pressure of the water. lie Avas tlms unable to lodge his poAvder in close contiguity to the Avail. Moreo\'er, OAving I A ■',': [C'H. XII. way, tlioii iij,' row <»1' .1(1 (lone it I'tMl hy tlu omincnccd (• ditch (if tlif (litcli. iss and tho )t ill." work niul • MiieleoJ rs greatly those who the ])alis- to mount, .. AVheu Corporal 1. . possihle, n lioiiue. ious from mi lieu- 31st tlie iuess and )ints, that need. It ■vetments hom's, at at at the Trinidad .8 great 1}' ( ) destrvjy- he arehes s causnig he move- L to earry . Military [>harge of tll(» sjirit, of earth WTi signs iliaLli; (o ii', owing 181I-lSIi>.] OF ROYAL KNCJINKKK.S. Wl to tiie heavy rains the hatnrchuiu had overflowed, and water was pouring over the toj). Ho hxlged his eases as near the wall as tlie l)!ink perniitled, hut was not ahh^ to tamp them witli the snnd bags that had been brought. There were sentries on the bridge who were on the alert, and had already fired at tlie powder party, lie felt, tlierefore, that to advanee tlie nund)er of men neee.ssary to carry tlie sandbags would be fatal ; so, having ignited the slow inateli, he retired to watch tlie result. No explosion followed; it was therefore evident that the slow match had failed. Stauway returned to the spot and rehghted it. Ai the second attemiif tlie powder ignited. Tho exjilosion did considerable damage to the batanleau, but was not successful in forming a vent for the pent- up wateiN of the inundation. Letter from Major Jones to his brother, Captain Jones, li.N. : — " Camp before IJadajos, " My dear (leorj/e,— 4tli April, 1812. "... We are very bii.sy, ])ut I trust that urn labours .UT drawiiif; iiuar to a coiichisioii, as this day or tomorrow will givo us two pra(^ticable breaches in the walls. I wrote you a long letter about a week or ten days .since, in which I detailed to you our proceedings. Since that timi^ we have advanced progressively, and fur the last live days we have had twenty-six guns liattering in breach. Tho weather, which tor the iirst seven days was execrable, the rain coming down as in the I )oluge, has since chang(id and continued fine. ( )ur loss does not y(>t exceed eight or nine hundred in killed and wounded. Colonel Fletcher, I am happy to say, is ahle to ride a little, and there will be iio ill conscMpiences from his wound. Wo have had several odicers wounded; amoiefst others is (,"aptain liolloway, son of Sir Charles : ho was shot through the luncs when gallantly leading the storming party at tJie attat . of Fort l^icurina — he was sliot on the top of tho parapet. It gives me much pleasure to add that he is out of all danger. You may recollect Mulcaster and ^bicleod of the Knginec-rs in Sicily; the former, poor fellow, had his head carried off by a cannon shot, and the latter is badly though not daii'fer- ously wounded. What a provoking thing it will be for Harry to arrive at tlie close of the business 1 he will not bo here till to-nioirow.'' (He and the other Engineers were in time for the assault.) "1 shall now put this up, to detail to you the occurrences of the storm. The breach will be well defended, and our loss will be great. Badajos, however, is worth •2,000 men, tin; number I calculate that Avill fall in the breach. . . ." (The remainder of tlie letter merely tells tlie fact that the place was taken, and enumerates the Koyal Engineers' casualties at the storming.) Bunjojineti Juurnal. — " April 4th. The breaches not thought practic- able in the evenuig. At night go with Wells (R.E.), and examine tho forts of the Kivollns under the castle. It can l)e erosse-I with diiiiculty near its mouth, and even the wall from the castle into the river can be '% m ;.!■ IH^ 302 HISTORY OK I'HK COKl'S [CH. Xll. crossed by a path that might easily escape ()l)sorvntion. We therefoiv propose introihicing 200 iiu-n by tiiat way round the foot of the castle bi the riv(ir wall, and endeiivour to get in l)y surprise, while another body makes the same attempt ludow the bridj^o; if one succeeds the way mij,'lil ])e open to the other, and then the two unitin<,' would secure n footing sutlicient to introduce u largo boily. I hit this project is thought hazardous, and the castle is to bo scaled instead in the highest part, under which the river may bo crossed at a mill dam as we ascertained." On April 5th the breaohes were roported nearly practicable, and it was expected that a few hours' more (ho would render them fit for assault. In the afternoon, Lieutenant-( -'olonel Fletcher, who had now sufficiently recovered from his wound to be able to visit the lines, nmde a (direful inspection of both brea(!hes from various points of view in the advanced trenches, lie perceived that they had been strongly retrenched, and in every way prepared for a most obstinate resistance. He therefore suggested to Lord Wellington that the assault, wliich it had been intended to deliver that night, shoidd be i)ostponed for tw be assisted b\' parties of vohmteers from the Royal Military Artificers, or linesmen doing duty with the Engineers, who were to be furnislied with axes anrowbars. At the a[)pointed moment, the men led by Lieutenant Wright [(•H. XII. Ve therofoii' the castlo to iiotluT body i way iiiij,'!it I'e a footing' is thoiij,'lil i^,'hi!.st part, cortaiiieU." icablo, iiiid !!• them fit tchor, who bio to visit rnn vuriouN I tliat tliey cpared for L to Ijonl i to deliver -11(1 that in u the wall iiy at this one (lay's Hon would uld, more- Biition. id by four 3. ( )rders ght at ten mns being nduct the *rform the 5sault the eurtain. to guide conduct «'er side of u'd of the teers from with the :)ar,s. it Wright 1811-18 1-,'.] OF KOYAL KN(iINKKR.S. yt)a movod out of the trenclioH and escalade,! (he gorge of San Ro,,ue, he attentum ot the garrison having been divert^ by a heavy fin' roni the say „n the covert way in front. In a few nnnutes the work M '"; m' g'i'T'«"", ""^avy fire opened upon them from all sides. In si.ite of this he c.,lunm advanc(Kl with admirable steadiness up the hill, and on reaching the foot of the (Jastle wall the ladd(.rs were raised. The opposition <,t the garrison was most determined. Loaded shells logs of wood blocks of stone, ami other missiles were hurled on he heads of the men engage.l in fixing the ladders, and we these were lu their places the Hrst of tluTstormers were bayone ed as soon as they showed themselves above the crest. Fol some line It secMued impossible that success .-ould attend an operation i-esiffnce!^^ ^ impracticable in the face of such an oisthiate General rieton had been wounded before the Castle wall was reached, and the command had fallen upon General Kemp This ga lant soldier was not to be refused, and the officers of the divisi^yii nobly seconded his efforts. Fresh men rushed forwa d, wl out the leas hesitation, to take the place of those who had fa leii and eventually an entry was forced, the defenders bayoneted ami the division formed up within the castle. It was then discoveS tlm a 1 the gateways leading into the town had been either walled up or too strongly barricaded to be forced, so that it was impossible at the moment to push forward on to the ramparts of the en, ein e ^Tir" Tf'^ *l"v" ^^"^^ delivered at the breaches Wiiilst this attack ha,l been going on, the two divisions con- ducted i-espectively by Captain Nic-holas and Captain W Hams advanced along the western side of the inundation to the ove^- Nay in front of the breaches. They were soon discovered and a heavy fire directed on the heads of the columns. The (lescenH to he ditch was effected, as at (Jiudad Eodrigo, by nieans of b I of hay which had been carried for the purpose by the Sappers who Elro' "r'" Onthese,.as so,^i is a suicie^t nZw hacl tiounl nH , Ti' •'' "^? J^"^l^^^- l^l^e garrison, as an addi- lonal obstacle had dug a deep trench close to the counterscarp vluch was filled with water from the inundation. Many men weJe drowned by falling into this trench in the ,larkness. C while fougasses were exploded, shells and other combustibler^m-ed down, and a withering fire of musketry kept up o the sCw mass as they collected together to storm the U-eaeh TW a S deplorable error was committed. The front had been in proces o f * , .' ^1 \L, h ■• • ij , I ui. ■• Miii ii04 IIISTOHV OF THE CORl'S [oh. Xll. I ' reniodol ing at tlie tune tlie siege began. Amongst other alterations the ditcJi had been widened, and it was intended to constniet a ravehn to eover the cnrtain. A portion of the ohl eounterscivrp and covert way was left intact to form ]iart of this ravelin, the new ditch hemg («xcavated around it. Tlu* stormers mistook tliis unsliapi'ii mass of masonry for tlu^ breaeji, and clambercMl up its rugged sides. On reaching the top they found themselves con- tronted by a steep descent, wliilst the foot of the real breach lay beyond. Nor was this the only fatality. Both of the Engineei-s leading the left division had been disabled in the covert way That column, therefore, deprived of ],rofessional guidance, instead ot assaulting the breach of the Maria Hank, became mixed witli the men jf the right division, and all was confusion and disorder. Before these mishaps could be re(;tified the losses had become so severe that it w^as impossible for the ofKcers to collect a body of men sufficiently (u-ganized and cohesive to make an effective assault lime after time handfuls of men were led to tlie attempt, and the number of officers killed and wounded on these deadh' breaches proves the^extraordinnry gallantly of the (4Forts made; but all was m vain. The garrison, encouraged by ih(> success of tlu'ir defence redoubled their exertions, wliilst the onset of the stormers became less and less vigorous, until at length it ceased altogether. Th(> men had no idea of retreat, but they seemed stu])efied and ready to die wdK>re they stood, incapable of further exertion. Lord AVelUugton, who with Iiieutenaiit-( olonel Fletcher and the rest of Ins staff had been eagerly watching th(> progress of events, now decided on withdrawing the two divisions, iiit'-ndin<>' to renew the assault a little before daylight. At this moment he received intelligcMice from (leneral Picton that the C;istle was in the hands of the British. He thereupon gave instructions that the obstacles which barred tlunr way into the town were to be blown down, and that they should then await the renewal of the attack on the breaches, and su})])!)!! it by a flank movement along the enceinte The fifth division, to be conducted by Lieutenants Lascelles and Melhuish, had been impatiently awaiting the arrival of their ladder party, which had missed its way on the road to the rendez- vous. An hour was lost before the error was rectified ; they theii moved forward to th(> point indicated for the assault, and sifter a sharp struggle succefMled in escaladiiig the left fac(^ of tlie San \ incente bastion. Ho much prejudicial to the brave efforts of the besiegers had occurred on this fatal night, that it is cheerincr to be able to record a stroke of luck on their side. The scarp wall of this face had been rebuilt, and at the saliimt it was intended to construct a guerite. Some feet of the wall had been h^ft unfinished at that i)oint for the purpose, and it was here that the escalade was [oh. Xll. tlier alterations to constnuit a (I couTitorsciirp lis ravelin, the rs mistook tliis inibered up its leniselves eon- •oal breach lay the Engineers 10 c'o^■ert way. idance, instead nixed witli the . disorder, had hecoine so ect a body of fective assault, enipt, and tJie ;adly breaches e; but all was their deCenee, iriners became >gotlier. The led and ready 1. Fletcher and proo-ress of nis, intondiny IS moment he Castle was in tructions tliat (•e to be blown the attack on ;• the enceinte. Lascelles and ivnl of their the rendez- d ; they then :, and after a ^ of tlie San efforts of the heering to be scarp wall of i intended to (ft uufinislicd ! escalade was mmmmmii^^-^m''^^-'''?'' i Vol I. [xuje ;if)5 . ilWi ^^^ ; i , Sir!] w e: ; C H "^ M y ^ - [xuje ;W5 1811-1812.] OF ROYAL KNG INKERS. 305 effected. Even under these favouring circumstances it was not until over 600 of the stoi-mers had been put horn dc combat that the defence was overpowered. When, however, the division was once estabhshed mthin the enceinte the fate of the town was f- led With the Castle and the San Vincente bastion both lost vas impossible to continue the struggle, and the fortress was won. It was an event without parallel in war. Three practica 'e breaches had been formed and columns detailed for their assault, io aid their efforts and distract the defence two points were selected on which an escalade was to be tried, with but Httle idea that they could be more than mere feints. Both the escalades were successful, whilst the main attack on the breaches proved a dis- astrous failm-e. The to^vn fell from the effects of what had only been intended as diversions. Of the officers of Engineers who led the columns three were killed and three wounded ; the former being Captain Nicholas and Lieutenants de Salaberry and Lascelles ; those wounded were Captain Williams, Lieutenants Emmett and Melhuish. Much of the disaster at the breaches must be attributed to the early loss of the only men competent to guide the columns through the com- plications of the enceinte. As regards the work done by Captain Nicholas, we have the following record from the pen of Sir William Napier in his description of the assault: — " Xicholas, of the Engineers, w.as observed by Lieutenant Shaw, of the 43rd, making incredible efforts to force his way with a few men into the Santa Maria bastion. Shaw immediately collected fifty soldiers of ail regiments and Joined him, and altliough there was a deep cut along the foot of that breach also it was instantly passed, and these two yoiuK^ ortioers led their gallant band with a rush up the ruins ; but when thev had gained two-thirds of the ascent a concentrated firo of musketry and grape dashed nearly tlie whole dead to the earth. Nicholas was mortally wounded, and the intrepid Shaw stood alone."* The two following descriptions of what they saw on this eventful night are from the pens of Lieutenants Vetch and Pitts. In a private letter Vetch writes : — " I think I told you that three officers of Engineers and thirty miners were ordered from Cadiz to Elvas. Our orders were dated, Head- Quarters, 1st March, 1812, so that we were perfectly aware of beino- wanted for the siege of Badajos. We received our orders on the 12th March and embarked on the ir)th, but did not sail till the 23rd, bein"- detained in Cadiz bay by a gale of wind, and we were unf(jrtunately four days at sea going to Ayamonte. We sailed up the Guadiana fifty niiles, " * Napier's " War in th. Peninsula," vol. iv. pp. 118, 119, .^ ;■.-.' ; % k , ■ ''■>^, \\ - ■ . ■=• r. I'v.ji !,. -* ( »N*w..«iaV' ■; ■■''j&'*i|**i£2S«s.*' irc; 306 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. XII. L[ and had then 130 miles to march to Elvas, which we reached in six days. 1 got one day's start of the party, and arrived at the camp before Badajos on the morning of the 5th of April. Every disposition was made for the attack on that day, and all parties told off. I volunteered my services, and was ordered with a party 200 strong to make a lodg- ment in the ravelin of S. Roque, and secure that point in case the other point should fail. The storm was, however, put off till the following night. I was employed the first night in advancing the approaches. We were three or four officers, at least half an hour laying out the work not eighty yards from the French parapet. The s^p was marked out with a white cord, and the men put doAvn as near as they could work along the line. They squatted down and worked away as hard as they were able in order to cover tliemselves. The enemy did not discover what we were about until three officers had retired and the men had been at work some time. Tlie moment we were perceived they opened a very sharp fire of musketry and killed seven men the first half hour, after which our men got too much cover to be hit. Xext night the storm took place at ten o'clock. I was before the ravelin again between the storming party for the castle and that for the barracks " (? breaches), " and very near to both. I had therefore a close view of this anxious and tre- niendous scene which I cannot possibly describe as well as you may imagine. Our storming party was a good deal fired at from the parapet, and the fire was thick enough. The ravelin was soon carried, but a long and anxious time succeeded without the expected shout from the points of attack, and the awful scenes on the right and left suspended all concern for ourselves. Our working parties could hardly put their picks and shovels to the ground. An hour elapsed with most tremendous firing, and no signal of victory. All this time our men were falling l)y dozens. I declare nothing ever etiuuUed my sensations at this time, and if the place had not fallen I should have been tempted to shoot my- self. Even the fall of the town gave little consolation when I saw the loss we had sustained at the barracks " (? breaches). " I am but a young soldier and may get the better of these things The town would not have been taken if the attack on the Castle had failed." In another letter Vetch says : — " My party of 200 men, which attacked the ravelin, carried it imme- diately, and marched their prisoners through the breaches. General Picton carried the Castle about 10 p.m. The parties at the breaches were completely repulsed ; those escalading on the left succeeded about 2 a.m., with great slaughter. At 3 a.m. we had pretty good light, and we discovered that the enemy had left a gate open near the ravelin, which tliree of our companies took possession of. I was in the town at 3 a.m., and it was completely in our possession at 4 a.m. I had been sent out to give notice of the gate being in our possession, and got in again about 5 a.m. in good daylight to behold the most shocking scenes of dead and wounded, and thp. soldiers pillaging the houses. Not maiiy of the inhabitants were killed ; but all were left without a rag to cover [CH. XII. id in six days. )efore Badajos was made for lunteered my make a lodg- case the other the following )roaches. We out the work s marked out iy could work 1 hard as they . not discover men had been opened a very If hour, after be storm took I the storming 3), "and very ious and tre- as you may 1 the parapet, 3d, but a long 3m the points suspended all ut their picks t tremendous ere falling l)y at this time, . to shoot my- en I saw the 1 but a young ould not have ried it imuie- les. General the breaches ceeded about lod light, and : the ravelin, 1 tlie town at I had been 1, and got in ocking scenes >,>ot maiiy I rag to cover 1811-1812.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 307 them or a morsel to eat, broken chairs and tables only were left. The pdlage lasted two days, when two gallows were erected to show the pil- lage was over. When looking about for (luarters I was implored by a lady to take my abode under her roof for a protection, and I remained there two days. I found my hostess was a Marchioness. Lord AVel- hngton called twice at my billet, and the poor lady had scarce a gown to cover her back." Pitts ^vrites under date April 7tli : — " The loss in the storm I fear has been very great. In our corps it Avas dreadful. I was on duty in the trenches on the night of the 5th, and again last night during the storming, where 1 was so placed as to catch most of the balls that passed over the heads of the party storm- nig the Castle and the ravelin in front and to the right of the Castle, but had (/oo'I luck. Nicholas and Emmett led the storming party to the great breach, Capt. Williams and de Salaberry to the breach in the Hank ^of the bastion of Santa Maria, Burgoyne and Wells to the Castle, Lt Wright the ravelin bisfore mentioned, Lascelles and :Melhuish the attack on the left l)y the 5th Division, Capt. Wedekind, Vetch, Rpid, and myself to the trenches to construct a parallel before the ravelin before mentioned in case the attacks had any appearance of failing, which parallel was begun and continued until daylight. Mulcaster,* Lascelles, and de Salal)erry are killed, Xicholas wounded in five places and two contusions, one of the Avounds through the lungs, and two ribs broke, his left arm broke below the elbow, his left knee touched on the cap, his left calf and right thigh grazed with musket l)alls. Fitzpatrick says he mmt ihe. I am at present nursing him and Emmett, and can' only write l)y bits. The town has been given up to jnllage, and thoroughly pillaged It has been. There were ten Engineers in the place; poor A icholas needs all my care for the xhort iim<- I fear he has to remain on eartli. His father has lost two sons in the Xavy, lioth drowned." f ^ A graphic account of the escalade of tlie Castle Avas written by ( aptam M'Carthy, of tlie 00th Regiment, who was an Assistant hngineer, and was witli Bm^goyne and Wells in conducting the assaulting party. Tlie following are extracts:— " On the 6th all minds were anxious for the advance, and orders were issued for the attack at ten o'clock that night. I again with Major iJurgoyne attended, by appointment. General I'icton at eight o'clock p.m. the acclivity of the mound as the shortest way to its [on. XII. out his watch tically, ' Some 11 not succeed, the engineer ed to receive himself and is to show me ... "I iches to meet rally felt the ; this division t. But I had ;ould not err." coming brisk legun to doubt should retard lly expressing ;, and drawing ., and he was e first parallel division then i it, when the ivision. The day. General ock is it?' and er before ten that General had advanced its head with e enemy's fire ral Picton anil iped, wounded e column, and to lead it with emely narrow) 1 the division ; overwhelmed, by the side of jlorious night, numbers AV(;re ['s left on the ;ie exigence 1 rs and men in I entered, and ' Up with the 5th). 'Yes,' led each otluT st way to its I. I 18] 1-1812.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. ;J09 summit. The above ofhcer and a major of brigade laboriously assisted in raising the ladders against the wall, when the fire mms so destructive hat with difhcu ty five ladihu-s were reared on the mound, and I arrancred tlie troops on them successively according to my instructions, dur!n« which I was visited by General Kempt and Major Burgoyne, although his p ace and the whole face of the wall being opposed by the guns of the citadel were so swept by their discharges of round shot, broken shells bundles of cartridges, and other missiles, and also from the top of the wall Ignited shells, ,%c., that it was almost impossible to twinkle the eve on any man before he was knocked down. In such an extremity four of my ladders with troops on them, and an officer on the top of each were Ijroken successively near the upper ends, and slid into the angle of the ahutment. On the remaining ladder was no officer, but a private soldier at the top 111 attemptm- to go over the wall was shot in the head as soon as he appeared abo^^ the parapet and tumbled backwards to the ground when the next man (4.5tli Regiment) to him upon the ladder instantly sprang over. I instantly cheered, 'Huzza! There is one (jver, follow him!' But the circumstance of the ladders being broken delayed the escaladers in this part a short time until the ladders were replaced, so as to roach the top of the wall which enabled the troops to pass over. * '■ There were twenty-four Engineer officers employed at this- siege ot whom four only joined the day before the assault. Of this number four were killed and nine wounded. The scenes that took place on the capture of the town liave been often described, and constitute a sad blot on the gallantry that had been shown by all concerned on the night of the assault Major Jones m his " Memoirs " remarks — "It was surprising to see the firmness and energy with which animated by feelings of honour, and controlled by discipline, the troops stood to be killed m the ditch during the assault, but infinitely more surprising to see with what mm, froid those same men, become plunderers and violators, submitted themselves to the Provost to he handed or other- wise disgracefully punished. Their humiliation was truly painful to behold and the execution of men in a state of almost brutal insensibility so as to be scarcely accountable beings, excited a thrill and a pang, althour^h felt to be absolutely necessary for general safety. :\Iajor Jones singly accom- panied Lord Wellington whilst walking round the defences, and his l^ordship not being recognized witnessed many sad scenes of drunken- ness and brutality, and on going out of the place sent Major Jones to the commandant to express to him his strong disapprobation of the conduct ot ins garrison, and to announce his orders that the troops should be paraded and the roll be called every two hours." * "Recollections of the Storrain^ of JJadajoz," by Captain MTarthv, oOth li'f-iment, and Assistant Engineer, JJrd Division. \v it; i 310 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. XII. The following referenoe was made to the services of the Hoyal Engineers in Lord Wellington's despatch, announcing the fall of Badajoz : — " The officers and men of the corps of Engineers and Artillery were equally distinguished during the operations of t'.ie siege and in its close. Lieut. -Colonel Fletcher continued to direct the works (notwithstanding that he was Avoundod in the sortie made by the enemy on the 19th March), which Avere carried on by Major Squire and ^Fajor Burgoyne under his directions. The former established the detachments under Major AVilson in the ravelin of San Roque on the night of the storm ; the latter attended the attack of the 3rd Division on the Castle. I have likewise to report the good conduct of Major Jones, Captain Nicholas, and Captain Williams, of the Royal Engineers." The series of sieges which had now taken place taught the Government a lesson not to be overlooked. The extreme difficulty of carrying on this class of operation without the assistance of a trained body of Sappers was the cause not only of the two failures, but of much of the loss of life that attended the successful ter- mination of the other two. In the bitterness of the moment, and smarting under the fearful number of deaths entailed by the (sapture of Badajoz, Lord Wellington was induced to be far from just to the Engineers. He wrote as follows to General Murray : — " I trust, however, that future armies will be equipped for sieges with the people necessary to carry them on as they ought to be, and that our Engineers will learn how to put their batteries on the crest of the glacis and to blow in the counterscarp, instead of placing them wherever the wall can be seen, leaving the poor officers and troops to get into and cross the ditch as they can." It is not necessary in the present day to attcxupt any defence against this accusation. It is well known that Lord Wellington habitually underrated the impediments attending siege operations, and neglected to make due preparation for them, even when there seemed no great difficulty in so doing. The Artillery suffered from this cause quite as m ■ h as did the sister corps; and their complaints were equally bitter and well founded. The truth was that Lord Wellington's strategy at this time required that all siege operations should be conducted in the most hasty manner, and he was prepared to sacrifice life rather than time to accomplish his Euipose. He had a firm trust in the British bayonet ; and it was e quite as much r.s the Engineers who insisted upon forming breaches and assaulting, without waiting for the slower and more scientific methods of approach. Nor is this said in reproach, for the army was not at the time provided with a corps of trained Sappers, -without which such a mode of advance would have been [t!H. XII. ■)i the Roynl ig the fall of Artillery were nil in its close. )twithstanclinff Y on the 19th ajor Burgoyne hments under of the storm ; !ar,tle. I have )tain Nicholas, B tauffht the eme difficulty ssistanee of a > two failures, Liccessful ter- moment, and ailed by the Rd to be far 8 to General ped for sieges to be, and that 10 crest of the them wherever to get into and : any defence d Wellington ge operations, sn when there llery suffered ps; and their riie truth was . that all siege inner, and he icconiplish his it ; and it was ipon forming wer and more reproach, for ■ps of trained lid have been 1811-1812.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 311 well nigh impracticable. The system adopted, and for which Lord AVelhngton is quite as responsible as Colonel Fletcher and his brother officers, was probably after all the best that could bo devised under the circumstances. It showed, however, the urgent necessity for a trained body of men, and the School of Military Engineering was the outcome of that want. i 'V ■ '' if i i ■ . m£. 312 HISTORY OF THK CORPS [fll. Xlll. h "Hi 3 ' • i 1 CHAPTER XTII, lttl()(. r Squire died suddeidy of a paralytic .stroke at Truxillo ; thus wo liaye lust, in my luiud, tlio best officer of tho corps, and a man who, I believe, never bad an enemy." Tho French armies f)perafing on tho two sides of the river had iiou lost touch of each other, and were unable to unite for any joint action. Lord Wellington took advantage of their paralyzed condition to jiush forward to Salamanca. In that town they had collected a considerable depot of anmumitiou and military stores. To protect these, and also to secure the bridge over the Tomies at this point, a strong defensive po.sition had been taken up. This was effected by fortifying three well-built convents— 8an Vicente on tho north, and Gayetaiio and La Merced on the south. San Vicente had been developed into a powerful fort, of which the con- vent only formed the keep, and was cai)ablc of withstanding any efforts short of a regular siege. The other two points had been converted into redoubts by tho removal of their roofs, the walls being adapted with nuich ingenuity to form escarps and counter-scarps, within which plenty of bomb-proof cover had been provided. To these works Lord Wellington decided to lay prompt siege, althougli_ his artillery lesom-ces were of the most limited descrip- tion. Lieutenant-Colonel Burgoyne was his Commanding lioyal Engineer, and under him were Lieutenants Pitts and Eeid, with nine Eoyal Military Ai'tificers. Bur;/0!j7ie's Jouruaf.—'' June 17tli, 1812. I accompanied Lord ^yellin^'tou to 'econnoitre tho fort from the cathedral and other higli buildings ui the city, and although it was found to be more rospectaljle than had been conceived, it wa.s determined to attempt to breach the convent wall of St. Vincent, and the mo.st conve- niiiit spu: was .selected for erecting a batl^ ly for that purpose. Tliis battery, witli its communication, was conriienced at night by a working party of 400 men. Being full moon tl • work vyas soon dis- covered by the enemy, and a lire of musketr} direc,ted on it. The nights were very short, and the ruins rendered 'it impractical )le to exca- vate inside or out. The 6th Division hail not been employed in the previous siep >, and groat difficulty was found in keeping them to work uiuler tbis tile ; thePortuguo.se, in particulai, absolutely 'went on their hands and knees and dragged their baskets along the ground. It was impossilde much work could be done under such circum.stances ; tho battery by dayliglit was not quite to the heiglit of the ' '■ il ■■'■ »l " ■ 1 , ■ 1 ■ 1 K - 1 '. 'l i ■: ).■•;♦ j ■'•; 4 1 '% •%-^mn' ai4 HISTORV OF THK CORPS [CH. XUI. picket outside ami a clog with them gave the alarm on th,. ai.pn..i.;h .,f our party The picket was ilriven in after 8omo little opposition, an.l tl... muiers .. t to work; hut the soil hviw^ loo.s,., an.l ,li(li(M,lt to sink in nn.l tlio .pot expoHod to i.lun-ing fire from the eouvent loop-holes, after losing seeral men, the party was witlulrawn, the ohject under the eircumstai.ces being impiacticablc. It had the, efTec\, h.-wevr of engaging the attention of the enemy very much from the working p'artv at tlio battery. " ' ' The Hrst battery opened firo on tlio Ifltli, but it soon beoanu^ apparent that the ailillery power at tlu> foniniand of tho bo.sio-ers was insulheieut, and, moreover, that there was not eiuniLWi ammu- nition, eviMi for tlie few light guns available. At 9 am. on the j^drcl, a fresh battery opened on the gorg(» of Ga\-etano, but not having elb.oted any breaeli by night an assault i;^ es(;alade was ordered, ilie stormors were led by Lieut.^iant lieid, and sue- eeeded in getting two la.Mers fixed ; but 1 1 uy failed to penetrate the work, II ad were compelled to retire, with a loss of 1'20 men killed and wounded. Ad(litional ammunition having been brought up, fire was re- open..,! on the _26tli, against both San Vicente an.l Cfayetam., red-hot shot being u.ed. with the hope of destroying the works by hre By 10 o clock a.m. on the 27th both were in flames, and soon after the Commandant at Gayetano hoisted a white flao- ihe remainder of the story is b.'st told in I'itts' own words:— '< The Convent was on fire in .several pia,.es : at eleven the Comman.Ianl of (rayetano offered to surrender both (Jayetano and M.-ree.! in two hours. 1 happened to met Lor.l Wellingt.m first an.Itnld liim He •n-dered me hack and .said ;/Vr mhmf.,. The Freu.lunan wa.s slilfand woul. liave lus tAvo hours. Afy Lord would not flinch from his tive mim.es, and after a tlnr.l parley the Frenrhman said he wunl.l stand the as.sault. In tlie meantime tlie govenioi of San \-icente ollered to capi- tulate. Lord W ordered the trooj.s to move to the assault of Gavetano, which was carri.nl with scarce any opposition, and the garrison lo.^t th.-ir baggage and ev.-ry thing except the clothes on tlieir ba.;ks. Tims ended T fnF'\ V '^T^'} }'''''' ^'"^^ *'"' 1^^"^"^ ""'' ^^'^ fo"»'tli or at most on the dth day if we had had ammunition, and this would liave Immm. v.tv quick, but as it is to men wlio un.lerstand our s/mp I am certain we deserve a great d.'al of ciedit. Our batteries were made with large flour sacks, scarce movable and into tlie bottom of the ],arapets we put beds ...t ou of the 1< rench hosi,ital. The unwieldiness ..f such articles under ;ri>eavv hre of musk..try and grape, with soldiers who had never Ijeen in acti..n with.mt a sapper, ami only two ofhcers of Engineers for detail dutie. an' ditticult.es which would make a Vauban stare. To make .uir platforms we had two saws and scarce a spike, and these platforms ma.le of rou-di joists of all sizes and dimensions, but our great.'st .liffieulty was in the embrasures. I see Reid is mentioned in Lord W.'s diqjutch for his [CH. Xltl. till! approiK;)! of )oaiti()ii, and tlic cult to sink in, lo(i|)-li(jlea, after ject undor the t, liiiwevcr, of ' wurkiiij,' party ; soon became the l)<'sio;»'Ors Knigli iimmu- 9 n.Tii. on the ;tauo, but nol escalade was ieid, and sue- . to iienelrato ? of ['20 men , fire was re- u\ (faj'etano, iig- tlie works n flames, and a wbito flaj''. )wn words: — (' Coniniandant fi'rcod in two told llilii. Ilr II was still' and 1 from his tivc •ould stand tlio ill'ored to cai'i- t of Gayi'tano, rison lost tlicir Thu.s ended or at most on lave lu'cn very ain we deserve jj;e Hour sacks, t lieds nut out under a heavy )eeu in action, tail duties, are our platforms iiado of roii,i,di Ity was in tiie spalcli for Ilia 1812-1813.] OV ROYAl, KNcaNKKHS. 315 conduct with the storming party on the uiKJit of the 23rd, and fully doservod it. ikirgoyne, in his report about the siors was as conspicuous as their bravery. What can resist British soldiers who, when wounded, ask an office)' passing liy, 'Are they Avell licked, your honour?' 'Yes, my lad.' 'Then 1 don't care a d n.' Probably so large an army was never so .soon defeated. Our soldiers never stopped at anything : they moved forward and walked over the French- men." nnrijoi/ne's Jonrncd. — "The conduct of my old friends the 3rd L)ivision was most consjiicuoiis. Supi)orted by a body of our cavalry, they made a tremendous rusli, and overwhelmed everything before them! One strong French regiment, with a body of cavalry, made a splendid rally, and retook a height with the bayonet in the most gallant style. Our troops had but just gained it, and had not had time to form again in order ; Init even then they did not give it up, although ours was a mucli smaller regiment, until tlu! enemy's column was (dose to them. The French regiment came up the hill' with a brisk and regular step, and their ilrums l)eotiiig the pax de rluuye. Our men fired wildly and at random among them ; the French never returned a shot, Inxt con- tinued their steady advance. The English fired again, but still without return ; they stood tli('ir ground, however, with great courage. iJut men in such confusion had no chance against the perfect order of tlie enemy, and when the French were close upon them they wavered and gave way. The officers all advanced in a line in front, waving their swords and cheering their men to come on, but the confusion became a panic, and there was a regular murr (jni iii;iit down the hill. Xo .sooner had they arrived at the bottom than they came to their senses, an.d were furious with tliemselves for having allowed the enemy to gain the advantage. In about five minutes they were formed in perfect order at a short distance below, and they then reascended the hill most gallantly, and drove the French down the other side as (piickly as they themselves had been driven before. I went down and came up the hill with them, and I could not help tliinking what credit was due to our troops who could so universally beat an enemy capable of such etlbrts."' . . . - " Tlic people of Salamanca have shown the greatest loyalty and attachment to the cause, even wheii there was every appearance of our being about to abandon them, and when the l)attle was over 1 met at ten o'clock at night all the medical men of the city coming out by torchlight with jackassi's loaded with bandages, .^-c., to dress tin' wouinhhl." J'iff.-<' Joiirm/.—^Wv entered :^[adrid August ll'tii. liurgoyne was sent to summon the (Governor of the Ketiro to surrender, which he refused." Bunji, lines Junmal. — " Learning from the Siianiards that there is a garrison in the K'etiro to protect tiieir sick only, Lord Wellington sent me on Avith six dragoons to suiumon thi' place. They lired repeatedly ''I»- r • 1\ [en. XIII. lirougli my coat orders Lord W. f the too great CO to ord(n's was ;h soldiers Avho, ell licked, your — n.' Trohaljly soldiers never ver the Freiich- ioiuls the 3rd of our cavalry, iig before them, lade a splendid it gallant style. e to form again ugh ours was a close to tliem. d regular step, ired -wildly and shot, liut cou- nt still without courage. But ct order of tlie y wavered and t, waving their usion became a ill. ]\o .sooner nises, and were ly to gain the I perfect order the hill most [uickly as they ime up the hill 'as due to our ' such etiorts." greatest loyalty ' appearance of vas over 1 met ty coming uut , to dress tlii' liurgoync was ider, which he ]\n,i tliere is a 'ellingtnn sent I'cd repeatedly 1812-1813.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 317 I at me when I attempted to go in on the side of the town from the M-alls of the Rctiro park, which they occupy, l>ut on the country side they let me m. The Governor was hurt at a verbal message being sent tliem, and answered, Lt'.f Franrnis m .-*'• rmilcut pa>i d farilcmcnt." Pifh' Jnunml nmtimwiJ.—'' The people were" half mad with joy, and It Avas as much as wo could do to get through the streets. Being the first that entered we got tiie 1)runt. They preceded us with boughs of trees and ni crowds, and made so much noise we coukl not hear tlie trampliu" of our liorses." ° _" August 13th. Lord Wellington came in to-day; the forts were recon- noitred, and preparation!-, made to drive the enemy from the park wall and buddmgs of the Retiro, which was effected this evening with verv trifling loss." "August 14th. Preparations were made to storm the interior retrenchment into which the enemy had retired. Our posts were within 100 yards of him. It was intended to carrv thi.s retrenchment bv storm and shut the enemy within the Star fort, to make use of the ditches and prirai)cts of the retrenchment as cover, to erect a battery against the Itudding and set it on fire with hot shot or breach it. This \TOuld liave -succeeded, 1 tliiidc, without a doubt, and we might have had the whole on the 16th. Fortunately for every one but the Engineers, the "ov(M'nor ch.ise to surrender. Three officers of Engineers and seventy Sappers are caught. Eeul was with the party on the French hospital side on the 13tli, and I with the one in the Plaza de Toros gate, where mc penetrated on tlie Hanks. The enemy retired from the buildings in no small Jiurvv the (Governor leaving his supi)er on the table. The three of us have taken up our quarters in the house of the Duchess of "Willahamina •uid' arc; living m rooms ten times too big for us. Sir Richard Fletcher i^ coming up immediately." lUirgoyne narrates the same incidents in more detail :— "August 13th.-Reconnoitre the Retiro early, and afterwards with l.'.rd \\ ellington. The principal post is the large strong .>^.piare buildin- calleil La China, on tlie summit of the hill, fornerly a china manufactorv"- round this they have a large star fort with a ditch twelve feet deep and' twenty-tour wide palisaded, but without revetment ; round this is an extensive complete line of field work of a similar nature of ten fronts with bastions, and within three ..f the bastions are buildin-s— one nf tiiem the Observatory, strung and commanding ; but ueitlierthis line nor t lie buildings within them appear i)repared fur d.-fenee, having no o„us 11. hen, and only a few guards. J^niud the wall they occupy the park wall and buildings skiiting the Prado with fleches to fiank the wall -this is, ot course, very (>xteiisive. Lord Wellington orders them to be driven troni this outer line of wall at night, for which purpose a body of 300 inen hreak into the wall and gates above the Retiro and near the gate of Alcaia with little opposition, and take post on the skirt of the 'woods very near their outer bastioned enceinte. Another 300 break throum drunk, and affecting great rage against the governor for surrendering. It con.sisted of 1,700 men exclusive of the •sick in the town, and in tlie fort wo found ISO Inuss guns, chiefly field- pieces, with a large (]U:intity of powder, 20,000 stand of arms, clothing, saddles, aiul equipments of all sorts (this Ijcing their grand dej)ot), and two eagles." " August 31st. ... A grand bull figlifc is given this evening in honour of our entry into ^Vfadrid, and 500 tickets given for the British and Pcu'tuguese officers, and 1,000 for the men ; nine bulls killed, and all the four hor.ses engaged wounded -thre(! of tliem nnist die. Two of the Ijulls leaped clear over tlie paling of about o ft. 6 in. clear." TUK SiKOK OF lilR(i()S. The occupation of Madrid by tlie Britisli army, although a brilliant measure and one that well marked the great .successes lateh' achieved, could not he made secure witliout furtlier considerable efforts. It was consetjucntly necessary that very hold, and even hazardous action should bo ])romptly adopted. " Witli this view. Lord Wellington determined to advance against (xeneral Clausal, who had rejdaced Marshal ^rarmont in command of the army of the noxih. Uc left Madrid on September l.st, LS12, and driving theFrencli from Valhulolid on the 7th, continued the pursuit until Burgos was reached. Here the French were compelled to evacuate the town, but the easth; which commanded it was held by a strong garrismi, and it w%'is clear that before any further active operations in tlie field could be taken it must be reduced. T'^n fortunately, Lord AVellington wa.s extremely ill provided witli the recpiisites for r siege. In artillery t]ii,s deficiency wus esi)eeially cons})icuous, tue l>attering train consisting of (mly three 18-pounder guns and five 24-])ounder iron howitzers. Tlie sup[)ly of ammunition for i-ven this small park was very limited, and required the utmost economy in its use. [CH. XIll. y yards), under trong Iniildings .lieir outer line. unoitring again ' storming the I wood in front with a flag of to ex])lain the saw thv' officer, t in and .-ettled lonours oi war, ig their private ) 4 p.m. they ge against the xclusive of the IS, chiefly field- arms, clothing, nd depot), and this evening in for the IJi'itisli ills killed, and t die. Two of Icar." ', although a lecesscs lately I' considerable M, and even til this view, ueral Clause!, the army of , and driving I the pursuit :own, but the rrison, and it he field could I Wellington f siege. In :ue Itattering e 24-])ounder 'u this .small ny in its use. ■^>^'-'^ ^•^■■'■wftwa^Bfe^ lsi-,>-l)^l;{.] OK l{()Y\r, K\(iIXKKHS, 319 i f/f Wl ^girieering strength wms also lamentably small. Lientonnnt ) 'J'lie t-ii (^olon^l .I.U2-g..vne. who was thr ( '..mnianding Koyal Engineer had uu. er his ordejw only Lieutenant-Cok.uel J. T. Jones, Cai.tain WilhaiiiK Lieutenants J'itts and lieid. To tliese were added t.u -f <--i;« of the line as Assistaiit Engineers; eight men of the Ivoyal Military Artificers, and eighty-one linesmen, who were either caiji^Mitfrs, Miiwjns, or mino'-s. Til." Casti* of Bm'gos oc(,'U]iifd the summit of an oblong conical hi 1, ami was enelo^d by a triple line of defen<-e, exct-i.t on (,iie >ide J he ower or outer trace cr.nsisted of the original w!...' of the .'-iHt e, suj-ijlemented by an partlien sbot-proo/ ])iir!n)et, flai.M^d by f«iMbour« mgcniously .■onsTru<.fcd at the mu^f effective i-ouds n.*- second line was of a YnU profile well palisaded, whiLt the inner <>ne,_ which was of -similar construction, surrounded tlie old n^''i .1 XT '* 1 . 'l«'velop,^d ii to a strong casemat...! work .-nlle.] the Napoleon Battery. It a'so included the church of La J>Ian'-a, a solidly constructed masonry building. The natural for- mation of the g. )und rendered the post extremeh' strong, excei.t on the nortli side, where the hill of 8t. AEicliacl ro,;e to n'.rlv the same heiglit as that on which the castle stood at a distance of :;;!V ;^*'|* yn'ils, a dee], ravine running between the two hUls ihis heiglit was occupied by a laigv hornwork, closed in the rear with stout }.alisading, its iiit«M-ior being under lire of the Xai-oh-on i.atlrry, and its branches ilaukcd from fhr i/uier line of the rattle ihe project of attack was to capture \\u' h garrison s{) men should adv,mco on the ront oi the worL, •: .t at the edge of the ditch, and from that i.oint k-ep up a brisk lav ua the defenders. Meanwhile, two escala.Hno. parties wm> to atMxk the salients of the right and left (h>iiii-baC t ions whilst a third should endeavour to penetrate by the fforcv "ver the palisade. ^ ir> h Lieutenant Pitts, wit!i a party of Highlanders carrying ladders, Plate I to ftuA pag* Ji \ -^^v'- — — Plate V. to facA pOLg* Jf9 . 3/r£TCH P /./f/^ OF ^^//fr.n.-l,Si;{.] „j. UOYAL KXfilNEKItS. ;321 the main assault was borne down by the resistance of the garrison, who were able to concentrate their" whole strength upon it. The French account of the siege says : — "Cetto derni('re oolonii.- donna Tassaut avec resolution et fut recue avec vigueur. <^)uel(iiies uns des assaillants parviiu'ent jusi.ue sur" le parapet, mais ds furent culbutes ct lo reste fut mis en fuite par notro tusdladu et par des obus charges (pio nous roulames dans le fosse." Burgoyne, in his journal, gives the following account of this attempt. It is quoted here ii, e.rfeiiso, as lie afterwards very strongly objected to the arrangements made:— " Septendjer 22nd. ... At twelve; at night assault the lower exterior luie without success. The orders given were for Lt.-Col. Browne at ten nunutes before 11 p.m. (afterwards put off till ten minutes before I-) to march out of the nearest houses witliin tlie old wall with laO men of lus Portuguese detachnumt, provided witli twelve felliu" axes • they were to keep along the wall, and making their way ua-oxMi the first palisadnig in :. very slight trencli, to proceed on to the next line of pahsadnig, which they were also to break througb, and tlien inunediatelv to communicate with a storming party of 400 men of the 1st divi^^ion who were to scale the old wall just beyond the al)ove mentioned palisades' lias party of 400 men were to shelter themselves in the first instance under a bank about fifty yards from the old wall, and at twelve o'clocl- they were t.. push out in the following order: first, the five ladders earned by thirty men, twelve felling axes, an.l an officer ami twentv men. AMien the lad.lers were fixed, the tw.'uty men were to mount them, ami fifty more from the bank were to follow, and when they were nearly all m the work more men would advance ami enter, till thev were completed to 200. The other 200 were t.. co\er this operation bv a .smart fire on the parapet from behind the bank, and were to be con- sidered as the reserve. The work being carried, the LiO Portur'. ' , i«'. ft* •:f 322 HISTORY OF TMK COIH's [« H. Mil. Htornnn- piuty n ..arly all rrowdo.l into tlio ditch. Four ladders how- ever, were placed and wen,- sutHcioatly Uv^, and so.ne o(l„ .ts numntod them, but were not followed. The ,.on,sn,uence w,,., that with the emmnnndn,. olhcer, Maj.r I.awrie, kille.l, and four or Hve omcers and 150 nu.u {>ne udn.H the Portttf-ueMe) killed and wounded, all .• about an uXn.l'lKoV/lT'l /"»■'• ^'^'^°'' ''"' ''"«"''''^''« uccon4.anied tin. IJaity and fixed the ladders. Jones iTi^ lu8 Memoirs, gives the following .lescription of Lord VVelhngton s behaviour on this occasion :— " Tlie next assault was by escalade, and re(iuired bold hearts and strong nuiseles on the part of the assailants; but it was practicable, and conse.,uentIy p,. ,hable, although unsucce.sf.d and attended with much iT;;., /'■'■;' lixod for nudnight or early morning, and Colonel Jones was le.Mred by Lor,l Welhugton to come to iiead-iuarters an.l let him kn, he resjdt as soon as the troops were safely lodged. Accordingly, aft,. to cii'^'f ;? ''''1 t'. ',ead-,,uarters (a d..tached straggli,>g budding on the edge .)f the village) and found it without a guard or even a sentrv , at the door ,• neither orderly Serjeant nor servant could b.. routed up, anil he rea.'hed the bedroom door uni.erceived and, of course, unannonn.-d. He knocked several times ni vain; but at length, on lifting the latch and openmg the duor, a sharp < Who's there ? ' greeted his ears. The nam ' being returned, he was desired to enter, and having detailed the mis- carnage, and fairly stated that the Portuguese troops had not been zealous or forward, his Lordship broke out violently against them, saying he had stretched every point to give them character, but that in tlie next dispatch he would repirsent them as they really were, and bring them down to their proper level. After giving vent to these feelings of lud guat.on, he .said MJood night' as if nothing had happened, and was without doub asleep again in a few seconds. Policy, however, imhiced his Lordship to suppress his genuine filings. X..xt morning li- was as placid and eoo as usual in discussing furtli.-r proceedings, and in the next dispatch the 1 ortuguese were lauded as heretofore. Lord Wellington had ccrtaiily a most unusual degree of moral as well as physical eoun,-c n this cas.- he was found sleeping soundly in an exposed and unprot..ct^.d house, which might hive been enteird at any moment bv any i l-desi..,- lug persons." -'J '•- 'o" The esoiilade having failed, it became necessary to revert to tlie ongmal project of niniing and Itlowing in tlie es<.an.. Tlie snv was puslie.1 forwanl until cover could no longer be obtained, even with a treiich SIX feet deep During the construction of tliis sup Captnni Y^Hiains was shot throngli the heart on the niglit of September L>4tli. This was a severe loss to the Engineers^as lieir strength was alrea.ly far too scanty for th,3 work they had in hand Lieutenant I'ltts had been tiirown from his horse on the niglit of the capture of the hornwork, and had broken his arm [< n. Mil. Lir ladders, how- i)(li( ITS mountod tlmt with the [ivo ofHcers and , all r about an uconipanied tliis ption of Lord )oKl hearts and I)ractical)Ie, and ided witli much h>nel .Jones was d h't him kui ;cordingIy, aftci ing huikling on )!■ even a sentry '■ routed up, and ', unannounced, ig the latch and irs. The name 'tailed the; niis- notlieen zealous , saying he had at in the next md lii'ing them ese feelings of l)ene(l, aiul was wever, induced niing he was as and in the next )rd Wellington liysical courage, md unjjroteeted any ill-de.sigii- ) revert to the irp. Tlio sap )btaiiied, even >ii of tliis sap m tlie nig] if Engineers, as V they had in horse on tlic 'ken his arm. lSlii-isi;{.] OK UOYAI, E.\;{ Th he loss ot ( aptain Williams eonipellea him to resume his duties I wpite of liis raaiiiied eon.T'ion. Matters, in fact, were mn\ growing very unpromising, and even i< till- early iipriod of the siego Lord Wellington had heconie .haibtiiil of siueess. 1^' i evich^it from the foHowin. letter which lie wrote to Loiu liathurst, dated Sei.teniber 27th: — " AA'e are getting on, Init not so rapidly as I could wish, and I wish I ould he more certain of final success. It is not eu. y, however, to take a 4rong place, v garrisoned, when one has not a suftieient (piantity of .^aiinon, when ai'. is obliged to ga\e ammunition on account of the distance of our magazino.s. and when one is desirous of saving the lives n{ soldiei . Then m)thiiig in the way of assault can be done cxcentinnyui/ur's Jnnrna/.—'^Hv^ mber 2Gtli. The enemy have got .mod iiiarksmen placed in the palisade tower on tlie toj' of the wall, who pick V-ff any one wlio does not go .autiously tliron^' 'he lower trendies Captain Kenny 9th Keginient, ami Assistant Hngiiu .t, was killed while placing a gabion there." X gallery was started from the head of tlie sap on Sept(Mnber •J.jth and Imving been driven sixty i,-et in four days, the miners tonnd themselves under the foundation of the wall. A chamber five feet in length was excavated, and charge.l with twelve barrels of powder ( 1 ,()S() lbs.). This was tamped mid prepared f<>^ i- 1.0 I.I 15 C ™l^^ ■^ 140 ui 1mm US 2.5 2.2 12.0 L25 III 1.4 1= ill 1.6 V] <^ /i ^;. ^^/ rtiotographic Sciences Corporation ■%* €^.. «l\. ^^$>\ V 23 WEST MAIN jTREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) P72-4503 A 't^ ft? >> 'r, that he should not fire the train till after he (Colonel Jones) had taken off his hat, and the signal had been acknowledged by a similar lifting up of his Lordship's beaver. Every arrangement being completed, the storniing party being sheltered at the nearest possible point to the mine, with a reserve formed in the parallel in their rear, a little after sunset Colonel Jones ordered the match for setting fire to the train to be lighted, then stepped out of the parallel on its exterior side and made the arranged signal of all being ready by holding up his hat ; no aclvnowlcdgment followed. Again and again was the hat held up and waved in the air, uimoticed from without, but not so from within the place. On the signal being a second time repeated he became an object of suspicion to the garrison. He could hear the French officers point him out to their men, and u >m one or two marksmen there was speedily a whole line of musketeers firing at liim from a distance of little more than 100 yards. A kind prnvidence rendered the balls harmless for a far longer period than could have been hoped, but at length one took effect, knocked him over, and with difficulty he rolled himself into the parallel, being stiU the sport of the French musketeers. A few minutes subseipiently an aide-de-camp, Avho had been long detained in searching for the fords of a river which he had to cross, reached the spot where he lay, with an inquiry from Lord "Wellington whether the precaution had been taken of forming a reserve to support the storming party. This question having been replied to in the affirmative, Colonel Jones ordered the mine to be fired, and after a few seconds had the happiness to see the wall rise up, fall over, and form an admirable breach. The stormers from their proximity were in a moment on its summit ; the working party speedily followed and l)egan throwing up cover to enable tliem to hold their ground. Conqilete success having thus attended his efforts, and it having become dark, he orde-ed himself to be carried out of the trenches.'"" At five p.m. on the 5th the garrison made a most detennined sortie upon the new works, in which they were for a time very successful, doing a great deal of damage, and inflicting a loss of upwards of 150 men killed and wounded. At two a.m. on the morning of October 8th they made another, Avhich Avas equally damaging to the besiegers, and caused a further loss of 200 men. * It is evident that Lord Wellington would not give the signal until his messenger (whose passage to the trenches he could see from where he stood) had reached Colonel Jones. He afterwards blamed Jones severely for what he ponsidered a needless exposure of himself, and declined giving him any praise m his despatches in consequence. %\ ♦ iiiii If ' 326 HISTOKY OF THK CORl'S [(H. XIII. nurfioiine'x Ji>urnal.-~" October 5th. Lieutenant Neville, 30tli Regi- ment, assistant Engineer, badly wounded tliis morning. By the exertions of the working party this day, particularly of the Guards, the parapet was turned, and some excellent communications made by evening. At 5 p.m. the enemy made a sortie from their covert way (which they had cut out along the counterscarp a few days before), and by the gateway at the end of their palisaded line, and rushing down got possession of the first breach, which our people abandoned, and, lining the wall about the breach, commenced firing, while parties destroyed our lodgment within and removed the tools. The parapet on our left of the breach, which had been turned against them, our men maintained, and at one period the enemy were on one side of the lodgment, and ours on the other, with only the parapet between them. Major Arnot, the field officer, commanding, and Captain Clitheroe, of the (ruards, jumped on the parapet, and endeavoured to get our men to make a charge over it and attack the enemy who were in the breach in the rear. They were both wounded, being only followed by a few men ; they were picked off from the second line. The men — chiefly Portuguese— who had left the breach and were firing from our parallel, were ordered by Lord Wellington to attack the ])reacn again, and ceased firing and formed, but did not advance till the enemy abandoned it. The (^)ueen's had been ordered up to storm the breach again, but when they arrived it was again in our possession. Ensign Twigg, 38th Regiment, assistant Engineer, was wounded severely, being the sixth out of thirteen of the Engineers at this siege killed or wounded. " October 7th The inclemency of the night, added to our usual difficulties in getting the men to work so near the enemy, causes little progress to be made, which is of little consequence, however, as at two in the morning the enemy make a sally from their covert way, upset the thirty men of the covering party who were put under the shot piles in front, surprise the workmen, and everything is in an instant in confusion. The covering i)arty is composed of the German Legion, the working party of Portuguese. The old wall is abandoned, and the enemy line it, and level our works within. Major the Hon. Somers Cocks, a young man, and one of the most promising officers in the army, was field officer of the trenches. He did what he could to preserve the post, and afterwards, when he could assemble the men, he led them to retake it, in doing which he was killed. AVe obtained possession again, however, probably by the enemy abandoning it after they had effected their purpose of destroying our works. Lieutenant Dumaresq, 9th Regiment, an assistant Engineer, and an excellent officer, was wounded by a grape shot through the thigh, endeavouring to rally cur people. He is the seventh of the Engineers and assistant wounded this siege out of twelve doing duty." In consequence of these disasters it was decided to attempt no fui'ther approaches, but to trust entirely to assaults for the capture of the two inner lines. The battery within the hornwork had for Engineers killed or [(H. XIII. alle, aOtli Rfigi- iy the exertions tlie parapet was g. At 5 p.m. the id cut out along the end of their it breach, which di, commenced d removed the ad been turned enemy were on aly the parapet imanding, and parapet, and and attaclc the both wounded, I off from the left the breach , WelHngton to did not advance red up to storm our possession, was wounded rs at this siege light, added to e enemy, causes ce, however, as eir covert way, under the shot n an instant in an Legion, the oned, and the i Hon. Somers IS in the army, to preserve the lie led them to ossession again, jy had effected ^umaresq, 9th , was wounded ly cur people, leers killed or to attempt no or the capture iwork had for 1812-1813.] OF UOYAli ENGINEERS. 327 the last three days been employed against the escarp of the second line at the point where the outer enceinte returned upon it directly under the left corner of La Blanca, and by this time a very fair breach had been fonned. On the 9th a now gallery was started by the miners to run under the church of St. Koman. A fire of red-hot shot was also kept up upon the church of La Blanca, Avith a view to setting it on fire. In this, however, all the efforts of the artillery failed, the solid masonry resisting their incendiary projects. By the 16th the gallery had reached St. Roman, and the mine, charged with 900 lbs. of powder, in readi- ness to be sprung at the moment of the general assault on the second line. On the previous night Lieutenant Rae, of the Eoyals, assistant Engineer, Avas wounded. Everything being ready, the attempt was made on the 18th, the explosion of the St. lioman mine at 4.30 p.m. being tlie signal for attack. The breach lately formed by the hornwork battery was carried without difficulty. At the same time a party advanced from the lodgment in front of the original breach and escaladed the second line, within Avhioh they established themselves for a time. Unfortunately, the suo^-orts did not push forward at either point with sufficient rapidity, the garrison renewed their efforts and drove the stormers back. Thus the advantage was lost and the assault abandoned. The mine under St. Roman was only partially successfuV and although the church was evacuated by the dafenders, and a lodgment formed Avithin it, no further advance at that point was practicable. This Avas the last effort on the part of the British. Lord Wellington perceived the impossibihty of carrying his point Avith the limited resources at his command, and three days later the siege Avas raised. Lieutenant-Colonel Burgoyne Avrote an elaborate series of remarks on this failure, wliich are Avell worthy of record. He commences by enumerating the various engineer means at his disposal, which, as he says, appeared ample, so far as officers Avere concerned, there being ten assistant Engineers, but owing to the enormous number of casualties, they soon became insufficient for their duties. He had eight Royal Military Artificers who, he says, " knew nothing that could make them useful, but who certainly behaved with spirit. We had 200 men from the line, to make fascines and gabions, who required to be taught, not one of them ever having seen such a thing before ; and I obtained about eighty constant men from the line— miners, carpenters, and masons, all requiring instructions; .... our intrenching tools were nearly all miserable country ones too small for men, even when inclined to do much v/ork Avith them, very easily broken, still easier buried and lost." i" ■> ( II! y .' ■ '•• ■ .,■1- ! .='^ i^^ mm =sxsBmm^'^ :- i-J-aBS?j™;siHF. If U I . 328 HISTORY OK THK CORPS '■■».. [CH. XIII *f I, J. I ' ' I'^.l n^ Ml 5 I i lithi'-' He goes on to say that in spite of these drawbacks the place could and ought to have been taken " if the plan laid down had been steadily and vigorously acted upon, and everyone had done his duty I attribute our failure to our feeble efforts in the assaults, to the unfortunate arrangements of some of them, and to an apparent want of contidcmco and languor in the troops concerned, whose conduct was very different from what I had been before accustomed to witness. I must, liowever, except the Guards, who for regularity, docility, discipline, and spirit, as shown either in working, covering, or storming parties, were an example to any troops in the world." It must be remembered that the bulk of the troops employed were Portuguese. He then complains of the distaste of the British soldier for work as distinguished frori fighting : — " It was seldom the men could be induced to take oat their own gabions and set to work, and I have myself placed at different times hundreds of gabions with my own hands, and then eiitreaM the men to go and fill them to no purpose. ... I had an o ;>portunity of point- ing out to Lord Wellington one day a French and an English working party, each excavating a trench. AVhile the French shovels were going on as merrily as possible, we saw in an eijual space at long intervals a single English shovelful make its appearance. We could not get a dazm gabions filled \i\ one day. Our musketry fire kept up l)y the covering parties, of whomsoever they might happen to be composed, was noisy, wasteful, and ineffective ; while the French kept a small number of steady men, who fired well, and never but at a fair ol)ject. Every gabion we placed at the full sap had ten or twenty shots through it, and an extra- ordinary number of our foolish firing parties were shot in the head by one unobserved Frenchman, while their attention was purposely engaged l>y another." After alhiding to the numerous pro ;ts submitted to Ijord Wellington in opposition to that which \>as being adopted, Bur- goyne proceeds : — " I treated them fairly, and pointed out coolly my objections, and how I thought the other plan better, which I could ilo with the more decency, as I called the one adopted Colonel Jones's, because while we were reconnoitring that side, having settled it to be the weakest, he sketched out a project of attack, which, with some little variations, 1 proposed to Lord Wellington as his." But the main point on which Burgoyne laid stress as the cause of the failure in so many of the assaults, was the mode in which they were directed to be carried out. In a previous page, one of these orders has been quoted somewhat fully ; and this is what he says on the subject : — [CH. XIII. icka the place ily acted upon, lite our failure rrangemcnts of find languor in om what I had opt the Guards, lown either in any troops in ops employed Idier for work out their own different times ited the men to -unity of point- Inglish working vels were going ong intervals a not get a dazen ty the covering sed, was noisy, iniber of steady very gabion we ;, and an extra- lie head by one 3ly engaged by tted to Ijord idopted, Bur- tions, and how i more decency, vhile we were st, ho sketched , 1 proposed to s adajoz, and, therefore, not more than forty or fifty men cculd mount at once, I am convinced it was only carried by the whole third division being there, and the emulation between the officers of the different regiments to get their men to mount; and although we lost 600 or 700 nun it caused success, which eventually always saves men. It was, however, by the faulty mode pointed out that all our assaults at Burgos were ordered ; and with the miserable, doubting, un- military policy of small storming parties, because then ' if we fail we can't lose many men,' caused us, in my opinion, more mischief throughout, more losses, and gave the enemy great confidence." Lord Wellington, in his despatch to Earl Bathui-st, stated : — " The officers at the head of the Artillery and Engineers' departments, Lieutenant-Colonel Robe and Lieutenant-Colonel Burgoyne, rendered me every assistance, and the failure of success is not to be attributed to them.'' Burgoyne evidently considered that this was not a mere figure of speech or an empty compliment, as he adds : — " 1 have heard a hint that Lord Wellington said that the Engineers told him ' the fort might be taken without guns.' This I do not believe. First, because it is not like him to say that he went hy other people's advice, but chiefly because I never said any such thing, as I thought that even the little artillery we had might have been of service. I do not know what his Lordship's opinion may be now, Init he certainly appeared all through the siege perfectly satisfied with me, and with the exertions of the Engineer department ; and although he occasionally listened to some project or other that was put into his h(\ad by other people as an accompaniment to the attack, for a general plan he always declared his approbation of mine." Lieutenant Pitts gives the following account of his experiences at this siege : — " Returning home from the trenches the first night " {i.e., after the assault on the hornwork), " my horse fell with me, and I broke the small .-. i\n -.fe-mrn^vab tT^^^TSJSS jW, 330 HISTORY OF THE COKl'S [CH. XIII. bonn of the right arm close to tlie wrist, whicli laid mo up till tho morning of the 2r)th Scptoinber, when I took Williams's duty, he being killed. Colonel Jones was shot through the ankle, and a severe wound it IS ; but the leg is doing well, and the fears entertained of him are from the very reduced state of body he is in. Reid was taken ill, and did little duty after Ist October, so I^urgoyne and myself were tho only remaining real Engineers, as a soldier called us, to distinguish us from the Assistants. Burgoyne got a lick on the head with a spent musket ball, from which he recovered in a few hours, and has the honour of his clothes being pierced. Tlie failure of this extraordinary siege is certainly in the main to be attributed to the want of sufficient vlrtillery, and also for the want of Sappers and xMiners. Had we had the first, as it was, we should have taken th(! place ; l)ut we should have been greatly assisted by having good Sappers and Miners. They would have worked more scientifically and with more rapidity than the men we had, who were chiefly from the (Uiards. They behaved very well, but experience was wanting. From want of a sufficient number of officers of Engineers we had many Assistant Engineers ; but these, though their conduc"t deserves every praise, are very lame substitutes for our own officers." Of the five Engineers employed at the siege, one was killed, one severely a.id one slightly wounded. Of the eight R.M. Artificers, one was killed, and the other seven were all wounded.* After raising the siege of Burgos, Lord Wellington retired leisurely into Portugal, and the troops were placed in their winter cantonnrjiits, every preparation heing made during the winter for the renewal of the campaign in the spring. Events Avere occurring at this time which foresliadowed much brighter ])ro8pects for the British arms. The disastrous retreat of Napoleon from Moscoav had so shattered the military power of France, that it was only by ex- traordinary efforts she was enabled to oppose an adequate resistance to .the advance of the allies from the eastward. It was therefore clearly impossible that the French armies in the Peninsula could be strengthened. On the other hand, the British Government, feeling that the time had now arrived for striking a decisive blo\\', strained every nerve to increase Lord Wellington's force. The campaign of 1813 opened, therefore, under much brighter auspices for the allies, and Wellington was not slow to take advantage of his improved position. Buniuiine's Journal.