RECORDS 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2016 with funding from 
 Getty Research Institute 
 
 https://archive.org/details/recordsof54thwes00auth 
 
' V' 
 
 M 
 
 Centre-piece of Officers^ Mess, 
 
 {The gift of H. R. H the Duke of Kent). 
 
EECORDS 
 
 OP THE 
 
 54th 
 
 WEST NOEFOLK REGIMENT. 
 
 KOORKBE: 
 
 PBINTED AT THE THOMASON CIVIL ENGINEEEING COLLEGE PRESS. 
 
 1881. 
 
THOS. D. BONA, SUPERINTENDENT. 
 
RECORDS OE THE 54TH (WEST NORFOLK) 
 REGIIENT. 
 
 The Eegiment, which now bears the designation 54th or West 
 Norfolk Eegiment was raised in 1755. Previous to this date, 
 several other Corps had undoubtedly taken post as 54th in the 
 British Line since the first formation of a standing Army. Dur- 
 ing the wars of Queen Anne’s reign, many regiments existed, and 
 did good service in the Low Countries and in Spain, but were 
 afterwards disbanded, and their history has been forgotten. 
 
 In 1708 sixty-nine Eegiments of ^oot appear to have been borne 
 on the English and Irish establishments ; and the order of 
 seniority of the several regiments, then known by the names of 
 their Colonels, places General Lillingstone’s (now probably the 
 38th) as the 54th at this date. Two years later Colonel Watkin’s 
 Eegiment of Foot occupies the same place, but in 1718-19, all 
 Foot Eegiments junior to the present 39th were disbanded. 
 
 In 1740-41 an augmentation of the Land Forces took place, 
 and a Eegiment of Foot was raised by Colonel John Fowke, which 
 in the Army Lists of 1744 and 1746 figures as the 54th. It is 
 now the 43rd Light Infantry, having been re-numbered a few years 
 later. Though not one of the Marine Corps, Fowke’s Eegiment 
 appears to have done duty on board the fleet, and also served in 
 the American Plantations whilst ranking as the 54th. The Marine 
 Eegiments ranking as 44th — 53rd having been disbanded, a re- 
 numbering took place ; and till 1755 the Line Battalions were 
 limited to fifty-one. 
 
 Note. — It may be mentioned that the old Records of the Regiment were 
 burnt in 1857. Those since compiled have been materially supplemented 
 from “ Notes of the History and Services of the 54th Regiment of Foot,’* 
 published in “ Colburn’s United Service Magazine ” during 1877. 
 
 The Regiment is indebted to the great research of the writer of these Notes 
 for several incidents of its history. 
 
 B 
 
( 2 ) 
 
 In 1755 the prospect of war with France led to the formation 
 of nine new regiments, and one of these raised at Coventry by 
 Colonel Hed worth Lamb ton became the 54th, but soon after the 
 old 50th and 51st, two regiments of American Provincials, being 
 disbanded, this regiment became the 52nd, and another of the new 
 corps, originally the 56th, now became the 54th, a position which 
 it still retains. 
 
 The letter of service authorizing the formation of the Kegiment 
 was issued on the 23rd December, 1755, and mihQ London Gazette 
 of the 27th December the name of John Campbell, Esq., appears 
 as Colonel. 
 
 The Gazette of 3rd January, 1756, appoints Mark Beaton, Esq., 
 to be Lieutenant-Colonel of the Eegiment commanded by Colonel 
 John Campbell, and on 10th of the same month were gazetted as 
 Captains and Captains-Lieutenant — W. Powell, J. Broughton, W. 
 Hamilton, G. F. Kedesdale, W. Bellenden, W. Dodsworth, J. 
 Townshend, and F. Palmer, Esquires. 
 
 The following Notification appears in the London Gazette for 
 January 24th, 1757, for each of the new Corps, and is repeated 
 in subsequent Gazettes : — 
 
 “The King having appointed the following gentlemen to be 
 Officers in the Regiments of Foot to be forthwith raised : It is 
 His Majesty’s pleasure that they do immediately repair to London, 
 or to the head -quarters of those Regiments hereafter named re- 
 spectively, where Commissions will be delivered, and their pay 
 commence to such of the gentlemen who shall be approved by the 
 Commanding Officers of the Regiments, provided such appearance 
 and such approbation shall be before the 24th day of March 
 next.” 
 
 The establishment was fixed at — 
 
 1 Lieutenant- Colonel, 1 Major, 7 Captains, 1 Captain-Lieuten- 
 ant, 10 Lieutenants, 8 Ensigns, 1 Quarter-Master, 1 Surgeon, 1 
 Chaplain, and 815 Non-Commissioned Officers and Men. The 
 uniform was red, facings popinjay green, with white lace. 
 
 A War Office order issued in January 1756 to Colonel John 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 Campbell directs that, <Hhe Regiment raising under your command 
 be quartered and remain at Salisbury until further orders; ’ and 
 entries in Marching Orders,” dated 10th and 11th February, 
 direct “ the recruits at Guildford for Colonel John Campbell’s Reg- 
 iment to march to Salisbury and “ the two additional companies 
 formed for the 36th Regiment at Hertford, and drafts to march 
 from Hertford to join Colonel Campbell’s Regiment at Salisbury.” 
 
 In the same record appears an order dated 25th April, 1756, for 
 Colonel Campbell’s Regiment of Foot to march from Salisbury 
 to Plymouth, in three divisions, halting on Sundays and one other 
 day in each week besides, if necessary, with intervals of not less 
 than one day between.” 
 
 Soon after its arrival in Plymouth the Regiment was ordered to 
 embark for service afloat, an order which seems to have roused a 
 spirit of insubordination in marked contrast with the character for 
 discipline and devotion sustained by the Regiment in its subsequent 
 career. 
 
 The following appears in the London Evening Post of 27th May, 
 1756, as an extract from a Plymouth letter : “Plymouth. Yes- 
 terday, Colonel Campbell’s newly raised Regiment of Foot was re- 
 viewed in the Field, and ordered to appear at four o’clock in the 
 dockyard without arms, which they accordingly did, and without 
 much difficulty marched into the dockyard, followed to the gates 
 by the garrison with bayonets fixed and muskets loaded to keep 
 guard over them whilst they were again reviewed by General Hume 
 and Admiral Mostyn, after which the Companies were divided, 
 and a signal-gun being fired from the Admiral’s ship for all boats 
 to attend, they immediately embarked without any disturbance, 
 except loud complaints at their being sent abroad, contrary to the 
 terms of the advertisement, and the promises made to them at the 
 time of inlisting ” {sic). 
 
 In the same paper of Thursday, 3rd June, we read : “ On Sunday 
 sailed from Plymouth to reinforce Admiral Byng as ’t is reported, 
 the ‘ Pfince George,’ ‘ Nassau ?’ ^ Hampton Court,’ and ‘ Ipswich,’ 
 with a number of transports having on board Colonel Campbell’s 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 Eegiment of Foot and 100 Miners for the Artillery.” This convoy 
 reached Gibraltar on the 16th June. 
 
 Meanwhile Admiral Byng’s fiasco at Port Mahon had taken 
 place, and that officer was replaced by Admiral Sir E. Hawke, 
 and sent home for trial. 
 
 During the six months that Sir E. Hawke held the Mediter- 
 ranean command, the 54th appears to have served as Marines on 
 board his squadron, and as such, was concerned in an affair off 
 Algesiras. A French Privateer had captured an English vessel, 
 and brought her to anchor under the guns of Algesiras. Sir Ed- 
 ward Hawke sent to demand restitution, but the Governor of 
 Algesiras refused, and when the English officer who carried the 
 demand, and who was attended by a number of armed boats, pro- 
 ceeded to execute his orders by cutting the ship out, he met with 
 so warm a reception from the guns of the Castle, that over 100 
 of his men were killed and wounded. 
 
 Subsequently, the 54th was landed at Gibraltar, and remained 
 in garrison till 1765. At this time, service on the Rock was not 
 agreeable, as may be learned from the Gentleman^s Magazine of 
 1757. The Governor’s will was the sole law ; all communication 
 with Spain was prohibited on pain of death, and except the ration 
 of salt provisions and wine, supplies were rarely to be had. Drunk- 
 enness was very prevalent. 
 
 In 1765, the 54th returned to Ireland. 
 
 Colonel Campbell was succeeded in the Command by Major- 
 General John Grey, and the latter by Lieutenant-General Parslow. 
 
 In 1775 occurred the outbreak of hostilities with the American 
 Colonies, and the 54th, which had been augmented to twelve 
 Companies, embarked at Cork with the 15th, 28th, 37th, 46th and 
 57th Regiments, under General Lord Cornwallis. The expedition 
 reached Cape Fear in April, and effected a junction with the 
 troops under General Clinton. On the 1st June following, the 
 troops sailed from Cape Fear for Charleston, where they disem- 
 barked and encamped. 
 
 Clinton’s troops having crossed Charleston bar and landed, an 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 attack was made on Sullivan’s Island, which commanded Charles- 
 ton harbour. The attempt however failed, owing to a channel 
 which had been reported fordable proving to be eighteen feet deep-, 
 whereby, as the General’s Despatch records, it was impossible 
 for the Army to give that assistance to the fleet, which the General 
 and the troops so ardently desired to do.” 
 
 The next occasion in which we find the 54th engaged is the 
 Battle of Brooklyn, on the 27th August, 1776. The Kegiment 
 with the 22nd, 43rd and 63rd under Brigadier-General Smith, 
 formed the fifth Brigade of the Army which General Clinton land- 
 ed on Long Island near Gravesend on the 22nd August. The 
 Americans, commanded by General Washington, were driven from 
 a position at Flat Bush, and forced to retire on the lines at 
 Brooklyn, in front of which a sharp action took place on the 27th. 
 
 On the 28th the British broke ground in regular form against 
 the position, and Washington seeing that his works could not 
 withstand the attack, skilfully withdrew under cover of a fog and 
 retired on New York. 
 
 After a fruitless attempt at accommodation, the British prepar- 
 ed to cross East Eiver, to Manhattan. Washington was now in a 
 critical position, with part of his Army in the environs of New York, 
 and part at the extremity of Manhattan Island. Several English 
 men-of-war moved up to Bloomingdale, while the first Division of 
 the Army und^r Clinton and Cornwallis embarked at Newtown, 
 and under cover of the fire from the ships, effected a landing at 
 Keep’s Bay, three miles north of New York. The American troops 
 fell back at all points, and New York was occupied by a Brigade of 
 British. The Americans withdrew to Haarlem, leaving their Artil- 
 lery and all stores. There is no record of the casualties in the 
 54th during these operations. 
 
 The 54th now remained in garrison in New York till December 
 1776, when it formed part of the force under General Pigott, which 
 took possession of Rhode Island, and there the Regiment remained 
 during the following year. 
 
 In 1778, the campaign opened with General Sir Henry Clinton 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 in command, with a force of about 10,000 men at Philadelphia, 
 and 4,000 in the vicinity of New York. The enemy was com- 
 manded by General George Washington. Negotiations were at- 
 tempted to induce the Colonists to come to terms, but they, having 
 received ofters of assistance from France, replied, that, ‘‘the acknow- 
 ledgment of their independence and the withdrawal of the British 
 Fleet and Armies from! their country could alone satisfy them.” 
 This was on the 17th June. 
 
 Pending these negotiations hostilities had not ceased, for in May 
 We find the 54th employed in an Expedition planned by Major- 
 General Pigott, Commanding at Rhode Island, to destroy a galley 
 and several large boats laden with cannon and stores collected near 
 Hickarmest Bridge for a projected attack on the British. The 
 force detailed, 8 Companies 22nd Regiment and the flank Companies 
 of the 54th, embarked in flat-bottomed boats under the direction of 
 Captain Clayton and Lieutenant Knowles, R. N., and at daybreak 
 landed near Warren Point unobserved. One hundred and twenty- 
 five boats and a galley armed with six 12 -pounder guns were burn- 
 ed, as well as the bridge across the river. The force then advanced 
 to Warren, and there destroyed 20 heavy guns and a quantity of 
 ammunition. The enemy now assembled in force and opened fire, 
 but the British re-embarked under the protection of the “ Flora ” 
 man-of-war, with a loss of 1 Officer and 12 Men wounded, and 
 bringing with them 4 Field Officers and 60 Men as prisoners. 
 
 During this year, several attempts were made on Rhode Island 
 by the French Fleet and a land force of Americans. In August, 
 the attack was more vigourously pressed by General Sullivan, 
 while the British under Pigott were equally energetic with counter- 
 works. On the 26th of that month, the enemy was observed to 
 be preparing to break up from his lines ; whereupon General Pigott 
 detached Brigadier- General Smith with the 22nd and 43rd Regi- 
 ments, and the flank companies of the 38th and 54th, to follow 
 the enemy by the east road, while a second force pursued by the 
 west. General Smith, finding the Americans posted in a strong 
 position at Quaker’s Hill, attacked and carried it, driving the enemy 
 
Major Andres Monument in Westminster Abbey. 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 to the north end of Rhode Island. General SnlliTan after his 
 defeat succeeded in withdrawing his troops by night to the mainland. 
 
 The following year, the war was carried on chiefly in Virginia ; 
 whilst the 54th continued at Rhode Island, and afterwards gar- 
 risoning New York, which was constantly threatened by the com- 
 bined French and American Armies. 
 
 The year 1780 is however memorable in the annals of the 54th 
 for an episode connected with an officer of the Regiment. In the 
 autumn of this year Major John Andre, a Captain in the 54th 
 Foot, and Adjutant-General of the force under Sir Henry Clinton, 
 was executed as a spy by the Americans. A man of great ability 
 and resolution, with winning manners, he had been entrusted with 
 the dangerous and difficult mission of secretly negotiating with 
 the American General, Benedict Arnold, who had traiterously pro- 
 posed to betray to the British the important post of West Point 
 on the Hudson river, where he commanded. 
 
 Andre, returning with these negotiations, as well as full details 
 of the American forces in the hand-writing of Arnold, concealed in 
 his stockings, rode to the river bank at a point where a man-of- 
 war’s boat was to await him ; but owing to a fog the boats crew 
 failed to meet him, and soon afterwards in the forest, he encounter- 
 ed a patrol of three American soldiers, named John Paulding, 
 David Williams and Isaac Vanwart. 
 
 Mistaking them for English, Andre declared himself a British 
 officer. Upon discovering his fatal error he produced with ap- 
 parent unconcern, a pass from General Arnold, but his captors 
 refused to let him go, and escorted him to the American lines. 
 Unhappily for Andre he had been forced to spend a day in con- 
 cealment after his business with Arnold, and had been reluctantly 
 persuaded to lay aside his uniform, which he had till then worn 
 under a surtout ; so that he was now taken in plain clothes, and 
 the compromising papers being found upon him, it was decided to 
 try him as a spy. 
 
 He was accordingly tried in the last days of September 1780, 
 by a Court-Martial consisting of 14 General Officers, Major-General 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 Nathaniel Greene being President, and the celebrated General 
 La Fayette and Baron Von Stenben being among the Members. 
 