— " ¥e\>. 7th. 1813. . . . In talking over the general arrangements of the corps for the ensuing campaign, his Lordship agreed it would be advisable to attach officers of Engineers to the ditterent divisions of the army, and said they might be very useful in a thousand instances. 'There was Burgoyne,' said he, ' in the 3rd Division, always Conolly, vol. i. p. 187. [CH. XIII. 1812-1813.] OF UOYAI, KNOINEKRS. 331 10 up till the Jiity, he beiuff svero wound it him aro from n ill, ami did were the only iguish us from 8j)ont musket honour of his ge is certainly Uery, and also ;, as it was, we reatly assisted worked more ad, who were xperience was Engineers we iduct deserves IS killed, one li. Artificers, ^•ton retired their winter le winter for sre occurring 3ects for the MoscoAv had only by ex- ite resistance '•as therefore insula could jovernment, 3cisive blow, force. The iter auspices dvantage of ing over the his Lordship I the different n a thousand ision, always took the command of the Portuguese. After the business at El IJoden, Marmont told my aide-de-camp, who went in with a Hag of truce, that he observed we wen* forced to attach a Ihitish officer to encourage the Portuguese regiment on that day and keep it to its duty, and that was IJurgoyne.' . . . This business of El Hoden was on the 2r)th of Sep- tember, 1811, and Lord Wellington himself was present. Our small force retired for six miles across a plain, in presence of a much superior body of the enemy, particularly cavalry. There being some difHculty in moving the 21st Portuguese Kegiment, I volunteered to interpret to them all orders and regulate their movements ; and ultimately, the Portuguese colonel being an inactive old fool, I took complete command of the regiment through the day. They were frequently threatened but never absolutely charged, though it would appear l)y Marinont's o])servation that ho particularly watched for an opportunity against them, as the part on which he was most likely to make an impression. Lord We'lington appeared very well pleased at the time " (as a matter of fact, he thanked Captain iJurgoyne publicly on the Hold for his good services that day) ; " but I imagined it was all forgotten. This remark of Marmont's, how- ever, appears to have fixed it in his memory as a point in my favour. "April 21st. 8ir Richard Fletcher returned to this country from leave of absence in England. The four companies of Sappers and Miners, with four sul)-lieutenants (about 200 in all), move with head-quarters, and 100 mule-loads of stores, including 1,000 entrenching tools, and other stores in proportion." In the middle of May the army broke up from its cantonments, and advanced into Spain. Much difficulty was experienced in establishing a pontoon bridge across the Esla, owing to the steep- ness of its banks; but under the guidance and control of the Engineer otticers the work was satisfactorily accomplished Avithout causing any delay in the movement of the troops. Detachments were left behind to guard and work the flying bridges foi-med on tlie Douio and Esla, the main strength of the Companies advanc- ing to rejoin the amy. They did not, however, overtake it until the very day of the battle of Vittoria— too late to take any part in the action. A Company which was attached to the light divi- sion was employed under Lieutenant Matson to repair the broken arch of the Toro bridge. This Company, having performed that duty, hurried forward and reached Vittoria in time" to be present at the battle. Burgoyne's letter to his sister, June 2;3rd, 1813— " • • • • We have had another fight, and of cnurxi' gained another victory. The day of the 21st was very brilliknt. We drove the enemy in all directions, and he showed even an unusual degree of want of confidence, for in but few instances could our people get near enough to come in actual contact witli them. The 3rd Division had been before kept very nuich in the background" (Bur- ■ ;!■ i If 332 HISTORY OF TirE CORl'S [(;.,. XIII. '■ ! i ■^ : ■';'■ i 1 ^ Li m^^m^^ ■dB^^^^^ Koyno wiis onctt iiioio attaclicd to the 3r(l Division), " for Sir ThonmH I'icton is by no moam a favnmite with Lord Wellington • but when it came to a day of action wo passed all our com])otit(»r8, and Certainly had the most arduous and forwanl situation in the Held by the i)romptitudo and energy of my friend (Jeneral I'icton. It was very pleasant and gratifying to have in several instances in the course of the day messages from Lord Wellington to do the very things General I'icton had pre- viously ordered, and which were absolutely in execution. My poor horse (well known in tiie army for my attachment to him from having done the whole of my work for three years) was wounded under mo in three places; and while I was lamenting the lose, and particularly the Avant of a horse at such a time, to a friend of mine in the artillery, he, poor fellow, was knocked off his, which I mounted, after seeing the master safe with a surgeon and attendants. My own horse, 1 am happy to say, is likely to recover. • • • • " VVe are now approaching Pamplona, a very strong fortress, when; 1 trust we Engineers will have some professional opera- tion to undertake." In his joiu'iial Burgoyne gives a description of the battle, from which the following is an extract: — "The front was attacked chiefly by the 3rd Division, and forced repeatedly, and in every part the enemy kept tighting and retiring all day. They showed little confidence, and seldom allowed our troops to come very near thom. We marched over their guns by twos ant) threes and tens ami twelves. At length, when passing the city of Vittoria, their retreat became rapid, and about that place and lieyond it the great mass of their artilleiy and bagga'^e and military chest was taken." ^^ The Engineers present at the battle were— Lieutenant-Colonels Sir R. Fletcher and Bui-goyne, Captains Ellicombe, Goldfinch, and C. F. Smith, Lieutenants (lilbert, H. 1). Jones, Marsliall, Matson, and Keid. Lieutenant H. D. Jones distinguished himself so greatly on this occasion that his name was specially brought for- ward by the General of the Division to which he was attached. ^ The result of the action was so decisive a victory that the French were practically driven out of the Peninsula. Two im- pdrtant fortresses on the frontier alone remained in their posses- sion—Pamplona and San Sebastian. These were left strongly garrisoned, and with instructions to hold out to the uttermost, it bemg hoped that the retreating army might, after crossing the Pyrenees, receive sufficient reinforcements to resume the offensive. Not being able, with the resources at his command, to undertake the siege of both fortresses simultaneously, the Marquis of Wellington (he had received the title for his victory at Vittoria) decided to blockade the former, whilst he attacked the latter by siege. [' ('li. Xlll. r Sir ThonmH ; but when it , cortuinly had c pi'oinptitudo I)lcaHiint and I day mossagos (itoii had pro- Ill. My poor I from liaving I under mo in articularly tho c artillery, he, er .seeing the e, 1 am happy . very strong jssional opcra- the battle, II, and forced d retiring all our troo|)s to OS anJ threes Vittoria, their he great mass ant-Colonels ildfiiicli, and lall, Matson, himself so brought for- ittaelied. y that the -. Two im- their posses- eft strongly Litterniest, it crossing the he offensive, idertake the Wellington decided to iege. I8l2.1hi;{.] OV UOYAL ENOINKKIIS. ;iaa This bloi'kado wns at first ontrxi8tt;d to Lord T)alh()UHie, with two divisions of infantry ; wliilst tho rest of tho army pushed forward to occupy the passes of the Pyrenees, so as to prevent tho return of tlie Fnmch. To strengthen the front of tho investing force, Sir Richard Fletcher traced nine redoid)t8, to contain gam- sons of from two to three hundred men each, on comiuanding points around tho fortress at a distance of from 1,200 to 1,500 yards from the enceinte. These were thrown up with the utmost I)romptitude, the peasantry of the country supi)lying the gn>ater i)art of tlie labour. When completed they were armed witli tho i^rencli field guns that had been captured at Vittoria. Sir KicliardFletelier being at this time summoned to San Sebas- tian, to undertake the duties of Commanding Koyal Engineer, at the siege of that fortress, Major Goldfinch took over charge of the construction of these redoubts, assisted by Captain Pitts, who makes the following observations thereon in his letters: — " You nuist not quiz, but a shell came into the redoubt the other day, and sent the stones flying in a fine way, one of which caught mo hi'liind. However, it is nearly well, and I am again able to ride, though at first a xnft ctixliinn was very acceptable. Pasl'iy's sappers are most valuable and generally extremely zealous." This is the last record we have 7ei 11 eh ti t of ll:. Hod til toll int 600 me, ^o/¥r£ ■^fl^ ■ Vv^ ■ .JS«*|t.'*"^ \UP ft- ft *i- ' i ! 336 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. XIA' if' 1 ■ ■ i ■ 1 :^ -;, Mi 1 '' if-i } ■ j l> f' » > ' it >■■"'■ i ■ »■ 1, :^ eastern comer of the enceinte. Along this side the water receded at low tide for some distance from the foot of the wall, leaving an access thereto from the isthmus. At the neck of the peninsula was the height of San Bartolomeo, occupied by the convent of that name. This had been fortified, and a redoubt thrown up in its front connected with it, thus fomiing the advanced post of the garrison. On the right bank of the river were the Chofre sandhills, a series of mounds, from which the escarp on the other side of the river Avas visible to its foot. Farther to the north the ground rose to a considerable elevation, called Monte Olia, from which many of the ramparts could be seen in reverse. The scheme of attack was extremely simple, though somewhat audacious. It consisted first in capturing the redoubt and convent of Han Bartolomeo, and then in constructing batteries on the Chofre hills. When practicable breaches had been established in the exposed escarp, assaulting columns were to advance by the isthmus along the right side of the peninsula and storm the enceinte, the fire of the place being kept under by the superior weight of metal in the batteries. ' The scheme contemplated only an aftaqnc bnisqiiee, it being hoped that after so many serious disasters the French would probably not retain the energy to offer any very serious resistance. This project, which followed somewhat on the Hues of Marshal Berwick's siege in 1719, was drawn up by Major C. F. Smith, the senior officer of Royal Engineers on the spot, who was acting temporarily as Commanding Royal Engineer. It was sanctioned by the Marquis of Wellington, and ordered to be carried out under the direction of Sir Thomas Graham, to whom the conduct of the operations was confided. The foUoAving Engineer officers eventually took part in this memorable siege : — Lieutenant-Colonel Sir R. Fletcher, C.R.E., Lieutenant-Colonel Burgoyne ; Majors Ellicombe and C. F. Smith ; Captains Henderson, Rhodes, G. C. Lewis, Boteler, and Collyer ; Lieutenants Stanway, H. D. Jones, Marshall, Barry, Tapp, Reid, Matson, Machell, and Wortham. Under them were at first three and afterwards four Companies of Royal Sappers and Miners, which with detachments from other Companies consisted of fom- sub-lieutenants and 305 rank and file. No assistance was on this occasion called for from the lino, except some carpenters to lay the gun platforms, and later on a few miners. Ground was broken on the night of July 11th, when two batteries, which were to act against the convent at a range of 200 yards, were begun on the isthmus. Two nights later three others were started on the Chofre 'hills, intended to breach the escarp facing the river at a distance of some 600 yards, whilst a [CH. XIA'. water receded 11, leaving an he peninsula nvent of that )wn up in its post of the ! sandhills, a 3r side of the 3 ground rose hich many of gh somewhat t and convent on the Chofre lished in the y the isthmus enceinte, the ight of metal <(qni' bnisqiiee, s the French very serious n the lines of Major C. F. ipot, who was eer. It was rdered to be am, to whom part in this 3her, C.R.E., C. F. Smith ; and Collyer ; , Tapp, Eeid, at first three and Miners, jisted of fom- ance was on penters to lay 1, when two range of 200 3 later three breach the irds, whilst a 1813-1814.] OF KOVAI, KXOIXEKRS, 337 fourth on Monte Olia was to take tlie worlcs nf fT,o +^«,r, • At aaybroak on the Ulh, tlicy opened Are, and oontin..od to pour of the Vtt""']w'''thr?''"' lf\t\oonvent until the n,ori?„g the'^:rU?iei;TndnL^"S2 the work was stom.ed and carried with but KM? resistanel iZ S™: t:vz 7^ z^da^ *iH3'r ihe enemy being driven away from the height, two new batteries were constructed on its summit, to th^e eft of thT knTJlT " Tf'"" 't'^' ^^- '^'-^ great command over tt land front, and from whence many of the defences could ht enfiladed or taken in reverse. Two others were at tie same hme thrown up on the Chofre hills. When these weiv armS the bat enng power brought to bear against tL r veiw' consisted of seventeen 24-pounder s-nns fn„r fiS ,..; ? ronades, and four lO-inch mo^rtars^ in StionT tt'^ptX^ and four 8-mch liowit^ers in the battery on Monte Olif Most of these guns were mounted and at Avork by the 20th and tb. remainder by the 23rd. "^ ' ™^ *^^ The subui-b of San Martino in front of the convent havinn- been W and abandoned, it was occupied by the besLgers fnd a lodgment made m it Avith a communication to the refr On the mghts of the 20th and 21st a parallel Avas throwrupiW across the pemnsula, considerably in advance of this lodgmfnt aS which it was connected. iougment, Avitli Bunjoi/ne's JoumaL-" Jnly 22nd. Lieutenant Eeid, observing the dram of the aqueduct, Avhere it Avas cut through in our mralleT" he o o much difticulty and perseverance went completely through (240 .ardsVto where it ended in a fastor.d door in the counterscarp.^opLrthfface in ho 2 f ""-^^«^^'«^ r ■ '^"' ^^^""^«^k' ^"t« ^hich, tLugh ehinl s Lr\ M f T^'-'^''' f" ^''^'- The ditch appeared nLotthl th^dS/T trd'/*^"^' -'t' "" '^''^^" ^" *^^ ^'^^^ «f the bottom the ditch. It was determined, in consequence oi this discovery, to z . . ■• * r. i ■eS ;-i 1 > ; I !?' i !, t ■ ft I , i ;j;3S HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. XIV. I iff 1/ ir M make a globe of compression in this drain, and endeavour to force earth enough irom the counterscarp and ditch to form a ramp \ip the escarp of the hornwork. Lieutenant Reid, assisted by Lieutenant Matson, is directed to take charge of the arrangement of this mine." "July 24th. . . . The mine was all loaded ready, but not tamped, in consequence of the difficulty caused by the great length of so confined a gallery, and from want of air, which began now to be experienced. The powder was put in barrels ; the gallery would only contain two on their sides, and then one on its end, and so on alternately ; the lenglb occupied therefore by the thirty barrels was very great. ... It is understood by information from the place that the enemy's interior defences are thus : — The town front is very high, it is casemated, and the interior a high perpendicular wall ; the ends are cut off by traverses and ditches, and all the ramps and steps of com- munication up it cut away, the interior parapet wall completed for firing over with sandbags, makes the whole one enclosure of difficult access, and brings a fire up all the long streets, the town being very regular. One corner of the town is also entrenched, covering the dehouchi up to the castle and including the great square." The batteries on the Chofre hills were worked with extreme vigour, and by the evening of the 23rd one main and two minor breaches were x'endered practicable ; the former being between the two towers, and the others on either side beyond them. It was originally proposed that the assault should be delivered on the morning of the 24th ; but there seemed to be so many houses in flames in rear of the principal breach, that at the last moment the operation was postponed till the following day, to allow time for the conflagration to subside. It was decided that the signal for the assault should be given by the explosion of Lieutenant Eeid's mine, which was to take place at dawn on the 24th. By this time it was calculated that the tide would have fallen sufficiently to allow of the columns passing from the right of the parallel on the isthmus round the flank of the hornwork to the breaches. The operation was one the difficulties of which could hardly be overrated. The distance the stormers had to traverse v/as fully 300 yards, the surface of the ground being much broken up by rocks, pools, seaweed, and other impedi- ments. These obstacles would prevent any regularity of formation during the advance. The column would, moreover, be all the time exposed to a Avithering fire from the ramparts, both of the horn- work and main enceinte, as well as from the towers and flank of St. Elmo, whilst the breaches themselves were strongly retrenched. On the other hand, it was hoped that the Chofre hill batteries, as well as those on the peninsula, would bring so heavy a fire to bear on the ramparts as would prevent the garrison from offering any very determined resistance. The mine was exploded precisely at 5 a.m. according to Jones, [' CH. XIV. ir to force earth ip the escarp of itson, is directed 4th. ... The of the difficulty om want of air, put in barrels ; then one on its re by the thirty nation from the wn front is very • wall ; the ends l1 steps of com- pleted for firing icult access, and y regular. One ouchS up to the with extreme md two minor ig between the them. It was ivered on the lany houses in st moment the allow time for Id be given by 8 to take place d that the tide s passing from e flank of the the difficulties i the stormers of the ground other impedi- y of formation be all the time I of the horn- rs and flank of ^ly retrenched. II batteries, as Y a fire to bear 1 offering any ling to Jones, OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 339 1813-1814.] the day not having as yet dawned: Bureovne snvs d 'U) tenes, that it was most important thev should bo nKToTi i x As, however, was so frequently the case in these assault, fbo extaMiA some kind of cover, beS" hi h ftev m "^^^^^^ =ft". ;iK: :„^;,t?ri is Hix his they were in vear. and so, becomin- fn^L? A ??*' ^^ "^ In this disastrous affair Lieutenant Maohell was killed aid st I ■;4<-; 'U ,: ''''■■' mmjpuHiim^-s i ■' 340 lUSTOKY Ol" THE CORPS [CH. XIV. R. Fletcher, Captain liowis, Lieutenant H. D. Jones, and Lieu- tenant Eeid were wminded; Sergeants Powis and Davis, of the R()3'al Sappers and Miners, who were with the stormers, had been driven down the breach with the retiring party. Perceiving, how- ever, tlmt Captain I^ewis was lying badly wounded and helpless under the enemy's fire, they returned ; and although Davis was himself wotuided in the ai-m, they succeeded in carrying Lewis back to the trenches. In doing this Davis received a second wound, by Avhich he lost an eye.* Biiiyoi/nr's Journal.—'' Lord Wclliii<;ton came to the other side of the river about 2 p.m., and immediately sent for Sir Richard Fletcher, who, not being able to go, sent me. His Lordship seemed determined to persevere, talked of opening the breach more extensivelj' on the left, said he expected much more heavy artillery, and demanded a project attacking the place in front regularly." There was much angry discussion and recrimination as to the causes of this failure. No doubt one, and posr,ibly the most important, element in the disaster was the premature firing of the mine before day had fairly dawned, or the tide sufficiently receded to afford a convenient roadway. The ai-tillery in the Chofre batteries were utterly unable to render any efficient support, and it was not until after the troops had returned to the trenches that there was sufficient light to enable them to see what had taken place. A very general opinion prevailed that the assaulting cohmms had not shown their usual intrepidity. Unquestionably, the supports hung fire in a most inexplicable manner, and it was left to a mere handful of brave men to hold the advantage gained at the first onset until they were nearly all shot down. Murmurs were heard iluat the breach was not sufficiently practicable. This was certainly not true. Not only did the leading stormers ascend without difficulty, and penetrate into the ruins in rear, where many of them were killed or wounded, but Lieutenant Jones specially records that he was easily carried up the breach, wounded and helpless, by four French Grenadiers. Sir Thomas Graham, in his report to Lord Welliagton, acquitted the assailants of any want of vigoiu-. He stated- - "Though this attack has failed it would be great injustice not to assure your Lordship that the troops conducted themselves with their usual gallantry, and only retired when I thought a further perseverance in tlio attack would have occasioned an useless sacrilice of brave men." On the other hand, Lord Wellington seems to have had his doubts on the subject, since he called for a body of vohmteers from the various regiments to form the assaulting parties at the next storm. * ConoUy, vol. i. p. IDJ. >..;..? [CH. XIV. es, and Lieu- Davis, of the lers, had been :ceiviug, how- I and helpless jh Davis was rrying Lewis v^ed a second thcr side of the iliai'd Fletcher, led determintid elj' on the left, nded a project ion as to the bly the most e firing of the iently receded n the Chofre upport, and it trenches that lat had taken he assaulting nquestionably, ar, and it was antage gained n. Mu.rmurs iticable. This :ormers ascend r, where many ones specially wounded and 'ton, acquitted njustice not to lives with their ler perseveraiK't' f brave men." had his doubts teers from the ;he next storm. 1813-1814.] 01' ROYAL EN01NKER8. 341 After careful investigation Lord Wellington found tliat the supply of ammunition was too mucli reduced to admit of the nnmediate prosecution of the siege. It was, tlierefore, decided that a pause shoidd be made until the arrival of additional supplies from England. In the meantime the ti-enohes were to be guarded, but the guns withdrawn from the batteries and taken to Pa-ssages. The garrison, encouraged by these measures, made two powerful sorties, evidently with a view to ascertain whether the suspension of motive operations betokened a definite abandonment of the siege. In one of these sallies they succeeded in carrying off ^OO Portuguese troops as prit-oners into the town. Advantage of tiie pause was taken by the Engineers to push on some countermining work, ostensibly to guard against supposed nunmg advances on the part of the French, but reallv more with a view to the training of a body of miners who had volunteered from the line to be ready for future contingencies. On August 19th the fresh guns and stores began to arrive from England, and by the t>:Jrd the siege train was once more in a state to resume the offensive. At the same time an additional compan\' of Eoyal Sappers and Miners (the Second Company of the Second Pattahon) landed. This was the first company that wore the new scarlet uniform, and that had midergoue the training at Chat'-nm then recently instituted by Major Pasley. They were consequently known dm-mg the siege by the soubriquet of I'asley's Cadets. It was not long before they were able to show the value of the instruction they had received. Captain CoUier and Lieutenant VVorthani landed with this company. The siege train having been so materially .strengthened, two new batteries to contain thirteen guns Avere thrown up in advantageous positions on the isthmus, to breach the left demi- bastion of the land front, and the high curtain above it, whilst on the Chofre hills the existing batteries were augmented to the extent of twenty-one 21-pounder guns, seven 8-iuch howitzers, howitzers, four «8-pounder carronades, and sixteen mortars, ihese additions were begun on August 24th, and on tlie morn- ing of the 26th fire was opened from forty-two pieces of ordnance on the right attnck and fifteen on the isthmus. Whilst the latter were breaching the left demi-bastion of the land front, the former were to destroy the two towers and to extend tlie exist- ing breaches so as practically to ruin the entire length of the escarp as far as the salient of the demi-bastion. On the following day an additional battery for four guns was begun at the right of the parallel, on the isthmus in front of the ruined houses of the suburb. On the same night a detachment of 200 men, commanded by i4' .'' I." m I " i :,i • ' ' ,, ; g ■'£ L/^-H at' 1 1 .ilI .iJ ^i"-'L,i r; H 342 HWIORY Ol" THE CORPS [CH. XIV, Captain ('ain(>von, of tlu> !)tli Regiment, was embarked in tlio boats of file blockading H([ua(b'on. They were aeeompanied by Cai)tain llenderson, U.E., wbo was to direct the operation of captm-ing tlie ishuid of Santa Clara, off the entrance to the harbour, on whioli the garrison had established a |)o8t. After some resistance this was successfully acoonii)lished with slight loss. In the affair, ] lieutenant (■hadwiek, an Assistant Engineer, was wounded. As the island was in a position to enfilade and take in reverse the main defences of the Castle, it was decided to establish a battery there for five :;i4-poimtler guns, and an H-incli howitzer. The Frendi were much dismayed at the loss of the island, a calamity which they had not in the least anticipated, owing to the steep and rugged cliffs by which it was surrounded. 80 safe did they consider it that only one officer and twenty men had been posted there ; these were, of course, taken prisoners. The Governor, in his report on the event, stated — "The enemy, by e.stablisliiiif,' a battery on this rock will cau.se u.s lieavy losses, as even his musketry will prove very fatal to us. If we are compelled to retreat into the castle, we shall suffer much from it, as we shall be unable to throw up cover owing to the absence of eartli." In connection with the capture of this island, a gallant feat is recorded, of which Corporal Tboraa.s Evans, of the Eoyal Sappers and Miners, was the hero. It bocame necessary to make an immediate comnuxnication to the officer of Engineers on the island, who was superintending the construction of the battery. Being broad daylight no boat coiild venture to cross the bay without drawing down so heavy a fire as to ensure its destruction. In this dilemma Corporal Evans volunteered to «wim to the island. He at once stripped, and tying the despatch round his neck, plunged into the river. In spite of a heavy musketr}'' fire from the Castle he reached the island tmhurt, a distance of nearly a mile, and in about an hoiu-'s time returned with the reply.* For the next four days the batteries were kept in full play, and by the 30th the breaches presented every appearance of being ready for assault. That opposite the Chofre batteries was almost continuous for a length of nearly 500 feet, the two towers being utterly demolished, Avhilst the face of the left demi-bastion and the high ciu'tain behind it were also brought into a ruinous con- dition, forming one continuous roadway by no means difficult of ascent. At 3 p.m. Lord Wellington made an inspection, and decided that the assault should take place at 11 a.m. on the following day (August 31st). A sap bad been pushed forward from the parallel on the isthmus, * Conolly, vol. i. p. 196. ii.;j, '■ [CH. XIV. mrked in tlio ompaiiied l>y oportitioii of ranee to the post. After th slight loss, nt Engineer, I to enfilade nstle, it was onnder guns, (maj-ed at the in the least whit'h it was y one otficer course, taken stated — cause us lie.avy IS. If wo are from it, as we earth." allant feat is toyal Sappers to make an Du the island, tery. Being hay without :ion. In this island. He eck, plunged mi the Castle mile, and in 'ull play, and ice of being !S was almost towers being i-bastion and ruinous con- as diflficult of spection, and a.m. on the 1 the isthmus, 18i;j-1814.] OF KOYAr, KNOINEKKS. ;i4.'i as far as the foot of the glacis of the honnvork, and from this spot it was determined to blow in the sea wall on the right, so as to allow of the easy debouching of the .storming columns from a point considerably nearer their destination than was possible on the former occasion. For this purpose three shafts were sunk, one close to the back of the sea wall, which was about four fc^et thick ; the second twenty-five feet behind it, and the third forty feet still fartlier to the rear. The object was not only to blow down the wall, but to create a trench up to the ])reach, which was to be formed by the firing of the front mine. These mines each con- tained 540 11)S. of powder, ond at 2 a.m. on the Gist they were exploded simultaneously. The result was most satisfactory ; the sea wall was conipletel}' thrown down ; a good opening created for the passage of the troops, and cover for a connecting trench made by the craters of the two rear mines. The scheme of assault laid down was, that it should be made on two points. The first cohmin, as on the former occasion, was to attack the main breach, on which they were to effect a lodgment as soon as they had driven back the defenders. The second point was to be the left demi-bastion, with its high curtain. As soon as this latter had been gained the stormers were to turn to their left and push on to the cavalier in the centre, from which commanding position they would by their fire be able to drive the enemy out of the hornwork. This was then to be taken possession of and connected with the advanced trenches. At the same time a diver- sion was to be made in rear of the Castle by a party embarked in the boats of the squadron. This was not intended to be serious, nor was it in any Avay pushed. As was afterwards made evident, it would probably have been successful had any real effort been made, and if so, would have involved the fall of the town in that of the Castle. What would have greatly facilitated the attack at this point, was the fact, not at the time known to the besiegers, that all the prisoners were lodged in the Castle. They would have afforded much assistance by the difficulty their mere presence must have caused to the small garrison in the place. The assault was delivered at the appointed time, being about an horn- before low water. At this period there was anii)le room for the advance of the columns along the strand between the receding river and the works of the place. Directly the leading stormers debouched from the trenches, two mines were exploded by the garrison at the salient of the covert Avay in front of the left branch of the hornwork. Here a glacis coupe had been constructed, with a retaining wall, and this was thrown down, burying some twenty or thirty of the assailants. The existence of these mines was strongly suspected, and efforts had been made on the previous day II- h i i.i' 344 HIsrOKY OK IIIK ('OKI'S [CH. \IV. . , i , i" fi'l i ■i Is 1 M f . ! ! by lUiMiiis of II iaUo iittiick to iridiui! the oiu'my to t^vplodt' tlioiii l>reiuatun'l^y, ii trap into wliidi flu-y were too wary to fall. Ah it wan, a sorjeaiit and t\V(>lvn mm had vulunfcdvd to dnsli into tho covert way on tho first signal i'or assault, and inun th«'iic(( to jiunj) into the ditch and ondoavour ^o cat the train hy which the iiiinc wa8 to bo tirod. It Avas thoii rush which caused tho explosion to bo niado so far too soon that the ninin body had not reached tho spot wlion it took place. All tho gallant volunteers wore, how- ovor, involved in tho catastropjie. In s])ito of tho explosion, and undeterred by the terrinc Hro which poured npon them from every i)oint of vantage, tho stormers dashed onwards with the utmost gallantry. That portion whicli was directed against the nuiin broach attained the summit sucousg- fuUy, and in very good order, liaving driven the enemy bad in confusion. Hero, however, they found that a strong retrenchment luid been formed amongst the ruins of tho houses in rear, and from this such a dose and destructive tiro of musketry was ])oured upon those of tlu-m who had gained tho crest that the foremost ranks wore mown down almost to a man. Moreover, between the breach and the ruins there was a perpondicnlar retaining wall of from fifteen to twenty feet in height, forming tho rear of tho rampart, and at tin; foot of this was ranged every conceivable species of obstacle. All hiteral eonnnunications along the rampart luid been (!ut off, so that the only possible method of attacking the retroncihment, or of reaching the town, was by climbing down this retaniing wall. The attack on the (h'mi-bustion and high curtain seemed at first to promise less difficulties. Here, also, however, a powerful di^fon- sive traverse had been formed to sweep the cre.st of the broach at a distance of not more than fifteen yards. From behind this work the defenders shot down everyone who reached the summit. Meanwliile, the mass gathered at tho bottom of tho ascent was exposed to a close fire from the left branch of the hornwork. In vain the Sa])pors who accom])anied both columns strove to throw up cover on the breaches. Tiie fire Avas so close and so nnerring, that all such attempts only led to the saerifi'^e of tlie brave men engaged in them. Although thus checked on all sides, tlico etr' d no idc.i of retreat. Fresh troops were poured forward to Laku the j)lace of those who liad fallen, nntil at length more than half of the fifth division, as well as the whole of the 7-jO viVmteer stormers who had answered the call of Lord Wellington, were engaged in the attack. Upwards of an hour had now been spent in the vain hope of s' iiiiii(> i'xi>Iu('li(Ml Iho were, how- t cm tic firn (lic.stonucrs rtioii wliicli nit SUC0US3- uiy biuk ill 'treiiclinicut ir, iind from loured ujiou t riiuk.s were broach and from fifteen , and at the istach'. All off, 80 that lent, or of ■>; wall, med at first 3rf'ul del'en- breaehat a lI this work le summit. a.seent was iiwork. lu e to tlirow unerring, brave men no idt.i of lee of those th division, 1 who had I the attack. in liope of \y that the V. At this ! of Portu= isi;;.isi4.] OF K()Y.\r, ENOINKKRS. U4o guesc, and the other l?ritish, wore ordered to f,,nl tin- river from tile right attack and HUi.[M)rt the assfuilf.* This they did in very gnllant st yh., under a heavy fire of grapo and muskctVy, and made a dash at the far extremity of the long breach. Here ihev met witji the same resistance as the i>receding columns, and all elforts at penetrating the defeneo seemed futile. It was now jilainly <'vidciit that unless some furtlutr assistanco could bo rendered to the attack, and that spcedilv. it was bound to hill as signally as at the fust attempt. If there were one point I'ss invulnerable than another it was the high curtain, u.id 8ir lliomas liraham directed that the whole (d' the artillery on the Chofre sandhills should be brought at oikv into action to sweep the curtain and the ground in its rear. In order to do this the shot must iiass immediately over the heads of the storiiicrs at n iiin.>v of (rom (JOO to 800 yards. It seemed to be calling for almost more than human steadmess to expect men to stand traiujuilh by whilst the storm of iron was i.assing so chisely above them. ' The thin"- was done, however, and it is equally to" the credit of the st(.rnici^ Mild the artillery that not a man flinched, and not a casualty occurred amongst them from an ill-directed shot. In a very few moments the fire of no h'ssthan 47 pieces of ordnance was pluii«>-ino- along the curtain, driving the garri.sui from their ivtivnclmrent's with its pitiless hail, and crushing the whole defence of the line. In the midst of the bombardment a mass of fire barrels, live shells hand grenades, and other combustiblcswhich they had accumulated along the rami)art, was ignited, causing a series of explosions, killing and Avoiuiding a number of them, and throwing the re- luainder into the utmost confusion. Taking advantage of this accident, the stormers once more pushed forward, and succeeded in clearing the whole line. The breach, the retrenchment, and even the cavalier bastion were (id abandoned, and in n few moments the defenders in the hornwork were made prisoners. The panic now became general ; thos(^ who iiad so long and so successfully maintained the defciu'c of tjie mam breach desisted from all further efforts, and ioiiied in the general retreat to the Castle. By ;j p.m. the British were in c(miplete possession of t]i(> town, winch was in flames in several places. The disorder and licence usual on such occasions were only checked by the fire to which the Ijarties straggling in the streets found themselves subjected from the commanding elevation of the Castle. It was only nfter some tune and with much difficulty that any semblance of discii-lino * It had been ascertained a few days previouslv that the Uruinea was loraablu m low water aiinosl lo its mouth. 4» I'l. t 346 niSI'ORY OF THR CORPS [CH. XIV !.!»• v,as re-established, and the necessaiy ppecautions taken to seciire the advantage gained. The hornwork meanwhile was promptly connected with the advanced trenches, and thus formed a secui'e approach to the town. The effect of the enfilade fire on the higli curtain, though only maintained for tA\'enty minutes, had dismoimted every gun but two, and the entire rampart presented a scene of destruction and min hardly conceivable in so short a time. That the assailants must have succeeded in obtaining possession of this point, even without the ignition of the combustibles, was evident from the effects produced by the fire ; but it is by no means clear that such success would have gained them the town. The principal square and every street had been retrenched in such a manner that but for the panic produced by the explosion it is probable that the place would only have been secured after the expenditure of much time and the loss of many valuable lives. As it was, about 700 prisoners were taken, and the remainder of the garrison, consisting of about 1,800 men, shut themselves u]i in the Castle. The Engineers had to lament the loss of their gallant chief. Sir liichard Fletcher, who Avas shot through the heart, lie had been the leading spirit in carrying the sieges of Ciudad llodrip-o and Badajoz to a successful issue, and had shown his skill as an Engineer in the design and construction of the lines of Torres A^edi'as. Lord AVellington had long looked upon him as one of his most valued advisers, and gave great Aveight to his opinions. He felt his loss deeply. Captains Rhodes and Collier were also killed, and Lieutenant-Colonel Burgoyne, Lieutenants Barry and Marshall wounded, thus bringing up the total loss of the Engineers throughout the siege to four killed and sev^n wounded, out of a total of eighteen officers. The loss of the Koyal Sappers and Miners Avas also large, there having been sixteen killed. A connect list of the wounded cannot now be traced, but at the last assault the number was twenty-nine. It is probable that during the whole siege there must have been over fifty. Binyoi/7i'''s Jaiimal. — "Sir Kichard Fletcher, Commandinr; Engineer, was killed by a musket shot, and Ca})ts. Rhodes and Collier killed on the breacn. The former lieaded the first party that made a push for the curtain, and fell on the summit, covered with wounds (eleven). Besides myself slightly were Lieuts. Barry and ^larshall severely wounded." Lieut enant-t^'olonel Burgoyne to his sister : — " Camp before St. Sebastian, "Sept. 1st, 1813. " . . . . A\'e at length, yesterday, took the town of St. Sebastian by assault, after a long and very severe struggle. Our loss lias been heavy, and among the wounded you will probably meet with my vionn.'. [CH. XIV. taken to seciire was promptly Drmed a secure 1, though only every guu but lestruction and the assailants [lis point, even dent from thi-> clear that such rincipal square anner that but )bable that the diture of much vas, about 700 ison, consisting le. ' gallant chief, efirt. He had iudad llodrip-o his skill as an lines of Torres him as one of his opinions. )llier were also ants Barry and 1 loss of the ioven wounded, lloyal Sappers een killed. A but at the last Ae that during Hiding EngiiiC(M', lier killed on the ! a push for tlie levcn). Beside.-^ y wounded." St. Sebastian, St, 1813. of St. Sebastian ir loss lias been ; with my vi^-inn.'. 18i;j-1814.1 OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 347 Ilie injury, however, I have received is slight. A musket ball hit me in the jaw and ne(;k, a little under tlie right ear, but has not lodc^ed, and I believe the bone is not broken." (The bullet grazed the great artery Lurgoyne was at tlie time endeavouring to lead a party to the storm of the hornwork). •' It gives me a stiff neck, however, and, wliat is worse, with a very good appetite, I rm'f eat, except very soft substances. I expect, however, to be able to attack a piece of roast l).>ef again in a few days. Our loss in Engineers was, as usual, very considerable indeed. Ihe Lonimanding Engineer was killed, the command therefore for the present devolves upon me, thougli 1 don't know how long I shall keep it as a senior officer to me in the corps, though not in army rank, is before I'amplona, and another at Lisbon." Lord Wellington decided not to sacrifice any more lives in an assault on the Oastle, but trust to a bombardment to compel a surrender. A vigorous fire of mortars was therefore opened against it on September 2nd, and continued with little cessation until the 8th. Mefinwliile, a large extension of batteries, to bear on the lastle, Avas effected. One for seventeen guns was tlirown up in the hornwork, and another for tliree guns on the left of the isthmus. At 10 a.m. oil September 8th, fifty-nhie guns and mortars opened hre, and the bombardment proved of so crushing a natui-e that the enemy were scarcely able to return a shot. Lieutenant '^'^^l^^' ^l!^" ''f "^ *^^^ ^^''^'^^ ^^ a prisoner, gave a vivid description ot the etteet of this concentrated fire, whicli tore up and destroyed everything opposed to it. The space was small and much crowded consequently the loss of lif<^ m-us very great. Lieutenant Jones records tluit the ofiicer charged with the custody of the prisoners was so irritated at the losses the gnrrison were sustaining that he retused to supply the prisoners with the tools which thev requested m order to throw up cover for their own protection." After the hre had been kept up for two hours the (xovernor demanded a parley, and consented to surrender himself and garrison as prisoners of war. Tart of the A\-orks were delivered up at 4 p m and the remainder on the following morning. Tlius ended a siege which was almost unparalleled for the sacrifices It entailed ^on the besiegers when compared to the strength of the tnrtress. Ao less than o.oOO ofiicers and men were killed or wounded, and the time expended consisted of thirtv days of open trouehes and thirty days' blockade between the two\sieges Much (>t this lo.ss and probably half of the time would have been saved had tile attack been conducted according to more scientific ])rinciples i las, however, M-ould have demanded a full complement of Engineers au(i Sappers properly trained to their work, with an ample pro- vision of stores and an abundance of artillery and amnumitiiju. AH tiiese things were starved, many of them owing to difiiculties ot transport. It Awas only after a repetition of these bloody ■1 rialists, as in duty hound, will over pray," <^'c. This memorial was signed by the following officers: — '■•■h' .t a 00 HISTORY OF THE (OKI'S [.H. XIV II. Elphiiistoiie, Lieutenant-(.V)lonel ; H. Uoldfineh, Captain and Major ; J. F. IJurgoyne, ('aptaiii and Lientenant-Colonel ; Gr. Henderson, Captain ; C. llliodes, Captain ; C. Elliconibe, Captain and Major ; Vj. F. Smith, (Japtain and Major ; Gr. (.!. Lewis. (Japtain ; li. Boteler, Captain ; W. H. Slade, ('aj^tain ; F. S. Stanway, Lieutenant ; T. J. H. I'itts, Lieutenant ; A. Marshall, Lieutenant ; V. AVright, Lieutenant ; 11. J). Jones, Lieutenant ; C. Barry, Lieutenant ; H. Tap]i, Lieutenant ; E. Matson, Lieu- tenant ; F. G. Gilbert, Lieutenant : William Reid, Lieutenant ; J. 0. Victor, Lieutenant. Tlie explanatory paper addressed to the Inspeetf)r-GI-eneral of Fortifications, which covered this document, ran thus : — " Without enlarging ou the constant high price of every article of life with a large Array, which is felt in common 1»y every individual com- posing it, it is only judged necessary to explain the circumstances that are peculiarly unfavourable to Officers of Royal Engineers, the principal of which are the following : — " 1st. Their being so dispersed that the greater part of them live single, which necessarily leads to more expense than where in all other Corps the officers can form little joint messes, with the additional advantage of reducing their baggage. " 2nd. Their frequent change of situatiori from one part of the Army to another, to a Siege, a Garrison, an excursion to reconnoitre, or any other point of duty which, exclusive of the heavy expense of travelling where rations for themselves and animals are freiiuently not to be obtained, and thousands of other expenses occur, l)roaks up at once every little local arrangement of economy. " The above two reasons of their very unfixed state prevent their rations being regularly or favourably distributed to them as to other officers, and they are without the advantage of the suttlers belonging to different portions of the Army, and (,)uartermasters who bring up stores to their Corps at moderate rate, while the Engineers have only the resource of paying the exorbitant jjrices of the general speculators wlio follow Head t^tuarters for any articles they may re(piire ; as, for instance, they have paid in the interior of Spain five dollars for a pound of tea, at a time when an Officer of a regiment of Infantry has got it for two. .'3rd. The extreme inconvenience and constant mortifications they suffer in the want of efficient servants, not being allowed the attendance of any soldier, and t',.:^. expense of an English servant not a soldier entirely beyond their means, they are reduced to take into their employment Portuguese or Spanish lads. Deserters or other dangerous characters, without any previous knowledge of them or written proof of honesty, and at best but little capable of taking care of the animals or baggage entrusted to them ; this is a disadvantage that scarce any Officer of Engineers with this Army has not repeatedly suffered under nK)st seriously. " -ith and last, the important article of horses and mules. The I [.H. XIV , Captain and Colonel; G. iibe, Captain T. C. Lewis, itain; F. S. A.. Marshall, Lieutenant ; [atson, Lieu- Lientenant ; r-Grenerul of article of life ilividual coni- mstances that , the principal em live single, I other Cor[)s advantage of i of the Army aoitre, or aii.y e of travelling ;o he obtained, :c every little prevent their II as to other i belonging to i^ho bring up have only the eculators who 3, for instance, I' a pound of try has got it ans they suffer attendance of oldier entirely I" employment lus characters, f of honesty, Us or baggage my OtHcf-r of nost seriously, mules. The > ' 1813-1814.] OF ROYAI- ENGINEKKS. ,'351 establishment of a Subaltern is 3 horses 1 mule, C'ai)tain the same, Field Officer 4 horses 1 mule, Commanding Engineer 6 horses 4 mules." "The value of horses is about double in thi.-. army what it is in England. The lowest price of a country horse having no very glaring defect is about 200 dollars, or £45, at the rate the army is paid" that of a moderate English horse is about £70, and the latter is alone capable of enalding an Officer to execute his duty properly, although many are forced to forego this advantage. " The price of a small mule is from £20 to £25. The first equipment of an Officer in this article alone is equal to six months of his full pay and alloAvauces, for which he is forced to overdraw on the Paymaster ; and how difficult, or rather impossible, it must Ite for him ever to strike oil' his debt must be perceived from the before-stated disadvantages under which he labours, particularly the number of servants he must employ and their bad quality, to which is to be added the expense of saddlery and the heavy losses in animals by deaths or accidents, which render them inefficient. Many of the officers have lost thus 4 or 5 horses and mules, for which they had no claim for remuneration, and nearly all of them one or two, all which they have been forced to replace on the moment at great expense and risk. " From the above detail it will only be wondered how the Officers of Engineers on this service have hitherto existed. It has been by living in a state of misery and in a manner much inferior to that of any other branch of the army, by dressing ill, riding horses incapable of executing their duty with alacrity, and consequently, freipiently leading to an appearance of a want of zeal, and, notwithstanding all this extreme economy, being almost universally in debt. ^ "The peculiar disadvantages under which the Officers of Royal Engineers labour as above stated, it will be perceived >Io not apply to Regimental Officers nor, except in the article of horses, to 8taff Officers, the latter, however, have superior allowances, have seldom a table to keep] except those of high ranks, and but few of them have occasion to provide themselves with means of carrying their baggage, with many other advan- tages attendant upon being immediately about the General Officers. "At the end of the American war the allowances of the Royal Engineers were put upon the present reduced establishment on the plea ')f their being adequate to their situation in time of peace, and that the former allowances Y ve not been demanded during the late and present war could only have been because no extended service in the field pointed out the necessity of them till the present occasion had proved their total inefficiency, and shown the Officers of Royal Engineers to be on active service, infinitely the most inadequately paid of any branch of the P,ritish Army, unlike what it is universally acknowledged they should be, and different from the custom of every other European nation. It must also be recollected that till the present war the Engineers had all the advantage of the Service of Government horses and drivers, Avhen that establishment was a General Ordnance concern, and not as'now a Military Corps belonging exclusively to the Royal Artillery. ^f • ;♦ ( : ( s- ... -i,! . ,1 ■ ( j. -'' ■ '■ ■; j ^ fl ' '^l. clli. 004 HISTOKY OF THE CORPS H [CH. xi\- 1:1 ■ . 1 , f"' 1 i ^ , < ill " ( )ii considering tlii' whole of the circiniistances of their exj^enses, tlio UlHcers of tliis army humbly jiropose to Lieut. -(4onoral Mann to recom- mend their allowance of extra pay while on active service in the field to be double what it is at in-esent, which would keep them from debt, and enable them by continuing the same system of economy in other points to put their establishment of horses and servants on a footing more equal to their duty and becoming their situation. " How far it may be deemed expedient to put them on the more favour- able situation of allowan(;es that would enable them to go to some little expense in the jnirchase iiud means of conveying a few interesting iwofessional books, maps, instrunnnits, and other means of improving and rendiiring tlietuselves as equal to their various and difficult duties as possible, they leave to the superior Judgment of the Master- General and Lieut. -(ieneral Mann, not presuming themselves to obtrude their request beyond what will remove their absolute difficulties on the most sparing and economical calculation." Wliat tlie result of this application was, or whether the Inspector- General of Fortifications ever forwarded it, does not appear. Certainly tlie officers did not get their extra pay doubled as they asked, although they made out such a strong ease for help. The Passage of the Anorii, Lord Wellington made his arrangements during the winter of 1813-14 for the pro.secution of the war in France, and as a pre- liminary to that operation decided upon the siege of Bayonne, as soon as the weatlnn* became sufficiently open to enable him to act in the field. In order to accomplish this, it was absolutely necessary that a bridge should be established across the Adour, although the diifi- cultics attending such an operation were recognized as being extnnnely formidable. It was considered that such a bridge should be of suifi(>ient stability and permanence to serve as the main line of conmumication for the army even after the reduction of the town, althougli, of course, its original pm-pose would be to facilitate that operation. Bayonne is situated on the left bank of the Adom*, at the point where the Nive flows into it, the distance to the sea being about fom' miles. After a careful reconnaissance, it was decided that the proposed bridge should be constructed between the town and the sea. A spot was selected, about two and a-half miles from Bayonne, at a short distance below a bend in the river, which would to a certain extent screen it from the view of the garrison. At this point, the Adorn- had been trabanked on both sides by high retaining Avails, of a very massive character. The object of this embankment had been to increase the scour of the river, and if possible to sweep away the shifting sandbanks which formed a [CH. Xl\-. ir expenses, the klann to reconi- 3 in the field to from debt, and in other points ting more equal lie more favoiu'- o to some little ■ew interesting improving and [icii.lt duties as ;er-General and le their request le most sparing the Iiispector- not appear. ubled as they help. the winter of and as a pre- Bajonne, as )le him to act essary that a ugh the diih- ied as being Lch a bridge serve as the the reduction e would be to , at the point - being about decided that he town and f miles from river, which the garrison, loth sides by !'he object of he river, and ich formed a 1«1;3-IS14.] OF KOVAI, K.NGINKEKS. 353 biu; at Its nioutli, and rendered its navigation extremely difficult Ihis, however, it liad failed to do, and at the time the construction ot the bridge was decided on, the bar stretched away to the west- ward, rendering tlie crossing very dangerous, but to a large extent slielteriiig the river from the effects of the ocean swell. The rise .d the tide was about fourteen feet at the springs, and on the right side the country m rear of the retaining wall was constantly liooded, and therefore extremely marshy. The breadtli of the river at the point selected for the bridge was close upon 30U It was evident that in such a position the ordinary tin pontoons would prove utterly useless. The great width of the river the current wJiich at that time of tlie year ran with extreme violence troni the iiisli of the mountain torrents, the opposing swell of the sea which ..ften caused excessive agitation in the water, these difficulties united to render it necessarj' that stability should be combined with flexibility in the form the bridge ouglit to take._ It was therefore decided to seciu-e a number of tlie local coasting vessels, called vJm.sc-mam',. These ranged from forty to hfty feet in length, and being decked were of considerable strength. About fifty ot them, with their crews, were hired at the i^o- nu 1 '"' '^''.-'"''f' l^s^^'ig'es, and Socoa, at a daily cost of ^\' 1, '^^^" ' ^Jie bridge was as follows :— Ihe boats were to be anchored in a direct line across the river at a distance of tlurty feet apart from centre to centre* There being an insufficiency of baulks to carry the superstructure, it was decided to use five 13-inch cables in their stead. A stout sleeper spiked to the deck of eadi boat, running fore and aft, with five deep notches cut in it, at distances of two feet apart, woiild form a cradle for the cables. On the right bank they wer J obe anchored by being attached to LS-pounder guns. These being carried over the retaining wall, and dropped on the far side, would bury themselves in the morass, and thus give a good o-rip to the cables. On the left bank they were to%e taken tgroligh double blocks attached to a framework constructed for the piuT)o?e and hauled taut by means of capstans. ' Lieutenant-Colonel Elphinstone, who was now Lord Wellington's tommanding lioyal Engineer, had the general superintendeSee of the design, and carried out all the arrangements necessary for its execution. Socoa was made the point of assembly, and here all the stores necessary for the outfit of the boats were prepared. •The reason so many more boats were taken up than would be required to m c'Ssing the bar'"' "'' '^" ^'''" ""'' ^^"' ^'"^" '''''^' ^'''' ^^ticipated :.■> \-% A A i t' •:( i-l !l j 1 , ! 1 ■'I' '.M 1 ;j-j4 HISTOUY OF THE CORPS [CH. XIV. Each vh(iH.sv-m(n't'<' carried its share of tlie superstructure of the bridge, together with an assortment of such stores and tools as seemed likely to be required during its construction. Five of the strongest and best boats were selected to form the central piers of the bridge, and on board these were placed the five cables, so coiled that they could be payed out from both ends simultaneously. When all was ready the Hotilla was told off into five divisions, and placed imder the conminnd of Engineer ofKcers as follows : — Captain Slade took charge of the central division, Lieutenants Savage and West the two right, and Lieutenants Kobe and Kivers the two left divisions. Lieutenant llcid was given the duty of securing the cables on the right bank, and Lieutenant Melhuish that of securing and hauling taut on the left bank. Two Sappers were placed in each boat to fix the sleepers and cut down the freeboard, so as to allow the cables to lie level when stretched. The construction of a boom, to protect the bridge from any hostile efforts on the part of the gairison of Bayonne, was undertaken by the navy. On the evening of February 22nd, 1814, the flotilla put to sea from Socoa, escorted by a frigate, a brig, and five gunboats, the Avhole under the command of Admiral Penrose. Meanwhile, Lord Wellington had given orders that a passage across the river was to be forced, and the right bank taken possession of, in anticipation of the arrival of the flotilla and forniatit)n of the bridge. For this purpose six boats of the transports were to be conveyed, with eighteen pontoons, to the left bank, and two brigades, one of Guards and one of Grermans, were marched to the river on the night of the 22nd. By morning only five of the pontoons and four of the boats had arrived, the road havuig proved very bad ; but Sir John Hope, who had direction of the operation, determined, nevertheless, to attempt the passage, as tb," remainder were hourly expected. Burgoyne's Journal — " February 23rd Tlie horses havinj; liad a few hours' rest, the Avliole of the pontoons were brought, up, anil collected under the nearest cover. The advanced party, of about fifty light infantry, was conveyed across by the six jolly boats. The French jiicket retired towards Eayonne. The six jolly boats continued passing reinforcements as fast as possible. Two rafts wore constructed of three pontoons each ; they could not be towed across by the small boats on account of the rapidity of the tide and their unwieldiness. A rope was therefore stretched across the river, and two or three turns made by the rafts at slack tide with some difficulty. .At length the tide became very strong, and the raft, loaded with fifty men (with their packs, arms, i^'c), stuck in the middle of the stream, and could neither be got one way or the other till about 6 p.m., at slaek tide. By the evening only one liat- [ CH. XIV. 181;}.1H14.] OF ROYAL KNGINKKRS. 35ii ictme of the and tools as Five of the itral piers of ve cables, so iiultaneously. ivo divisions, as follows : — Lieutenants ts liobe and as given the I Ijioutenant le left bank. q)ers and cut e level when ? bridge from iayonne, was ia put to sea ve gunboats, Meanwhile, ross the river ession of, in lation of the lorts were to ink, and two 3 marched to ly five of the road havhig ■ection of the issage, as th,' ! horses havinj^ ought, up, and of about fifty Tlie French tinned passing 'ucted of three small boats on . A rope was IS made by tlie le became very ;ks, arms, i^'c), got one way or ;■ only one liat- tdlion of tlio (iuards (abcnit 600 men) and u few rockets were acros-s. Tlio enemy came out from tlie citadel side of Hayonno witli about 1,200 iiieii, and drove in our advanced jiarties, und advanced to very near our line. The battalion was drawn up near where they had crossed on the l)oint from the river to the sea. On the advanc(! of the enemy, with an apparent determination to attack, some guns were openiid on them from the left bank, and the rockets fired very sharplv on them from a short distance. They had great effect, and checked "them completely. At night the enemy retired, and we continued passing troops, but very slowly. The rafts only took two or three turns at each slack tide. . "February 24th.— By morning one brigade of Guards and one bat^ tahon of Germans only were across. The flotilla apj.eared eft; Ijut could not cross the bar. Our mode of passing the troops was so slow that it was necessary to try some other. We put four oars to each pontoon, and loading it besides with from twelve to twimty soldiers, they crossed well and (juickly for about four hours of the six of each tide. Con- tuiued passing the troops by rowing them over in the jolly boats and pont'-ons, and to keep them going well obtained about 'SOO soldiers, who c(juld row, to man them, formed three reliefs, and having a quantity of rum from the commissary, to give them half a ration before and after every tour of this duty, ke[»t them going very well." Meanwhile the flotilla Avas off the bar, but the wind had set in on shore with considerable violence, causing much surf and a heavy sea. To enter the river under such circumstances seemed extremely ventiu-esome, and nmch difficulty was experienced in inducing, or rather in compelling, the native crews of the (■//a,s.sr- jiian'cs to persevere. In fact, but for the presence of the Engineer ofhcers and Sappers, it is certain that none of them would have ventiu-ed to face the risk. As it was, thirty-four of them suc- ceeded in passing the bar, and entering the river ; two were lost in the attempt, and eleven retui-ned to St. Jean de Luz, having failed to cross. In one of the two vessels that were lost the Sappers on board were drowned with the rest jf the crew. The other boat had safely crossed the bar, but Avaf> swamped by a sea as it entered the river. In this case the two Sappers succeeded in .3aching the shore in a very exhausted condition. Admiral Penrose, in his"^despateh of February 25th, 1814, thus recorded his opinion of the services rendered by the lioyal Engineers : — " That so many cha.-'iie-riiareex ventured the experiment I attribute to there having been one or more Sappers placed in each of them, and a captain and eight lieutenants of Fngineers connnanding them in divi- sions. The zeal and science of these officers triumphed over the diffi- culties of the navigation, and I trust that n(me of their valuable lives have fallen a sacrifice to their spirited exertions." As soon as the boats reached the spot selected for the bridge, ( ( . ;}r>G HISTORY OK THK CORPS [c;n. XIV. ! ' \ tliey were (iii('h;mMl stt'in and storn in tli(>ir places, the cables wore jtajed out, secured, and hauled taut, and the Hujierstrueture laid down. The work was carried on so vigorously through the night tliat by noon on the succeeding day troops began to cross. Much dilticulty was for some time experienced in keeping the cables sutticiently level, as they stretched imder the strain of the weio^ht placed on them. By degrees, however, this gradual expansion ceased, and it becanu^ possible +0 keep them fairly taut. Event- ually, as baulks became available, they were tixed from boat to boat without disturbing the cable a/rangements, and materially assisted in steadying the bridge. At times the violence of the swell nuido the vessels pitch so heavily that it was considered unsafe to cross ; but the bridge was never broken or in any way injured by the action of the water. It continued to remain tlu' principal line of communication for the army in France till the close of the war. This Avork lias been justly characterized by Hir W. Napier, in his description of the operation, as "a stupendous undertaking, Avhieh must ahvays rank amongst the prodigies of war."* In fact, the very audacity of the project became one of the elements of its success. It was deemed so impracticable that the French made no effort to guard against it. They were consequently uiuible to offer any effectual opposition Avhilst it was being carried out.. * '• War ia the Peninsula," vol. vi. j). 94. If ■ [<;|[. \iv. e cables wore trueture laid [gh the night :.VOHii. MiK'll ig the cables »f the weight al exj>au8ioii aut. Event - from boat to 1(1 materiall}' )leuce of the IS eonsideretl ■ iu any way ) remain the ranee till the V. Napier, hi undertaking, war."* In the elements ; the French consequently being carried 1812-181.;.] OK UOYAL ENOINKKHS. 357 CHAPTER XV. Thk Second American Wah— 1812-1815. Opening of the War in 1812— Capture of Fort Detroit by the Canadians- Failure of Subsecpunt Attempts at In\asion by the Americans— Cajjtiin; of Washington— Destruction of Public Buildings— Attack on New Orleans— Burgoyne's Journal— Description of the Defences of New Orleans— Ad- vance against the Linens— The Attack llejuilsed and General Pakenham Killed— Council of War— Extraordinary Revelation— Lieutenant W right Killed— Attack of Fort Bowyer— Its Surrender— Close of the War. On June 18th, 1812, the United States declared war against Great Britain. At that time all the available resources of the mother country were absorbed in the prosecution of her struggle against the French in the reninsula. It therefore appeared to the American Government that no more likely moment could arise in which to lay hold of the long-coveted Canadian provinces. With this view, early in July, General Hull, at the head of 2,500 men, crossed the Detroit and entered Upj)er Canada. General Brock thereupon assembled a force of regidars and militia, with which he advanced to the defence of the frontier. After several minor collisions, in which the British were successful. General Hull retired to Fort Detroit on the American side of the Ht. Lawrence. Brock followed him and determined to cai)ture the fort and garrison. For this purpose he invested the place, oi)enc(l his trenches, and constructed batteries Avith wjiicli he established a breach, and then prepared to assault, l^efore doing so, howevcu-. he summoned the garrison, and they elected to surrender, to the number of 2,500 men. Thirty-three pieces of artillery at the same time fell into the hands of the besiegers. Captain Matthew Dixon was the only Engineer officer present on the occasion, and he earned the warm commendation of General Brock, as showTi in his despatch to Sir George Prevost. The I'rince Regent decreed a silver medal to be struck for presentation to the senior officers, and Dixon received this distinction. Twice again in this year did the Americans attempt an invasion. At the first, the force with its general was captured, us liud W: s <»■ It J\ 11 ' '' 358 HIHTOKY OF THK COUl'S [cm. XV, ! ])een flic cnso iit T)('tn>it; iun1 iit tlii> swoiul tliov were so iilanruHl l)y the stublxtni iiftituilc of the local troopH, under .Sir (icorge I'revost, that they rctircil without coming tc ylose (luurttu's. Tu 1H|;{ th(.y were nf tir.st more ]iros]»crou,s ; Imt although thoy hu(!CC(m1o(1 ill obtaining a ti'inporarv tooting on the lakes, they did not gain any iiermanent advantage. In the following year the oiinipaign again opened favourably for them ; but this gleam of success did not last long. The conclusion of the war with France enabled the British Oovernment to hurry out reinforcements to Canada, and greatly to 'strengthen the colonial armies which had HO long and ho gallantly resisted their powtn'ful neighbour. The battle of Tjiindy's Lane, after a severe struggl<>, ended in the defeat of the American.s, and rothing more of any importance was effected by them. It was now determiiu'd to carry the war into the enemy's country, nnd an expedition against Washington was prepared, under the command of (leneral Iloss. The troojts for the attack were mostly composinl of Peninsular veterans, and amongst them Avas the Second (Jompany Fourth ]3attalion Koyal Sappers and Miners, under the command of Captain Blanshard, R.E. This campaign included the battle of lUndensburg, the captnre of Washington, and the attempt on Baltimore. Throughout these threi! }ears we obtain occasional glimjjses of the doings of the oiHcers of the lloyal Engineer"-' and of the men of the lloyal Saii])ers ar.l Miners, but nothing of any real importance. A detachment under Lieutenant Gossett, K.E., was at the attack and burning of Oswego, and anotheT-, under Lieutenant rhill[»otts, U.E., at the assaidt of Fort Erie. At the capture of Washington Blanshard and his Company were employed in burning the princii)al public buildings. It seems that the American President felt so sure that the attacking force Avould be made prisoners by his troops that he had prepared a handsome entertainnu^nt for tlie Ih-itisli general and staff. The tables were so completely turned that Blanshard and his Sapi)ers regaled themselves with the feast that had been arranged for their betters.* Uttle can be said in favour of the policy which, by destroying public buildings, of no value from a military point of view, only embittered the enemy without enfeebling him; but there is no doubt that in this matter General lloss, who was in command, was acting strictly on his orders from the ][ome Government. F^nder au}^ circumstances, the Engineers were simply agents in the matter. The proof that what they were Conolly : " History of the lloyal Sappers and Miners/' vol. i. p. 211. [( H. XV. i.sr,'.i8i.).] OK ROYAI, KNfilNKKKS. 309 /r*M so iiIiu'huhI • Sir (icorge (iuiu't«r». kcs, they (lid iiig year the liis glonni of with Fnmro orccnioiits to P8 wliicli had :hhour. Tho MuU'd ill the iportanco was tlic cnciny's vas iTcpared, i)r the attack mongst them Sappers and ishard, R.E. , tho capture 1 glimjjses of 1 of tlie men of any real ossett, K.E., othe;-, imder Fort Eric, [lis Company iiildings. It :he attacking liad prepared d staff. The . his Sapi)crs ged for their !y which, by tary point of ig him; but , who was in 1 the Home gineers were \t tliey were il. i. p. 211. (.rdered to do they did most thoroughly and cfRcaciotisly was that within a few hours tho Capitol, including th.' Senate House iind the House of Uepresontatives, the Arsenal, Dockyard, Tri^asury, AVar OfKce, Fresident's mansion, us well as the magnificent bridge over the Potomac, a frigate, and a sloop were all destroyed. The value of the iiiatn-irl thus committed to the flames was estimated at £:{()5,()()(). Blanshard received a brevet for liis services on this occasion. The attack on Baltimore was not so sucifessful. (feneral Uos.n lost his life in the first engagement, and although the troops advanced close to the city, they were unable to effect their i)urpose, and compellecl to retreat. Up to this tinu» the war had been carried on without much advantage on (>ither side. Every attempt on the part of the Am(>ricaiis to invade Canada had ended in disaster, and on the other hand, the only real success to which the British could point, lieyond repelling the enemy, was the destruction of AVashington, a feat more humiliating to the Americans than valuable to themselves. Negotiations had now begun in Ghent, which were destined to terminate in a durable i)eace ; but in tho meanwhile one more effort was made on the part of the ]?ritish and Colonial forces to strike an effective blow. New Orleans was the town against wliich this new attempt was ^ to be made. The troops which had been repulsed at Baltimore, and wliich, after the death of General Boss, were commanded by Colonel Brooke, were sent to Negril Bay, Jamaica, where they were joined by a body of I'eninsular veterans, which had arrived from England under General Keane. That officer now took conmiand of the united force — numbering nearly 0,000 men— and with it landed on December •,{4th, 18 U, at tho head of Lake Borgne. With this force were two companies of Sappers— the Second of the Fourth Battalion, under Captain Blanshard, R.E., and the Seventh of the First Battalion, under Captain Emmett, R.E. The other Engineers were Second Captain H. D. Jones, Lieutenants Tapp, Beid, AVright, Mat son, ^ Elton, Robe, West, and Wortham. General Sir Edward Fakenham, who was to command the expedition, had meanwhile sailed from England, with Colonel Ikirgoyne his Commanding Royal Engineer, Colonel Dickson commanding the Artillery, and "^ other members of his staff, on board tlie frigate SMira (Captain Swaine) ; and we find the follow- ing entries in Bm-goyne's journal as to their movements : — " iJoceniber 13th. At S a.m., while hauling rouiul North Xegril Point, foil in with the Vi'iiijrur (7-1), with her convoy, containing (ieneral Lam- bert and about 2,000 troops— 7th Fusiliers, 43rd Keginiuut, iVc Tlie ■ V r ,!-t ••«JKs^nNltwk••s ;}60 HISTORY OF THK (OHPS [CH. XV Venr/eur made the signal for us to speak, and tlic captain (Riekctts) and General Lambert cam(^ on board. After a consultation we left them laying-io oil' Xegril, and made sail for the clianncl round the west point of Cuba. The Vi-nii>ur and convoy sailed from I'lymouth a week before us, for the same destination and service. AVe suppose they will now water in Negril Ray before they continue. Sir Alexander Cochrane was to have brought down the army late under General Ross, together with the reinforcements they had received, consisting principally of 2,000 men under General Keane, who sailed from England nearly two months before us. "December 21st. In the evening we ran into the bay to the west of the mouths of the Mississippi, and at fifteen miles distance could not see the land. " ] )eceniber 22nd We learn that the admiral and fleet are laying to the north of the Chandeleur Islands, preparatory to landing the troops up Lake Pontchartrain. Five gunboats have been taken there- abouts out of six, and the other destroyed. . . . "December 25tli. Landed near the Mississippi with Sir Edward Pakenham. " December. 28th. Advanced and reconnoitred the enemy's position. "January 8th, 1815. Attacked the enemy's position without success ; Sir Edward Pakenham killed." Such is the curt and unsatisfactory entry wliich constitutes the only account in l_^urgoyne's journal of this disastrous affair. In all preceding failures he had never been chary of giving the most detailed description, with reasons which, in liis opinion, may have led to the want of success. Here, and here only, he say.s nothing. _ There must ha^e been some reason for this, and the ■writer thinks that before he has concluded his narrative, that reason Avill have become apparent, and will show an amount of moral lieroisni on the part of Colonel I'urgoyne, that rivals the physical heroism he had so often displayed.' New Orleans was, at tlie time of the British descent, a city of about 17,000 iuliabitants.then, as no\v, the great emporium of the cotton .States. From a military point of view, but little could be gained by it s_ capture, though, of com-se, had the liritish been able, not only to seize but also to hold it, the navigation of the Mississijipi would have been greatly impeded. It is, however, much to be feared that strategical reasons had but small influence in the councils in which its attack was decreed. It was well Jcnown by Sir Echvard Pakenham and his staff that the ]irime mover of the enter- prise was the Admiral, Sir Alexander Cochrane, and that the hopf of a large distribution of \m7.0 money was at the bottom of the affair, whicli had been ill considered, and for the successful carrying out of which the available means were not fortlieomincr. Iij ohiet command within the city was General Jackson, an officer who had [CH. W. (Rickctts) and wo left them the west point a week before will now water me was to have ther with the of 2,000 men y two months to the west of ! eould not see il and fleet are to landing the II taken tliere- h Sir Edward my's position, tliout success ; onstitntes the [s affair. In >f giving the :)13inion, may 3nly, he say.s this, and the irrative, that II amount of at rivals the ?nt, a city of lorium of the ittle eould be sh been able. J? Mississijipi much to be 1 the councils 10 wn by 8ir of the enter- hat the hope of the affair, ful earryiny' g. In chief icer who had 'U^' 1812-1815.J OF KOYAJ. ENGINEEKS. 361 already made his mark, and who was destined to rise to the highest political position his country afforded. New Orleans had no permanent defences ; but those improvised by Jackson were of a very formidable character. The city rested on the left bank of the Mississippi, and at a dista ice of 700 yards from it was a thick cypress wood, utterly impassable for troops, the space between being a morass. Two roads led across this morass into the city, the remainder of the ground being waterlogged, and intersected by canals termed /h///oi(.s. The defence consisted of three lines of mtrenchment, running from the city some Avay into the wood, the outer and second lines being thrown up immediately in rear of luij/om which formed their ditches; the third had an artificial ditch. The outer line (the only one attempted) was about four miles m front of the city, the second a mile and a half in rear of the fii-st, and the third a mile from the second. The ftaf/o/t or ditch of the outer line was for tlie greater part of its extent eight feet deep and fifteen feet wide; but it became sliallower and narrower as it ap})roached the wood. It was flanked by an advanced work on the right ; and on the left, near the wood, an inverted redan was throAvn back, otherwise the line was nearly straight. On entering the Avood, it was continued for 400 yards, and then made a return to the rear at right angles for 100 yards. All this part of the parapet was a loopholed breastwork of timber. On the opposite bank of the river, at this point about 800 yards broad, a battery for twenty guns had been thrown up, to sweep the ground over which an attacking force must pass to storm the first line. Siieh was the system of defence devised by Jackson ; and the British generals may well have felt somewhat dismayed at the prospect before them. It has been seen by Burgoyne's journal that Sir Edward Taken- ham and his staff had landed on Christmas Day ; but this brief entry is but a very inadequate record of the difficulties encountered in the operation. They had left their ships on the •24th, and then had to push forward with the utmost rapidity to join the army, which was seventy miles up the river. The first forty miles were, traversed in a small boat ; and at ten p.m., on the night of the 24th, they had reached the Brit(t>ini(( transi)ort, and found that they must yet advance anotlier thirty miles before their journey was at an end. "r,y 11 a.m. on December I'ath they succeeded in reaching the landing i)lace at the head of the creek, and ascertaining that the army headHjuarters were only 2J, miles further on, tliey proceeded to join them. Tlie road which they traversed was merely a wretched marshv footpath aluhg Lite hank ()f a little canal (ir haijoii, winch extended from the creek almost to the .Mississippi, and was navigable for canoes to within 1,000 :1' ,JI * I >X]' n U 362 HISTORY OK THE CORPS [CH. XV. 1 yards of that river. On arriving at head-quarters they found the army on the ground on which they had fought on the 23rd, the number of men landed having been increased to 3,500.* The fight here alluded to was an attempt on the part of the garrison to check the advance of the troops, which then only num- bered 2,000 men. The attack was repulsed, but the force remained on the ground awaiting supports. On the morning of December 28th a forward movement was niade, and the troojjs arrived within half a mile of the first line of intrenchment, which, as Burgoyne records, was reconnoitred. It Avas then decided that some batteries should be thrown up, and armed with such artillery as could be brought to the front. This was done, and Avhen four gun and mortar batteries had been established, fire was opened on New Year's Day. The result of the day's Avork was, however, so unsatisfactory that at night it Avas determined to AvithdraAv the guns and await reinforcements before attempting an assault. On Januf.ry 4th tAvo additional regiments arrived on the spot, Avith Greneral Lambert. Before, hoAvever, any final attempt Avas made a scheme Avas proposed by the admiral Avhich promised greatly to facilitate matters. This was to cut a small canal from Lake Pontchartrain to the river, and to convey boats by this means into the Mississippi. These Avere to carry across a storming party, Avho Avere to obtain possession of the 20-gun battery on the opposite bank. The guns once in possession of the British could be used to enfilade the defenders' line, and thus render the assault feasible. The canal Avas didy exit, and forty-tAVo ships' boats brought up to make the passage. All the arrangements were settled for the assault. The party Avho Avere to cross the river were to signal their success by firing a rocket, and then the troops were to make their dash at the lines. Unfortunately there Avas consider- able difficulty in forcing the boats through the narroAv cut, and in the immediate proximit}- of the river there Avas no Avater in it. Much time Avas lost, and 1 >y 3 a.m. there Avere only thirty boats afloat. The general assault Avas to be made at sunrise, and General- Pakenham Avaited Avith the keenest anxiety for ncAvs of their progress. Time passed on, and no Avelcome signal rocket Avas fired to announce the capture of tlie battarj-. Day was noAv breaking, and it Avas imperatively necessary to take action. At length I'akenham gave the order for the advance, trusting tliat if the party across the river had not succeeded, they Avould at all * Duncan's " History of the Royal Artillery," vol. i. pp. .'iOT, 39S, tlu- account being taken from a MS. by Colonel Dickson, ll.A. [CH. XV. lund the army umber of men ! part of the n only niini- rce remained ivement was e first line of moitred. It 3wn up, and front. This es had been ["he result of night it was ments before on the spot, attempt was ch promised 11 canal from oats by this >s a storming ittery on the British could ?r the assault ships' boats ements were tie river were } ti'oops were tvas consider- V cut, and in water in it. ' thirty boats sunrise, and for news of signal rocket )ay was now action. At isting that if would at all 307, aus, thf p 1 ■■ , • 1812-1810.] OF KOYAL KXGINEERS. 363 events create a diversion. The troops advanced steadily, but were crushed beneath the fire of the enemy. Sir Edward Pakenham was killed in a gallant attempt to rally his men. Colonel Dickson gives the following account of this episode : — " jNIajor Macdougal, Sir Edward's aide-do-camp, informed me tliat at the moment the column of (General (^ibb'f^ brigade stopped they began firing front and rear, and .Sir Edward, who was'at some distance behind, to observe the operation, immediately galloped up to the head of the column, exclaiming, ' Lost from want of courage,' and was trying to encourage the troops on, which he succeeded in doing for a few yards, when he was wounded in the thigh, and his horse killed. Major ]\[acdougal havirg extricated and raised him from the ground, he was in the act of mounting ^Macdougal's horse Avhen he was hit again, and fell into Macdougal's arms, ejaculating a few words, which were the last he spoke." * The loss in the attack was very great, and it soon became evident that it could not succeed. The troops were ordered by General Lambert to retire out of fire, and a council of war was held to decide on future proceedings. This council was assembled in a cottage, little more than a hut, and on a table in the centre of the room lay the body of an officer of the staff, covered with a sheet. There was no other place in which to meet, and the members of the council stood around the body. News had just readied them that the battery on the opposite side of the river had been captured, and was ready to act if the attack were renewed. In spite of this success the decision of the council was to abandon the undertaking and retreat to the ships. Colonel Biu-goyne was commissioned to cross the river and superintend the operation of bringing off the troops who had possession of the battery. This was a very critical movement, but he performed it successfully. The army was retired, the troops were re-embarked, and the _ attempt on New Orleans became a desperate and bloody failure. It afterwards became known that the Americans were so dismayed at the loss of the battery, and so fully alive to the effect it would create when the attack on the lines was renewed, that they were preparing to abandon the town when they received the news that the British were retiring, and had left the battery. Much discussion naturally arose afterwards as to wliy the council had decided to sacrifice the advantage they had gained, and as liurgoyne had been the man selected to Avithdraw the troops, it Avas always supposed that his was the inttuential voice * Duncan: "History of the Royal Aitillery," pp. 407, 408. •t t- . ■ •• '■ > I ' ' ' • I 3(i4 HISTORY OF THE CORl'S [CH. XV, that induced the decision. Not a word escaped him to clear him- self of the reproach, nor did any of the council do him the justice to say Avhat was tlie fact, that his had been the most urgent voice in favour of renewing the attack. This became known in later years in a most extraordinary manner. The body laid on the table and covered with a sheet was that of Major Stovin (after- wards 8ir Frederic Stovin), the Assistant Adjutant -General of the force, Avho had been shot in the throat, and pronounced dead after a hasty examination by the doctor. Whilst the council Avere in debate, he recovered consciousness, and heard distinctly all that passed. The subject was a very delicate one, and Stovin for many years kept silence. Gradually, however, lie allowed himself to speak, and the story became knoAvn to several friends in confidence. As long as any one remained alive who was a member of the council, he was most desirou.^^ that his name should not appear in the matter. Colonel Wrottc^iey, in his life of Sir John I3urgoyne, touches on the subject, and after stating that that officer was in favoiu' of a fresh attatjk, adds in a note that Sir Frederic Stovin was his authority ; but he gave no details — probaliiy Sir Frederick did not even then wish the whole story known.* In this unfortunate affair, lieutenant Wright, R.E., was killed. The sad fate of this gallant young officer was universally deplored. lie had served througliout the most critical portions of the Peniu- siilar War, and had earned for himsel a reputation far in excess of that Avhich could have been expected from his rank. He was at all three sieges of Badajoz, in the last of which he Avas Avoimded. He Avas also at that of Ciudad Rodrigo. He AA'as again Avounded at the caiiture of the forts of Almaraz, being the only Engineer present. It Avas he Avho Avas ahvays jocosely coupled with Lieu- tenant Reid by the Duke of Wellington as his tA\'o fiivoiu'ito Engineers, " Read and Write." It AA'as generally felt throughotil the corps that by his death the loss had been sustained of one Avho had add'^d greatly to the reputation of liis branch of the service, and Avho, had he been spared, would have proved one of its briglitest ornaments. The disaster a^ XeAv Orleans rendered the leaders of the expe- ditionary army very desirous to undertake some operation Avhicli miglit, to a certain extent, compensate for the failure of their original design. It AA'as therefore decided to attemj)t the capture * The Avriter's authority for the tale as here told is Major-General Sir John Cowell, R.E., to whom Sir Fivderie Stovin had imparted it in confidence. It is with his pui luissiou now made jiiihlic, the events referred to having occiU'rid nearly three-quarters of a century ag(j. II I [CH. XV. to clear liiin- m the justice urgent voice own in later laid on the ^tovin (after- it -G-eneral of lounced dead the council trd distinctly te one, and however, lie \vn to several id alive who hat his name 3y, in his life after stating ds in a note he gave no ish the whole !^., was killed, filly deplored, if the Peniu- far in excess :. He was at VH.S Avounded. >'ain wounded nly Engineer d with Lieu- wo fiivoiu'ito It throughout ;d of one who f the service, d one of its of the expe- ?ration Avhicli lure of their t the capture eneral Sir John . confidence. It having occurncl 1S1-2.1S1.>.] OF HOVAI, KNGINEERS. 365 of Fort Bowyer, a strong work situated at the point of the hay Icaduig to Mobile. For this purp(Dse a force of three regiments— about 1,000 men— was landed on the coast, seven miles^from tlie fort. General Lambert himself commanded these troops, with Colonel Burgoyne as liis Commanding Royal Engineer. At the commencement of the operation, Burgoyne was th(,^ only Eno-iueer present, having uin(^ .Sappers with him, the remainder oi the olficers and nu^n of the tw(j Companies tliat had served at New (Jrleans being under orders to follow with the other tnjops that were to be emphn-ed in the attack. The nine Sappers who were with Burgoyne were all carpenters. They had been lent to the navy to assist in repairing the ships' boats, which had been much injured during the att'air at New Orleans- hence their presence on the spot before the remainder of the Companies. The date of the lauding was February 8th, 1815, and the troops at once moved up and invested the fort, which was closely reconnoitred by Burgoyne. He found it to consist of a semi- circular battery, built of strong timber and sand, the -uns, which were heavy, being mounted on traversing platforms, 'i "s battery was closed in the gorge by two fronts, showing a masonry escarp of about sixteen feet, A\'ell fraised, and a ^^-^lisaded ditch. It had a short time before been engaged by son. i our sloops of war, and had driven them off with consider jle loss, the Hn-nta^ having been blown up. A parallel was opened on the same night by a working party of 100 men, at a distance A-arying from fortv to a hundred yards from the edge of the ditch. This was a somewhat delicate opera- tion, and Burgoyne, who took charge of the work, records— "As we l>ioke. groinid so near the place, 1 explained to them that it was important that no noise should be made which might atti'act the notice of the garrison. Shortly after beginning work, however, the enemy commenced firing in our direction ; two or three men were hit and hegan crying out. I held up my hand, and said, 'Hush,' and imme- diately there was a dead silence." Sir Charles Pasley, in his " Elementary Fortifieation," says, referring to this siege — "The first night of the operations soldiers of the line only were employed. From a want of skill and experience in the nature of the duties required of them, and there being very few engineer officers to direct, they collected in groups instead of being spread out as they oucrht to have been. Consequently out of one small party of twenty men fourteen were killed and wounded by a single discharge of grape shot' and such confusion ensued that very little progress was mad 3 in the course of that night." •i^':t r. * vr ■ i'.!- ■K 366 HISTORY OK THE CORPS f [.«. XV. r This is directly contradicted by Biu'goyiie's siatement, Avliicli is — "About 100 yards in extent was (itfccted during,' the night, witli a loss of ten or twelve of the workmen. Nothing coidd liave been better than the conduct of the men on this (occasion." He adds that at daybreak the parallel Avas occupied, and such a fire kept up from it as prevented the enemy from making any effectual reply. The com- .\'><-ion of p. ^landred yards of parallel by a Avorking- party of a h : " ■■ men, could not fairly be described as " very little progress. "VVe seem to discover thu feeling that dictated the criticism in the next passage : — "On the second night of the siege, the small party of sappers Avas employed in addition to the troops of the line. By the assistance of these few men the officers of engineers were enabled to regulate their Avorking party to so much advantage that before morning thoy had com- pleted a parallel of 200 yards in extent." It is quite clear that Pasley's object was to shoAv the value of his ncAvly-trained corps ; but this might Avell have been done Avithout underrating the Avork of others. The real state of the case, as regards Avhat Avas done afterAvards, is thus given by Burgoyne : — "February lOtli. ... By evening the remainder uf the officers of Engineers and the tAvo comi)anies of Sappers joined. At night avc completed the four batteries. A brigade of Sappers, relieved at mid- night, and assisted by thirty Avorkmen of the line added by sap about 200 yards to the parallel." Thus it Avill be seen that the 200 yards spoken of by Pasley Avere added on the f/iird night, Avhen the Avhole of the tAVO companies Avere on the spot. On the second night the only AA'ork done Avas the commencem it of the batteries, the completion of which Burgoyne records ubove. The batteries Avere armed and ready early on the 11th, Avhen General Lambert summoned the fort. After some negotiation the defenders capitulated, and on the folloAving day marched out -iOO strong, and grounded their arms on the glacis as prisoners of Avar. The story is thus told by Duncan: — " After a short parley its Governor surrendered, begging, hoAvevei', to be permitted to defer its evacuation till the next day, as so many of Im men had (jut drunk. This Avas agreed to ; but the gate of tlie fort Avas immediately given over to a company of British infantry, and the 15ritisl! flag Avas hoisted." The fort Avae evacuated on February 12th, 1815, and on the 13th the news arrived that the Avar Avas at an end, peace having' been signed at Grhent on December 24th of the preceding year. [CH. XV. ment, which it, witli a loss m better than 1, and such a making any )f parallel by be described ) criticism in i sappers was assistance of regulate their they had cora- 3 value of his done without the case, as Burgoyne : — uf the officers At night we ieved at niid- by sap about )f by Pasley of the two le oidy work ompletion of ! 11th, when )gotiation the •ched out 400 oners of war. g, however, to nij many of liix '. tlie fort was md the IJritisli , and on the peace havinj^' ling year. 1814-18;j0.] OK KOVAl, KX(iINKEKS. 3G7 CHAPTER XVI. 1814.18.30. Joint British and Prussian Expedition to PIolland-Lieutenant Sperline's Journal-Attack on French Fleet at Antwerp-Its Failure-Schme foi- Assault ol Bergen-op-Zoom-Sperling's Account-First SuccesTand KlTof W.f T-'t'%?' f^^l-i^^t"- of Napoleon fVom Elba- Battle of Water 00 -Sperling's Account - Oldfield's Account - Mis- BatJreTo r..^ieutcnnnt Adamsou uiulor liini), Lioutiuants Abbey (Adjutant aud (iuartonuaster), Sperling,* llaytor, White, Cooper, and Eyre. The force arrived oti* Ilelvoetshiy.s on December loth, 1H13, and was landed on the 18th at Willianistadt. The Engineers were rapidly pushed to the front by Steinbergen to Tholen. Sperling's journal says : — " ( )uv pnvty consisted of Cai'tiiin Thompson, Al)b(iy, Cooper, and self. Tholen, -when; Sir Thomas (lialiam and Colonel Sniytli were, was our destination. Tlie vestiny-place for the night was Steinbergen, about ten miles distant, llain liad set in ; the road whi(;li lay along the dyke was in a wretehed state frnm the previous trallic ; tlie horses freipientiy could scarcely walk from the depth of mud. We had some diiliculty in tracking our way, from our ignorance of the country, i\m\ the peculiar arrangenu'ut of the roads following the dykes. >.'ight overtaking us added to our perplexities. We were delighted at length to find our- selves in a town. " December I'JtIi Being obliged to resume our route, we pre]iart'd our horses and set off for Tliolen. We passed near Bergcn- op-Zooni, still occupied liy the French I fell in witli Colonel Smyth, v.-ho had been admitted blindfolded into 15ergen-op- Zoom with a ihig of truce, to induce the commandant to siuTender, who declined, stating he was fully jn-epared for an attack. He (Smyth) was with Sir Thomas (Iraham." The first Engineer operation was the construction of a bridge of boats at Zandwarbreiten. "December lUst. By the exertions of Abbey, our adjutant, tlic previous day, enough boats had arrived during the night for stretching across tlie river. By break of day we were at work, only ceasing witli the night. There were tive boats aud the wherry, whicli obliged us to place them further apart than should have been done could more have been obtained. The other materials Avere chiefly procured from (.)uden- Ijosch. Considering the preparation of the materials, credit was due to the men for the zeal with which they worked. In the course of the afternoon Sir Thomas Graham passed over first, accompanied by tiie Colonel (Smyth), who gave me an ex]»ression of satisfaction. Afterwards cavalry and waggons followed." f The next incident of importance was the attempt to destroy the French fleet which had taken shelter within the basin of Antwerp. It was thought that batteries conld be constructed, and a sufficient * Lieutenant John Sperling wrote a very detailed journal of all the opera- tions in the expedition in which he was concerned ; from this work much of what follows has been extracted. t This Bridge is referred to in Pasley's " Elementary Fortification." [iH. XVI. ants Abbey ite, Cooper, loth, lHi:i, ! Engineers olen. )or, and self, ere, was oui' ill, about ten i)g the dyke L'S freiiucntly me diiliculty tbe ja'culiar vortakiny us to find ouv- Dur route, we near Bcvgeu- fell in with IJergen-op- rrender, who (Smyth) was a bridge of djutant, tlic or stretching ceasing witli li oWiged us Id more have from Ouden- it was (kic to ;ourse of the mied by tlie Afterwards I destroy the of Antwerp, i a sufficient all the opera- work much of ition." 1. 14-1S.'K).] or nOYAI, EXfJlNKKRS. 369 amount of fire brought to bear on tlie fleet to effect its destruction witlKmt th<> n.'cessity of caj^turing tlie fortress, an operation quite out of the power of the hniited force then available. An advance vas made and the place invested by the British and Prussian Oonis iiattones were then ihrown up. 5i;./-/^/«rAJoM/v/«/.--'' February 2nd Having reported myself to Clonel .Smyth, he gave me directions for the construction of a mortar liattery, and to take the Sappers under my charr^e with me I understood that Sir (1. Hoste, Capt. Thompson and Cooper had some- what snndar employments elsewhere. On arriving at the i.lace for mv battery, 1 found tluit spot had been selected because the garrison had commenced a defensive work, which would save us much labour l' MO \ GaU. ' "i'^^^r = B THE ASSAULT ON HEHGEN-OP-ZOOM. olose reconnaissances of the fortress, considered that in spite of its great strength the place could be surprised by a coup-ik-maii). It was ascertained that where the river Zoom passed througli the enceinte, there was at low tide only two feet of water, and that at this point an entrance was practicable ; further, that the escarps generally were low, many of the fronts only denii- revetted, and three bastions not revetted at all. At this tinu^ the water in the Avet ditches was all frozen, and it had been found that the ice had only been broken by a narrow cut in the centre, which could be very easily passed upon planks. Tho frost, moreover, had rendered it impossible for the garrison to [CH. X\ I. [i fire, ns tho thoy could lie operntioii, it was iiecos- Lopt uj) as to le campaign, ixeouted, and the very eve Sir Thomas repeated and 1814- IH.m] nv noYAI, KN01NEER8. 371 it in spite of coiip-(lc-maiii. issed through af "water, and further, that ;s only denii- At this tinio it had heen arrow cnt in blanks. Tho e garrison to avail themselves ot their water defences hy opening the sluices, lakiiig all these i)()infH into consideration, and knowing that tlie very audacity of the project would render it uulikcdy to be guarded ngainst, Sir Thomas (h-aham, in conjunction with Colonel Smyth drew up thc^ following scheme for the assault :— A column of 1,100 men (A) was to enter hy the hed of the river, overpower the guard, and on reaching the rampart turn to its right to assist column B of 1,000 men, which was to penetrate by escalade, the ditch in its front l)eiiig dry, and the bastion only demi-revetted. A third column (C) of 1,-ioO men was also to enter (at the spot indicated in the sketch) by escalade, the bastion selected tor the purpose being demi-revetted and having no out- Avorks. At this pf)int a large pond had been formed bv shutting the sluice through which the river Zoom entered the town, antl in conserpience of this inundation no outworks had been constructed on tlie front. The pond being at this time frozen over, access could be obtained to the crest of the glacis without diificulty. A tourth (iolumn (D) of 650 men was to make a false attack on the opposite side of the fortress to that ly which column B was to enter. This, it was anticipated, would much distract the defence. The following account of what took place is extracted trom Sperlings journal, he having been appointed to ffuide column A : — n b "Between six and seven o'clock" (8th March, 1814) "I received a message to come to Mujor-deneral Skerret's, where his staff and a party of ofticers, among whom was Sir i\. Hoste, R.E., were finisliin<' .(inner. He (Sir G. Hoste) had l)eeii sent over from head-(iuarters with instructions for an attack that night upon the fortress of 15er"en- op-Zoom, which he had communicated to the (; oral. He now entered more into detail with me as to my part. Tlu. olyect was to take the garrison ])y surprise ; ten o'clock was named for the hour of the assault which lunl been lixed in reference to the attack by the river, as it was low water at that time ; otherwise a later hour would have been in every respect preferable. He gave me a note which stated that I was to put myself under the orders of Colonel Carleton, who commanded that por- tion et the 44th Kegiment with the army, to lead the storming party enter- mg by the river into the town. A tracing was shown me of the fortiticationa where our attack was to be made. First there was the dyke to be crossed ylose under a battery which commanded its whole length. Then the descent into the river, the position of the guard-vessel in the middle of the river witli spiked harrows fixed at the bottom of the river on each side of the vessel and in front of it. The vessel itself and the entrance by the river were protected by two light pieces of artillery i^Iaced at the bend of the river into the town. These obstacles being overcome, we were to mount ho right bank of .the river a little beyond the guard-vessel, where stood the guard-house. Before entering the bodv of the place there still f-l: t ' .; • •'■K ' I it ;J72 IllH'lOKV Ol' 'IIIK (OKI'S [CH. XVI. * :li rciuaiiicd aomo pivlisa> the guard-house, which was almost deserted, the men Ifoing occupied uiKtn the ramparts firing at our people who were <;rossing the neral Cook(!'s we only fell in disarmed, tlie d the prisoners (pointed as to palpable clerical !ond time. lHl4-lH;{n.] OK ROYAI, ENOINKKRS. 378 meeting Genoral Cooke's eoliimn, of the place of whose entry by some overeiglit we had not been informed, though we were now near the very spot, but they were very late. Our bugle was sounded, but in vain wo listened for any response. I di. not tldnk our party exceeded one hundred and fifty, probably under. Our prisoners were, however, more numerous, which in the dusk gave some importaneo to our party. Again we resumed our progress ahing the ramparts to prevent tho assemblage of our opponents. It was found it did not answer to stand to lire, as our adversaries did the same, but when we ran upon them they either surrenderecl or made their escape down the .slopes. Our num, liowever, could not be kept from tiring, wliieh in the darkness was dangerous to ourselves. The Colonel complained of being separated fn.m his own men and being jilaced over others who neither knew him nor his voice. We had now advanced more than half round the ramjiarts, and wore ((uite at a loss to aceimnt for not having seen or heard anything of the other attacking columns so anxiously looked for. We had passed the Antwerp and were close upon the lireda Gate. At Bastion No 8 our progress was arrested by a more numerous body than we had hitherto (mcountered, who seemed determined to contest our further advance. This bastion was planted with trees, from I)ehind which they fired ujion us. Our party returned the fire. Their ardour being damped, they were reluctant lo come to the charge. We had, however, become, mixed Avitli them in hand to hand tight around the trees, and were making pri-soners when the .slow beat of a drum attracted our attention. As this ominous sound fortress at the same spot as column B, to whicli they wert^ joined, forming up on the loft. ('olumn D, allotted to the false attack, did its work well, although it opened fire somewhat prematurely, and thus alarmed the garrison before the other columns had effected an entrance. The idea Avas that by making as much demonstration as possible they would draw oil' tlie garrison from the real })oints of attack, and in this they were very successful, as the defenders were principally concentrated in the vicinity of the Steenburg (Jate, their point of attack. Indeed, some of them nuist have actually ])enetrated within the works, although they Avere un})rovi(led with ladder's, as several were found killed on the ramparts near the gate. T'ntil now all had gone well. More than 2,500 men Avere within the place and in conmiunication with their reserves outside. The wounds proved fatal. [(MI. XVI. V. tlio advanco, larjfo body of knowing tliat came, had so IS as such that joy wlieii we eiieral Cooke's id eflectiid its attoiuptod an where we met loss, and we.vo. :e I had the r. Hoste, iind ilace was ours, <:; and arm (he -Lieut, of the jt through tlu! remain ([uiet Jolonel Smy'.ih accompanying far as they )lumu B had ])omt Jesig- Sir Guorge ed for their i Lieutenant .ed. Failing uvn off and B, to whioli 1 D, allotted opened fire n before tho Avas that by luld draw oil' lis they were ucentrated in ,ck. Indeed, I the works, II were found men Avere 3rves outside. 1814-lHaO.j OF ROYAL KXfirNEKHS. 375 It required but a little promptitude and decision to complete what had hitherto been a brilliant success. From this time, however, every step taken appears to have been one of a series of mistakes.' The first and most fatal error was the decision that the force should remain quiescent on the ramparts awaiting daylight without making any inmiediate attempt to secure its advantage; the second fault was that no efEoit was made to concentrate the troops forming column A. The advance party of that column, under ( Jolonel Carleton, had done all that was wanted, as described by Sperling, who guided them. The next portion of the column had unaccountably turned to the left and become enclosed within Iavo bastions, whilst the river, now no longer fordable owing to the rise of the tide, cut them off from their comrades. The remainder had been posted in the outwork, ai>parently Avith the idea of secm-ing tlie Water Grate. General Skerret, Avho commanded the force, had been killed, and no one seems to have been in a position to take liis place. Tlie two next officers to him, General Gore and Colonel ( Jarleton, had botli also been killed, and the column, divided as it was into three sei)arate detachments, Avas practically Avithout leaders. The third error was the detaching a battalion from the mam body to assist and support the i)arty at the Water Gate, thus further Aveakening the force required to secure tho place. Such was tlie position of affairs when day broke. The garrison had by that time recovered from their sui-prise, and finding that no effort had been made by the enemy to complete the ca})ture of the toAvn, they themselves pushed forAvard to the attack in the endeavour to recover the advantage they had lost in the assault. ^ The party enclosed in the tAvo bastions to the left of the Water Gate made a stubborn defence, but being completely cut oft Avas before long compelled to surrender. The force at the Water Gate, augmented by the battalion that had been sent to its support, was now exposed to a b.^avy fire from the ramparts behind. Tart retreated through the gate to the ground outside, and found themselves enclosed in a ck/ de .sac. Being unable to escape they also surrendered. The remainder climbed over the ramparts and, crossing tlie ditch, succeeded in making good their retreat, Avith the loss, hoAvever, of m.-iny men who were droAvned by the breaking of the ice. These calamities caused Sir T. Graham to order the AvithdraAval of the remainder of the troops and the abandonment of the enterprise. Thus ended in disaster an operation Avhich seemed to have been brilliantly conceived and daslungly executed. The extent of the calamity is well summed up by Colonel Carmichael Smith in his notes on the subject : — " We Avere doomed to drink tlic bitter draught of mortification and Ik ^ ti'. 376 HISTORY OF THK CORPS [cu. XVI. 'I disappointment to the very dregs. Wlien we camo to (exchange our prisoners on tlie following day, wo received from the enemy more British soldiers than there were efficient French troops in the fortress." The following letter was addressed to Colonel Smyth by the Inspect or-Q-eneral of Fortifications on the subject : — "Pall Mall, 2nd April, 1814. " Sir, — Lieutenant-General Mann desires me to inform you that liis Lordship the Master-General, before whom your report of the gallant, though unsuccessful, attack upon tlie fortress of Bergen-op-Zoom has been laid, has expressed himself highly satisfied with the zealous conduct of yourself and the officers of Engineers, as well as the officers, non- commissioned officers, and soldiers of the Eoyal Sappers and Miners on the above occasion. I am also desired to convey a particular approbation of the gallantry and ability sliown by Lieutenant Sperling while attached to the advanced party which first entered the fortress under the im- mediate command of tlie late Colonel Carleton. You will be pleased to make known this communication to the officers and men imder your orders." " I am, n Col. Smyth came up." ..." The error of the Captain, who disliked being in the rear and was anxious to see what was doing in the front, might have led to the most unfortunate results had we experienced any reverse." This Company was the First of the Fourth Battalion, and seems to have been all through most imfortunate. Having failed to construct the inti-enchment by which the Dulce liad intended to strengthen his right, it remained in front of the village of Waterloo during the best part of the l.Sth. Towards afternoon, Sir (xeorge Hoste ordered it to fall back, and it was moved to the n'^T'^^o^^^® ^^illfige. At this time Lieutenants W. Faris and C. K. Sanders, E.E., and Sub-Lieutenant R. Turner were witli it, the Captain being in arrest in the village of Waterloo. In tlie position tlie Company had taken up it blocked the road, and when the Belgiiins and Hanoverians, struck A\'ith panic, were retirnig hastily, they carried away the Comjjany of Sap^iers with them Lieutenant Sanders being informed by the fugitives that the French were close at hand, and that the road for retreat would shortly be intercepted, unfortunately permitted his men to join in the tumultuous stream. There is no doubt that everj-one ooncerned behaved badly. The men lost their knapsacks ; tools, baggage, and horses were also abandoned, and the Company was thoroughly disorganized. As a consequence, Colonel Smyth 1 *j. . tmKfimtm 380 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. XVI. ir refiised to recommend any of the officers or men attached to it for the Waterloo honours and advantages. Having faithfully narrated this unfortunate blot on the general good service of the Corps, we will give a different account of the conduct of another Company from Oldfield's journal : — •'A company of Sappers arrived from Antwerp at Driixelles on the morning of the 18th. Tlic Sub-Lieutenant immediately proceeded to the office, ascertained that Captain Stanway, who was appointed to the com- mand, was with tlie army, and proceeded at once with his company to place himself under orders, making his way from Bruxelles to Waterloo tlirougli hosts of fugitives and impediments, regardless of tlie reports of the fate of the day liaving gone against us. They arrived on the field unfortun- ately too late to participate in the action." During the action of the 18th Oldfield records : — " In another of tlie charges. Lord Uxhridge rode up to Colonel Smyth and expressed his desire to get some guns to bear upon tlie enemy, who Avere coming down upon us in great force, l^pon which the Colonel offered my services to Lord Uxbridge, by whose diref'ions I went in search of some guns, and falling in witli two moving in rear of our first lino, brought them up at a trot to Lord Uxbridge, who gave them furth'^r directions." He gives the following interesting particulars about a plan of the position of Waterloo : — " Shortly after my chief had joined head-quarters (this was on the 16th) he sent in to me for the plan of the position of Waterloo, Avhich had been previously reconnoitred. The several sketches of the officers had been put together, and one fair copy made for the Prince of Orange. A second had been connnenced in the drawing-room for the Duke, but was not in a state to send, I therefore forwarded the original sketches of the officers. (^lorning of the 17th.) "Upon my joining Col. Smyth, he desired me to receive from Lieut. Waters the plan of the position, which, according to his desire, I had sent to him from Eruxellcs the preceding day, and of which I was told to take the greatest care. It had been lost in one of the charges of the French cavalry and recovered. Lieut. Waters, who had it in his cloak before his saddle (or in his sabretasche attached to his saddle, I forget which), was unhorsed in the /ueh'r and ridden over. Upon recovering himself, he found the cavalry had passed him, and his horse Avas nowhere to be seen. He felt alarmed for the loss of his plan. To look for his liorse he imagined was in vain, and his only care was to avoid being taken prisoner, which he hoped to do by keeping well towards our right. The enemy being repulsed in his charge was returning by the left to the ground from which he had adv.,iiced. After proceeding about fifty yards, he was delighted to find his horse cpiietly destroying the vegetables in a garden near the farmhouse at Quatre Eras. Ho thus fortunately recovered his plan, and with it rejoined the Colonel. The retreat of the [CH. XVI. hed to it, for the general count of the xelles on the ceeded to the d to the com- ipany to phice erloo tlirougli ts of the fate eld unfortun- olonel Smyth 3 enemy, who I the Colonel ns I went in ,r of our first them fiu'th'^r lit a plan of s was on the of Waterloo, etches of the the Prince of room for the I the original he desired me ich, according g day, and of lost in one of Waters, who btached to his ridden over, him, and his 3S of his plan, y care was to f well towards ing by the left ng about fifty he vegetaliles s fortunately retreat of the 1814-18^0.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 381 Prussians upon AVavre rendered it necessary for tiie Duke to make a corresponding movement, and ui)on the receipt of a communication from Bluclier, he called Col. Smyth and asked him for his plan of tlie position of Waterloo, which I immediately handed to lum. The iJuke then "ave directions to Sir AVilliam de Lancy to put tlie army in position at Waterloo, forming them across the Nivelles and Charleroi diaussi'es." We will now once more take up Sperling's account : — " r>eing with the Colonel, who accompanied the Duke with his staff in the early ^lart of iho battle, until by the various charges we became scattered, seeking refuge in the infantry siiuares, but remaining on the lull near the artillery, the best opportunity was afforded of seeing the battle. Sometimes we were enveloped in smoke, shells bursting on all sides, caunon balls and bullets flying about. Nevertheless, eveiy move- ment was effected with that order and precision which excited admiration oven m such a terrific scene of desolation, in which Avere continually multiplying the dead and dying. Horses were galloping about, haviii'^r lost their riders ; others were maimed. Wounded men were limping o" creeping to the rear; others, more severely, were being assisted." "The infantry were drawn up in two lines of squares, flanking each otlier on the slope of the hill, a little retired from the summit, so as to be com- pletely under cover, yet able to act as occasion might require, and caijable of resisting any attack of cavalry. Skirmishing parties were in advance and on the flanks." . . . " Hugomont was the scene of animated contest and great loss of life ; but Ave kept possession of it, or rather what remained of it. La Haie Sainte was subject to a similar contest ; but there, I believe, we were not so successful." . . . "During the battle I was sent with a message to Waterloo.* If order prevailed in' the battlefield there was the greatest confusion in the rear. Some recruits Belgian cavalry, I believe, had taken fright, and spread the report that the battle Avas lost. Brussels Avas filled Avith alarm, and the road to it Avith confusion." ..." Pringle of ours is wounded in the breast ; I hoi)e not dangerously. A bullet through the elbow of my coat, and another on my saddle, have reminded me of my gracious Preserver." . . . "We paused some time on the battlefield. The Colonel, thoughtful' of some memorial, dismounted and took up an ofliicer's sAvord from the slain. It did not occur to me to do the same, nor did I think how soon the spoilers Avould be ov«r the dead. The night coming on, we returned to Waterloo with light hearts. On reaching the morning's billet, Ave found it turned into a hospital filled Avith the Avounded, and presenting a melancholy sight. A vacant room Avas, hoAvever, obtained in the village, Avhich accommodated all the Engineer subalterns, about eight in number. We got some food, and the ready wit of Francis Bond Head, who Avas one of those so nearly taken by the French at Charleroi, escaphig without V-.'.'| * Probably this Avas the message to the Company of Sappers to retire behind the village. 382 HISTORY OF THK CORJ'S [CH. XVI. I" I M'[ r-v'- Ills hnt, told so cfifectually on our host that he supplicHl \\h with winu. After tliis most of us wrote a few lines to our friends to accompany the despatches. For the night we laid down upon some straw, with our feet to the centre of the room." Sir John Jones, in his autobiographical Memoir, has the follow- ing interesting details. He was accompanying the Duke in their annual inspection of the Netherland fortresses in 1819, and on passing the field of Waterloo the Duke walked over it with him, and explained all the leading featirres of the battle. Jones has noted the following points : — "Speaking of the qii ility of his army he said, 'I had only about 35,000 men on whom I could thoroughly rely ; the remainder were but too likely to run away.' He mentioned, in proof of the latter assertion, that the Beiges, before the battle commenced, were placed along the hedge on the left of the chaiissde, and the division of ( J eneral Picton and Kempt's and Pack's brigades were posted in reserve on the extreme left. The l>elgcs, on the very first forward movement of the French, all tpiitted their ground, and he was obliged to occupy it with two divisions from the extreme left, so that no reserve existed on that point, which damaged all his plans, and sadly diminished his means of resistance where the French made their most strenuous exertions. Coupled with this, his plans wore sadly deranged by the conduct of a general of the Hanoverian Landwehr, on whom the command of tiie troops devolved on Baron Alten being wounded. The force posted on this point consisted of a British brigade, a brigade of the (ierman Legion, and two brigades of Hanoverians, and instantly, on the fall of Alten, General , without saying a word to the Duke, retired his division from its advanced position, and removed to the rear. La Haye Sainte had just fallen, and the Duke came to the spot to make a fresh disposition of the troops in its rear, with a view to parry the effects of its loss, when, to his amazement, he found them all gone, and was received by a fire from the French tirailleurs from the very ground on which he had posted, and still expected to find the division, thus m.irched away. It. was now in consequence of these two withdrawals with the utmost difficulty that he could collect men aufiicient even to spread over the ground, and the mis- behaviour of this militia general had well-nigh cost him the battle. At another period of the action, having ordered up the Nassau troops, they fell into confusion and gave way, and when he went personally to rally them and induce them to move forward, they absolutely fired at him. ' In fact,' said the Duke, 'there was so much misbehaviour that it was only through God's mercy that ■>'^" won the battle.' These were his very words noted a few minutes after their being uttered." Colonel Jones having asked him whether he did not think that the French fought better than in Spain, owing to being commanded by their Emperor in person, he replied, " I saw no |_(JH. XVI. la with wino. 3company the Avith our feet 3 the follow- like in their SIO, and on it with him, Jones has d only about :ler were but ;ter assertion, :;d along the al Picton and extreme left. French, all two divisions point, which of resistance Joupled with eneral of the i devolved on int consisted two brigades eneral , on from its nte had just osition of the when, to his fire from the I posted, and was now in culty that he and the niis- e battle. At . troops, they nally to rally (ired at him. r that it was tvere his very not think ig to being " I saw no 1814-1H;{0.] OK ROYAI, ENGINEEKS. 38;j difference in onr linrd fonght actions hero and there. If I had liad the same army as in the south of France the battle would nave been won in three liours." The Duke continued ; — " I first saw the Prussian videttos about lialf-past two, and never in my life did 1 observe a movement with such intense interest ; the time they occupied in approaching us scsemed interminable— both they and my watch seemed to have stuck fast." Colonel Jones adds to his account : — " During their walk over the jiosition, the celebrated guide De Coster and a set of ragged urchins kept offering for sale buttons, bullets, and all sorts of trash picked up on the field, and would insist on enforcing on the Duke their own version of the battle. This he bore with i)erfect equanimity and good humour, till being interrupted whilst ''ivin" a most interesting account of tlie steadiness t.f the infantry in oppo.sing the cavalry, by a ridiculous rhodoniontade as to his own individual conduct, he said sharj>ly in French, 'Allow mo to know what I did inyself ;' to which Colonel J( nes added, 'This is the Duke of Wel- lington.' At this announcement they all appeared to be petrified stared with astonishment for a few moments, and then followed at a respectful distance till they regained the carriage." In the year 1816, Colonel Jones was invited to dine with Sir George Murray in Taris to meet General Foy, and the conver- sation turned on "Waterloo. Foy said on that occasion :— "The Emperor sent for me about 10 a.m., and accosted me thus • Mojmeur h Gnm-al, you have often fought the English ; here is their rear guard, and we shall have a Julie afaire with them if they wait an hour longer. What will they do ?' ' Pardon me. Sire, if I say that I believe ^^ ehington s whole army is here ; the English troops keep quiet and out of sight till the attacking columns are close to them, then they jump up and advance, and are as steady and fit to act as if they had been trom the first in line. I humbly conceive that such will prove to be the case to-day.' ' Non, nan. There is nothing here but a rear guard, and we shall have a very julic afaire: " Sir John Burgoyne paid a visit to the field of Waterloo in 18 lb, and after a careful inspection of the groimd, wrote an able paper on the subject of the battle. The following extract on the iiingmeer side of the question may be read with interest :— " Even a single company of sappers, with their tools, might in a very tew hours have rendered most essential service in improving it " (oiir ground), "by preparing the two buildings for defence, and throwincr up traverses for guns across the two chaum'ex. The Guards did to° the dtateau what was necessary for its defence. Had the Haye Sainte been ,' I'-i ■ 384 HISTORY OK THK CORl'S [( H. XVI. r l(t()])lii)l(Ml, nil its doors iitul approaches t(j wards the front and Hanks been strongly barricadod, and a communication made to the roar, it would j)robal)ly have Immmi held through the whole day. The traverse across the Genaijpe rfiaiixs/'i' woidd hav(! given our artillery the command of that road by which the enemy brought down his trooi)s to many of the most serious attacks, and sUU more so, had the eighteen-pounders hovAX up which had been prepared for the held. Had there been oppor- tunity and means for n;ore work, the points are clearly marked out where four or six detached works might have been placed to advantage, Ijesides the cover that might be thrown up for the line. The Duke did not wish to have any ground entrenched which might give any clue to his intentions, but would have been glad t(j have had anything which could be thrown up at the time. Two companies of sapi)ers and .'i,00() men might, on the night of the 17th, in addition to the above-mentioned posts, have thrown up such a line as wnuld have afforded great cover to our infantry and guns, have brought them more to the ridge of the hill, and Mould have considerably checked and broken the advances nf cavalry." Imniodiately after the victoiy of Waterloo, the British and Prussian armies advanced into France on their road to I'aris. Canihray capitulated without a shot ; but at Peronne the coni- niandant refused to sui-render, and arrangements Avere made for an assaidt. This fortress, whicli is on the Somme, has powerful fronts to the north and east on the land side, and is protected on tlie other two sides by the river. The ea-stern front is covered by a largo hornwork, with a ravelin before it, the whole enclosed with glacis and covert way. It was ascertained that there was no drawbridge, the entrance being closed by massive gates. Two columns were told off — one to escalade the right bastion of the hornwork; the other, with two guns, to blow in the gate and enter through the ravelin. Two brigades of guns were to cover the operation, one to sweep the faces of the hornwork, the other to enfilade tlie main front b(4iind it, so as to prevent the garrison on that point from bringing their fire on the assailants Avhen tliey had entered the advanc^l work. The attack was perfectly suc- cessful. Tlie garrison, evidently cowed by the French disasters and the ignominioiis capitulation of Cambray, made a very half- hearted defence ; and as soon as the British had estabUshed them- selves in the hornwork they sm'rendered the fortress. The S^econd Company of tlio Second Battalion of Sappers had the honour of leading the assaulting columns; one portion behig with tlie ladders for the escalade, the remainder with the column that was to enter by the gateway. Sub-Lieutenant Stratton and Lance-Corporal Edward Connall clambered over the gate, forced their way throug'li the spikes, and jumped into the work. They then tore down the [CH. XVI. it and tliiiika I tlui rear, it The traverse the coinmiuid s to many of keen-pounders e been oppor- markod out to advantaf^e, :ho Duke .lid u any clue to ything wliich ■rs and ;i,00() ve-mcntioned ;roat cover to e of the hill, advances of IJritisli and id to I'aris. le the coni- re made for las powerful protected on s covered by ole enclosetl here was no ates. Two stion of the te and enter cover the :he other to garrison on 1 Avhen tliey srfectly suc- ich disasters a very half- lished them- The Second e honour of I the ladders svas to enter ice-Corporal svay throug'li >ro down tlie l.Sli-JM;jO.] OK linVAI, KNOINFKHS. 385 fastenings and achnitted the troops.* This was after the fire of the guns had inudi injured the structure. Captain Thomson, lt.i<.. led the escalade at the bastion. IJoth he and Strutton were severely wounded. This took place on June :>(Jth, and a Dutch garrison was left in tlie i)lace. iil>rrlm/x Jnmnal.—^'Amv 2Mtii. I was despatched with a message to the olhcer placed ni command at I'l^ronne, and to make observations witli^ '"''Y''^^'? *^'<-' f'^'tif'w>ti'>"s and their .state. I arrived tlien^ alx.ut lU o clock. The (iov.TUor kindly in.si^ted on my breakfasting, or rather taking,' lunch with him and some of his ofMccrs. Un my showim' some surprise at the abundance of his table, he said that !is 'the French had almo.st ruined them they were now living at free .piaiti vs ; the inhabi- tants furnished wliat th.'y required. I afterwards rode round the fortifi- cations. They are so strong that our getting possession aro.se only from the W(^akness and hesitation of its defenders." Meanwhile, the I'^ngineer force with the army had been dis- tributed in accordance witli a Corps <,rdcr, issued by Colonel .Smyth on June "JOth. A brigade of Engineers was attached to <"ach division. ^ Tiiis brigade consisted of a Captain, three sub- alterns, and a Company of Sappers under its sub-lieutcimnt, witli drivers, horses, and waggons, carrying intrenching tools f(ir the employment of 500 men, also a due ecpiipnient of artificers' tool^ and other stores. The pontoon train consisted of four Companies afterwards augmented to five, carrying eighty pontoons, besides store waggons, itc, for the transport of which HOO horses were attached. This train was under the command of Major Tylden, li.E. At this time the Engineer establisliment, either with the army or in the various fortresses in tlie ^'etherlands, consisted of jiO officers, 10 Coni])anics of Sappers, with 500 drivi-rs, 1,000 horses, and about 100 waggons of various kinds. The lesson had at length been thoroughly learnt that an army requires for its efficient service a complete Engineer equipment. After havino- suffered severely inrnx the want of such assistance in the I'eninsula, the evil liad at last been remedied. Unfortunately, the long peace which followed the close of the French war led the authorities to forget the experience that had been so dearly bought. When once again England became involved in a great Eurojjean struggle, her Engineer equipment was not much b(-tter than it had been iil the early days of the Peninsular War. The sole exception was that or the men, of whom it possessed a body whose training left but little to be desired. These were, however, sadly hampered for want of the due provision of maUricl and transport. Conollv " History of the Royal Sappers and Miners," vol i. p. 222. c c a86 insTOKY OK IMK (OKTH [(II. \VI. .J '* .!•;■•■■ • Sin'ifinnttliat ha.s id." 1 Smyth was vices ill this to. I soeoiid oiu' wero niaiii- lio ceiitro to iiay entered id landed at rniy, but was ]i he reached mt who had o have been received his [acdcnahl, of ifter serving' rs, including r, under the Emperor in las ricton, a :he shoulder, liments from inglomaniac, •s, of which irgoyne was part of the edan, where, was to take large of (lie 1H14-Is;{().] «)K KOYAI, RNfilNKKRa. .•J87 rruHHians, who w.-ro to hold them dui-ing tlu' occupation Much (Ii8j)urty, and were not to b,> restored to the French when the pl'ieos were given back. The brass guns had ahvady been sent off to rrussm, when Hurgoyne arrived; but there w(>rc 100 iron guns with their camiig..s, ami a large .piantity of stores, tliat had not yet started. Ihe discussions on this point were so proh)iiged that it was not until April (ith, 1.SH5, that tlie transfer was effected, and the inventories signed. Lieutenant-C'olonel Jones having recovered from tlie severe wound he had received at Uurgos, although .still .somewhat lame and unhtted tor active e.\<'rtion, had in 1.S14 visited tlie i)rin- cipal fortresses (m the Netherlands frr.utier in order to make a (•ar(>ful msiiection of tlieir strength and e(|uipment. llavintr conipleted this, he pushed on to I'aris. where he found tli(> Duke of Wellington, who had arrived to take part in tli(> first occupa- tion. Ihe Duke at once named him as one of a c(mimi,ssion of hngineers, to report u])(m the inoreas(» and development of thooe tortrcsse.s tliat would be neces.sary in order to render the* frontier of the new kingdom of Holland secure. The return of Napoleon Jrom Llba, and the conseijuent war, had prevented anv action l)cing taken at the time. Now, however, that peace was again restored, the ]3ritish commis.sion commenced its functions The ofheers composing it were General Jjrvce, Colonel Carmiclmel Nmyth, and l.ieutenant-Colonel Jones. At the same time a com- mission of Dutch Engineers was also named, consisting of (it-neral (roiset, Colonel Vanderkyck, and Major Valter. These two bodies acted quite independently of each other, and submitted separate reports and estimates of what services they considered necessary ihose of the British were ccmipleted in August, 1815, the Dutch papers folloAvmg shortly after. The Duke of Wellington, with whom rested the ultimate (lecision in the matter, studied the two rej.orts most ciu-efuUy As Colonel Jones has recorded in his Memoir on this subject— M'"ir''*' ^""'""^•'^^0" ^^''^*^ "1 constant commnnifation with the Duke of \\ Ellington, wiio, notwithstanding the numorous and inipoitant calls on Ills tmif, frequently gave up two hours consecutively to di.scucs tlie various lu'ojecta for defence brought before Jiim ; and this he did not superhcially and in tlie mass, but entered must miuutely into every •■onsi.leration, whether professional, strategie, or financial." The English report and estimate provided for strenothenino- 'lie following points : — " *= J..N! I ;kS8 IllSIOKV (»F I'lIK (OKI'S CM. XVl. ('ali'iilat<'rt Uodouht lit Moniu (\mrtriiy ,,, ( Town lournay j (,^,^,1^,, OiuUiiuihIo ('itadol of (Hu'iit Di'iidovmomlo Ostoml Autworj) . (tninunont Ath Mous Ui'douhts at llinchi' ClKirk'ioy Citivdi'l of Niimiir New Work at Ihij- Liege No. of Time of Kstililiiled Coill- Ujiri'iHOii. ! Defence- ( 'OHt. ploto— Days. j £ Yi'aii4 ;{,()0() i ;{() to :5'2 11. •.,784 ;t •),00() ' ;J2 ir);j,r>(ii ;t ;{()() () to 7 :!0,!t2.> ;i (l.OOO ;{'-> to ;m 4.-)7,;mO i i.r.oo S to 10 7H,;}'.)1 ;{,,-)()0 .•!() to :{2 h7,h;j.-) ') •J.uOO l(> 100, 12S 4 1,K(H) 10 .')0,!)7.') o ;{,,■.()() ;ji to ;«) 2;io.07o .■) o,()()() .-ill 12,-),-)07 ;i S,(M)l) ■,V2 •i:»,;jHO ■> '_',")()() \s l()7,2r)0 1 ;{,()00 'I'l to '21 ii;{,,v.)o ;} (),()<)() ;i 1 to :i(> ;{S(»,2HK 7 (>()() ,'} to () 50,000 i> I, ,-)(»() 20 iss.i2;{ 1 ),(>(>() ' 2S to ;50 1 ii7.i;{ij :i 'J,. ')(!() 20 i 170.000 1 !>,, ")()() ! 20 120,000 £2,010,112 1 for cout inscucics . . 201,011 £;{,207,7u(} f Tlu> Pulcli ivpori and ostiniat(> did not include all the poinis that wciv cmltraccd in tliat o\ llic Uritisli ; luit, on tlio oilier hand, their estimates wev(> liioher for those they did report on. The vdliniate result was, that a scheme of defenct* was sani- tioned, containing some of the (h>tails hrouf^ht forward hy eacli commission; *lu' 'British report having heen in the mahi ndopto.l, hut niodiliiHl in many points, where the Duke i)n>l'erred the s>iji- gestions of the Dutch. The nwised estimate then stood thus : — Original lU'itish estinvate £;?,'J07,7.")(; rurchuse of land, and other details . . S(»0,000 Additional cost of adopting Dutch ])roi>osals— At Ypres, an excess of Ath „ ()st(>nd „ Antwerp Maestrocht, not included at all in the British scheme ',>()(;,()oo nt>!),(iO() 17(3,000 222.000 C'arriod forward 1,021,000 £5,028,750 [cm. XVI. 1814-ls;{o. Ol' HOYAI, l':N(JINKKltS. ;j8!> Tiino to lll'll t. ('oni- plotj?- Yoai'H. 7H-1 ;( ->()1 ;i »2.j ;i ■)T!> 1 J'.)l 2 h;}.-) ') r2s 4 '.)-,:> .) (170 .■) -)()" ;i ;JH() ■> '2M 1 .')',)!> ;} •iss 7 ()()() o rj;{ 1 1 ;{■) :i 000 1 ,000 1 M-2 ,()U ,7ij(> 1 tlio poiiiis 11 <1 10 otlior port on. M* w ilS SilllC- i.r.l 1)_V iMcll aiii a(loi)loil. rod tlio m0,000 ,0'J 1,000 ,028,750 Vov ihe town of N rmsHols l5rouglit forward £5,028,7 ')(» iiiuur For ])os<.s of ol)sorvandod to ho ai»])liod to tho arming of the fortresses. The funds for this grand scheine wore to l)e found as follows : England contrihufod two millions slerling, and lloUmid a similar iunount, whilst Duke of Wellinglon Wiis appointed the disposer of (his fund, with entire control ov(>r (he_do(ails of construction of the various works emhniced in the ja-ojoct. lie Avas authorized to appoint nnch'r hims(>lf as many insp(>ctorH as ho might think noeessary to supervise the work, which was to ho carried out hy th(> DutVli Engineer (lo]iar(ment. lie, howov(>r, declined (o have anyone under him hu( Colonel .lones, whom ho named his sol(> iissis(ant. The commissions were (lion hrokoii nj), and the cons(riiction of (he works hogun. This las(ed from |81(; (o |S2S. During all that time Colonel -lones made freipient inspections and re]ior(s to thc^ Duke on the ]trogress olfec((>d, and (ho Duko himself annually travelled round the frontier III company with Jones, carefully 'looking into every detail. Colonel Jones, in his autobiographical memoir, (piotations from which have already been oxtract(>d, gives a very interesting descrip- tioii of these (ri]»s, during which h(> was thrown in constant ajid intimate contact with the Duke. The revolution of I8.'{0 rendered mill all (ho olforts that had boon made, and tho Dutch lost (ho Irontior which had been strengthened iit .so much co.st. As soon as it ai)poared likely that thin- would eneoiinter ditH- cuKies in their ]?olgian i.rovinoos, the Diike of Wellington, who was at the time Prime Minister, sent for Colonel Jones, and entrusted him with a ])rivato mission to (he King of Holland. Tho l)uk(>'s words, as recorded by Jones, weri^ : — " 1 wish you to go over there and use your discretion as to any luilitary an'iuijj;eiiieiits llmt may heeoiiie advisaole, Avitli a view to i)iu'ry iin'y '.luvateiied or probable hostile luoveiiients of the French ; hut be very Kiianl(>(l not to do anything to commit us or the Dutch; to ensure tiiis, . ' ■> ' ( 1 •' i 'M 3!»0 HISTORY Ol' THK COUPS [CH. XVI. it is l)(>tt('r you sliDVild see what I have written as to the determination of the Knglisli (rovernmeiit." The narrative oontiuues : — " The day hein<,' damj) and ehilly, there was a fire in thi; room, and hia Gra(!e, placing his feet on the liob, and making Colonel Jones draw in and place his feet on tlie fendi;r, then road to him hia several conK- dential letters on the sul)iect. Tluiir sulwtance may be stated in a few lines — tliat (ireat Uritain would not interfere witli the internal pro- ceedings of France, liut that she was bound by treaties to protect the Xc^therlands and her otiier allies, and that she was prepared and deter- mined to do so on any aggressive movement of the French beyond their own frontier. After having ceased to read, the Duke said, ' Now you know everything. Go round the frontier, recommend whatever you consider desirable for security, and 1 feel sure T can trust you to do whatever is right and expedient without compromising us.' " Armed Avith these instructions, Colonel Jones proceeded to the Hague, where he was presented to the King of Holland by th? British Ambassador, Sir Charles Bagot. The King requested him to join the head-(piarters of his son, the Prince of Orange, who was assembling a force at Antwerp, to march on Brussels, where the popular ferment was at its height, adding " 3fon Gt'iin-al " (such was the rank he gave him), "I have the highest confidence in your judgment and discretion. Gro to my sons, be their adviser, and 1 will write an order that your opinion shall be asked and followed, as to any operations the army may undertake." ColonelJones joined tlie Royal Princes at Antwerp, and marched with them to Vilvorde, the troops consisting of 4,000 men, wifli twelve guns. Here they were met by deputies from Brussels, wlio desired that the Prince of Orange should enter that city without his troops, and trust himself to the burgher guard. This, after some discussion, he agreed to do, provided they would parade out- side tlie town Avithout wearing the tricolor (the badge of the revolution), and further pledge themselves to obey his orders. "I will do this, he added, \foi ilv Pn'iiec' " When this decision had been communicated to the Greneral Staff, they all, being Dutch, strove to persuade him to abandon the idea, assvu-ing hini that he was not justified in incurring the risk, and that he was not bound to keep faith with men in active rebellion. The Prince began to falter, and asked Colonel Jones his opinion. His reply was — " The word of honour of a Prince is a sacreut the batteries farther from us Avere not so easily silenced, and Avherever they could fire long sliots they had the advantage. During the action the Qui'pu Cliarlotti' was veered roinid to different batteries as on a pivot, and when a large enemy's frigate on flames Avas coming on board of us, she veered away botli cal)les, and hauled on a hawser and saved herself. ^lajor Gosset, Avith an officer of the navy, and one of the Marine Artillery, boarded the nearest frigate under a heavy tire (she Avas not manned), and set iier on fire. I think it was our carcasses set fire to the others, and caused amongst our enemies a general conflagration. It Avas intended to have stormed the mole opposite the Queen Cliarlottr, but it Avas the difficulty of communicating with us, and getting us off again tliat prevented Lord Exniouth's ordering it. The ships Avould soon have fired aAvay all their ammunition (for Ave had thundered from two or three till ten at night), and if the rigging hat, been totally ruined Ave ran the risk of being all taken. Audacity has a great effect in Avar, and here it has succeeded. Our Sappers Avere prepared Avith their arms, hand grenades, smoke balls, and rockets, to storm. We liad thirteen wounded at the guns. Neither rockets nor shells Avould set the town on fire. The most of the Algerine guns are very long. I saw as wc dropped our anchors two men outside the casemate, one at each end of an immense i I [CH. XVI. ction, more I ill slavery ire by force Exmoutli, 1 armament •d this fleet lid, Captain ttliam, Avith r were part he Imprcy- Lempriere es in the rJcn. Two ! of Royal •m Captain irrative by Tars later. ^icrs, Hh, 1816. give you an nded on. T he despatch, m 120 yards of our fleet, 3 first broad- lilenced, and ge. During ; batteries as B coming on hawser and d one of the Hre (she was es sot tire to gration. It n Cliarlotfc, etting us otf I would soon from two or lined we ran ar, and liero arms, hand en wounded ni fire. The dropped our an immense 18id-LS30.] Of ROVAl. ENGINEERS. -m] sponge, getting it into tlic gun. In case this should be the first you hear of us 1 should say that we gained a victory and made a peace. I have not time to say more." The other account, from the pen of Lieutenant Wliinyates is far niore detailed, and the following extracts from it will be read with interest : — " The fleet stood in for the bay of Algiers early in the morning of 27th August, 1816. I was on Ijoard the Tmi,rp<,nahh-, 98, Captain E. Bruce, with 39 Royal Sappers and IMiners. It was intended that the company of Sappers should land, and each man was to carry two hand grenades and a piece of slow match, besides his musket and am- munition.