 On being arraigned, Major Andre, ^ager to preserve his repu- 
 tation from any semblance of dishonour, frankly disclosed to the 
 Court all that bore against himself, at the same time concealing 
 whatever might endanger the safety of others. His confessions 
 were deemed so conclusive, that no witnesses were examined 
 against him, and on the 30th September the Court reported to 
 General Washington that the prisoner ought to be considered a 
 “ spy,” and that in accordance with the law of nations he ought 
 to suffer death. Washington approved and ordered the execution 
 to take place the following afternoon, but in consequence of a flag 
 of truce from the English General, the doom was postponed. Sir 
 Henry Clinton meanwhile made every effort to save Andre, sending 
 General Bobertson to lay before Washington facts and arguments 
 in his favour, but the only alternative Washington would consent 
 to, was the surrender of Arnold, who on hearing of the capture of 
 Andre had escaped to the British lines. 
 
 Andre was accordingly sentenced to be hanged. On the sen- 
 tence of the Court being notified, he addressed a letter to Wash- 
 ington in the following touching and soldier-like terms ; “ Sir, 
 “ Buoyed above the fear of death by the consciousness of a life 
 spent in the pursuit of honour, and fully sensible that it has at 
 ‘‘ no time been stained by any action which at this serious mo- 
 ment could give me remorse, I have to solicit your Excellency, 
 ‘‘if there is anything in my character which excites your esteem, 
 “ if, aught in my circumstances can excite you with compassion, 
 “that I may be permitted to die the death of a soldier. It is 
 “ my last request, I hope it may be granted. 
 
 “ I have the honour, &c., &c., 
 
 (Signed) “ John Andre.” 
 
 General Washington submitted this letter to the Court-Martial, 
 who, all save General Greene, the President, were, strong in their 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 recommendation that Andre’s wish should be gratified. But 
 Greene, who at the same time is reported to have felt the keenest 
 pity for the prisoner, held that the prayer could not be granted, and 
 therefore thus wrote in reply to Washington : — 
 
 “ Andre is either a spy or an innocent man. If the latter, to 
 execute him in any way will be murder. If the former, the mode 
 of death is prescribed by law, and you have no right to alter it. 
 “ Nor is this all. At the present alarming crisis of our affairs, the 
 public safety calls for a solemn and impressive example. Noth- 
 *‘ing can satisfy it short of the execution of the prisoner as a 
 ** common spy ; a character, of which his own confession has clearly 
 “ convicted him. Beware how you suffer your feelings to triumph 
 ‘‘over your judgment. Indulgence to one may be death to thou- 
 “ sands. Through mistaken sensibility, humanity may be wounded, 
 “and the cause of freedom sustain an injury you cannot remedy. 
 “ Besides, if you shoot the prisoner instead of hanging him, you 
 “ will excite suspicions which you will be unable to allay, Notwith- 
 “ standing all your efforts to the contrary, you will awake public 
 “ compassion, and the belief will become general that in the case of 
 “ Major Andre, there were exculpatory circumstances entitling him 
 “ to lenity beyond what he received ; perhaps entitling him to 
 “ pardon. Hang him therefore or set him free.” 
 
 This reasoning seemed to Washington unanswerable, and though 
 he is said to have shed tears as he did so, he ordered the exe- 
 cution. 
 
 Andre was kept ignorant of the refusal of his prayer for death 
 by the Platoon, till on his way to execution he learned it from 
 Major Tallmadge, who like all the American officers brought into 
 contact with the prisoner, appears to have shown him great 
 kindness. 
 
 His execution is thus recorded in the JVew London Gazette of the 
 2nd October, 1780 — 
 
 “ This day at 12 o’clock the execution of Major Andre took 
 “ place by hanging him by the neck [at Tappard]. Perhaps no 
 “ person, on like occasion ever suffered the ignominious death that 
 
 o 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 “ was more regretted by ojBScers and soldiers of every rank in our 
 “ Army ; nor did I ever see any person meet his fate with more 
 “fortitude and equal conduct. When he was ordered to mount 
 “ the waggon under the gallows, he replied* ‘ he was ready to die, but 
 “ wished the mode to have been in a more eligible way, preferring 
 “ to be shot.’ After he had opened his shirt collar, fixed the rope 
 “ and tied the silk handkerchief over his eyes, he was asked by 
 “the Officer Commanding the Troops if he wished to say any- 
 “ thing. He replied, ^ 1 have said all I had to before, and have 
 “ only to request'the gentlemen present to bear testimony that I 
 “met my death as a brave man.’ ” 
 
 The news of Andre’s execution was received in England with 
 the greatest indignation. 
 
 Andre’s brother was on the 24th March, 1781, made a Baronet 
 as a mark of respect to the gallant deceased, and a monument in 
 Westminster Abbey was erected to his memory. 
 
 In later years a monument has also been placed by subscrip- 
 tion of officers of the Army of the United States to mark the spot 
 where Andre died. 
 
 John Andre was born in 1751, he was gazetted Lieutenant in 
 the 7th Foot, 24th September, 1771, promoted Captain 26th Foot, 
 18th January, 1777, removed Captain 54th Foot, 9th September, 
 1779. In the London Gazette of 24th July, 1781, Lieutenant 
 Carr Thomas Brackenbury is promoted Captain 54th Foot vice 
 Captain John Andre deceased. 
 
 In 1781 we find the 54th engaged in an Expedition led by the 
 renegade Benedict Arnold, who had been the cause of Andre’s 
 death, and who had now entered the British service with the rank 
 of Brigadier. The Expedition was sent by Sir Henry Clinton to 
 destroy the Privateers and Naval stores collected at New London. 
 The troops landed on the morning of the 6th September, about 
 three miles from the town, and advanced in two divisions on each 
 side of the harbour. The column on the Croton side, composed of 
 the 40th and 54th Eegiments, some Artillery and local troops, was 
 commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Eyre of the 54th Eegiment, 
 
( 11 ) 
 
 and this side of the harbour was defended by Fort Griswold, which 
 had been reported incomplete in its works and weakly garrisoned. 
 
 Colonel Eyre was therefore directed to carry it by a coup de 
 main. Arnold discovered too late that his information was incor- 
 rect, and that the fort was strong in defences and in garrison, and 
 counter-ordered the attack, but not till the assault had begun. 
 The following is an extract from Brigadier-General Arnold’s 
 Despatch:— 
 
 After a most obstinate defence of nearly forty minutes, the fort 
 “ was carried by the superior bravery and perseverance of the as- 
 “ sailants. The attack was judicious and spirited, and reflects the 
 “ highest honour on the officers and troops engaged, who seemed 
 “to vie with each other in being first in danger. The troops 
 “ approached on three sides of the work (a square with flanks) 
 “ made a lodgement in the ditch, and under a heavy fire which 
 “ was kept up from the works, effected a second lodgement upon 
 “ the ^ /raising which was attended with great difficulty, as only 
 “ a few pickets could be forced out and broken in each place, and 
 “was so high that the soldiers could not ascend without assisting 
 “ each other. Here the coolness and bravery of the troops were very 
 “ conspicuous, as the first who ascended the /raise had to silence 
 “a 9-pounder gun which enfiladed the place on which they stood, 
 “ until a sufficient body had collected to enter the works, which was 
 “done with fixed bayonets, through embrasures, where they were 
 “ opposed with great obstinacy by the garrison with long spears.” 
 The 40th lost — 
 
 Major Capt. Lieut. Ens. Sergts. Eank & File. 
 
 Killed, 1 1 1 28 
 
 Wounded, ... 1 1 1 2 50 
 
 The 54th lost — 
 
 Lt.-Col. Capt. Lieut. Ens. Sergts. Bmr. Rank & File. 
 
 Killed, 1 ... 14 
 
 Wounded, 11116 1 ‘67 
 
 Major Montgomery, 40th Regiment, succeeded Lieutenant-Col- 
 onel Eyre 54th in the command, on the latter being wounded, and 
 was killed by a spear on entering the works. 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 Extract from the Despatch from the Commander-in-Chief, Sir 
 Henry Clinton, to Lord Germaine, dated New York, 12th Septem- 
 ber, 1781. 
 
 “ I have the honour to acquaint your Lordship that the Briga- 
 “ dier speaks to me with the highest praise of the good conduct, 
 ‘^discipline and gallantry of all the officers and men who accom- 
 “ panied him on this service. But as no words, in my opinion, can 
 “do them full justice, I shall only observe that the assault of Fort 
 “ Griswold, and the carrying it by coup de main, notwithstanding 
 “ the very obstinate resistance of the garrison, will undoubtedly 
 “ impress the enemy with every apprehension from the ardour of 
 “ British troops, and will hereafter be remembered with thegreat- 
 “ est honour to the 40th and 54th Regiments and their leaders, to 
 “ whose share the attack fell ; though we cannot at present too 
 “ much lament the heavy loss they sustained in the many brave 
 “officers and men who fell in the assault; and I cannot doubt 
 “ your Lordship will be happy to lay the merit of their exertions 
 “ before the King for his most gracious approbation.” 
 
 In the garrison 85 men were killed, including the Commander 
 Colonel Ladyard, 60 were wounded, and 70 made prisoners. The 
 object of the Expedition was then achieved by burning twelve 
 Privateers and the town of New London with its stores. The 
 54th here acquired the title of “ Flamers. ” 
 
 Till the end of the war the 54th remained at New York, and 
 on the peace was moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia; proceeding 
 thence to New Brunswick in 1786. 
 
 At this time there were serving with the Regiment two men of 
 historical notoriety. Lord Edward Fitzgerald and William Cobbett. 
 
 Lord Edward was born in 1763, being the fifth son of the 
 Duke of Leinster. In 1786 he exchanged as Major from the 
 19th to the 54th Foot, then serving at St. John’s, New Bruns- 
 wick. Here he was for some time in command of the Regiment, 
 and is said to have exerted himself greatly for the comfort of his 
 men, especially in utilizing their labour in erecting huts, in spite 
 of the opposition of “ Engineers, barrack people and old officers, ” 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 as he writes in one of his letters to his mother. In another letter 
 he says, “ I have got a garden for the men which employs me a 
 good deal. I flatter myself that next year it will furnish the men 
 with quantities of vegetables which will be of great service to 
 them.” Again he gives the daily routine of his life. I get up 
 at 5 o’clock, go out and exercise the men from 6 to 8, come home 
 and breakfast ; from that time I read, write and settle the different 
 business of the Regiment ; at 4 we dine, at half after 6 we go 
 out to parade and drill till sun-down.” This life was, however, 
 varied by excursions in the woods, and in 1789 he and a brother 
 officer. Lieutenant Brisbane, made a remarkable journey on foot 
 from St. John’s to Quebec, taking a straight line through the woods 
 and across the mountains for 175 miles, which they accomplished 
 in 25 days, having steered by compass, and dragged their effects 
 on a tobagin. On their arrival, tattered and torn, at Quebec, the 
 travellers were taken for deserters, and had great difficulty in ob- 
 taining accommodation. Whilst in Canada Lord Edward was in- 
 ducted as a Chief in the Great Bear tribe of Indians by David 
 Palmer, then leader of the Six-Nations. Subsequently he went 
 on leave to England, travelling by way of the Mississippi and 
 Mexico, and on the return home of the Regiment he resumed 
 command. Colonel Bruce being on sick leave. Whilst on leave 
 Lord Edward was offered command of a projected Expedition 
 to Cadiz, but refused. 
 
 Unhappily he now became connected with the revolutionary 
 movements in France, and in consequence his name was in 1792 
 removed from the Army List. Proceeding to Paris Lord Edward 
 Fitzgerald married a lady, best known as “ Pamela^” daughter 
 of the Duke of Orleans [“ Egalite ”] and Madame de Genlis, and 
 his republican and revolutionary^ ideas became further developed. 
 He was suspected of being in communication with General Hoche in 
 his attempted invasion of Ireland in December 1794, and afterwards 
 became a leader of the association styling themselves United 
 Irishmen.” 
 
 On the information of one Thomas Reynolds that a general 
 
( U ) 
 
 rising was fixed for the 23rd May, in order to seize Dublin Castle, 
 warrants were issued in March 1798 for the apprehension of the 
 Executive Committee of “ United Irishm,en.” Lord Edward 
 Fitzgerald was now in hiding in Dublin, but on the 19th May he 
 was arrested in a loft, after a struggle in which Major Sur and 
 Captain Kyan, Town Majors of Dublin, were wounded, the latter 
 mortally. Fitzgerald was also wounded and died in prison on 
 the 3rd June, 1798. Thus lamentably ended a career which en- 
 terprize, accomplishment, and the love of his men once promised 
 to make so brilliant. 
 
 Whilst Lord Edward Fitzgerald commanded the 54th at New 
 Brunswick, the Regimental Serjeant-Major was William Cobbett, 
 afterwards well known as a politician. Member of Parliament for 
 Oldham, and Editor of the “ Parliamentary Register.” 
 
 He had enlisted for the 54th at Chatham in 1784, joined the 
 Service Companies the following year, and his abilities speedily 
 attracting notice, he was at the age of twenty- three promoted 
 from Corporal to be Serjeant -Major. 
 
 His conduct in the Regiment seems to have been exemplary, 
 but it is said that “ lawyer ” Cobbett was very unpopular both 
 with officers and men. 
 
 In December 1791, he obtained his discharge as a special indul- 
 gence, and immediately afterwards he made a report to the Horse 
 Guards charging Colonel Bruce and three other officers with 
 embezzlement and making false returns. A General Court-Mar- 
 tial was ordered to investigate these charges. Meanwhile Colonel 
 Bruce who had been in ill-health for some time died, but the three 
 other Officers were arraigned before the Court-Martial which 
 assembled at the Horse Guards on the 201h March, 1792. Cobbett 
 failed to appear, an adjournmefit was made till the 27th of the 
 month, but again the accuser was absent. The Court after ex- 
 amining witnesses fully and honourably acquitted the accused. A 
 mystery hangs over this affair; Cobbett immediately afterwards 
 left the country, and in his “ Life ” written by himself, he makes no 
 mention of it. In this Life ” the following documents are given : — 
 
( 15 ) 
 
 Discharge — 
 
 “ By the Right Honorable Lord Edward Fitzgerald, Command- 
 “ ing the 54th Regiment, whereof Lieutenant-General Frederick 
 “ is Colonel. 
 
 ‘‘ These are to certify that the bearer hereof, William Cobbett, 
 “ Serjeant-Major of the aforesaid Regiment, has served honestly, 
 ‘‘ and faithfully for the space of eight years, nearly seven of which 
 he has been a Non-Commissioned officer, and of that time he has 
 been five years Serjeant-Major of the Regiment ; but having very 
 earnestly applied for his discharge, he, in consequence of his 
 “good behaviour, and the services he has rendered to the Regi- 
 “ ment, is hereby discharged. 
 
 “ Given under my hand and the Seal of the Regiment at Ports- 
 “mouth this 19th day of December, 1791. 
 
 (Signed) “ Edward Fitzgerald, 
 
 Portsmouth^ IWi Decemler, 1791.’* 
 
 “ Serjeant- Major Cobbett having most pressingly applied for 
 “ his discharge, at Major Lord Edw§,rd Fitzgerald’s request, Gen- 
 “ eral Frederick has granted it. General Frederick has ordered 
 “ Major Lord Edward Fitzgerald to return the Serjeant-Major 
 “ thanks for his behaviour and services during the time he has been 
 “ in the Regiment, and Major Lord Edward adds his most hearty 
 “thanks to those of the General.” 
 
 A portrait of William Cobbett, the gift of his son. Conserva- 
 tive Member for Oldham during many years, is in possession of 
 the Officers, 54th Regiment. 
 