* .... Our ship, the Ifiipnynahlc, was raked fore and aft, and suffered severely. We were anchored too far from the shore, and our ship being a large and conspicuous object made a good mark. She suffered more severely than any ship in tlie squadron, having 268 shots in Iier hull, and her mainmast damaged in 15 places. Our loss was 60 killed and 164 wounded, 9 of the latter were sappers, three of whom were severely wounded, and one of them died. Five sappers were also wounded in the Queeti Charlotte. The sappers behaved nobly at the guns, and were of great use and assistance after the action as car- penters, smiths, il'c, in repairing the damag(! done to the ships, and were thanked in General ( )rders. I was for tlie greater part of the time on the poop with the Admiral" (Milne) "and Captain, looking out for the signal to land, and for some time on the main d(!ck describing the guns tliat most annoyed us to the Lieutenant who commanded our guns '_' About 5 p.m. Major Gosset volunteered to set the Algerinc* frigate, which Avas moored across the entrance to the harbour at the Mole Head, on fire. Gosset, accompanied by the First Lieutenant of the Queen Charlotte and an oflicer of Marine Artillery, went in the barge of tliat ship under a heavy fire of musketry from* tlie Mole and Ijatteries, and boarded the frigate- (which was not manned, but they encountered some difficulty, as tlie ports were all closed), and placing carcasses and com- hustihle materials in coils of rope, set lier on fire in many different places " 9.20 p.m. a boat and Midshipman came from the (Ineen Charlotte to Admiral Milne, saying that as the object of the expedition was now com- pletely accomplislied l)y the destruction of the enemy's fleet, he (Lord Exmouth) wa* going to haul off, and wished us to do the same. In doing this the Impre(jnal)le was again raked astern. ]\Iost providentially there was a steady fair breeze that took us into action, and when comiiig out the wind shifted and Avas directly aft to take us out " After the Impree/nnble had anchored out of reach of gunshot, I w(^nt round all the decks with a lantern, accompanied by Lieutenant IJeauchamii, «• ■J ' It was only in the previous year that the men of the Koyal Sappers and Miners had been armed with firelocks. l.out in all directions. Von could scarcely keep your feet from the slipperiness of the decks, v.e.t with lilood. lUit a still more shocking scene was seeing tlu; men and boys who had been burnt by an unfortunate explosion on tho main deck, running about the decks in the nu)st excruciating agony, stark naked, a single feature of whose faces could not bo discovered, perfectly blind, uttering the most heart- rending shrieks and cries, and calling out to everyone they met to put them "ct of their misery and throw them overboard. Sixty unfortunate persons were killed and wouude l)eginniug i^f ore poor fidlow's arm, a youth about IS, who used to wait in the I'aptain's cabin. He did not move a nuiscde of his face until the saw touched the marrow, Avhcn he gave a shriek which I shall never forget." riio Hritisli loss (Mi (lu> oeedsioii was I'JS kilUnl iind ()!)(• oontUtions of peace wore the abolition for ever wounded. The of (^hristiiiu shiverv, and the inunodiate d(4ivevv of all slaves tliou in tlie dominions of the Dey, as well as the return of all sums that had been })aid for the redemption of slaves since tho beginning of the year, amonnting to abont £arf:'tf'\ wliom i had known when a boy, 1 went with lum to the consul's house ami saw [cm. XVI. isi4-l.s;{(). Ol' UOV.VI, KNCilNKKKS. '.m I (liilicult to s oijj;lit men ivttitudo in otlicr close 1st ills ri^'lit 1 close to tlio I'lly, his face s was bui'ioil mid butts (if iciul iill aloiij; md luaugli'd ^(Mvn'i'ly kiH'i> . IJut' a still [ boc'U burnt ut the decks ire of whose most heart- r met to put ■ unfortunate i». But this tiie cockpit, employed in those of the ery step over was lying in mumt of the voice raised whether tlie ■several were having their unng c^f ore he Captain's ' touched the d and ()9(l on for (>ver sliivos thou 11 sums that logiuuing of ipology anil !uyates was licli he thus the shore, 1 '!>tf'\ wliom ! t)use anil saw tlie room in which the treaty had been .signi>(l. Nine shots liad passed through it, making it a perfect ruin. Aftervvanls 1 accompanied (Japtain IJriabauo and tlu! British consul to the Dey'a palace, and was jiresent at a conference whicii took place, an there. His C:iianil)erlain stood on one side of him and his Treasurer on the other, the jnpe-bearer and a Ix.y or l)age richly dre.ssed stood a little in the rear. Th." throne was placed in an open balcony looking into an open courtyard, and over his head wore suspended a hundred or more water melons hung up by pieces of roije- yarn. "The Dey was cool and collected, ami made Vi'iy shrewd replies, evincing determination and courag.-; for the purpose of the conference, was some fresh demands from Lord Kxmouth. He replied that he. woul.l wdhngly fullil all th(>, terms ,.f the tri^aty first agreed upon, liut if Lord I'.xiuouth made new demands (>very day he would leave him (the l)(.y), nothing to exist upon, and that he mu.st retire to the mountains and defeiul himself as well as he coidd. Verv few liesi.h's myself and tlio.se olHcially ciei)loyed had the good fortune to be present at the con- ference and to see the 1 )ey. ''In walking round the front and rear i)art of the Mole batteries, after the conference, ! went into one of the casemates bv a breached embrasure, and was instantly turned out by some soldiers on* guard ; but I saw that the destruction in guns and carriages lunl })een great, and al.so the slaughter, for the back of the casemate walls Avas covered with blood and brains "The Algerines displayed much personal couragi". Their skill in gunnery was good, and superior to what we had been led to expect, riieir guns were of brass and very long. Their lo.ss was estimated at about 3,.'")00. Th.'y had forty gunboats with which they intended to iiave boarded the Heet, whilst the hands were aloft furling sails at. they expected. The Qiirrir Chcti'luUr, by her broadside.s, sunk 2G of them, the others ran on shore, bow on, so the guns in them were of no vi,i W^ n.\ •■ I. 396 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. XVI. use, an i ■rf^'/'ir. [CH. XVI. Oil tlioy gave ."ink lis in a would have the flc(!t was 1796-1854.] OF RovAL i:noineers. 397 ' ; . M lajor-Ocnerul lediately after CHAPTEK XVII. 1790-1854. Successive Augracntations-Lorfl CornwaUi«'s Corres; ^ndcnce-Crcation of Post ot Inspector-General of Fortifications— Increase of lay in all Hanks— tI™ ^'*.u^"''"'1-^x™™"^^°'^ by Army Rank-Distribution of the Honours of tile 15ath unsatisfactory to the Corps— Peace Keductions-The Hanoverian Lnginoers-IHock in Promotion— Augmentation in 1825— New Scale of Retirement and Abolition of Invalid Engineers-Further Augmentation in 184b-Lstab ishment of Seconded List-Additional Battalion on Account ot Russian War. Ha VINO brought to a conclusion the sketch of the great Napoleonic war, so .ar as the Royal Engineers were engaged therein, and the histoij oi the succeeding forty years being almost exclusively of a peaceful character, it may be well in this place to devote a chapter to the organization of the Corps during the first half of +he present centiuy. ^ The last reference to the subject was in Chapter IX., when the number of the officers after the Warrant of 1796 was shown to be eighty-one. The next matter to notice is, that in 1797 the three grades of Captain-Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, and Second Lieutenant each received an augmentation to their pay of Is bringing it up to 7s., 5s. 8d., and 5s. respectively. This followed immediately on a similar boon granted to subalterns of the line On August 29th, 17!)8, a Wari'ant was issued, increasing the Corps by two Captains, two Captain-Lieutenants, four First Lieu- tenants, and two Second Lieutenants, thus making the strength nmety-one of all ranks. In 1800 three addi:.oual Captain- Lieutenants were created, to balance the augmentation of the three Captains m 1796, thus restoring the battalion organization. The Corps now stood as follows : — 1 Chief Engineer 5 Colonels . . 6 Lieutenant-Colonels 18 Captains 18 Captain-Lieutenants 30 First Lieutenants 15 Second Lieutenants 1 Adjutant 94 Total. at 44s. per diem. „ 18s. „ 15s. „ „ 10s. >> 's. ,, „ 5s. 8d. „ „ 5s. „ ,< OS. .. fil If 'I'-i. 398 HISTORY OK THK (OKI'S [ (!H. XVII. ■ * Aftor tho union of Iivlnnd \\\\\\ (Sicat I'ritfvin it wrh (Ici-nicd lulvisablo to .-Itolu)' tlio scimrnto osliiLlislinit'ut of Ii'IhIi Mngiiioors, w liicl I ('('Hsl' I ul litrlit of ill! lanks, and to absorl) tl I'l u.^ < It iiii laiiKs, anu to aoHoii) tiicni in a general list. Ai the same time tiio o|)i»ort unity waH taken to luaki' a further nuginentatinn of twelve oiticers. Tho list after this change stood tlius — one Cliief KngiiuH'r, six (/olonels, six Lieut enant-(Jol(»nols, twenty Ca]ttuins, twenty C'aptain-Lieutonants, forty First Lieutenants, twenty Second Lieutenants, and an Adju- tant. This was intended 1 - -j osent two hattahons i>f tell eoni- |ianies eaeli. The Li valid establislnuent still remained at tho strength of seven ollicers. These rapid additions may probably bo in a ^rroat measure attributed to the unwearied advoeaey of Lord Cornwallis. In letters written by him to Maj(»r- General lloss are the following passages : — ". . . . Sdiuc iulilitidus mustbe mado to the Corps of Eii'^incors, and two or three second lieutenants may be apj)oiiited as extra olUeers as soon as fit objects can be found ; but that service requires mueli con- sideration, and in my opinion a great deal more encouraj^eiiient. Tiie ollicers have no objects of either ambition or emulument lo whicl! they can look forward, unless they seek the latter by iiiij)roj>er peculation. After forty years' service they may aspire to Colonel's pay, and notbini; more. The situation of Cliief Knyineer should certainly be improved, and, perhaps you will add, more ably filled " These last words are an allusion to Sir William Green, who had held tlie post from 1787. At the time this letter was written Sir AVilliam was in his seventy-seventh year. It may well be imagined that ho was not at that age a very active or energetic nuin, and therefore most unsuited for the post of Chief Engineer. Another extraet runs as follows : — " .... The establishment of the Engineers ou^ht, in my opinion, to be the most favoured branch of tlie Military service, because it reipiires infinitely more science and applicatitm to dry study than any other, and it holds out fewer inducenumts to the tinsel and pageantry of soldiering', or of the society of a jolly mess, which are apt to operate powerfully on young minds • in short, the admission into the Engineers ought to bean object to a cK ver young man who has been three or four years in the regiment of Artillery " The full force of these criticisms was soon made apparent. On April 21st, 1802, a ^VuTant was issued, Avhiih brought great and most beneficial changes to the Corps, the object of it being to raise the status and pay of the senior ranks. The following was from this date to be the strength, rank, and pay of the officers : — l7!M;.i8r,4.] Ol HOVAI, KN(i|NKKUS. tv.m 2 (Jolonolrt CoiiiriiiiTKlant 2 Coloiu'lrt 4 LiiMilciuiut-Coloiiel.s 2 l)itain-IiioiitoimiitH 4(1 Firnt Lit-iiti'iiaiifs . . 20 Sccoiid Iii(Mittniiiiifs 1 BrigiuU) AlaJDr 11. •{ Total. T)io ('liiof EugiiuHu- WHS to bo no long(!r 1 nt 448. „ 248. „ 208. „ 17s. M 1 -Vs. „ lOs. „ 78. ,, Gs. „ lOs. ment. Uis (ifl(. wa.s to l.r. dumged into tluW of Tuspootor-C )f Foi'fifications. 11 )orno on tlio cstaldish- ioiioml ISJ) e Wits to rt'uoiv( lOs. iicr day, in addition t ,. T : " -' ^w..u.,, rv-o. |iui ouj, in addition to his ordinary pay, and was to be soleetod by the. Mastor-dencral and J.ourd from aniongsl the Colon. Is Connnjindant. It will bo s..en that by this smh^ Hk; i)ay of the s(.ni head of the (Jorps, both as regards influence and emoluments. r.y this AVinnmt the Invalid Engineers were also increased, both its regards niimbers and p.-iy. They were now to stand thus :- 1 (\)lonel I Jiieut(>unnt-('olonel 1 Do. do 4 f-aptains 1 Captaiu-Tiieutenant 1 First Lieutenant 1 Neciond Lieutenant 10 Total. ^/' ^J*^*4; ^ lf"'r> Warrant, dated u July 19th, abolished the rank ot taptain-l.ieutenaut, converting it into 8econd Ca])tain At the same time, two Lieutenant-Colonels were added to the strcii th, wliich was now 115. TL.' threat of an invasion of i:ngland led to a substantial aug- mentation m ISO.j, when the numbers were raised from 115 to ld.» by the addition of one (Jolonel Commandant, one 'olonel two J .leiitenant-Colonels, four Captains, four JSecond Captain eiifht first Lieutenants, and foiu- Second Lieutenants. The Corps was iiow considered (o cMUsist of three battalions. This was only the I'eginnmg ,,f fresh extensions. On August 8th, 1806, eighteen more ofhcers were added, raising the ntiml^er to 157 On September 1st, 180G, the regimental pay of most of the at 24s. 20s. 17s. 10s. 7s. 6s. 58. 1= r.'v 400 inKY OF TMI'. COIU'S [«ll. XVII. ranks was iuorcaHoil. Tlu'.v now stood thus :— Licutoiumt-Coloiu'ls, iSs. 1(1. uikI KIs. 1(1.; Ciiptiiins nnd SocoikI Cinitain.s, lis. Id . . ....'.. 1 ¥ • . . - — 1 fill 1 V Li 1. Theo.vti ^..«. ^.. uteimuts, Uh. lOd. ; S('('ond Lieut , pay i'oilowod tho same riso, except in the vam of the .Second CiiptiiiuH. Lieiitennuts of over hovcu years' H(a'vic(} were to have au additioiiMl Is. per day, with extra pay in proi)ortion. On April l!»t!i, lSO.s,'tit'te»>u more otKoers were authorized, and at tlie same thne ii Deputy Insixvitor-Oenoral of Fortilications was institutt^d, witli an lUlowaiice at the rate of 'W». a day. The ('(mlinuauce of the war, and the vigour with which it was pv(Weouted, led to perpetual fresh demands for Lngineers, and year after year new AVarraiits wcn'e issu(Ml to sujiply the call. On .lune 2!)th," ISO!), twtaity-uinc ollicers were a(hhMl, hringing up the org-ani/ation to four comitlete hattalions of eight eoinpanie.s eacli : and tliis was followed, i.n ^Fay l-'Uh. ISll, l.y another, issued hy the Truico Reg(mt, to appoint twenty-eight more. Yet again, on July 'J 1st, ISl.'l, a fresh Warrant added thirty-three more, hringiiig up the nnnd)ers to •2(!*^. The list now stood as follows: — at .t:i,O0<» a year. ,, VjfJs. a day. „ IHs. Id. „ „ lOs. 1(1. „ „ Ms. 1(1. „ „ lis. id. „ „ (is. 10(1 „ „ OS. 7d. „ .. 10s. -') ('ohmels Oomiuandant. . 9 C(donels. . 18 Lieutenaut-Col(»uels . . 4 Do. do. 40 (Japtains 45 Second Captains 90 First Lieutenants 4-") .Second Lieutenants 1 Brigade-Major. . 'io-i Total. On Dccf^nher •"JOth, 1^14. an order was issn(>d. un(h'r instruc^tioiis trom the Prince liegimt, r(:'nioving General Ollicers, other than ('oh)nels Commandant, fr(jm the active list of the Corps. This regulation was to take effect fnmi Jime '^oth i)revious, and hy it (lenerals were to recei\-e ;iSs. a day, Lieutenant-Generals, i}"2s. (id.. and Major-Generals, 'JOs, As regarded those already holding the ranks, who would ])e removed hy the new rules, they were allowed certain advantages as regards pay, and also an optional retirement of £700 a year, which was not t(3 debar them from miployment on the Staff of the army. One of the results of this order was to break through tlie old established iiriueiple, that promotion to the position of Colonel Commandant, the great prize of the Corps, Avith its pay of £l,0()i> a year, was to be by regimental seniority. The Inspeotor-G-eneral of Fortifications, General Mann, put forward the following protest on behalf of his brother officers : — " If it is understood that General officers may be eligible to succueil to [(II. XVII. int-( 'kIoiu'Ih, .s, 11 H. M; . Theoxtia the Se(!()U(l /■©re to have 1. liori/.tMl, and iciitious WHS ^hioli it WHS rs, niid yt'iir I. Oil .lunu iiig up \\w )iinie.s caoli ; ;r, iissuotl 1)V Yet np'aiii, tlirco luoiv, LS follows: — I year. I day. 17fK)-I854.] OI' HOYAI, ENOINEERS. 401 i" illstl•uotioll^ 1, otlivr tliiiii Oorps. Tlii> IS, and bv it ■als, 3-2s. '(id.. ■ holding till- wero uUowimI d rotireiuoiit iplovment on Dugli tlie old n of Colonel ly of £1,0011 3ctor-G-enei'al >wing protest i to succeed to Jlattalions "(*..., to boco.ne C.)lonel8 Co.nn.andant), " aeorduiMo tl .seniority in tfn- dn-pn as heretof the contrary 'ore, no objection can bo oflored, hut if they may l)e eh'^'iblc to .succeed to Battal leir on ,. ,".,".■ ■. '. ""•' ""V ■"' '"K'"!" w .succeed to Uattalioiia ac ord.ng to he.r sen.onty as (Joaeral oMLhth. then the constitution and ban cter of the ( lorps wdl he tr.tally dn.njred, to tho groat detriment, ..t ho ..nt.re nun, of tiiat branch of the n.ilitnry ..erv^ce, .since no n an whatever , nay bo his merits an.l length of service can any longer look p v.th .-onhdeneo to h.H ultinmtely succeeding to tho highest mnk of 1 l.rufe.sH,on, therefon. lu.s attachment and zeal nn.st necessarily bo in so u sort weakened. For, whoever has the good fortune or interest to be .laced ni any vory eonspicuoas situation, and thereby ac-iuiring brevet ank, mil thus supersede his brother otlicers of the ^uno stand L^wil mn,self who are not .so fortunate, althoagh tla-ir merits may h^^^ ^:^\.^^:VTfV f''''f'^^ '-'y '"^vo no particular merit to entitle lum to distmction than that of being selected to convey tho despatches of a (ieneraloflicer may ac-iuire "brevet rank, which nay u tmiatoly lead to h.s getting a liattalion prior to ofticJrs of lom'er Jtandu.g ami greater abilities. If promotion to tho conunand ", .attal.ons IS n.ade to depend on casual circumstances, ami not on the Malroutme..f seniority in tlie Corps, then it will be liable t<; fall off rom that high charae er which it has hitherto maintained .so creditably he ..ountry as well as to the Corps itself. It is but very recently that nicuionous .servic-o bus been rewanled .so amply with IJrJvet rank OS of the sonun- oftcers of tho Corps have served with merit and distinction, at a period when it was not the custom of the .service to be .> profuse ,n the bes owal of IJrevet rank, and it would bo obviously unfair that thoy should lose their chance of succeeding to a Hattalion l-a.,se their juiuor.s have come into service in the Held when g od . ...duet was rewarded with army rank. Again, it is quite a m"ttS of chance whether an ofhcer has an opportunity of distingid.shing himself in 1 he d, many even most able deserving othcers from accident may novo Ijav. he opportunity atfonled them, and in a Corps of science pron Ion sliould not depend on so fortuitous a circumstance. It should .also be nMiiarkcHl tha the field duties of the Engineer are those most "sili 'M.med while those connected with the pcniianent defences requ e .1 . alxmr and deep scionce; and fre.pientiv an officer cannot l,e spared .011 the important duties of his station, am, k.s therefore been obli.J to forego the hopes of the more brilliant though not more imnortai "...plo^-inent of tho field."- (I. G. F. to Mast.-Genl., 24 Dec^ iSlf W > '. iM.Tii5., XIV.) CoLd^Smpma;;!tif :1!^'^ "" "^'^ ^'^^^^^^^ '''' ^^-«*«^' " It is impossible to make any general regulations, hoM'over gonerallv a'lvaiK.;,geous, to which some objection may not bo made, and by which ^Mane uid i yiduals may not by possibility sufler. K^ " (the Master-! Jeneral) cannot, however, enter into the objections submitte.l. His lord^liin i.as thought much and attentively on the subject, and he cannot Jonceive ]) I) I,; .■ 402 ins'ioHY OF iiiK Dours [en. XVII. that the possibility of breaking the routine of seniority by succession in consenuence of distinguished services, can hurt the einuhition or break the spirit of any corps, nor can his Lordsliip alter what he has already received the Prince Regent's pleasure to carry into effect, and no part with His Royal llighness's more entire approbation than that objectod to. Would it be said, if Sir Richard Fletcher has obtained Brevet rank for his services in the Penins'.da, that injury would have been done and onndation destroyed by that rank (else a barren name) producing the advantages in his own Corps which similar promotion on the same grounds would have obtained in the Line." — {Ibid.) This answer was for tlie time decisive, and the Corps prepared to accept the new prinoiplo. Curiously enough, shortly afterwards an opportunity oeciu'red of appealing against it. A vacancy in a battalion arose at a moment when the senior by army rank was (me who had gained liis position not by service in the field, but owing to a regimental connnissiou he had held in a Fenoible Corps. It was felt that a ease of this kind differed entirely from what had been intended as a reward for gallant service in the field. Tlic matter Avas eventually compromised by the officer accepting a retirement of £/ 00 a year, and renouncing his claim to the battalion.* At this time the Corps had reached the summit of its good fortune. Tlie war which had prevailed for so many years created a demand for skilled and trained Engineers, such as was never previously known. The opportimities for distinction, and conse- quent advancement, had been very frequent. The narrative of the last six Chapters will have shown how thoroughly the Corps had seized upon those openings. The position of its officers in the years 1814-1-j was a most satisfactory one. The struggL' then approaching its termination had demonstrated clearly that S(!ientific soldiers were an absolute necessity for successful war- fare. No less than four baronetcies were bestowed on Engi- neers for services in the reiiinsular and Netherlands. 8ir llichard Fletcher, Sir Howard Elphinstono, 8ir Charles Carmichael Sniytli, and tSir John Jones all received that distinction, although in the case of the last-named the title was not granted till some years later. The honours of the liath were not so satisfactorily given, owing to a regulation which bore with peculiar hardship on tlic Corps. It had been laid down that in the revised constitution of the Order, the second grade, or K.CJ.B., shouhl only be awarded to * This was the case which was under deliberation when Captain lleid, E.E., was being refused a brevet tor his services in the Peninsula. See " Life of Sir W. Reid, ' iu the " Brief IJiographies," vol. ii. [en. XVII. succession in tion or break e has already , and no part ,t objectod to. has obtaiudd would have barren name) promotion on rps prepared y ufterwards vacancy iu a iiy lank was he field, but uoible Corps. )m what had : fiehi. Tlic accepting a laini to the of its good ^ears created IS was never 1, and conse- narrative of ily the Corps f its officers The struggle clearly that ccessful war- ed, on Engi- 8ir Itichard chael Smyth, hough in the 1 some vear.s 1790-1854.] OK KOYAL ENfilNEKR.'s. 403 given, torily dship on tlie onstitution of )e awarded to tain lleid, E.E., 3ee " Lift of Sir s tliose who had obtained five gold medals. These medals Averr no then hestowe.l, as is now th'e case, on all office^and men S liad served on the occasion for which it was ffrauted but were i^^tricted to officers of a certain rank ludding'^Sgfpos^orS It constantly happened that Engineers of comi.nrativelv low regimental status held important posts in their owiAra ich of the S"'TZ^^Tl -T "^^"f 'tf "^^^^^^^ ^^-'^^ '^^ their want ank. The hardship became doubled when the Order of the 13pth rHsfof f^"'"^'''' '" the acquisition of these medals, and wh n the list of honours appeared at the close of the war a lou.l r.rotest ^v^ raised by the officers of tJie Corps at their almost enSe'^^clt r n ■ f P rrot««t was embodied in a letter addressed by the Inspee oi-General of Eortifications (General Mann) to tlie^Earl 20tM.Sir' ^^^'^'"^-^'^'^^^'^ «f the Ordnance, on Febrimry In this, aiter thanking Lord Mulgrave for the efforts he had ade to obtain for them a fair shazS of the honours then being tiiat the Cor[)s is informed ^ " With great grief that his Lordship's effort.s have been unavailincr a hue having been drawn for the distribution of these honours wiS^^ ^ atenu to il.K.H the Conimauder-m-Chief for the many and verv hberal marks they have received of H.K.lI.'s favour. On [he llen^ cecas.on they are mortified and dispirited, seeing all their zeal aEie au.I exertions in some of the most arduous servia-s of Cy^l^^^^^ have been tre.piently aeknowledged. as well by the honour ' i 'on ni. uiy occasions have been bestowed by the King, as by the freouen uoieeof then, in I'arhament. are uow'upparentirforgotL 1 sKa lu cast upon the Corps which c.n never be' explained awav ''Ti^ h history of t us country a,id of the long war just concluded the liouours bestowed on the '^everal branches of the public service wil o n^orded. but t^iere will be a l>lank with respect I the Co^ "f Rlyd A ary cnrle i wil be very natural to conclude that all their previous UU.OUS sei^ices have been tarnished by some subse.p.ent imi' o .^ '"luct. lostenty w,l not cuter into any consideration of thi nice S V wil ;T' T Y " '^^ '^''^ ''' *''"^ '' particularly mark 1 ■ 1 they vdl, therefore, b. at once condemned as undeservin./ In thi^ io tunate and distressing predican.eut, there appears to h but o e ••^our e, they therefore presume to hope that a' humble and mo t i ec ful memorial to the Throne may not be thought imm^oper and t^d^iclir^HR FrT'r'^'' ^-/-^l^l'il''^ c<.untj;iance lij'^c" ! uiKUtiou H.K.H. the Commander-in-Chief uuquestionnl.lv f.-nd '> "'xessary to fix some rule for the distribution of honours in Warmy' '-'■ ,M . 1 404 HISTORY Ol" THE COKPS [CH. XVII. I but he is too lilieval to have adoptod any moasuro that he could have foreseen would bi'ai' hard on any meritorious class of officers, or that would occasion a partial awarding: of tbo distinctions to be conferred. The object of the Cnrps, by their jietition to the. Throne, is therefore to pray that undei' the peculiar circiiinstancps in which they are thus situated, the rule with respect to them may be dispensed with, as it cannot create any precedent to admit, or any opening to prefer, new claims from any other corps or individuals. If the gratification of individual claims, however strong, were the leaifing object in view, his Lordship Avould not, after the steps he has already taken, been troubled with this appeal, but the main point the officers have at heart is to preserve the honour and rejmtation of the Corps which, if their prayer is not heard, must for ever stand impeached." The question of the award of medals, on which the whole controvers-s^ turned, is thus expLiined in a memo. draAvii uji by Colonel Goldfincli, R.E., in April, IS 15 :— " The Returns of the R. Engrs, for ^ledals were sent by the C.R.E., in like manner with those of the other Departments of the Army under the command of the Duke of Wellington, to his Grace's ^lilitary Secretary, Lord Fitzroy Somerset. In these returns those Captains of Engineers, whether IJrevet Field (Officers or not, were included, whose stations with the army were consiilered analogous to those of Captains of Artillery, whose claims to medals had been satisfactorily estal)lished early in the campaigns. From some unfor- tunate misunderstanding or causes, which it might be difficidt now to trace, the pretensions of the Captains of Engineers to the same distinction, though often tht.' subject of appeal from those officers interested, appear never to have been cleaily understood at home. The Duke of Wellington, as he had previously acted towards the Artillery, declined either to sanction or reject the claims of Captains of Engineers. In the meantime the returns of the Corps have; remained unconfirmed by his (irace, and consequently Fiiild Officers as well as Captains have remained alike excluded from the distinctions conferred upon every otlier military branch of the service. Tlu; only instance in which the Duke of Wellington is undcn'.itnod td have sanctioned a medal being bestowed on a Captain of Engineers is that of Lieut.-Colonel Chapman for the battle of Eusaco, on which occasion, although only a Captain, Colonel Chapman was the second in command of the Corps with the army , in fad, throughout these campaigns such duties in the Royal Engineer Depart- ment as in any other branch of the service would have devolved on Field Officers have been almost exclusivt'ly confided to Captains. Sir Richard Fletcher was only Captairi of his Corps, with brevet or local rank at the commenc.'ement oi his command with the army, and Lieut.- Colonel Elphinstone wdio, on Sir Richard Fletcher's death, became the C.R.E., only succeeded to the rardc of Field Officer during the latter part of his services with the army. These two wovo. the only [CH. XVII. te coulil have licei's, or that be conferred, is tliorefore to ;he.y are thus 3(1 with, as it prefer, new ratification of t in view, his been troubled nt heart is to ' their prayer 1 the whole vavm. u]) by sent by the nients of tlie ;() his Grace's returns tliose or not, were analogous to lis had been some unfor- fficiilt now to lie distinction, rested, appear Clie Duke of llory, decHned leers. In tlio firmed l>v liis lave remained other military the Duke of 4' bestowed on for the battle jnel Chapman 'my , in fad, ineer Depart- devolved on captains. Sir fevet or local y, and Lieut. - eath, became 2V during the v(U'e the only 1796-1854.] OF KOVAL ENGINEERS. 406 Field Officers of the Corps of Engineers who served with the Duke of Wellington, consequently few Captains of the Army can have been t^tlrCorr^f T^'^'"''''''' '^''"'^•^^^- ^^^^^"»° ^« t'-- considltion that the Co ps of Lngmeers is one to which a life must, in a peculiar twHf'nrn r"'''^''"'/TT^''^'^^ '''''^'''''^' '« uot permitted,^in n without advertin, to the nature of its duties in the held, it is hoi.ed that aspiring to an e.pial participation of the honours in question cannot be considered presumptuous." ^ umnot, Goldfiiieli then goes on to point out that by a proper ullotnient of medals three Engineer Officers would have beLme entitled to the KX_h VIZ., Burgoyne, eiglit medals for Busaoo, Ciudad Niv. ^ P ufT"' ^''^T^'''''^ ^?^°^'^''^' ^^'' Sebastian, Nivelle, Nive. Goldfinch, six, Talayera, Busaco, Vittoria, Xive, Orthes The protest of the Inspector- General of Fortifications was unavaibng, for although no exception could be taken to the grounds on which It was based, the Prince Eegent at this juncture decided that tor the iuture he would not grant the KC B to any officer of the army under general's rank-and all further efforts were, therefore, abandoned. Burgoyne's case Avas one of peculiar hardship. Owing to the claim that had b-en made for the gold medal for Ciudad Rodrigo for officers of Koyal Engineers of comparatively low rank, the list had never been sigjied by tlie Duke, an.l Burgoyne, who was clearlv entitled to it did not receive the decoration at the time. Failing this he held ??rT^""'*rJ "ledals, and was adjudged not .pialified for the JV.C.B. 1 he matter was shortly after rectified and the medal awarded to him, but in the meantime the fiat had gone forth that no furthei- promotions sliould take place below general officer's rank and the 1 rince llegent declined to re-open the question. The result was that Bui-goyne never wore the order of the CM 5 which had be-n given him, nov did he return it amongst his list of hoiiom;s. Ihe decoration was found after his death in the box in which It had been presented to liim, having evidently never been ojiened from that time. Tlie first sign of ap].roaching re(biction was given by the disbanding of the King's German Legion, whieli co*^itained in its 1 ! 7;^;'^"V/''""^"'' ""^ J^^'ig"-^^'^- The historv of tiiis little oitslioot of the Corps was as follows :— AVhen the Legion was first raised six Ham.verian Engineers were attached to it In 1804 application was made by fl.RH. the Duke of Cambridge to the Master-General to give them employment under the Board of Or.lnance, upon which they were ; •»■< :-1 : Iti; 406 iiisroiiv oi' THK cdiirs [cil. X\ 11. directed to pro(^eed to the Royal Military Academy at "Woolwich, there to be examined as to their qiialifieations by the professors of that Institution. On Se])tember 5th, 1804, General Morse in- formed Captain llassebroick (tlie senior of the number) tliat lie had received a favourable rejiort from tlie Inspector of the Uoyal Military Academy of the six Ifanoverian ]Ongineers who liad gone there for examir;atiou, and that he was prepai.d to issue the necessary orders for their going on duty. The six officers tlius api)roved of were Captain llassebroick, Second Captain Berensbach, First Lifuitenants Prott and Api)uhn, Second Lieutenants Meinecke and "\Ved(>kind. C'n A])ril 24th, 1807, it was notified to tlie Iiispeetor-Greneral of Fortifications that the otlieers of the King's ( rerman Engineers were to be placed on the same footing of pay and allowances as officers of the lloyal Engineers. Two of their numl)er, viz., Lieu' inants Meinecke and Wedekind shared in all the services of their comrades of the lloyal Engineers during th(^ Peninsular War, including the sieges of ]3adajoz and Ciudad Rodrigo. Later on some were sent to Canada, and the others to Mediterranean stations. The dissolution of the Legion, which included that of the Engineers, was decreed by Horse Guards' Order of December 11th, 1815. It Avas to take place on the 24th day of the montli succeeding that in which each corps should arrive in Hanover. The Engineer officers were then to receive t-\\'0 months' pay in ad\ance, after A\'hich tliey were to be placed on lialf-pa}'. At this time their number had increased to ten, although one of them, Captain Hassebroick, had died In the interim. They stood thus — Captain and Brigade-Major Berensbach, Captains Prott and Appuhn, Second Captains Meinecke, Wedekind, Muller, Schwei+zer, and Gangreben, Lieutenants Unger and Suttermann. The last trace Ave have of this Corps is on April 2nd, 1817, when it Avas rejiorted that Captain Gangreben lia^l reached Hanover and Avas reduced, and that Lieutenant Sutterman ceased in the extra pay returns at Malta after the end of July, 181(), from Avhich it Avas coni'luded that he set out for Hanover about that time. This Avas the foreshadoAving of Avhat Avas shortly to take place in the Royal Engineers. When the army of occupation in the Netherlands AAas gradually AvithdraAsn it became evident that tiiere Avere too many of them for the Avork that remained, '^he peace duties upon Avhich they iioa\- had to fall back for er ^iloyment Avere not sufficiently numerous or varied to engage Ihij time of over 260 officers. It tlierefore excited no surprise that on February 15th, 1817, a Warrant was issued reducing the numbers by tAventy-nino (intended to represent a half battalion). The junior officers of [cii. x\ u, ; Woolwicli, irofessors of Morse in- )er) til at lie : the Uoyal rs who liad to issue the :lassebroi(3k, 1(1 Api)iilin, r-G^eiieral of gineers were as officiirs of Lieu' juaiits eir comrades a chiding the le were sent that of the 'ember lltli, the niontli n Hanover, iths' pay in ly. At this ne of them, They stood lis Prott and , Sehwei+zer, IH17, wlien laiiover and in the extra om which it time. o take place ation in the nt that tiiere '^he peace er ^loynient ihu time of 15th, 1817, twenty-nino officers of Vcl 7 /'(;(/(■ ■W'! I I'lU), -101 1796-1854.] OF ROYAL KNGINEERS. 407 earli rank to the extent of tlie reduction were placed on half-pay with a view to being absorhed as vaoanoies ocourred. This was a sad hlow to tlie Corps, as the prospects of promotion were much injured, but it was not the only or oven the worst shock that was to be encountered. On March 20th, 1-S19, „ further reduction of no less than forty officers was made. The list, when this had been effected, stood as follows : — Four Colonels 0)mmnndant; eiglit (.'olonels; twenty Lieutenant- .of()nels, of whom four were to he on Major's pay; thirty-two Captains; thirty-tAVo Second Captains; sixty-four"^ First Lieu- tenants ; thirty-two Second Lieutenants ; and one Urigade-Maior making a total of W.\ ofHcers. The half-pay list was now choked with men waiting to be brought back to the active list, and all prospect of promotion was practically at an end for many years. The results were in every way most discouraging. Time passed on and men grew grey whilst still holding the commission of subaltern, until at length it took as long as twenty-three years to obtain a Second CaptauK^y, of which no less than nine had been passed m the subordinate grade of Second Lieutenant. The Warrant by which this reduction was decreed contained some ummitortant changes in the i)ay. The extra pay of the Second ( apt^im was fixed at ,Ss. abroad and 4s. at home, and brevet rank was to carry with it an additional 2s. a day. Matters having reached their worst, began slowly to mend ihe first gleam of returning prosperity brok.> forth in LS25 It had been decided to carry out an Ordnance Survey of Ireland and it was wished that the work should l^e pressed 'forward with the utmost rapidity. To do this, a large num])er of additional Survey Officers were re-iuired, and these could not be furnished from the attenuated list. A. :iow Warrant was therefore issued, dated l,)tli ^ovenlber, 1820, granting an increase of forty-eight ofhcers of all mnks. This brought back the numbers "to five battalions, and cleared off all the remaining expectants from the Jiult-pay list, so that now some little movement might be anti- cii)ated. " The next change to notice was the abolition of the LivaUd Ljigineers,_w}ncli_took place l)y AVarrarit dated December 2;5rd l.^'il, and 111 their place substituting a retirement on full pay of two Lieutenant-Colonels, six (Japtaius, and four Li.Mitenants lhe_ roster remained without further chang.. for many years alter this date, and it A\as not until April 1st, 1840. that another move was made. On that day a sixth battalion was ad.h^i, causing an adihtion of forty-seven officers. The post of Brigade-Major of the (.orps was now abolished, and an Assistant Adiutant-Oneral I • 408 HISTORY OF TUr. CORPS [cH. xvn. \f ' substituted in his place, with an allowance of twenty shillings a day in addition to his regimental pay. Officers were also to be allowed to be employed when necessary in the Civil Departments of the Government. Tliat there slionld be no loss to Engineer services, the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury were empowered to place such offi(iers on the seconded list, giving a step of promotion by so doing. The Treasmy was to decide whether such officers should receive the whole or any part of their regimental pay in addition to the remuneration granted to them for their civil services. If promoted during such employment, they were not to receive the military pay and allowances of the higher rank till tlie cessation of the service. On their return to the Corps they Avere to be absorbed in the grades to which they then belonged on the occasion of a vacancy. At the first threatening of a war with liussia, Lord Kaglan, who was Master-General of the Ordnance, remembering from old Peninsular experience the necessity of having a full and efficient supply of Engineers, at once pressed for an augmentation. Tliis was granted to the extent of a b.ittalion on February 17th, 1854, thus raising the Corps to seven battalions of forty-eight officers each. It was with this strength that tliey carried on the liussian war, which, owing to circumstances, became little more than one great siege, and, in consequence, brought a heavy strain upon their energies. Tlie following Chapters will show how that call was met. 1804.] OF R(»YAI, KNGINKEHS. 409 CHAPTER XVIII. The Russian Wak, 1854. .Sir John Burgoyne's Mission to Constantinople-IIis yi< ceeds to Galhpoli and Varna-Burke's Report on tl 1 he Lines ot Oalhpoli^-Advance on Varna-Sv rlsit to Paris— He pro- ,ll,-,. >n Ai T."'" "" *^^ l^anube Position— at Varna-aaUantry ot tapper James Cray— Expedition to the JJalti," ThlToS (Son."' ''"^^'^"^"* Losses-Capture of 't^^SJ^^ Thk year 1854 opened with tlie first mutterings „f that storm Turk v"''l T^ ''•'" '" '^r^''^' '''"' ^ ^'^-^ -^^l bloody war hkelv thnrl r'*; ^^^ "^^"'"^V' ^'^•S-''^^^^^' -^^^^ ^^ seemed br^t too hkely that England, with or without the ai.l of France, would act prevent the capture and occupation of Constantinople ly itr fonmdable antagonist. .Sir John Ihirgoyne Avas at th L tinu^ the ^^^trr^f'"'^' "'^^^"- ?f Lord Aberdeen's c"L-n. pent, and Jie lost no time m urging that the British slioulrl <.il-« tneu tieet and throw up works of sufficient strength to hold tliit pom against the utmost efforts of Russia. The Gove^ien ecided that he himself should proceed to the spot a^i7 n a le Oi^rough inspection of the ground. TJie following letter on Sn- James Graham to Lord Raglan, the Mastei-Ge'neraCf the Ordnance, sliows what at that time was contemplated :- " My dear Lord Raglan,- " A^bniralty, 26th January, 185^. luonts Sir Tni,Prn^'^"'1 accepts witli grateful thanks and acknowledg- ents bii Jolni l.urgoyne's spirited and honourable oifer of -oincr liiinsdf to par loi a .horfc tune with so valuable an assistant. We lu-opose tint h inilf"- "'^'°^"' .^^«"1^1 ^'i«it l^aris by the way. tliat h 1 oSd p ace m«elf in coinniunication witli Lord Cowley, who will be prem ed for ■^ rfe;:ni"'w "1 "'^''^r ^"" '^ *'- ^--'> authoiX?riI.o, Tnl.n 'i?^'''^"''*^- ^^*^ Ji^-ive written to Lord Cowley begginc- that Sir John Lurgoyne may not be long detained in Pan., for Z. a"o, anxious >* 410 lUSTOUY OF TiiK rours [('It. .will. V ' I <<' that he .should reach CoTi.staiitin(ii»lo a.s .soon iis possiUo, aiul rotuni iiflor iji.spfctini,' thi- r)<)s|)hf)ruH .iiitl niinlancllcs with \hr utnioat cxpoditinn. Wv hiiv(! al.so iKitiHi'd to the Kivnch (Jovcmmcnt, tliat if thoy wish to hajtpy to ho Sir -lohii, h Mil send an i';iij,Mivecr olliccr to aceoinpany JSir -loliii, no wi so aasnciatcd. .ind that we can '/ivo him a pasHa,i,'e in the (Jaimlnr, now ready, and waitinj.,' orders at N[aiaeill('s. We must rcipiest Sir John not to go boiiimd Ci>nxfaiifiiini)/i', hut to turn hi.«t back on the I'.lack Sea, and to hasten his return to luij^land as .".oon as the object of his mi.s.siou is accom))lish(Ml. The Cabinet is of opinion that if a field oiliecn- of I'uf^dneer.s, in whom yon confide, couhl accompany Sir dohn, and be left liy him at Constantiiiople in full jxi-ssesaion of his views and plans, nnuii time mi<,'ht be .saved, and Uie pnl)lic service would be i)romoted. \V(> leave this arrangement to your lictter judgment and discretion. It luighl be iKKssibie to order Coloiud Tylden <> proceed from Corfu, via Alalta, to Constantino|)le with the utmo.st e.\pedition, and Sir John in passing Malta might make arrangements with Admiral Stewart for Colonol Tylden fcdlowing him without delay. . . ." In aceordiinco with th(3 anjiiigoments laid down in this k'ttov, Captaiu F. Chapman, 11.10., was ai)i)()inted to proeood to Galliiioli, thcivto await Sir .Jolm's instructions. AeeompanitHl by liiout* mints tlio J Ion. (1. Wrcttosh^y and Burke, he embarked on board the BaiiKhcc, ami they were conveyed witli the utmost despatch to tlieir destination, beinp- the first British ofheers wlio hiiided on tlio shores of Turkey to take part in the impending war. Coloiul Tvlden was also directed to jn-oceed to Constantinople from Corfu. Jtleanwhile, Sir John l>urgoyne hurried off to I'aris. There he had interviews with tlie Kni])eror ami the leading French statesmen. Sir John wrote the following report on the subj(!ct to Colonel Matson, E.E., who was at the time the Assistant Adjutant-General of Eoyal Engineers at the Ordnance Oifice : — "My mission as far as this, ai)pears to have been attended with good efft 18. T have had long interviews with the Emperor, with Lord Cowley" (the British ambassador at Paris), " the Minister of Foreign Affairs, iuid Marshal Vaillaut, who is much in the Emperor's confidence. They seem to have been quite at sea about a possibility of acting in Turkey, owing to the danger of the Russians marching down on the Dardanelles, and liy so doing forcing our fleets and troops (if there were any) to retire to the Archipelago. I have been explaining the promishig accounts that we. have of the possibility of turning the Dardanelles into a stroughcjld, and the vast importance of taking early possession if those accounts shall be rcaHzed. They all acknowledge it now, and look with &f, much intercut to our further researches as our own Covernment. The French have a showing of a good position, some ten or twelve miles in front of Constan- tinople, the right on the Black Sea, the left on the Sea of ISIarmora, with a comparativelv small arn's.-,. X\ 111. roturii lifter I'xpcditiiiii. tlu'.y wish to liaijpy to 1)0 'arcdliir, now >ir Joliii not ' liliitik Sea, his iiiiHsiou 'Id oih«!(U' of , and l)(i left plans, nuicii niotcd. \V(> n. It nii<.,'hL via Alalta, to II in pu^siiij;' )lonel Tylden this k'ttov, to Qalliiioli, Tiieuttimuts II board tlio iitfh to tlitnr idod on tlio ir. Coloiu'l from Corfu, 'here lie liatl I statesnu'ii. to Colonel ant-Greneral I'll with good ^ord Cowley" 1 Affairs, iunl , Thoy st'ciu 'urkny, owini; lU'llc'S, and hy ) retire to tlu' unts that we ronghcdd, and junts shall he much interest "rench have a lit of Constan- larniora, with dd be held by It importance, nice, like the is. •J OF ROYAI, KNOINKKII.S. 411 i e^t T wi ' .1 '*"•■'•"""'««• .^^« '»«.V play any K«,no wo plenl v.th great t w'th Hjii,!! means in the ncighhourhoo.1 „f C.nstunti .ulo Colonel Ardant, .>f the French Kngineer.s, aeeompani.H us * This visit Paris mnns to have had great weiglif with the lortor m wnu>li ho says — ' "^^)u will bo happy to learn that yonr visit t.. Paris 1ms pro.luee.l a ^^ change in the Kn>peror> view.s, ...d he is making every prepara itak down a,. It infallibly wdl . . . The Emperor will nut, „„der . y e reumstances, como to any determination as to the point of dislm- i u-kation for troop.s until yonr return; but he assures me ho has m", and transports read v, and that he can send ir>,000 off unmedia e v ; r t """ ^T^ *'" '"• ^'''^'"- '^'''" ''r''"'^'' troops will all be :::d sX -H^i.-r ''"^'"'' ^^^ '- '''"''' '""^"^ '^ -^ '""^ ^'-'^^'■ The partj. after a flying visit to Malta, pushed on for (^on- Jtant.noplo, and tho lu.vt glimpse we have of their work is aLmin l^lrimn^'lSir/solT"^ ^''""- ''''"' "•'^•^- ''"''"'"'' ^^"^'"' "AH o.ir officers and Sappers had been sent by tho Adniiral to .^annne he Dardanelles " (the party here alluded to con Lieutenants hwart, Wrottesley, ami I!„rke, and six Sappers who In ;eon taken <.n from Malta in the 7^.^.. , "and m. om rr v I S Mteamer'vl'Si'"" ! rf'^^'"^'^'' ' /-'-I ^apt. Chapman wUh 11. M. steamei ,Sy. //, •. H,. has come on boanl the ('am,hr, an.l the ^:^:J;:: ^\^.!z!^ ^'" '- --'' ^- ^'^ -1-... position to 1^ ■uul'\!tj^.^^^ ' '"^^f^ ^^^^'^'■'' ''''''-''^ "' ^" Austrian steamer ■UKl puned Sir John. The Kngmeers vvero at once sot to work friaSoIf ff'"" '-"^ll "''"''"^^T ^'^" ""'"'''^'y •'^"•'•^I'genients toi lay mg out the proposed lines. In a letter of Fohruarv 22nd Su- John speaks of very bad weather, and says- ' ' "The detaelnnent on the hill who are engaged to take i.lan. 'nid make designs for works, 1 fear, must have sullon-d" great discomfor"'' This det^aeluuent eonsisted of tho above named Koyal En-ineer ofheers and Sappers and of two l^^reneli Engineers. Ilavino':' are sJ- ntirr'T\''" «'^"!;r\^.^'-^t Gallipoli, Sh- John returned t'-o S - stantinople, taking with him Lieutenants Wrottesley and Burke «^^1 asha. He was taken to Varna in the Carm/or, whioh nfter ♦ This Report is dated " Paris, 31st Jan., 185J." ■;, ^> -'v^ ^ I 'Ut^''' I landing him, returned to Constantinople, it not being considered safe for her to remain in Varna Bay. She came back for him on Maroh 20th,bringing witlv her two additional Engineer Ofiicers, viz.. Captain J. L. A. Simmons and Lieutenant Creyke. The first of these was to be attached to the Ottoman army as acting British Commis- sioner, and immediately on his arrival at Varna he posted off to join Omar Pasha. Lieutenant Burke was also sent to the Danube to make notes on the state of the troops and positions there, and also to inspect the Shipka Passes over the Balkans. Sir John Burgoyne retui-ned to England according to his instructions and submitted to the British Grovernment a full report on what he had seen and decided on. Meanwhile Lieu- tenant Burke carried out the mission with wliicli he was entrusted, and wrote a description thereof to Sir John, of which the following extracts are of interest : — " After leaving you at Schumla 1 went on with Dickson, Wellesley, and I'rivate Cray, Royal Hajipers and Miners, to Kustchiik, a few hours from which wo met (_)mar Pasha. He was very civil, asked us to dinner, and invited us to take a ride with him down to the bank of the Danube, where he was going to inspect a battery in cour.se of con- struction. When we reached the battery lie fired a couple of shots from a Si-pounder gun at a Cossack picket house on the opposite bank, which made the "Russians turn out from a village opposite This was my first glimpse of the enemy and I saw them very well, as Oinar Pasha was kind enough to lend mi; the telescope you gave him, a very good one, and which he seemed to like very much Rustchuk is defended on the land side by a wide shallow ditch and a bastioned line of parapet with a demi-revetmcnt, the whole of which is in a very bad state. These works are commanded by hills occupied by field redoubts, and the same remark applies to them as to those of Varna, they arc not or were not of sufficient profile for so important a position, the guns in them were crowded and of very heavy calibre, and the parapets in a very bad state of repair. Ismail Pasha, the second in command of the Tnrkisli army, arrived the morning we were about to leave. I went with Dickson (Royal Artillery) to pay my respects, and when he heard I was an Engineer oHicer he begged me to remain another day and go round the works with his chief engineer, and any remarks I made would be attended to. I was graciously pleased to comply with the great man's request, so with the General's chief engineer and an escort of cavalry I rode prf)udly round. The Chief Engineer was a renegade Pole, a very nice young man, but with somewhat wild ideas on the subject of fortification. We got on very well together, he spoke (lerman, and all my suggestions were prefaced by first asking his opinion on the subject, at the same time giving mine. I f. and he always agreed with me by these means, and seemed much jjleased at his own intelligence. He did not, however, seem to fancy the idea of cutting down an orchard which grows up to the very counterscarp, as it belonged to Said Pasha, the liiid Pa.slia, tlie I 1854.] OF UOYAL ENGINEERS. 413 shot ne.rl,. „xne, irr Tl, -L,",' ',''' "'«"''* »""■"«>■■ One early in the ^'13 w. ri, , £ ff 'oen fair t„ ,hoot me so lading „po„ „rS„a JhiciS ,X KtctJwtZe ?^, *"' >vho acco„ma„ieJ ,s ,|,a „,il h v^.IT,^ ■''"■'"•' "'?'"■ ^Iie civil Pasha sort of musketry hole «ri" iC at tfi K L.- '■"„'' ''™ ""'"' '" " Amuuts loadin"for him TI?ro,l "° ™f*"»" , ""emeu will, three 0^ He was -"-h *sap,,ointed when wf rI^r'■,J;:f , „ -^^ Sit rr;™h T J ;F™^-i-"""'"/'»^^^^ very prett/s,:™ for 7,t: ^Tm rSoTl T'^ 'l"^""""'»'°^ » walked in the ganleu of a,w,™,",,„ i,f!?:,,,i'l=°''' ■*?. generally * *ivu,iv.i one Lrunerauv evening and wishing to see tlxis pearl of t was suddenly j:rke'^tVrti.J„:S;e"LV'r°'' ',""' "^ tace bv a hidcniKs T„..l- ,ii i • , "^ "°°* slammed in mv ever, smil d v: ; ,Sant v^I.dt T,"' ''"It "">', J»S««-. »l.o, how! ■ Yeks ' that I jj .trf/e:;;' w" ■ddrSo'^ar'"':"". ''^. " :""!^'' °' In the month of Februarv thp 1 1+1, Pn.-^.^^ r o Captain Hassard, staxte^ S' tL lar tnd S,fo ^JTu' ^"^'^'^ kept there until the nvrivnl nf fi, -.'i /. ^^ii^"ig at Malta were winch was apportioned for consh-nition t t e Brit si Z remainder l.emg carried out by the French. ' ® ^^; Poor Burke was, after all, the Hrst officer of the British army killed i. the s'l I ■^ , 'I > i 1^ •ff-l'i^e^ 414 HISTORY OF THE (JORPS [CH. Win. " The works at the intrcuclied camp at Bulair progressed Avith such speed that our portion of them was at this time (the end of April) expected to be finished by the middle of May. The emulation between the French and English troops at the diggings was immense, and at the same time most good-humoured. The lines were about seven miles long, and about 2| or 3 miles were executed by our men. They were simple field works running along the crest of a natural ridge from the Gulf of Saros to the Sea of Marmora. They consisted of a trench seven feet deep, the bottom from scarp to counterscarp six feet broad, the top thirteen feet broad. There was then a berm of three feet wide, above which was the parapet of earthwork (to be revetted in due course) of five feet thick, a banquette three feet six inches broad, and a slope inside of one in two."* Following the first two Companies of Sappers came the 10th, under Captain Bent, intended to form the pontoon train, and the 8th under Captain Boixrchier. These two latter Companies were taken to Constantinople, and placed in barracks at Scutari. At this time, with a view to future movements, the four Companies were told off each to a division of the army in the following order : — The 11th Company to the 1st Division, the 8th to the 2nd Division, the 7th to the 3rd Division, and the 10th or Pontoon Train to the Light Division. It was now determined that the army which had been landed at Gallipoli should proceed to Varna. Colonel Tylden, E.E., had been made Brigadier-General, to take up the post of Commanding Engineer on Lord Kaglan's staff, and he -wrote to Sir John Burgoyne, on May *24th, from Constantinople, a letter Avhich gives a very good account of the position of the Engineers at this moment : — "As I stated in my letter of the 16th, General Gator, K.A., iuul myself accompanietl Lord Kaglan to Varna, on Thursday, and went over the works on Friday. We found them mostly in the state you left them, except that the heavy guns Averc removed from the outworks, and light ones substituted." ..." I was ordered to return here the same night to forward a detachment of Sappers, with tools to repair the old wharf and construct a new one on the oi)posite side of the bay, leaving Wrottesley with Wagcmann to make preparations aiul collect materials, { )mer Pacha having given an order to the Pacha at Varna to furnish everything wanting in that way. Cator and I arrived here on Saturday at tAvelve o'clock, and I had all Constantinople ransacked to find proper tools and a portable forge, and (jnly succeeded by 4 p.m. on Sunday. A detachment of Captain IJeut's company, Gordon Pratt, 28 uon-cummis- sioned officers and men proceeded at once on board the Camdor. Tuesday afternoon Lord Kaglan returned, sent for me and gave orders for Captain Pr. Russell's " British Expedition to the Crimea," p. 41. I - 18o4.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 4.16 Buyukchekmecljc3, the survey of whLh has t.llno T' ?-'''"'^ ^!V^^""^ yet complete. As I have been mh Ip fn i . ^?"^' *""'' ^"^^ '' "^^* have exeWl themselvt ^.tt" b t'at%resent etrv tw' •"' '' "7 the forward movement on,! T H„-,.i •!■ ^^°^''"^, *^^"y thing gives way to as soon as po^sXto 'r^heve ^t^^ZT""'''''''''' '' ''' '^ ^^^*"^ 60,000 Rus'sians. SimX^';' tmL dow wUh°0meT5?^,' Y ,t"^ the garrison consists of 15 000 Trrks Avitlw mv / f'^'""' *°^'^ °'^ at Se^e.., .„ X el:f fc 2:"." = -"' "' «'""Hi a.a one every exertion is making to procure horses .nd.ir '"^^ tained, and these onl}' Avhat coidd be spared from the transport eessities of the Commissariat. Greneral Tylden, pt^-ceiving how \Ae works suffered from this cause, and hoping also to assist somewhat in improving the luobility of the Sapper Companies, gradually introduced a light mule equipment, five of which were attached to each Company. They carried the ordinary pack saddle of the country, round which the intrenching tools and the chests of the carpenters and other mechanics were hung, and although very insufficient for the purpose as regards number, were found most useful as far as they went. The hard work and pestilential climate had their usual effect upon both olficers and men. Sickness soon became rife, and the Corps furnished its due quota of victims to the general malaria of the camp. Before long, however, it became apparent that the efforts Avhich liad been so gallantly made were not to be of any practical value. The siege of Silistria, a fortress Avhich it had not been 1854.] OF KOVAL KN(iINFJKU.S. 417 sy were, even uufi(ni.ated oonld hold out for aiiv lenn-tl. of fin.p wn« ,. • i v [aid the latter being an Engineer, who arrived and Lieutenant ]J,illaru, me laiter being an Engineer,' who arrived mJ. o t -^'^ ^' * ■^■"" ^'''''' rcco.nnu.nde.l tlmt a trial sliould bo Th.uA t'^*^, ^'^'»l>«ror's pontoon, the construction of ^vhich woX ! the implenipiits they may roduirc t u '^'^W'^V^ ^^i^h all oho troops from Uallipoli , Xt thf: 4tV. «/• ^'^« /'^'^''^^^^^ all have hoen comi.loteil T ^' Pr/lerable to tents, shall lliis, unfortunately, was not to be, as on Julv 7th T^,irL-« met his end, being the first offieev of the Britlh army kilfed h^ the war. An a taek had been made by the comSer of the Im-kish foree at Rustehuk upon the lissians Hhe onposi e bank of the river. Captain Bent led one of the divisions a h1 Lieutenant Burke another smaller party Two Snn™ pamed the latter, Lanee-Corporal Cfam S^Jn^S vXT. Andrew Anderson. The pUt that Bu^ke at aeked wa an rthem t"^^^^^^ -^^^^'^ 'r ^-"-^ J- sill forand a hd amongst the enemy and carried off the bodt- He w„ ;:i co^^st^etetiyii "£ r^ '^fetk"- ? every eftWt to oveT,„„er ^the^few l.TZ. bfl ^IZly'tt E£ •) ;;» |.^; ie W\ , 4. f 418 IIISTOIIY OF TIIK CORl'.S [cil. XVllI. two British Sappers to lead them. Swann was desperately wounded; but Andersf)!!, though he fought like a hero, was untouched. Eventually the party succeeded in regaining their boats, and retreated to their own bank of the river. The next morning Anderson returned to the island by himself, and recovered the body of his officer, wliich he found frightfully mutilated — even the fingers having been cut off to secure his rings. For his services on this occasion Anderson was decorated by Omar Pasha, in person, Avith the Order of the Medjidie. The "London Gazette " of January 12th, 1855, announced that— " Tho (^ueeii has been pleased to grant inito Pri^-'^o Andrew Ander- son, of the Royal Sappers and Miners, her Royal licence and permission that he may accept and wear the Order of' the Medjidie, which tho Sultan has been pleased to confer upon him, in approbation of his dis- tinguished bravery and good conduct at the passage of the Danube, on tho 7th of July last, and subsequently in rescuing the body of his commanding oflficer, Lieut. Burke, after he had fallen, and that ho may enjoy all tho rights and privileges thereunto annexed. And also to command that Her Majesty's said concession and especial mark of her Royal favour be registered, together with the relative documents, in Her Majesty's College of Arms." Dr. Russell, in his " British Expedition to the Crimea," gives the following additional details of Burke's death : — " When he first leaped on shore from the boat six soldiers charged him ; two he shot with his revolver, ono he cut down with his sword, the rest turned and tied. Wliile he was encouraging the Turks, who were in the stream, to row (piietly to the land, and forming them in line as they landed, conspicuous as he was in full uniform and by his white cap cover, a number of riflemen advanced from behind a ditch and took deliberate aim at him. Poor Burke charged them witli headlong gallantry. As he got near he was struck by a ball which broke his jaw-bone ; biit he rushed on, shot three men dead at close quarters witli his revolver, and cleft two men through helmet and all into tho brain with his sword! Ho was then surrounded, and while engaged in cutting his way witli lieioic courage through the ranks of the enemy, a sabre-cut from behind, given by a dragoon as he went by, nearly severed his head from his body] and he fell dead, covered with bayonet wounds, sabre gashes and marked with lance-thrusts and bullet-holes." ' A detachment of Sappers under Lieutenant Pratt was sent at the request of Omar Pasha to Rustchuk, on July 8th, with some French pontoniers and British sailors to throw a bridge of boats over the Danube. Although the distance was only 120 miles, they did not arrive until the 13th, owing to the difficulties attending the transport of their tools. The whole party was raoimted, and each Sapper led a second horse loaded with [ni. xviii. ms desperately :e p. hero, was regaining tlioir ver. The next ^ himself, and und frightfully ' to secure his 1 wns decorated ^edjidio. inouuoed that — ! AndniW Andor- 6 ami permissiou jidie, which the )ation of his dis- the Danube, on the body of his ind that ho may id. And also to ;ial mark of her jcuments, in Her Crimea," gives soldiers charged th his sword, the Turks, who were f them in line us by his white cap I. ditch and took ^adlong gallantry, is jaw-bone; biit i^ith his revolver, L with his sword, ng his way with 3ut from behind, d from liis body, ■bre gashes, and att was sent at ^th, with some bridge of boats nly 120 miles, the difficulties lole party was ) loaded with l.So4.] OF HOVAL KNGINKKRS. 419 matenals Neither Sappers nor sailors were very ncoompliHliod ndevs; they had considerable difficulty in controlling their orseV which were not accustomed to the rattling of pieks an.l shovels on heir flanks. On arrival at liustch^ik they wer oined by (.iptain Bent, wlio took charge of the operations. ^ Two seiamte bridges were constructs. One was a trr.stle bridge 4.0 feet long, over the Slobedsie Creek to an island in the S- Zo vo T r' '' ^^'^f i ^^'"^' '^"^"^^'^ *1^« "i'^"' "tream, nearly' ■>00 yards long, l^ie boats were placed about forty feet apart from Being intended for very heavy work and to remain for some time, e S nl ' I f"""-"^' 7''' i ":'' unusually soli.l character tl e piinoipal part having been obtained from «istova and Widin Ihis bridge Av-as begun on July 2()th and completed on August n enfP ] fH "j ^'""' ^f^*'^ T''''^ '^ "^ P^^'«""' <'^" en Ml: U - L 420 lilSTORV OK THE (OKI'S [CU. XVII 1. (sovorod by ihre^^ circular griinito towers, two, viz., T/ee and Nottick, boiiig on tlio largo island, whilst the third was on a small island called Presto, and olosed the line to the right. This tower bore the same name as the island. The country was ojie mass of granite, with an extremely rough and rugged surface, huge boulders covering the ground in all directions. It was, therefore, ([uite imi)0.ssible to sink trencshes, both batteries and api)roache8 had to b(* formed of sandbags, with a few gabions and fascines, for which tlie materials were found in the dense pine woods that surrounded the s])ot. The princdpal opia-ations were carried on by the Freneli, the ]5ritish, from their slender numbers, taking a very subsidiary part. The troops were landed in the early morning of August 8th, and pushed forward to the vicinity of Bomarsund. Here, on reaching the west of the position, the Frencli halted, and the British proceeded to take up tlieir ground farther to the north. It was determined to commence the attack by capturing the two towers of Tzee and Nottick, the French constructing batteries against the former, whilst the British threw up one for three .'}2-pounder guns on a hill about 1,()0() yards from Nottick. The French works were completed and opened fire on the morning of August i;5th, and in the course of the day so crushed the tower tliat during that night they were able to take possession of it, and make prisoners of such of the garrison as had not retired into the main fort. On the following day the British completed their battery, which was lianded over to the sailors to work the guns. Four 12-pounder howitzers were brought up and placed under rough cover to tlie left. At 8 a.m. on August l;^th fire was opened, and in a very fcnv liours produced a marked effect ; so much so that at 5 p.m. the garrison surrendered. Unfortunately, during the course of the morning a round shot entered the battery, mortally woimding Lieutenant the Hon. C. Wrottesley, li.E., who was in charge of the working party.* On the following day the French opened a battery against the main work, which was at the same time assailed in fi-out by the ships. In a few hours the garrison siu-rendered most unex- pectedl}', Uvo thousand men laying down their arms and being.made prisoners. The business of demolitic ' was now promptly begun. Captain King was left with his Sappers to aid in the operation, most of which had been hurriedly done by the French. After their departui-e he completed what they had left unfinished, and destroyed * Lieutenant Wrottesley died two days afterwards, on board the hospital ship, Belle isle. Lieutenant Co well, U.K., was also lying in the same ship, wounded by the accidental discharge of his own pistol. [(II. XVIII. viz., T/,00 and 1 wiiH on a Hinall B;lit. This towtjr was ojiG niasH of (1 Htirfacio, hugo [t was, therefon^ il apjiroaches had md t'asfdnos, for pine woods that ere carried on by TH, taking a very early morning of ■ of IJomarsund. i-enoli halted, and I farther to the ly capturing the tructing batteries p one for three 1 from Nottick. tied fire on tlie o day so crushed o take ]io8ses8iou ison as had not day the British to the sailors to brought up ere d in a very few lat at 5 p.m. the le course of the rtally wounding s in charge of the . opened a battery 9 assailed in fi-out iered most unex- 8 and being.m.ade promptly begun, in the operation, Qch. After tlieir ed, and destroyed board the hospital in the same ship, 1H54.] OF ROYAL ENOINKKKS. 421 a number of easemated works wliicsli wore nf fba f.V,^ .\, e construction. This lasted till the n^ddTe ,^8 "t X Xn llu Company was taken off the islan.l in ll.M.H A/a^ ' * Ihe .i.iesti.m of the invasion of the Crimea ,-ame on the (m\ almost immediately after it was made evident that a ZZu u|^vance into Bulgaria was no longorto be feared. On Jui;!.( U party of l,vn.-h and English ofheers, amongst whom wasrni.tai of Sebastopol and the coast lUMir it, with a view to report umntZ rmuv^icabihty of a landing, and to select the most ^u tab po Ihey succeeded m approaching the mouth of the iiarbou in Se oauuus by wJiich its entrance was guarded after whi*.li fl.n,- coasted leisurely along tlie western shore. In i hav n" a eft examined tlu) various points on which a binding on ^lar^sS could be eflected decided that the mouth of ^he rtverTcat ha appeared, on the whole to afford the greatest facilities. They were £K:tSe^i=^^^^^ 4"2Srh,S;s:-' " "" ''''''' ^^ ^'' '■ ^"^^«^-' ^^^t-1 Vania, fJln°?i" 'f '"^"'""'^ ^"'^ '^ ""^^^i"f? *'"fc '»« report. Ho reports i^ivourably of a spot on the second stream north of the h u^b " a, d the 1 ort En.peror or Constantino, as it is calle.l, stan.ls furt er 1 u'k than ^J conUiy .m-at ^i^r:: J ^rdt^^^^ ^ 1 lu.ts are unshod; and ]ient, one officer, an.l tlurtyiven m at J ..gevo so tluit we shall not have nuu-h ' more than 200 „erfo It It 1"% ^■^'' ^r'^' ^^'-^^^ ^'-00, but (Jenoral Eizot " (ccmi a di u the Jrench LnKineers) -is very anxious that we sliould tak ^ ^Z v 5 our Sappers as possibh, of whom they seem to have a gie^t opiniom'^' Meanwhile, on July 19th, the commanding officers of Artillery and Engineers had been directed— ^nuiery eoZmePT'wni bo' T "^"f'^u t^ ^''''' ""I'^^tanco in whicli a siege o;:;:s j:L:j^-,;^..r -^^^- '^ -i"^-«^ to^eiii^rti;: .i,Jp' ^^"^ '^<^^?> necessarily occupied the entire attention of he Engineers, aU other duties were suspended, the Commnies Here eoneentrated in and about Varna, and obtained the assistance I I ! " ■.i f'V 422 IIISTOUY OK I'MK (OKI'S [cii. xvm. of cvoiy iiviiilablo carpoiitor from tho lino and imvy. The m\o excoiitioii wiiK that a (lt'tacliiiu'!it of twenty-five Saj>|>('!'H, with a Htiilf Capfaiiiof Mii^niH'cis, wan allotttMl to cacli diviHioii to iiiHtruct tbo KoldiciH ill throwiiijj; up ciirthworkH. The piers thai had ah-eady liceii consfriiefed were lianded over to the Frf>n<'h, and three additional wharves were ereeted on the soutli siF the buy < and fiiHciueH, thoro he vieinity of tile ),0()() jyiihioiiH imd isioii of timber for nilt, there being a (1 was l)eing mostly I gave much trouble i time from Malta, 'hionie addition ; a ppors under Lieu- i, bringing up tho the same time Sir t specially to give u'ienco. iego material hnd Pew days later with •endezvous for the Avas tlio Isle of teets had already 1 started in about earners, thirty-four er commeroial and fleet was divided tive divisions, tho iege train. Each nks were guarded Bay of Eupatoriii. ocordanoe with the had shown that a if the army in its t and harass the in case of disaster to re-embark tlie Jered. A body of md with them a lynes, R.E., who 18*) J, OK ROVAI K.NCilNKKKS. 4'2ii wore directed to throw ui. intronciiments to cover it on tho land side. The same niglit the fleet saih.l for Ivalamita IJay, where a h.w Hhelving ).,iich, about eighteen mih-s lo the southward, near a place called 01.lJ,r attack was over a river that, though fordable, ; (f !•: "l If ! \u n- 424 HISTORY OF TIIK f:ORVS [ him " Cluelle belle manceuvre que nous allons faire ! " and after it was accomplished Colonel Steele remarked, " Well, Sir John, we owe all this to you;" whilst Sir Edmund Lyons himself said to Mr. Layard, " Sir John Burgoyne seems to be gifted with second sight, for everything he said and predicted has turned out true." The famous flank march was most successfully accomplished. Leaving a small force to make a shoAV of threatening the north side and thus to cover the movement, the entire allied army left the Belbec on September 2-jth, and steering by compass in a south-easterly direction, through a dense wood and by a single road they reached the plain of Balaklava the next morning, having on the way surprised a quantit}' of the enemy's baggage which was retiring on Simpheropol. Little or no resistance was offered on their arrival, and Balaklava, with its harbour and the surrounding hills, fell at once into their possession. Having thus secured their new base of operations and re-established their communications with the fleet, the allied forces advanced towards Sebastopol. The British took up a position on * Wrottesk'v's " Life of Sir John Burgoyne," vol. ii. p. 93, note 2. t " British 'Expedition tu the Crimea," p. 164. I [CH. XVIIl. piHionts and the rsliiil St. Aruautl commit liimself. quarters to discuss in, was strongly 38pecially Groneral (osed it with much ionference, saying difficulties which 1 nearer approach, lie decided in its ainst the measure, that the generfil a pitched battle, Kiiit to seize the edition, i)uts into the question very a stratofjical opera- :itrategy."t mie before it was soon as it was in lel Trochu said f ' > dre ! " and after it /"ell, Sir John, we lis himself said to gifted with second turned out true." illy accomplished, atening the nortli re allied army left by compass in a I and by a single le next morning, enemy's baggage i^al, and Balaldava, L at once into their } of operations and 3t, the allied forces i up a position on i, p. 93, note 2. •■.,v » '/'^ISiflli^i'^^^'^^^^'ff^^^^^*'^^'* •:..»P^«^' ^;v.