 In 1791 the 54th Regiment returned to England, landing at 
 Portsmouth in November. Next year it lay at Dover Castle, with 
 detachments at Chatham and Purfleet, and in 1793 in Guernsey. 
 
 It was now commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel W. Goodday 
 Strutt, afterwards Governor of Quebec. 
 
 On the 1st February, 1793, the National Convention of France 
 declared war against England. Active preparations were made 
 by the British Government to carry on hostilities on the Continent ; 
 a large army was sent under H. R. H. the Duke of York to 
 
( 16 ) 
 
 operate in the Netherlands, while a second expedition under 
 Lord Moira was collected at Southampton, destined to aid the 
 French royalists in La Vendee. 
 
 Of the latter force the 54th formed part. This expedition 
 sailed in November, and threatened a descent on the coast of 
 Brittany ; but being driven off by stress of weather, put into Guern- 
 sey, where the 54th was landed and re-occupied its former quarters 
 till June of the following year. The Eegiment then rejoined 
 Lord Moira’s force in camp near Netley on Southampton water. 
 On the 14th June the camp was broken up, and the force em- 
 barked at Southampton, crossed the channel and landed at Ostend 
 on the 26th. 
 
 Lord Moira’s object was to aid the Duke of York, who after 
 an unsuccessful campaign, was hard pressed by superior forces. 
 On the 28th June the force set out ; and the march, though made 
 in the face of Pichegru’s victorious army, was successfully carried 
 out. At Alost on the 6th July a night surprise was attempted 
 by the French, but repulsed, the 54th losing on the occasion 1 
 Sergeant and 6 men. On the 9th the junction with the Duke was 
 effected at Malines. 
 
 Sufficient credit for this skilful operation has perhaps not been 
 accorded by military writers to Lord Moira and his troops. Sir 
 William Napier gives some particulars of its difficulties on the 
 authority of his father who was on the staff. Moving for nearly 
 a month across the front of the French, sometimes even forcing 
 his way through their scouting troops, Lord Moira was constantly 
 in danger of being overwhelmed, but with fine skill turned what 
 seemed an element of destruction into one of succes^. The inhab- 
 itants being in the interest of the French, duly reported every 
 movement of the British, and this being known was thus taken 
 advantage of. Staff officers preceded the column daily, and re- 
 quisitioned the villages for 7,000 rations, which were said to be 
 for the advance guard, while 40,000 were to be prepared for the 
 following day. This was at once intimated to the French Com- 
 mander, who dared not attack so large a force without previous 
 
( 17 ) 
 
 dispositions. In this way a march was gained in safety, but when 
 the deceit was at length discovered, a rapid, forced movement was 
 the only resource. But one night, the soldiers, beaten by fatigue 
 lay down and refused to rise ; ruin seemed inevitable, when sud- 
 denly an Irishman, starting up, cried out with a rich brogue, 
 richer humour, and richest honor, ‘ Boys ! did not the lord 
 give us bottled porter when we were sick at Netley, and has’nt 
 he the right to take it out of us now in sweat ? ’ This was an 
 allusion to a dreadful epidemic of fever which had affected the 
 camp at Netley, during which Lord Moira supplied 7,000 bottles 
 of stout a day from his own purse. Now he was repaid. With 
 shouts of laughter the column rose and a junction with the Duke’s 
 army was effected. 
 
 In the remaining operations of the army of the Netherlands 
 the 54th Eegiment bore its share, supporting with unfailing 
 discipline the depression of repeated retirements before superior 
 forces, and the terrible hardships of a winter retreat in the severe 
 climate of Holland and Northern Germany. Holding commands 
 under the Duke of York were two officers of great future distinc- 
 tion, Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercrombie, and Lieutenant- 
 Colonel the Honorable Arthur Wellesley, afterwards Duke of Wel- 
 lington. Colonel Strutt, Commanding the 54th, was selected as one 
 of three Field Officers to command the outlying picquets covering 
 the rear of the retiring army. In September the force was sharply 
 engaged at Boxtell ; in October it was withdrawn behind the 
 river Meuse, and in January 1795 the river Waal being sufficiently 
 frozen to bear the passage of troops, the Duke of York continued 
 his retreat over country covered with snow and ice to Bremen on 
 the Weser. 
 
 With the rest of the troops, the 54th embarked at Bremen in 
 April, and landed at Southampton, whence it marched to Ring- 
 wood and Lymington in Hants. 
 
 These were, however, stirring times, and short repose was the 
 lot of the “ Flamers ” after their late arduous campaign. In June 
 of this same year, the Regiment embarked for the West Indies, 
 
 D 
 
{ 18 ) 
 
 m order to reduce the insurgents of St. Vincent, and to aid the 
 French West India Islands in throwing off the yoke of the Re- 
 public. Accordingly we find the 54th, with the 40th and 59th 
 Regiments under Major-General Irwing disembarking at St. 
 Vincent on the 29th of September, and attacking the Vigie, a 
 fortified ridge commanding the town. The following is an extract 
 from General Irwing’s despatch : — 
 
 “ The highest praise is due to the army, both officers and men, 
 for the perseverance, discipline and bravery manifested by them in 
 sustaining an action from daybreak to dark in such a climate.’* 
 
 The loss of the 54th was — 
 
 Officers. Sergts. Drummers. Rank & File. 
 Killed, ... 1 1 ... 8 
 
 Wounded, ... 1 3 2 24 
 
 Missing, ... ... ... ... 1 
 
 During the next few months the Regiment was constantly en- 
 gaged against the French and the Caribs in the Island of St. 
 Vincent, and in January 1796 took part in a desperate fight at 
 Mount William, when the force under General Stewart was driven 
 back by the French on Biabon, and thence on Kingstown, with 
 heavy loss. General Stewart in his despatch speaks in the high- 
 est terms of the activity of Brigadier Strutt, who was wounded in 
 the face, and afterwards had his leg shattered, and of the 54th 
 Regiment under his Command. 
 
 The Regiment lost — 
 
 Field 
 
 Officers. Capts. Sublts. Sergts. Drms. Rank & File. 
 
 Killed, 6 1 25 
 
 Wounded, 2 2 5 5 1 44 
 
 Missing, ... ... 40 
 
 During its service in St. Vincent the 54th suffered terribly from 
 sickness, as men might be expected to do, toiling incessantly in 
 the bush, without shelter from the sun by day or dews by night, 
 on a ration of salt pork, damper and new rum. On the authority 
 of Colonel Landman, R.E., in his Recollections, ’* the loss 
 
( 19 ) 
 
 amounted to the whole strength of officers and men three times over. 
 It was beyond doubt enormous, and necessitated the Regiment’s 
 return home at the end of the year 1796, when it was quartered at 
 Chelmsford. 
 
 In 1797, the 54th proceeded to Ireland, occupying Birr during 
 the troubles of 1798. Happily, the discipline of the Regiment 
 saved it from the disgraceful proceedings of part of the garrison 
 of Ireland in these wild and wretched times, when “ soldiers de- 
 signated by Sir Ralph Abercrombie as formidable to everybody 
 but the enemy, were allowed to perpetrate horrible outrages with 
 impunity.” In 1799, quarters were successively occupied at 
 Nenagh, Roscrea, and Limerick. In the spring of 1800 the Reg- 
 iment was ordered to Winchester; but before leaving Ireland 
 it had obtained so many Volunteers from the Irish Regiments 
 of Militia, especially those of Antrim, Carlow, Clare, Limerick, 
 Louth, Mayo and Rosscommon, that a second battalion was ordered 
 to be formed. 
 
 General Mariscoe Frederick still remained Colonel-in- Chief, 
 while Major-General Sir David Baird was appointed Colonel Com- 
 mandant of the newly raised battalion. The following Officers 
 were also gazetted : — May 24th, 1800 : Brevet Lieutenant-Colonels 
 Thomas Layard and Robert Garden to be Lieutenant-Colonels. 
 After receiving their arms, accoutrements and clothing, both bat- 
 talions marched from Winchester to the camp at Netley. At the 
 same time a party joined from the West Indies, having probably 
 been detained there as prisoners of war. 
 
 The British Government having now a considerable force at its 
 disposal, had already despatched an expedition to threaten the coasts 
 of Brittany, and now decided to send a secret expedition against 
 the stronghold of Belle Isle. Accordingly a force, including both 
 battalions of the 54th, embarked at Southampton in August 1800, 
 under command of Lieutenant-General Honorable Sir J. Pultenay, 
 and sailed with sealed orders for the coast of France. On arriving 
 at the appointed rendezvous, an attempt on Belle Isle was found 
 impracticable. The expedition which had previously started now 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 joined Sir J. Pultenay, and with the united force he determined 
 to make a descent on the Spanish port of Ferrol. Arriving in 
 Ferrol harbour on August 25th, the troops effected a landing on 
 the following morning, and having driven off the Spanish picquets 
 established themselves on a commanding ridge. On the 27th 
 Lord Cavan’s brigade had a brisk affair with the Spanish troops, 
 who were driven back with some loss. The brunt of this fighting 
 fell on the 52nd, and the 54th lost only one man. The British 
 troops were now eager to carry the town with the bayonet, but the 
 General thought this impracticable, and his opinion seems to have 
 been confirmed by a reconnaissance made by Sir John Moore in 
 1804. The force was therefore re-embarked and sailed for Gib- 
 raltar. On the 20th September Sir Kalph Abercrombie arrived 
 in Gibraltar Bay with 10,000 men from Minorca, and took com- 
 mand of the united expeditions, and plans were formed for an 
 attack on Cadiz, the fleet meantime anchoring in the Bay of Tetnan 
 to water. 
 
 News now reached Sir Ealph that yellow fever of a most viru- 
 lent type was raging in and about Cadiz, and he was disposed to 
 suspend his operations against the unhappy city, and proceed with 
 his army to the Tagus. Divided responsibility, however, between 
 him and the Admiral Lord Keith produced divided councils, and 
 ended in the original orders from home being adhered to, and the 
 fleet accordingly repaired to Cadiz. Here it was found that the 
 reports of the epidemic were not exaggerated, and there was no 
 hope that the troops if landed would escape its ravages. The 
 boats for landing a force were also found to be enough for about 
 4,000 men only ; and as the Admiral could give no assurance that 
 this first detachment could be supported under a considerable time, 
 while if a south-west wind came on they might be left entirely 
 isolated, Abercrombie declined to allow a landing, and the expe- 
 dition returned to Gibraltar. 
 
 From Gibraltar, the 54th, with the rest of the troops, proceeded 
 to Minorca, where they were in November 1800, and thence to 
 Malta, which had shortly before surrendered to the British. 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 Early in December, the army again prepared to sail, and on the 
 20th of that month, the 54th, numbering 1195 men, viz., 1st bat- 
 talion 598, 2nd battalion 597 strong, embarked for the famous 
 expedition to Egypt. The first rendezvous for the fleet was 
 Marmorica Bay in the Gulf of Makri. Here six weeks were spent 
 in endeavouring to concert measures with the Turks, and in pre- 
 parations, including repeated practice of the troops in disembarking 
 in presence of an enemy. The value of this practice was to be 
 rendered abundantly clear when the time of performance arrived. 
 The expedition numbering 180 sail, after a further detention by 
 contrary winds, sailed on the 22nd of February, 1801, and came to 
 anchor off Alexandria on March 1st, in the very waters where 
 three years before, the battle of the Nile had been fought by 
 Nelson. 
 
 For nearly a week, the weather was too rough for landing, or 
 even to allow a reconnaissance of the shore ; but the General was 
 able to effect the latter operation on the 7th March, and orders 
 were given to prepare for landing at 2 o’clock next morning. 
 
 A ludicrous incident attending the reconnaissance is related. 
 Lieut. Brown of the ‘ Fudroyant ’ commanding one of the armed 
 launches which accompanied the General, landed with a party of 
 sailors, drove back a French picquet, and carried off a French 
 officer, a donkey and a donkey boy, all of whom were brought 
 on board. The incident created great amusement on board the 
 fleet,, and the capture was looked on by the men as a good omen 
 of a successful landing. 
 
 On this day the two battalions of the 54th were posted to 
 Major-General Eyre Coote’s Brigade. The effective strength is 
 given. Bank and file present and fit for duty — 1st Boyals, 626 ; 
 54th, two battalions, 974 ; 92nd Highlanders, 529. 
 
 Early on the 8th, the boats were manned, and were in position 
 by 9 o’clock a.m. At that hour the signal was given, and 150 boats 
 containing 5,000 men pulled for the shore. Owing to the shal- 
 low water the fleet lay six miles from land. The morning was 
 calm, and the silence was broken only by the murmur of a thousand 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 oars. By 10 o’clock, the narrow point on which the disembark- 
 ation was to be made was neared. The beach was crowded with 
 French troops, and on some steep sand hills in rear, works and 
 batteries had been thrown up. From these, shot and shell 
 assailed the boats as they advanced ; and when nearer, murderous 
 showers of grape and musketry rained from the shore. Some 
 distance out, the boats took the ground ; the men jumped out 
 and formed, then, holding up their muskets and pouches, they 
 waded to the beach. Heavy fighting which took place here and 
 behind the sand hills ended in the French being driven into 
 Alexandria, with the loss of 300 men and 8 guns. The British 
 loss was naturally more severe. The casualties in the 54th were — 
 killed. Ensign England, 1 Sergeant, 1 Drummer, 11 Bank and 
 File. Wounded, Capt. Shepley, Lieut. O’Halloran, 4 Sergeants, 
 and 52 Bank and File. 
 
 Next day the following order was issued by General Sir Ralph 
 Abercrombie : — 
 
 “ The gallant behaviour of the troops in the action of yesterday 
 ‘‘ claims from the Commander-in- Chief the warmest praise that he 
 
 can bestow ; and it is with particular satisfaction that he observed 
 
 their conduct, marked with ardent bravery, and by coolness, regu- 
 “ larity and order.” 
 
 On the 12th the army moved forward, and found the enemy 
 strongly posted in front of Mandora, with his right on the Mah- 
 moudie Canal, his left on the sea. On the 13th the British at- 
 tacked, and after sharp fighting the French were forced to retreat 
 across the plain to their position in front of Alexandria. 
 
 Both battalions of the 54th were hotly engaged, and had Cap- 
 tains Gibson, Cairns and Roberts, Lieutenants Stone and Mills, 
 and Ensigns Kelly and Kirby wounded ; but the casualties among 
 the men are not known. 
 
 On the 24th March, the army won the famous battle of Alex- 
 andria, which cost the life of its veteran Chief. Two hours before 
 daybreak, the French advanced from their lines, 11,000 strong, 
 and attacked the British, The contest was severe, but ended in 
 
( 23 ) 
 
 the defeat of the French with the loss of nearly 3,000 men. 
 Coote’s brigade in the left centre was not as hotly engaged as 
 other portions of the first line, but his advance at a critical mo- 
 ment had an important bearing orf the success of the day. Both 
 battalions were engaged and lost, killed Captain Gibson (who had 
 been wounded on the 13th) and 3 men. Wounded, Lieutenants 
 Condor and Predam and 48 men. Sir Ealph Abercrombie was 
 wounded early in the action, but continued to give his orders till 
 the day was decided. He was then borne off in a hammock amid 
 the sorrowing expressions and blessings of the soldiers who saw 
 him, and was carried on board Admiral Lord Keith’s ship, where 
 he died on the 28th March. The body was carried home and 
 buried in St. Paul’s Cathedral. 
 
 Major-General (afterwards) Lord Hutchinson succeeded to the 
 command, and in his despatch states, “ that it is impossible for 
 “ him to do justice to the zeal of the officers and the gallantry of 
 “ the soldiers of this army : ” and that in the arduous contest. His 
 “ Majesty’s troops in Egypt have faithfully discharged their duty 
 “ to their country, nobly upheld the fame of the British name and 
 “ nation.” 
 
 Lord Hutchinson now advanced against Cairo, leaving Cootes’ 
 brigade, in which a battalion of Marines had replaced the 92nd 
 Highlanders ordered to Eosetta, to blockade Alexandria ; and in 
 this arduous duty the two battalions of the 54th continued till 
 August. Stewart, speaking of the conduct of the troops on this 
 occasion, observes that, owing to the difficulty in procuring specie, 
 no pay was issued to the army, and except when officers made 
 advances to their men out of their own pockets, which was done 
 at great loss by exchange, the soldiers had not wherewithal to 
 buy anything to supplement their rations. Yet not a murmur 
 was heard, and in this country abounding in grapes, water melons 
 and other fruits so grateful in a hot climate, everything was paid 
 for as scrupulously as in Covent garden market. 
 
 In August, Cairo having fallen and reinforcements having ar- 
 rived from England, the troops were brigaded afresh, and the 
 
( 24 ) 
 
 54th, with the 1st Royals and the 26th Cameronians, formed the 
 2nd Brigade under Major-General Honorable E. Finch. 
 
 It was now determined to invest Alexandria more closely. Sir 
 Eyre Coote, now second in command, with the 1st and 2nd Bri- 
 gades and some Artillery and Engineers, in all about 4,000 men, 
 was ordered to embark on board the boats of the fleet, and proceed 
 along Lake Maroeotis, to act against the western side of the city 
 and Fort Marabout which commanded the harbour. The troops 
 embarked on the 16th, landed the following night, and on the 19th 
 August, fire was opened on the tower of Marabout and three 
 French gun-boats lying at anchor close by. So judiciously did 
 Lieutenant- Colonel Darby post the two light companies of the 
 Regiment on the rocks overlooking the tower, that not a French- 
 man could show his head above the works without being picked off. 
 On the 21st, after a further cannonade, the tower was escaladed by 
 the light companies of the 54th, on the same evening. 
 
 In commemoration of this action, two of the guns captured in 
 the Fort were presented to the Regiment. One of these accom- 
 panied the Regiment till 1840, when it was placed in the museum 
 at Woolwich. It is now with the Depot of the Regiment. In lieu 
 of the gun now withdrawn, the distinction notified in the follow- 
 ing Gazette of the 28th January, 1842, was granted. War office, 
 
 “ 20th January, 1842., Her Majesty has been graciously pleased 
 to permit the 54th Regiment to bear upon its colors and appoint- 
 ^‘ments, in addition to the distinctions which it has previously 
 obtained, the word Marabout,’ in commemoration of the gallant- 
 “ try evinced by the Regiment at the assault and capture of that 
 “ Fort in Egypt on the 21st August, 1801.” In 1857 Her Majesty 
 further ordered that the Sphinx with ^ Marabout ’ should be worn 
 over the numerals on the forage cap by the officers of the Regi- 
 ment. 
 
 During the remainder of the siege, the 54th was frequently 
 engaged, and when Alexandria fell, both battalions occupied the 
 city till the evacuation of Egypt by the British. 
 
 In commemoration of its services in Egypt, His Majesty King 
 
The Marabout Oun. 
 

( 25 ) 
 
 George III. was pleased to direct that, in common with other 
 Regiments there engaged, the 54th should bear upon its colors 
 and appointments the figure of a sphinx with the word “ Egypt.” 
 The Regiment proceeded from Egypt to Minorca, and thence 
 in February 1802 to Gibraltar. It was quartered in the South 
 Barracks and Windmill Hill, the latter just built, and it is worthy 
 of note that in 1845-6 and again in 1855-6 it occupied the same 
 quarters. The second battalion was now ordered to be disbanded, 
 tbe officers being placed on half pay, and all effective men draughted 
 to the first. Whilst the Regiment was in Egypt, General Freder- 
 ick, Colonel Commandant, had died, and was succeeded by Major- 
 General Sir David Baird, K.C.B. 
 
 The Regiment’s service on the Rock was at this time rendered 
 eventful, by the honorable part it played in suppressing a serious 
 mutiny among the troops. His Royal Highness Edward Duke 
 of Kent, father of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, came out in May 
 1802 as Governor of Gibraltar, with special instructions to re- 
 form the abuses and laxity of discipline which had long prevailed 
 there. 
 
 It is essential,” ran the Commander-in-Chiefs instructions, 
 “ that your Royal Highness should be made aware, previous to 
 your assuming the command at Gibraltar, that too great a por- 
 “ tion of that garrison has been usually employed on duties of 
 ‘‘ fatigue ; that in consequence discipline has been relaxed, and 
 “ drunkenness has prevailed ; that it will be the duty of your 
 “ Royal Highness to exact the most minute attention to all His 
 Majesty’s regulations for disciplining, arming, clothing and ap- 
 “ pointing the army, from all of which not the most trifling devia- 
 “ tion can be permitted.” 
 
 , On arrival at Gibraltar the Duke is said to have found the state 
 of affairs even worse than as indicated above. Immorality, laxity 
 of all military rule and insubordination among the men prevailed 
 to an alarming extent. The troops on parade presented a slovenly 
 appearance and want of uniformity in their dress and appointments, 
 whilst inaccuracy in their movements was apparent to every ob- 
 
 E 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 server. Discipline was at the lowest ebb, the men were often in 
 a disgraceful state of intoxication, and no unprotected female 
 could walk the streets, even in the day time, without being sub- 
 j ected to insult and sometimes to brutal violence. 
 
 This seems an exaggerated picture of the demoralized state of 
 troops, many of whom had just been engaged in brilliant services, 
 but it is certain that two of the Kegiments which had recently 
 returned from Egypt were ringleaders in the mutiny which followed 
 His Koyal Highness’ efforts to bring the garrison into a more 
 soldierly condition. 
 
 A private soldier of the 92nd Highlanders, whose narrative of 
 service in Gibraltar and elsewhere from 1795 to 1802 was published 
 some years afterwards in Glasgow, tells a similar tale. “ There 
 was,” he says, “ a great deal of hard labour on fatigue (for which 
 “extra pay was given), so that by the evening the men were 
 “ knocked up and needed refreshment, and had no resort but the 
 “ wine-houses. The barrack rooms were very uncomfortable and 
 “ crowded, some of them having sixty men in a room, so that the 
 “ roughs could always outnumber and overrule the better dis- 
 “ posed men. Moreover, the rooms were so full of vermin of 
 “ all sorts, that it was a common excuse that the men could not 
 “ sleep unless they were half drunk. It was customary to settle 
 “ the men’s accounts, not once a month even, as then was the rule 
 “ at home, but once in two months, and very little pay being issued 
 “ in the meantime, the men had considerable sums to squander. 
 “ The regiments had each their separate settling days, so that the 
 “ whole garrison should not be drunk at once.” 
 
 The Duke set to work energetically to remedy these evils. 
 Seeing that drunkenness was the root of all the mischief, he reduced 
 the number of wine-houses — at the expense of his own emoluments 
 as Governor — from 90 to 60, by cancelling the licenses of all in the 
 back lanes and in the immediate neighbourhood of barracks and 
 guard-houses. Koll calls were established, dress parades were held 
 morning and evening, and the presence of the men in their rooms 
 at meal times, and after “ last post ” was strictly enforced. 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 This change from the former laxity, coupled with the harsh 
 punishments then in vogue, produced a spirit of insubordination 
 throughout some of the Kegiments in garrison, which soon mani- 
 fested itself in an alarming manner. 
 
 Several versions of what occurred have been preserved among 
 the traditions of the Regiment. An old man still living on the 
 Rock in 1856-used to tell the story. On Christmas Eve 1802, some 
 of the garrison broke into open mutiny, and with their arms marched 
 to “ the Convent,” the residence of the Governor. The ■ ■ — 
 
 and Regiments next took the road for Windmill Hill to raise 
 
 the 54th; but news of the rising had reached the barracks, and 
 the Captain and Subaltern of the day fell in the Regiment and 
 marched the Grenadiers, who had turned out hurriedly with three 
 rounds of ammunition stuffed into the breasts of their jackets, down 
 the road to meet the mutineers. These received them with “ Hurrah 
 here come the ‘ Flamers ’ to join us,” but by way of reply the 
 “ Flamers ” gave them a volley, killing several, and the remainder 
 at once broke. 
 
 An old man living at Armagh in 1869 claimed to be the son of 
 Ensign Ralph Campbell of the Veteran Battalion formerly a Ser- 
 geant in the 54th, and that his father was one of the guard on His 
 Royal Highness on the occasion of the mutiny. His father used 
 to tell how His Royal Highness next day took off his hat to the 
 54th, and thanked them for his life, promising to be a friend to the 
 Regiment as long as he lived. 
 
 A more circumstantial account is, however, given in a letter from 
 Lieutenant- Colonel Kirby, late of the 54th, written in reference to 
 some remarks in a Military Journal on the occasion of new colours 
 being presented to the Regiment in 1841. 
 
 Exmouthy December Wihj 1841. 
 
 “ Sir, — Having seen an allusion made in your paper of the 27th 
 ultimo to a splendid piece of plate, now in possession of the 54th 
 “ Regiment at Weedon Barracks, and presented to them by his late 
 Royal Highness the Duke of Kent at Gibraltar in 1803, whilst 
 the Regiment was serving under his Royal Highness’ command 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 ** as Governor of that fortress, for having suppressed the mutiny 
 “ in two Regiments on the night of December 24th, 1802, and the 
 following days, and as you have not explained the reasons for which 
 ** it was granted to them by His Royal Highness, permit me to do so, 
 as it was highly honorable to the country to which the whole of 
 “ the soldiers of that Regiment belonged, and most of the officers ; 
 ‘‘ and as I am the only officer remaining, or I believe soldier, now 
 in Her Majesty’s service who was present with the Corps on that 
 “ occasion, and assisted in crushing the mutiny, I consider it but 
 ‘‘justice to their merits to state it. I was then an Ensign in the 
 “ Regiment. 
 
 “ On the evening of December 24th, 1802, whilst His Royal 
 “ Highness was at dinner, and entertaining the whole of the field 
 “ officers of the garrison, twelve soldiers of the - with their 
 “ faces blackened and bayonets drawn entered the Convent gates, 
 “ and enquired from the servants whether they could see His Royal 
 “ Highness, which having been reported, it was then discovered 
 “ that there was a mutiny in the garrison. On which His Royal 
 “ Highness after a short consultation with the Commanding Officers 
 “ of the Regiments which composed the garrison, they were ordered 
 “ to join their Regiments and hold themselves in readiness to act 
 “ at a moment’s warning. 
 
 “ About 9 p.M. the 54th Regiment, which was 1000 strong, all 
 “ Irishmen, and not a man of them being under 5 feet 9 inches 
 “ high, on the bugle being sounded were formed in open column 
 “ of divisions, right in front, and facing down the road leading from 
 “ the town of Gibraltar, in the South Barracks where our regiment 
 “ was quartered under the command of Brevet Lieutenant- Colonel 
 “ Andrew Ross. 
 
 “ In about a quarter of an hour after we had turned out, it 
 “ being pitch dark, a very loud noise was heard on the road leading 
 “ from the town, and a number of shots were fired, the balls of 
 “ which came whizzing in among us from the party approaching, 
 “which was the Grenadier company of the—, and as soon as 
 “ they found we were under arms they called out, ‘ 54th ! won’t you 
 
( 29 ) 
 
 ** * join us ’ ? on which Colonel Eoss ordered our Grenadier company 
 ** to fire, when seven of them having fallen, finding they had no 
 ** friends in our regiment to assist them in their mutinous inten- 
 tions, instantly retired, firing ball at every person they met, and 
 ** amongst the rest Thady O’Halloran (as we used to call him 
 afterwards Lieutenant-Colonel O’Halloran, 4th Foot) who had 
 “ been dining out with another Kegiment and was returning home, 
 fairly ran the gauntlet on the line wall, as every one of them 
 “had a shot at him. 
 
 “ Soon afterwards Major-General Barnett arrived, and, having 
 ordered the Regiment to form close columns he made a speech 
 to them ; and having complimented them on their steady dis- 
 cipline and unswerving fidelity — for they never hesitated for a 
 “ moment, and acted like men whose minds were made up—he 
 desired them to give three cheers for His Royal Highness and 
 “ their own officers, when the gallant fellows gave three shouts 
 “ that made the werkin ring again. 
 
 “ The Regiment remained under arms the whole of that night 
 “ as the — were in open and avowed mutiny ; and the follow- 
 “ ing day the whole of the ~, which were about 500 strong, 
 also mutinied ; and all attempts to bring them to a return to 
 “ their duty having failed. His Royal Highness ordered Colonel 
 “ Ross to move the 54th down to the Picketyard, where they were 
 “ stationed and disarm them, which was accordingly done, and we 
 “ marched back to our barracks, playing ‘ Patrick’s day in the 
 “ morning.’ Three men of the latter Regiment were afterwards 
 “ shot for that mutiny by sentence of a General Court-Martial. 
 
 “ His Royal Highness, in approval of the conduct of the officers 
 “ and soldiers of the 54th, obtained the Colonelcy of the 70th for 
 “ Lieutenant-Colonel Ross, and Companies for some of the senior 
 “ Subalterns, and also evinced a desire to serve every officer and 
 “ soldier belonging to the Regiment, whenever they applied to him 
 so far as he was able, or as His Royal Highness’s interest went. 
 “Various causes have been assigned for the mutiny. A great 
 “ deal of disorder and drunkenness prevailed in the garrison when 
 
( so ) 
 
 His Koyal Highness arrived, which was the 10th May, 1802 ; 
 “ and the shutting up of the wine-houses, thus diminishing the 
 “ number of licenses (by which His Eoyal Highness’s emoluments 
 were even curtailed), and the strict discipline introduced by His 
 Koyal Highness, excited the bad characters in both these Kegi- 
 ments, and the hopes of plunder in the confusion consequent on 
 a mutiny, and the chance there was of their afterwards escaping 
 “ into Spain with their booty, blinded them to the duty they owed 
 to their King and country. 
 
 “ It is extraordinary that no animosity was afterwards ever 
 known to exist between the three Regiments, though they re- 
 ‘^mained together in the same garrison for two or three years 
 after the circumstance took place. The splendid silver vase or 
 “ tureen was made by Kundell and Bridge, and cost 400 guineas, 
 “on it is engraved the Sphinx and other badges of the Regiment, 
 “ and also the following inscription : — 
 
 “ The Gift of His Royal Highness 
 Edward Duke of Kent, 
 
 To Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Ross, 
 
 And the Officers of the 54th Regiment, 
 
 As a Testimony of the High Sense His Royal Highness entertains 
 of the Steady Discipline 
 And distinguished Good Conduct 
 Displayed by them and their Regiment, 
 
 On the night of 24th December, 1802. 
 
 I am Sir, your most obedient Servant, 
 
 Thos. Cox Kirby, Lieut.-Col.” 
 The piece of plate above referred to, is now mounted on a silver 
 stand, supported at each corner by guns modelled after those cap- 
 tured at Marabout, and one of which was long carried at the head 
 of the Regiment ; and 4 forms the centre piece of the Regimental 
 Mess table. 
 