^^i<::,\\^^, 1(» 1,K)() yards from the Uussian lines. In this paral- lel was established a series of batteries, which werre ready and armed at the same time as those on tlu^ left. They (fonsisted of a series known as Frenchman's llill or Gordon's liattery, and contained two lO-inch and one H-inch Tiancasters, four (IS-pounder, seven -'{'i-pounchu", six 24-pounder, and seven (S-incli guns, with five lO-inch mortars. There were tlms seventy-three pieces of ordnance in place and ready to o])en tire on the morning of Ocitober 17th. The Frouoh had meanwhile mounted fifty-three guns in their works, so that there were, on the whole, ri(i pieces of ordnance. At 6.''{() a.m., on October 17th, the bombardment ojiened, and was continiied with the utmost vigour till nightfall. The fleet was at the same time directed to engage the batteries on the sea front, and at 1 p.m. opened upon them. The result of the day's work was, that th(> British fire had almost (iompletely crushed the Kussian works opposed to them. In four hoiu's the Malakoff had been silenced, and in the course of the afternoon a great exitlosion in rear of the Kedan had left only three guns service- able. Unfortunately, the French did not prosper so well. Their artilleiy, which was much lighter than the British, was unable to contend iigainst the heavier metal of the liussians, and early in the afternoon they were compelled to cease fire. The fleet retired at dusk, having suffered considerably, without having been able to inflict much injury upon the powerful casemates opposed to them. Everything had been prepared for an assault. The troops were ordered to fall in at a moment's notice without knapsacks or great-coats ; all the field batteries were horsed. To each attacking column an Engineer and twenty Sappers had been told off, with scaling ladders, crowbars, and intrenching tools. All was ready, and only awaited the signal. The llussian fire had been so far crushed that it was hoped and expected that all would go well. It was not, however, to be. The French were of opinion that if the attack could be deferred they would be in a position to open fire on the following morning with better success. A postponement was therefore agreed to. When the next day came they were not ready, The British had to sustain the bombard- ment unaided. The Russians, making the most of their opportimity, [( H. XVIII. ,t a (liHtanoo of III iWiH piinil- v'crc coinphded ontaiiuHl thnw (Icr ji^uns, witli viiowii hy tlio tory. Buod until tlio id nnnod at tho id of a series and eontaiiiod V ()S-])()und('r, H-ineli guns, seventy-three n tiro on the while mounted t, on the whole, lit ojioned, and all. The fleet ries on the sea It of the day's )letely cnished '8 the Malakoff rnoon a great e guns servi(!e- io well. Their sh, was unable ians, and early ire. The fleet lit having been ates opposed to it. The troops lout knapsacks led. To each had been told ng tools. All issian fire had that all would vere of opinion 3 in a position er success. A next day came the bombard- iJr opportunity, 1864.] OF UOYAI. MNfJINKKKS. had mounted a large number ni additional 4.'U ^.|^rr^.rit,..sIo.t/(,nth.:l!;thtlu:T;.;:.;;:^^ the.r n-e; but it was now too l;,te, and belore that dav do , was clear that the Kussians h„d established ,m. ove wh . „ ' l.vepondenn>ee m the artillery duel. The n.agaxine.s we e Z? noarly exhausted; ,t therefore bcnme ne.vssnrv to cease re and hn,t,.ly to postpone the assault. This was the thst st. .T I, long Cham of events which protracted a siege intended l.nyt. t;^:2;r ^•-^•^-'-i^y-h.Si n expended;.; Whilst this work was going on Lieutenants H. (.'. Elphinstone Lennox, and Leinpnere had joined the ranks of the K, gineer ai the s ege. They ha, , however, sustained the loss of their new ( I m mandmg Royal Engineer, (Colonel Alexander. The foUowin ' le ter o ( olone Ma son, from Captain (iordon, who by this death became (\)mmauding lioyal J-:ngineer, gives an Account of the event |- Alexander was .le..p],y nnprossed with tho view tlmt our army Ir i M ulertakou an cnterpnso beyond its stren^^tl, an.l beyond its Sw/ Iks anxious tenipeiament became excited, and he could not rest ) In K. a^ .jwn at night in hi.s clothes, and he was in the soljjlo L,,. t ! ui ng tho n.glit, an.l always at early , lawn. .Still, no one sui.ect d hat he was otherwise ban well. On the evening previous to h s^d at he complaine, of a violent headache. Ho would nit remove hi cl th . n.ul go to bed ; but ho lay down with his coat buttoned, and wHJ lis boots and stock on At about 10 p.m. ho felt a dosii-; to von bu .ould not do so and then to all appearance he fell asloop, com, linin. "i cold upon which extra clothing was thrown over him. At i^t a.m. his interpreter heard a gurgling in lii.s throat, and rou o tTo 'ifarmJ Ho'T'^^ ^™» '"'« ^'-I'lo, but could not draw ny from Ins arms. He died from over-anxiety; ho sacrificed his life /or his -nintry as truly as if ho had fallen in tho field of battle. Si John .urgoyno having reported to Lord Raglan that the Engine^' opmils l.ac been mos successfully accomplishe.l, it may on such auZdtvc sau also that tho solid triumph of succosL was his. thong not a t fcl yith tho .W«^ of victory. I have written to Cap . BoyTe all the o mr t.culars, and I fool that I have lost one of tho best friend I ever C" ;ind a commanding officer under whom I deliglited to serve I am n,,; ... orders as C.R.E., under the orders of Sii- John. ? mttors not W what name I am ca^l;:Moi- there is but one C.R.E., and tl'tt S^ . o^i ■ :^-' t\ ,J''' ^y^'^'*'' ^^^ taken my place as a director of ..ttock, and Sir John has sanctioned Lovoll boinVemployed as brigade ^^^LiWenant-Colonel Alexander died on the morning of Ooto- ■J I'll ' * t I* 1 Ill iil': 4:J2 IIIKTOKY OK THK (OKI'S [cil. XVIII. Thor(>])ort lofomMl to by (Japtuiu (ionlon in hw lettor was as t'oUows: — " I would .nil K«>r.l KuKlun'H iitt«iition to the Kioiit ftti.l succ-ssfiil (.xcrti.'iiy of til" Koyiil KiiKi»f«'''* ''"'I «'ippf''« >»»'l"»' ^'^''T ^'Vii'K cmMUii- Htuiic-H Tlu- nxky H..il prowsiit.M th." .■xtroiu.- of aillic.ilti.^H to tho eBtublislm.unt of trenchon and ImttorioH ; tho vory mi of ol.tanui>K cov.t in on.. niKht on mvU H..il, wliicl. was done ..n .,v.'ry ...;cusion, ro.iuiros a meat dlort, and to construct in it substantial Imttcno.s Htdl more. Tin, moportion of k w<.rk has been pushed on with rapidity ; the substantial nul uv of the parapet has been .roved bv th.' few casualties incurr.Ml, an.l the embrasun-a and platforms have r.Miuir.-.l -lurin- the very heavy cannona.le ..f ye,st..rday, leas repairs ami adjustment than T have ever been witneaa o on sundar occasions, and n.. accid.M.t has ..curre.l t.. any mapvnne, '^IthouKh mnn.' shells have b.'on observed to cxplo.lo on them, all proving the substan- tial goodness ..f the works executed." Altlu.uKhtho ansault had l).'.>n iiostponoa to an indefinite reriod, HtiU, all idoa of its oavlv a.h.pti.ui was not abandoned Ihol^rench were pushing forward their advance, and expressed hopes of hemg shortly in a position ti. deliver an assault on the works in then- front They even made prop-.sals that the Ihntisli troops fr.,ni theirhdt atta.'k sli..uld aid in such an effort by assaihng die tlank and rear ..f the enemy's position in inuaedmte support ot the French attack in fr..nt. Instructions were therefore issued to the British Engineers of the left attack t.. stu.Vv the gr(.und we 1 and i.repare .'verything for such a movement. It was intended that at he same tinie thc^ British right attack should assault the Redan. An int.-resting letter on this point was written by Sir George Cathcart a few (hiys before his death m the battle ot Inkerman, of which the tollowing are extracts :— •'Although 1 know little about the swr with my division, I Jend you a hasty scratch, merely to explam what I .uean. Our b( ,t h..pes of success in making ..ur bdgmeut m the Ke.lan, ui mv opinion, rest on a sufficient provisi.m being niade in our arrange- on sfo the assault, for throwing in at least a e.mplo of battalions m to he t^llte m kJll A with strict orders not to tarry there but to push on oge round the Red^n and take the flanking guns m 1 ank ; then if w.. *o at the embrasures on both flanks with two other battalions, ginng th. salient ui.dc a wide berth, for there is certainly a mine there m front of [cii. XVllI. hiu Itittor was &» >iit nnd 8ucct>MHf ^ ^^ iinuiuii 03- •I- ."!ij,..t a, ,iiMv.:kZ ;, i':;ri!;,;"!;'r""'," "" stroTurfl, ,|,Y''r"*"'\'"'P'i t" tiiko advantiigo of f hoir HUDehor «tiengUi. I heir hrst advance was from tiio lino of fl, . T ,"1"'"''^ against tho H-iI'iL-lnvn Kn. n "'''" V'^ ""^ •'* tlio lehernava piiSili mJ]rtl';f:?:,f i!,'t,';r,h "' ^f^T'" ">'''™'' •» ''"^ b*- very 1 tueir o^en^Ildml„g supeuonty, .lud all the advantages F F f— "■^■^ I ,'.<. ■ ' . *t 1 • 1 t i 'fili.!; 4;J4 msTOUY OF THE COKl'S [c„. XA III. resulting from taking their enemy by surprise, seems to liave rendered them averse from undertaking any further active opera- tions. Tlie attack and tlie defence hotli gradually subsided into a sullen tranquillity. The besiegers prepared to eneoimter all the rigours of a Crimean winter, only adding slightly to their trer ?hes and batteries. The defenders devoted their energies to the fmilier development of their works, varied every now and tlien by a small sortie upon one or other of the advanced trenches, sufficient to r.nnoy the besiegers but of no other service. The news of tliis practical cessaticm of active operations Avas received with the utmost disappointmoil in England, Avhere hopes had been entertained that the fall of the pLu'C Avould speedily oc^-ur. Sir John 15iu-goyne, as the professional adviser of Ix)rd Ifaglan, was made vlie object of much unmerited l)lame and abuse. It M-as very freely said that his ultra caution had held back tlie troops when their chief would have launched them to the attack. His own staunchness imd loyalty to Lord liaglan led him to bear these aspersions in dignified silence, and the gallant old man, who was eating out his heart in bitterness at the sight of wasted opportunities, bore without complaint this yet more grievous bm-den, that he was himself supposed to be the cause of tlie failure. When the first day of the bombardment of October drew to a close, and the Russian batteries opposed to the British had been well-nigh cruslied, and when the troops were all assembled in the trenches awaiting the signal to advance, 8ir John was there as eager as the youngest subaltern. Those who were then with liim marked well the expression of his face when the order came that the assault was to be postponed. ( )n that occasion G-eneral Todleben (as he himself !if forwards rei)eated) Avas more apprehensive than at any other moment of the siege. His guns were silenced, he coidd see the British trenches swarming with troops, and he expected every moment that they Avould be upon him._ The publication of tlie various memorandums and letters of Sir John, shows that he never lost an opportunity of pre- paring for an assault, and tliat he was always hoping against hope until the last favourable opportunity had "passed away owing to the slaughter of Inkermann. Even as late as November 2nd he wrote to Colonel Matsou — " It appears to me that the French are over-cautious, and too niiiih bound by system and ordinary method for our pressing circumstances. They have tliuir approaclics witliin 300 or 100 yards of the front of attack, the works of wliich an greatly ruineil, tlie guns silenced, tlie parajiet a lieaj) of rubbish, no ditdi or obstacle to it or the adjoiniii- line, which has itself great openings in it, and yet they hesitate to storm.' [CH. XA III. 1854.] seems to liave ler active opera- subsided into a rs of a Crimean batteries. The development of )rtie upon one or oy the besiegers cal cessation of sappointmeni in the fall of the the professional iiuch unmerited is ultra caution I liave launched [oyalty to Lord led silence, and irt in bitterness t complaint this iposed to be the October drew :he British had e all assembled , Sir John was lose who ^\'ero s face when the )n that occasion ated) was more lie siege. His U'hes swarming they Avould bo nc^andums and ortunity of pro- ig against hope away owing td jvember 2nd he s, and too niiuli ig circumstaiicos. 1 of till! front of ms silenced, tlic or the .adjoining lesitate to storm. OF ROYAL KNGIXKERs, 4'Ao troops in the assault in fvo;:tR;jiL^,;:;t^:!r..^'' '-' -*'' ^^"t-h an?i;::;:i:-X;^ !;;J- ^^2:; t^f ^'^ 't^^^^ renew it. oeioje rneyANcre m a position to that „„ „,„„ were to be hall " '' ""* ''''l'"''* '■<'™"*'l -« .till w„.era te™biX"'n i, ' , i Ek e.rSi b " 7'';' inehulmn. one ar"e sleimm. / T/, n ■ . -^'«\>-'i -IJimsli vessels, ."-ted. \n m ivtj. ; v''^ f7;';|-fj-™' "t'-s .lis- as wei-e also a Scrieaiit nml f „„,: « " ' , "l ™" '''wned, Wen .ies,.atehe,rr't,*'r .^!:ri e'^of Tbr't.: ^ ""I,;'-' "■■■■^ therefore left to encoinif,^v ,"fv v,'..^ r i "^^""P^- J-hey Avere before a fresh sn;rl7™;iV!;a;'b"Zn "'■ " '""« *"""^' "-'•"•**<" ■->ott;Tif lt::ia*:!7n';rt;x"r' ""."'•■ "■="'■' -* ^--^^ I'osts in front of e ,A 'w ! Iff ""f *'""• "''™"«^d ■linin ot rifle pits ,vith n /j 'L: ,f ll '" ''"' ^t"""''*' a veeently fonnecl 7.'.,? ;k1.- v J '" *''"'"' P"'""*'' then I'ritislf trenehlf but Z tZ o'f" L'F:^n5;'";';',er;v,"'r t/"^ were able to enfilade. It was therpfm.iV ■ 'i''''''^' ^^'^•>' U-1-- the guidance of the tm, Em^^ ^^^ t^T "? ^"!? ' good cover to permit of fl.P i.i^ • 1 • i '^', ? ."^" '* •^ntticiently The enemy madT repeat .ituf"^ '^-^'^ dm,,, the day time. f^Vo^L\^.J^^:L:^'^:^i;^^^ to retake the inuch-coveted distinction of the Vi 4 rix 'ros^i? r'"^ '',T'r'^ on this occasion, being the first ^^^^X^lS^^^l 4m HISTOKY OF THE CORPS [CH. X^III. i ; i .■ ', ■ ■M ... . '1 ■' f ) 'A ■'■ ■?. awarded. It seems somewhat difficult to understand why Lieu- tenant I'hiKps, who was equallj- zealous, did not receive a similar reward. Lieutenant Tryon, who commanded the assaulting party, was killed during one of the enemy's attempts to recover their pits. The Frendi published a most complimentary order of the day on this gallant feat. On Leeember 2nd the 7th Company of Sappers arrived from GralHpoli, the Royal Engineer officers being : Captain E. Gr. Gribb, commanding, with Lieutenants W. C. Anderson and J. M. C, Drake. The .Sappers numbered eighty-six, and made a most seasonable addition to the Engineer force. Almost as important as the men was the supply of abertain extent cut up the surface, and Avhen the rains set in, culminating with the great storm of November 14th, Avhat liad been hitherto a fairly good road prompth- degenerated into a quagmire. It was now, therefore, when it began to dawn on all that the army was desthied to winter in the Crimea, that it also became apparent their line ot conununieation Avas destroyed. The order Avent forth that " the road to the front mvist be repaired." As a preliminary to this necessary operation, orders Avere sent down to Constantinople to purchase a' numb(T of hammers for the breaking of stones, there being none in store. This Avas a good type of the difficulties encountered in eA'en preparing to cany out the order conrorised in these few words. What the aetuiil Avork was Avhich it Avas ex^jected the slendm- force of overAvorked [( H. XVIII. tand wliy Lieu- •eceive a similar ssaultiug party, to recover their ivy order of the I's arri^■ed from aiu E. G. Gihb, IJ. M. C. Drake. most seasonable ;ant as the men lumber of sand- theless recorded ! earlier part of materials, they .e revetments of derations is full suffered, and in I a cheerfulness By this time no to Scutari from considered, and a to the camp. of vital conse- lie least possible nt, follcnved by this time the front, although every purpose ; lithculty. Thi,s he surface, and great storm of irly good road now, therefore, vas destined to nt their line of ■orth that "the rders were sent )i hammers for e. This was a n pre}>aring to Wlia.t tueactuiil of ON'erworkc'l 1855.] OF ROYAL EXGINKKRS, 437 SrSJTtt SSl ^:l^^ '^ ^^^ ^^^^-i^^^ ext^act Bali^t^^t^X^lllnrS- ^?^^^^ of tho Col de to the road procoedin- from En? ' "\ ™.'*^^' ^ords, it was c.,ual in extent Bronipton, ^ PiccSy 2l X^r"" ' '"''«"'' "" ^^'' Thames, tln'ou^h along Comlnl], th cLn ec IRo ^'n ' 1 7. ^^^^t-street, Cheapside, Hocks. In extent ermato t nt f]' '\^)^ •"'""/ ^^ ^^'' '"'^'''^ ^^'"^'^^ than in the City, \v^sMve..ual ^^'1'°"' ^^v *'''^*^'' '-^Ithongh loss and "lacadamize^WXa 4ei^^ of fth '"°" •'""^^"^'' ""^ '' ^''^ first of 400 and suhse^ueiSy ofldri5^.iirT^ too weak even to di- \neto " mt 1^^^^^^^ ""f '"^ ''''^'' "^ "'''''' '^"' work oould^ot, 1^^ u4e?be be^un fZ t' '^^''^^'^r^^- This until the month of Ma^eh in 1 Tn^' *"""' ''^"'^ '^ ''"^^ ''^^ sufficiently ad.-anc:S ^^^n^^^S^i:^ ''''' '' ^^^ tenatit ('. G. Gordon also joined It' mt t ^f"' ''''''! y?"" the following officers had C^appoL eTa X^^T^t" '^"' between tlie m.^nths of October a id r)ecen.L t ^^"g^^^ers •■^'■M Eegiment.'-; V in l^fev^^^^ ?i;^?^'^ ^'^'-r, taken on for tlie same duty on October 2^;]? I l'''^'''":''^ ^^' '^1«" Uoyal Engineers. ^^erwards appointed to the (.'orps oi .'■'A ■ r ^ i t 1 I* > , 1 :tt 438 HISTORY or THK fOUl'S [nu XIX. CHAPTER XIX. Thk Russian War, (ontixi r.n — 18o5. Desicnption of the Biitisli Attai'ks at the be,ninning of 185.5— Difference of Opinion between Bur^^oync and Bizot as to an Attack on the Malakoff — Appeal to the Emperor at Paris— Niel sent to Report on the Position — Scarcity of Fuel and its Itesults — Lieutenant Drake's Gallantry — Com- mencement of the llailway — General H. Jones ordered to Pielieve 8ir J. Burgoyne— Bevised Scheme of Attack— Advance of the Russians on the Careeninj-- liay Ravine, the Maraelou, and the Dockyard Creek- Descrip- tion of the Works of Attack in April— The Electric 'Telegraph— The April Bombardment — Capture of RiHe Pits— Arrival of the Sardinian Army — Capture of The (iuarries, JIamelon, and Ourniijes i^Ao/cs— Unsuccessful Assault on the Redan and Malakoff — Liexitenant Donnelly and the Cemetery— Death of Lord Raglan — The September 15ombardment and General Assault— Retreat of the Russians to the North Side— Occupation of the Soutii Hide by the Allies— -Engineer Promotions — Destruction of the Docks and White Barracks — Colonel Lake at Kars. It will be well to commence this Chapter with a description of the British attacks as they stood at the beginning of IMoO. On the right, running along the crest of Frenchman's Hill, was the series of batteries called Gordon's, or the '21-gun battery. Thesi^ were niunbered from right to left as 1,2, 3, 4, -j, (3, ike. Xos. '-2 and (i were for mortars, the other four for guns. A connnunication ro tlie rear, across tlie plateau of the hill, gave cover until the reverse slope was reached. TIk^ parallel was extended to the left, beyond the batteries, as far as the crest of tlie ravine separating the two attacks, in which ran the AVoronzotf road. About (iOO yards in front of the first j^)arallel ran the advanced line. At a subsequent period an intermediate line was formed which was called the second parallel, and then this advanced trencli became the tliird parallel. It stretched acToss tlic brow of the advanced slope of the hill and was about (300 yards htng. In it was No. H mortar battery ; like the first it terminated on tlie left at the crest of the ravine. TJiere were two h'nes of approach between the parallels, (me on the rigid and tlie other towards the left. About half way to the front in the left approach was a mortar battery called No. 7. This communicatioji juiving been traced more or less in a direct line was strongly traversed in the front portion, wliicli would otlicr- Avise have been enfiladed from the works near the Redan. Magaziiu^s [.H. XIX. 1855.] Of HOYA], KNOIXEEKS. 439 855. 185*5— Difference of on the llalakoff — S on the Position — 's Gallantry — Coni- d to Relieve Sir J. lie llussians on the rd Creek- Descrip- degraph— The April Sardinian Army — Uitics — Unsuccessful Douiielly and the 15ombardment and 1 Side— Occupation —Destruction of the lescription of the f 1855. On the Hill, was the 1 battery. Tlier^i^ ike. Nos. 2 and nnimnnication to until the reverse the left, beyond parating the two )nt 000 yards in At a subseqnent was called the lecame the third Ivanced slope of 'as No. H mortar : the crest of the ?en the parallels. A.bout half way ery called No. 7. r less in a direct ich would other- dan. Magazines had been established in several caves that existed in tlie rugffed side of the Woronzoft ravine. *'° In the left attack the first parallel ran from the crest of the 1 icket llouse ravine on its left to that of tl,e Woronzolf ravine on Its rigiit Here It descended the slope, and extende mortars. The second parallel ran about bOO yards in front, extending like the first from the crest of the Picket House ravine across to the Woronzoft ravine, where it also descended and crossed the road nearly m an alignment with the third parallel of the right attack ihe ordinary communication between the first and second parallels was across the open, but a sheltered road had been formed on the left below the crest of the ravine, which could be used when it was not considered prudent to cross the open ground. At a late period ot the siege a regular line of approach was constructed between the wo lines. About 250 yards in front of the second parallel ran a h-ench on the site of the Eussian rifie-pits, captured by Lieutenant Tryon on November 20th This was 150 yards long, and com- nmnicated Avith the paral le by boyeaux. A third parallel ran about 100 yards m front of this trench, taking the form of the crest ot the slope of the_ front portion of tiie dreen Hill, which jutted out thus tar, forming a long narrow table-land. This was also connected by boyeaux, and was the most advanced point in either attack, being about 700 yards from both the liarrack battery and the Kedan and about 800 from the Creek batter>-. No guns had as yet been established on the left attack, in front of those in the tirst parallel._ Magazmes were formed in caves on the preeiiiitous side of the Picket House ravine. On the left of tliat ravine !a gun and mortar bat ery, ,piite detached from the rest of the attack, had been established. Such were the works that had up to this time been constructed, .n( wluch now awaited reinforcements of men and material for further development. The Preach attack was on the left of the J.ritis 1, and had been pushed steadily onwards towards the (iuarau- tnie. Central, and Plagstafl:' Bastions. In addition to the works of attack, defensive lines had been thrown up both at Inkermann and Palaklava. Tlie former ran along the crest_ of the heights, supported bv redoubts, the latter eiiclosed the position occupier them nny assistance that the advance on that omt was not started soon after tho battle of Inkermann. When anVTb'f ,ff ^*i"' It^^'^^'J^TT "^T ""^ """"'y ^"^^^'^^^l i" strength, n fl ? ' ^t^ i ^^'' ^'''''^' "" th^ ^^ft' anil of the British on tlie right, embraced somewhat the same extent. It Avas now . ontended tha any extension on tlie right was purely the duty of nie British, although this threw on them a groa/ pre/onderan E of whiR tlv r'n "^l> ^^'I'l '1'''^^^' ^^"'^ ^'^'^^" ^^"ly diminishing, vhilst that of the French had so much augmented that they were at he t,me more than twice as numerous as their allies. The hiHH T^" Tr 'f '^ "I*"" *^ undertake a physical impossi- ;iht>, and so ^he scheme was for the time held in abeyance. Iheie can be no doubt that the real reason of the French reluct- th^lu^r^ T"^ ""^ *t' {r^ ^^^'"* ^^'y ^'^'^ ^''-t as yet realized tlie tilth, so plainly seen by Burgoyne, that the Malakoff was the i>wyoi^r'^;:;r' ''''' '' "'" '' ^'-^^ ^^^"^^ ^^-^^ ^^- ^i--- vboi. I ."''r'-'^?'^ ''^^''' ^^^^^ l^l'-^^^ ^" January 21st, |Mcn Boscpiet s division was sent to take up its position on the tlie vl- ?F- This i-elieved the Light and .Second Divisions of the British force from the guard of the extreme riglit Hank, and 't Che t^^^"\^« f ^I'^^^^trate their strength for the defence of their Tiencties and batteries. a,lv!'!bIrV ^7'T' ^-"^ ^'^^^ }'''' •^"'^^' ^^'^ ^^i^P'^te as to the :u cnt? / ""'^^'T^ T ^^'' ^f'^l'^koff was rapidly assuming IhVr f . 1 1' ^^! l^^rench reasms for opposing the scheme were hat It would ei-eate great delay, and that it would leave their hi" Tl ^""'^T'^T '^''- ^'^^ '""^'''''^ '' i"«^^lt by heavy ^ r- J.^P:. '^^'?:}^'^ mam assault to be delivered in tiieir ■»•■ front, whilst the British were to make a diversion 1: )}' a subsidiary Il . i's ' ''^^m^^j''- •f ,r' I il 4t',> HISTORY OK rilK CORI'S [CH. XIX. attack on Ihc lipdim uiid liarrack battorios. This tlio Hritish EiiginoOTs, led by Hur time driven to greiit .stress to iind enough even for (s)()king. The result of this want was hi^'hly detrimental to the Engineers and their Avork. The soldiers brought (b)wn with them into the trtMiclies their colfee (which from some unaccountable carelessness had been sent out unroasted) and other articles that reipiireil cooking. Th(\>' then proceeded to raise material for a fire by pillaging the brushwood from the gabions and fascines, as well as anything else in the way of fuel that they could lay their hands on. The helves of the i^icks and the "handles" of the shovels disap])ear(>d in a most unaccountable nianiu'r, and the utmost dithculty was experienced in itreventing th(^ entire destruction t)l' the revetments and the wholesale spoliation of stores.* On January !)tli, Ijieutenant Leahy. U.E., was made Quarter- master to the Sapper force; he was afterwa;ds pronioted to be Deputy Assistant (iuartermaster-Cfcner'^' ' ^be same duties. This nomination was a great boon to the : had u}. till then sulfered sadly from the want of any f, ' iuithorized officer to look after tlieir necessities. It was sxii .1^ ossible for the (company officers, overworked as they were iv. i^e trenches, to perform tJiese additional duties. Sir John lUirgoyue records in his letter an incident connected with Lieutenant Mervin Drake, K.E., which unfortunately does *" There have been jj^reut complaints of the troops in the trenches durius severe weather burning gabions, fascines, platforms, and even handles of tools for tiring. Sir Richard England was stating to Lord Raglan yesterday the necessity for the troops having a (luantity of pickaxes to dig up roots of brush- wood for fuel, and added, ' In fact, my lord, pickaxes are fuel ;' to which my lord answered, ' Yes, so they report to luu from the treuehes.' " — (Letter ot Sir John Burgoyne, February 8th, 185,3.) [cir. XIX. lis tho Ih'ltish irovo a failure, )sli()t was that )rmal letter of ess of (loneral he Emperor at ( liord Uaglan. t Ifeueral Niel, ! HuV)jeet. et in, and gra- imlening them. Is of snow onee s of a foot deep my places very searee. I'^very- e men were for en for (M)oking. tho Engineers 1 them into th(^ l)le earelessness that reipiired for a tire by 'ines, as well as lay their hands of the shovels md the utmost ; destrueticni of ;ores.* made Quarter- l)ronioted t(j be <> same dutie.s. ', had u}. till ' authorized ui^.ossible for iLxB trenches, to ident oonneeted 'ortuuately does le trenches duriu.u en handles of tools ^lau yesterday tho up roots of brush- re fuel ;' to which shea.' "—(Letter of \h: >5.] or HOVAI, KNdlMlKHS. 44.'} not appear in the ofheial jf)urnals, jjrobably from its having taken ]>liiee just at the fiiue when the (•(.iiipijation was ti'aiisferred from Captain Kli»hinstone to Sir Jl. Jones. The entry is as follows :— "Lieut. Dnikc, ]{.!•;., Una just performed a very spirited service. Lonkiiig forward, as 1 cannot refrain from doinj,', to the Allies takin-- the nutiativo a^'itinst the enemy in the field, I ic, nested Major ( lonhm to f^'et the means of passiiic? tiie Tcheniiiya recnniioitred, and he sent Lieut. i>rake a few ni^dils a'^'o with a corporal of Sappers to (ixamine tho river liy tlie hroken biidf,'.- on the causeway under Inkfamanu. It is a point that our peoph' .seldom approach, not knowing how far tlie eiiemv advance towards it at njj,dit from tlie posts they have on the other side of the valley. Mr. J,hake had a little raft made of four small casks to pass the river, which in its present .state is helwi'en (iU and 70 feet wide, 10 feet (h-ep, very ste(-p hanks, nuuhly bott-.m, and very rajnd. He 'took his M'ction across the river and examined the causeway for ISO yards b(;yonil, when he found a cut of which we were not aware. In the meantime ^no of his casks let in the water, and in returning,' the raft upset. He is nn excellent swinuuer and cuiild hav(; got out at once with ease, but lui saved the Supper also, who could not swim, before he cami; out, ami then cohl ami wet (in a sharp frost) he collected, and brought back all the materials .so as to leave no indications on the ground, tlie wlu.lo shewing a great deal of s])irit and i)ersevering energy. I have written him a letter expressive of Lord Kaglan's .satisfaction with bis conduct, whicji he may keep as a testimonial." J hiring tlie month of January the railway staff arrived with their men and .stores, and a 'line was commeneed, which was gradually led on to the plateau and proved of tlie greatest possible use. Much diiliculty, however, soon arose both as to the payment and the position of the civilians employed at this work. An idea had aris(ni in England that the.se men might with advantage bo employed under fire in the e mstruction of trendies and batteries, and might even on ocea.sion assist in the more deadly work of the assault. Sir John Burgcyne, to test the (|ue.stion, wrote a letter to Mr. Beattie, the principal Engineer of the liailwav department, to ask him_ whether he thought well of inviting siicli of the men under his orders as miglit feel disposed to enrol themselves, and be slightly exercised so that they might be emploved in the defence of positions, near which they might haj^pen to' be. The answer ]n'oved in the clearest manner that the popular notion was a delusion. It was as follows : — "The subject of your letter was very fully and anxiously discussed in London before I left, and it was determin(>d'«n/ t,. arm the' men. They were consi.lered too valuable to be employed as soldiers, and were distinctly told that they would not Ik; called iiiion to fight. I have discussed the matter with my two principal assistants, Mr. Campbell and ^fr. Kellock, and these difficulties present thom.selves: Asking the men to ■M 444 mSTOUY OK TllK (OKPS [cm. \l\. voluiiti'iT will l)c tiuitiiiiiount to a Itrcach of faith with tluun, as, Iniwovcr open we may lcav(^ it tn thoiiisclvcM to art, it will be looktMl ii|)oii in tho light of coiiiitulsion. The half, who arc not dispoHod to join will 1ki (Irivon to do so hy tho insiniiatioiiH and jc^Ta of tho other half who nro. Wc fear that hy attoiupting to make, as it were, a tij^diting (!orpfl of tlifs(! men they may bo disoigani/cd altogether as iisefid workmen. Tiiese dillicidties ]iresent themselves to ns, h\it any suggestion from you that Avill enable ; to got over them will reeeive our very best ('(msideratiim. That a great portion of tho men would be willing enough to form them- selves into a eorps I believe, and the oHicers also." Tliis ivply jiiiturally sotthMl tln' ((uostion, })ut Sir John was biiiliciontly aciitt^ to put tlu' saddle on tlio right liorso. la his reply, which is too long to (juoto, ho says — "I hope it will not be thrown in our teetli among the other cirimes that are so liberally imputed to the military authorities here, that they neglected to avail themselves of the servie(^-< of those men against the onemy, when I see strongly advocated tlu; employing tho navvies in thr freiif/ir,-; and even that they would be proi)er men to /('<((/ in an axmn/f — actions that I never contemplated for them." It has hoon said that (renernl (^anrohert forwar(h>d (loneral Bizot's complaint against tho ]>ritish Kngincers to I'aris, and that in consoquoncc tlic 10in[»('r()r sent his A.D.C'., (lonoral Nicl, to hiV(>stigato and report on the matter. As soon as the British GovernnuMit were made awjii-e of tliis step they decided upon recalling Sir John l)urg()vne, witlumt waiting for the re])(n't which (reneral Niel was to furnish. !Major-(ieneral H. 1). Jones, U.K., liad already Wvw ordered to jiroceed to ('onstantino[)l(\ to take up the position of Connnaiuling Uoyal Engineer there. Ho was now directed to join in the Crimea, to assume similar functions at Head-([uarters, whilst Lord Raglan was instructed to order Sir J. I'urgoyne to return home to resume his position at the War Olliee as lTispt><'tor-(ieneral of Fortifications. On Fehruary lOtli, 1S.V>, tlie following (feneral Order was issued by Lord Ivaglan : — "No. 1. — The imdermentiom'd ofticevs have joined the staff of this army : — ;\lajor-( Jcneral H. D. -lone.'s, Royal Kngineers ; Lieut. J. Cowell, K.K., A.I)..'"., Lieut. K. Jameson, -Jud Life ( oiards, A.D.C. ; 8th Keby., Major-! leneral Jones will take the duties of the command of the Koyal Engineer department. I^ord Kaglan tlesires to convey to INfajor Gortloii, who has held the conuu"* d of the departiue'it since, the 20th October last, the perfect satisfa( i he has entertained at the manner in which he has jierformed thn* well as every other duty since he joined tin; army." On the arrival of Niel a council of war was held, consisting of Burgoyue, Bizot, and himself, wliich was followed by a seooml f< II. \l\. (1111, aH, Intwovcr k('(l u])oii ill tlui t(i juiii will \)i\ icr half wlio are, 1^' corps of tlit'si! orkmcii. Tlu'sc 11 from you tliiit st considcnitiiPii. ;h to form tht'in- Sir John was liorso. la liis tho otlier crimes < liere, tliat they men against tlie U! iiavvi(^s in fin' ■III ill ail nnxnult iivdod (roneriil to l'ari.s, nnd , (roiiornl Nicl, 1 as the British dooidod upon 10 ro])()vt which I). JoiK'S, U.K., )phs to lake up He was now ir functions at I to or(hn' Sir an at the War ral Order was the .'^taff of this Lieut. .7. Cowcll, ).C. ; 8t]i Fcl.y., and of the Koyal :o ^fajor (ronlon, lie 26th ( tctobcv manner in which ce he joined tin; d, consist ine; of ;d by a seeoml 18.-..>.] Ol' KOYAI, KNOINKKKS. 445 on lu^hniary Ist. The rcsidt of these (hdihenitions was that Niel aK'reed with HiirKoyiie raflicr tlian with Bizot, and it was (hn-ifbd that the Mahikolf Hhoulil ho iuchi(h-d in th(< selienie of attack A meniorandiini was uro(,yii(> works of approach should bo made before the MahikolF lower, so as to attack this point simultaneously whh the assault on tli(> west.>rn side. The rca.son.s for this are stated to be, that columns of a.sHault could at that point advance in good ord.tr- whilst on the wcMtern side the approach was intersected liy ravines and broken ground. With this view two new batteries were to be thrown up, one for eight guns in the JJritish right attack, tho other for Kfteen guns on the high ground to the ea.st of tho Carecmng J{ay ravini". The fire of these batteries was to be directed on tlut .Malakolf Tower, and on the high ground in front (the Manielon). As soon as the.se were completed and armed, all the batteries (French and Englisli) were to open fire. UiuU'r cover of this a parallel was to be established on the Mamelon, and works of approach pushed forward from that point, as well as in front of the liedan, so as to be able to deliver the assault without having to traverse too much open ground. .Shouhl the effect of the bombardment not be sufHcientlv niarkecl to warrant an assault, then the attack on the MalakotfcouM be still further develop.'d. The remainder of tlie note exphiined the assistaiKje to be rendered on each side to carry out the n(;w work In accordance with this agreement, on February 10th a body of -JOO Zouaves, under the direction of a French (Captain of Lngine(n-s, were set to work to throw up the eight-gun hattery, winch was traced about eighty yards in rear of tlie advance.! parallel ot the JJritish right attack. On this occasion, tho reiiort says, the cover obtain.«.l was very good, and the order, silence and regularity with which tii." Avork was condiu'te.l under the superintendence of a .'ai.tain of tiie French Fugineers, was remarkable. There is no .jiiestion that liere, as in the Peninsular war, the difference in the irurhimi (^ualiticalions of the two armies was most decided. On this point Sir John Burgoyne wr.)t.> to Colonel Matson, stating what the arrangements for French assist- ance w.'re, viz., that tiie\' were to find working and coverin<'- parties, whilst the British i.rovided guns, ammunition, artiller>*- luen, Lngineer olKelinj,']iinsk Uedoiiht. This was considered so ohjectionahlo that on the following night the French assaulteil it, hut without success. The Russians held their gnmnd niplcted the work, ench)sed il, and niadi' a coinnumii'ation to it from the heail of the_ creek. A few nights later on, Fehruary 'J«th, they advanced still farther, and then threw u]) another called the Volhynian Kedouht. The result of this Russian sueeess was a conii»lete check tt) the advance of the hesiegers. The position now lu-ld throw the ^falakolt' into a re-entering angle, and any attempt to assault or to sap up to it was impracticahle, so long as the high ground on the east of the Careening Bay was occupied by Russian works. A new council was held between the four Kngineer (renorals, at which "Bi/ot imt forward a proposition that the attack on the Alalakoir sliould he ahandoni'd, or rather restricted to the _oecu])a- tion of the Mamelon Hill in its front; that when that i»oint was secured tlie British trenches in front of the Redan should he pnshed ff)rward sulliciently lU'ar to enable an assaidt to be deliv<'red sinudtaneously with a French assault on the FlagstalV Bastion, and that the allies should enih'avour to establish them- selves on those two points, and then, to nse Bizot's words, "to advance foot by foot on tlie interior intrenohments which exist there, unless unforeseen facilities present themselves, of whiili innnediate advantage will be taken." To this Sir John opposed the proposal that the new Eussian redoubts should be stormed and taken — "I .shoukl hold it e.Kpe^licnt to drive him from that post by whatever may bo conceived the best mcan.s before attemptin^f any assault i>x lod-ment on liis lines or tbe Redan ; that is I still tliink tliat we sluniUl adhere to the project of the French note of February 2nd, wbich would entail the necessity of dislodging him from that advanc(>d position." In eonsecpienee of this divergence of views a Conference was held on March 6th at the British head-quarters, at which were present Lord Eaglan, Sir John Biirgoyne, 8ir Cfeorge Brown, and General H. D. Jones on the part of the British, and Generals Canrobert, Bosquet. Niel and Bizot on that of the French. At this Conference General Jones gave his opinion so far in favour of the French view " as to think less of the dithculties of succeeding [(11. XIX. Ul'll llH ill SUllU' (If the first of 10 t'luisc of so onniumccd the till" ('iirct'iiiiij;' \w St'liiifj;liiiisk that on tilt' itliont succoss. i'i<, enclosed it, tlu' crci'k. A I still flU'tluT, I "do ill )t. check to the eld threw the >t to assault or ig'li ground on Ivussian works, er (reneruls, at attack on the to the occu]ia- that i»oint was dan should he assault to he [I the FlagstafV cstahlish theiii- lot's words, " to iits which exist dves, of whii'li le new llussian [lOst by whatever f any assault (n ik that we shouUl .'ml, wliieh -woiilil (hI position." Conference was , at which were )rge Brown, and h, and Generals he French. At far in favour of es of succeeding IH.V,.] Ol' HOVM, KNdi.NKKHs. 447 against the Tl.-dan, even with the Malakol] Tow-r attack ahan- 'loiied, than were anticipated ]>y Sir ,J..hn JJiiigovn,."* I nd.'r these ,ircuiiistaii..es iJizofs views ,,u'n,Ml th,. .lay.an.l the atta.-k was ohIchm to he continue.l nioiv or less in ..oi.sona,„.e with his ...sign A ew clays, I.owcv.t, piov..! that Sir .John was right he Kussians fin.ling tlic.M.lves secure ad unniolest.Ml at the point to wlii..h tlioy had advan..ed, d..teniiiiie.| to contniue the game of counter approach, and on March loth can-Kvl on a precisely similar operati<.i. on the Mamej,,,.. The report of the look-out station on the foUowing iiiorning stat.'d— "The KusHians have heeii at work -luring tl... uinht on tl.o .Man.el,,,, tlic nature of the work cannot as yet be ascertaine.l." whilst Lieutenant-Colonel Tyldon, in ..harge of the right attack fell ) Is ■■"^' "The enemy are ivporte,! to have been working on the .Manu'lon in front of town (., t,.wer . Captain Crai^Mc, however, states that he cann.jt .hstinKUis), tl... .hara.ter of the work. In the course of the morning, when tlu- weather ei.-ars, he shall be abj,. to see." On the 11th Captain Staunton reported, "I could hoar the enemy at work on the Miimelon in the early part of the night " A hre of sOiells had been kept up. on the working party froni the n.ortar battery at Frenchman's Jlill. It was now quite ,.lear th t the Kussians meant to hold the point, and a heavy fire was coneen rated from all sides on the itiU. In .spite of this, and by dint of considerable sacriHce of men, tli,. garrison succee.h-d in constructing a powerful work with heavy batteries on the three aces that We on the attack, in front of which they excavatc'l renches, rifle-pits, and screens running down to the fnmt of the hill o within 1(H) yards of the French parallel. This was a complete checkmate to the advance of the British right attack, as the ground th..y would have taken up was swept by its fire and any trenches would have been enfilailed. This was not the only movement in advance ma Redan, with trenches and rifle-pite in advance. It seemed, therefore, at this time as though the allies were about to be besieged in their own trenches. On March 21st Sir John Burgoyne, then about to leave the army, issued the following Corps' Order — " The Inspector-G(!iieral of Fortifications cannot quit this army Avith- out exi)ressing his strong testimony to tho exemplary maimer iu wliicli the officers of Royal Engineers and non-commissioned officers and l)rivates of the Royal Sapjwrs and ISIincrs liave performed under his own eye their arduous duties before Sel)astopol. The Inspector-General of Fortilications is not aware of any siege that has been carried on under more trying and difficult circumstances, and he has had great pleasure in repeatedly pointing out to the Commander-in-Chief how gallantly and credital)ly every operation by the Engineer department has Ijeen conducted. In noM' taking leave of his comrades of all ranks, he thinks that lie cannot wish tliem better fortune than that finally iu this euter- jirise they may meet witli the success tliat as far as depends on them is so well merited." On the night of March 22nd a lieavy sortie was made by the llnssians on the French and Englisli right attacks. In this affair Major J. AV. Grordon, K.E., was severely wounded. This officer liad repeatedly exhibited the most conspicuous gallantry and coolness under fire, and Jiad been a noble example not only to his own Corps but to all avIio were thrown in contact with him. Th'. Eussell thus describes the incident — "In the midst of the fight Major tiordon, of the Royal Engineer.-;, displayed that coiu-age and. presence of mind which never forsook liiiu. With a littlo switch in his hand he encouraged the men to defend thr trenches, and standing up on the top (if the parapet, unarmed as he was, hurled down stones upon the Russians. He was struck Ijy a ball which passed tlirough the lower pixvt of liis arm, and at the same' time received a bullet tlu'ough tlie shoulder." Captain Atontagu, R.E., was at the same time made a prisoner, and carried off into the town. He was not released for four months. The work of arming the various batteries and replenisliing tln' magazines had now so much advanced that the (piestion <>( taking decisive measures once more came to the front. (Jn March 2oth a conference was held between the French and Englisli com- manding ofHcei's of Engineers and Artillery, Avhen it was decidrd that there seemed every possibility of opening a general Ijombardmeiil on April 2nd. It will be well at tliis point to describe tho chaui^e- that had taken place since the commencement of the year, both as [(•ir. XIX, Led a series of li trenches aud time as thougli ouches, leave the army, this army Avith- uaiuier iu wliicli ed officers aud d under his own cctor-Geiieral of arried on under ^reat pleasure iu w gallantly aud ment has been ranks, he thinks lly iu this eutor- onds on them is IS made h}- tlie In this affair .. This otficer gallantry and le not only to contact with ,oyal Engineers, 'er forsook him. n to defeuil the nied as he was, by a ball which :ie time received de a prisoner, eased for four plenisliing tln' e question of it. On March [ Eng'lisli coui- it was dccidcil lljonibardnieut be the change^ ) year, both as LS5.5,] OF UOYAI, KXGIXKKRS, 440 ^eli^^r' ^'' ''' ""''''''' ''''-''''' ^"^ ^^«° ^^^ ^—'-^ .trn,'.fi^'' ^'^^ "^*?f ^ x' ^l?l^/^^'"^g new batteries had been con- stnuted; one called X„. 7 for six guns, and another No. 8 for c^ght guns, rn tlie loft and centre of the third parallel, respectively The bonibar.lment l)ogan before they were araied No 9 at £ ex reme le t of tlxe second parallel Irad been commenced; hut tt not reody for its guns._ No. 14 battery for two O-poun leiVnns o7tl ;r"i ''^' "!! '^' -M'' '^ ^'^'- ■^' ^-"^^ farmed the S m naS the third parallel as it then existed. Rifle screens were excava ed in a.lvance, and some caves to tlie left front connected by Wh .■.nn-oaclies, well traversed, were o,>cupied by riflemei7 These caves were known ns " The Ovens." i^n^men. inese (Jn the riglit attack, No. !» battezy for eight guns liad l)een co,i j^^rnc^ ni rear <,f tlie advanced p^iillel, ^id ^nne!:^ ^^^ "h Zl^nt ?^^^\-^--^f,t;> jts right until it las connected Mith the Irencli line in the Middle Kavhie. Nos. 10 and 11 m,.rtar l^attenes were built, to the right of the 21.gun S^ei, and .No 12 m the ccmimunicatiou to the front neai? No 7 A Inrgc rifle pit had been formed to the right front of tlie thii^ parallel, with boyeaux of communication tlfereto ^ J urnig the same interval of time the electric telegraph had been established between the base and the trenches. Although all the '^"'f^'nr/, including wires and instruments, had arrived at Balnklava ourly in December, .S.54, it was not until Februarv, when the snow had begun to work the instruments. On February •27th the first line was commenced between Lord Raglan's head-,pL-ters am Ka i o ^^here the depot Avas ,*tabli,.hed for the railwav. The d-stance ^vas a .out three miles, and the line was opened on March 7 1 L ki" a "The'neu" ""^ "'1^ ""^ ' l-lf farther back into Bal - kla^a. ilio next step was to carry it from head-quarters to the l^ngineeT park m the left attack, and afterwards to the pi ket- ouse ;. the Woronzofl Road, and on to the caves in tlie right a tack Api 1 1 ,sth. bubsequently other lines were laid from head-(marters- ll^al IhWv"""'"?' 'V'^-- ^^"'^^ '^"^ "-'^'-' ^- Xanlies Kay, 1 all wenty-one miles of wire were eventually laid down, and eigli tations opened. The mode of proceeding in laying the wires la ilie intention, when the apparatus was sent from Eno-Lmd had heen to lav the line w tli .-i ,.lnno.J. n^ :,., , " . •= ^"^' '^^'^ lay the line with a plough. Th e wire on its drum was to G a t 1 ■ 1 ■ 40O HISTORY OV I'lIK coin's [Cll. XIX. be attacliod, iind tlu> end of it passed tlirougli the sliaro of the plongli, wliicli was hollow for the purpose. As the plough advanced and the drum revolved, the wire passing off it nnd through the share Avoidd he deposited at the bottom of the furrow, which was so narrow, owing to the form of the ploughshare, thnt it filled ifself up again, and the wire was buried automatically. On triid, lioAvever, it was found that the plough was not heavy enough to make the slightest im])re.ssion on the ground. Only two instru(>ted Sa])pers had been sent Avith the instrunn-nts, and one of these had to be sent to his duties in the trenches, leaving Corporal Fraser alone to instruct the men who were to be employcnl. In his report on this subject lieutenant 8to})ford says : — "Thoy (the Suppers) slunvcil grciit (|uickiu's.s in loarning the use df the instrument, iiltliougli net one of tlic men .... had any kntnvledge of oi', indeed, seen the single needle instrument before." During the pt liod from the beginning of the year to the opening of the April bombardment, the following officers lioyal Engineers, and Oom]ianies lioyal Sappers and Miners had joined the army: — Caiitaiu J. F. M. Browne, Lieutenant (Jarter, and the 1st {N)mi)any lioyal Sappers and Miners in the beginning of February ; Caiitains II. 0. C. Owen and F. C. lUdson in the middle of that UKmth ; Captains J. A. Armit, AV. Porter, and liieutenant F. li. .Tones at the end of the month; and Lieutenant K. Iiaijd)ridge in the middle of March. The losses dru-ing the period had been Iiieutenant-(Teneral Sir John Burgoyne, returned fo England ; Captain Craigie, Lieutenants Bainbridge and Cartcn-, killed ; Major J . W. Gfordon and Ijieutenant Martin, woimded ; Captains Cibb and Gfrain, and Ijieutenants (1. Bhilips and Stokes, invalided home, and Captain Montagu taken ])risoner. Every arrangement was made on April 8th to open the boni- bardnumt on the following morning. In the afternoon the officer conmianding the Artillery asked for a postponenu^nt of forty-eiglit hours, as ^ios. 7 and 8 batteries in the left attack, and Nos. !•. II, and V2 in the right attack were not ready. This, howevtn-, was refused, the matter having been already definitely settled with the French. The result was that although the bombardment opened at daybreak on the !)th, No. 7 battery only joined in the fire on the l:5th, and No. 8 on the I4th. In the right attack No. !• opened on the 12th, but Nos. 11 and 12 were not completed in time to take any i)art. In the course of the day on the 8th the weather, which had till then been fine, broke u]» and became tempestuous, aooompanicd by torrents of rain which continued throughout the night. At ') [c... Xl\. .1855.] OF llOYAL EXGllSKKKS. 451 sliaro of the Is tho ]ilougli ng o(f it and 1 of tlu' furrow, )uo'lisliaro, tliiit atitoinatioally. was not heavy f^round. ( Milv strunieuts, and pnc'lies, loaving' 10 were to ho enant 8topford ning tho use if had any ■lit l)cfore." 10 year to thi' f oiHcers lloyal ners had joined ut (Jarter, and le hoginning of , lUdson in the \V. I'orter, and and Lieutenant isses during tlie goyne, returned idgo and (^arttn-, irtin, wounded ; lips and Stokes, iier. open the honi- rnoon the olKcor tit of forty-eiglit ck, and Nos. !*, is, howevtn', was settled with tlu' ardnient opened ed in the fire on it attack No. {) lot conipleted in r, which had till us, aooompanied the night. At ■» a.m on the !)tli all the hat ones that were ready opened their firo and continued stea.hlyrt_ work throughout the day. At night, wh^n he guns ceased playing, the mortars were hrought into iU'tion and kept up a constant stream of shell fire u] .on .all the principal Kussian hatteries At daybreak on the following morning the guns resumed work, and thus for several davs and .dghts the bom- banbnent progresse.1 with unabated vigour.' During this time the labours of the Lngnieers, olhcers and men, were .uu.easing. At night all the injuries causey tlie liu.ssian artillery, as also by ..ur own, had to be restored, whilst embrasures had to be re- paired under fire whenever damaged, tieneral Jones reported— "The (.ilicH.rs .,f Kngin....rs and Sapj.or.s ...x..rt...l themselves most y.Ulantly and zealously in ivpairuig damages tu the Latteries.'' Whilst Dr. Russell, in his history of the siege, says— " It was in.i,os,.il,le to deny to tlie R-,s.sian Knginoers great .-..Hlit for he ronlness wi I, wluoli they set ahout repairing dama,os"u.d..r lire, lu.t uo . s cunid not do more tlian ,p,sti,=e to th. exertions of our own men, ad to the Kngnieer Oihcers and Saj.p.rs .mga,,.! i„ this n.o.st perilous |lut>. AM.en an embrasure was .struck and injure.! it was the duty of tin. Sappers to get up into tlio vacant place and repair iho dama.-e, .ymoving the gabions, .^.c, under tire, ami without the lea.st cover from si.ot, she 1, or nllemen. Our Kngineer OlHc-r-s liad fre-iuently to set the do so'" '"' ""'" '" ''-^1""'"" themselves when not called upon to OnxVprilldth a conf(u-ence of French and liritish Artillerv am hngineer (xenerals was held in General Jones's hut, at wliich six breneh and two British Avere present, the result of w' .eh was a decision that the bombardment should be continue., .aid that the fn-eneh appro.aehes should be sufficiently adv.aneed to enable them to assault without much previous exposure. This, it was t]i..uo-ht would be done in thr.'e d.ays. The town was then to be attacked' liiree J^rench columns were to advance on the left and a fourth on the Maine on, whilst the ]3ritish were t.. .assault the Ifedan tiie hre being kept up vigorously till the last moment On the night of .Vju-il lf)th two large rifle-pits which h.ad been onstructed by the Kussi.ans, well in front of their post at the iuarries, aiid which, owing to the advance of .)ur tr,.>nehes on the eft of our right .attack li.ad become perilously close, were assaulted. l'(.r the purpose of this .attack 600 men of the 77th hVgiment Huder Colonel Egerton Avere brought into the trenches and J.euten.ant-Colonel Tylden, li.E., iif eu.arge of the Hghrattal, explained the projiosed course of proceeding, At !» .'?(» i) m the diish was made, the enemy driven out after a shari) resistance,' and the working party brought forward to make the necessary lodo-. nd six ■i» ■V , I :fl 452 HISTORY OK TIIK COlll'S [en. XIX. ment. This consisted of 150 men, who were in charge of Capti\in Owen, U.E., and Lieutenant Baynes, lI.E., with a brigade ()f Sappers. The nearest ritie-pit was promptly reversed, so as to give cover frf)m the (inarries, and connected on its left with our ad- vanced hoyeau, whilst on the right it was prolonged to form a more exteiided lodgment. The enemy returned repeatedly to the attack during- the night, and a very heavy fire was kept up on the workhig 1 tarty. The British were, hoAvever, not to be dislodged, and tli(! i)it from that moment became part of our advanced attack. Tniortunately, this success Avas not secured without heavy loss, (/olonel Egerton, who led the assault, was killed, and both of the Engineers, Owen and Baynes, w(nmded, the latter mortally; Cai^taiu Owen had his leg shattered by a grape shot, necessitating amputiitiitn. In making his report of the operation, Ijieutenant- ('olonel Tylden s;tated that, ow iig to the loss of these two officers, he was only left Avith Serjeani M'Donald of the Sappers to aid him in the direction of the work, and that the gallant and steady conduct of that non-commissioned officer, who was himself wounded, attracted the notice of Colonel Egerton. In addition to Serjeant M'Donald, one non-commissioned officer of Sappers was killed and one Avounded severely. In memory of ( 'olonel Egerton, these pits AA'ere ahvays afterwards known as " Egerton's pits." General -Tones in his report stated : — " Liout.-Cijl. Tyld. u, K.E., tin' director of the right attack, pailicularly (libihl^■^is1H'd hiiiis.li by his zcil, gallantry, and the good airangouieiit.s ho made for the attack and tlu' lodgiucnt." And he further issued the folloAvhig Brigade Order : — "It is with much satisfaction that the IMajer-Cloneral Comuiaiidiiig rcceivotl Lieut.-Col. Tyldcii's report of the aljle manner in Avhich, on tlu' niglit of the l!)th Inst., a lodgment was .'ft'ectcd in the enemy's ritle pit inniu'diatcly in front of the left advance right attack under Capt. Owen anil Lieut. iJaynes, K.E , whose zeal and gallantry were mosi conspienous, while the conduct of Colour-Sorjeant M'Donald, R. S. iV M., on the same occasion, when, in consequence of the otHcers above named being seriously Avounded, he was left in charge of the workiii;j; party, was not only highly creditable, to that X.C. Otfr., but so dis- tinguished as to attract the notice of the field officer cununanding in the trenches: and the ^Nrajor-Ck-neral is glad to find the Sappers engaged exerted themselves Avith their accustomed energy." This dashing affair Avas the only practical result of the April bombardment. 15y the time that the magazines and shot piles Avere approaching exhaustion, it became clear that no decided predominance had been obtained over the enemy's artillery. The besieo-ers' fire steadily though gradually slackened, and before the [in. XTX. irge of Captiviii 1 a brigade of ed, so as to give t with our ad- igod to form a peatedly to tlie kept up on the o be dislodged, dvanced attack, nut lieavy loss, iind both of the itter mortally ; )t, necessitating on, Ivieutenant- lese two otticers, Sappers to aid lant and steady imstdf wounded, tion to Serjeant s was killed and crton, these pits ttiifk, iiarliculai'ly )od airangcuieiits ler :— oral Comuiaiuling ■ ill wliich, on tlu' s enemy's ritlo pit ;ack undcu' C'apt. laiitry were must >iial(i, R. S. .V: M., 10 officers above ^e of the workinj;' Dffr., but so dis- Dinmanding in tlu' Sappers en^aLiiHl suit of the April s and shot piles that no decided s artillery. Tlif 1, and before the 1850.J OF UOYAL KXCilNKKHS. 45a end of the month had ceased. No further idea of assault was entertamed, nnd botli antagonists bracked tliemselves up for new e^orts. On the side of tlie Britisli fresli batteries were thrown up and the advanced trenches were pushed slowly forward All the damages caused by the enemy'e fire were repaired, and tlie defects winch had become apparent dm-ing the bombardment obviated. Un April 28th, (Japtam Bourchier, R.E., was appointed Brigade- Major to the force of Sappers. Lieutenant Lennox had been made Adjutant at the end of January, and this appointment was (;on- hrmed by the Board of Ordnance on April 2Sth. On May 8th General Delia Marmor.a, with tjie first iiortion of the Sardinian army, mustering 0,000 men, landed and ioined the besieging anny. Before the end of the month the whole force of 15 ()00 men had arrived. On May 19th General Pelissier super- seded General tanrobert in command of the French army, and this change seems at once to have infused more activity into their attacks 1 he new General was prompt to join in every measure calculated to expedite matters, .i-hI was not as timid as his luv- deeessor had been m launching hib xen at the enemy's works On May 28th a meeting was he.i in Belissier's hut, at wliich the Generals of the French were present, three of whom were Lngmeers. On the ,.; t of the British, General Jones, JI.E , and Golonel Adye, B./. , took part in the proceedings. At this meeting General PeLssier announced his intention of promptly assaulting the Mamelon and the redoubts in front of the Inke/- mannatta<3k known as the " Ouvrages lUaacs," and requesting that the British should at the same time establish themselves in the Quarries m front of the right attack. General Jones promised to lodge a force m the Uuarries and clear the ground in front at the same time that the French crowned the Mamelon. A ffood deal of discussion took place for the next few days, at the end of wJuch it was decided that fire should be opened from all the batteries tor two days, and that on the evening of the second day the forward movement should take jilace on all three points simultaneously by signal. By tliis time the following additions had been made in the British attacks. On the left, No. 10 battery for seven guns in the centre of the second parallel; No. 11 for eight guns on the extreme left of the same parallel, beyond No. 9, with a communi- cation from It under slielter of the crest of the ravine ; No V> for h.m- mortars to the right of No. 9, and No. l-'J for four mortars ni the third parallel, between Nos. 7 and 8. In the riglit attack hre^ new batteries had been thrown up, N.). Vi, or the Sandbag Lattery, tor lour guns in the second parallel, to the immediate right of No. 12; No. 14, for five guns, in the same parallel, to i 1 . ' > I'. . 454 iiisroHY or TiiK (onrs [(•II. XIX. / i - h il W'. n ! '•} 1 , . . '1 ' tho k'l't of Xo. !» ; iiii.i Xo. l-\ i'or thm- mortars, in a siiuill qiiarry to the left of Xo. 12. . Duriiifi' tilt' iiilorvalsinoo flic April boinbardnicnt, ilio tollowmg Uoyal KngiiH'tM' olliccrs luid joined tlic I)i'si.'ging force :— < 'ai)taius Jesse, l)e MoU'ViiH, l>a\vs(m; Lieutenants Fisher SonierviUe, Seott, and Darra'h. 'Plie !>th CnmiMny Ko.val Sappers and Miners had also heen addrd tu the slivn-tli. On the other hand, th(> foil,.- '■•:• l<^s.si.> l.ii.l heen sustained :—( !ai)tains King, (,'i'ofton ; Lie a' : ■< Baynes iin.l Carlfr killed; Tajitain O wen wounded, and I ■ -iin I'ovter and Lieutenant Pratt invalided. It niav here he mentioned that diu-ing the month of May ii very successful exi)editiou was made to Kerteh and Yenikale, where tht? llussians had accumulated vast masses of stores of tnxny description. Tlu\se were all destroyed, and after a few days spent (varrviiig devastaticm in every direction, the force returned to its siege duties. Lieut .Miant-C'olonel J. AY. Gordon, Captain Ilassard, and Lieu^^enant Drake, were the Royal Engineer officers einployed on this service, ('aptain Hassard commanded the 1 1th (Jompany of Royal Sappers and Miners, which formed jiart of the troops employed, whilst Lieutenant-Colonel (fordon held the post of Commanding Royal Engineer. On Jnne 0th all the hatteries opened at a p.m., and before sunset had done good service, the enemy's works being greatly knocked about. During the night the mortars were kept playing upon all the quarters Avhere the enemy were hkely to he engaged in rest(n-ations, and on the 7th the artillery fire recommenced at davbreak. At (> ]).m. tliat evenhig the signal was given, and three simultaneous assaidts dehvered. One French column wns directed agiiinsl the " Ouvrages lUancs," a second against tli(^ Manifi >n, and a iVritisli cohmin against the (iuarries. All threi' were iierfecth- suce(^ssful. The Russians were driven out, au(l the first step's taken to connect these works with the besiegers' advanced trenches. As regards the British attack, the troops were comnianded by Colonel Shirley of the SStli, acting as a General officer. He was assisted by Lieutenant-Colonel Tylden, R.E., who guided him ns to the points of attack aiul the distribution of the troops ,n the assault. The Royal Engineer olHcers employed in this brilliant operation under Lieutenant-( Jolonel Tylden were ( •aptam Browne and Lieutenant Eli.hinstone in charge of the working parties, and Lieutenant Lowry as guidi' to the attacking column. Cai)taiii Wolselev and Lieutenant Anderson, Assistant l^:ngineers, also served with the working jiarties. Lieutenant-Colonel Tyldeu made the following iv])oy{ (»n the operations; — "The encniv's ' amhiiseudc,' known as the (.^iuarvie.s, and the adjohiin,;; [(•II. XIX. X small quarry , the lolli)wiug vo : — ( 'ai)taius >r Soiuerville, nVS iliul MilUM'S li(>i' hand, the [iug, Ci'oftoii ; hven WDunded, )iitli of May a and Yeuikale, stores ol' every few days spent ivtunied to its ptain Ilassard, deers employetl lltli (Jonipany t of the troops d the post of m., and before 1 being greatly i-e kept ]ilaying • to he engaged LH'()ninien('ed at vas given, and I'll c'ohnnn was lud against the ■ies. All three riven out, and I the besiegers' connvianded by ffieer. lie was guided hini as e troops in the in this brilliant •aptain lirowne ing parties, and hunn. Captain Engineers, also Jolonel Tyldeu ;uul tlu' adjoiuiiii,! I800.] OF HOVAL KNCJINKKUS. 4/55 trenches in front of tlu; left of the ri{,'ht attack, were stormed and carried ycstenlay evcnin,^' idwut 7 p.m., l)y a piirty of 400 men from the Lij,dit and Second divisions. A ^(jod lodgment has Ijocn formed on our ri^ht of the Quarries, and the communiciitiun thereto from the left advanced sap has Ix^cn made good. Our troops arc at present in occu].ation of the (,)uarry lodgment, (.'overing their left, extending from thence to the right along the reverse of the enemy's trench to his salient rifle pit at the ('eiitre. The whole of these works of the enemy have hceii appropriated for (mr own use. The enemy's resistance was energetic and determined, evinced, lujt only in the defence of his (,)uarries, hut in the repeated ellbrts he made during the niglit to retake his trenches by turning their right, as well as hy direct attacks. A reserve of GCO men formed the inimediato support of the a.ssaulting party, ami a working l.arty of 800 men detailed for the forming of the lodgment communica- tions, il-c, were divided into four ditt'erent parties, each for a special part of tlie work. Three of these parties I brought forward in n^adiuess to commence work directly the enemy's trenches were taken, but such was the vigour of the enemy's resistance and his numbers, that the assaulting party and their reserve were insufticient to hold the capturegularly ])osted, I brought this party forward, and with them made the lodgment and communication, the former was effected under the immediate direction of Lieut. Elphinstone, R.E., and wlien the darkness of the night and critical circumstances under which the lodgment had to be made are consider(;d, I think that this ottieer deserves the highest praise for the creditable manner in which he executed this service. I was glad to be able to assist Col. Shirley, who commanded the troop.s, in posting them in the front, and in the ijrderly occupation by the reserve of the enemy's trenches. The execution of the arrangements, as regarded the working parties, as well as the general superintendence of the work, is due to Capt. Browne, K.E., who was the officer of Engin(H;rs in charge, and who executed these services to my perfect satisfaction. Capt. IJrowiie speaks in high terms of the conduct of Capt. Wolseley, 90th Regiment, Assisting Engineer, who was employed in forming the communication to the fodgment. Lieut. Anderson, 9Gth Kegiment, Asslstmg Engineer, who is 'a zealous and intelligent officer, was unfortunately hurt early in the night. We have nuha])pily to regret the loss of Lieut. Lowry, K.E., an officer who.se gallantry and untiring zeal, added to the experience he possessed from many months' service in the siege, adds another instance to recent los.ses in the eorps which we cannot easily replace, nor sustain without the deepest concern. Lieut. Lowry was the officer who conducted the storming party, which seivice he performed in thi; most gallant and conspicuous manner, and was sub.se column— Lieutenant.( Vdonol Tylden, Captain Do Moleyns, iU"ut..nants James, Donnelly, and Major Campbell, Assistant Jiin^nieor. No. ;i column— Captain Jesse, l.ieutenauts Fisher, Graves, and nomorvillc. There was also a 4th (M)lumn, which was to move towards the VVoronzoft ravine, and enter the works of the place beyond iNo. d column. To this column were attached Lieutenant-Colom-l Chapman, Lieutenant Neville, and Captain Penn, li.A, Assistant ±.nginccr; Lieutenant Elphinstone, U.E., and Captain (Chapman, Assistant Lngineer, were appointed orderly officers to (feneral J ones. The assaults failed in every direction, no column, eitlier French or JliUghsh, succeeding in establishing themsidves within the enemy s works. There were two causes for this failure. First the attack was made before the fire of the garrison had been sufflcientlv crushed. Ihis was by desire of General l>eli,ssier, who was very impatient at the losses he was sustaining in the trenches. Secondly, the in-ench .x)lunin on the extreme right, which was intended to penetrate the line to their right of the Malakoff, started before the signal ^^■a>, given. The Kussians were, therefore, fully prei^ared tor the other columns when they left their trenches. The result was, as has been said, complete failure, coupled with severe losses esi)ec]ally of officers. ' Two Engineer descriptions of the English attacks were given one by Lieutenant Graham, who Avas with No. 1 column, the other by Lieutenant Fisher, who was with No. 3 column. Graham's rejwt was as follows:— u t" 1" "^'^*5'*''"''' *'' ^'"g*'^^ oi'^i^''^ «f tliis clay's dute " (the 19th June) I iiave the honour to inform y(ni tliat at half past three o'clock yesterday morning, 1 was in charge of the ladder party accompanying the storming ],arty, ordered to attack the right Hank of the Kedan, I?ri<'r .eneral hir J. Campbell commanding. On tl-.e signal for the attack being given Lieut Murray, R.E., advanced in rear of the skirmislievs towards the left, followed by the ladder party. The skirmishers did not advance beyoiid the rear spur of the hill, the tire from the Eedan, Flanks, and Creek batteries bein- ttio^ heavy. Lieut. Murray was here severely wounded and obliged to retire. Lieut. Col. Tylden here came loiwaru, audi had just obtained his sanction to advance on the salient instead of on the flank when he, too, was struck down by grape shot iHe sku:nishers now advanced towards the salient, follow 3d bv the tappers, and the party carrying the woolsacks and ladders, whom I halted m front of the advanced trench, in order that the skirmishers might cover us before we advanced. Finding, however, that the skirmisliers c.uld not advane.. under the formidable lire of ■crane and musketry from the Kedan, I ordered the escalading party to retire into 458 HisToKY ()!•' riiK coin's [(•II. XIX. ^■m I ,' i! I till' ,i(lv;ni(f(l liviicli, wliirli tlicy diil. After iiliout li'ii iiiiinitcs the iill'ufr ill (oruiiiiiiKl of the .stoniiiiij^ I'lU't.v, I-nnl West, tnlil mi' tliut lie WHS 111,'iiiM about to lend out the skinuishcrs, ami rciiucstiMl that 1 wonlil lake out llic ladders. Thi.s 1 aeeordiu-ly diil, ami the ladders weri^ a;^ain l>rouj?ht to the front. Here I liej; to he allowed to reuiark ou the remarkahle steadiness ami j,'ullaiitry of the oliieers iind men of the Naval r.rij^ade, who fornu'd part of the ladder party, and who sulVered most severely on this occasion. As it was again found impractical)lc for the skirnnshers to advance, the ladiler party aj,'aiu retired, bringing' in most of their ladders, thon,i,di not without .severe loss. After thi.s no further attempt was made until the order was received for tlie supports to retire. I heg to call your attention to tin; steady conduct of the party any, 11. S. fi M., (\spec.ially to Private F. I'eirie." .... The ropoi't liy Licutcimnt Fi.slier was this — " ( )n a siiTual heinj,' ,i,dven from tin- S-j^un battery No. I), I ubserved the skirnnshers moved to the front in open order, and almo.st sinudtaneously the assanltinj,' c(diuun a eohuun in due order under LiiMitenant (Iraves, U.K. 1 proceeded at a steady i)acu to allow time f(U' tlie ladder party to cross the two old Russian tn-nclies which were in our line of advance. We were expo.sed to a heavy lire of (^rape and musketry whilst advancinl,^ On arriving at the abattis 1 looked Imi'k to see how the ladder party were coming on. I could not see a single ladder, the men having aliandoned them or (as I believe was very general) been shot down in advancing. I observed the whole [)arty to be very nnich reduced. 1 endeavoured to rally the men, but, being unable to get together a stdficicid. force to attempt an assault in the face of sucli tire as we were exposed to, 1 ordered tin? men to get under cover as fast as jmssible among the irregularities of ground and shelldioles which existed close to the abattis, in the expectation of the supports which I hojied would advance to oiu' relief. Hero they were shot down by tlie Ku.ssian soldiers, who stood on tin; parapet of the Kedan to hri>, as well as by the grape, which continued to sweep through our force. After waiting some time for the supi)orts to eonn^, in vain, 1 felt with such a handful of men any attempt to assault would be madness. Accordingly 1 endeavoured to tind an otHcer senior to myself to recommend him to retire. Failing in this 1 took ou myself to order a retreat into oui trenches, which was eilected, Imt I fear our loss was very great. The abattis, though not very thick nor constructed of very large boughs, was almost entirely uninjured by our tire. The largest wood was, 1 should think, six inches in diameter at the base, and it stood from five to six feet high above the ground. There were small gaps antl weak i)laces where men could push through. 1. did not attempt to pull it away wdth the grapnels as I considered the tire too heavy to justify nie in cxprr.ing men so prnmiuontly at so short a distance from the work, our fire being insufficient to keep the Russian soldiers oflF the parapet from [(•II. MX. ■II lllilHltcs tlic iiM UK' tli:it 111- I'd that 1 wniild Idcrs wi'iv. ii^'iiiii iriiiiirk on Mir vi\ of tlif. Niiviil (» HUtlVM'tHl most iicticalili^ for tlic )iiiigiii;^' ill iiio.sl • this no fiirtliiT pports to retire, arty of SapiPfrH, rially to Priviitci lattery N'>- 9, I ■der, and alnio.st iie ri.nlit of our ! Sappers to the, lue order under I) allow time for liich wiii'e in our e of ^'rape and 1 looked hni'k ti> lot see u .single ■lieve was very .' whole [)arty to men, but, heing sauU in tiie face yet under eover and shell-holes supports which hot down hy tlie n to lir(>, as well )ur force. After felt with such a ss. Accordin;j;ly jomniend him to retreat into ouv ievy great. The arge boughs, was L)d was, 1 should from five to six and weak jilaces pull it away with ■J justify me in nni the work, our the parapet from IH.V,,] OK KOVAI, KNJirNKKUS. 4r,\) winch they were i„,„o „„ u.s. 1 am of opini.m that under a less .severe .re It would he easy to break it up by means of a.xes and the iron ,gr,ipne Ls. I a,n ,„,t aware that any .,f oui men pa.ssed the abatti.s. 1 regre to .state thatCapt Je«.se, U.K., was .shot through the head whiU "• the ac of speaking to me. Lieut. (Jrave.s, K.K., is niLssing. He ia Mippased to have been ailed under the abattis." (Then com.-.: a li.st of N.C O.s and privates of K. S. .V M. killed and woumled.) "I mu.st no^ conclude without bringing under your notice the very gallant coudu.'t of •Serjeant Landry, I{. S. .V M., wlio.se .steadiness in the advance and exertions m cheering on the men were most praisi^worthy." Th Ik; iMioiiieor eiisimltii's in this imF-rtiniute Im.sim.ss wore .aptain .tvssoLieuton.nits Murray an.l (in.ves killed LJou- iounnU ohuiol Tyhl,.,. died of w,mnd«. Majoi-doneral Jones and < a])lam JJoiirciiier wounded. Tlie only snceess g'ained on tho ooeasion was at the left attack \vlien. the eeinotery at tlio liead of tho ])oekyarss thev were withdrawn, and tor sonu' unex],lained reason tlie eemet.Tv "itscdf was abamh.ned Lunitenant Donnelly, when coming on (Jiity the noxt morning! oiuKl to Ins astoni.shment that the ]>oint was nnoeeupied. ]!<■ had been mh-rnuMl by one of his men tiiat a Serjeant of Sappers was lying ,n tlie rout eitlu dead or grievously woinnlod. Altliouo'ji 1 was daylight Lieutenant Donnelly determin..d to go in searclu)f the nian Jo ns a.stonishment on moving out into the oi.en he pereoived that lie was not being fired at from the eenieter\' as lie tuUy anticipated would have been tlie ease. Ho, therefore proseeutod hi.s inv,.stigations, and fin.ling the ].lace unoecm.ied be returned to the trenelies and <.l)tained from th.' fi.>ld olK.'or in ehargo of the advance a volunteer party of thirty men, with whom he {iroeeeded to the spot. It may bo w.dl here to describe the position. The cemetery Itself oeoupi..d the sloj.ing groun.l wbicli stretched from a small knoll towarcls ..ur atta.-k. Li this the Ihissians bad establishe.l an advance.! nfie-pit, whilst .,n the knoll above thev ba.l forme.l a larger lodgment, covered with blin.lagos and capable of .'Oiitainino- a strong party ot men This knoll bad always been known as the Li tie ..r (rreen. Mam.don, an.l the liussian riHomeu who (ncuiued It had been a constant source of annoyance not oul\- to the British 460 IIISTOKY <>l' I'HK (OKI'S [vu. Xl\. but nlso to the Kroncli \vH iHlvnncod Miioh. Lioutcnimt Dotindly seized upon the siimll rille-pit iieiireHt to our trenches, Init t'ouiul it inipoHsibki to take possession of th<^ lurgo one on the Miimelon, which was too mneh exjxKsed to the llussian tire. He, however, i>lMced his [tarty nnder e(»ver of the walls and trees and' kejit theni thert>. A truce had l)een aj^reed on that day for tlie pur[)oa(M)f ronioviu"- the dead and wounded from the front, and the instant tho tlag was hoisted, Donnelly j.o.sted his party as sentries round tho has(^ of the small Manielon, and prevented tho Russians from ascending the knoll. As soon as night foil a communication was begun between the trenches and the nearest jat, which was enlarged and converted to our use. The other lodgment on tho knoll was destroyed, and nil tho Ivussian communications filled in. This incich'ut is ftdly recorded in the official journal of the siege. Strangely enough, Mr. Kinglake, in his elaborate work, has utt<»rly ignored tho whole alfair. According to his vorsiou the cemetery was never abandoned, but was held throughout the night of the 18th by the force which had captured it.* Not only is the jiMirnal of the si<'go, which was compihid from the dailv reports, very dear, but wo hnvo also the contemporary evidence (if Dr. liussell, who says — "On tlic fMll.iwiug iiioniiuK" {i.e. tlu' lOtii) "an oUiccr of Kufjinoois, Lieut. Donnelly, iH'Mvd, to lii.s extreme .surprise, tliiit the po.sition f.u whicli we had paid so dearly was not in our jtossession. llv apprcciateil its value ; he knew that the Russians had not yet advanced to re-occiipy it. With the utmost zeal ho .set to work amouK t,he ollicers in tlir treuchen, and 1iej,'^'ed and lioriowed si.mo tliirty men, with whom lie crept down into tlie Cemetery, just Itet'orc the Hag of truce wa.s hoisted.' (This wa.- for the lairial of tlic dead and recovery of the wounded.) "^As soon as the armistice liegan the Russians ijocked down to the Cemetery, which tlicy suitposed to be undefended ; luit to their great surprise they found our thirty nien posted there as sentries, who warned them back, and in tlie (-vening the party was strengtheiuid." t Two Victoria Crosses were gained by lioyal Engineer Officers on this day— Lieutenant (rerald (Traham, for leading the ladder partv, and also bu- bringing in wounded officers and men ; ami Lieutenaiit Howard Elphinstone, for bringing in wounded officers and men. _ On June 2d."t leer Offioors on e ladder party, nd Lieutenant 3rs and men. been for some lat the recent was succeeded reneral James Bf of the Stall. 202-3. IM."):,,] or U(»VAI, KNOINKKKS. uid It was now doterniined to add greatly t* uo ellm-tH were ^pan-d to estal.lish fresh haft ir.i «»ur weiglit of metal, eries, and in urge an armament wonld bring up tint ammunition that so I reipiin On August Milh (h,. po.sition on the T.liernaia, which was h.-ld by the trench and Sardinian troop.s, was at(ackd with more (.r less intensity until tin' l)egin!ung of Sei>tcmber. I'.y this time liu* following additions had been made to the iiritish atta.ks. On the Left six new batteries had been con- strueted, Nos. IT,, KJ, 17, is, IJ), and 20. In the Right Attack also. SIX new batteries were f.nined, Nos. 17, l.s, !<>, o(> >i ,,,,,1 •J2. Two new parallels, the fourth and the Hfth, wit]rth,.h''cnni- niunications, had been established, and a trench was i.usIumI „nt in front of the fifth parallel, towards the salient of the Hedan reaching to within l!Mj yards of it. Meanwhil.. many changes of iwm>,>nrl had taken place. The lollowing ollicers had joined the army :— Captains A. ( '. Cooke \ ^ /''""';,•'•, Nicholson, and C. ]l. S,>,Uey. Lieutenants •'• , ;'"'x;"',t-.^\V"\}^- ^^- '^- -'^'i"i''i-''«q- 1*. H. Srratchlev, and (.. N. Ivelsall. :Major Montagu had also returned from Ijemg a prisoner having been exchanged early in August. On flu- other hand, Lieutenant-Colonel Tyldeii, Captains Jes.se ami Uuvson, Lieutenants Murray, Craves, and Lowry, had all been ki led. _ Captains llassard, Armit, Jkd.son, Lieutenants Somer- yile, .Scott and I )arrah, had been invalided ; of whom Captain Belson and Lieutenant Somerville had died at Scutari; whilst Lieutenant James had been taken jtrisoner. (Jn S,.pteniber .'h'd the chief ArtiUery and Lngineer .dhc.'rs of tlie two armies were once more summoned t„ assemble Tliey gave m their joint oi.inion "that tlie si,.g,> works have arrived at such a point that the a.s.sault ought to be given to the place after a short delay. They observed that the French left attack ..n tlie town had been stationary for a long time, no further advance being i^va.iicable The British advance on the Uedan also could i)e carried no farther. At the Malakoff the Fren(;h Artillery had obtained a marked superiority, and in consequence the api .roaches were withm twenty-five metres of the enceinte. Althouoh it might be i)ossible to push farther forwnr.l. and blow in the counterscarp, they thought the delay to enable this to be done l, \ 402 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [cir. MX. would be iirejiulicial. The French extreme right attack in front of the Careening Bay (or little Redan) was also within twenty- five metres of the place, and could approach no nearer owing to the rocky sod. Tender these circumstances " the moment to give the assaidt has an-ived." It was decided that the prinei])al attack should be on the Malakoff and Little Eedan. "If wc siu'ceod in seizing and lodging ourselves secnrely in tlie.'Je works, tlio f[dl of the Karabehiaia sul)arb lieconies inevitable.''' It being decided that these were to be the main attacks, it was considered necessary to distract the garrison bv subsidiary assaults. " *^ " For this piu-pose, as soon as the .«ucee.s.s of the Malak off front .shall appear certain, tlie English at a concerted signal should give the assault to tlie Redan, and tlie French would at the sanac time advance on the enceinte of the town." This project was approved, and on September 5th the bombard- ment became general, every gun that could be brought into pln>- having oi)ened on that morning. The British batteries consisted of 202 guns and mortars, and the French of 627. Tlie calibre of the liritish guns was, however, in many cases superior to that of their allies. By these figures it \v:ll be seen that the Aveight of metal for this bombardment was of the most stupendon- character, far exceeding what had ever before been brought into play on a similar occasion. On September 6th the orders were issued for the British assault on the Redan. They differed considerably from those issued before : — " In all probability the fire from the two flanks of the Redan may not be completely sub(lu(;d at the period when the assault may re(|uire to be made, it therefore appears advisable that (me attack only should be made and this by a strong column moving direct on the line of capital to the salient of tlie Redan . it is therefore proposed that this column should connst of 1,000 men, who should move fnmi the trenches in one comiKut body." The assault was ordered for twelve noon on September 8th. Punctually at that hoiu- the French cohunns rushed from tlieir trenches, and the Malakofp was in their possession in a few moments. As soon as the tricolor was hoisted on the ]»arapet as a token of capture, the signal w^is given for tlie Britisli advance on the Redan. The story of this attemi>t and its failm-e is best told m the Avords of the tAvo principal Engineer actors, Captain Montagu, attached to tlie General leading the column, and Lieu- tenant Ranken, Avho had charge of the ladder ~' of the former ran thus party. The rc[>ort 185-5.] OV KOYAL KNOINKKKS. 4G3 Sii.'h, however, was the excitement of th(. niomeiit tint in?) V^ party arnvecl they having less .li,H;uHMf;l f L!''^^' ul? pa«smg of wh.ch, however, di.l not prove any se ions .^.s tie T £ i partie.s formed and moved off very well Imt -litov fl,..7 h i . "raue and ritio l.nllo ?-,. „ \i '^ wtii out alter tliat the showers of ojapt and itlo halls ,^-c., upon the .succeeding parties sent from the flinl- .the Redan and Garden lotteries .aused tlfe men to run o Jhe end of the snigle sap, from whence, after a short halt to take breath tLfn ad! another rush cowards the salient angle, hut l.y this niea hev we.^ n onger in regular formation. All the' men e'^nvd d on 1 e sai t a ,d so as to be out of the way of the flanking tire. To p event tlf^ Hn.T<..,led i„ making 5,c A!<,,.„t „„i/ 1" „T suci,^ a^^ and of the .Sappers, two were killed and eleven woumled " ' i^ieutenaiit Eauken's report is more detailed •— witl. ti„.;,. V ^1 •^ '^apjKis to the front as soon as possible w th their crowbars and axes, and ran on with tlie advanced hdd . men descending or ascendiiifr tl the flanking fire of the K nt in such a position that t) ig them were scarcely, if at all, exposed to iissians up the ditch of each face. The ditch M»' 464 HISTORY OF THE COUPS [<'H. XIX. '■'!■' of tlie Redan itself is not more tlum la or Ifi feet deep, if so mucli, and- only 8 feet broad, and there was no ditticulty experienced in forming a ramp for the men to ascend. The workin-,' party told off for me were not to arrive till the whole of the assaulting column had come up. I however employed the small party of .Sappers under my charge until their arrival with a iv.-w men of the assaulting party in forming a small parapet across the ditch of the proper left face up which the enemy were pouring volumes of nnisketry. Clabions were torn down from the counterscarp and filled, as w(!ll as possible, with loose stones, and a partial cover was soon obtained. The lire of the enemy was, however, so hot, that after more than half-an-hour the work had to bo suspended temporarily. A small eapoiniiere was also in co\u'se of construction across the ditch of the proper right face near the salient, and a fair cover had been obtained there when the assaulting column retreated. A portion of my working party had arrived just before the troops with- drew, and they were engaged upon these caponnieres, and in forming an easy ramji into the ditch from the glacis when the repulse took place. The 8appers who accompanied the assaulting cohinin, and whose names are appended, all behaved well, and exerted themselves in carrying out my orders to the best of their power. I beg "specially to call your attention to the conduct of Serjt. Leach, 2iid Company, who was wounded, Corporal Curgenven, who, with I'rivates Harris and "Weather- spO(ui, were up with the leading ladders, and who worked hard in ptdliiig diiwn gabions and placing and filling them according to my instruction, and of Lanc(!-(.\>rporal J>aker, who came up subsecpiently with the working party of the 77th, and who sliowed coolness, zeal, and activity in executing my orders." General Jones, -who was at the time too ill to move, insisted on being present. He was carried down into the trendies in a litter, and remained with (Tenei-al Simpson throughout the attack. In addition to the casualties amongst tlie lloyal Engineers, Major Cliiipman, 2()tli Eegiment, Assistant Engineer, was mortaUy wounded, and died on September 20th. This was the last operation of the siege. The French had made good their grij) on the IVCalakoff in spice of the most fvmous attempts of the llussians to recover that vital point. There is no doubt that tlie British storm of th(^ Redan, unsuccessful as it was, enabled their allies to securi^ themselves within their prize. For two most critical .'lours tlie eiumiy Avere compelled to divide their forces, and to devote a largo portion of them to the retention of the Kedan. During those tAvo hours tlie French were able to block up all tlie rear openings by which access was obtained to the Malakolf from the interior, and at the same time create a communication Avitli the trendies. A flying sap Avas established to the crest of the counterscarp, and a bridge of planks throAvn over the ditch. The troops Avere therefore poured into the Avt)rk [- scnttnl Ity Sir John Cowcll to tin* i\fus(Mini oi' the Royal United (Service Institution, lie writes thus on tht^ subject totheauthor: — "Tho fort was lilown up hy vohuitccrs, us 'roiUrlicu rcnmrks in liis account of its dostruction, and they, like otlunvs, appear to have forf^'ottcn the llajj; at tlic luoiuent, and doiii)tless thou|^'ht afterwards that its dc- slvuctioii WHS ci'vhiiu in the j^rcat explosion tliat followed their liriiin' the Magazine. As it happened, it fell where it had stood, at the .sidient of the ruins, not much iujiu'cd hy the crash, though it is hut a tattered and pat,chcd euihleui of what it once was, and as it was well known to the besieging forces. 1 think that the last poor fellosv I help(Ml that morning in my wanderings was one of these \M)lunteers, who coidd not get clear of the explosion in time to .sav(i hia passage^ and he was badly hiu't on the left side and leg." Tli(> f'ollowino; desimteli was forwardod by Oenoral Jonos to Gouoral Siini)S()n, and through him it passed to Lord runnun-e: — " Head (Juartor-s, 8ebastoi)ol, 9th Sept., X^^yTh "Sir, — The long and eventful siege of Sebaslopol having been brought to a successful ternnuation, 1 beg leave to draw your l'iX('ellenc,y's atten- tion to the services of the ( )tlicers of Uoyal Kngiiu-ers, who have b(!en employi'd in carrying on the siege works, ^fany of these ollicers have been continuously on duty since the 8th of Octoluu' last, and have hcen in the trencihes 7C, 07 and 108 days and nights. I beg leave to nujutiou the name of laeut.-Col. Chapman, C. li., who has been employed with the army since the arrival of the tirst detachment at (lallipoli ; and since IVbirch last, when Colonel (Jordon was wounded and uuabl(> to perform the duties of the fiege, as senior olHi;er of Engineers he has had to make all tho necessary arrangements for the daily carrying on of the duties ; this has been performed by him in the most zealous and energtitic manner, under great exposure to tire, to my entire satisfaction. Major J?ont has been doing the duty of director of tho left attacik since IMareh last ; the duties of that otlicer are very onerous, and these he has performed in the must zealous and praiseworthy manner. During tho above ptsriod Major licnt must have been inubn- tire twice, if not thrice, in every '2\ h(jurs. Ca])t. Browne, who was nuieutly severely wounded, performed for .some time the ollice of director of the Right attack, and so has also Cajit. Cooke. Capt. Mwart, the Adjutant of the Sappers and INfincrs, has (,'arried on the duties of the parks, which are (extremely troublesome and requiring great attention, in the most zealous and satisfactory manner. I do not trouble your Kxcellency with the names of the Subalterns of Engineers, as they are not eligible for promotion \nuler the existing regulations. Nothing ciadd exceed the regular and prai.s(>worthy manner in which they have invariably performed their duties. Several have been more than once wounded, and many have died from wounds or from sickness caused by [.:... XIX. su('('(>(m1(mI in lim. 'IMiis is liiis l)(M>n jirc- ioyal United fh(Miiitii(tr : — rt'iuarks in liis have, foi'^'ottcii is tllllt its (1(!- LiitMr liriiii;' tiie t tlu^ siilient of ii t uttered and 1 known to the 1 that niorninj,' d nut ,'reat heat in the trenehc's. I wish to bring promintintly under your notice Major llourehier, my lirigade major, who has rend. Med me very great assistamu^ throughout tlie whole siege, and Lieut. (Jowell, my aiih- ile-eami), who has, during the siege, provcid himself most iise.ful l>y his professional knowh^lge as an odieer of Royal l'aigiiu'.er.s, and by his general military aiMpiiniUients. Of the Assistant i'JigincM'rs, 1 eannot speak t,oo highly in praise of the zeal ami intelligenee tlx'y have u' Iv^celhMicy's notice the s(!rvic(!s of a most gallant and zealous body of ollic(M's. I allude to the subalterns of Royal Mugineers, who, from the constitution of their Corp.s, in which promotion goes by seniority, are never jjromoted into other branches of the service, which was the reason why I did not in(dude in my recomnumdatory list the names of those individuals who have particularly di.stinguish(;d' tluimselves, trusting to th(i opi)ortunity which would be ailbrded mo of bringing their names forward spetiially. During tlie recent siege th(( duti(;s of th(! trenches fell very severely on tlu! sul)alterns of Engineers ; throughout the whole of the winter they were constantly on duty, and as their numliers wen; small, the tour of each individual returned at short intervals ; nothing but great zeal and spirit carried them through tlu; severe Avork they had to perform. The following short statement will enable your Excellency to .see bow a Subaltern of Engineers was called upon to do dutv in the trenches, several more than once wounded and others eontii d. The following tigures refer to .some of the survivor.s' days or nights — 33, 108, 32, 4G, 97, 62, 65, 78. It must be borne in mind that those tours of duty always brought the individual under fire, and in the winter montlis they were exposed to all the severities of the season. Several of the subalterns I |.; • I' - \ 46H HISTORY OF TT'K COUPS [CH. XIX. distinguished themselves on several occasions upon the attacks on rifle pits, quarries, it'c. Sucli services, I trust, will not l»e allowed to pass without reward. The following are the names of the officers who par- ticularly distinguished themselves :— Lieutenants H. l)e Vere, A. C. Fisher, H. C. Elphinstone, G. Neville, VV. (J. Lennox, AV. C. Ander- son, G. (Graham, (;. Philips, C. iS^ Martin, C. G. Gordon, and G Donnelly." To this Sir John Burgoyne appended as a minute : — " I would strongly recommend Lieutenants Stopford, Cowell, Pratt, and Drake being added to this list." G-eneral Simpson forwarded the application to the Commander- in-Chief thus endorsed : — " I can most conscientiously corroborate every word expressed by Sir Harry Jones in this letter. The arduous and always dangerous duties in which the Engineer Officers were continually employed have all along during this siege been deserving of my praise and admiration. Their untiring perseverance and fre(iuent acts of gallant conduct are beyond all praise. And I here desire to record my high approbation of those officers named by Sir Harry D. Jones, and my strong recommendation of them to Viscount Hardinge's favour." It will hardly be credited that, after such strong and powerful appeals in their behalf, appeals not for favour but for a simple act of jirstice, nothing was done in the way of promotion for the Engineer Subalterns who had earned so much well-merited praise by their brilliant services. A few of them who were fortunate enougli to attain to the rank of Captain h// .sniion'f// before the out- break of the Indian Mutiny or the subsequent Chinese War, were hurried out thitlier to gain the promotion which liad been justly earned in the Crimea. As regards the remainder, red tape was too powerful, and those of them who had no opportunity given them for subsequent disthiction, have either died or reached the higher ranks of the service without any acknowledgment for their gallantry and zealous conduct in that deadly siege. The following Non-commissioned Officers and Sappers received the Victoria Cross for gallant deeds performed during tliis event- ful siege : — Colour -Serjeant Henry McDonald.— April 19th, 1855. For gallant conduct, when engaged in effecting a lodgment in the enemy's Rifle Pits, in front of the Left advance of the Right Attack on Sebastopol ; and for subse(pient valour, when, by the Engineer Officers being disabled from wounds, the com- mand devolved upon him, and he determinately persisted in carrying on the sap, notwithstanding the re})eate(l' attacks of the enemy. [CH. XIX. 1855.] OF HOYAL KNfilNEKRS. 469 vttiick.s on riflo illowed to pass Hcers who par- ! Vcrc, A. C. AV. C. Ander- ardon, and G. Cowell, Pratt, Commander- pressed by Sir (orous duties in luive all along iration. Their are beyond all of those officers dation of them and powerful r a simple act otion for the merited praise /ere fortunate lefor.e the out- ese War, were d been justly 1 tfii)e was too :y given them led the higher ;heir gallantry ppers received ig tliis event- 9th, 1855. ig a lodgment idvance of the ; valour, when, iinds, the com- y persisted in attacks of the Colour-Skiueant Petkr liEiTcii. — June 18th, 1855. For conspicuous gallantry in the assault on the Redan, when, after approaching it Avith tlie leading ladders, he formetl a caponniere across the ditch, as well as a ramp, by fearlessly tearing down gabions from the parapet, and placing them and filling them until ho was disabled from wounds. No. 997, CoRi'ORAL John lloss. Distinguished conduct on July 21st, 1855, in connecting the 4th Parallel Right Attack with an old Russian Rifle Pit in front. Extremely creditable conduct on August 23rd, 1855, in charge of the advance from the 5th Parallel Right Attack on the Redan, in placing and filling twenty-five gabions under a very heavy fire, whilst annoyed by the presence of light balls. Intrepid and devoted conduct in creeping to the Redan in the night of September 8th, 1855, and reporting its evacuation, on which its occupation by the English took place. No. 1078, Corporal "William J. Lendrim. Intrepidity — getting on the top of a magazine and extinguish- ing sand bags which were burning, and making good the breach under fire, on April 11th, 1855. For courage and praiseworthy example in superintending 150 French Chasseurs, on February 14th, 1855, in building No. 9 Battery, Left Attack, and replacing the whole of the capsized gabions under a heavy fire. Was one of the four -N-olunteers for destroying the farthest Rifle Pit on April 20th. No. 854, Savper John Perie. Conspicuous valour in leading the sailors with the ladders to the storming of the Redan on June 18th, 1855. He was invalu- able on that day. Devoted conduct in rescuing a wounded man from the open, although he himself had just previously been wounded by a bullet in the side. With reference to the entry as regards Corporal Lendrim, it may be mentioned that Corporal James Wright joined him in the deed of gallantry on April 11th, but not having the same claims for other services did not receive the Victoria Cross. On the previous day, viz., April 10th, Sir Harry Jones and his Aide-de-Camp, Lieutenant Cowell, were standing in the 21-gun battery, on the right attack, when a mortar shell fell on the roof of a magazine, close to them, and bursting there dislodged several sandbags. Jjieutenant Cowell, followed by a Corporal of Sappers, dashed immediately into the magazine, to ascertain if any injury had been incurred. This act of sallantrv was witnessed bv Sir Hrrry Jones, who desired that it should be recorded. r* It. ,1 i ■ i i i' ■»:■ 1 it ■*; .'i 470 HISTORY OF THK (OKI'S [^H. XIX. The total number of Engineers who from first to last took part in the Crimean War was sixty- nine. Of these thirteen were killed, six (lied of disease or accident, thirteen were wounded, and twelve invalided. Of the nineteen Assistant Engineers, two were killed and five wounded. Nine Companies of lloyal Sappers and Miners were gradually added to the army. It is not possible to give the actual number of non-commissioned officers and privates who landed in the Crimea, bvit it probably was about 75U. Of these fifty were killed, ninety-two wounded, and sixty died of disease. It may be interesting to record the following numbers of the principal engineering materials used at the siege: — Common pbions, 17,015 ; iron gabions, 2,307 (these were made of tlie strap iron by which the compressed liay trusses were bound) ; fascines, 2,780 ; sand bags, 880,345 ; bread bags, 7,413 ; hide bags, 40. The main object in tlie siege of Sebastopol having been the destruction of tlie liussian fleet and the magnificent docks that had bi^en constructed for its maintenance, the place had no sooner fallen into the possession of tlie allies than orders were issued to prepare a project for the demolition of the latter. On Septem- ber 1 5th, a party consisting of one Serjeant and nine Sappers, with a few miners of the line, commenced work by sinking shafts behind the revetments to ascertain their exact form and dimensions. On September 19th, Lieutenant Graham, Eoyal Engineers, was appointed to take charge of the party ; and he and his men were from that time cpiartered in the dockyard, for the pm-pose of continuing the preliminary work. By September 24tli sufficient had been done to enable the project to be drawn out, and fiu-ther operations were suspended for a month. On October 24th, sixty more Sappers, with a Captain and Subaltern of Eoyal Engineers, and a party of fifty men of the lino, wore added, and the actual work of destruction begun. Other officers of Eiigineers were afterwards attached. The docks of S..bastopol were five in number, and were placed tlu-ee to the south and two to the north of a large rectangular basin. This basin was on a level of about 27 feet above the sea, and was connected by a short canal, in wliicth were three locks to overcome the difference of level. The water supply to the basin and docks was furnished from the Tchernaya by "means of an aqueduct. The destruction of this magnificent establishment was undertaken partly by the French and partly by the British, the portion uliotted to the latter being the three s(3uthern docks and one half of the basin. The officers employed in the Avork were— Lieutenant-Colonel Lloyd, C.E.E., assisted by Colonel J. Gordon, under whom wore Major Nicholson, Captain Cumberland, Lieu- tenants C. Gr. Gordon and G. Graham. Towards the end of the [.H. XIX. last took part m were killed, id, and twelve were killed •8 and Miners le to give the privates who 5U. Of these . of disease, .nibers of the e : — Common ie of the strap lid) ; fascines, bags, 40. ing been the it docks that iiad no sooner 'ere issued to On Septem- Sa})pers, with Inking shafts d dimensions, iigineers, was lis men Avere 9 pm'pose of 4th sufHcdent ;, and fiu-ther ?r 24th, sixty il Engineers, nd tlie actual gineers were . were placed 3 rectangular ibove the sea, hree locks to to the basin means of an lishment was 1 British, the m docks and Avork were — ?1 J. Gordon, irland, Lieu- j end of the IH.V).] OV UOYAL KNG1NKKR8. 471 time Lieutenant Edwards was added to the number. The docks w(!ro demolished by means of a series of thrc(i lines of mines, one under the centre of tlie floor, and the other two behind the revetments of the side walls, continued so as to meet round the semicircular end. For the tliree docks there were {•i4 such mines, and 22 additional ones for the half of the basin that fell to the British share. The average charge in each mine was for the side revetments about 450 lbs. and for the flo«)r mines IGO lbs. Owing to the dampness of the shafts and galleries that had to be excavated to I'cach the proper sites for the mines, it was found objectionable to trust to either powder hose or Bickford's fuze for firing purposes. Voltaic batteries were therefore used. There were ten of these of ten cells each, which had been sent out under charge of Mr. Deane, by the Admiralty, to be iised for destroying the vessels sunk at the mouth of the harbour. Mr. Deane and his apparatus were lent to the Engineers to carry out this part of the work. No serious inconvenience from water was experienced until the middle of November, by which time, the shafts having attained a considerable dejith, it began to accumulate rapidly, and gi-eat difficulty was then found in getting rid of it. On the night of December 16th the docks were deluged by a tremendous storm of rain, which filled all the shafts and left two feet of water standing on the floors of the docks. This was followed by very severe frosts a few niglits later on. The men suffered acutely from the change of temperature, which in the shafts Avas moist and warm, whilst on returning to the surface they were exposed to a keen frost. During the progress of the work the I Russians at times fired a good deal in the direction of the docks, but their shot and shell fell short, only one Sapper and one linesman having been wounded. As soon as this operation had been canned out, the destruction of Avhat was known as the White Buildings, an extensive range of barracks, was undertaken. The officers em[)loyed in this work, under Lieutenant-Colonel Lloyd, Avere Major llanken, and Lieu- tenants C. (t. Grordon and G-. Grraham. The demolition of the buildings Avas satisfactoril}' effected, Avitli one sad casualty. On February 28th, at 4 p.m., a series of mines Avas fired simul- taneously, but oAving to the badness of the fuze many of them missed fire, and fresh arrangements liad to be made to complete the ignition of the unexploded charges. Major llanken himself undertook to fire the focus of four charges in the gable of one of the buildings at o p.m. This Avas to be done by means of a three- feet length of fuze. Unfortunately some loose poAvder became ignited, and exploded the four mines before Major Ranken could 1^.1 f 4 1: 47il HISTORY OK TIIK COlll'S Ct'v' >^. y .''Ji ■*' li' b ' ^' : [cm. XIX. oscnpp. His l)(-)(ly was not found till the noxt morning', when it was (>xtri('iitt'(l IVom tlu* mass of ruins in a vorv mangled and orushed condition. This was the last Britisii lifo lost in tlio war,* and the sadness of tho a(!oident was ac(tentiiated bv the fm.'t that ho had led tho storming party on S(>ptoml)(n- Hthwith the most dashing p;allantry, and had escaped unharmod. Tho last military operation in which tho hhigineers took pai-t was the capture of the fort of Kinhurn, on the southern spit, at the confluence of tho Dnieper and the Bong, tho object being to .estab- lish a blockade of those rivers. Major Bont was appointed Com- manding Koyal l<:ngineer, Captain Nicholson was in command of the Company of Koyal Sappers and Miners, having with him Lieu- tenants Gordon and Seratchley. Tho fort was surrendered lifter a naval attack, tho troojis having little or nothing to do with it. They were, however, landed, and advanced some twenty miles towards Cherson, destroying ovorything and devastating "the country as they proceeded. The Sappers wore employed during this time in restoring tho fort after the injuries it had sustained during the action, and in making it safe from attack on the land side. It was then garrisoned by a considerable French force, and hold until tho peace. This chapter must not be concluded without a br:^f reference to very gallant work by an Engineer officer in the defence of Kars. This fortress was the main Turkish outpost on its eastern frontier. General Williams, R.A., undertook to conduct its defence against an overwhelming force of Russians under General Mouravieff. He was aided in this work by throe British officers— fjieutenant- Colonel Lake, of the Engineers ; Major Teesdale, of tho Artillery ; and {'aptain Thompson, with whom was also Dr. H. Sandwith. Tho gallantry and tenacity with whi(^h, under every difficulty and every disadvantage, the place was held, roused the admiration of Euro])e ; and, but for the fact that it was being carried on at the same time as the more important siege of Sebastopol, it would have attracted still more notice. The earthworks, against which the Russians hurled themselves in vain, and which cost them so heavily, were the design of Lake, and to him belongs the credit of the defence as surely as that of Sebastopol was attributed to Todleben. Colonel Lake always spoke most modestly of his own share in the operation, and but once does he allude to the subject when lie says : — " You will not be surprised at my feeling a little pride at my work.s answering so well, when I tell you that every single battery and line • it is a curious eoinoidenoe th.it the first nnd h-.st fiital ";-.'-ualties during the war were both Engineers, Lieutenant lUirke and Major llanken. [«n. xrx. rnin^, whou it inimglcd and t. in tlio war,* ■ flu? fa(!t that kvith the moHt took part was n spit, at the )ping to ostal)- tpointed Coni- 1 command of 'ith liim Liou- nderod ii Fter a with it. They miles towards 10 country us ^ this time in id (luring tlie nnd side. It md held until f reference to ence of Kars. stern frontier, ifenee against 1 Mouravieff. — Tiieutenant- ;ho Artillery ; Sandwith. 'ery difficulty le admiration ried on at the lol, it would igainst which cost them so 1 the credit of attributed to [y of his own the subject at my work.s ttery and line '^ualties during ken. 1855.1 OF IIOYAI, KNOINKKIIS. 478 that I have constmctod on the hoight wa.s morn or loss enj,'aj(od, and th(i injury donn to tlicin is very trifling. Thoy woro ho placod as to give flanking fire in (3Vory diroction, and no troops could stand it . . . . A^i for the MuHhir, his joy wan unbounded. When I canm below after tlio uflair was over, he toolc mo by l)oth hands, and turning to the (Jeneral " (VVilliams) " iio said, 'I was always v< v fond of the Moor Ali Bey'" (meaning Colonel Lake), '"but I do n.-. know what I can say to him now,' " This was after the general assault of September 29th, 1855, of which AVilliams wrote as follows : — " This has been a glorious day for the Turkish arms. The Russian army attacked the hciglits above Kars, and on the opposite side of tlio river at day dawn, the battle lasted seven hours and a half, when the enemy was driven off in great disorder, leaving 2,500 dead in front of our intrenchments, and about 4,000 muskets ; his numerous wounded wore carried off during the fight, f-et no one say in future that Turks will not fight if they are projjcrly cared for. Colonel Lake, Major Teosdale, and Captain Thompson, behaved splendidly." ( )n another occasion he wrote : — " Toll Sir Mow Ross what men I have to assist me, in Lake, Teesdale, and Thompson ; thoy certainly deserve anything they may got in future, for all this working and watching."* The siege, or rather blockade, lasted for six months, from the beginning of June to the end of November, 1855. At the expira- tion of that time the garrison was ntui-ird into surrender — all the attempts to force the lines in the interim having failed with heavy less. The_ five brave Englishmen (including I)r. Sandwith) were sent as prisoners into t! e interior of Russia, from whence they were released on the conclusion of peaoe. For his services at Kars Lake was made a C.B. and an aide-de-camp to the (iueen, he received the second class of the Medjidie, and was appointed Officer of the Legion of Honour. He was also transferred to the British army as a Lieutenant-Colonel unattached — his health having so far broken down that he was unable to continue in the service of the East India Company, * Tlie above extracts are taken from Lake's " Kars, and our Captivit\- in lUissia." m I 474 HISTOKY OK TIIK ( OUI'S [(•It. XX. I ') l4-:1i : 1 r . • i '>! ^ 1 L^: ' k (JHAl'TKK XX. The Indian Mutiny, 1867-1859. Mutiny at Metrut— Kevolt at Di'lhi -Force assembled to recover the City— Denoription of Delhi— Arrival of Siege Train— Kreetion of Batteries— Detail of Assanltinf,' Columns — HlowinK in the Ivashmere Gate -I'rogress of the First and Second Columns -Death of Nicholson -Completion of the Capture— Kngiueer r,osses- Dtfenee of Lucknow Description of the Kesidency -Mining iind Countermining First Keliof under Outram and Havelook— Second nortion of the Defence— Relief by Sir C. Campbell— Outram holds the Alumbagh— Return of Sir Colin -hescription of Luek- now- innes 4th iw— Attack by Camphell and Outram— Capture of the City— Gallantry of ines and Prcndergast -Capture of .Iliansi— Journal of proceedings of h and 2.'{rd Companies of J{oyal Kngineers. Thk mutiny of the Sepoy army of Iiulin, in 1807, led to a wnv in which for the first time the otHoers and men of tlie Royal Engineers fought side by side with thoir cnii/irrcs in the East India Conii)any's service. As the result of tliis war was the extinction of that great Company, and the absorption of its forces, including its Engin(;ors, into the Imperial army, it is necessary to trace its course in this work, although the earlier portion, which in many respects is the most interesting and i)icture8que, took place before the lioyal Jilngineers had time to reach India. The siege of Delhi, and the defence of the Lucknow Residency, were bf)th carried on by Engineers on tlie Indian establishment. To them alone belongs the distinction gained by those eventful operations, and it is with a feeling of legitimate and fraternal pride, that their conu'ades of tlie Royal Engineers contemi)late the freat deeds done by tliem, before they were absorbed into tlie mperial corps. The mutiny first broke out at Meerut, on Sunday, May lOtli, 1857, when the Sepoys at that station, after murdering as many of their officers as they could seize, left for Delhi, which they reached on the following day. Here their arrival was the signal for the revolt of the entire native force then stationed in and near the city. Those of the European residents who could escape fled to different places of safety, but a large number were ruthlessly massacred ; and here, as at Meerut, the officers of the mutinoiis regiments were mostly slain in the vain endeavour to quell the outbreak. [(•It. XX. lHr)7-1850.] OF HOYAI, i;X(ilNKKR8. 475 ;ovt>r the City — 1 of Bdttcries — B Gate — I'rof^resH Jompli'tion of the leriptiou of the der Outnim and r C. Campbell— ription of Luck- ity — Gallantry of f proceedings of led to a war of tlie Royal ■V in the East war was the n of its forces, is necessary to •tion, which in [ue, took place 3W Residency, establishment, those eventfnl and fraternal intenii)late the rbed into the ly, May lOth, ?ring as many i, wnieh they was the signal id in and near lid escape fled ere ruthlessly the mutinous r to quell the puppet sovoreigu of J)(>lhi at that time was Bahadour He hai' ' ' ' ' ' The _ „ - - Shah. 1l(» had been mipnort.Hl by tjie British GoverrmeuTiuiiis visionary kingdom, though beyond the walls of the city ho was an hmperor only m name. Now, however, the time seemed to have arrived wliou ho could once more assert the claims of his forefathers; and he placed himself at the head of the movement which was intended to sweep away the British from (he penin- sula and revive the nativt* riilt!. Delhi, in conseciuence, became a focus of the insurrection. It was, therefore, imperatively nec.'ssnry at any cost, and iis piomptly as possible, to crush it at its fountain head, otherwise India would uiKpiestionably bo lost, and the entire European popuhition doomed to slaughter. General the lion. G. Anson was at the time Commander-in- l liiof, and he lost no time in assembling as jjowerful a force as couhl be got tog«>ther, with which lu» marched against the city. AVhilst on th(! road he was seized with cholera and died ; the command then devolved on Major- ( Jen eral Sir 11. W. Barnard. The Moerut 10uroi)ean force left that station on May 27th, and after 8(mie skirmishing (m the road, joined the main body at Aleepore on June 7th. General Barnanl moved forward on the lollowing day. His troops consisted of the f)th Lancers, and two squndrons of the (ith Dragoon Guards, the GOtli, 7.>th, and 87th Regiments, with the 1st and 'Jnd European Bengal Fusiliers, a small force of Artillery and some Sappers. The mutineers had intrenched themselves outside Delhi ; it was therefore necessary to dislodge them. This was successfully accomplished, and before nightfall Barnard's army was encamped on the high ground, about two miles to the north of the city. At this time it was in no ])osition to undertake a siege ; indeed, it seemed almost an impossibility for it to maintohi itself on the spot selected for camp, which had been the site of the cantonments of the force stationed at Delhi. Still it was most important that at least a semblance of besieging the mutineeers Avithin their chosen stronghold should be maintained, and this General Barnard was able to effect whilst awaiting reinforcements. The following description of Delhi is taken from the official report of Lieutenant-Colonel Baird Smith, the Chief Engineer :— "The eastern face of tlic city rests on the Jumna, and, daring the season of the year when our operations were carried on, the st)-oaiii may 1)0 described as wa.shiiig the base of the walls. All access to a besieger on the river front is therefore impracticable. The defences here consist of an irregular wall with occasional bastions and towers, and aliout one half the length of the river face is occupied by the palace of the Kinjr of Delhi, and its outwork, the old Mogul fort of Welinghur. The river II ^' 476 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. XX. 11 ' '. :' ■j , ., , may be described as the chord of an arc, formed by the remaining defences of the place. These consist of a succession of bastion fronts, the connecting curtain being very long, and the outworks limited to one crownwork at the Ajmeer (late and a IMartello tower mounting a single gun at such points as require some additional flanking tire to that given by the bastions themselves. The bastions are small, mounting generally three guns in each face, two in each flank, and one in embrasure at the salient. They are provided with masonry parapets about 12 feet in 81EGE OF Delhi. thickness, and a relief of about 16 feet above the plane of site. Tlio curtain consists of a simple masonry wall or ramj)art 16 feet in heiglit, 11 feet thick at top, and 14 or 15 feet at bottom. This main wall carries a parapet loophole for musketry, 8 feet in height and 3 feet in thickness. The whole of the land part is covered by a berm of a variable width, ranging from 16 to 30 feet, and having a .scarp wall 8 feet high ; exterior to this is a dry ditch, of about 25 feet in width [CH. XX. )y tlie remaining 3f bastion fronts, I'ks limited to one mounting a single tire to that given ounting generally jmbrasure at the ibout 12 feet in i,i I ne of site. Tlio 6 feet in heiglit, This main wall it and 3 feet in )y a herm of a ng a .scai'[i wali 25 feet in width 1H07-LS.J9.] OK UOYAI, ENGINEERS. 477 and from 16 to 20 feet n, depth. The counterscarp is simply an earthen slope easy to descend. The glacis is a very short one, extending only 50 or 00 yards from the counterscarp ; using general terms it covers from the be- siegers view one half to one third of the height of the walls of the place." The enceinte Wcas about seven miles in circumference, enclosing a space of tliree square miles. Such was the city of Delhi and within its walls was massed an army of native troops trained to war and disciphne, excited to a pitch of religious frenzy, and burning with the hope of shaking oif for ever the yoke of the European ihe f.)rce Avhich had taken up its position on the northern Jieights of the old cantonment has been already detailed It Avas ntterwards from time to time strengthened by the arrival of rein- forcements sent down from the Punjab by Sir John Lawrence, and also by dribblets from other sources ; but for many a loiiff day It Avas compelled to ..onfine its operations to the bare maintenanc-e ot the ground on wiuch it stood. The Engineers Avho from first to last served under Lieutenant-Colonel Eaird Smith Avere as folloAvs :--Major Laughton ; Captain Taylor ; Lieutenants Walker, Home, Salkeld (wreathed, Maunsell, Tennant, Gulliver, Stewart Warrand (x Chesney, Brownlow, (ieneste, Hovenden, Medley, 1 Cleans, L. Walker, Long, Thomason, Tandy, M'Neill, Murray J. Cliampain Pemberton, Ward, Fulford, Carnegie, Thackeray i< or bes, and Jones. -^ The following officers acted as Assistant Engineers-Lieutenant iiingliam Bengal Sappers and Miners; Lieutenants Nuthall, Gustavmski and KnoAvles, of the Bengal Staff Corps ; and Captain (jrreensill, of the •J4th Regiment. From June Stli to the beginning of September the troops (it AV(,uld be out of place to call them besiegers) held their OAvn in spite ot constant and harassing attacks from the city. Then- losses during the interval from casualties and sickness, prinoiijally cholera, were very severe, and would haA-e almost extinguislied them but for the reinforcements Aviiieh sIoAvly found their Avay into camp and supplied the vacancies. Atlength at the beginning of September the long-looked-for addition to the siege train arrived. It consisted of six '^4- pounders, eight LS-poundeivs, six H-ineh hoAvitzers, and four 10- inch mortars Avith an ample supply of ammunition. Tliis Avas followed on the Sth by the arrival of the Jummo Native Con- tingent of 2,'>00 men witli four guns, wliicli raised the numbers in camp sufficiently to attempt the assault. On the night of September (ith the first of the proposed siege batteries Avas estal)bshed for six 9-pounders and two 24-pouudtTs under Hindoo Rao's house, and to this was added tAvo days later another to its left for five 18-pounders, fonr 24-i)ounders find one 8-incli liowitzer, called No. 1, intended to play on the 478 HISTORY OF THK CORPS f" .'•* y" 1^ '• a. i^l [Cli. XX. Shah and the Kashmeie ]Jastioii.s. A heavy battery (No. 2) was placed ii\ front of Ludlow Castle (the late residence of the Delhi Commissioner, Avho had been murdered when the city was seized). It consisted of nine 24-pounders, two 18-pounders, and seven H-inch howitzers. The Kashmere Bastion was the object of its fire. As regards the effect produced by this battery Colonel Thackeray writes — "The dreadful state of rum -which it now (twenty-nine years after the siege) lies in attests the accuracy of the fire of the British guns. The main breach was made at thelCashmere Gate." He continues : " On tlie top of the ridge stands Hindoo Rao's house, which was the main picket of the — if it must be so called — besieging force, and close by is a much injured domed building, whicli was also used as a picket. On the extreme right of the ridge, which is considerably higher than the city, some 1200 yards from the walls, is the site of what was once the right Battery. The well known Sammy House, a small temple below this, was the chosen battle ground on many occasions, where there was a picket of the besiegers ; and so closely was the attacking force sometimes pressed, that this advanced picket often couhl not be relieved for days." The ground on which this battery stood, as well as that between it and the river, had only just been seized and occupied ; to its left and close to the river, two additional batteries were constructed, No. -'J for eight 18-pounders and 12 Cohorns, and No. 4 for foiu' 10-inch and six 8-inch mortars. Cooper in his description of the siege Avrites — "Brind's Battery (No, 1) to the right had been at work ever since the morning of the 8th Sept., pounding away on the Moree Bastion, and dropping long shots into the Cashmere Gateway ; two days after the Lud low Castle Batteries (No. 2) opened ; the next morning the Koosiah Bagh (No. 4) was immasked, and with that of the Custom House (No. il) took up the game, and now some fifty pieces of artillery were in full play on the doomed city. Day and night the pounding went on. Tiic Moree Bastion was soon silenced, and the line of parapet which sheltered the sharpshooters between it and the Cashmere ISastion was fast dis- appearing. The Cashmere Bastion itself was silenced in ten minutes after the Ludlow Batteries had opened on it, and the massive stonework, only a few months before restored and strengthened by the English Government for the protection or beautitication of the City of the IMogul, soon ])egan to crumble away under the play of English 24-pounders. The Water Bastion fared almost worse, the fire from the heavy guns at the Custom House at 160 yards range played with fearful effect, the guns were dismounted and smashed and the breach opened while under tin.' play .' Tombs' mortars, the curtain between was literally strii)ped." Thebe advantages were not gained without considerable loss. The batteries were subject to onlilado from the village of Kissou (Tungc, on the far side of the canal ; it was tlierefore imperative that the assault should be delivered as soon as possible. This was fixed h)V [cii. XX. itteiy (No. 2) ssidence of the eii the city Avas i-pounders, and the object of its attery Colonel le years after the ,'uns. The main " On tlio top of picket of the — if a much injured he extreme ripfht 3ome 1200 yards t Battery. Tlie , was the chosen a picket of the [les pressed, that Ls that between lied ; to its left re constructed, No. 4 for four •k ever since the ee Bastion, and fa after the Lnd- ng the Koosiah ni House (No. 3) ery were in full ; went on. Tlu' which sheltered on was fast dis- in ten minutes ssive stonework, by the EngH?li ty of the ]\Iogul, sh 24-poundors. le heavy guns at I effect, the guns while under the f stripped." cable loss. The KisSGU (jUUge, ?rative that the is was fixed for 1857-1859.] OF KOYAL KNGINEERS. 479 h^ morning of September 4th. The arrangements wore thus laid>wn There were to be four columns of attack with a reserve. The first was to storm the breach in the KasTmere Bastion the second that in the Wa ■ Bastion, the third to e^?er by the Kashmere Gate when blown by the Engineers and the fourth on the extreme right to clear tL IGssen GuL sSmtand then enter by the Lahore Gate. ^ ' The columns were thus composed — No. 1— under General Niclzolsou, 1,000 men, with Lieutenants EnK ^''''^' '' ''^ ^"^"""•^' ^^^^ ^^^^^^--' aI:LZ1! No. 2-under Brigadier-General Jones, Gist Regiment 800 KSneJir'""^'^ ^^^^''^'' ^^^^^^^^' -^ P-"elx,'o? No. y-under Colonel Campbell, 52nd Light Infantry 1 000 En^inref "^"^'""^^'^ ''^"^' ^''''^''' ^^ Tandy/ of 'the o--l a derul ly volley upon the little group at a distance of only ten feet, balke d had by this time laid the other four bags, and was about to ajvply Cportfire when he was shot through the arm and eg. lie then handed the portfire to Serjeant Biu-gess, bidding hm hght the to Burgess was shot dead before he could obey the order, on which Serjeant Carmichael dashed forward, seized the portfire, and sucSeded in igniting the train. The next mstan he, too fel X- ay wounded. On this, Serjeant Smith pushed forward, but finding the train already ignited di-opped i^to the ditch, where he b Shad by this time conveyed the wounded Salkeld. Here he partv crouched for a few most anxious moments, awaiting tlie ■esuit This soon declared itself. A terrific explosion was followed by the crashing in of the massive gate, whicli was shattereol !<• pieces, the gallant little bugler Hawthorne sounded the advance the stonners with a ringing cheer dashed ni, and tlie Kashinere trate with the Main (iuard behind it was secured. This now celebrated spot is hallowed by the memory of tlie heroic deed of September 1 ith, 1857; and a nronument tr, those who fell on the Occasion has been erected on the spot by Lo d Napier of Magdala. It was indeed worthy of record. The adduce was one to ahnost certain death. The crowd of mutmou. sddiery within could hardly fail to shoot down those who w-ere a ennimg so daring a deed, and it was a matter of bare jus tee that le survivors should receive the coveted decoration of the [.K. XX. native Sappers, t the edge of the 1, distance of the the European )rn hope, feeluig abnost agonized nuhlcnly ceased. Home with four ilose behind him simihxrly Laden, rty, 150 strong, he drawbridge, OSS, and behind e was standing \T,s left of the e, and dropped iig been tired at y arrived, the ■eiving how few oured a deadly m feet. Salkeld i about to apply :l leg. lie then f him light the 3y the order, on the portfire, and xut he, too, fell led forward, but ditch, where the Ikeld. Here the :s, awaiting the ion was followed was shattered to the advance, the > Kashniere Crate memory of tlit^ nunient to those lie spot by Lord Df record. The :owd of mutinous I those who were er of bare justice lecoration of IIil' 1857-1 8oi).] OF ROYAL KX(il\EKKS. 481 Victoria Cross. Salkeld lingered for two days and then died of Ills Avounds, whilst Home, who had passed unscathed througli tlie ordeal, most unfortunately lost his life a very short time afterwards by an accident, whilst blowing up tlie fort of Malagurh. The men of the first cohimn, commanded by (ieueral Nicholson, had dashed at the breach in the face of the Ivashmere Bastion, which they carried with ease in spite of a galling fire kept up on them from St. James's Cliurch and the adjoining KutcheiTy. At the same time the second column had stormed the breach in the left face of the Water Bastion. This was not effected without difficulty, as nearly all the scaling ladders Avere broken before they coidd be fixed. Then the Kutcherry and church were cleared, and the two columns united under the command of Nicholson for further action. Pushing forward they swept tlie enemy from the walls as far as tue Kabul Gate, which they seciu-ed and opened. This su(^cess was rai)idly followed uj), and the column advanced to the vicinity of Lahore Gate, when they received a check. The Sepoys swarmed into the adjacent houses, and now began to pom- a most destru(!tive fire upon the mass below, which was brought up by a breastwork, behind which were two heavy field pieces. Nicholson directed a charge to be made by the 1st Bengal Fusiliers, who advanced with a rush, and captui-ed one of the guns. The terrible five from the adjacent houses was meanwhile kept up, and the troops, crowded as they were in a narrow lane, suffered fear- fully. Nicholson was anxious to secure the second gun, and waA'ing his sword headed a party to attempt its seizure. At this moment he was struck in the chest by a bullet, and fell, mortally A\'ounded. This loss was fatal to further progress at the time, and the columns retired on the Kabul Gate. Meanwhile the third column, after having secured the Main ( luard and cleared the Water Bastion and Kutcherry of some of the enemy who still remained there, advanced through the Begum's Gardens (now the (iueen's Gardens), and the Chandee Cliowk, towards the Jumna Musjid, the gate of which they fomid bricked up— *' A difficulty now arose ; there were neither powder bags nor guns to force it open. The enemy were also lining the houses and maintaining a very heavy musketry tire. In spite of these untoward circumstances the column held its own, momentarily expecting aid to arrive. But it cauie not. Our failure at the Lahore Gate iiu-vented this, and thus without help for it the column was obliged to tall back on the Begum's Oardens and join the reserve." — (I'.olton's " Siege of Delhi,' p. 278.) Before this point had been reached, Lieutenant Tandy, the only remaining Engineer olficer attached to tlie column, had been killed. I I n 482 IIISTOKY OK TIIK CORl'S [CII. XX. .. ! "Nothing cansuvpiisa the numerous acts of personal ^'iilliintry displayoil on this occasion. Almost every nuiu seemed a host in himself. But conspi(3uously ami pre-eminently brave was poor Tandy, who was killed on the si)ot." — (IJolton, p. 274.) The fourth column, after liaving failed in driving t]w enemy out of the suhurb of Kissen (Junge, suecec^dod in entering the city through tlu* Kabul Gate as soon as it liad been secured by Nicholson's force. Thus ended the memorable 14th September; the British were within the walls and held all the northern part of the city, but it was (mly after six more days' severe fighting that it was entirely cleared of the mutineers. ( )n the morning of Septembin- 'Jlst a royal salute at stmrise pro(!laimed that Delhi avjis on(^e more ours, and that the (iueen's sway had su})erseded tliat of the ]>uppet Em])eror. The casualties in the Engineers on the 14th Imd been severe. Lieutenants Salkeld and Tandy Avere killed. Ijieutenants Medley, Grcathed, Ilovenden, Pemberton and Maunsell wounded. In addition to the above the following losses were sustained during tlie siege: — Lieutenant W. Jones killed, and Lieutenants Gulliver, Warrand, Chesney, Brownlow, Murray, ( 'hami)ain, Carnegie, and Forbes wounded. Lieuteimnts Geneste and Fulford died shortly afterwards from the effects of ex})osure during the operations. Colonel ]]aird Smith made the following report on the deeds of the Engineers under his command on the eventful 14th September : — " I feel assiued that a simple statement of the facts of this demoted and glorious deed will sulHce to stamp it as one of the noblest on record in military history. Its perfect success contributed most materially to the brilliant results of the day, and Lieutenants Home and Salkeld, with their gallant subordinates, Kuropeau and native, will, I doubt not, receive the reward which valour before the enemy, so distinguished as theirs, has entitled them t(j. Lieutenant Medley (wounded) was appointed to guide the 1st Division of the 1st Column to the main breach, which he had personally examined the night before, and, though shot through the arm, continued with the coluiini till it was established in the Cabul Gate. Lieutenant Lang was appointed to similar duties with the 2nd Division, and both olHcers have earned my best thanks by the gallant and ellii'ient manner in which they did their work. Lieu- tenant Ilovenden (wounded) conducted the ladder party of the 2iul column, and here, as on all occasions, showed his intelligence and gallantry, which have made his services so valuable during the siege." AVlien tli(3 various, reports reached Calcutta a special despatcli was draAvn up, in wiiich the Engineers are thus refeired to : — "To Lieut.-Coloiiol Haird Smith, for the able and successful conduct of the siege operations, under the discouragement of sickness and pain, [cir. XX. antry displayed liiiusolf. Vnii who was killed :he eiioiuy out 'ring the city 11 si>(!ured by British were 'ity, but it was itiroly cleared a royal salute , and that the ]ieror. d been severe, iiants Medley, i^oundod. in led diu'ing tlie xnts (rulliver, Uarnegie, and I died shortly )erations. on the deeds ■ventful 14th •f this devoted blost oil record ;t materially to e and Salkcld, 1, I doubt not, istinguished as wounded) was m to the main re, and, though ivas established similar duties best thanks by r work. Lieu- ty of the 2iul itelligence and g the siege." 3cial despatcli red to : — cessful conduct :noss and pain, lH.">7-]«5!).] OK ROYAI. KXOINKKHS. 483 the best thanks of the (iovernor-(Jeneial in Council are eminently due This distinguished ofliccr was admirably seconded bv Captain A. Taylor, and the ollicers and men of the Kiiginecir Urigado. "'.... Where so much has been done to command admiration it is dillicult fairly to select acts for particular notice. But the (iovernor-(Jencral ia Council f(!el8 that no injustice will be done to any man if Ik; offers a tribute of admiration and thanks to the brave soldiers who, under Lieutenants IFome and Salkehl, accomplished the desperate task of blowing open the Cashmen; Gate." Before leaving the subject it must be recorded that Lieutenant Ihackeray gamed tlie Victoria (Jross for an act of gallantry, which 18 thus described in the offitual award :— "For cool intrepidity and characteristic daring, in extinguishino- a fire in the Delhi IMagaziiie, on September 16th, 18.')7, under a clo^'se and u^-vvy musketry lire from the enemy, at the imminent risk of his life from the (ixplosion of combustible stores in the shed in which the fire occurred." The Meerut outbreak, and the raising of the standard of rebellion in Delhi, led naturally to corresponding action in most of the great stations; and tlie lOuropoan troopr at those places found tliemselves called on suddenly to withstand the attack of the 8epoys who had formed tlie main portion of their respective garrisons. This was espe(!ially the case at Lucknow, where, after the desertion of th(^ mutineers. Sir Henry Lawrence found himself in the month of June, 1H57, with a garrison not amounting in all to more than '2,000 men, of whom less than 700 were Europeans. The latter comprised rather over 500 officers and men of Her Majesty's O'ind Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Inglis, a company of Artillery, and a few staff and departmental officers, the remainder of the slender force was composed of native regi- ments, cavalry and infantry, with some artillery. The Besidency of Lucknow occupied a space of about GOO yards by 500, between the town and the Eiver Goomtie, and was sm-- rounded on all sides by buildings in the hands of the mutineers. Besides this site the Europeans held a detached outpost called the Muehee Bowan, about a mile to the east of the Residency and close to the river. This Lawrence strongly desir-nl to maintain, as it gave him much (command over the neighbouring district. Major Anderson was at the time the Chief Engineer, and under him were Captain Fulton, Lieutenants Anderson, Hutchinson, aiid .Tones. In addition to these Lieutenants Tulloch and Birch volunteered their services and acted as Assistant Engineers. The Chief Engineer was greatly hampered in his defensive operations by the determination of Hir Henry Lawrence to spare I .-■> ■ V, « *...;■■ ji.' 48-t HISIOKV OK I'lIE ('OKI'S [CH. XX. tlu' m()S(|nos, and, as far as possible, the approach of mutineers from Cawnpore. . . . The general line round our position was continued from battery to battery and house to house by abattis (.u lanes), and by parapets and ditches or stockades." [cH. XX. ildings of tlio tiit(* of iuHur- ja\vi'(>iico was !i])itate active ition. It was huiato. As a ' giirrisoii was wards in liis arlicr than was iiiind of laljiuir ithiiij,' ill many he streets." tlic Engineer int Audersou, ' the Engineer 1 ASUS followed as killed by a nderson to fill ', was a sortie liter, owing to lien remained iicer^. At a ed, tliey over- to the enemy, had to retire iminished tlie ) abandon tlie at that post, ne, containing rtridge. This le detachment thns describes lino of parajx't icdan, was con- iniand over the atrueted at the road, and was mntincers from was continued lanes), and hy 18r,7.lHr,9.] OK HOYAL ENfilNKKKS. 485 The enemy estaljhshed heavy batteries in tlie most suitable positions from whidi they k..i,t up a continuous fire upon tlie exposed buildings. The effect is thus described by Anderson :— "A portion of tlio Residency was battered down, and six men were buried 111 th,, ruins. Many of the buiMin^^s were reduced to suoli a state us t.. appear t-.I.e quite untenable, l.iit th." garrison c.ntrive.l to oceuijy nearly al ; and thouKh tlie delences of the posts hav(. be.'u very much rbamirued''^ •^'•ntinue^' and lieavy firo, not a single one has l.een At the very beginning of this bombardment Sir Jlenrv Law- rence was mortally wounded, and after lingiu'ing for a sliort time 111 great agony died, leaving the command to Lieutemuit-C^olouel Inghs, by whom it was maintained until the aiTival of the first rehef under Outram and Haveloek. Tlu> mutine^u-s, Hn.ling that they could not carry their i.oint by batlering, determined to try the ellect of mimng, and ran numerous galleries in the din^ction ot t ho works, rhe.y were, however, very unskilful, and the result ot their effors was small compared with the tinn, and labour expeiubHl riiere ]iad been discussi mis witliin tiie liesidency as to tlie advisability of mining on tlie part of the garrison, but the U.ief Engineer was averse from taking the initiative in tJiis [.ranch of warfare, as he feared that it would be promi>tIy followed by the enemy, who liad a practically unlimited command hotii of labour and material. Now, however, that the besiegers had of tlieir ONvn accord adopted the system, he directtnl a counter- mining advance to be begun. On this point Anderson remarks :— "On August .^.th, we foiled a mine of the enemy's against the guard liouse at the Cawnpore battery, and since tlu-n, up to the arrival of the relieving force, we have been incessantly employ,-d in mining and counternninng. We have generallv worked into their galleries, and after having triglitened the miners away have destroyed them, or in some cases we have blown in their galleries by charging anrt!d garrison, he was eomjielled to fall l)a('k iiiid await further rpinforcements before he eoidd make the final dash. In (he eorrespondenoe which lui had effected by means of a spy, he infonned the defenders tliat ho hoped to reach the spot in about five or six days, and ]»roposed to notify liis arrival in the vicinity by th(! discharge of two rockets, at a given hour in the night. Jl ma)' be imagined how anxiously the promised signal was looked fcu'; Init night after night passed by, and no rockets were seen. It was not till some time later, when his army had been strengthened by the arrival of Dutram, that the column was able to force its way into the llesideiujy on September 2oth. This welcome relief, although insufficient to allow of the gan-ison being safely withdrawn, added greatly to their powers of resistance, and enabled them to hold their own with comparative facility until the force under Sir Colin (knipboll could finally extricate them. During the second portion oi the defence, vi/., from September 25th to December 18th, the I'^ngineers were reinforced by the officers who had accompanied Outram and Havelock. These were (Japtain Croramelin, who, on arrival within the Residency, assumed the functions of Chief I'Jngineer, previously held by Lieutenant Anderson, Lieutenants Hutchin- son, Russell, and liimond. Captain Oommelin had been wounded on the day of entry, and whilst he was incai)acitated for »luty, Colonel Iv. Na2)i(n-, liengal Engineers, \s iio was Military' Secretary to Outram, undertook the duties of Chief Engineer in his place. Captain Oakes, Lieutenants Chalmers and ]Iall, acted as Assistant Engineers. The defence during this second period continued to be principally confined to mining and countermining opm-atious. General Outram writes thus on the subject in his despatch dat7-185!).] OK KOVAI. K.NdlNKKIia. 487 Captain Croinmelin, in his report, dated Novemhor 12th, gives tho toUowing account of his i)rocoodings : "Wo found the s..il to be gonenilly light and sandy ; still tho greater portion of tho galleries wore run witlioiit easifig, ... I may here mention, as an extraordinary faet, that two galleries were run respeetively to Imgths of 1398 ami 1<)2 feet, with.Mit the aid of air tubes In the latter the lights burnt well ; but in the foimer tho men wore obliged to work in the dark, and were somewhat (though not givatlv) aflected by the foulne.s „f the air Th(^ utility of the galleries has proved most marked. Un eight din'ereiit ocoa-sion, tho enemy were heard mining towards our position. We waitcid patiently and quietly till their mines broken into our gallery. We then fired oil them through tho opening, wounding soverai, and in every instance we captured their gidleries and tools, and tluiii destroyed tho f(iniier without using any powder. < »n two other oeeasions, when the enemy were heard approa(;hiiig, we eoiunienced running out short branches from our own galleries, in order to lodge a charge for l)lowing in those of the enemy. Their miners, in both enelosures, abandoned their galleries. ( )ur success so alarmed th<" enemy that they have latterly been afraid to approach near our position, and have twic exploded charges at ridiculously long distances from the \rorks that they intended to d(!stroy ; indeed, nearer to their own buildings than to ours. I may add, that since we com- meneed our listening galleries the enemy have failed to do us any injury with their mines, and our exposed front has remained perfeetly secure." The long struggle ended on the arrival of Sir Colin (Jampbell, With an adequate^ relieving force. He fought his way through the enemy's lines, and defeated them signall>\ Having opened up oommunication with the defenders of the Residency, the whole garrison, with its sick and wounded, its women and cliildren, was safely witlidrawn, and tliecity ahandtmed for the time being to the 8ei)oys. Lieutcnanf W. O. Lennox, U.E., a. -d as Comnmnding Engmeor, on Sir Colin's staff, in place of Colonel Goodwyn, B.E., who hail fallen sick ; Lieutenant Gr. E. Watson, B.E., was Brigade-Major to the Engineers; and Lieutenant ]'. Stewart, B.E., Superintendent of Electric Telegraphs. The 2;3rd Com])any Koyal Engineers was present undei- Lieu- tenants Malcolm and ]Mtchard, as was the C Com])anv Madras Sapjiers under Lieutenants Raynsford, liurton, and Scoft. Lieu- tenant Lang, B.E., was also with the force. He and Lieutenant Burton were the first two officers to reacsli the top of the Martiniere, on^ which they plunt<'d our flag on November 14th. The following extracts from despatches refer to the services of the Engineers, in this notable defence : — "C:>-|>t-„ Fulton, of the E!:gineers, v,'li„ was struck by a rouud sliot, had up to the time of his early and lamented deatli, afforded mo the ( 488 iiisToHY OK riiK coin's [(•II. x.