 On the occasion of a visit to Plymouth, where the 54th was 
 then stationed, by Her Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria in Sep- 
 tember 1856, the young Princes Albert Edward Prince of Wales, 
 
( 31 ) 
 
 and Alfred Duke of Edinburgh, were brought by His Royal High- 
 ness the Prince Consort to inspect this memento of the gratitude 
 of their Royal Grandfather to the 54th, for their loyal conduct at 
 an eventful moment of his life. 
 
 In 1804 Colonel Christopher Darby, who had commanded the 
 Regiment since 1795, was promoted Brigadier-General, and was 
 succeeded by Lieutenant- Colonel Ladyard. Colonel Darby was so 
 long identified with the 54th, that the following obituary notice, 
 which appeared in the “Gentleman’s Gazette” of 1832 on the 
 occasion of his death, is a complete epitome of the Regiment’s 
 history for 25 years. 
 
 “ Lately, highly respected, Lieutenant-General Christopher 
 “ Darby, for many years Commandant of the Limerick District. 
 “ This officer entered the army as an Ensign in the 33rd Foot, 
 “ November 26th, 1775 ; in the following February he sailed with 
 “ the expedition under Earl Cornwallis against Charlestown, South 
 “ Carolina, and afterwards served during the six following years in 
 “ the campaign in America. He was present at the Battles of Bel- 
 “ford. Long Island, Whiteplains, Brandy Wine, Germantown and 
 “ Monmouth, besides several affairs of lesser note. He obtained 
 “ his Lieutenancy in 1777, and a company in the 54th Foot in 
 “ 1779. In 1781 he was employed in the expedition against New 
 “ London, and commanded the Regiment at the storming of Fort 
 “ Griswald at that place. At the conclusion of the war he was 
 “ sent to the province of New Brunswick, where he remained until 
 “ ordered to Europe in October 1791. 
 
 “ He received the Majority of the 54th in March 1794, and in 
 “ June embarked with the Army under the Earl of Moira for 
 “ Ostend, and shortly afterwards joined that of the Duke of York, 
 “ with which he served until its return from Holland in May 1795. 
 “ He received the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the 54th in September 
 “ 1795, and in March 1796, joined the Army at St. Yincenl. At the 
 “ recapture of that island by Sir Ralph Abercrombie, the 54th, being 
 
 greatly reduced in numbers, were drafted and returned in Octo- 
 ‘‘ her. In 1800, Lieutenant-Colonel Darby embarked and joined the 
 
( 32 ) 
 
 “ Army under Sir James Pultenay in Quiberon Bay, and proceeded 
 against Ferrol. He shortly afterwards joined that of Sir Ralph 
 Abercrombie, and was at the landing in Aboukir Bay on the 8th 
 March, 1801, and in several actions in Egypt. The Castle of 
 Marabout surrendered to the Regiment under his command. In 
 ‘‘ March 1802 he arrived in Gibraltar. He received his commission 
 ‘‘ as Colonel in 1803, and was appointed Brigadier- General in 1804. 
 “ In 1805 he was ordered home to be placed on the Staff there as 
 ‘^Brigadier-General, and from January that year till the same 
 “ month in the next, he served on the Staff in Ireland. In January 
 “ 1807 he sailed to join the Staff in Jamaica. Returned to the Irish 
 “ Staff in 1812, whence his promotion to Lieutenant-General in 
 “ 1814, removed him. He had never been on half-pay, nor absent 
 “ from his Regiment altogether more than three years, and yet was 
 “ never wounded. He died at Limerick in his seventy-third year. ” 
 The remainder of the service of the Regiment on the Rock pass- 
 ed without special incident till the autumn of 1804, when in the 
 “ tremendous visitation, ” as a Medical writer terms the sickness 
 which then affected the garrison, the Regiment suffered very 
 severely. 
 
 In August of that year, after a long continuance of drought and 
 hot weather, a case of “ inflammatory ” fever occurred in the town, 
 and by the 20th of September it was raging severely in the Royal 
 Artillery and Regiment of Roll. An encampment and temporary 
 Hospital for 500 patients was formed for the Civil population on 
 the neutral ground, but the epidemic continued to spread, and by 
 the 20th October, 1348 cases had been admitted to Hospital. The 
 epidemic was now at its height, and fears were entertained that the 
 Spaniards, who had over 3,000 troops on the opposite side of the 
 neutral ground, and were entirely free from sickness, might attempt 
 a night surprise. The attempt was not, however, made, and from 
 this time the pestilence rapidly declined as the weather grew cooler, 
 and by January 1805 it had entirely disappeared. The deaths in 
 the garrison during the four months when the fever raged were 
 54 officers, 864 soldiers, 164 soldiers’ wives and children, and 4,864 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 civilians. The 54th had 456 fever cases and over 100 deaths out 
 of a strength of 747 all ranks. 
 
 In November 1805 the Kegiment embarked for England in a 
 number of transports convoyed by the “ Tunis ” frigate. Head- 
 quarters after landing at Portsmouth, marched to Bexhill bar- 
 racks, and afterwards moved to Colchester. 
 
 But one of the transports containing three companies of the 2nd 
 Queens under Captain Thomas Wilson, and two companies of the 
 54th parted from the convoy, and was captured by the French off 
 Cadiz bay. The party of the 54th consisted of Captains Mann 
 and Kelly, Lieutenant Rumball, 6 Sergeants, 2 Drummers and 118 
 rank and file. For many months no tidings were heard of the 
 missing detachment, till late in the following spring news arrived, 
 that it had been landed at Cape Town, from the French frigate 
 ‘ Volontaire,’ which had entered Table Bay in ignorance of the 
 transfer of the colony to the British, and was captured by Sir 
 David Baird, Colonel of the 54th, and Commander-in-Chief at the 
 Cape. 
 
 In Military Memoirs of Four Brothers,” one of them tells how 
 he went on board with a party of marines to take possession of 
 the French frigate. As soon as I got on board I saw a number 
 of English officers and soldiers belonging to the 2nd or Queens, and 
 54th Regiments of Foot. The joy they expressed at our appearance 
 I am unable to describe. One of the officers came and shook me 
 by the hand, and burst into tears, he was so overjoyed ; the poor 
 soldiers were in such a state of feeling that they appeared ready 
 to jump overboard. Poor fellows ! they had been prisoners be- 
 tween seven and eight weeks, and during the greatest part of that 
 time had been confined below. A number of them had died from 
 want of air.” 
 
 General Sir Robert Wilson, who was then at the Cape, also gives 
 an account of this recapture. He says, I rode to the battery 
 and arrived in time to see a French frigate strike to the Commodore. 
 He fired but one shot, I went with Sir David Baird back to the 
 Chavan, when the ‘ Diadem’s ’ boat landed an English officer, 
 
( 34 ) 
 
 wHo proved to be Captain Wilson of the Queen’s, taken with three 
 companies of liis own regiment, and two of the 54th on their passage 
 from Gibraltar, under convoy of the ‘ Tunis ’ frigate, by a squad- 
 ron of eleven sail of French line under Admiral Villaumez. They 
 were first sent on board the Admiral’s ship, and plundered of 
 everything, and then into the ‘ Volontaire’ 44 guns. When they 
 were brought to, by the Commodore, the Frencli Captain remarked, 
 “ Chacun a son tour,” and surrendered immediately. Fortunately 
 for his comfort he had treated his prisoners with great kindness.” 
 
 The companies of the 54th now performed garrison duty at 
 Cape Town, and were trained and armed as mounted riflemen. In 
 August 1806, all effective men, 104, with two officers, were des- 
 patched to South America with other reinforcements for General 
 Beresford, under command of Colonel Backhouse. Captain Kelly, 
 and about 20 men appear to have been left at the Cape, and are ac- 
 counted for in the regimental returns as “ one detachment at the 
 Cape of Good Hope” till 1810, when the officer was ordered home 
 and the men transferred to corps at the Cape, or to the Veterans. 
 
 Meanwhile, Colonel Backhouse’s force reached the River Plata 
 on October 12th, 1806, and then learned that General Beresford af- 
 ter occupying Monte Video had surrendered to the Spaniards under 
 Linius, and with his troops had been carried prisoner up the coun- 
 try. The capture of Monte Video appearing to Colonel Backhouse 
 to be impracticable, he landed at Maldonado, and occupied that 
 town till the arrival of additional troops under Sir Samuel Auch- 
 muty in the following January. 
 
 During this time, the 54th were formed into two troops of 
 mounted riflemen, and as such performed much good service. They 
 took an active part in the foraging excursions into the surrounding 
 pampas ; and in the affair of San Carlos they lost a gallant young 
 officer. Lieutenant Rumball, and several men. 
 
 The other officer. Captain Mann, appears also to have been ex- 
 pended at this time; for when, after the arrival of Sir Samuel Auch- 
 muty, the expedition attacked Monte Video, it is on record, that the 
 ‘ forlorn hope ’ at the brilliant assault and capture of that city on 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 the night of the 3rd February, 1807, was composed entirely of 
 Volunteers of the 54th, led by a Subaltern of the 38th. This ex- 
 ploit seems the brightest spot in the history of that abortive and 
 disastrous campaign, which had its fit ending in the celebrated 
 Court-Martial on General Whitelock. After the capture of Monte 
 Video, the men of the 54th, now sadly reduced in numbers, were 
 attached to the 38th, and included in that Eegiment’s returns ; 
 but a statement given in an Appendix to the records of the 87th 
 Fusiliers would seem to show, that when the troops re-embarked 
 from South America in the autumn of 1807, there were then 
 15 survivors out of the 106 who had landed at Maldonado 
 twelve months before. But even this small relict was to be reduced 
 still more, for we find, that of that gallant band which had seen so 
 many adventures by land and sea, and borne its Eegiment’s title so 
 proudly, wherever danger was to be met and honour won, only two, 
 Sergeant, afterwards Quarter-Master Coates, and Private Meadows 
 rejoined head-quarters. 
 
 The Eegiment had meantime left Colchester in the autumn of 
 1806 for Ashford and Faversham; and in the spring of 1807, head- 
 quarters and eight companies embarked for Jamaica. 
 
 Amongst the officers embarked were Major Neil Campbell, after- 
 wards Major-General Sir Neil Campbell, K.C.B., and Captain 
 Ulysses de Burgh, afterwards Lieutenant-General Lord Downes, 
 K.C.B. The former distinguished officer joined the 54th on transfer 
 as Major from the 43rd Light Infantry, and served with his Eegi- 
 ment in Jamaica and on the Staff as Deputy Adjutant General in 
 the West Indies, holding this appointment at the capture of Mar- 
 timque and Guadaloupe. He commanded a battalion of Portu- 
 guese in the Peninsula campaigns of 1811 and 1812, and was pre- 
 sent at Cuidad Eoderigo, Badajoz and Vittoria. We next hear 
 of him on a special mission to Sweden in 1813, and afterwards 
 with the Eussian army in the operations in Poland and Germany. 
 He was then appointed Military Commissioner at Elba during the 
 banishment of the Emperor Napoleon to that island. He rejoined 
 the 54th for the Waterloo campaign, and was prominent during 
 
( 36 ) 
 
 the advance on Paris. He died at Sierra Leone as Governor of 
 that colony in 1827. 
 
 Captain Ulysses de Burgh was appointed to the Staff of the 
 Duke of Wellington, and served throughout the Peninsular war and 
 at Waterloo; he was afterwards for many years Secretary of the 
 Ordnance, and died in 1863 as Lieutenant-General Ulysses Lord 
 Downes, K.C.B. 
 
 On its arrival in Jamaica, the Regiment occupied quarters at 
 Stony Hill, and had the monotony of garrison life diversified by 
 the suppression of a mutiny in one of the West Indian Regiments, 
 in which the men had shot their Major and Adjutant. The ring- 
 leaders in this affair were brought before a General Court-Martial 
 and sentenced to death. 
 
 The 54th also formed part of an expedition under General Car- 
 michael, sent against St. Domingo in the summer of 1809. In 
 this service, great sickness befel the troops, and much privation 
 and fatigue were endured in dragging the field-pieces over bad 
 roads, and through dreadful rain and passage of rivers without 
 proper conveyance.” 
 
 The English General, having succeeded in cutting off communi- 
 cation between the city of St. Domingo and the fortress of St. 
 Jerome, the Commander of the French garrison began negotia- 
 tions ; but as these had not resulted in the surrender of the Fort 
 by the 6th July, and the rains seemed likely to obstruct the 
 attacking force, preparations were made to carry the place by 
 assault. The troops were in two brigades, the second commanded 
 by Major Curry, 54th. The Royal Irish and the Grenadier Com- 
 pany of the 54th were told off for the assault of the city, while 
 the Light Companies of the 18th, 54th and 55th, under Major 
 Curry, were to escalade the fort. General Barquer, however, sur- 
 rendered before the attack was delivered, and the French garrison 
 marched out with the honors of war, and laid down their arms. 
 
 During its subsequent service in Jamaica, the 54th. seems to 
 have suffered from climate, as Regiments were wont to suffer in 
 those days. The 18th Royal Irish arrived in Jamaica about the 
 
( 37 ) 
 
 same time as the 54th, and it is reported that they buried there 
 in twelve years 50 officers and 3,000 men ; in other words, the 
 battalion died out every three years. The losses of the 54th are 
 not accurately known, but must have been in something of the 
 same proportion ; for, whereas the battalion when at Stony Hill 
 in October 1807 mustered 2 Field Officers, 4 Captains, 18 Subal- 
 terns, 6 Staff, 33 Sergeants, 15 Drummers, and 518 Rank and 
 File ; five years later at Spanish Town the muster showed 1 Field 
 Officer, 2 Captains, 9 Subalterns, 1 Staff, 9 Sergeants, 6 Drum- 
 mers, and 49 Rank and File ; the others presumably being dead, as 
 very few appear to have found their way home. 
 
 The last time the Regiment is mentioned in the Jamaica returns 
 is in October 1813. 
 
 While the service companies were thus dying out in the W est 
 Indies, recruiting was actively carried on in the Eastern Counties, 
 the Depot having moved from Chatham to Ipswich. In 1812 
 six companies under command of Lieutenant-Colonel the Earl of 
 Waldegrave were at Woodbridge in Suffolk, and in the following 
 year the number had increased to nine. In official documents of the 
 period, these companies are sometimes styled the second battalion 
 54th, but it does not appear that the Regiment had a regularly 
 constituted second battalion after that disbanded in 1802. From 
 1813 to 1815 the establishment was one battalion of twelve 
 companies. 
 
 In July 1813 nine companies under Major Kelly embarked at 
 Harwich, with a force under Major-General Gibbs, consisting of a 
 battalion of the Royals and 25th, the 33rd, 54th, 73rd and 91st, 
 destined for the occupation of Stralsund in Swedish Pomerania. 
 The troops landed there early in August, and were employed in 
 strengthening the defences of the place. The 54th remained in 
 Pomerania till the end of September, and then with the rest of 
 the British troops moved to Rostock in Mecklenburg, whence it 
 embarked for England on the 2nd November. 
 
 However, before the end of the year the 54th was again on 
 active service, having joined Sir Thomas Graham’s army, co-opcr- 
 
( 38 ) 
 
 ating with the Prussians, under General Bulow in Dutch Brabant. 
 The Regiment was posted to Major-General Sir Herbert Taylor’s 
 brigade of the 1st division of the army, then at Groet Tundert, 
 and engaged in the investnaent of Antwerp. 
 
 An important approach to the city was the village of Merxem. 
 It had been carried on the 13th January, 1813, and the French 
 driven back on Antwerp, but as the village was not retained by 
 the British, the enemy had re-occupied and formed it into a strong- 
 ly entrenched position. At the end of January preparations were 
 made for a fresh attack, and on the night of the 1st February the 
 1st and 2nd Divisions paraded for the assault. Much labour had 
 been expended by the French in strengthening the post, but so 
 determined was the attack, that, to quote Sir Thomas Graham’s 
 despatch — “it was carried in a most gallant manner, and in a 
 shorter time than could have been believed possible.” In this 
 despatch Major A. Kelly and the 2nd Battalion 54th are specially 
 mentioned. The casualties in this affair are not fully recorded, 
 but the names of Captain Blackman, Lieutenants Blake, Potts 
 and Evanson are among the wounded. 
 
 This winter was intensely cold, and the duties in the trenches 
 were severely felt by the troops. 
 
 After the capture of Merxem, a heavy fire was opened on the 
 city of Antwerp and the French shipping in the Scheldt, and the 
 bombardment continued till the 6th February. On that date 
 General Bulow’s Prussians were ordered to move south, and act in 
 combination with the Grand Allied Armies then advancing from 
 all sides upon France, and pressing the great Napoleon back on 
 Paris. The British force being inadequate to carry on the siege 
 alone, then retired from before Antwerp to its former position near 
 Breda. The 54th was not engaged in the attempt to carry by 
 coup de main the fortress of Bergen-op-Zoom on the 8th March, 
 but was with the force which afterwards occupied Antwerp. It was 
 there, when peace was signed, and the Emperor Napoleon who had 
 so long kept Europe in a blaze of war, retired to Elba; but 
 Flanders was still occupied by English and Prussian Armies, and 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 till the spring of 1815 the 54th garrisoned the small agne-strick- 
 en town of Nieuport. Meanwhile the Depot remained at Wood- 
 bridge in Suffolk. 
 
 On the 1st March, 1815, Europe was startled at the news that 
 Napoleon had landed at Cannes in the south of France ; and when 
 the garrisons of the south joined their old commander,' when the 
 city of Lyons received him with enthusiastic shouts, and his pro- 
 gress to Paris became one continuous triumph ; it was felt that 
 another struggle against the disturber of the world was imminent. 
 On the 11th April it was notified to the Army of Flanders that 
 Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington, K.G., was appointed 
 Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty’s forces on the Continent 
 of Europe. Keinforcements from England poured into Ostend. 
 An Army of Belgium was formed, and the 54th was ordered from 
 Nieuport to Courtrai to join Major-General Johnstone’s Brigade. 
 This was the 6th Brigade of the 4th, or Lieutenant-General Hon. 
 Sir Charles Colvile’s Division, and was composed of the 2nd Bat- 
 talion 35th, the 54th, 2nd Battalion 59th, and 1st Battalion 91st 
 Kegiments. 
 
 The Brigade remained at Courtrai till the 15th June, the day 
 of the famous ball at Brussels, when an afternoon order directed 
 the Brigades of the 4th Division to rendezvous that night at 
 Grammont. 
 
 At 10 o’clock that night the Duke of Wellington had received 
 intelligence from the Prussian General, Blucher, that Napoleon’s 
 Army entering Belgium had crossed the river Sambre. The 
 Duke on this ordered Colville’s Division to move on Enghein next 
 morning. The 16th was passed in executing this movement. On 
 the 17th a morning order was issued directing Colville’s Division 
 to collect and halt at Braine-le-Compte, sending all baggage to 
 Halle and Brussels. All spare ammunition to be immediately 
 parked behind Gemappes. So passed the second day of the great 
 crisis. Soon after daybreak of Sunday the 18th June, Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Torrens, Deputy Quarter-Master General, arrived at Braine- 
 le-Compte with an order to Sir Charles Colville to fall back on 
 
( 40 ) 
 
 Halle. Sir Charles at once put the 6th Brigade in motion, and 
 with a Hanoverian Brigade and a Battery Eoyal Artillery retired to 
 Tubize, where he found the advance guard of the Prince of 
 Orange’s Dutch-Belgian Corps. 
 
 Here, about six miles from the village of Waterloo he halted, and 
 sent Colonel Woodford, his Assistant Quarter-Master General, to 
 report to the Duke. His Grace expressed himself satisfied and de- 
 tained Colonel Woodford to tjarry back orders if necessary to his 
 Division. 
 
 The 6th Brigade with which was the 54th, commanded by Earl 
 Waldegrave, halted, piled arms in the drizzling rain, lit their fires 
 on the sodden ground, and waited through that memorable day 
 and night, unconscious of what was passing a few miles off on the 
 field of Waterloo. Nothing* was heard or known of the battle, 
 until an officer of the Belgian Gendarmerie, early on the morning 
 of the 19th brought a letter to Sir Charles Colville, announcing 
 the victory, and ordering him to move at once to Nivelles. 
 
 The object of the Duke in keeping the force at Halle seems to 
 have been to secure the road towards his base at Ostend, and to 
 prevent attempts, such as had been made by Napoleon, to gain with 
 his Cavalry the roads to Braine-le-Compte, and by the rear of the 
 British to Brussels; and of such vital importance was this con- 
 sidered, that though the nearest Brigades of his line were hard 
 pressed during the 18th, he would not allow the 6th Brigade to 
 quit its position. Accordingly the 54th was debarred from tak- 
 ing an active part in the battle of Waterloo. The Eegiments 
 composing Johnstone’s Brigade were not included among the Corps 
 who were permitted to wear ‘‘Waterloo” on their colours, but 
 the officers and men received the medal and the grant of the year’s 
 pay and service. Among the casualties on the 18th was Captain 
 W. Crofton, 54th Eegiment, Brigade-Major 3rd Brigade. 
 
 At Nivelles, Sir Neil Campbell, now senior Major who had been 
 present on the Staff at the battle of the 18th, joined his Eegiment; 
 and the Light Companies of the 54th and other Eegiments of the 
 Brigade formed the advance guard under him, of the British Army 
 
( 41 ) 
 
 when it pursued Napoleon’s beaten Army into France the follow- 
 ing Wednesday. 
 
 With General Colville’s Division leading, the Army pushed on 
 toward^ Paris. On the 21st they were at Malplaquet, and on the 
 morning of the 24th Johnstone’s and Mitchell’s Brigades carried 
 by storm the fortress of Cambray. 
 
 The column of which the 54th formed part was led by Sir Neil 
 Campbell, and escaladed the angle formed by the Walenciennes 
 gateway and the curtain of the body of the place. The Valenci- 
 ennes gate was burst open by Sir Neil Campbell, and the draw- 
 bridges were let down within half an hour of the assault com- 
 mencing. 130 prisoners were made. 
 
 In this spirited affair the 54th lost two men killed and two 
 wounded. 
 
 The 54th remained at Cambray till the 26th, when the fortress 
 was made over to the troops of the King of France. On the 1st 
 July the English Army advanced to Le Bourguet, and took up a 
 position in front of Paris. The Prussians who had entered France 
 simultaneously, were Aear St. Germain. 
 
 During the investment the Light Companies of Johnstone’s Bri- 
 gade under Sir Neil Campbell had an encounter with the French, 
 of which the following account is given by Sir Charles Napier : — 
 
 “ The late Sir Neil Campbell was ordered to relieve the Prus- 
 sian detachment at Aubervilliers with three Light Companies of Sir 
 Charles Colville’s Division, amounting to about 300 men. I went 
 with him. 'We found a constant firing maintained by the Prus- 
 sians, which firing was apparently disregarded by the French, who 
 scarcely returned a shot. The Prussians had not dislodged the 
 latter from any point that they had occupied at the beginning 
 of the attack, and were themselves covered by some houses and 
 walls from which they kept up a useless fire. On our arrival the 
 Prussian Commander gave Sir Neil Campbell directions about 
 what he ought, and what he ought not, to do. The Prussians had 
 done nothing but waste powder and ball, and we saw neither 
 killed nor wounded ; therefore, though the Prussian officer and his, 
 
 Q 
 
( 42 ) 
 
 men were no doubt brave and experienced soldiers, Sir Neil 
 Campbell resolved not to imitate the mode of attack, of which the 
 failure up to the period when we relieved them was apparent. 
 We occupied the ground quitted by the Prussians. Campbell 
 made his reconnaissance and laid his plans ; then attacked and 
 carried two or three of the highest houses, from the top of which 
 he broke into those lower down, but without much firing, only a 
 few shots in breaking through the division walls of some of the 
 houses, for the French did not seem resolved for an obstinate 
 resistance. In about two hours we possessed ourselves of one side 
 of a whole street, with a communication from house to house 
 through the partition wails, and thus we quickly became masters 
 of the greater part of the village. The French ofiicer asked Sir 
 Neil if we were Prussians. Answer — ‘No, British.’ ‘I thought 
 so,’ said he, ‘from your different mode of attack. Those Prus- 
 sian fellows have been firing for hours and could not dislodge me 
 from a single house. Will you accept a flag of truce ? ’ Camp- 
 bell accepted it, as he had already possessed himself of the great- 
 est part of the village, and he had reason to believe that a battery 
 from the Canal would open on us if the French were really to 
 evacuate the post. Sir Neil reported the proposal to his Com- 
 mander, which was consented to. When the officer demanded a 
 parley, he was in a house nearly opposite to that in which Sir Neil 
 and myself were. The truce being agreed to, we were careless in 
 going to the windows, and a Private of the 54th, standing in the 
 room with us, was shot dead from a distant window on the oppo- 
 site side. He did not make the least exclamation or motion. I 
 never saw death so sudden. The ball passed through his brain. 
 
 “ He was probably the last British soldier killed in that long war. 
 All were angry, and the first proposition was to make a general 
 • attack, and give no quarter ; but there were present a few cooler 
 heads, amongst whom fortunately was Neil Campbell himself, who 
 ordered all to be quiet, whilst he represented the case, and demand- 
 ed satisfaction of the French Commander. The officer at once 
 answered he was shocked, that he knew nothing, but would at once 
 
( 43 ) 
 
 go to the house whence the shot was fired and enquire. ^ If you 
 like to do so take vengeance on me ’ he said to Campbell, as he 
 ran down stairs and stood in the street. * If you doubt, fire, there 
 is my breast,’ and he threw open his coat. Had the reader seen 
 our state of excitement at the time, he would have been aware of 
 the danger which this resolute man incurred by what he did. But 
 British discipline is superior to human passions. When the 
 French officer appeared, the loud voice of Campbell rang through 
 the street, ^ Let no one fire without my orders,’ and vengeance 
 for a comrade slain during a truce was dormant. I doubt much 
 from what I saw whether Prussian discipline would have been 
 equally obedient. The French officer made enquiry, and came 
 back and told Campbell that the man who fired was a young con- 
 script, that he had not understood what had been going on, that 
 he (the officer) left the decision to Campbell, that it was a mistake, 
 but that he and many others then stood purposely exposed, if the 
 English chose to avenge the accident. Sir Neil Campbell said 
 ‘ No,’ that he wanted no retaliation for an error, but he added, 
 that he must be aware that the truce was at an end, lest some 
 other accident occur. The Frenchman’s conduct throughout was 
 brave and loyal. Both sides then kept under cover until the 
 French withdrew.” 
 
 The French Army evacuated Paris on the 4th July, 1815, and 
 the 54th entered with Colville’s Division, and encamped with it in 
 the Bois de Boulogne. 
 
 The following is a roll of Officers who served with the 54th 
 during the Waterloo campaign. 
 
 Lieut.- Colonel Earl Waldegrave. 
 Major Sir Neil Campbell, Brevet 
 Lieut.-Colonel. 
 
 „ Allan Kelly. 
 
 Captain T. C. Kirby. 
 
 „ E. Blakemen. 
 
 „ W. Crofton, (killed.) 
 
 „ J. Leslie. 
 
 Captain G. Tappenden. 
 
 „ G. Black. 
 
 „ T. Chartres. 
 
 Lieutenant G. Fraser. 
 
 „ G. Bromhead. 
 
 „ E. Evanson. 
 
 „ J. Pillow. 
 
 „ E. Woodgate. 
 
Lieutenant M. Loyd. 
 
 Ensign E. Nugent. 
 
 „ F. Fraser. 
 
 „ C. Hill. 
 
 „ J. Clarke. 
 
 „ C. Thomas. 
 
 „ A. Mathewson. 
 
 „ Pryce Clarke. 
 Pay-Master H. Irwin. 
 
 Adjutant J. Dowdell. 
 
 Quarter- Master W. Coates. 
 Surgeon G. Eedmond. 
 
 Assistant Surgeon M. Finan. 
 
 „ G. Leech. 
 
 The states shows 491 of all ranks fit for duty on the 18th June, 
 
 The money grant for Waterloo was £433 for Field Officers, 
 £90 for Captains, £35 for Subalterns, £19 for Sergeants, £2 10s. 
 for Rank and File. 
 
 On Saturday the 24th July, 1815, the whole British Army in 
 Paris was reviewed, in presence of the Allied Sovereigns. The 
 troops were formed in line of contiguous close columns on the 
 Neuilly road, and at noon the Duke and the Allied Sovereigns rode 
 down the line. The brigades then moved off in succession from 
 the right in quarter columns, marching down the Champs Elysees, 
 and passing in review order the place Louis Quinze, where stood 
 the Allied Sovereigns with their suites, the most remarkable as- 
 semblage of historic notabilities of modern times. 
 
 On the 5th September following, there was another review of 
 60,000 British, at which the 54th was present, on the plains of 
 St. Denis. 
 
 During this period and up to the end of October, the Regi- 
 ment was encamped with other line Regiments, the Brigade of 
 Guards and King’s German Legion in the Bois de Boulogne. In 
 November it moved into cantonments at Villebois, and return- 
 
 Lieutenant W. Clano. 
 
 „ R. Kelly. 
 
 „ J. Grey. 
 
 „ P. Mandilhon. 
 
 „ J. Potts. 
 
 „ R. Leacroft. 
 
 „ T. Taylor. 
 
 „ E. Marcon. 
 
 ,, J. Reid. 
 
 5 , R. Stackpoole. 
 
 „ F. Burgess. 
 
 „ W. Pilkington. 
 
 „ W. Perose. 
 
 „ Dixon Denham. 
 
 „ F. Hutchinson. 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 ed to England early the next year and went into quarters at 
 Liverpool. 
 
 The great struggle against France in which, as we have seen, 
 the last soldier killed belonged to the 54th, was now at an end. 
 With it many peculiarities and customs of the British Army died 
 out ; uniforms and appointments became more strictly regulated. 
 
 At its formation the 54th, had worn a red coat cut away at the 
 skirts, facings of popinjay green, white lace, a white waistcoat, 
 white breeches and black cloth gaiters to the knee. The head-dress 
 was mitre-shaped with the lower rim and badge of brass. Changes 
 were, however, often made on a change of Colonel. 
 