\. I'' ) . . t ' ■ 't^ iiioHt inyaluii})le aid; ho was indeed indcfiitiKalilc Maj'tr AmliTson, tlio Chief KiiKineor, though from the ronimenceinent of i\w sieyo incapaliic of physical oxcrtion from tlit* cirects of tho dincasf uiiiUt wliich he eventually Hank, nieiiti'd my warm 'vcknowlodj^ments for his ahl.' counsel. —(Col. .1. In^'lia' despatch, ilatcd Lu.know, Sept. 26th, 18ft7.) "Capt. Cronimelin, Comniandin}^ the Kn^iiiecr Department, has had to undertake very important iluties of a iiove! and didiiult nature, with- out trained sajipcM's, and without any estaljjishmeut of trained suh- ordinatea, and with a very small stalF. Tiider these tlisadvantaf,'es comhined with tlie very serious (me oi ill health, Capt, Crommelin, aided by the Executive Department, converted the open arcaded walls of the palace into secure harracks, and has kept aloof the enemy's miners. To Capt. (Jrominelin, to his gallant and energelic second in command, Lieut. Hutchinsim, to LieiUs. Tiussell and Liniond, and the ollicers and men recommended hy ('ajit. Crommelin, I am very greatly indebted." —((fcnl. (Jntram's despatch, Nov. 2.^)th, lfr, and Eesting, all arrived in November, the two former being lan.led at Calcutta, and the latter at ]]ombay. Lieutenant-Colonel Harness, then Commanding lioyal Engineer at Malta, received telegraphic instructions at the same time to proceed to India, to take command of the KoAal Engineers, whilst Sir liobert Napier held the post of Chief 'Engineer over the amalgamated force. Captains Cox, Neville, and Lieutenant Beanmont were also ordered to the country unattadicd to anv Company, making the number of lioyal Engineers twenty-four officers and four (^)mpanics. The 4th and 2'"5rd Companies joined the force which Sir Colin Campbell was collecting for the recapture of Lucknow, and served throughout that o})eration. When the relief of Lucknow had been effected, Sir Colin [en. XX. ■ Aiulcr-SDi), the sic^o incapiililc iidiT wliicli lit' is iihli' counsi'l. 8f)7.) incut, liiis hud It iiiitiut!, with- f trained Hub- •liHadviuitngoH t. Croninii'lin, I'cadi'd walls of ncniy's niinrrs. 1 in iiiiiiniHud, ho (illiccrs aiul itly indebted.'" the Engineers its of Hoy 111 )i-tunately for to China, to countiy. A < diverted to ill En^-ineers, io.\, Mtilcohn. : Cnlciifta on I the relief of Tiieuf«'nants til (onipany, lay, Walker, V'liwiek, witli ;•, all arrived iitla, and the yal Engineer 'iinie lime tn d Engineers, iigineer over I Lieutenant lelied to any twenty-four <'h Sir Colin V, and served I, Sir Colin lH.')7.I8rjO.] OK UOYAI- K.\(.|M,KUS. ■J.S!) Campbell left n fr.r<-(' of 4,000 mon und(>r Generni Outram to liold thf Aliimbdgh, a fortified junst about four miles to tin- north of Liicknow, with instructions to fonn intr(!nehm.-nts and hold the poinf unlil tli<* army could return sudicicntly strengthened to cn].tur(> the city. The Engiii(M>rs with Out ram were Lieutenants U. Jlutcliinson and C. N. Judge of the lUnigal Engineers, and Lieutenants C. Scott and Hurton of the Madras Engineers, with th(» C (^om])any of Madras Sap])ers. Outram maintained his ground, nnd converted the position, wliich was of considerable extent, into a strongly fortified camp, ilt} held it against numerous attacks from November, ISr>7, to March, IHoH, when the Commander-in-Chief returned. The city of liucknow being ui»\vards of twenty miles in eireuni- ference, it was utterly imj.ossible to attempt an investment or n siege under ordinary conditions. Jiefore d(>tailing the ojH'rations actually carried out, it may be Avell to desca-ilx* the i.osition rouglily. The town is l)ounded on the north by the (loomtie, and on the east by a canal which runs southward from that river. About half way between the canal and the l{esidency stands the King's I'alace, the Kaiser JJagh. This was the citadel of the defence, and was cover(>d by thre.' lines. The first was a Hanked ramnart on the inner side of the canal, whii-h formed a wet ditch U. it. The second, with n circidar trace, enclosed a large building called the Mess House, and another called the Motee Mahul ; whilst the third consisted of a line of rami)art to the north of the citach'l. The first and second lines ivsted on the river to their left, and terminated on the right in the town itself, where it was impossible for an enemy to advance or turn them. Lideed, the only possible point of attack was from the east, sui)ported by a corresponding advance on the other side of the river to take the lines in reverse. In Inmt of the canal, and iibout a mile from it, was an extensive block of buildings called La Martiniere, about five miles from the Alnnibagh. In lu-eparation for th, attack, an Engineer ]}rigade was fonned, consisting of the Itli and 'J.'h-d C(mi].nnies Royal Engineers, the (' Coni].!iny of Madras Sappt'rs and :\Iiners, a Company of bengal Sappers, iind some J'linjabces and Sikhs, who acted as pioneers. The officers of this brigade Avere Colonel K. Nai)ier, ]{rigadier in command; Lieutenant-Colonel Harness, commanding the Royal Kngincers ; Miijor Nicholson, commanding the 4th ('oni- piiuy ; ( "aptain Clerke, commanding the 'S-kd Company ; (.'aptaiu Cox, Adjutant; Captain Lennox; Lieutenants Scratchley, Mal- colm,^ rvitcliMr.l, Wynne, Swetcnhnm, Kritli, and llan-isoii". Cap- tain Taylor, 13.E., commanding the Indian force; Lieutenant i 400 mSTOKY OK THK COUPS [ CH. XX. If • If, , , I Gulliver, (oimiiaiifling the ruujab I'iuueers ; Lieutonaut Maun- sell, eommauding the Uengal Sapi)ers ; Lieutenant (Jhanipain, Adjutant to tlie ]5engal Sai)i)ers ; laeutenanta Tejinant, liovenden, Brownlow, Young, Hutchinson, Watson, ronibei-ton, Murray, McNeill, Warde; Second Lieutenants FiUford, Carnegie, Thackeray, Forbes, and Judge, all of tlie Bengal Engineers ; Ijieutenant Scott, commanding Madras Sappers, with Second Lieutenant Bui-ton, M.E. On tlie night of Marcli 4tli two cask bridges were thrown across the lioomtie, under the direction of Major Nicholson. This was a very troublesome and ditlicult operation, but was successfidly completed with its approaches by 4 p.m. on the 5th. Outram's force crossed by these bridg(>s on tlu> Gth, the remainder of the army heing posted at Dilkhusha, about 1,000 yards in rear of Ija Martiniere. On tlie 7th the Sepoys made a sharp attack on Outram, but were repulsetl withoiit ditficulty, and retired within their lines, leaving him free to push forward. Major Nicholson, who was his Commanding Koyal Engineer, has the following entries in his private diary of the war: — "Up at .") ii.iu., ami with Sir James Outram and Hovcndcii and Wynne vododowu Mic Kukrail towards tlio (foomtio. Got close to the end of the enemy's lines, and from a position close to the Kukrail we found w(> could see into the rear of these works. Poor <:reaturi;s ! tliey have, not a grain of sense ; tiiey liave thrown uj) tlio most tremendous works, and they are al)sohiteIy useless. . . March 9th. -Sir Colin took tin; Martiniere in tlie morniu-'. (50 K.K. and .50 Punjaulis, under Swetenhaiii and Xutliall, took the Chutur Kotee, threw uji a mortar liattery on the left of the Padsha Bagh. Corporal Trimble showed much courage in the Padsli;i Bagli, and (larret was wounded, also poor Swetenham Marcli lOtli. This morning we were engaged in throwing up a six-gun battery in frjiit of the Padsha l^agli, and at break of day it opened on the Kaiser liagli. Four guns were put into a Pandy battery outsidi! the Padsha Bagh last night, and did excellent service on their own Avorks." On^the evening of the 0th Sir Colin Campbell, who had secured the Martiniere in the morning, was able to advance on the canal line, which liad been enfiladed and taken in reverse by tlie batteries already established by Outram's Engineers. He secured the line without hiss. The forward movement was now continued, the houses and palaces being used as an approach. In this way the second line was turned on the left. Batteries were throwi'. up to breach a large block of palaces called the Begimi Kotee on the right, which was then stormed and (>arried. " From thenceforward the Chief Kngineer pushed his approach with the greatest judgment through the enclosures by the aid of the .Sappeis and heavy guns, the troops immediately occupying the ground as he [CH. XX. utonant Maun- ajit (Jhampain, ant, Hovendeu, m-tou, Murray, »gi(?, Thackeray, •s ; Ijieutenaut lid Lieutenant e thrown across son. This was ^as successfully 5th. Outram's riainder of the rds in rear of harp attack on retired within ajor Nicholson, the following- Hov<'udcii and jrot (dose to the the Ividcrail we creatures ! tliey iiost tremendous ir Colin took the idor Swetenhaiu ittery on tlie left ige in the Padsli;i . . . March lOtli. hattery in h\mi lie Kaiser lkj,'li. 'adslia Bagli last ho had secured ? on the canal everse hy tlie i. He secured now continued, . In this way r'ero throw?'', up I Kotee on the ^ approach with [ of the Sappei.s i ground as ho 1M57-185!*.] Ol'' KOVAL KNGINEKRS. 491 advan<'ed, and the mortars liciiig moved from one position to another as ground was won on whieli they could he i)laced."— (Sir C. Campl)oirs desiiateh.) At length the third line was turned, and tlie Kaiser Bagh entered. " Supports were (piiekly thrown in, and all the well-known ground of former defence and attack, the Mess House, the Tara Kotee, the Motee Mehal, and the Chutar Munzil wen^ rapidly occupied by the troops, while the Engineers devoted their attention to securing' the position towards the soutli and west This is not the place for a description of the various l)uildings successively sapped into or stormed, suffice it to say tliat they formed a range of massive, palaces and walled courts of vast ex tent Kvcry outlet had been covered l)y a work, and on every side were pre])ared l)arricades and loopholed parapets. . . ' . . Ilence the absolute necessity for liolding the troops in hand till at each successive move forward the Engineers reported t(. me that all which could be effected by Artillery and the Sappers had been done before the troops -weiv led to the assault."— (MiV/.) _ The force under Outrain, which had been advanced on the other side of th(^ Ooonitie, now recrossed on a bridge of casks and pushed forward to capture the Eosidency. This was the last move ; the enemy abandoned the defence, and to use the words of Sir Colin's despatch, " In short the city was ours." Still there were detached posts held by desperate bands of natives, and it was not till the 21st that all fighting ceased. The operations had therefore from first to last occui)ied sixteen days. It wouhl be difficult for me to give an adel impervious to artillery. It was perched on the summit of a rock. and commanded the city. The south was the only side offering' I* [OH. XX. 18o7-l«50.] OF ROYAl. K.NGINKKRS. 495 em that he also the award is as it Mundisore, in it the risk of liis Bred him (Lieut, e rear. Lieut, ge of the piece, rebel been killeil ,t;allantry in the :)unded. Major- ndation of this L's, was specially the gallant act condly, he wa.s as my Aide-dc- Beena river, fi)r Thirdly, at th(^ T Aide-de-Camp, 3 Avhich I made inst the left of [e was .severely )rni(3 hieideiits, d Force under >'ades, the Lst e 2nd by 8ir as attached to (Jomiuanding ippers and a 2nd Brigade. 11 the point of erous forts in 1 was invested lin Gr. Neville, le before, and lud «hot near lite wall fro .1 S to m fc , Clie fort wliicti t tliick, idniost Hiit of a rock, ' side offering any possibility of a Huccessful attack; there the city wall which sprang from toe centre of its face ran sonthward," ending in a mound or mamehm, a^ which point it changed direction to tlie east and made 'he circuit ()f the city. This mound was fortified by a strong circular bastion, with a wide and deep ditch. In order to attack the tort witn success on the only vulnerable side it was necessary to capture this point, and hold the city wall Iwo batteries were established, one on the right where tlie mound and wall could be taken in reverse, the other on the left whence the en(..int*. and fort coubl be lettered. As soon as the city wall had been bre..(,hed near the mound it was decided to aHsavilt at that point and at the .same time to attempt an escalade at other places. The 1st Brigade was to storm the breacli and to esc dade at the liocket Bastion on its left Tlie ^nd Brigade wat ^o escalade on the right. Licaienant Webber, K E ed the escaiading party on the left, and Lieutenant Gos.sett, E e'' the stomiers of tjie bimch. Tlie attack on the right was in two columns, one led by Lieutenants Meiklejohn and Dick ff the L..n.bay Engineers, and the other by Lieutenant Bonn., Bombay Engineers and Lieutenant Fox, :\radras Sappers an the first up the ladders with Ids party nut was dragged over fiie wall and literally nd to pweeL Lieutenant Dick wjh also first up with his party, and on arriving .t the top was shot througli tlie head, falling dead at the foot (d' the ladder. In f he other column Lieutenants Bonus and Fox were both sovci'cly v»„unded. Tlie assault at this .side would Kav^ failed entirely but for the fact that the storniei.s at tit Wh irashed their way „,]on^ the ramparts till they reached the spot :iad drove away the defenders. * I'here was a good deal of street fighting for two days, after I f p 496 IIIS'IORV OF THK COltPS [(,'H. XX. which tlie enemy abandoned the fort, leaving Jhansi in the pos- Kession of its assailants. Sir Hugh Kose wrote in liis despatch : — It will be a gratification to the voiatives ot Lieuts. Meiklojohn and Dick, of the Tiombay Engiiieei's, to know that these two young men had gained my esteem by the intelligence and coolness which they evinceil as Engineer otKcers during the siege. I should have recommended bot!i for promotion, if they liad nut died in their country's cause, for con- spicuous gallantry in leading the way up two scaling ladders." Corporal Michael Sleavou, 2lst Compan}', R.E., gained the Victoria Cross during the street fighting on the day of the assault, which is thus recorded in the award : — " For determined bravcu-y at the attack of the Fort of Jhansi, on April 3rd, I808, in maintaining his position at the head of a sap, and fontiiming the work under a heavy fire with a cool and steady deter niiuation worthy of the highest praise." The officers of Engineers \\lio took part in this brilliant little Lieutenants Edwards, siege were Koyal Engineers — Ca])tain Fenwick (iossett, Webber, and Festing. Indian Engineers — Major lioileau ; Lieutenants Prendergast, Meiklejohn, l)ick. Bonus, (loodfellow, and Gordon. It would be impossible within the limits of these volumes to give any detailed account of the mass of work done by the Engineers, both Koyal and Indian, during tlie remainder of the war. The marching fi-om place to place was incessant, and the sufferings of officers and men from tlie climate terribly severe. It may suffice as a sample of the general nature of the campaign to conclude Avith a couple of extracts from the journal of the Iloyal Engineer (companies. Those selected arc for the month from April 14th to May 14th, l ton- Destruct. .ri ot iM.rts-rapture of Xamtuv, -Death of Captain [.anibert- hxpcdi lou to th. I'filu) 111 IH.JD-Attenipted As.sault-Its Failure~U<- new.Ml K.xpedition to the J'eiho in 1860 Composition of Force Landin.. at IVytang-Land Atta. c on Forts-Their Capture-Advance on l4 n Destruction ot .Summer Pahiee— Conclusion of tlie War. TiiF, first contest witli (Mna, comnioul^ known as the Opiu,n AVar took i.la(.,> in LS41. Tho Engineers aoeonipunyin- that expedition were all taken from tlie Indian corps ; tlio incidc nts cf the campaign do not, t]ierefor(>, enter into the soope of this liistorv Lieutenant Ouchterlonj, of tlie Madras Engineers, published at tJie time a valuable work entitled " The Chinese AVar • From its eonimeneement to the Treaty of Nanking," in which all tho details ot the operations may be found. One of tlie results of that war was the ac.juisition of the island ot llong Jvong, and a party of Engineers Avas sent to the new stahoii to_(..mstruet_ barracks aii.l prepare for tho accommodation ot a garris(_)n. Major Aldrx.h was in command, and under him were Captain L. iJurnford, Lieutenant (afterAvards Cai.tain) Dm Costa, Lieutenant rhillpotts, and others. Shortly Afterwards Lieutenant-Coh.nel Phillpotts AN-as sent to the island to assume tlic position of Commanding Eoval Engineer On April 1st, 1H47 8ir John Davies," Her Majesty's Pleni- potentiary m China, called upon Major-General D'Agtiilar, com- manding the troops at Hong Kong, to proceed to Canton witli a combined military and naval force, and demand reparation on the spot for repeated acts of aggression on the part of the Cliincse against Britisli subjects. It was proposed that the attack should assume the form ot a co„p.f/e.»udn, and that all guns cai.tured should be spiked. '■ The garrison at Hong Kong was at the time but scanty; still the (jeneral, who entered warmly into the views of the Pleni- potentiary, assembled a body of about 1,000 men, who were r. 1 fCH. XXI. rder ot Captain uro of Canton — ptain r,iiTiibert— ts Failure — llc- Forco Lancliuy ance on Pekin — s the Opium punying- that ) incidents of f tliis laistoiy. pubh'shed fit ar: From its all tho details of tlie island t to the new eommodation d under hiin Captain) I)ii y afterwards ;o assume tlie esty's ]*leni- .guilar, eoni- iinton witli a ration on the the Chinese ittaek should ins captured scanty; still f the Pleni- II, who were 1857-18()().] (IF llOYAI, I NfUNKKRS. ftOl embarked before niglit on board such of lii;r Majesty's sliips as vere at the time on the station, and which wf'ic ' take [lart in lie expedition. The Engineers who aeoom} mied the troops were Jaeutenant-Colon(!l Phillpotts, Major Aldri> h, Cuplain Durnford, Lieutenants Da Costu and Thill, lotts, witli ;, dotachm(^nt of fliirty- Hve Sappers. They started at midnight, and at 9 a.m. on the 2u(l tho forts of the Bocca Tigris w ere reached. They were carried with a rush, little or no resistance being oifered, the guns Avere spiked and tho ammunition destroyed. ()n the following day they gained a reach on the river [irotected by four largis forts. ' The attack of these was entrusted to two separate storming columns, one led by ( Colonel Jirereton, B.A., and the other by Major Aldrich, E.E. A heavy fire was opened on the boats as they advanced, but, on landing, iitranccs were speedily clfcctcd by means (if powder })a^'s, wliich were applied to tli^ principal gates by Captain JJuniford and Jiiuut. Da Costa." — (D'Aguila ''» despatch. ) A number of other forts and batteries were also taken during the advance, and by night the troops were landed at the British factories ■ ])po>>ile the city, havhig spiked no less than S79 guns. The Chinese Commissioner now sued for terms of peace, and a suspension of hostilities was accorded till 8 a.m. on the Oth. Armngemeuts were meanwhile made for storming the city when that hour had arrived, should the conditions offered not have been accepted. The General records in his despatch that — " At daybreak that morniny Captain Kennedy, A.(^>..M.(x., and Lieut. I)a Costa, R. K., iienetrated during;- that still period of the inorniiig to till" city walls, which they asecnded in two places, and ascertained tliat sulHcient space existed thereon for making a lodgment. The terms of the British were accepted, and the attack did not take place. Major Aldrich and Lieutenant Da Costa received special commendation for their " meritorious services." Captain Da Costa did not long survive this act of gallantry, for at the beginning of 184!) he and an othcer of the Ceylon Kifles were mui-dered by ('hinese pirates in a village on the far side of the island of Hong Kong. Captain Da Costa had proved himself, during the few years of his service, to be a man of no ordinary abiHties. He left tlie Eoyal Military Academy as the senior cadet of his term, and had been selected, owing to his attainments, for service in the Ordnance Survey. He only quitted that department to proceed to Hong Kong, where he met his untimely end. Another sad fatality amongst the Engineers at the station V^k". IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I I?! y IIM IIIII25 1^ 2.0 1.8 11.25 1.4 1.6 ^ - 6" V PhotDgraphic Sciences Corporation -^- ..^^ " 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 (6 502 HISTORY OF THK CORPS [CH. XXI. occurred in the year 1856, which was thus described in Sir M beymour s despatch of December 14th, 1856 :— " On the 3rd instant a most melancholy occurrence took place. Captain Cowper, R.L., who had been detached for service at Canton, was supe 1 mtending the pullmg down of some Chinese houses outside tlie factory when one of them suddenly fell on liim, from which he sustained such extensive injuries as to cause his death in less than three hours. Captain Cowper had been of the greatest assistance in strengthening our position and I canno too highly express my admiration of the zeal and professional t^:^^. Her Majesty's service has sustained aUre lo^s It is proposed to take up the history of our struggle with China at he point where war once more broke out in 1857, in consequence of the non-fulfilment ot the treaty by which the right of entry into Canton had been accorded ; coupled with the outrage on the lorcha Armr. It has ah-eady been stated that troops were on their way to Hong Koug under the command of Major-General Ashbumham when the mutiny of the Sepoy army broke out at Meerut, and that those designed to act against China were intercepted at Sinffa- pore and despatched to Calcutta. The result was that the fo?ce assembled during the year 1857 at Hong Kong was principally na%al and the only operations feasible were those that could be eanied out by that branch of the service, with but slender military ' Our available land force for carryin" on war with th(3 Chinese ■•■, . • i ,. ""■^.r'"© "'I vvur wion tnc uninese rZTn'°''"'^,T^fnr'- ■'"'''•*'' ''''^ ^^'S<^ ^^°^^>' <^f offi^^^^S and about 1,000 men."— (Cooke's " China, in 1857-58.") r p\? ^^gineers at this time at Hong Kong were Colonel Lugard, C.K.K, Captain Mann, and Lieutenants Stuart, Dirom, and Trench. These were at the end of the year, added to by the amval ot the 10th Company from Ceylon with Captain Fisher Lieutenants Longley, Maitland, and Thaine. This reinforcement reached China m three detacliments, the last of which had not arrived when it was decided once more to proceed against Canton, and by its captui-e compel the Chinese Government to fulfil its obligations. Captain Fisher, Lieutenant Longley, and two sec- ^ons of the Company were all that took part in this operation, ihere was a French naval force acting in alliance with the British, and they decided upon landing a party of marines and seamen tJ join in the operation. Lieutenant Stuart had some time before been placed in command ot a body of Volunteer Sappers, raised in Hong Kong, wliich he had succeeded in training to an extent that rendered them a very valuable auxiLaiy to om- feeble Engineer strength. He with a [CH. XXI. ed in Sir M. place. Captain on, was super- le tlio factory, sustained such ours. Captain g our position, kI professional a severe loss e with China I consequence of entry into m the iorcha )n their way lishbnmham rut, and that d at Singa- at the force 1 principally lat could be der military the Chinese rs, and about Qel Lugard, Dirom, and i to by the ain Fisher, inforcement ch had not nst Canton, :o fulfil its d two sec- operation, the British, I seamen to 1 command ;•, which he lem a very ie, with a 1857-1860.] OF ROYAl. ENGINEER.S. 603 few of this company, was attached to the French brigade, under the command of Admiral de Genouilly, and served with it throughout the operations. Lieutenant-Colonel Lugard, the Com- manding Eoyal Engineer, died on December Ist, 1857 : — " Poor Lugard was a victim to hard labour in this treacherous climate. He had much to do, and small materials to work with. He was a leader without soldiers. He had to form and fashion a corps of Engineers and Sappers and Miners out of troops of the line. His labour was incessant, and he paid the penalty which these trying Hong Kong heats almost always exact for over-exertion." — (Cooke's "China.") After his death. Captain Mann assumed the duties of acting Commanding Boyal Engineer, pending the arrival of Lieutenant- Colonel Wynne. The plan of attack had been decided on by the allied I'ommanders, viz., Eear- Admiral Sir M. Seymour, Naval Commander-in-Chief ; Major-Greneral C. van Straubenzee, commanding the military forces; and Eear-Admiral C. Kegnault de GrenouJIy, commanding the French fleet. _ The ships of the combined squadron were to take up their positions in the Canton river, to the south of the city, and on the moniing of December 28th open a bombardment on all the defences exposed to their fire. At the same time the troops were to land, and when the guns of the fleet had sufficiently over- powered those on the ramparts, an assault was to be delivered by escalade. The British were divided into three brigades, the first composed of Marines, the second of one Eui'opean and one Madras regiment, and the third of Sailors. The few Engineers, viz., part of the 10th Company, with Captain Fisher, Lieutenants Longley and Maitland, and some of the, Volunteer Company of Sappers, were attached to the second brigade. The fire from the ships continued throughout the day and night of the 28th, and the assault was decided on for the morning of the 29th. Stuart was appointed to lead the escalading party of the French brigade, and thus describes his experiences in the report he furnished on his share in the operation : — " I advanced up the muddy creek or rivulet, which debouches from the city wall and joins the ditch at this point. I advanced up to the wall, and found it be faced with stone, having a slope or batter of about one fourth, and apparently about twenty-seven feet high. . . , 1 found that the stream from the city wall, by being arched over, oflered a height of enceinte less by three or four feet than that of the adjoining portions. I deemed this such a suitable point for escalade, that I reported its nature at once to the French officers. . . . About ten minutes before nine o'clock two ladders were planted on the top of the arch, on the right of the flank, some others being at the same time raised at the 504 HISTORY OF THE CORPS ,■ -V M ' • If" r;Ji Is f' I" [CH. XXI " breach on the left. . . . The party on the right, >.vith which I entered pursued the flying Chinese, who, however, fired ;t every piece of cover they came to, only once, seeing our small numbers, did they make a stand till we came to within thirty yards of them." escakde^'-i'' ^'^ ^''''^ °'' ^^''''' ""^ ^^"' P^'"'"'^' *^''' ''"^'^^^ *« ^he "At the same instant of time Stuart of the Engineers was balancing n air upon a breaking ladder at the north side of the bastion Tut although he sprang to another and got upon that, I believe thai two o three frenchmen, springing to the wall from the breaking ladder, got up b rvT- . ^%''' '^'' "l"*^f ^^^P''^^^ ^-^^^"^ -'1 Daniel D'oSvan! both Volunteer Sappers, who held their place well among the French assauants, and were among the first over the wall." The East Gate, attacked by the British, was broken open bv liieutenant Longley, R.E., and a passage made for the entry of the storming column. -^ The troops once upon the ramparts and the Chinese defenders c eared away, _the capture of Canton was soon completed and the allies_ settled m the place. It was decided to destroy the two outlying forts on_ the north, which had been named respectively Gough and Blue jacket. Cooke thus describes the incident :— "The French, who liaving no Engineers of their own, were directed by Captain Stuart, took Bluejacket Fort ; and Gough Fort was mined by the enior Engineer officer. Captain Mann. When the appointed time had tZl r-n?'"'"!' %'°'^'* ^^^"* "P' *'^^ °^«^ hurried out and the sol d stone buildings stood intact in their loneliness . . Then came . succession of loud sharp, cracking, shivering explosions,' throwing fa.' ments high m the air, and frightening but not killing a kite at the moment hovering over Fort Gougli. There were at least twenty suece s ve explosions a the larger fort. When the smoke cleared, a housand foTtiirr'' *° '^^"^ri^^^^^^ i" - few seconds, the squa^ subst i2l SradienJek"''' ' P^^*"^^«^l^^^ -""' ^^^^ as we see at Carnarvon or ver^t^rln^l^T"'^^ Z""' '° "^^uch pleased with the assistance Str^ W . :~ '^ ' ^' ''^™^' ^' ^""^^^ *° G^eneral m'i^ Tlplr^r'lT* ? ^^P^,^^*«"' ^} 1^ disposition de votre Excellence ctt Fvn ?v ^ '""'^ •!'''"" ^''"^* '" I'obligeance d'attacher a notre que^^^arde cTffi ^^^^^^^ ^^'^^-.^u Genie, temoigner de tout le cas S LZlf^ ''* °^''^^- ^.«" ""I'taire, Officier instruit, chaque jour de M StZf ?V' ^'""' T"""" '1"^ J'''^"''^^^ ^«"?^« J''« 1^ preniier our la L^'in I'H '^ """ 'f " ^^'" "^''^^^' ''« ^' ^""' devenir Membre de la Legion dHonneur. Je remeicie done votre Excellence d'avoir bieii IS, i I [CH. XXI M'ith whicli I t every piece of did they make alludes to the I was balancing le bastion, but Jve that two or ladder, got up aniel Donovan, ng the French ken open by the entry of Bse defenders eted and the ;roy the two [respectively iident : — were directed was mined by nted time hiul and the solid Then came a lirowing frag- a kite at the tity successive , a thousand •e substantial Carnarvon or le assistance that officer to General e Excellence icher a notre e tout le cas chaque jour premier jour ' Membre dc d'avoir bieii 1857-1860.] OF ROYAL ENGINEERS. 505 voulu placer aupres de moi un si digne Representant de I'armee Britan- nique, et prends la libertc de le recommander tout particulierement a la bienveillance de son Honorable Commandant en chef. " C. Regnault de Genouilly, " Comt. en chef des forces Navales de S. M. I'Empereur des FranCj-ais en Chine." In laying the electric telegrapli between the General Head Quarters at Canton and the landing place, Captain Fisher, E.E., who had charge of the operation, discovered that ordinary single needle instruments were sent instead of magnetic ones, and that as the latter had been intended no batteries were with the stores. The difficulty was solved in a somewhat ingenious manner, as described in his report : — " Sulpliuric acid was obtained from the Medical Department and zinc was purchased in the city, but no copper could be procured in Canton. A portion of the silicate of soda liad been sent from Hong Kong in old powder barrels with copper hoops. Those were replaced by iron ones and cut into lengths to fit the cells, which were glp- - tumblers. A battery composed of 12 of these cells was found sutticient to send messages from Head Quarters to the landing place, but the current was rather weak, the c.ipper plates being narrow and affording too small a surface." _ The year 1858 passed without any important military opera- tions, the troops occupying the city of Canton. Negotiations had brought about a treaty which Avas signed at Tientsin, in June, 1858, thR Peiho forts having been forced by a naval expedition, in which a Company of Engineers took part; but as the treaty was to be ratified at Pekin, Canton was held as a pledge. Captain Fisher gives in his " Three Years' Service in China," many amusing details of the manner in which works under the Royal Engineers had to be conducted with the Cantonese contractor, whose knowledge of our language was strictly confined to pigeon English : — " I remember we wanted a verandah made to our mess-room ; it was a difficult thing rather to explain, but when the man was told to ' make one piecey makey walkey topside makey look see' he completely understood the case. I like that topside and bottom side ; why should the terms not lie as generally used as inside and outside? To 'look see ' is, of course, much more than to look ; perhaps what an American would call to prospect ?" The next quotation refers to a contractor named Sing-Chong : — " We accused him of having tried to overreach us in some bargain, his answer was, ' How you think my can talkee so rauchee lie, makey cheat; just now my too muchee old man more sixty year old in a few 506 HISTORY OF THE CORPS '.. /- ,• -V I >t» rf 1 1, ^1 l,? LCH. XXI. years must makey die. When my die my wantee go topside, suppose I talkee that he how ran? You thinkee my that fool, for a few dollars makee that he that cheat ] " And again — "Ho gaire an amusing instance of the imitative genius of his nation on one occasion. It was determined to build some wooden huts on the heights and Sing-Chong agreed to execute the work. He was "iven a sheet of paper having on it at the bottom a pfanoi the buildincr showing the joists and flooring ; above that an e/emtion showing the boarded sides and windows, and above that again a cross m-tion showing the propor- tions of the gable as well as the sides of the hut. After all had been explained to him in pigeon English he was told to make a rough sort of model according as ho understood it, before preparing the material for the actual work. In a couple of days the model Avas presented. It was a pagoda-lookmg affair of the folk wing construction :— The lower story was s(iuare, each side being the length of what the building should be- lt was framed and boarded, and was in fact the plan of the buildin" turned up on edge, forming the four sides of the figure ; above this was a story, also square, with windows, which was the elevation; and, the whole having been covered with a flat roof, he put in the centre a s.iuare pagoda with a pyramidal roof, each side the width of the cross m-tion of I?^ 1 ^V r'' .^"^ ^^''^^ ^^^ ^■'^*^ forgotten the doors and staircases, and that he had taken the liberty to add a railing round the edge of the flat roof to prevent the soldiers falling oif when they walked forth out of the top pagoda." Being nmch annoyed by acts of hostility in spite of the public proclamation of the treaty of peace, and the town of Namtow having become notorious for its disaffection, General Straubenzee determined to attack the place. This was done on August 11th 18o8. The Engineers with the force were Lieutenant-Colonel Wynne (who had replaced Lieutenant-Colonel Lugard as Com- manding lioyal Engineer), Captain Lambert, Lieuten-- t the Hon W. le I oer Trench, and Lieutenant Longley, A.D.C. to General fetraubenzee. A detachment of the 10th Company, R.E., was also present. The matter was carried to a successful conclusion with but trifling loss on our part. Unfortimately, Captain Lambert, whilst mounting a ladder in the escalade, was shot by one of the sailors who was mounting below him, and died within a few hours, the bullet having shattared his thigh bone— " He was a most gallant and talented officer, and his loss to the service and to his friends is deeply to be deplored."— ((leneral Straubenzce's despatch, August 21st, 1858.) After a long delay it was determined that a naval expedition should proceed with the British and French Ambassadors to conduct them to Pekin. They left Canton on May 17th, and after some days of preparation at Hong Kong, sailed for the [CH. XXI. side, suppose I p a few dollars i of his nation en huts on the [e was given a Iding, showing boarded sides ng the propor- r all had been 1 rough sort of le material for Jnted. It was 'he lower story ing should be ; ' the building bove this was and, the whole ntre a s(iuare 3ross sadion of staircases, and Jge of the flat •rth out of the yl the public of Namtow Straubenzee A.ugust 11th, nant-Colouel ard as Com- t the Hon. . to Greneral I.E., was also elusion with lin Lambert, )' one of the i'ithin a feAv to the service Straubenzee's 1 expedition bassadors to y 17th, and iled for the 1857-1860.J OF KOYAL ENGINKERS. 507 north on the 26th. Captain Fisher, Lieutenants Longley and Maitland, with the 10th Company of Engineers, accompanied the fleet — which put in at various ports on the way, at the last of Avhich, viz., Shanghai, it was notified that serious opposition was likely to be met with at the entrance of the Peiho river, where the forts, so easily captured the year before, had been greatly strengthened. Admiral Hope, who had remained at Hong Kong for a few days to bring on the mail, arrived at Shanghai on June 12th, and began preparations in case of resistance. The island of Sha-lui-tien was named as the place of assembly for the combined fleet. The force reached the rendezvous on June 16th, and on the following day the Admiral started on a reconnoitring expedition,, taking Captain Fisher with him. When approaching the forts, the first impediment they encountered was a row of iron stakes, which Fisher thus describes : — " One of these, which wc saw s'ung to a junk's mast, and in the act of being lowered, was duly examined and sketched. Its lower j^art consisted of three iron-pointed legs, on which it stood firmly. The stake rose from the junction of these logs to a total height of about twenty-five feet, and from near the same point an arm stretched out in a slanting position towards the front, pointing upwards, and having its point rather below the top of the main stake. At high water this point would be a little under water, and would deal a severe blow to the bottom of an approaching vessel." They then came across a second construction, consisting of "a series of pontoon-shaped timbers, that is, logs of wood fixed together so as to form cylinders, with conical ends ; each was about 24 feet long, and 18 inches in diameter. These were used to float two chains and a cable across the river in the following way : — The cylinders had each a hole in the centre, through M'hicli the cable passed, and they were arranged along it at intervals of about 15 feet. Large chains were stretched across the river, underneath the ends of the cylinders, and attached to either end of the cylinder by smaller chains. This was a wise arrangement, for it would 1)e possible to cut the chain which passed over the end of the cylinder ; but if this were done, the great chain would only be dropped a few inches ; not divided in its length, and it was stretched too deeply to enable one to get at it to work actually upon it." The reconnaissance was followed by sundry ineffectual inter- views on the subject of allowing the squadron to pass. It was at length decided to move up the ships, and on the 20th Fisher made additional observations, amongst others, that there was a wet ditch. " Watching the men coming out, we could see, by their looking down as they walked, and balancing themselves with their arms, that they J' '"; 'i| 'mw 'if* • (■; tv '•' ^ , ''.■ 1 ■' ■ /4i' i . .'i ■^'d ^08 HISTORY OF THE CORPS [CH. XXI. passed over a narrow bri(k'e. - , ,. , o- The duration of this mode of walking, and the number of steps they took, gave us an idea of the width of the ditch. For several days the allied squadrons were engaged in making preparations for forcing the passage, and on the 25th the gun- boats were brought up and anchored close to the barrier of iron 8+Hkos. The Engineers were distributed amongst them, with orders to act as marksmen, and keep up a fire on the embrasures ot the torts. Each little detachment had an assortment of tools and implements for use on landing, so that there might be a proper provision of skilled workmen and mrifMel attached to ■every ship. Captain Fisher was with the Admiral on board the i/ory lid, free from opo Grant on I up. No. ] , gun. No. 2, it one of the ids, six inches ell howitzers, istrong guns, battery, was 'is, and the li.E., and ; Lieutenani 1 Lieutenant Two of the ined from a I roof of tlie i in diameter, the 20th ; on ed. evident that orders were ipanying tlie h the small under Lieu- nant Hime. Lieutenant lHo7-lH(iO.] Of ItOVAl, KNOINKKHN. 513 I rail, M.L a.ul anr>tlior with powder bags under Lieutenant . lemonts, li.h. lh(* whole bi'ing umh-r the eoinniand of Mnjor .niluim Lieutenant Courtn.'y acted us Adjutant to Li(«utenaiit- ( oloiK^l Munn, the (Vnnmanding Royal Kngineer. The Freneh sent a eoluinn to attack in con jiincticm with ours • tins advaneed by the right and approached the angle of the work nesting on the river; tho British troops, consisting of the 44th and (>/tli Itegiments, moving straight towards tho gat<; of the fort. Hen, they (ound (wo wet ditches, the 8i)aee between them being so thiokly staked as to be almost impassable. Tho pontoons proved useless, they had received so much injury during tlie advance that they had lost all [.owor of flotation, tin* storming party, therefore, haaptain C. G. itters: — hurry to thro\>- refused to give )uld treat Avitli ers . . . . twelve on tiiu lul everything ited and forty vever, the gate 1857-1860.] OF XOYAL ENGINKKRS. 515 was opened and we took possession, so our work was of no avail . . . . Owing to the ill-treatment the prisoners experienced at the Summer Palace the General ordered it to be des^/.oyed, and stuck up proclama- tions to say why it was ordered. Wo accordingly went out, and after pdlaging it burned the whole place, destroying in a Vandal-like manner most valuable property which could not be replaced for four millions. . . . . Quantities of gold ornaments were burned, considered as brass. It was Avretchedly demoralizing work for an army. Everybody was wild for phmder. You would scarcely conceive the magnificence of this residence, or the tremendous devastation the French have com- mitted. The throne and room were lined with ebony carved in a marvellous way ; there were huge mirrors of all shapes and kinds, clocks, watches, musical boxes Avith puppets on them, magnificent china of every description, heaps and heaps of silks of all colours, embroidery and as much splendour and civilization as you would see at W'indsor ; carved ivory screens, coral screens, large amounts of treasure, &c. The French have smashed everything in the most wanton manner. It Avas a scene of utter destruction Avhich passes my description." The wac was now at an end, the treaty of peace Avhich followed saved some of the Peiho forts from destruction ; but before that had been signed considerable progress had been made by the Engineers of the tAvo nations in their demolition. Lieutenant-Colonel Mann and Major Fisher both received the honour of the C.B. for their services in this campaign. 'I i -J ■^fj I .*!■ 517 APPENDIX TO VOLUME I. The following Royal WaiTants are amongst many alluded to in this Volume, and have been selected as those which have most affected the organization of the Corps. The pages on which they have severally been quoted are given to guide the reference. Vide page 172. Georqb R. Whereas it hath been humbly represented unto Us that the Establish- ment of Twenty-nine Engineers on the Quarter Books of Our Office of Ordnance, formed by Order of his late Majesty Our Royal Predecessor, in Council dated the 22nd Day of August, 1717, is much too small to answer the Several Purposes Our Service doth and may from time to time require. Our Will and Pleasure therefore is. That you cause Eight Practitioner Engineers to be added to the said Establishment of Engineers, at an allowance of Tlwe Shillings f diem each, to be made to them on the Quarter Books of Our said Office of Ordnance ; The same to commence from the First day of January next, which we do hereby Establish accordingly. And Our further Will and Pleasure is, That you cause the pay of the said Eight Practitioner Engineers, amounting to Four Hundred and Thirty Eight Pounds per Annum, to be added to the Annual Charge of the Ordinary of Our Office of Ordnance and to be inserted in your Estimates to be presented from Time to Time to Parliament. And for so iloing, this shall be, as well to you as to the Auditors of Our Imprests and all other Our Officers and Ministers herein concerned, a sufficient Warrant. Given at Our Court at St. James's, the Sixteenth Day of December, 1755, in the Twenty-Ninth Year of Our Reign. By His Majesty's Command, HOLDERNESSE. ^ To Our Right Trusty and Well-Beloved Councillor, Sir John Ligonier, Knt. of the Batli, Lieutenant-General of Our Ordnance, and to the Rest of the Principal Officers of the same. i i'i y •',. :' ■*' ''M ;» ■■■■m\ t .< ':,? I 1 ' i|: 618 APPEN])1X. F«?e 2x196 188. At the Court of St. James's, the 3rd day of March, 1759. Present, Ihe King s most Excellent Majesty in Council. Upon reading at the Board a Representation from the Lieutenant-General and Principal Officers of His Majesty's Ordnance, dated the 23rd of last Month, His Majesty this Day took the said Representation into His Royal Considera- tion, together with the Establishment of Engineers now subsisting. And likewise the New Establishment proposing to increase tlie Number of Engineers to Sixty-One, and was pleased, with the Advice of His Privy Council, to Approve of the said New Establishment, and accordingly to Order, as it is hereby Ordered, That the Lieutenant General and Principal Officers of His Majesty's Ordnance do cause the said New Establishment (a copy whereof is herewith annexed) to be carried into immediate and eifectual Execution instead of all former Establishments of Engineers, which are to cease and to be discontinued for the future. W. Sharpe. New Establishment to consist of Sixty-One Engineers :— TP Annum — — .__. each. ^ Aniuira. .£> s. d. £ s. d 1 Chief at 27/6 per diem. 501 17 6 2 Directors at 20/- 365 730 00 4 Sub-Directors 15/- 273 15 1,095 00 12 In Ordinary ... 10/. 182 10 2,190 00 12 Extra Ordinary 6/- 109 10 1,314 00 14 Sub Engineers 4/8 85 3 4 1,192 6 8 16 Practitioners .. 3/8 Total ... 66 18 4 1,070 13 8,093 17 4 6 All the Establishments at the foreign Garrisons are to cease for the future, and in place thereof the following Extra Allowances are to be made when employed on those services. A Director 5/- Sub-Director 5/- In Ordinary 2/6 Extra Ordinary 2/- SubEngineer 2/- Practitioner 2/- )■ per diem each. Al'PENDlX. 519 Viric pac/e 213. George. K. Whereas you have represented to Us that the Works to be carried on ill various Parts of Our Dominions will make it necessary to employ a great Number of Engineers and the Extra Pay which was given to them during the last War being greater than We have judged reasonable to allow in Times of Peace, We have thought proper to Order and do hereby Direct that all former Allow ances of Extra Pay to Officers of Our Corns of Engineers shall cease from the 30th Day of September next, and that in Lieu thereof the following Allowances of Extra Pay shall commence on the 1st October next viz : — To each of Our Engineers who shall be employed in Africa, of what- ever rank he may be, an AlloA\aiice of Twenty Shillings per Day. To each of our Engineers who shall be employed in Our Island of Jamaica, or any of Our Islands in the West Indies, or in any of Our Provinces of Quebec, Island of St. John's, Nova Scotia, or Newfoundland, an Allow- ance equal to the Ordinary Pay which, according to his Rank in Our Corps of Engineers, he will be intitled to receive on the Establishment hereinafter directed to take Place. To each of Our Engineers who shall be employed at Gibraltar, or in Great Britain, Jersey, or Guernsey, or the Isle of Man, an Allowance equal to one Half of the Ordinary Pay, which, according to his Rank in Our Corps of Engineers, he will be intitled to receive on the Establishment hereinafter directed to take Place ; but such Allowance is not to extend to the Engineer-in-Chief in Great Britain or at Gibraltar. All which Allowances are to commence in respect to each Officer on the Day he sets out from the Place where he was before resident for the Place to which he is ordered, and are to cease from the Day he (juits his Station. And these Allowances of Extra Pay are to be in lieu of all other Allowances for Lodging, Fire, and Candle, and for Travelling within five miles of the Place where they are stationed. We have, moreover, thought proper to order, and do hereby direct, that an Allowance equal to the Ordinary Pay which, according to his Rank in Our Corps of Engineers, he will be intitled to receive on the Estab- lishment hereinafter directed to take Place, shall be made to each of Our Engineers who shall be employed in making Surveys, such Allowantje to be independent of the above-mentioned Allowances of Extra Pay or of Allowance for Travelling to and from the Place where he may be employed, but is to be in lieu of all Bills for Horse-hire, Boat-hire, extra- ordinary Expcnces, Contingencies, or Travelling whilst employed in carrv- ing on Surveys, antl is to be made or\y during such time as he shall actually be in the Field or moving from P,' -.; to Place for s jch Purpose. But it is not Our Intention that this Regulation shall affect the Allowance of Twenty Shillings 1)^ Day which, by uur warrant of 31st Day of July 176.5, We have made to (Jur Trusty and Well-beloved Lieutenant 520 APPENDIX. ; 'I I . Colonel \\iLLiAM Roy, one of Our Engineers, "for inspecting, survev- ^^ mg, and nmk.ng Reports from Time to Time of the State of the Coasts .md Districts of the Country adjacent to the Coasts of this Kin-rdom and the Islands thereunto belongin.' " i^wi^uc;!!! oomP^Offl^''''"' ir n"""' ^7^f <^"t«d to Us that it may happen that some Ofhcers of Our Corps of Engineers may not be able from Age or Infirmities to perform such Duties as Our Service requires. Id tha here IJ JoVoffi"^'" '' H ^""T V""'"''''' ^"^' ''''Sineel to r'etire tc, a fin pI!? •? T/"vf**'f ^^'"^'^'^^ "^ ^"^' ^'''^"'- ^« have thought conl?t f '" ' '^ ^'*'^^''^' ^ ^^'P' '^^ ^'^^^"'^ Engineers, to One Colonel, at One Lieutenant-Colonel, at Two Captains, each at One ditto One First Lieutenant One Second ditto, at 7 Officers ? Day. 1* Annum. s. d. £ s. d. 18 328 10 U 273 15 10 365 6 109 10 4 8 85 3 4 4 73 £'.l 17 8 £1,234 18 4 Rnba^fe n m ^ fi represented to Us that the great Xumber of Subaltern Officers on the present Establishment of Our Corns of Engineers m Proportion to the x\umber of Captains is larger than in Our Royal Regiment of Artillery, whereby their Advancement in respec to Rank is greatly retarded. We have thought proper to direct that the present Establishment of Our Corps of Engin'eei^ L oiS by Ou Warrant of the Eighteenth Day of A-ovember; 1782, consisting of- The Master-General of Our Ordnance The Lieutenant-General of Our Ordnance One Engineer-in-Chief ... ^t Six Colonels each at Six Lieutenant-Colonels ... each at Xine Captains each at Ts ine Captains ... ... each at Twenty-two first Lieutenants each at And twenty-two second Lieutenants each at "^ Day. '^ Annum. s- d. £ s. d, ^'il. ... Nil. Nil. ... Nil. 44 803 1,861 10 1,642 10 1,642 10 985 10 8 1,873 13 4 1,606 17 15 10 6 4 4 Amounting to £10,414 13 4 shall cease on tlie 30t]i September next, and that in Lieu thereof, the following new Establishment shall take Place on the 1st of October next. viz API'KN])IX. 521 The Master-General of Our Ordnance . . . The Lieutenant-General of Our Ordnance One Engineer in Chief at Five Colonels each at Five Lieutenant-Colonels each at Ten Captains each at Ten Captains each at Twenty First Lieutenants . . . each at Ten Second Lieutenants each at 1^ Bay. s. d. Nil. Nil. 44 18 l.'i 10 6 4 4 8 ¥ Annum. £ s. d. Nil. Nil. 803 1,642 10 1,368 \b 1,825 1,09.') 1,703 6 8 730 ^ £9,167 11 8 Corps of Invalids as before mentioned 1,234 18 4 £10,402 10 And We do direct that whenever any Engineer is unable to attend such Duty as he may be ordered upon, and you shall judge that he is mtitled from his Services to retire, you do place him in the Corps of Invalids in the same Bank he holds in the Corps in case tliere shall then be a Vacancy. And in case there shall not then be a Vacancy of such rank, that you do cause his Name to be entered in the Office of the Clerk of Our Ordnance, to succeed to the first Vacancy of such Rank that shall happen in the said Corps of Invalids. And no Officer who siiall be appointed to the Invalids, or shall be entered in the Office of the Clerk of Our Ordnance to succeed to a Vacancy in that Corps, shall at any Time after rise to any higher Rank, and no Invalid Officer shall be liable to be called upon to serve again except in Cases of great Emergency, and then only in Great Britain. And We do further direct that when there shall be any Vacancies in the Corps of Invalid Engineers, and there shall not happen to be any of 5!i-^''*^",V^^^"*'^^^P^°P^^ to fill them up, you do recommend to Us additionalOfficers to be appointed to the Acting Corps of Engineers, who are to be intitled to Promotion, are to be employed where wanted, and are in all Respects to be considered as forming part of the Corps of Acting Engineers ; provided that, on the Avhole, no greater Number of C)fficers of each Rank be kept or paid than shall be borne on the two Establishments of the Acting and Invalid Engineers, and no "leater Expence for Established Pay incurred than the Sum of £10,402 10s. Od. And We do further direct that you do cause the Expence of tliis New Establishment to be inserted in the Estimates of the Ordnance to be from iime to Time presented to Parl'ament. And whereas by this Alteration of Our Establishment of the Corps of Engineers, the present six junioj; Second Lieutenants will become Super- numerary, We do direct that no Vacancies shall be filled up till the Number of Second Lieutenants be reduced to Ten, agreeable to this New Estab- lishment ; but that until such Reduction shall be completed, the Numl)er 5'22 AVl'KNDIX. ' Ml 1 ' .f Si Mlt, I'coiitl I,i(Mit(Mmutrt o\n and aliovo thoHo Hxiul l»y tho Now Katahlish. iiKMit, sliiill roiitinuo luul sorvtr us Supormimciur.y" Hcicoiul r.icutiMiiiuta in Our wiiid CtirpH df l':iij,'in('ors, and hIuvII rocoivu i»ay acntrtliiigly. Anil whereas jou liave reprusentetl to Us that 'it woiilil he for tho Heuelit of Our Scrvii!(> if a Coiniiiittoe of Kufrineera were estahlishoil, to wliich all riaiis ami Kstiniatos for the Construetioii of Now Works or I!uililiiij,'a, or for tho Repairs or Alterations of old ones were rnforrod, and on whieii tho said Committee slumld report to the Mastor-tJonoral of Our Ordnance proviiMia to thoir heing earried into Kxoeiition, Wo do horol.y direct yon to appoint a Committee of Five Engineers, for the Purpose of wlueii the Chief Mngineiu- shall he I'roaidont and two at least of the other four shall ho Field Ollicers. And Wo do horchy direct that tho said Committee shall meet at the Ordnance OHiee in the Tower two days in every Week, or aa often aa the iMastor-(ioneral may think necessary, to roeeivo, examine, and report upon tho several IMana ami Kstimates that ahall l)e referred to them, and that the Clerk to the Chief Kngineer and the Draftsman appointed to attend him ahall act aa Clerka to the aaid Committee, and ahall keej) Copira of all Plana and Ivstimates referred to the aaid Committee, and of their Pro- ceedings thoroui)oii. And W(^ do direct that the four l-aigineora who shall he appointed of this Committee to assist tho Kngineer in Chief ahall he conaidered aa employed, and shall receive an Allowance of Fxtra Pay hko other Engineers employed in (ireat Ikitain, that is to say, eipiul to one-half of tho Ordinary Viiy which, according to their Rank in the Corps, they will hy this Estahlishment he intitled to receive. And for so doing, this shall he, aa well unto you aa unto all other OIHcera ami -Ministers heroin concerned, a sulliciont Warrant, (Hven at Our Court at St. .lanioa's this Twenty-first Day of duly, 17S1, in the Twenty-fourth year of Our Koign. By Ilia Majesty's Command, SVDNHY. To our Right Trusty and Right Entirely Tieloved Couaiu and Coiiii- cdlor Charles, Duke of Richmond, Lenox and Auhigny, Maater-Cienura! of Our Ordnance. Vide pa[i>- 21 C. Oeohuk R, Whereaa you have represented to us tliat it would ho of advantage to Our Service that Our Cori)s of Engineera shouhl he distinguished ))y thi' name of the Corps of Royal Engineers, and the nink and post of lli.' said Corps in Our army should he estahlished. We, having taken the same into Our consideration, Ao herehy direct that ( )ur said Corps of Engineers shall in future take the name of the Corps of Rn,,al Engineers, and he so styled and called. And we are furtiier I; 1 * Al'I'KNDlX. 523 pIciiMcd In (lirnct Unit Our fui.l ("oi'iih of Uniial Kn^iiirtTH slmll rai < )ur Army with Our Royiil RcKifiKMit of Artillery, uiid wlu'iicvcr shall he occasion for tluiiii to tako jioHt witii aiiy otiicr coips of army the post of the Corps of iioyal Kiigineers shall he on the with the Royal Re^'inient of Artillery, aeconliiif,' to the respective of the commissions of the ollicers helonginj,' to the Royal Uegimi Artillery and Corps of Royal KnuineerH. And for so (h)i'nK this sha iiH well unto you as unto all other ollicers and ministerH h concerned, a stdHcient warrant. < Jivctn at ; )ur (Jourt at St. .lannvs's the twouty-fifth thiy of April, in the twenty-seventh year of (lur reij,'n. To our Right Trusty and ri<,'ht ] entirely Ixtloved Cousin ami Councillor Charles Duke ctf Kichmond, l.enox and Auhij^'iiy, Mivstur-Ueuoral of our Ordnance. in Wy His Nfajesty's Coinnui Sydnky. Ir \ .% there ■ Our ri-ht dati^H nt of te, eiein 7.S7, :i(l \'iih'. pai/a 398. (Jkokok R. Wh(!reas you liavo roprosent(^d unto Us that it would he for the advaiitaf,'(! of ()ur Servicti if th« Kstahlislimont of Our Corps of Royal Kngine.ors was more nearly assimilated to the Principles on which th(3 HattalioiiH of our R,oyal Artillery are formed ; Wo havi! tlxM-efore thouglit proper to order and do herel)y ilirect that tho present Establishment" of Our Corps of Royal Kngincers as Ordtued by Our Warrant, dated tho 9th iJay of May, 1801, and consisting of— The Mastor-Cenoral of Our Ordnance The Lieutonant-(<(ineral of Our Ordnance 1 Chi(!f Kngineer ... Colonels... 6 IJeutenant-Colonels 20 Captains -0 Captain-I.icutenants 40 Fir.st Lieutenants 20 So(toHd lieutenants 1 Adjutant 18/. 15/- 10/- 7/- 5/8 5/- I'liy. I'or Diem. Total £ 4 10 7 11 r. 45 1 8 10 G 5 i:} 8 8 I'l'i' Anmiiii. 803 1,971 1,042 10 :{,(>50 I 2,555 I 4,1. '56 i:i I 1,825 I !) I 5 ' 16,074 8 4 hall cea.se on the 30th day of A\m[ Instant, and that in Lien thereof the foil next owing new Kstabli.Hhmeiit whall take place on tlio 1.-st Day of M, i.y 624 AIM'KN'DIX. lg U I'ay. I'or Dluin. Per Ai III mil . CoIoiipl-in-Chiof tho Miiator-( Jonoml of imr .£ a. d. ,£ s. 4. OnlniUK'O ... Coloiiel-iii-S»u'oiul, tho Lioutenant-( iunoral of our Ordniiucc 2 Colonols Commandant ... 44/- 4 8 1,G06 2 Colonels 24/- 2 8 87(5 2 ditto 20/- 2 7.*50 4 Lioutenant-Colonols 17/- 3 8 1,241 2 ditto If)/. 1 10 547 10 20 Captains 10/- 10 3,6r>0 20 Captain-Lieutonants ... 71- 7 •2,r^r}^^ 40 First Lioutonanta 6/- 12 4,380 20 Second Lieutenants 5/- .T 1,82.') 1 Hrigadu-Major 10/- 3tal £ 10 182 10 T( 48 4 17,593 And, for tho Reason before mentioned, We have further thought in-opor to direct that tho present Establishment of Koyal Invaliil Engi- neers, consisting of — 1 Colonel ... 1 Lieutenant-Colonel 2 Caj)tains ... 1 Captain-Lieutenant 1 First Lieutenant... 1 Second Lieutenant Pay. I'er Diem. £ 8. d. Per Annum £ 8. d. • • • • • ■ ( • « 18 328 10 * • • • • • ... 15 273 15 10s. each. 1 356 . . . ... ... 7 127 15 5 8 103 8 4 . . . 5 91 5 Total £ 3 10 8 1,280 13 4 shall in like manner cease on the 30th Day of April Instant, and that the following new Establi.shment of the Invalid Engineers shall take place on the 1st Day of May next, viz. : — 1 Colonel ... 1 Lieutenant-Colonel 1 Ditto Pay. Per Diem. Per Annum. Carried forward £ s. d. 438 365 310 5 1,113 5 ray. Per Annum. .£ H. 4. 1,G06 «7() 7.*10 1,241 547 10 3,6r>0 2,55:) 4,:5«0 1,825 182 10 17,593 irthor thouj^ht Iiivaliil Kngi- ay. Per Annum. £ 8. tl. 328 10 273 15 356 127 15 103 8 4 91 5 1,280 13 4 taut, and that jrs shall take ly- I'er Annum. £ s. (I. 438 365 310 5 1,113 5 AI'I'KNDIX. /)25 I'ay. Per Dk'iii. Brought forward t C'lptains 10/-eaoh 1 Caj)tain-Li(Mit(!n. "-y To each of Our Royal Engineers who shall be employed with Our Armies in the Jield or in any Part of Our Foreign Doininions, (Jibraltar excepted, an Allowance equal t.. the Pay wliich according to his Rank in )ur Cori,s of Royal Engineers he is enticed to receive on tiie Ivstab- hshment above order(;d to take place. To each of Our Royal Engineers who shall be employcnl at Oibraltar m- in any part of Our Ijnited Kingdom of Great Britain' and Ireland or m the Inlands of Jersey, OuenLsey, or the Isle of Man, an Allowalice equal to one-half of the Pay which, according to his Rank in Our Corp« /520 AIM'KNIUX. f of lloyiU l''.nf,'iMt'tTM, \u> will hv (Mititli'd to icicivi' mi tlin Kstii'ilislimnnt iiImivi- onliTi'il III tiikc I'limc T(i t'lich of < >ur Itoyiil lui^iiiorrH wlio hIiuII Im finiiloycil on ihosf PiirtH of the CoiiHt of Africa wlicrn ii hi^,'li|iartmiMit, nnlc-s the Mastcr-( icncral of (»iii ((nliiancc shall juilu'i' it iiropcrto f,'niiit Ihcm. All AllowaiKuw of extra I'ayarc to commi'iicf in rcHpcit of t^adi Ollicrr on the hay he shall receive his ( hders for hiity, either from tin- Maiiter- (lencral of Our ( )rilnance, or from the Inspeetor-deiieral, lint the Payment of such extra I'ay is not to he made initil the lnspeetor-(ieni'ral shall ^'rant a (jertiticate that the Ollicer eiititleil to extra Pay lost no time in proceeding' to his Station. In Cases when^ ( Ulieers of Onr Corps of Royal lMi;^'ineers shall hi^ ordered to proeeeil upon I)nty from one Station to another, either ixt Home or Ahmad, the AUowaneins of extra Pay to which they may !•<' respeetively entitled under the liei;ulations contained in this ( hir Warrant shall he continued proviiled the Inspector-CJcneral shall transmit his Cortificato that such OIHccrs lost no time in oheyin},' the Orders they received. When Ollicers of Kn^'inoerf" shall be appointtid to any of Onr Stations Abroad, the extra Pay allowed for Home Service is to be granted to such Ollicers from the Hay they shall receive their Onlers to jirepare for Foreign Dnty, and the extra Pay allowed upon Forei^'u Scrvifie is to commence fnmi the Day of their Kmbarkation to proeeeil to the Place of their Destination. And when Ollicers of Knj,'ineers shall be ordered Home from any Foreign Station, the extra Pay allowed thiMu at such Stations is to bo continued until their Arrival in Knj;;land, the Payment of such Allowance to hv. made Upon the Certificate of the Inspector-Ciineral. Whenever an Kn<,'ineer is permitted to ipiit his Station on Leave of Absence, his extra Pay shall cease until he returns to his Duty. The Allowances of (>xtra Pay granted to ()Hicersof Our Corps of Royal Engineers by this Warrant are to be in Lieu of all other Allowances for Lodginjj;, Fire, Candles, and for Travelling,' within Fiv.' Miles of the Place where they are stationed; but as it friiquently happen.^ that ' 'iHcers of Kngineers cannot procure. Lo(lj,'in;^s suHiciently nef > to Ui' \\'orks carrying on under their direction, and where the. an! Barracks unoccupied at the Time, "We do hereby direct that in all such cases they may be accommodated with the use of the !'irracks conformably to their respective Ranks, provided no additional Expence to the Ord nance or IJarrack Department is thereby created, or that the C)Hicei com7n,iV»d"'i;' Our Forces at such Station .shall judge the same expedient for the ).,>-ner!j.l Go d of Our Service. Aod .vh. iCat yon have represented unto Us that the Permanent Cora niittee of \hc Royal Engineers at the Tower, !>.i establishe.il by Our i .r ■ t KNtiiMiHiimi'iit iluyi'tl nil lliusi' all coiiiiiiDii Ims ^s *H I 'ay, Imt Itnyal l'',n;,'iiii'cr IT Dt'partiiiciit, pnipcr to j,'i'aiit ; lit' carli ( )Hict'r 'iiiii the Mafitcr- )ut. 111!' I'ayiiii'iit ii'di'iiiTal Hhall lost no tiiiKi ill [iiifcrs sliall bt! other, citliiT rtt ill tlit-y may 'h' is ( )iir Wiiirant 11 tiaiisiiiil his lie ( )nlerH they )f ( Mir Stations J5raiit(!il to such to prepare for 11 Serviiio is to to tlui I'laco of [oiiie from any .ations is to be siicli Allowance 11 on Leave of Duty. Corps of Royal Allowances for ■ Mili^s of the UH that ( UticcM's to Uii' Works an; Barracks all sucli cases cs conforinalily cc to tho Onl liat the Odicei same expedient ermanent Com- ^lisheil bv ()!!!■ AI'I'KNDIX. W7 lorm.T Warrants has m.t fully answered the Objects of its Institution We do hereby direct that the I'ermuncrit Committen HO order.'d, aixl the Allowanc.'s thereby Kranled, do ce, n the .'JOtli Day of A|.ril Instant and that in future ail I'laus and Kslmiates fo,' the ronstruetion, K.-paii' or Uebuin of Works be referred to the Inspector-! Jenerul, or, in all ease« where it may be deemed expe.lient, t.oa Coinmitt f Ki,^ri,„.,,,.H Hpcially convened under the Authority of th.' Master ( leiieial fur t:... Time b.'inL' and which said Committee sh.iH n.p,„t to the Master-! leiieral therenponi previous tn their Ihmiik ''"nied into Kxecntion. And we.h. hereby direct thnt the said Ciminiittees nhall assemble as Occasion may ivipiire, either M ihn Towel or at such other place as yon or the Mast.u-'-( b^neralVor tim lime b.uiK may jiidKe expedient; and \V(^ do hereliy further direct that you ilo yrant to all KiiKineers assembled upon these Committees such an Alh.wance of c^xtra Pay ami Travelling' (.'liaises as m.iy be an aniiile Keimbiirsem..nt for any extra Kxpcnses unavoidably incurred in the* PerfornmiiciMif that Duty. And whereas it may be necessary to employ some of Our Koyal Kngineers on Surveys, wlieiv the Duties are. extremely laborious and tho unavoidable Kxi)oiices vcuy great. We do luind.y direct that in all such Ca«.H the Allowances of extra Pay and Travelliiig Charges shall be proportionate, to such lv\peiices. We do further direi't that when any Ollicer of Our Corps of Royal Engineers is unable to atti^ml such Duty at, he may be called ui.oii, and you or Our Master-tbiiieral for the Time being shall judge froiii hi.s Services that he is entithid U, nitire upon liis Pay, you ilo place him on the Invalid Kstablishmoiit in the same Rank as he bold.- in the Corps, if there is a Vacancy; or in case^ there is not a Viuaiicy for an Ollicer of that Rank his Name is to be entered in the Ollice of the Clerk of Our Ordnance, to succeed in his Turn to .aich Vacancy as may liapi>eii in the said Corps of Royal Invalid Kngineers : and no Ollicer of Invalids whose Name is so registered in the Ojli,,, of the Clerk of Our Ordnance simll at any Time after rise, to u higher Rank in the Corps, or be called ujion to .serve again, except in cases of great Emergency, and then only in Great I>rit;iiii. ^ And We do further direct that you cause the Expcnce of this new Katablishmcnt to be inserted in the Kstimates of the Ordnance, to be from time to time presented to Pailiament. And for so iloing this shall be, as well unto you as to tin? Commis.sic.ners for Auditing tli(i Public Accounts of the Kingdom, an's'h thisTwenty-lirst lh\y ni A/>ri/, DS02, in the Forty-second Near of Our Reign. By His Majesty '.s Command, PKLIIA.M. To our Right Tru.sty and Right Wcdl-beloved Cou.sin and Councillor .rohn, Karl of Chatham, K.CJ., Miuster-General of Our Ordnance. 528 n 4, . >i.l APPENDIX. Vide patje 400. Oeorge K. Whereas we have thc)ii(,'lit it expedient to augment Our Corps nf the Royal Engineers with three Captains, three S(!cond Captains, six First Lieutenants and three Second Lieutenants so as to corapleat the Corps in Xu:nber of Officers equal to three battalions of Royal Artillery, We do hereby direct that the following Establishment of ( )ur Corps of Royal Engineers shall take place on the 18th November, 1807, viz. :— Colonel-in-Chief, the Master-General of Our Ordnance Colontl-en- Second, the Lieutenant General of Our Ordnance 3 Colonels-Connnandant 6 Colonels 9 Lieutenant-Colonels .. 3 ditto ... 30 Captains 30 Second Captains 60 First Lieutenants 30 Second Lieutenants .. 1 Brigai'e Major. . 172 £ s. 2 4 \ 4 17 IT) 10 10 6 5 10 each Pay. fi Diem. c£ S. il. IP Annum. £ s. d. Total 6 12 2,409 7 4 2,628 7 13 2,792 5 2 5 821 5 15 5,475 1.5 5,475 18 6,570 7 10 2,737 10 10 182 10 79 14 29,090 10 And that the present Establishment of the Royal Invalid Engineeis shall continue as provided for in Our Warrant bearing Date the 21st April, 1802. {The ncd dauxe rejvat,^ the appoint luent of I. G. F.) And whereas you have represented to Us that from the in(!reased Duties of the said Inspector-General the Assistance of a Dcjiuty-Inspector- General liecomes necessary, we further direct that you do in like Manner select an Officer of Our Corps of Royal Engineers to perform the Duties of Deputy Inspector-General. {Ttieu ame dames defininy extra paij, all of whidi are like the furmrr icarrant excepfini/) — To the OIHcer performing the Duties of Deputy-Inspector-General, Thirty Shillings per LMeni, (a7id aU)) unless he be of the Rank of Second Captain, when the Allowance of Seven Shillings per day Extra Fay is U> be established {abroad) ; {and alno) unless he be of the Rank of Second Captain, when tlie Allowance of Three Shillings per Day Extra Pay is to be established {af home). {The ivarrant repeatfi all the other danxex of that of IS02, ami wiml^ ii}> irith the fnllniriiiij)- ~ And whereas by Our Order l)earing date the 9th January, 1807, V. c thought fit to approve that each of the Colonels-Commandant of tlu ur Coij)s of the ptaiiis, six First ploat the Coi'ps irtillery, We do Corps of Koyal viz. : — Pay. "& Annum. £ s. d. 2,409 2,628 2,792 5 821 5 r),475 0,47;") 6,570 2,737 10 182 10 29,090 10 ^0 'alid Engineers Date the 2Lst '-. F.) the iiKiveased jHity-rnspeetor- in like Maimer )rni the Duties like the furiinr pector-Greneral, iank of Second L\tra Pay is to lank of Second Mxtra Pay is to 02, (DiH iciuil" ary, 1807, V, c andant of tip' ,\ri'HM)IX. 529 Corps of Royal Engineers should receive from tlie 1st of that Montli Two Hundred Pounds ^ Annum in additicm to tlieir Pay ui)on the Kstablisliment before mentioned ; And also by Our Order bearing Date tlie 26tli .hme, 1807, that eacli of tlie Colonels of the Corps should be paid from th(> 1st . I anuary of that year an Allowance of Two Shillings per Day to make up their net Pay Twenty-Six Shillings V Day, Wi; do fuither direct that you cause these Allowances, togctjier with the Expence of the new Establishnienl, amounting to c£;U,317 per annum, to be inserted in tlie Estimates of the Ordnance, (t^.•., Sfc.) Given at Our Court at ,S'/. Jaiiws's, the ^'inet(■ellth Day of April, 1808, in the Eorty-Eighth year of Our Reign. By Ilis Majesty's Command. Hawkesduuy. To our Right Trusty and Right Well-belovid Cou.sin and Councillor John Earl of Chathnm,'K.G., iMa.ster-General of Our Ordnance. Vide paijc 400. GEORGE, P.R. Wliereas We, in the name and on the Behalf of His Alajesty, have thought it expedient to augment our Corps of Royal Engineers with two Colonels, one Lieutenant-Colomd, five Captains, five Second Captains, ten Eirst Lieutenants, and five Second Lieutenants, so as to compleat the Corps in Nund)er of Officers, equal to four Battalions of Royal Artillery, We do herel)y direct that the following Establishment of our Corps of Royal Engineers shall take place from the first Day of the present Month, viz. ; — Colonel-in-Chief, the Master-General of Our Ordnance Colonel-en-Second, the Lieutenant-Gencral of Our Ordnance 4 Colonels-Commandant at £1,000 per annum each ... 8 Colonels at i^l 6s 12 Lieutenant-Colonels at 17,- ... 