 An Officer who joined the Kegiment about this date. Colonel 
 John Norman, gives some notes worth transcribing. I saw the 
 54th Regiment at Liverpool in 1809 on parade in a Ropery, about 
 where Ann-street now is. They were well dressed and appointed, 
 the Privates wore a waist strap over their cross belts ; the whole 
 had white small clothes and black gaiters up to their knees. The 
 officers wore cocked hats except the Grenadiers and Light Com- 
 pany ; they had the popinjay green facing with one epaulette, and 
 very narrow silver lace on the button holes. At that time we had 
 no shell jackets nor blue frock coat, and always wore uniform, din- 
 ing with the white belt on ; and sash round the waist. Our lower 
 limbs were clothed, as before-mentioned, on all duties ; but on 
 ordinary parades and at mess, pantaloons and Hessian boots, the 
 pantaloons usually blue, but at the discretion of the Commanding 
 Officer white. In 1816 the Government gave the men grey trou- 
 sers and gaiters ; the officers were ordered grey overalls on or- 
 dinary, and the white pantaloons and Hessian boots on all dress, 
 occasions. In summer both officers and men wore white trousers 
 and gaiters. 
 
 About the Bands — the orders were very frequent about their 
 strength, but none about their clothing, which was according to the 
 taste of the Commanding Officer, and frequently fantastical. They 
 were reduced at one time to 14 performers, but had seldom less 
 than 'five or six time-beaters, base and tenor drums, often a pair 
 
( 46 ) 
 
 of kettle-drums, cymbals, triangles, and a tambourine. Many Reg- 
 iments bad negroes for this duty, dressed with turbans, and they 
 usually had silver stocks and bracelets- The tambourine and 
 cymbal players were selected for their activity, and had plenty of 
 room given them. The Earl of Waldegrave, who commanded our 
 Regiment during the occupation of Paris, being an amateur mu- 
 sician, had our band in very high order. He employed a musical 
 professor, as well as a band master named Csssar, who afterwards 
 died in Arracan, and had been band master of the French 54th 
 Regiment at the battle of Vittoria. 
 
 The band was dressed like lancers, sky blue Cossack trousers, 
 red vests and loose white jackets with a lancer cap. A gigantic 
 negro called Thompson carried an instrument called Turkish-bells 
 in front of the band. His instrument was lost in Arracan, and he 
 was turned into a pioneer but died there. 
 
 On the 1st January, 1816, General Gascoyne, whose subsequent 
 connection with the Regiment extended over more than quarter of 
 a century, was appointed Colonel in the room of Lord Forbes, who 
 had succeeded Sir David Baird in 1811. 
 
 General Gascoyne had served with tte Coldstream Guards, and 
 been twice severely wounded in Flanders in 1794. He represented 
 Liverpool in parliament for several sessions, and was a staunch sup- 
 porter of all measures for the good of the Army. He was active 
 in obtaining for the officers “ the Regent’s allowance,” in lieu of 
 the former privilege of a remission of the duty on their wine 
 which Officers’ messes had enjoyed. He was also a strong oppo- 
 nent of all attempts to cut down compassionate allowances to offi- 
 cer’s families, and obtained an increase of pay for Captains and 
 Subalterns. 
 
 The Regiment remained in Liverpool till 1817. The connection 
 of the 54th with the town at this time, and the services of its 
 Colonel as Member of Parliament, were long afterwards pleasantly 
 remembered by the citizens, who handsomely entertained the offi- 
 cers and men when embarking in 1854 for Gibraltar, as was sup- 
 posed, m route for the Crimea. 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 la 1817 the 54th moved to Huddersfield, thence next year to 
 Sunderland. 
 
 In 1819 it embarked for the Cape of Good Hope, leaving the 
 Depot at Parkhurst. 
 
 On arrival, head-quarters remained at Cape Town, and four Com- 
 panies were detached to the Frontier. During its service at the 
 Cape little worthy of record seems to have occurred. In the Eeg- 
 imental Returns, a somewhat remarkable contingent is shown. 
 “ 22 Negro slaves belonging to the Navy, attached to the Army 
 by Act of Parliament.” 
 
 In 1820 the Honorable East India Company’s ships “ William 
 Fairlie ” and “ Thomas Coates ’’conveyed the Regiment to Madras. 
 There cholera was raging, and the first victim was Sergeant-Major 
 Patrick Kelly. From Madras the llegiment marched to Bangalore, 
 and in this favourite station remained till 1824. Mr. J. Rawlings, 
 who served as a Private at this time, states that on the march 
 through the Naikenary Pass the detachment with which he was, 
 had nearly all their muskets stolen by dacoits. He also asserts that 
 whilst in Bangalore four ofiScers of the Regiment were killed in duels. 
 
 A change from this mischievous idleness came with the decla- 
 ration of war against the King of Burmah in 1824. 
 
 Early that year a force was collected at the Andaman Islands 
 under Major-General Sir Archibald Campbell, with Brigadier 
 McBean, His Majesty’s 54th as second in command, which entering 
 the river Irrawaddy, captured Rangoon and occupied the surround- 
 ing country. In the autumn a second force, commanded by 
 Brigadier Morrison, C.B., assembled at Chittagong in Eastern 
 Bengal, to drive the Burmese out of Arracan, and then co-operate 
 with General Campbell in Upper Burmah. 
 
 From the Madras Presidency were sent the 54th Foot, 10th and 
 16th Madras Native Infantry, a Mugh levy, some local horse, and 
 detachments of Artillery and Engineers ; while Bengal furnished 
 the 44th Foot, 26th, 42nd, 49th and 62nd Native Infantry. 
 
 Brigadier McBean, 54th, was second in command. A flotilla of 
 gun boats and pilot vessels under Commodore Hayes with a large 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 convoy of country craft was prepared to enable the expedition to 
 act in the numerous creeks by which the country is intersected. 
 It was January 1825 before the whole could be collected at Coxe’s 
 bazaar in Chittagong. 
 
 An advance party was now pushed to the banks of the Naf, a broad 
 river which separates the province of Chittagong from Arracan. 
 On the Burmese side of the river was the fortified post of Mungdoo. 
 
 In the Calcutta Gazette we read — January 12th. Our force is 
 now on the move, the 62nd Native Infantry reached Ramoo on the 
 10th, His Majesty’s 44th on the same day, the 26th Native Infantry 
 march on the 13th, the 10th Madras Native Infantry on 13th by 
 water with His Majesty’s 54th.” 
 
 Although no important opposition was apprehended from the 
 enemy, the advance was impeded by difficulties which proved for- 
 midable foes at each stage of the operations. The country over- 
 run with jungle and thinly inhabited, offered no roads and no re- 
 sources. Supplies and transport had to be collected from great 
 distances with much labour and expense ; the rainy season long 
 protracted and severe in those countries, delayed the formation of 
 a military road from Chittagong to the frontier. By the end of 
 January, however, the whole force was encamped on the NM, 
 though much of the transport was still behind. 
 
 While this movement was in progress, a small detachment of 
 the 54th embarked for their health on board the Honorable Com- 
 pany’s Cutter ‘ Matchless, ’ took part in a gallant, but unsuccessful 
 attack on the Burmese island of Ramree, made by a small force under 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Hampton, Madras Native Infantry, and Captain 
 Hardy, Indian Navy. Captain Hardy in his report writes — “ The 
 Sergeant and six Privates of His Majesty’s 54th Foot on board 
 the Honorable Company’s Cutter ^ Matchless,’ volunteered to serve 
 with our Marines under Lieutenant Bell, and they are of course, 
 included in the orders and letter of thanks, copies of which I for- 
 ward. I regret to say one of them fell, and another was wounded ; 
 the others I would forward by the ^ Meriton,’ but they have ex- 
 pressed a wish to remain till their comrades are well. I have 
 
( 49 ) 
 
 consented to their application, as we are all under orders for 
 Arracan.” 
 
 On the 1st February, General Morrison ordered the passage of 
 the to he commenced, and the troops to enter Arracan. The 
 64th was selected to lead, with detachments of Pioneers and Ar- 
 tillery, and three Kegiments Natiye Infantry. A description of 
 the opening scene of the Campaign is given by an eye-witness, 
 and its brightness contrasts in a striking degree with the picture 
 of sickness and suffering presented by its close. 
 
 It is not easy to imagine a more picturesque sight than the 
 crossing of the British troops to Mungdoo, when taken in combina- 
 tion with the wild features of the surrounding scenery. The at- 
 mosphere was clear, the sun shone brightly, and a stiff breeze 
 curled the waters of the Naf, as the various craft, gun-boats, 
 proas, and rafts crowded with red coats and blue, and exhibiting at 
 every turn the gleaming flash of their arms, pushed off from the 
 place of embarkation. It was a stirring spectacle; the boats, 
 laying over, their sails distended, the ‘ Pluto ’ with all steam up 
 breasting the current, with the rafts in tow ; and the cruisers and 
 transports lower down, anchored in the stream, their flags bravely 
 flying. Opposite to us as we advanced lay stretched out the green 
 woods and undulating mountains of Mungdoo, skirting the broad 
 estuary ; with every here and there a column of smoke slowly as- 
 cending, signals of the enemy, as we supposed. 
 
 Such was the scene I have endeavoured to describe, and if any 
 of the few who survive, read this, they will not think, I am sure, 
 that I have put too much colour in my brush.’'' 
 
 The stockades were found to be abandoned, and the troops rested 
 for a fortnight, whilst the main body crossed the Mf. On the 
 12th February General Morrison marched with part of his force 
 for the estuary of the Meyoo, the next important stream to the 
 south of the Naf, and reached it on the 22nd ; whilst he detached 
 the Madras Brigade, including the 54th, under Brigadier McBean 
 to proceed with the Commodore by sea, direct to the Arracan 
 river. This expedition encountered a cyclone on the 17th February 
 
 H 
 
( 50 ) 
 
 which lasted for two days, and drove the fleet back to Mungdoo. 
 The 54th was in serious danger, and lost all their baggage and 
 camp equipage, which had to be thrown overboard. A fresh start 
 was, however, made by the Commodore, and he reached the mouth 
 of the Arracan river. 
 
 Learning that there was a stockade up a branch of the river, 
 at Chamballa, defending the approach to the capital by water. 
 Commodore Hayes stood up the stream with part of his flotilla, 
 having on board Captain Grindley’s company of the 54th, and 
 opened a fire on the enemy, which was returned with spirit. After 
 a heavy fire kept up for two hours, the falling tide obliged the 
 Commodore to drop down the river, having lost six men killed 
 and about thirty wounded. Among the casualties were three of 
 the 54th killed, and two wounded. Commodore Hayes writes in 
 his report — “ I am impelled by a common sense of justice due to 
 the troops, to express my admiration of the steady and gallant 
 conduct of H. M.’s 54th and the Madras details, and he men- 
 tions Captain Grindley and Lieutenant Coote. In this fight the 
 gun boats were brought within pistol shot of the stockades. 
 
 Meanwhile General Morrison had been continuing his advance 
 by land towards Arracan. Being joined by the Madras Brigade, 
 he advanced on the city by the east bank of the Arracan river, 
 and on the 25th March he reached the foot of the Padho hills, 
 where a large force of Burmese was entrenched to bar the land 
 approach to the capital. A reconnaissance was made that even- 
 ing to ascertain the situation of the passes through the hills. The 
 troops were told off in four columns ; in the right column under 
 Brigadier Colquhoun Grant, C.B., of H. M.'s 54th was the greater 
 part of the Regiment, while two companies 44th, two companies 
 54th, with some Pioneers, formed the left column under Captain 
 Leslie, 54th. 
 
 At daybreak on the 26th the troops moved to the attack. 
 Captain Leslie on the left, ascended the main branch of the river, 
 at first in boats ; but when these grounded the men landed, and 
 skirting the hills, were directed to turn the right of the enemy’s 
 
( 51 ) 
 
 position. The right and centre columns moved direct on the passes 
 leading through the hills. It was only after advancing well into 
 the forest clad hills, that any sign of the enemy appeared, except 
 that the tolling of a gong or the distant report of a jingal had 
 been occasionally heard. Suddenly, wild shouts, and wilder firing 
 announced that the summits of the hills were occupied in force. 
 The Light Companies of the Native Eegiments who covered the 
 advance, carried the heights, and held them till the main body 
 came up, when the Burmese fell back. 
 
 The force then bivouacked for the night within a mile-and-a-half 
 of the enemy’s camp at Manhattie, having been nine hours under 
 arms. On this day the 54th had two men wounded. 
 
 On the morning of the 27th March, as soon as the fog had dis- 
 persed, the advance was resumed. The enemy’s position was a 
 peninsula projecting into a broad river which was fordable only at 
 low tide. The banks were steep and defended by sharp stakes. 
 Deep intrenchments stretched across the front, well protected from 
 enfilade by epaulments. In rear were hills covered with stockades 
 and fortified pagodas. In front of the works was a small emi- 
 nence held by a Burmese outpost. The Light Company of the 
 54th led the advance, and supported by the 44th, speedily drove 
 the enemy from the outpost. The retreat of their advanced post 
 was the signal for the Burmese Artillery to open, but their fire 
 was subdued by the British ; and the main body of the troops 
 moved up to the brink of the river. Brigadier Grant was now 
 ordered to ford the stream and attack. The resistance of the Bur- 
 mese was feeble, but the troops found a great difficulty in climbing 
 the steep banks faced with stakes in order to enter the works. No 
 sooner, however, had the British made good their footing, than the 
 enemy trooped out in the direction of the city of Arracan. A few 
 were overtaken and killed. In this day’s fighting the 54th had 
 one Sergeant killed and nine men wounded. 
 
 Two days were now spent in reconnaissance, and the 31st was fixed 
 for the attack on the city. The defenders occupied a line of hills 
 strong by nature, and wherever practicable, scarpments, abattis, 
 
( 52 ) 
 
 masonry walls and other means had been used to render it still 
 stronger. The city stood on elevated ground within a circle of 
 low hills. In one corner was the fort surrounded by three con- 
 centric walls of massive masonry. 
 
 A single pass led towards the city through the range of hills 
 before described, and this pass was defended by several batteries 
 and 3,000 infantry. The whole garrison was estimated at 8,000 
 to 10,000 men. 
 
 The assaulting party was commanded by Brigadier McBean, and 
 the 54th again led the advance. The morning was raw and chill, 
 and a heavy fog hung over the deep ploughed fields over which the 
 troops moved towards the city. When the mist at length dis- 
 persed, there was disclosed to view a line of hills, forest clad, with 
 their sides scarped perpendicular and their summits lined with 
 stockades. Black coated warriors manned this formidable position, 
 with here and there, a gilded umbrella, gleamed as a standard 
 against the sky. Loud shouts and beatings of silver-toned gongs 
 greeted the approach of the British, then a gun opened, which was 
 duly answered, and the fire became general along the whole front. 
 Brigadier McBean directed his advance on the pass leading to the 
 city, and halting under cover of a tank fringed with jungle, de- 
 tached the Light Company of the 54th to storm a rock flanking 
 the mouth of the pass. The ascent was almost perpendicular, and 
 the enemy’s fire swept the front, fortunately ill directed. Desper- 
 ate efforts were made to reach the top, and Lieutenant Clarke and 
 some of the light-bobs of the 54th succeeded in getting their hands 
 on the crest, but they were unable to keep their hold, and were 
 thrown back on their comrades below. Huge stones were hurled 
 from above, supplemented by musketry fire, and flights of stones 
 fired from bows. Finding all their efforts unavailing, the party 
 retired on the main body. Here also a check occurred. The 
 troops were subjected to heavy fire by which all attempts to force 
 the pass by direct attack were prevented. A heavy Artillery fire 
 was then opened, but eventually the British had to retire out of 
 gun shot, the Burmese remaining masters of their position. 
 