4 ditto at 15/- 40 Captains at 10/- 40 Second ditto at 10/- ... 80 Eirst Lieutenants at 6/- 40 Second ditto at 5/- 1 Brigade-Major at 10/- 229 Total . . . I'er Diem . £ Pit Annum. £ 1( 10 19 2 4,000 10 8 3,796 10 4 3,723 3 1,095 20 7,300 20 7,:^00 24 8,7«^0 II 10 3,65(1 10 1S:> 39,806 10 10 09 1 2 And that the Establishment of the Royal Invalid Engineers shall be as follows, in Lieu of that provided for in His Majesty's Warrant bearing Date the 2ist April, 1802, viz. :— r>'M) •229 1 Colonel 1 Lieiitcnant-Colonel I ditto 4 Captains, 10s. each 1 Second Captain 1 First Lieutenant 1 Second Lieutenant 239 Corps of Royal Engineers Corps of Invalid Eni,'ineers Al'I'KNDIX. ^ I'ei Diem. ! IVr Aiinuin j i £ 8. d. £ s. d. 1 6 474 10 1 360 17 310 f) 2 730 10 182 10 6 109 10 ... 5 91 5 G 4 2,263 rs . . 1 109 1 2 3!),80() ers 6 4 2,263 (» Total ^i 115 f) 2 42,069 lO' ~~b {Tfi'i remainimi dames of the Warrant arc mnilar to the twopremlinn 0}/l-H.) Given at Our Court at Carlton House, the thirteenth Day of Mav 1811, in the fifty first Year of Our Reign. By the Command of His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in the Name and on the Behalf of His INIajesty, rr .A T,- , m ^- RYDER. io Our Right Trusty and well-beloved Councillor, Henry Lord ]\Iui,grave, Master-General of our Ordnance. Vide pai/f 311. In the Name and on the Behalf of His Majesty. GEORGE, P.R. Whereas you have represented unto Us tliat it would tend much to the Advantage of Our Service, if a general System were estal)lished for the Instruction of Our Corps of Royal ]\rilitary Artificers, Sappers, and Miners, as well as the Junior Officers of Our Corps of Royal Engineers m the Duties of Sapping, Mining, and other Military Field Works' We ill the >same and on the Behalf of His ]\Iajesty, do hereby approve ot th(> annexed Establishment which you have stated to be necessary for conducting the Busincvss of the proposed Instruction, and do autliorizo you to hx upon such Stations as you may consider most advantageous lor carrying on tlie extensive Practice there to be performed. Our further Will and Pleasure is that you, or Our Master-General of Our ( Jrdnance for the Time ])eing, do from time to time select from our Corps of Royal Engineers and (sir) such Officers as from their Zeal and Abilities you may deem most competent to fill the Appointments of Ihrector and Assistant-Director for the Purposes aforesaid. And whereas tlie Appointment and Duties of Director are of much IVr Anmiiii £ s. 474 10 365 310 5 730 182 10 109 10 91 5 (1. !,2C3 »,80(; ,263 ,069 10 ' ^ po precerU If) ay of May, it. RYDER. id much to iblislied for appers, ami Engineers, M Works, iby approve 3cossary for 3 autliorize vantageous ued. Our ral of Our ; from our ir Zeal and itments of lid. And of mucli AIM'KXDIX. 531 Importance, reqiuring a considerable Portion of Ability and Exertion on the Part of the Officer who may be entrusted therewith, Wo are, moreover, pleased in Order to give due Weight and Authority to such Officer, to grant to him the Rank of Major in our Army, from the Date of his Nomination to that Trust, provided he shall not have previously attained the saia Rank. And We do also direct that you do cause the Amount of the aforesaid Establishment, together with the Expence of Materials, Tools, and other Articles required for the Operations to be carried on, to be inserted in the Ordnance Estimates, to be from time to time presented to Parliament ; and for so doing this shall be, as well unto you as to the Commissioners for Auditing the Public Accounts of the 'United Kingdom and to all other Our Officers and Ministers herein concerned, a sufficient Warrant. Given at Our Court at Carlton House, this Twenty-third Day of April, 1812, in the Fifty-second Year of Our Reign. By the Command of His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in the Name and on Behalf of His Majesty. (Signed) R. Rydeh. To Our Right Trusty and well-beloved Councillor, Henrv Loud Mulguave, Master-General of Our Ordnance. Establishment and Pay. One Director of Instructions for Field AYorks, an Allowance equal to his Ordinary Pay and his usual Home Extra Pay. One Assistant-Director, an allowance etpial to the Pay of Adjutant of the Royal Military Artificers together with the usual Home Extra Pay. Forage Allowance for two Horses for the Director. The usual Allowance for two Servants for ditto. Forage Allowance for one Horse to the Assistant-Director. The usual Allowance for one Servant to ditto ditto. Xon-Commissioned Officers as Assistant-Teachers, to an Allowance not exceeding from Is. to Is. 3d. or Is. 6d. per Diem according to the Talents and Exertion of the Individual. The Privates of the Royal Military Artificers, Sappers and Miners attending the Instructions to receive an Allowance not exceeding from 3il. to 6d., and 9d. V Man f< Diem to cover the wear and tear of Clothes, Shoes, t^c, and as an encouragen.ent to exertion and good conduct. One Clerk, having also charge of Stores, 7s. 6d. per Diem with Allowance of House Rent, Coals and Caudles. The Officers of Engineers attending the Instructions to be allowed the usual Honm Extra Pay for such time as tlieir actual Attendance is certified by the Director or Assistant-Director. The Sub-Lieutenants of Royal Military Artificers, Sappers and Miners to be allowed 2s. per Diem for the time of their mutual Attendance on lu.^ttuction, according to Certificate from tlie Director or Assistant- Director. 632 APPENDIX. ^11 Vide 2)a(ie 400. In the Xanie and on the Behalf of His Maiestv George, P.R. "^ ^ Wlieroas wo have thought it expedient to augment our Corps of Royal Engineers witli one Colonel-Commandant, one Colonel, six Li(>utenant- Colonels, five Captains, five Second Captains, ten First Lieutenants, and hye becond Lieutenants, We do hereby direct that the following Esta- blishment of Our Corps of Royal Engineers shall take place from the Twenty-first Day of July, 1813, viz. :— Colonel-in-Chief, tlie Master-General of Our Ordnance Colonel-en-Second, the Lieutenant-(}eneral of Our Ordiianco 5 Colonels-Commandant, at £1,000 per annum each ... 9 Colonels ... at £1 6 eacli 18 Lieutenant-Colonels at 4 ditto at 45 Captains ... at 45 Second ditto ... at 90 First Lieutenants at 45 Second ditto ... at 1 Brigade- Major .. . at 262 j I'er Diem. ! £ s. d. Per Annum. £ s. d. 6 18 16 11 11 6 5 10 Total 1 1 1 1 10 7 13 13 11.! 5,000 11 14 4,270 10 ! 16 5 6 5,940 7 fi ! 3 4 4 1,174 1 8 24 18 9 9,102 3 9 : 24 18 9 9,102 3 9 1 30 15 11,223 15 , 12 11 3 4,585 G 3 10 182 10 138 11 H 50,580 17 11 And that the Establishment of the Royal Invalid Engineers .shall be as follows, in lieu of that provided for in Our Warrant, bearing date the Twenty-first Day of April, 1802, viz. :— Per Diem. 262 1 1 1 4 1 1 _1 272 Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel ditto Captains Second Captain First Lieutenant Second Lieutenant at ILs. Id. each Corps of Royal Engineers . . Corps of Invalid Engineers £ s. d. 1 6 1 18 1 2 4 4 11 1 6 10 5 J^ 6 11 iT Per Annum. 138 11 6i 6 11 11 £ s. d. 474 10 365 330 5 809 1 8 202 5 5 124 14 2 101 17 11 2,407 9 7 50,580 17 11 2,407 y 7 Total £ I 145 3 5i'52,988 7" 6 I |.' 'ps of Royal Lieutenant- enants, and owing Ksta- 0. from the Per Annum. £ s. ,1. 000 270 10 940 7 174 1 8 102 3 9 102 3 9 223 If) ^)85 G 3 1H2 10__0 580 17 11 rs f -liall be ig iliite the er Annun . £ s. d. t74 10 5Gr) 530 f) !09 1 8 '02 f) 5 24 14 2 01 17 11 07 9 7 80 17 11 07 9 7 88 7 6 AIM'KNDIX. 533 {The remainder of the Warrant is miiilar to its praiheesmrs.) Given at Our Court at Carlton House the Twenty-Hrst Day of July, 1813, in the Fifty-third year of Our Reign. To our Right Trusty and Right Well-be- loved Cousin and Councillor, Henry Earl of Mulgrave, Master-General of Our Ordnance. ( |]y the Command of Ilis Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in the Name and on the Behalf of His Majesty. SIDMOUTH. Vide page 406. In the Name and in the Behalf of His Majesty. GlvUHGE, P.R. Whereas We have thought tit that Our Corps of Royal Engineers should bo reduced to the following Peace Establishment amounting to £47,135 7s, lid. per Annum, to which are to be added certain per- manent Allowances annexed to that Establishment amounting to £3,177 6s. lOd., making altogether the sum of £50,312 14s. 9d. per Annum. Pay. ^ Diem ench. V Amium. Colouelin-Chief, the Master- General of Our Ordnance Colonol-en-Second, the Lieu- tenant - General of Our Ordnance 4 Colonels-Commandant . 8 Colonels 16 Lieutenant-Colonels ... 4 ditto 40 Captains 40 Sec(nid Captains 80 First Lieutenants 40 Second ditto ... 1 Brigade-Major ... 233 Establishment for In- valid Engineers the same as m Warrant ;- for 21. St July, 1813, I viz. Total. s. 2 14 1 6 18 16 11 11 6 5 10 n 3*^ 1 1 1 1 10 7 4,000 3,832 10 5,280 6 1,174 1 8,090 16 8,090 16 9,976 13 4,075 16 182 10 243 Total 44,703 11 8 2,431 16 3 47,135 7 11 .1 584 Al'PKXDlX. {The of her clauses are nmilar to those in the. jveredm/ Warrant.) (iiven at Our Court at Carlton House this 15th clay of February, 1817, in the Fifty-seventh Year of Our Reign. To our Right Trusty and Well Beloved j By tl'.e Command of His Cousin and Councillor Henry, Earl ( Royal Highness the Prince of Mulgrave, INlaster-General of Our (' Regent, in the Xame and on Ordnance. ) the IJehalf of His Majesty. SLDMOUTH. Vide paije 407. In the Name and on the Behalf of His Majesty. Gkorge, P.R. Whereas We have thought fit that the Peace Establishment of our Corps of Royal Engineers, bearing date the 15th February, 1817, should be reduced to the following Establishment, amounting to £41,088 lis. 3d. per Annum, to which are to be added certain Permanent Allowances annexed to that Establishment, amounting to £3,153 18s. 5d., maldn'r together the sum .£44,242 9s. 8d. per Annum:— "^ Pay. 'l\»fnl Per Diem each. i Per Annum £ s. d. 1 oca I. £ s. Colonel-in-Chief, the Master- £ s. d. (1 Generalof OurOrdnance Colonel-en-Second, the Lieu- tenant - General of Our Ordnance 1 4 Colonels-Commandant . 2 14 9| 4,000 8 Colonels 1 6 3 3,832 10 16 Lieutenant-Colonels . . 18 1 5.280 6 8 4 ditto 16 1 1,174 1 8 32 Captains 11 1 6,472 13 4 32 Second Captains 11 1 6.472 13 4 64 First Lieutenants 6 10 7,981 6 8 32 Second ditto 5 7 3,260 13 4 1 Brigade-Major 10 182 10 38,656 J 5 193 Establishment of In \ valid Engineers the same as in Warrant !- 2,431 16 3 of 21st July, 1813, viz. ... . . . / ~ 203 Total ... 41,088 11 ~3 Warrant. ) puary, 1817, naiul of His s the Prince ruiiK! anil on lis Majesty. rOUTH. AVPENOIX. 535 (Thr other rlanxr, are dmilar to thn,e in the premltu!/ ]\ arrmU) Given at Our Court at Carlton House this SOth Day of March, 1819, in the Fifty-ninth year of Our Reign. To Our Trusty and Kight Entirely be- loved Cousin and Councillor, Arthur Duke of Wellington, K.G., Master- General of Our Ordnance. By the Command of His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, ill thcNameand on the Rehalf of His Majesty. SIDMOUTH. lent of our , should be 88 lis. 3d. Allowances d., making Total. S. (1. 56 J 5 31 16 3 88 11 3 t ■ ■, • m INDEX TO VOLUMP: I. Alilicy, Lieutciiiint, in Tlolliiiid, 368 ; killed at H('rf^('ii-()i)-Z()()iii, ;i7'l Abialiaiii, Ilcij^lits of, at (i)iuitici', 193 Afaih.'iiiy, Koyal Miiitaiy, at Woohvii'li f'ouiuied, inf) Adain.soii.Sub-Licutonaiit, killed at UeigJU- oji-Zooin, 371 Adoiir, i)asHaf,'(' of, \i:fl Ailiioth, tlic Engineer, 10 Aland Islands, siege oi' Honiar.sund, 120 Albert Magister, 10 Alliu«juei(iiie, Duke of, mI Cadiz in 1810, •2ti!) Allmiiuei(|ne, siege ami eai)ture of, 121 Alexander, C. C. . in Crimea, 423; death of, 131 Alexandria, battle of, 231 ; siege of, 233 Algiers, bombardment of, 391 Alicante, defenee and loss of, 134 Alien Priory, 2S Alma, battle of, 424 Alnuinza, battle of, 130 Almaraz, destruetion of bridge al, 312 American War, the second, 357 Anderson, H., in Holland, 217, 223 Anderson. Lientenaiit, Assistant Engineer. •it ca])ture of (^>uarries, Sebasto- pol, 1.")") Anderson, Lieutenant, at defence of Luck- •.lOiV, 183; report on, 481 Andi'ison, .Major, Chief Engineer at de- fence of Lucknow, 483 ; death of, An .vate A., with Hurke on "-e, 417; gains Order of . 418 Anderst, C, in Crimea, 43t! Antwerp, attempt to destroy Ueet at, 368 ; taken over from French, 376 Apperly, John, in India, 164 Appubn, Lieutenant, King's Cerman En- gineer, 406 Aicher. Captain, at Gibraltar, 75; siege of Minorca, 176; Havannah, 195; Belleisle, 198 Aruiit .1. L. A. , in Crimea, 450 ; wounded, 461 Aimstrong, John, A.Q.M.C, i" Flanders, 111 ; services there, 114 ; con- structs Lines uf Buuchain, 115 ; appointed Engineer on Establish- ment, 115 ; Commissioner to destroy fort at Dunkirk, 116 ; on 01(1 and New Establishments, 139;CliiofEngineer,142;ti.M.G., 147 ; ('eath of, 155 Armstrong, John, Junior, Engineer Extra- ordinary, 156 ; at L'Orient, 161 Arms'iiong, Thomas, 148 ; siege of Car- thagena, 151 ; at L'Orient, 161 Arnold, J. li., in Egypt, 230 Aitititcrs, Soldier, Company— see Royal Military Artificers Artillery, separation of, from Engineers, 141 Attillator, 13, 14, 17 Augmentation of Engineer Corps, 172, 397, 398, 399, 400, 407, 408 Hadajoz, description of, 288 ; first siege of, 289 ; raised, 291 ; second siege, 291 ; Christoval twice unsucccss - fully assaulted, 293 ; raised, 293 ; third siege of, 295 ; attack on fort I'ieuriiia, 296 ; sortie, 296 ; trenches Hooded, 297 ; capture of I'icuriiia, 299 ; assault and caii- ture of fortress, 302 Bainbrigge, Lieutenant, in Crimea, 450 ; killed, 450 Baii'd-Smith, at Delhi, 475 Balaklava, Hank march to, 425 ; seizure of. 426 Ballard, J. A., at Silistria, 417 Baniburgh, Thomas, 13 Barcelo, Admiral, at Gibraltar, 80 Barcelona, siege of, 121 ; its capture, 123; French attack on, 125 Barker, John, 137 ; on New Establishment, 139 Barrossa, battle of, 271 Barry, Lieutenant, at San Sebastian, 336 Basset, Thomas, 172 Bastia, capture of, 220 liastide, J. IL, Engineer in Ordinary, 156 ; at siege of Louisburg, 157 ; at Minorca, 175 ; at second siege of Louisburg, 184 Bath, promotions in, 402 ; .Mann's protest against, 403 Ijatteries, iloating, at fiibraltar, 101 Battles— Steinkirk, 57 ; Almaiiza, 130 ; rjiis INDKX. If' ' 1^' . 'i| ' V-«'f-i Di3ttiiif,'cii, 1')'); Falkirk, 159; Ciillddcii, Itil; Viil, \&.i; SilliTi, l!tl ; Muiikoi'H Hill, 20;t ; Long Island, ^'()^k Isliiiid, and iiiook- Ivn, viOt : Lannoy, 2Ui ; Alfxan- dria, •2.n ; Kl Hanka, t-i'l ; Maior in Ciiniua, 437 ; wonndi'd, 440 Beatson, Robert, 21() Hcliman, Cornelius Van, in Civil War, 46 Hell, Thomas, Snb-Fnginccr on Kstablish- ment, 61 ; in Newfoundland Train, 136 Bellcisle, siege of, 198 ; US. account of in R.A. library, 198 nelson, F. C, in Crimea, 450 ; died, 161 i'ennet, .Fohn, 17 Hennet, .loseph, Enj^ineer in Portugal Train, 119 ; at siege of Albu()uer- 4Ue, 121; at (iibraltar, 64; com- mended liy I'rineo of Hesse, 66 ; made Chief Engineer of (Iibraltar, 67 ; mission to IJarbary, 67 ; corres|)ondeni'o with IJoard of Ordnance, 68 Bent, George, at Coiistantinoiile, 414 : in attack on Sebastonol of June 18th, 457 Berensl)a(di, Captain, King's (Jerman En- gineer, 406 Bergen-op/oom, defence of, 163 ; assault on, 370 ; its failur(!, 374 BeniiU'd de (iomnie — see (iomnie Berwick, 13, 20, 31 Bewley, Ralph, 11 Bickerstalf, Leonard, 148, 156 ; in India, 164 Biddulph, Captain, Assistant Engineer in Crimea, 437 Birch, J. F., in Holland, 217 ; in Egypt, 230 ; Copenhagen, 243 ; Corunna, 247 ; Flushing, 249 ; Cadiz, 269 ; ]5arrossa, 272 Birch, J,,.luiiior, atCcdiz, 270; Tarifa, 275 Birch, William, 216 Birch, Lieutenant, Assistant Engineer at Defence of Lucknow, 483 Bisset, Charles, at Bergen-op-Zoom, 164 Bizot, French general in Crimea, 429 ; (lisagi'ees with Burgoyne, 441 ; appeals to Paris, 444 Blakoney, fJoneral, at siego of Minorca, 176 Blanshard, Captain, at Washington, 358 ; New Orleans and Fort Bowyer, 359 Blood, Ilolcroft, Captain of i'ioneers, 51 ; Second Engint^er, 60 ; Command- ing Flanders Train in 1702, 110 ; giill.intry at Venloo, 111 ; com- mainis Artillery at Blenheim and Ramilies, 112 ; his death, 113 Blunt, Charles, in Flanders Train, 111 Boddington, Agent to the Corps, 169 Bodley, Josias, 40 Bodt, John, Engineer in Flanders Train, 55, 61 Jioileau, Majcu', at.lhansi, 494 Boitout, Lucas, Sub-Engine(!r on Establish- ment, 61 ; in Portugal Train, 119 ]5olton, Liciutenant, in Holland, 377 Boniarsund, siege of, 420 Bonnyeastle, Lieutenant, at Flushing, 249 Bontein, Archibald, 166 Boutein, AVilliam, at L'Orient, 161 ; in Flanders, 163 ; at Bergen-op- Zoom, 164 ; at si'cond siege of Louisburg, 184 Bonus, Lieutenant, wounded at Jhansi, 495 Booth, William, at siege of (iibraltar, 85; charge of mines, 93 ; his draw- ings, 93 ; sent home insane, 94 Booth, William, 216 Boothby, C, in Calabria, 238 ; in Penin- sula, 246 ; Corunna, 247 ; with Wellesley, 256 ; wounded at Talavera, 257 Borgard, Albert, Adjutant of Train, 61; Engineer in Train, 61 ; command- ing I'ortugal Train, 119; wounded at Valenza, 123 ; and at Alcan- tara, 127 ; on New Establish- ment, 140 ; Colonel of Scotch Train, 145 Bos, Jan de, 44 Boteler, R., in South America, 242 ; Peninsula, 244 ; Corunna, 247 ; Flushing, 249 ; lirst siege of B.- dajoz, 289 ; San Sebastian, 336 Bourcliier, E. F., at Constantinople, 414 ; in Crimea, 423 ; made Brigade- Major, 453 ; wounded, 459 Bousfield, Robert, siege c" (iibraltar of 1727, 73, 147 Boyd, l[ajor-(ieneral, at > 80 ; created K.... Brabant, Henry, 61, 136 Braddock, Oeiu'ral, disastei- at Du (,>uesne, 171 Bramham, James, 55, 156 ; in Flanders, •of (iibraltar, i06 i ■':• t siego of Miuorcii, it WaHliingtoii, '-iM ; ■i iiiul Fort HowyiT, ;aiii of I'ioiit'ci.s, .'> 1 ; iH^iT, (50 ; Comiiiaiid- Train in 170-J, 110 ; V'^oiiloo, 11 1 ; coin- cry at Mk'ulioini ami 2 ; hisiloath, 1111 iiidcrs Traill, 111 tlio Corps, lt)9 ■ ill Klanders Train, iinsi, 494 111,'incin' on Establi.sh- I'ortuKal Traill, lilt II Holland, .')7r 4-20 lit, at Fliwhiu},', 249 tit) t L'Orieiit, K31 ; in Si5 ; at nerf,'cii-oii- at si'cond siof^c of 84 rtoundcd at .lliaiisi, ■go of !lit)raltar, 85; inos, 9:5 ; liis draw- it home insane, 94 ria, '2:58 ; in Penin- ioninna, 247 ; with 250 ; wounded at 7 iitant of Traill, til; 'rain, til ; coniiuaiid- Fiaiii, 119; wounded 12;! ; and at Aleaii- 011 New Estalilish- Colonel of Scotch ith America, 242 ; 44 ; Goruiina, 247 ; 19 ; lirst siebell, A., removed to Indian list, 201 Campbell, Charles, 148 Campbell, Doiigal, 156 ; in Scotland, 158 ; Culloden, 161 ; Chief Engineer in Flanders, 162 Campbell, .lames, 166 Caniiibell, John, 215 Campbell, Major, Assistant Engineer in Crimea, 457 Canton, attack on, 501 ; escalade of, 503 ; destruction of forts, 504 ; eon- tractors at, 505 Cape of Good Hope, capture of, 241 Captain-Lieutenants made Ca])tains, 202 Cardew, G., in Egypt, 230 ; Flnshiiig, 249 Carles, Peter, Engineer in Channel Train, 56 ; Colonel and Chief Engineer of Spanish Train, 117 ; his character, 117 ; at Cadiz and Vigo, 118 ; placed on Est.iblish nieiit, 123 ; joins Portuguese 540 INDKX. Ht'i'viiT, ll; iiioiit, l;iti on (Jill Kst'ihliHli. ( I; , k Cark'toii, Cdptuiii (JcorL'i', his incnioirs, 120 Carlutoii, Cdloiiol, killi'il :\t llfr^'fii-op- /iioiii, :i7't Cariiiicliftfl, Scijfiiiit, at Kasliiiiciv (into, Dolhi, I7H I'ariii'gk', Li.'iiti'iiiiiit. ut Ddlii, 177; woiiiuli'il, |S2 ; at Hic>{c of Luck- ii()\,, 1!»(J Carter, Lioutt'iiant, in Ciiinca, I.IO ; killed, ir.o Cas.sall, (!iM)rf{o C'Diirad*! von, til CeniiMitarii, 11 Chalmers, Lieutenant, Assistant Knginecr at relief of Liicknow, •1S7 Clianipain, Lieutenant .!,, at Delhi, 177; wounded, lS-2 ; at cajiture of Luiknow, ■{><'.) Cliapniaii, Captain, Awsistant Engineer in Crimea, UiJ ; killed, ttil (Jhapinan, Krederiek K., at (iallipoli, 110 : in Crimea, I -i.'J ; on.hinu IMtli, Ifi? Chapman, Stepiii'u Kemn.int, in Holland, 22:i ; Copenhaj,'un, 2V,i ; in Peninsula, "i.'iti ; Torres Vedras, M\ ; Musaeo, M'J: Chardellan, .lean, l']nf,'ineei' in Chaiinol 'I'lain, fit) ; on hall-pay list, 139 Charduloup, ,Iohn, in Spanish i'rain, 128 Charlestown, siej^e of, 20(j Charter, Franeis and Kdward, 1 1 Chayter, Henry, in Flanders Train, 111 Cheese, Ca)itain, lU Cherbourg,', attack on, 184 Chesney, Lieutenant G., at Dcdhi, 477 ; wounded, 182 Cheyno, A., at Corunna, 2-17 Chileot, .iolm, 21t); in West Indies, 220 China War iij 18 11, .")00 ; in 1857, .')02 Christoval fort at liadajoz, 2!)0, 2!t2 Clayton, Colonel, Lieutenant-dovernor of Gihraltar, at siurro in 1727, 72 Clerk, Matthew, 173 Clerk, Robert, exjieditiou to L'Orient, Itil ; in Flauclers, 162 ; taken i)risoner at Meri(en-oi)-Zoom, lt)4 ; at Roehefort, 182 Gierke, Ca[itain, at capture of Lueknow, killed, 493 Colby, I^ieutenant, at Flushinj,', 219 Cole, Sir Henry, 2 Cole, Lieutenant, in Holland, 377 Collier, Theodore, Adjutant, afterwards Major of Barcelona Train, 119 ; commands l'ortu<,'al Train, 128, 141 Collyer, G., at Copenhagen, 243 ; San Sebastian, 33f! ; killeil, 340 Colonels-Commandant, promotion to, 400 ('Oniburn, Willijim, I It! Comptroller of Fort i Ileal ions, 13 C()neepi;ion Fori, destnietion of 2(18 ('(mnall, t'orporal, at I'l'ronne, 384 Conrade, (ieorge, Kiigineerin West Indi(!s, 137 ; in (Channel Train, 5(1 Colli raetois at Caul )n, .'lO.'i Cooke, Captain A. C, in Crimea, 4(J1 Cooke, William, Kli! Cooper, Lieulenaiit, in Holland, 3ti8 Coojier, R., in Hollainl, 217 Copenhagen, siege of, anil i^ajiture of Danish Meet, 243 j Corneille, .li.hii, 1 ll I Corneille, Kudolph, Second Kngincer of Ireland. (>) I Cornwallis, eorrespondenee about Hay, j 223 ; about Corps, 3il8 Corsica, cai)lure of, 220 1 Corunna, battle of, 247 j Courtney, F. IL. in China War. of 18(!0, ! nil Couture, I'eter, 21(1 ' Coventry, Richard, IK I Covey, Lieutenant, in Holland, 377 Covvell, ,lohii, A.|).(^ to General .lones at Ili.marHund, Hit ; in Crimea. 444 ; secures Russian Hag, 4')G Cowley, William, Fugineer Extraordinary, I'lO ; at siege of Louisburg, 1,'J7 Cowper, Captain, killed at Canton, 502 Co.\, Captain, at capture of Luckuow, 48!> Crablv, Sir. I., 11 Craigie, A. D., at Varna, 422 ; in Crimea. 423 ; killed, l.'iO Cranveldt. .lolin \'an, 43 Cray, I'rivati', Royal Sapiieis ami Miners. 412 ; disliiiguishes him.self nl Varna lire, Hit Creyko, A. J., at Varna. 412 : in Crhnea. 424 ; invalided, 440 Crilloii, Due de, at siege of (iibraltar, 98 Crimea, inva.sion of, 122 Crofton, (.;. St. .1.. in Crimea, 437; killed. 4.14 Cronuiiclin, Captain, at defence ol Lueknow, 187 (Jrown .lewels, robbi'iy of, ,") 4 Cullodeii, battle of, Itil Culpepper, Tiiomas, Fugineer in Ordinarv. 49 Cumberland, Captain, at dcstruc'tion of Sebasto{)i)l docks, 471 Cunningham, William, Engineer in Ordinary, I'lO ; at Minorca, 17r> ; Chief Fugineer in West Indies and death there, 189 D'Agnecourt, .lolin Andn', in Spanish Train, 128 Mil liru'iilidiiH, in ■stMII'tiDll of '-'OH lit I'lToiiiic, :1M| ii^'iiii'ciiii \V(!»t IiiiliL'.s, liMiiMi'l 'rraiii, 5(1 Mil, .'lO.') C, in Ciiiiiea, 101 itJ , ill IIoIIuikI, W» ami, 217 ' of, and I'liptiire of 1 I, Si'cond Knginoer of II lioiulenci' iilidut Hay, It CoipH, :i!t8 •220 217 II China War. nt 18ii0. lit ill Holland, ;!77 ).('. to (Iciicral .ioiu's uind. Hit ; ill Crimea. Ill's Ilnssian tlaf,', I'iO !iij;iiici'i' I'^xtraoidinary, i'j{(' of Loiiislmi'f,', 1,57 illrd at C'lintoii, 502 |itiiri! of Liifkiiow, -IW i'ariia, 422 ; in Crinifa. d, l.'iO 111, 1:5 111 Sapiiurs and MiiuTs. liiif^niMlics liinisclf al •, Hit aiiia, 412 : in CiiiinM. .lidfd, 4 10 sii'1,'1^ of Oibraltar, 9S ■, 122 in Crinii'ii, i:J7; killnl. !iin, at dcfi'iico ol 4.S7 iiTV of, 54 Itil , EiiKineorin Ordinarv. liii, at dt'stnii'tion of I dorks, 471 lliani, Kngiiii'or in 150 ; at iMiiiolcii, 175 ; jinucr in West Indies there, KS!) I Andii', ill Rjiani^l! INDKX. 541 DiiCoHta, A. v. II., at lloiiK Koii^', 500 ; Doii^Iuh, •!. K., at Miuoiid sin^o of Minorca, ^alliiiitiy at Cuiiton and iiinidei' of. 501 Dakeyne, Captain, Assistant Kiij,'ini'er in China War ol IHtiO, 511 Dnlciii, I'ltiT Mantcaii Van, in Civil W'ai, 4il l)iiiliy. Admiral, lelirf of (iilmiltar, ',i| nmconi't, Oliver, Kn^iiieer in Clianncl Train, 5tl D'Aicy, Itoliert, at seeoiid sicj/u of Miiioria, 20'.), 2lti; ('o|)enhilgell, 24:t ; Walihnen, 2IM lliiirah, Tiii'iili'iiant, in ('rimea, 451 iiiado jiriHoiHir, 2i;J, 21tJ; in West Indies, 220 Douio, nassa>,'e of, 257 Dowse, Kichaid, 21(1; in Went IiidiiiH, 220 Drake, .1. M., in ('riiiieu, lllii; his ^al lantry, 442: at Kertih, 151 Diiijiir, Sir \V., Lieiitenant-Coviriior at second siej^e of Miiiona, 20!t ; his charf,'eH against the (ioveinor, 211 Dreliel, Cornelius, ID Dress in 17H2, 22(i Drinkwiiter, siej{o of Cihraltar. H2 <•/ srij. D'Aiiliiinl, Aliiahiini. lN!i ; in Corniea, | Drosselin, attack on, 12 220 i Dnhois, Nicholas, in FliinderM Train, 111; Daviis, Kof,'cr, KiiKineer in I'ortngal Traill, 127-141 Davis, .Serjeant, assists to rescue (Ju|itaiii fjcwis at Sun Sehastiaii, ;ilO Davy, II., ill I'eiiinsiila, 2l(i ; killed at lietaiizos, 217 Dawson, ('iiptiiin, in (^Iriniea, 454 Dawson, Richard, lti5 Day, .loseiih, 1 17 Deiiliiej;, llngli, at T/Orieiit, Kil ; in Ml hall-piiv list, l;!!i Dii ('line, I''., in Crimea, 4til Dndj^eon, Uiehard, lOli ; at llocliefort, 182 ; at second siegu of Lonislmrg, 1S4 Dnif, Admiral, at (lihriiltar, M Dnniiii'esij, W. II., in (-'rimea, UW Diiiidas, JJavid, 172 Dnndas, lion. K., in Holland, 222; in KKvpt, 2:!0 Flanders, ItilJ; at Hecoiid sief.^( | Diiiida.s, William, 172; irconimissaiices in of Loiiisliiirg, 184 ; at t^iiuhec | i;5(), 174 with Wolfe, liiO Duncan, .lidiii, 4li De liiitts, Aiijfiistns, at Corsica, 220 1)( huiiain, Richard, 47 Delhi, desciip'iiiiii ol', 475; sie>{c of, 477; hlowing ill Kashmere (late, 479 ; captnre of, 482 De Moleyns, Cajitain, in Crimea, 454 ; on ".liine IMh. 457 Denia, siej^e of, IMO ; lo.ss of, 134 De Salaheriv, Lieiiteiiant, at Cindad Ko Irif^o, 27!' ; third siege of liadajo/, 21t(i ; killed at a.ssanlt, 305 D'Hstaing, Count, at (iilnaltar, !I2 Dettingen, hattlu of, 155 De Vere, ['". II,, in Crimea, 423 Diik, Lientenant, killed at .Ihaiisi, 495 Dickens, Samnel Tnivor, 21(1 Dickinson, Caiitaiii, in Sonth America, 242 ; Flnshijig, 249 ; Torres Vedras, 2til ; lirst siege of Uadajoz, 289 ; killed, 290 Digges, ficonard, 34 Dii'oin. Lientenant, at Hong Kong, 502 Dixon, Matthew, 155, 15() ; in India, 164; at second siege of Louisburg, 184 ; llavannali, 195 Di.voii, Matthew, junior, at Fort Detroit, 357 Dominica, loss of, 205 Donnelly, J. I'"., in Crimea, 424 ; .luno ISih, 457; secures cemetery, 459 Dunkirk, deinnlition of fortilications, 116 Durand, I'eter, in Siiaiiish Train, 128; commands Train for Minorca, 132; dies at Ciliraltar, 09 Durnford, Andrew, 215 Durnford, Augustus, 172; at Hochefort, 183 ; at second siege of Lonishurg, 184; llavannali, 195; ISelleisle, 198 Durnford, Kdward, at Hong Kong, 500 Durnford, Elias, 189; at Mobile, 207; in West Indies, 220 Durnford, Elias, junior, in West Indies, 220 Dury, Theodore, Engineer in Channel Train, 50; in Scotland, 145; in North Britain, 140 Dysen, G., in Holland, 222 Edwardes, Talbot, Travelling Engineer, 54; at (iibraltar, 05; Chief En- gineer, ISarbados, 130 ; on Old Establishment, 139 ; I'ortsnioutli, 145 Edwards, Lieutenant, at.lhaiisi, 490 F^i.ser, .lolui Christian, 181 ; at Rochefort, 183 El Hodeii, Hurgoyne's conduct at, 331 El Hanka, battle of, 232 Eliott, George Augustus, in Flanders Train, 155; Engineer K.xtraordi- ;i ! 042 INDKX. V nary, Ifid; ivt Ifiiviiiiimli, lltfi; (lovcnior (if (iilirallir at .sic^c, ?'.» ; I'lvalcd Hiirdii Ilcatlificlil, ioti Kllicotnln', I.iciiti'iiaiit, at ("iiulail Kndiif,'!), 2M1 ; tliinl sii'^'cot' lUilaJo/, •Jllii ; Vitloria, ;!:!2 ; San Si'diastian, ;i:!ti Klliot, IiiciitiMiaiil, at, Oiudad Uotliij^o, 281 ; thinl sio'^f of niulaioz, •>\H\ Klliliinstoni', lion, .lolni, rnictitionor Kn>,Mii(vi-, l.-,(i ; ill Scotland, ms; Cnllodcil, Itil Klpliinstoiic, Howard, in Sontii Aniciica, 212; in I'l'iiiiisiila, 2 i;t ; at Rolcia, 211 ; at iiassaj^i' of Adour, :iM l'fc of Uadajo/, 2!t2 ; tliiid sicfjc of liada- joz, 2i»(); New Oilcans and Fort liowycr, ;iri!> Knfj;iiinc, Uiclnird. 8 Kn^inccr Establisliincnt sec Hstaldisli- nicnts En^'incers (^)iiarteis at (iihraltar, 7(i : rrinci|ial and Inferior rules fu\\ •l_!»; Ccnps formed, 1 Hi ; Instrnc- tionsfor,! I!> : Dutch, for America, ItiO; Invalid Kstaliiisliment, 2l:i ; attached to Divisions in I'ciiin- stila, ■)'■)] ; memorial for iiiereasi' of iiay. :{l!t Kiif,'lish, F., at Holeia and Vimiera, 211; at Coriinna, 217 Fsla, pontoon l)ridj,'o across, 331 Kstalilishmeiit in ItilT, (iO ; ItiOS, (iO ; 171 J, l;i!l; 1722, 1 17; 17:{0, US; 1741, irxi; 17 IS, 10;-); 17r.;->, 172; 17i")9, 1 8S ; 1 782, 202 ; 1781, 2l;J ; 181 !>, 107 Kiipatoria, occupation of, 122 Fvaus, Corporal, swims to Santa Clara at Sail Scliastian, ;il2 Evatt, 1!., ill Holland, 22:! Kvelef,'h, John, at sic^'(' of (Iihraltar, 8;"), 21;') Kwart, C. 15., at Constantinoplp, 411; in Crimea, 42.( Exhibition, International, of ISol, 2 Extra Pay, tirst cstahlisliincnt of, 214 Eyre, Tjieuteiiant, in Holland, 868 I'lyw, Thomas, ItiO Eyre, William, Practitioner Euf^ineor, \i>{> ; at CuUoden, Itil ; in Flanders, 1()2 FaHiirk, battle of, i59 I I''aiisha\ve, E.,al CapeoflJood Ilojio, 211: ill South America, 212; l''lnshinL', 2 lit I'aris, W , at Waterloo, ;!7i» {•'avicie, Maximilian de, in Spanish Train, I2it: half-pay list, l:!i) ■ Femier, Edward, 1;').'), l,''it) Fenwick, ( 'aptain, at .Ihaiisi, 11)1 , Fostiiij,', Lii'iitenanl, at .lliansi, 10(1 ; Fiddes, .1., at second siejje of Minorca, 201), I 21(1; in West Indies, 220 Fili,'ate, Lieiiti'iiant, in (!liina War ,d lS(iO, r)ll Finlay. ,)., in Holland, 222 Fislu'r, A. A'C, in (Jriniea, 4;')1 ; .lime 18th r(>port, IfiS; Hoiifi Koiij;, .^)02 ; attack on I'eilio forts, 007; China War of IStiO, r>\\ Fisher, nenjaniiii, 215 FIciniiij,', .lohii, Kit! I'Metchcr, Richard, in West Indies, 220 : Mission to Turkey, 221); in Ten insula, 2ri(); Tories Vedras, 21)0; Cindad Kodrii,'o. 280; first: siege of liadajoz, 281); si'cond siege o I liadajo/, 21)1 ; third siege of |{adai>:z, 295; wounded at .sortie, 297 ; returns to reiiinsula as a Uaronet, ;!:n ; Vittoria, .'{.•!•. raiu|il()na, :{;):!; San Sebastian, :!:!6; killed, .'il)) Floating batteries at siege of (iihraltar, 101 Flushing, siege of, 211); destruction ol docks, 254 Foord, Lieutenant, Assistant Engineer in China War of IStiO, 511 Forbes, Alexander, in Flanders Train, 111 . in Harcelona Ti.iin, Hit; in Xiu EiiglaiHl, l.')7 Forbi's, Lieutenant, at Delhi, 177 ; wound ed, 182 ; capture of f,uckiio\v, liio Ford, \\'., in llollaml, 217; in Egypt, 2".ii l'"orsler, W., in I'cniiisnla, 2 Id; (^irnnna. 217; with Wellesley, •>;>(}; Toriv- Vedras, 2til : Ciudad Hodrigo. 289 ; second siege of Hadajo/. 292; killed, 292 Fouriiier, Adam (iabriel, Kit! Fox, Lieutenant, wounded at.lliansi, ID.", Fr:iZ(>r, Andrew, 189, 215 French view of Royal Engiueors, 5 F'rodshani, Henry, It! Fulfonl, Lieutenant, at Delhi, 177 ; cap tare of Liieknow, 190; died ol exposure, 182 Fulton, Captain, at did'ence of Lucknow 48:!; killed, 484 Fyers, E., in Peninsula, 25t! Fyt'i's, F.,atCorunna,217 ; Walcheren, 21^ F'yds, William, at New York, 201, 21il 'llpc (if ( iiKid Il()])(), 211 ; Aiiiciicii, -^12; I'Musliing, I'l'loii, .">7!' Ill ill', ill Spanish 'rniiii, f-imy list, l:iil Tin, i:,t! at .liiiiiisi, I',) I it, at .lliaiisi, lOii 1(1 sU'^i' (if Minorca, 20'.i, Vest lii(li(.'.s, 220 it, in (ijiiiia War ./f laiiil, 222 (-riiiica, ITil ; .Iniic 18tli iS; IloiiK Konj;, r>02 ; I'ciliii forts, TiO? ; China i()(), .f.ll 21.") II in West Indies, 220 : ) Turkey, 22it ; m I'en *! ; 'rones Veilras, 2()0 : oilrii,'!), 2S0 ; first siege 7., 2iS!l ; second siei,'e ot 2!H ; third siei,'e ol lUfi ; wounded at sortie, iriis to Peninsula as a ;!:n ; Vittoria, ;{;iL , ;il):i ; San Seliastian, d, :{|ti tsiejjiiof (Jibraltar, 101 , 2ll» ; destrnetion ol Assistant Kiif,'ineer in !• of ISdO, fill n KhuidersTiaiii, 111. la Train, 1 1!i ; in Neu l.'i? lit Delhi, 177 ; woiiiiil l]itlire of filleknow. liMi id, 217 ; in Kjiyiit. 2".ii insiihi, 2li); Coriiniiii. Wcllesley, 2r)() ; Torie- jl ; Ciudad Hodrigo. nd siofjo of Hadajo/. I, 292 iriel, Kit) luiided at .lliansi. I'.K", >, 21 r> il Kn};;iiieors, 5 tJ , at Delhi, 177 ; ca|i ickiiow, lilO; died ol S2 defence of Lucknou . , 181 ula, 2ri() ,,217 : Walcliereii,2l'- '^'ew York, 201, 21il INhl'A. 643 (ialway, l']arl of, coniinands ex|ie(litioii to Portugal, 121 , (loodall the l'h;giiieer, :!1 (ioodfellow. Lieutenant C. A., at .Ihansi, niti ; gains V C, 199 (iordoii, Charles (ieoige, in Crimea, 4;57 ; assault of ,luiie 18tli, l.'i? : de- slructionofSehastopo! docks, 171 ; at (lestruction of Siiminer Palace at Pekiii, .M.'i (Jordoii, Harry, in Flanders, lti;i ; with liraddock, 171 ; Martini([ue, 19;'); llavannah, 19") (iordon, ,1. W., in Crimea, 12;! ; wounded, gallantry of, 1 18 ; Kurtcli, 4.^)1 ; assault on .lune 18tli, ■1.'')7 ; di;- stiuction of Si^hastopol ducks, -171 (iordon, AVilliam, 21ti ; in Holland, 217 (iosset. A., ill Holland, 222 • iossett, Lieutenant, at Oswego, ti,')8 ; at Algiers, :{92 (iossett, Lieutenant, at .Ihansi, 195 Craliam, C. , in Kgypt, 2;i0 (irahani, (ierald, in Crimea, 42:j ; assault of June 18th, 1,')7 ; gains ^'.C., •ItiO ; destiiietion of Sidiasto- pol docks, 170 ; in (;iiiiia War of 18(!(), !-)ll (Irahain, Sir Thomas, at P.anossa, 271 : .San .Sehastiiin, :! 10 drain, K. M., In Crimea, i:f7 ; invalided, l.'')0 Craves, .1. M., in Crimea, 12.'! ; killed, I")!" (riayine, Patie, 2:i (ireatiied, Lientenanl, at Delhi, 477 ; wounded, 182 (Ireen, Mr., journal of siege of Cihraltar, 82 .!/, ,scu INDKX. I... Ilassi'bioick, Ca|itiiiii, Kiii^''.s (uTiimii En- j^'inccr, lOl! il.ivaiiiiiili, .sii'i,'!' of, lit") IIiivii', sii'^c (if, :i:i ll.iwkiiis, l''r,iiici.s, Sub Hiii,'iii(M'i' on Ksta- lilisliiiiciit, til ; ill Sjiaiiisli Train, IIH ; on New Estiilpjisliiiicnt, 13!), 110 ; NcwromuUanil Triiiii, I'M] ; liiilianias, 1.'{,S Hay, Lewis, .sicf,'(> of (iiliraltar, .Sf), 21 (i ; West liiilics, 220 ; Ilollaiul, 222; Cornwallis concsiMPiulcnco about 223 ; killed in Holland, 224 Hayes, C, in Holland, 223 ; in Kf,'y|)t, 230 Ilayler, Lieutenant, in Holland, 3(iS Head, V. I!,, at Waterloo, :i7S Jleatli, .lolin, in Flanders, ]t)2 Heath, Joseph, ISS ; at lielleislo, lOs Ib'ath, Thomas and Kichard, 11 Henderson, Captain, at San Sebastian, 331! Herbert, Humphrey, 1 IT Heniot, Charles, 173 Hesse Darmstadt, I'rince of, G3, 0") Hoekings, Richard, 210 Hodel, Richard, 17 Hodson, lienjamin, 1(> Ibilloway, Charles, diary oC siesfc ot Cibraltar, 80, <•/ ,sry. ; Hrl^ide- .Maj.pr, !»;'.; A.D.C, !»/, 210; Mission to Turkey, 22!t ; march across desert, 23f ; battle of El Hanka, 232 Holloway, fjieutc'nant, at Torres \'edra.s, 201 ; third sief,'e of ISadaioz, 2U0 Home, F., ill China War, of ISOO.'nU Home, Lieutenant, at Delhi, 177 ; l>]owing in Kasliniere (late, 47!t ; acci- dentally killed, 481 Hooper, Ca))taiii, Enj^ineer Extraordinary in Civil War, 40 Hope, Sir .loliii. commands at I'assage of Adoiir, 354 Horneck, W,, on New Establishment, 139 ; in Scotland, M.^i ; Eiij,'iiieer Extraordinary, Ifi.^ ; Chief Eiif^ineer at (iibialtar, 70 Hoste, G. C, in E!i;yi)t, 23.") ; Calabria, 230 ; Holland, 307 ; Waterloo, 378 Hothain, Lieutenant, at Ali,'iers, 392 Hovendeii, Lieutenant, at Delhi, 477 ; wounded, 182 ; capture of Lncknow, 48!) Huf,dies, 1'., in Corsica, 220 Huliiie, Lieutenant, at Tones Vedras, 201 ; second sie<,'e of Hadajo/, 292 Humfrey, ,Iohn, 210 Huiniiluys, Thomas, 44 Hunt, Lieutenant, first sie<,'e of Radajoz, 289; second sicf^e of l'iadaj1, 2 Invalid Eii<,'iiieers, Warrant establi.shiiig, 213 ; abolition of, 407 Ireland, Ordnance Survey of, 407 Irish Train, 48 Irwin, (Jeiieral, his c(.rres]ioiidene.e about Kufjineer (.,)iiarters, 70 Isla de Leon at Cadiz, 270 .lames, E. R., in Crimea, 450 ; assault of .liuit' 18th. 157 ; prisoner, 461 .laiiuson, Lieutenant K., A.D.C. to (b'lieral .loiies, in Crimea, 441 .Fenner, Edward, in India, 104 Jersey, attack on, by French, 207 .lesse, Captain, in "Crimea, 454 ; killed, 459 Jhansi, description of, 494; capture of, 495 Jolmson, Mernard, 43 Johnson, John, third sie;,'e of (iiimiltar, 85-210; in ILdland, 217 Jolmson, .lames, in Harcelona Train, 119 Johnson, Rowland, 29 Johnson, W., at second slew of Minorca, 209 John.stoii, William, at third siejfe of Cibn-ltar, 210, in West Indies, 220 Jones, H. D., at Flushing, 249 ; Cadiz. 209 ; third siege of Hadajoz, 290; Vittoria, 332; Sau Sebastian, 330; wounded and idisoiier, 339; New Orleans and Fort Howyer, 359 ; Hrigadier-General at 15oni- arsund, 419 ; in Crimea, 444 ; wounded, 459 ; at assault of Sei>tember 8th, 404 ; desjiatch at close of siege, 400 ; sec'ond despatch on Subalterns, R. F., 407 Jones, J. T. , in Calabria, 230; Corunna iitmiiiiit, dpfi'iKM' (if tf<-'i ; nii)tiir(i ot' 1!»0 jlliiiiil, 217 or, ]>r<)j)o,siil to lorni ill voc.k at (libriiltiir. iriiiovcd tV.iiii Miitisli 'liiiu'ii, 1-JI ; iliowiicd, of, i;i;! ^'.liiis y.C, 1!);! r Foitiliciitidiis ci'calcil, f,niiucrs, 11!) lition of 1851, -2 Warrant, ostahlisliiiiy, itioii of, 407 furvcy of, 407 '■i>rr('s])oii(lt'ii(;i' about 'iiartcrs, 7t) iz, 270 iliica, 4r)0 ; assault of ir>7 ; iirisouer, Ifil ■nt K., A.D.C. to Mcs, ill Crimea, 141 India, KM y Kivncli, 207 ("rinica, 454 ; killed, nf, 494 ; i'ai)tiiri! of, ;i •d si(';,'(' of (!il)raltar, Holland, 217 liarcclona Train, llSt i>nd sie^e of Minorwi, , at third .sic45 217 ; l'"lusliiiig, 219 ; 'rones \'eil l,aiiiliirt, Captain, killed at Xaintow, ras, 2til ;deseiiptionofIiiiies, 2(il ; 500 Ciudad Ilodrigo, 2Sl ; narrow es- Lainlicit, ,Mi(hael, It cape, 2S5 ; fust siege of liadajoz, Iiaineisloii, 11.. in Cli.iniielTrain, 56 2S9; second .siege of Itadajo/, 292; I,a Moulin.-, killeil at Tortosa, l.'il third siege of liadajoz, 290 ; letters iiandiiiann, (i., in I'eiiiiisiila, 211; nt to his brother, 298 .'iOt ; liurgos, K(deia ami \'imiera, 244 ; rocol- ;il!i ; assault on hornwork, :!20 ; lections of, 211 ; Cadiz, 209 Lord Wellington's i|uarters, ;i22 ; I>anils, llelier, l:!ti wounded, ;i25 ; on tield of f'ang, Lieutenant, at relief of Luekiiow, Waterloo with Wellington, ;i82 ; , 487 at Netherland fortr(\sses, .'!87 ; at | Laiigara, Don Juan de, at (libraltar, 88 the Hague in 18:i0, :i89 I Lan'noy, l)attle of, 219 •tones. Rice, in South America, 212; in j Lanyon, .loliii, Cl.d'f Miigii r in Civil I'eiiinsiila, 25() ; Toricw \'(^dias, War, 45-17 200 ; lin.saco, 2ti2 ; Ciiidad riapriiuaudaye, I'eter, second siege of Rodrigo, 28] ; lirst siege (d' I (Jibraltar, 7:'' i'.adnjoz, 289 ; second liadajoz, Lascelles, Lieutenant, at I'Mnshing, '249 ; 2!i2 ' Ciiidad Rodrigo, 281 ; third siege •'ones, rjieiiteiiant, at defence of fiiickiinw, of liadajoz, 290 ; killed at assault, 48;i ' ;i05 •loiies, Lieutenant W'., at Delhi, 177; fia.sei'lles, Tlioin is, in Flanders Train, 111 ; killed, 482 •liiilge. Lieutenant , at eaptun^ of Lnekiiow, 490 .lunot, at \'iinieia, 245 Kars, defence of, 472 Kay, Lieutenant, in Holland, :i77 Keane, The lion. 11. 1"., in Crimea, 4.'i7 Keith, Lieutenant, at capture of Liieknow, 48!t Kelsall, Lienteiiant (!. N., in Crimea, 401 Kenuctt, G., in Kgypt, 2:i0 ; at Cape of (!ood lloiie, 211 ; in South Lh liroton, K., in Holland, 222 America, 211 ; killed at liueiios ' Lee, Richard, the lloh -rood Font, 2;!, 20, Ayres, 211 , :i0 ; death of,' :! I Ker, Lieutenant, in Holland, :>77 | Loop, Francis, 140 Kertch, expedition to, 451 Lees, .laiiies, 210 Kestermaii, W., at New \'ork, 204 ; in Fiefaini at liidleisle, 1!»8 West Indies, 220 j Lcfelmre, C, in Holland, 217 ; Calabria, Kinburn, expedition to, 4 72 | 2.'!0 ; Corunna, 217 ; Cadiz, 209 ; King, Captain F. W., at lioinar.suiid, killed at iMata^'orda, 270 ( ^onimissioiier for demolishing fortilications of Dunkirk, 110 ; on New Kstalilisliiiieiit, 139 ; in Scotland, 1 15 ; D.(.i.M,(;., 147 ; rhief Kngii r, 155; retires, 1()8 Tjathoni, Robert, at Minorca. l:i:i Laiighton, iMajcn, at D(dhi, 177 Lawson, Donglas, in West Indies, 220 Leahy, Lieutenant A., in Crimea, 423 ; <,• u a r t e r in a s t e r , afterwards D.A.f.i.M.li., 442 Leake, Sir .lolin, at (iibraltar, (!4 ; re- lieves liarc(doiia, 120 419 ; in Crimen, 437 ; killed. 454 King, Richard, in Flanders Train, 111 ; ill Canada, 138 ; on Old Estub- lisliment, 139 King's Company of Kngineers, 00 ; ilis- banded, 01 King's (ieriuan Legion, Engineers, 105 Kiiyvett. Sir A., 20 KuiUer, Abraham, 43 Labouehere, President of iioard of Trade, 2 Lacv, T., in Holland, 217 ; mi.ssioii to Turkey, 229 L:ikc, Lieuteiiaiit-Culonel at Kais, 472 ; rewards for, 473 Leitcli, Colour-Serjeant, gains X.C., 4t)9 Leith, 23 ; siege of, .32 Lemprierc, Lieutenant, at Algiers, 392 Leiiipriere, (i., in Crimea. 431 ; invalided, 440 Lendrini, Cor]>i)ral W., gains \'.C., 469 Lennox, W. 0., in Crimea, 431 ; gains ^'.C., 435 ; Adjutant, 453 ; relief of Lucknow, 187 ; capture of Lueknow, 489 Lewi.s, (!. C, in Calabria, 230 ; San Sebastian, 330 ; wounded, 340 Liaiine river, 27 Lilly, Chrisrian, in Channel Train, 50 ; ill West Indies, 59 ; Engineer on Establishment, 01 ; Third En- N N r)4() INDKX. U • ■ j^'inccr, (!1 ; jit Jainiiicji, Hit: ; on Olil KstiiMisliiiu'iit, l.!;» ; in riyiiioiitli Divisidii, 1 l(> Lillymau, Liciitciiinil, itniovi'd ti) Indian from I'.iitisli list, -201 Liniond, Lieutenant, iit iclicf of [.ncknow, •lS»i Lines of Toi res \'(Mlras — ncr Torres N'l^lras Lloyd, Sir Charles, l.'t ; Chief Kn{,'ineer, 47 Lloyd, Sir (lodfrey, lo I,ondon, defeiiee of. in 171'), 159 Longhaw, .lolin, 17 Lonj,' Island, liattle v{, -iOl Lonjf, Lieutenant, at Delhi, 177 Lon;,', "Walter, travelling Cadet, 18 Lonf;ley, .)., at I'lnsliiuf;, 24!) ; Cadi/, 2G9 ; Tarifa, :;7;{ ; killed, •27r( Longley, Lieutenant, at Honj/ Kong, 502 ; wounded at I'uiho forts, 507 Louisburg, first siege of, ir)0 ; second siege of, 184 Loup, Thomas, 47 Lovell, .1. AV., in Crimea, 123 Lowry, Lieutenant ,1. (.!., in Crimea, 437 ; killed, 4r)4 Lliekiiow, defence of, 1S3 ; mining ojieia- tions, r)8r) ; lelief by Ontram and Haveloek, 48ti ; tinal relief liy Sii' C. Camidxdl, 487 ; siege of, 4S!) ; eapturc of, 4i)l Lugard, Colonel, C.H.K., at Hong Kong, and death, i>02 Lyon, John, 4t5 Macaiilay, J. S., at Cailiz, 270; liarrossa, 272 McCartliy, Cajitain, esealade of Castle of liadajo/, 307 MoCullagh, Liiut., at Cindad Rodrigo, 281 McDonald, Lieutenant, at Flushing, 219 McDonald, Serjeant, gallantry of, 452 ; gain.-) V.C, 4<)8 Maehell, Lieutenant, at San Sebastian, 336 ; killed, 330 ilackelcan, .lohn, 21«) Mackellar, I'atriek, Engineer ivxtraordi- nary, 15ti ; with liraddock, 171 ; at second siege of Louisburg, 184 ; at (,)uebee, with Wolf, 190; Martinii|ue, 19.".; Havan- nah, 19.') ; Chief Kngineer at Minorca, 200 ; death of, 201 Alackerras, AV., at third siege of Gibral- tar, 8."., 21t) ; in Holland, 223 ; killed in Egypt, 230 Macleod, (J., in Calabria, 23t) ; Flushing, 249 ; Ciudail Uodrigo, 281 ; first siege of Hadajoz, 289 ; second siege of i'.adnjoz, 292 ; third .siege of liadajoz, 290 MacXeill, Lieutenant, at capture of Luck iiow, 490 Madrid, entry into and capture of Retiro, 3U) Maida, battle of, 237 .Maitlaud, Lieutenant, at Ilong Kong, 502 ; I'eiho forts, ;"i07 ; in China war of 18(i0, .^)11 Malcolm, Lieuti nant, atrelief of Lucknow, 487 ; at capture of Lucknow, 489; in China war of 1860, .")11 Malta Opera-house, rebuilding of, 3 Malton, William, 21(5 .Manielon — .sec Sebastopol, siege of Manley, John, 44 JIann, Oother, at Dominica, 20'i ; in Holland, 217 ; jirotest about honours of Math, 403 Mann, (!. F., at Hong Hong, i'»02 ; in China war of 1860,511 Manson, John, 166 Jlareello, Lewis, at Cullodon, 161 Marr, .lohn, 189-215 Marshall, Lieutenant, at Cindad Rodrigo, 281; second siege of Hadajoz, 292 ; Vittoria, 332 ; San Sebastian, 336 Martin, C. N., in Crimea, 423 ; wounded, 440 Martinique, attack on, 189 ; i'apture of. 195 ]\l(>.ry Rose, loss of, 27 JIasearine, Paul, 147 Maissey, John, in Portugal Train, 119, 141 ; at C.ibraltar, 65 blaster of Ordnance, 41 Matagorda fort at Cadiz, 270 iMatsoii, E, at Vittoria, 331 ; San Sebas tian, 336; Xew' Orleans and Fort Rowyer, 359 Afatthew, Thomas, 17 Mauclere, John, 61; in Portugal Train, 119; Colonel of Train, 123; killiMl at Alcantara, 127 Maunsell, John 42, 44, 45, 47 Maunsell, Lieutenant, at Delhi, 477 ; wounded, 482 ; capture of Luck now, 490 Medals, on award of, by (ioldfinch, 404 Medley, Lieutenant, wounded at Delhi. 482 Meiklcjohn, Lieutenant, killed at Jhaiisi, 495 Meinckc, Lieutenant, King'.s (Jernian En- gineer at Flushing, 249 ; fust siege of Had.ajoz, 289 ; second siege of Hadajoz, 292 ; reduced, 406 Melhuish, Lieutenant, third .siege of ]!,ida joz, 296 ; Passage of Adour, :.{5 I t, lit captnro of Liu'k ml capture of Rctiio, , at Iloiit; Kong, 502 ; 507 ; ill Cliiiia war atreliof of Luckiiow, 1110 of LlU'kllOW, JSlt; r of 1860, f)!! I'biiililiug of, 3 i ojiol, siege of Doiuiiiica, 'JO'i ; in !17 ; jirotcst atioiit iatli, 40:5 long Hong, 002 : ii f ]8tJ0,511 iillodon, Itil at Ciuilad llodiigo, iicgeof Uailajoz, 2!>2 ; 12 ; vSau Sebastian, inea, 42:5 ; womiileil, 111, ISO ; i'aiituin of. iigal Traill, 119, 141 : 05 H iz, 270 •ia, ;)31 ; San Scbas 3W Orleans and Fort in rortugalTraiii, el of Tiaiii, 12'i ; mitara, 127 14, 45, 47 t, at Dellii, 477 ; 2 ; capture of Lnik \>y (ioldHmli, 404 wounded at Dellii, it, killed at Jhaiisi, King's (Jermau Kn- lushing, 249 ; first lajo;:, 2S9 ; .second ijoz, 292 ; reduced, third siege of liada ssage of Adour, :.i5 I INDKX. r)47 Melville, Li.utcnant, first siege of 15ada- jo/, 289; killed, 290 Mciido/a, Don Joacliini, at (Hliraltar, 83 Mciitiiig,Kleazar, in Cliaiiiiel Train, 56 ; in West Indies, 59 Mcrlmiy, Nicliolas, 15, I (J, 17 Mercer, Alexander, 189 ; at Melleislc, 198 .Mercer, C, in Peninsula, 24 1 .Mercliant, Noel, 110 .Meii'icr, Caittaiii, at tliird siege of (iiliral- tar, 80 Military rank given to Corps, 180 .Miller, Coijioial, gallantry of, at Ikdaioz, 300 .Minerarii, 11 Minorca, capture of, by the Mritish, 132 ; first siege by French, 170 ; journal nf in itoyal Artillery Lilirary, 178 ; lo.ssoi; 179 ; restoiation to IJiitish, 200 ; second .siege, 209 ; diary of, by A. K., 209 ; .surrender, 213 Miriin, Don lioiiaventiuii, at .siege of Gib- raltar, 98 .\lolineu.\, Samuel, 45 .Moncricif at llavannah, 195; I5randy- wiiie, 201 ; defence of Savannah, 205 ; siege of Charlestown, 200 ; in Hcllaiid. 217 ; at Valenciennes, 218 : killed at Dunkirk, 218 .Montagu, F. W., in Crimea, 423; jirisoner, 448; returns to Crimea, 461 ; assault of September 8tli, •103 ; oil Stores Coniniissioii, 405 Monte Video, capture of, and .subse(|uent evacuation, 242 .Montreal, capture of, 194 .Montre.sor, Jaincs, 100 ; Chief , iiginecr of America, 771 ; (.tiiebec, '|94 ; Bunker's Hill, 203: at New York, and examined thereon in House of C'onimoiis, 204 .\[oore, .lames. Old Eslablislinient, 139 Moore, ,l(ma.s, on Special Kstablishnient, 140 ; Chief Kiigineer of Train to Carthageiia, 151 ; at (iibraltar, 70; Chief Kngineer of Oibraltar, 71 ; letters to, from Hoard of Ordnance, 72 ; at second siege (if (iibraltar, 73 .Moore, Thomas, 147 .Morgan, .Major, in Civil War, 40 Morrison, Oeorge, in Flanders, 103 Morse, Robert, at St. Malo, 183; JJelle- isle, 198 Motte, Francis de la. Chief Engineer in Ireland, 59 .Mouliue, I'aul Robert la, in Sijanish Train. 128 Mudge, R. Z., in Peninsula, 250 .Miilcaster, K,, at Ruleia and Vimiera, 244; Coruiina, 247 ; with Welleshy, 250 ; Torres Vedias, 200 ; KciVt Coiicep.,'ioii, 208; Ciiidad R(m|. rigo, 281 ; first .siege of M.idajoz. 289 ; second siege of Madajo/, 292 : third siege of liadajoz, 2!I0 Mulcaster, Frederick, 18!»; at .ler.sey, 207 .Mullar, (|iijitain-Lieutciiaiit, at (iibraltar, 75 ; cashiered, 75 -Mullei', Cajitain, King's (k'lnian HnL'inecr, 400 -Murray, (ieneral, (iovernor of .Minona during second siege, 209 -Alurray, Lieutenant . I., in Crimea, 423' killed, 459 Murray, Lieutenant, wounded at Delhi, 482 : capture of Lucknow, 490 -Mus.sendcn Hill, n; Najiier, Robert, at Relief of Lucknow, 487 ; Chief Engineer at capture iif Lucknow, 189 ; comm, -ils Divi.sion in China War of 18, 511 Nelson, Ca|itain Hor.itio, in Cor.sica, 220 Ncpeaii, Thdina-s, 21(i ; in '"' M.sica, 220 Netherlands fortics.ses, e^.ii te for, .388 Neville, Lieut. C, in Ciin x, 423 ; .June 18tli, 457 : ki !■ ; at Ratgliur, 491 *' Nevy, George, 42 New Orleans, attenii)t on, 359 ; its failure 300 New.some, A.ssistai t Engineer, in Crimea, afterwards R. E., 437 Nicholas, William, in Egypt, 235 ; Cala- 'nia, 230 ; Cadiz, 2f!9 ; Parro.s.sa. 272 ; third siege of Hailajoz, 290 ; killed at assault, 305 Nicholson, Lothian, in Crimea, 401 ; at destruction of Seba.stopol Docks. ■1"1 ; capture (if Lucknow, 489 Niel, (.'eueral, in Crimea, 144 Norton, Robert, 41 Norton, Sir .Samuel, 20 Nugent, Lieutenant C, at IJomarsund, 419 Nye, Nathaniel, Chief Engineer in Civil War, 40 Oakcs, Captain, A.ssistant-lvigineer at Re- lief of Lucknow, 487 O'P.rien, .lohn, in Flanders Train, in Okely, Kdward, 40 Oldheld. .1., in Holland, 377 ; lirigade- Major at W.itcrloo, 378 ; his account of plan of Waterloo, 380 Oinkaes, Captain, killed at liois-le-Duc, 44 Operarii, 11 Old, H., Hrigade-Major at liomarsund, 419 MH iM)i;\. i.t ti i.w;f: Oiil, W. K.,at Cmliz, 270 Oiiliiancc licmnl of Coiri'siioiidi'iici uiili llilpraltiii'. 70 rf an/. I >nliiiiiici', Miistor 111', n Onliiiuicc Tiiiiii— wr Tinins OiiiiDHilc, Duko ()!', coimimiiclN ixin'ilitidii to Cadi/, 117 Oiiclitciloiiv, Liiut.. ill liist Cliiiiii Wn. r.do >>W(ii. II. C, ill fii a, l.'iO ; \V( 111 1 1(1.(1, \'>-2 Taifc, Tlioiiias Hyde, at liiiiikcis Hill. 20:! i'.i,i,'i'/, I'icnt) (Jilhcii (If. ill SiiaiiisliTiaiii. I'-'S : Alicaiilf, 1-Jii : (Irlciic- o\\ 13;". I';ik<'iiliaiii, SiiK.. lulled at New Orleans, ;i(i:{ I'alliM'istoli, Lord, (ill tlie Netilellaiids I'ovlii's.se.s, ;i!il I'aiiiidoiia, liloekadoof, o.'ii.' : surreiidei ol ra|i('iill, .loliii, II, .(.'i I'aikor, K., in Kiryjit, i !'> I'avicc;'. M'illiiun, '•I\'> I'.irkinson. Ciiarlcs, l.'iti I'aslt'v, C'liailcs, in Calaliria, '^'Mi ; at ('(ilK'iiliaficn, 21.'i ; in IViiinsula, 2l(i ; at Corniiiia, 217 I'as.-^aLce of the Adour, ;!'i2 rateiNon, Daniol, at Cnllodt'ii, Itil ; in Flanders, UU? i'litouii. Aichiliald, F,ii';iiieer Kxtiaonli- nai'v, l."((l: Cliief KiiLdnoei- at r>il)i'altai', 7S i'attoii, v., in reiiiiisula, 2-13-2rili ; lii.st sii'fji! of I'.adajdz, 280 ; second sii'<,'c of Hadajoz, 2!I2 : killed at, 2!t:! Tawiie. William,' 19, 20 I'ayiie, liieiitoiianf, in South Anu'iicii, 242 IVilio forts, attaek on. ,".07 ; failure of. .".0!> IViree, Kdwaid Lovet, Chief Hiif,'iii('ei in Ireland, MS IVlliam, William, ;{2 : .lusticiarof Ireland, 3'. ; disj,'iaee, 3ii ; in Low Coun- tries, and death tliere, 37 IViiiIk rton, Lieutenant, wounded at nelhi, 482 ; eaiiture of Lueknow, 4!t0 I'eiin, Caiitain, Assistant Kn^'iiieer in ' Crimea. 4;')7 INiiiose, Admiral, eoinniands Xav.il opera tions at l'assa,i,'o of the Adour, 3r.4 ; liis |.iaise of Kn<,'iiieers, 'M^k: I'ensiou.s to Kn<;ineer widows, 201 IVrio, Sapjier John, f,Miiis V.C., Id!* I'eri.nue, eaptiire (.f, 3S I j I'fter, the Kni,'ini'er. 1 1 I'eterborough. Karl of. ((iinmands exiie(li- tion to i'.areeloua, 121; incident at Valencia. 121 Petit, Isaa( !•',. in Nowfoiindiand 'I'lain. 13(1 ; in Sjianisli 'IVaiii, lis; in liareeloua Train. 11!t; killed at Alicante, 111", 12S i'elit. .laiius. in I'landers Train, 111 ; l'ortii;L,'al Tiiiin. llit-l II I'elil, Lewis, ill ChaniKd 'I'rain, M ; on K.slal.lishniL'iil, (il ; at ( Jiliiallai', (if); ill l'ortu;,'ii' Traill, i1!t ; Chief ■' ..'i'N'crof I lareelona Traill, 1 lit ; ■ 'Is llarcelona, 12,'. ; Tortosa, . , Lieutenant (iovernor of ...lUoroa, 132; on Ni w Kslal.lish niciil, l;!!i; in Scotland, 1 I.O : Chief Kn;.;ineei- (.f Scotch Train. 14r. I'l'tit, I'cter, 147 I'eto and llrassey's railway in Crimea, 137. 44.3 i'ettyt, Thomas, 28 riiilijis, Liiinteiianl C. in Crimea, 421; at rillc pits, 43.") : invalided, !;'.() I'liilli|is, Thomas, Third Kiinrin,.|.r, in ; Second. .04 ; in I'.arcclona Train. Hit : on Old Kstal.lishnient, 13!i ; in North of Kiiitland, 1 Hi ; death. (10 i'hilliiotts, Lieutenant, at Fort Kric, 3'.s l'hi|.]>s, (k'orj,'!', 2U; I'liiplis, .rohii, at third sic^'e (.f (lihraltai sr,. 173 I'icnriiia, fort at iiadajo/, 2ii.'. Filkiiifitou, Lientenaii't, at Flusliiiif,', 2 1!" riidierton, Henry, ir.'i Fiiikerton, .lohii. 1".(l Pioneers, Captain of, 21, 11 Piper, Liiniteiiant, at Torres NCdras, 2(>l ; form.s l.ridgo at Ahrantos, 280 Pitts, Matt hew. .ji;, Pitts, T. d., 2(i!t ; ISarrossa, 271 : third sit'^e of liadajoz, 2!)(J ; his ,ic- eount of, 307 ; Salamanca forts. 313; hattlo of, .31 5 j l!ur{,'(.s, 31!" ; Ids account of, 32!t ; I'am idona. 333; Sir Lowiy C(.lc's letter ahout him, 333 Pomjiey's Pillar, deeiiilieriii'; iuscriiition, 234 Pontoon Train in France, 38."i Popinjay, Richard, 33 Port .Malion — sir .Minorca Porter, Whitwortli, ill Crimea, l.'.O; inva lided, l.".4 Portniore, Karl of, C.overnor of (iihrallai at second siejfe, 72 IVitiiiari, 2.">, .31 Power, Lieutenant, at Flushiuff, 24!i Powis, Serjeant, assisjts lo rescue Captain Lewis at San Seba.stian, 310 I'ratt, Lieutenant F. E., sent to Hustchuk, m 1'" rimiidlaiiil 'rriiiii, iiisli 'I'luiii, lis; ill ■aiii. IlK ; killnl It I, 1-JS IciM 'I'liiiii, 111; in, lliMIl iiiii'l 'I'liiin, M ; (III t, (i! ; at, (iilinillai. II ' 'I'lJiiii, il!t ; Chi,!' iiiri'ioiia'1'riiiii, ]\U : •loim, l-j,") ; ToitoMi, 'liiiiil (iiivcllior (if ; (Ml Niw Kslalilisii in Scntlaiid, 1 If) : iM- (if Sidtrh Train. *\a.v III ( riiiica, 1:!?. . in < liinca, 121 ; ti") : inxaiidcil, ITiO inl Kii;.'in('ri-, in ; II liairi'loiia 'I'l'iiiii. IstaMisliiiicnt, i;i'.t ; Inland, 1 Mi ; dfatli. at Fort Kiic, :i'pS sic«,'(' of (iilirajtai, , at Flnsiiin'', 21!» I, 11 aires \fdiiis, 2t)l ; t Alirantos, 2S0 i-idssa, 271 : tliiid joz, 2!)(J ; his ,i(- ; Salaniaina forts, ;>1', •'iiri ; I!iii'f,'(is, ml of, 32!t ; I'ain Sir Liiwry Colc's III, ;i;t.'i icring inscriiitiiiii, e, •]»', •a /rinu'a, I'lO; iiiva L'rnoi' (if (iilnaltai "lusliinf(, 21!t lo rescue ('a|it.iiii obiistian, '4 10 sent to Rustiliuk, IIH ; in Ciiiiiea, !•_':! ; iiiviilidcd, I'll rr(!ni|iart, at siej^e of ISois leDiie, II l'ren(l"r;,'ast, liieiitcnaiit II., ^'iiins V. C, -i'.ll ; at .Ihaiisi. IDli I'riiico Con.sort, 2 l'iin;,dc, .lolin W., at Waterloo, ;i7s ; wounded, :!S1 I'liiifjle, Holieit, 21") iM)i\ 549 II:!; Cliiel Miinincer, I l.'i ; lom- iiiands S|iaiiisli Tiaiii, 12.S ; Al nian/'i, i;(() ; Ke|iorl on MinoKii, l-'!;j : ('oniniands Train for New- foiindlanil, l:it; : on Old Hstali lislinient, 1 ■■!!•; .Surveyor (Jcneral. 112 Kidiardson, a Ipoy with (|niek oyesi^dil al sle(,'c of (iilii.illar, !t8 i'liteliard, Menleiiant (1., at relief of llid^way, ••).'! liUcknow, 1S7 ; caiiture of Luck Uidlcv, Kdward, in Flanders Train, 1 1 1, now, l,S!t; in China War of I Slid, 1:{!» '>n Kitso, at llelleisle, l!tS ''lizi'M y. KiiK'necr shares ".!) Rivers, Ciiarles, SuhKii-iiiecr, l;'i.-), 17:1 Rivers, Karl of, i oniiiiaiids l';\|ie(litioii to <,>iiarters, lOiij^inecr, at (iiliraltar, 7t) S]iain, 12,^ <,>iiel)ec, nief,'eof liy Wolfe, l!i(); .attack on Rivers. Lieiiteiiaiil, .it l'a.s.saf,'e of Admir. liy FreiKdi, 1!M ;{") 1 Holie, Lieutenant, at l';issii(,'e of Adoiii, Railway in (.'rinie.i. I |:l .!.-, | ; New Orleans and Foil Hank, Military, niven to Kn;.;ineers, KSO jtowyer, :!.">!• h'aukeli, .1., in ("riiiiea. Kit ; Seiitenilier Kolierls, Lieiiten.iiil. .\ssislaiit Kiij,'iileer, .sth, lfl:i; killed hy exiilosiou, 171 in Criniea, l:{7 Uavenhill, I'., in Oriiiiea, 12:!; invalided, Rolicrls, T., al (J.idi/, 2t;!i 110 Rolititsoii, Aivhiliald, IMi; at Havaniiah. Hawlin.son, Lieutenant, at Flii.shiii;;-, 2 lit 1 !»,'>, 21;". l!ayu,sforil, Lieutenant, at iidicfof Luidv- Rohins, iJeiiJaniin.iit r.cr,ncn-oi)-/,ooin, lii:! now, 1.^7 R(d)inson.Snli Lieuieimnt.at Flusliiii^',21!" liedknaii. Captain, Chief F,iij,diieer, at Koliinson, William. Child' luiKineer, in N'ew \ink, l:!7; on New Kstali- Ireland, Is li.shnient, 1:!!) Rocliefort, attai k on, iS2 Ke^'iiiiildus, Maj,Mster, 12 Ro( liester ( 'astle, !i Meid. William, 2; at Torres Vedius, 2til : Ro(liii;,'toii, Rolierl, In (Miidad Ro(lri;,'o, -^S] ; first siei,'e Rodney, Sir (leorj^c. at ( iihraltar, ,S!) i>( liadajoz, 2.S!I ; second sie;,'e <>( Roe, Henry, l(i liadajoz, 2!»2: third siej>e of liada- KNdeia, liattle of, 21 I Joz, 2!l(i;at Salamanca forts, ;!i;i; Roniur, .John, on Old lO^tahlishinent, l:i',». hattle (d; ;!1:">; lini>,'os, ;!li); Vit toria, :i:!2; San Seliastiau, :!;!(! : ex|ilores drain, :!;i7 ; I'assaj,'!^ >>{' A(loiir, ;!;") I : New Orleans and Fort I'.owyer, ;!.Ji) ; Algiers, :!il2 ; Tjctter to l!urj,'oync, :i!i2 Ueyerne, Williani, 2:1, 2.' in Scotland. 1 !.'> ; .-U Tilhury, 1 Hi ; at liattle (d'F.ilkirk, l.'iK; wound- ed at Cidloileii, Ifil Ronier, Wolfj^iiiif,' Williani, Chief ICiiyiiK ci of ('haiiiicl Train, .jtj ; at New \'ork, l:!(i; lakcii iiri.souer, l:i7 Rooke, AdiiiiiiU Sir (!cor^a>, &.i Khodes, ('. S., at ( 'opeiihaLrcii, 21:!: al Ko.sett.i, attack on, 2:!."i San Sehastian, :!:)(> ; killed, :!|tl Ui(diar(l, .Maj^'ister, 12 Iticliards, .lacoli, iiustrictioiLsfor travelling, "il ; di,iry, .")2, 5;! ; third Kii;,d neer, ;') 1 ; Lieutenant -Colonel of Flandeis Train, .'(.'> ; death, (il Riehardfi, .lolin, idiaracter of Carles, 117 : C(donul of liarcelona Train, llii ; (iovernor of Alicante, 129 ; cor- res|(oii(l( ncc with his hrotlier .Michaid. 12ii; killed at Alicante, l:!;'i Richards, .Mi(hacl, in Flanders Train, \<'> ; A.^i.M.C. in Flanders, 111 ; sent witii (lcs[iat( lies to the Fni[ieror, Roseworiic, .lohii, in Civil W.ir, l(i Ikoss, Itrijfadicr, at third sicj,'!^ of Ciliraltai '.•(i ; coiiiiiiands at sortit, !lil |ironiotcil Major ( leiieral. !17 K'oss. Cor|ioral .lolin. iiaiiis V.C, lti9 Hoss. (1., at Flushing;, 2 lit; Torres X'eilras. 2»i0 : first Me,i;v of liadajoz, 2S!i ; second sie^e (d' li.adajoz, 2!'2 ; Ciiidad i;o('lri(;o. 2.H1 ; killed, 2S2 Iidss. 1'., iciiiovimI to Indian from British List, 201 Rowley, .1.. in Holland, 217 lioy. Williani, on Si-otdi Survey, Iti.S; reconnaissances made, 171 : at Ro(lieforl, In:! X \* I ^' il r»r)() IXDKX. 1^ Ifoyiil Militnry Ai(ili,Tis at llijnl M.jr,. „l (iiliniltiir, M ; cxt'cutinii of, ji.-, ; iitToiiTs N'idiiis, 2(!7; I'miTONN,!.' •-'7;i ; Cilliliul IJndri^ro, •il'.' ; Hist «ii'Kc of Mailiii.i/, 2!l() ; simiiil Hii'j,'(. .ifiiailiij,!/, 202 ; tliinl siorv III Itadiijd/, -.".h; Ivdval Sii|i|i(Ms and MiinTs iit. Sail Scha.-.- tiiiii, ;i;i(! ; Wasliiii/^'ton, :t;'S : Ni'w Oil.aiis. :!.-,!i; hat Mowvcr, ;itir. : iiiisciiiidiict at Wat.'ijoo, •■' N'ral.hley. Lieuliiiani I'. ||., in Crimea, , ,, '•" : 'It capture of Liickimw, INii ^cylla, siej,'e (if 237 Sel,astop(.l,_sie;;e of, 124; description of, 427 ; opening; Ircncdies and Hist lioniliardnieni, 130 ; Inkcrmann. 433 ; .sidrni. 43.'. ; Tryon's rille pits, 43;'.; road to lh(. fioiil, 43(1 • railway orderiMl, 43(1; de.scriplion of altack.s, .lanncry, IH^,',, 43>h ; Russian advance, 440 ; occupy Mamelon, 117 : ilevelopment I'.f attack l.y April, IIH; lioml.ard- uieiit of April, l.'.l ; captuie of KkciIoii's rille pits, 4.M ;arrival <.f Sardinian Army, 4;'..3 ; furl In r development of 'attack, 4;'.3 ; ex- pedition |(, Kertch, l;'.4; ca|.ture of (.tiiarrie.s, 4.".1 ; failiiie'of attack on .Inne IStli. 1;-|7 ; stale of at- tacks in Septemlier, 4(il ; evacua- tion of South Side, 40.''. ; Kn^iiieer casualties, 470; stores oxjiended, 470; destruction of docks, 4"0 Secondiiii,' Knf,Mneer Ollicers. 408 Seilley, Lieutenant C. 11., in Crimea, }t;i Selioke, John, at second sie^'e of Gibraltar, 7-3 Seniority disputes, 400 Shelfe, Alexander, 17 Shelton, Lieutenant, at Ciudad Kodri.'-i. 281; killed, 283 Sherrard, David, Eiifjiiieer (.ii Kstalilish- . ment, 01 ; in Spanish Train, 11,^ Shipley, Charles, at second sicL'e of Miu orca, 20!), 21.'. Shrew.sbury's re^'ulations, 18 Sieges- -Calais, 1.'. ; llarlleur, 10 ; li.m lo^'iie, 2;') ; lladdin^'ton, 28 ; Leith, 32; Havre, 33; Gibraltar, firot, 03 ; second. 72 ; third, 82 ; Venloo, 111 ; liarcelona, 121 • Dcnia, 130: second, 134; Car thaxeiia, l.^il ; Loui.sburg tir.'it, l.''>0 : Minorca fir.st, 170; Louis burg .second, 181 ; (,)uebec, IPO; Havannah, 10;'. ; IJelleisle, 108 ; C'liarlestown, 200 ; Minorca se- cond, 209; Valenciennes, 218 ; liastia n\n\ Calvi, 221 ; Alexan- dria, 233; Scylla, 237; Copen- hngen, ';?43 ; flushing, 249; Ciu- dad Rodrigo, 277 ; Hadajoz first, 289 ; second, 291 ; third, 29.5 ; Salamanca forts, 313 ; Murgos, I'riiiMii ir. t ; iii\-i ivlicl' of lillcklKIW. Ill' (if r,iiikiii)\v, l!i(> I I'. II., ill CiiiiiiM, lie of FiUrkiKiw, IM> 24 ; (loN(ii|iti()ii ,,|; ; liciiclii'H and lii^t . l-iO ; IiikcniiaiiM, l:ir> ; Tiyou'H rill,, li 1(1 ihr. tVonl, l.'id- 'il, -l.'iti ; (l(\scri|i|i(iii imii-ry, iHri'i, l:i>s ; iH'c, 4 Iti ; occuiiy ■ ; (lovcloiiliiuilt r'lf lil, 111); lioiiiiiiinj- I, l.'il ; caiitiiic III' liits, 4r.] winiviildf 'i.v, tr..'i ; t'lirtjii I- il'iitlaik, 'i't'.i ; cx- lUli, ir)4 ; ia|ituii' •\ ; ruiliiio'ot'iittaik I'i7 ; Ntiitc iifal- iiilicr, 4(il ; t'varua- iiilf, 41)5; Kii;,'iiiwr ; stoics oxju'iiili'ii, I'll 1)1" (links, 470 cci's. lOS 1., ill Ciiinea, 4(il sic^'L'of Cihialtar, Ciiulail Koilijiro, I'd- oil Kstablisli- jiaiiish Train, \\s )ii(l Hk'jiti of Mill. i, 18 rllciir, Hi ; limi laildinirtoii, 28 ; iv, 'i-i; Giliialtai, I, "2 ; tllinl, 82 ; liairt'loiia, 121 ; coiul, l:M; Car- Louislmrf,' first, irst, 17tj ; Loiiis- I ; (^lebec, IJtO ; ; JJelluislc, 198 ; )tj ; Minorca sc- luiiciciiiK's, 218 ; ■i, 221 ; Alcxaii- la, 237 ; Coiuni- shiiif,', 249; Ciii- 7 ; Hailajoz first, )1 ; third, 295 ; , 313 ; |{uri,'os, INDIA. 'i.'d .'lis : .Siiii Silia.stiaii, .'l.'id ; itoin aisiiiid, 120 ; Scliasto|ii(l, 121 ; Delhi, 477 ; riiukiiow, 189 .Sillcri, (>>iirl.ci', tialilc ol', 191 Siiniiioii.s, .1. I,. A., at Viiriia, 412 Ski'iTcIt, Coloiiil, al Tariln, 273 Skiiiiicr, William, at .si'i'oinl Hir>,'i' of (lili. raltar, 7:i, 1 17 ; Cliiif Kii;;iiifcr, IS! : iiis|MU'tioii of Kcllcislc, 199; death of, 217 Skinner, Thonius, at iliird sicj,'c of (iilnal- tar, S"i Slack, Daniel, 189 Slade, Captain, at j >a.s,sa.i,'e of Adour. 3ri I Slcavon, Uorporal, gains V.( '. at .Fliansi, I'.it; Sliiigsliy, Kraiicis, 10 Slip, .lames, 44 Smart, II., at Cipe of (lood IIopc, 2: 1 Smart, Thomas, 21 (i Smelt, Leunaiil, in Klanders Train, \^>'i ; l^igineer Extraordinary, Ifii! Siuiiton, K., Conimi.-,iiionei on stolen at Seliasto|iol, I (!,'') Suinway, Krank, in I'eiiiiiMiila. 2 Id ; under \yellesley,2.^id; To) res VedlMs.2d| : Ciiidad Hodrigo, 281 ; lir.sl siege of liadajo/, JN9; .seioiid siege of ISadajo/, ^".12 ; third .sicgr of liadajo/, 29d; allem|)ts to dcstrov li.itardean, :iOO ; .San Sritastinn, 33d; lift there to restore fortress, 318 ; Waterloo, :t78 Siciiikirk. Iiatlle of, :,7 Stevens, Cajitaiii, As.sistaiit Kngiiieer in Crimea, 437 Stewart, l'atri(;k,at relief of Liirknuw, 1^7 Stewart, W,, in Holland, 217 Stokes, Liciit'jiiant 0. II., in Crimea, 121; invalided, 4.'')0 Sto|iforil, ,1. M,, in Crimea, 423 Stoviii, iMcderiek, at Xcw Orleans, 3dl Strattoii, , lames, 21 d Smith, Charles Feiix, at Cadi/, 2-0; I Stratton,' Snh-Lientcnant, at i'eioniie, 3M liarrossa, 2/2; 'larifa, 2 3: ' Straiiheii/ee, .Sir C, 3 o, ;,, ^ '"oria, 33'2 ; San .Sehastiaii, 130 Stuart, W., at Hong Kong, r,02 ; trains M.iilh, Serjean , at Mowing in of K. di ' volunteer S,:^,,,crs,";i02 ; at ' ^...:.,. J'".?' '.'",*.'■•."'•"!'- ''•' _ hide of Canton. .003 Survey of .Siotlaiid, ld7 ; of Ireland, 407 Survcyor-Ceiirral, rides for, 18 Smith, W. ])., inl'eniiisiila,2ld; Conn ua, 217 ; Cadi/, 270 Smith, Thomas, 17 Smyth, .lames Carmieliael, al Cape of (lood IIo|ie, 241 ; Coriiniia, 247 : Holland, 377 ; Waterloo, 378 ; liaronet, .38d Sinythc, Colonel K.A., on Koval Ku- gineers, d Soldier Artilicers at third siege of (lihral- Surveyors of King's Works, 42 Sutherland, A., prisoner at Vorktown. 207; in Ilollaii(l,217 : at Valeiui- clines, 218 ; killed ,it Laiuioy, 219 Sutluriuann, Lieutenant, King's (ii^rman Engineers, lOd Swanii, Corporal, with liurke on Dantilie, 417 ar, 81 ; execution of, (ir. ; at Swanston, Captain, Assistant Engineer in lairossa, 2,2 i China War of 18dO ."^11 SiZcrvJ r''''v"'^\''™'''n':''' '^^. ■ Swottenham, Lieutenant, at capture of Somciville, Lieutenant, in Crimea, 4.'-.4 : Lueknow, 489 „ ''""" l''^l>>i '"'7 ; death of, 4(51 Syines, Hu'di, dl Sol'well, uuniiery of, 21 | ' Spani.sh Sucicssion, war of, 110 ■ Talavera, l.attle of, 2r.7 Sj-eed, hamuel, in Flamlcis Train, 15.-^; Tandy, Lieutenant, killed at Delhi. Isl So, rli,.., 'V'f""'':'' "' 0|''l"fi -y, 1^'« Tapp, Lieutenant, at Torres Vedras, 2dl ; Sp. 1 hug,. John, 11. IMland, 3(58;, lournal. Sail Seha.stian, .•53 d ; wounded, u- / 1 '"■':;««"-"l'-^""'". ;in ; j 337 ; Xcw Orleans and I'ort Waterloo, ../ 8 I l?owver, 3r.9 Sprongo jerard, 19 Tarifa, defence of, 273 .•>liry, William, 1/2 ; at second siege of Tarrant, Charles, 172 . L(nuslmrg, 184 Taylor, Captain, at Delhi, 177 ; at capture Siiime, J(3l.i.. m Holland, 222 ; in Egypt, of Lmknow, 489 ' 230 ; m South America, 242 ; in Tcesdale, II. (i., in Crimea, 423 ; killed at l(3mimula, 24d ; Coruiiiia, 247: the Alma, 421 \\alchereii 248; Flushing, 249 ; Telc-raidi, Electric, in Crimea, 449 lories \ eilras, -Jdl ; li,.>,t siege of Temple, William, 17 -aiajoz, 289; second siege of Teiinant, Lieutenant, at Delhi, 477 ; at ai ajo/, 291 : th id .siege ot capture of Lueknow, 4ii0 l.ada|ox 29(, : death of, at Trnx Torcei.c, Eval, Chief Engineer in Civil iHo, .il.i \var, Id t i % ■ I r)62 IMJKX. Tcoon, UpinT (111(1 Lowur, at CiiiMail Rodrigo, 270 Tpshi- roiniiiiiiiils Fri'iiili loivo attacking l!aii;i'Ii)iia, I -J") Tliacknay, F. M., in Kj,'V)it, lM5 Tlmckfi'ay, Lieiiti'iiant," at Delhi, 177 ; I'apturt! of Linkiiow, 1!I0 Tliaiiie, Lioiitciiaiit, at I long Koiij,', .'lO'i ; ill China War of 1800, nil 'i'honias, .lolm, in Spanish Train, 118 Thomas, Jolni, at [.'Oii.'nt, Kil ; in Klamh'r.s, Id-J Thomas, Old, tin; Kni,'incor, 11 Thomson, Alfxamlir, in Peninsula, li.'.ti ; Torres Vcdras, 2(51 ; Ciudad K(Mln<,'o, -JSI ; lirst siege of liadajo/, L'SK ; second siege of liadajoz, 2!I2 ; in Holland, .-itiS ; Waterloo, :j7S ; I'lVonne, .•J8"j Tieonderoga, failure of attack on, 186 Tilbury, fortifications for, :i9 Toll)y at lielleisle, 198 Tonilinson, Mr., 4ti Torres, Conde do las, hesiegos (Jihraltar, _ 72 Torres Vudras, lines of, 258 ; Massena advances to, 2t)2 ; division into districts, 2(5') Tortosa, defenie of, ];H Tournay, fortihcation of, 20 Townshend, (iilhert, 189 ; at P.elleisle, 198; at second siege of .Minorca, 209 Tiadesant, .John, II Traill, Lieutenant, in China War of 1800. -)11 Tiains, Ordnancv, 12 ; for Flanders, ,-)-) ; f'hanncl, 56 ; Low Countries, 110 : Siiain, 118 : Portugal, 119; Barcelona, 119 ; Xewfoundland, ]-"5() ; Scotland, 1,4;. ; Flanders, 1">.') ; <,luehe.-, 101 ; Flamlcis, 11)2 ; India, It) I Travelling Cadets, IS Trench. Lieutenant, at Flushing, 219 ; 'i'orres X'eihas, 2t)l 'I'rench, Lieutenant lion. Le Poer, at Hong Kong, .'p02 Treiichniaster, 21, 41 Trevisi, .lerome de, 2,') Tulloch, Lieutenant. Assistant Engineer at defence of Lucknow, 483 Turner. Suh-Lientenant, at Waterloo, :!79 Twiss, Lieutenant, at Ticonderoga, 201 ; l)risoner, 20") ; in Holland, 222 Tylden, .Major, in Holland, ;i77 ; com- mands Pontoon Train in Frame, •'>S5 Tylilen, K., in Crimea. 42:5 ; at lille ]iits, •)'i2 : f.Miarries, 4ol ; killed, I."i9' Tylilon, \Y. 11., at Constantinople, 410 Hrigadier(iencral, 414 ; in Crimea, 4 2:! ; death of, 124 Uhlfeldt, Count of, (iovernorof llarcelona, 125 Ulnio, Koliert de, 1:5 linger, Lieutenant, King's German Kn- giiu'ers, 1 0(1 Uniform of Engineers in 1782, 22d Uiim)r, eastle of, .'51 Vaclier, Captain, Assistant Kngiiu'cr in Crimea, 4. '57 Val, hattle of, 16:5 Valenciennes, siege of, 218 Vane, (icorge, 1.'59 Varna, allied armies at, llti; tire at, 419 Vavasour, IL, at Cajpe of (!ood Hone, 24 1 • Tarifa, 27-'5 Veidoo, siege of, ill Vetch, J., at Cadiz, 270 ; Harrossa, 272; thiril siege of P.adajo/., '29(5; his account of the assault, :iO') Vigo, attack on, by Ormonde, 118 Villadarias, Jlanjuis of, at siege of Gilnal- tar, (54 Vimiera, battle of, 214 Vittoria, battle of, :531 Voord, Mathias Van, 44 Wade, John, 215 Waldivus, Ingeniator, 8 AVales, concjuest of, 12 Walker, Lieutenant, at Dellii, 477 Walker, Thomas, 17:5; at Rochefort, 1^2 Waller, Thomas, in Flanders, 163 ; mi half-pay, 165 Walsh, Abraham, 189; at Havanuah. 19.' : Pudleisle, 198 Warrants, ll:S, 150; for K.M. Academy, 155, 162; for America, 171 ; augmentation of Corps, 172 ; pensions to widows, 201 ; for Chief Engineer, 201 ; Captain- Lieutemmts to be Captains, 202 : Invalid Engineers, 213 ; for eon- version into Royal Engineers, 216; for further augmentations, ■2)7, :S97 ; reductions, 406, 407 ; abo]iti(uioflnvalid Engineers, 407 Warrand, Lieutenant, wounded at Delhi. 482 AVarren of Woolwich, Military School at, 1 54 AVashiogton, hurning of, :358 Waterloo, battle of, :378 Waters, :\L A., at Waterloo, 378 i i ■ -'oiiNtantinopk', 410 iii'ial, lit ; ill ; .lentil of, \2i )Veiiiorof Itaivcloim, Kinj,''s Ociinaii Kii- iii 1782, 22« distant Kiigiiicer in , -'IM t, lit) ; liio at, ■}]!• ot'dooil Hopo, 241 ; !70 ; HiUTOHsa, 272 ; r liadajoz, 29(5 ; liis I' assault, '.iO't iiiioiiilf, 118 f, at sii'j,'!' ot'fJibviil- IMiKX. r5:{ t Dfllii, 477 at Rochefoit, Is.' Flanders, 163 ; nn at Havannali, llt.'i; 'or H.M. Academy, or America, 171: of Corps, 17-! ; widows, 201 ; for ^•r, 201 ; Captiiin- ) bo Captains, 202 : eers, 213 ; for con- Royal Kngineeis, lier augmentations, urtious, 406, 407 ; ■alid Engineers, 407 vouiuled at Dellii, ililitary Seliool ;it. r, 358 ;rloo, 378 Watson, David, I'l.'i, l.'.ii; ut battle of Falkirk, I'llt; D.i.t.M.d., 100; at Cullodeii, Itil Watson, (J, E., at nlief of Luck now, 487; at ca|iture of fiUikiiow, I!i0 Watson, Henry, at Ha\aiiimli, lli.l ; Holleisle, I'.ts ; removed to Indian list, 201 Watson, Justly, at seinnd siege of (librnl- tar, 73 ; siege of Cartlwigena, 1')!; Kngineer ill Ordiiiarv, li'll; r;Orient, 101 Wetiber, Lieutenant, ut .liiansi, li);' We.lekiiid, Captain, at 'rmres X'edias, 200 ; fust siege of lladajo/, 2S!t ; second siege of liadajoz, 2i»2, 100 Wells, ,1. N., at Koleia and Vimieia, 211; nrisoiier, 24.'! ; Corunna, 247 ; Fhisliing, 2 111; Cadiz, 201" ; iiai rossa, 272 ; third siege of i'.ailajoz, 290 \\'est. Lieutenant, at passage of Adour, 3i)4 ; New Orleans and l''ort Mowyer, ;i,">9 Wharton, Kicliard, Engineer, II' Whildale, Thomas, 210 Wliinyates, Lieutenant, at Algiers, :>92 ; account of bombardment, 393 White Tower of London, 9 White. A. D., in Holland. 30S ; Waterloo, 378 Widows, Engineer, pension to, 201 Wilkinson, Thomas, 17:! Williams, ISloom, 139 AVillianis, Grillith, 100 Williams, John, 173; at Martinii[ue, 19,"; Havannali. 195 Williams, J. A., in I'eninsula. 213 : under Wellesley, 250 ; at Torres Vedras, 200 ; at Ciudad Rodrigo, 281 ; third siege of liadajoz, 290 ; liiir- gos, 319; killeil, 322 Williams, Thomas, 4(» Williamson, Adam, with liraddoek, 171 ; at (.tuebec uilh Wolle, l!i0 ; Martiiiii|iie, 195 ; iiavaiiiiah, 195 Witlmil, lienjaniin, Subl'jigiiieer on Eslalilisliiiient, 01 ; in N'ew- foundhiiid Tiaili, I:i0 ; \|.\v Establishnieiit, bin Wittever, Ensign, reimnc'l |o Indi*i list, 201 Wolfe, (ieiieial, at Loiiisbiiig, 1^5 Wolseley, Lord, 'i ; on Koyiil Engineers, 5 ; in Ciiinea as Assistant Kn- gineer, 437 "World" News|iaper, ".Scieiititie sob dii'i's," I Woitiiam, Lieutenant, at .Sail .Sebastian, 330 ; New Orleans and Fort liowver, 359 Wright, (ierald, 40 Wright, I'., at Torres Vedras, 207; Ciu- dad Rodrigo, 281 ; first .siege of Hadajoz, 289 ; seeoiid siege of liadajoz, 292 ; tiiird siege of liadajoz, 2!»0 ; woundeil at .\b inaiuz, 312; New Orleans, 359; killed, 301 Wrotteslev, Hon. C, at lidinaisiiiid, 419 ; killed, 420 Wrottesley, Hon. (b, at (;alli|ioli, 110 ^N'ybault, .lames, at second siege of (iiiual- tar, 73; in Spanish Train, IIS, 141, 117 ; Siib Director, 150 Wynne, Captain, at I'aptiire of Luckiiow, 489; galhintrvat Iron liridge, 492; death of, 492 \'oike, F. A., in I'eiiinsii' lMO; (.'uruniia, 247 Vork Island, battle of. 201 Yorktowii, surrender ;ii, 207 Young, Lieutenant, at ca|itureof Lucknow 490 /andwarbreiteii, bridge of lioats at, 308 i;Xl) tif \(11,IMI'. I. /'.,,■./..,, ,1 .•»•..«.. /',;„'►,■>, ll'/V- I'ffir- i;,„,-t. I''i,,t Stml, l.i.nil;,, E.i\