( 5S ) 
 
 It was now determined to make a night attack on a fortified 
 conical hill, on the enemy’s right, which formed the key of the 
 position. At nightfall on the 2nd April, Brigadier Kichards, 
 Bengal Infantry, set out with 1,000 men by a difficult path through 
 the woods. To divert the enemy’s attention a heavy cannonade 
 was opened on his front. Brigadier Kichards safely reached his 
 destination and carried the hill. The Burmese now abandoned 
 their position in all parts, and fled to the jungles. Arracan was 
 thus gained, and the campaign was virtually at an end. Twenty- 
 nine iron, and twelve brass, guns were captured. The loss of 
 the 54th in these operations was, killed 1 Sergeant and 2 men ; 
 wounded, 3 officers and 24 men, including Lieutenant Clarke, who 
 had been so severely bruised in the attack on the pass that he was 
 invalided to England. 
 
 Two, out of the four provinces of Arracan, had now been cleared 
 of Burmese, and it only remained to dislodge them from the re- 
 maining two, Ramree and Sandowe. Brigadier McBean with a 
 force, of which four companies 54th formed part, was despatched 
 with Commodore Hayes for this purpose. The service was per- 
 formed without opposition, and the detachment rejoined General 
 Morrison at the end of April, when the 54th with the Madras 
 Brigade was stationed at Manhattie. 
 
 The entire occupation of Arracan was thus effected, but the pro- 
 posed junction with Sir Archibald Campbell’s force on the Irra- 
 waddy proved unfeasible. Several reconnaissances of the route 
 were attempted, the most important of which was made by the Light 
 Companies of the 44th and 54th, with some Native detachments 
 under Lieutenant- Colonel Buckle of the Bengal Army. The de- 
 tachment proceeded by water to Talak at the foot of a mountainous 
 tract dividing Arracan from the Ava territory. Thence they march- 
 ed for four days over rugged mountains, where even water was 
 scarce, and men and cattle suffered severely. At Akowyn they 
 learned that the Burmese were in great force, and the exhausted 
 state of his detachment rendering a further advance, under such 
 circumstances, impracticable, Colonel Buckle returned to Talak. 
 
( 54 ) 
 
 Up to this time there had been comparatively little sickness, but 
 when the rains set in, fever of a virulent type made its appearance, 
 and increased, till scarcely a man of the European Regiments, 44th 
 and 54th, remained fit for duty. 
 
 The following tables show the state of the Hospitals : — 
 
 rength of the two Regts. 
 
 Admissions. 
 
 Deaths. 
 
 In Hospital. 
 
 May, 
 
 1215 
 
 311 
 
 27 
 
 140 
 
 June, 
 
 1189 
 
 428 
 
 28 
 
 237 
 
 July, 
 
 1169 
 
 440 
 
 52 
 
 373 
 
 August, 
 
 1109 
 
 366 
 
 58 
 
 425 
 
 September, 
 
 1038 
 
 314 
 
 86 
 
 453 
 
 October, 
 
 916 
 
 310 
 
 67 
 
 309 
 
 November, 
 
 743 
 
 unknown 
 
 84 
 
 398 
 
 December, 
 
 659 
 
 3 > 
 
 193 
 
 400 
 
 The diseases were chiefly fevers and dysentry, hut after October, 
 when as is stated in the return furnished to Parliament,^ all the 
 European soldiers were under medical treatment, no record was 
 kept. 
 
 All hope of maintaining a European Garrison in the country 
 being abandoned, the 54th having lost three-fourths of its num- 
 bers, finally quitted Arracan, and returned to Madras in December 
 1825. It is recorded that at the disembarkation there, scarcely 
 men enough to escort the colours could be found. Every man 
 had to be admitted to hospital preparatory to invaliding, and of 
 these most died before they reached England. 
 
 A Medical Commission was subsequently assembled to investigate 
 the cause of the terrible sickness. The type of fever closely resem- 
 bled that of the west coast of Africa. One peculiar feature was 
 the vomiting of quantities of large and disgusting worms. This 
 was probably the result of the bad flour supplied for the troops from 
 Calcutta, and it is undeniable that improper food and unnecessary 
 privation aggravated the natural unhealthiness of the country, and 
 the unavoidable hardships and exposure of such a campaign. 
 
 The deaths among the officers were very numerous. A roll of 
 those who died during the Regiment’s service in India is given on 
 
( 56 ) 
 
 a subsequent page, but the following notices are extracted from 
 the Calcutta Gazette, 
 
 “ 21st November, 1825. At the mouth of the Arracan river on 
 board the hospital ship David Clark on the 31st October 
 Lieutenant Thomas Fraser of His Majesty’s 54th Kegiment. Few 
 have fallen victims to the climate more justly, and sincerely re- 
 gretted. In him were united many amiable qualities, and perhaps 
 never a heart more dear than his. He has served for upwards of 
 eleven years with the corps, and his loss is keenly felt by his 
 brother officers.” 
 
 At Arracan on the morning of the 2nd December, after an 
 illness of 16 days, Captain John James Grindley of His Majesty’s 
 54th Regiment, an old and gallant soldier, who served upwards of 
 thirty years ; and whose unassuming manners, joined to a temper 
 highly cheerful and social rendered his company most engaging, 
 and endeared him not only to his brother officers but to society at 
 large.” 
 
 The Governor General of India in Council in expressing his 
 approbation of the services of the army at the close of the Bur- 
 mese war thus refers to the particular duties performed by the 
 force under General Morrison, 
 
 “ Similar and no less impediments ultimately opposed the ad- 
 vance of the fine army under Major-General Morrison over the 
 mountains of Arracan into the valley of the Irrawaddy, but the 
 capture of Arracan afforded an earnest of what would have been 
 effected, had opportunity offered, by the judgment, prudence and 
 skill of the commanders and officers of that division, and the 
 valour, zeal and integrity of the troops of which it was composed. 
 
 “ The Governor General in Council deeply laments the sickness 
 which attacked and utterly disabled for further effective service 
 the south-eastern division of the army, and the loss of many brave 
 officers and men, who fell victims to the noxious climate of 
 Arracan. 
 
 “ In testimony of the high sense entertained by the Governor 
 General in Council of the services of the troops by whom the 
 
( 56 ) 
 
 provinces of Assam and Arracan were captured, His Majesty will 
 be solicited to grant to His Majesty’s 44th and 54th Eegiments 
 the distinction of bearing on their colours * Arracan ” This per- 
 naission was not accorded, but these Eegiments were subsequently 
 ordered to bear on their colours and appointments the word ‘Ava,’ 
 in commemoration of their services during the Burmese war, and 
 the men engaged were held eligible for the Indian war medal with 
 clasp for ‘ Ava.’ A grant was made of six months’ batta to all 
 who had served twelve months daring the war, in Burmese territory, 
 and three months to those who had served for six ; and the heirs 
 and assigns of those who had died were entitled to receive shares. 
 
 On the 8th October, 1827, the Governor General informed the 
 Army that the English Houses of Parliament had passed a vote 
 of thanks to the troops engaged in the Burmese war, and that the 
 Honorable East India Company had authorized a second grant of 
 batta on the the same conditions as the first. 
 
 From Madras the Eegiment marched to Cannanore under Major 
 John Moore ; Colonel Sir William McBean, K.C.B., being in com- 
 mand of a district. Here, the following year, new colours were 
 received ; and Lieutenant- Colonel Mildmay Fane obtained the 
 command. 
 
 In 1831, the silver lace hitherto worn was changed for gold, in 
 compliance with the Horse Guard’s order, restricting silver lace to 
 the Militia and Yeomanry. 
 
 At Cannanore and at Trichinopoly the 54th completed its long 
 tour of Indian service. It was brought to Madras to prepare for 
 embarkation in December 1839, and the following notice appears 
 in the Madras Spectator of the 18th of that month. 
 
 ‘‘Major-General Sir Eobert Dick, K.C.B., K.C.H., reviewed 
 His Majesty’s 54th on the Island on Monday morning. He was 
 received with a salute of thirteen guns from a piece of ordnance 
 captured by the 54th at Fort Marabout, in Egypt, on August 21st, 
 1801. The 54th is the only regiment in the British service allowed 
 such a distinction.” 
 
 In accordance with the usual practice, all men under thirty-five 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 years of age, desirous to remain in India, were permitted to vol- 
 unteer to other Corps. 
 
 The following is a list of the officers who died during the Kegi- 
 ment’s service in India : — 
 
 Rank and Name. 
 
 Place. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Lieut, and Adjutant Dow dal, ... 
 
 Bangalore, 
 
 13th Dec. 1822. 
 
 „ Robert Rolt, 
 
 Neilgherries, ... 
 
 9th August 1823. 
 
 Captain Thomas Coote, 
 
 Wallajabad, ... 
 
 23rd May 1821. 
 
 Lieut. W. Clans, 
 
 Assist. Surgeon M. Fynan, ... 
 
 Madras, 
 
 5th June „ 
 
 ,, 
 
 22nd Aug. „ 
 
 Captain George Black, 
 
 99 ••• 
 
 26th Sep. „ 
 
 Assist. Surgeon G. Leich, 
 
 Arracan, 
 
 12th March 1825. 
 
 Lieut. George Fenton, 
 
 ,, ... 
 
 15th Aug. „ 
 
 „ Frederick Consedine, ... 
 
 „ ... 
 
 11th Sep. „ 
 
 „ Thomas Fraser, 
 
 „ ... 
 
 ,31st Oct. „ 
 
 „ William Moore, 
 Captain James Grindley, 
 
 ,, ... 
 
 22nd Nov. „ 
 
 „ ... 
 
 2nd Dec. „ 
 
 Ensign H. 0. Serjeant, 
 
 Calcutta, 
 
 » » 
 
 Captain A. Burnett, 
 
 „ H. B. Armstrong, 
 Pay-Master E. G. Smith, 
 
 on passage from 
 Arracan, 
 killed in action at 
 Bhurtpore, ... 
 Madras, 
 
 4th Jan. 1826. 
 
 18 th „ ,, 
 
 29ih Sep. „ 
 
 Captain Edmond Evanson, 
 Lieut. Burrows Kelly, ' 
 
 London, after be- 
 ing invalided, 
 Cannanore, 
 
 17th Dec. „ 
 12th May 1828. 
 
 Captain Kelly, 
 
 „ Thomas Kennedy, 
 
 ... 
 
 7th Aug. „ 
 
 Bolarum, 
 
 18th Nov. „ 
 
 Lieut. Robert Dodd, 
 
 Cannanore, 
 
 20th May 1829. 
 
 Ensign Joseph Calder, 
 
 At sea. 
 
 8th Jan. 1830. 
 
 „ Edward Wheatstone, ... 
 
 Cannanore, 
 
 27th Dec. „ 
 
 Captain A. Barbauld, 
 
 Cochin, 
 
 22nd Feb. 1831. 
 
 Lieut. Richard Burton, 
 
 Trichinopoly, ... 
 
 8th July 1832. 
 
 Ensign Brabazon, 
 
 3rd May 1833. 
 
 Lieut. James Lawless, 
 
 Neilgherries, ... 
 
 1st Sep. 1834. 
 
 A ssi st. Surgeon Thompson, . . . 
 
 Trichinopoly, ... 
 
 12th July 1835. 
 
 Ensign Taylor, 
 
 21st „ „ 
 
 Captain Phillip Mandilhon, ... 
 
 ,, ... 
 
 1st Aug. 1836. 
 
 The 54th embarked for England by wings on the 26th and 28th 
 March, and landed at Gravesend on the 16th and 26th of August 
 1840. 
 
 From Gravesend it marched to Canterbury, where the Depot 
 joined from Chatham ; and in November it proceeded to Dover. 
 Here the Regiment received new clothing, accoutrements and 
 
( 58 ) 
 
 percussion muskets instead of the flint locks, with which it had 
 hitherto been armed. On Saturday the 14th November the gar- 
 rison of Dover, consisting •of the 34th and 54th Eegiments, was 
 inspected by Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington, K.G., on 
 the Western Heights. Owing, however, to the inclemency of the 
 weather, the Duke dismissed the parade after riding down the line. 
 
 After a stay of nearly twelve months at Dover, the Regiment 
 proceeded to Weedon, giving a detachment at Northampton. 
 This move was not made in the good old fashion, by road ; but, 
 the Regiment was sent by steamer from Herne Bay to London, 
 and thence, by the lately opened North-Western Railway to its 
 destination. 
 
 At the time of its departure from Dover, the 54th is described 
 as being a singularly fine body of young soldiers.” 
 
 Whilst at Weedon new colours were presented by General 
 Gascoigne, Colonel of the Regiment. They were received by 
 Ensigns Wolff and J. C. Jones kneeling on either side of the 
 Marabout gun. 
 
 At this time the gun was withdrawn, and placed in the Rotun- 
 da at Woolwich, and the word * Marabout’ to be worn on the 
 colours and appointments, granted as a distinction, in its place. 
 
 General Gascoigne having died in 1841, was succeeded as Colo- 
 nel by Lieutenant-General Sir H. Keating, K.C.B. 
 
 In 1842 the Regiment crossed to Ireland, and was quartered 
 successively in Belfast, Athlone, Templemore and Fermoy ; gener- 
 ally furnishing a number of detachments. 
 
 In 1846, still under command of Colonel Mildmay Fane, the 
 54th embarked at Cork, for Gibraltar. A Depot of four compa- 
 nies, under Brevet Colonel J. Clark, K.H., was left at Fermoy, 
 and subsequently moved to Kinsale and Exeter. 
 
 The service companies remained at Gibraltar till January 1847, 
 when they moved to Malta. Here they lay till December 1848, 
 and then proceeded to the West Indies, head-quarters occupying 
 Antigua, with detachments at Barbadoes, Dominica, St. Lucia 
 and St. Kitts. In 1847 Lieutenant-General Keating having, been 
 

 
 i 
 
 i 
 
( 69 ) 
 
 transferred to the 33rd Regiment, General Ulysses Lord Downes, 
 who had formerly served with the 54th, was appointed Colonel. 
 
 The chief incidents of the Regiment’s service in the West In- 
 dies were an almost miraculous escape from death by Major* Wil- 
 liam Yorke Moore ; a rising of the Negroes in St. Lucia ; and 
 an epidemic of yellow fever. 
 
 Major Yorke Moore, then commanding the detachment at Do- 
 minica, was returning on horseback in the dark from the Layou 
 River to Morne Bruce, when he fell down a perpendicular preci- 
 piece 237 feet. His horse was killed on the spot, and he himself 
 was found next morning on the sea beach with his head close to 
 the rising tide, senseless but alive, having, marvellous to tell, 
 sustained no lasting injury. 
 
 On the 5th March, 1849, a serious rising of the negro population 
 at Castries, St. Lucia, took place, and was only suppressed after 
 considerable bloodshed. It, however, afforded an opportunity 
 for the officers and men of the 54th employed, to earn high com- 
 mendation for their prompt action, steadiness and forbearance. 
 
 The troops on the island were under command of Major Wil- 
 liam Yorke Moore ; and he despatched the Grenadier Company 
 54th to assist the Magistrates in restoring order. The account of 
 the affair is extracted from the report made by Captain Lionel 
 Smith commanding the company. He says, I reported myself 
 to the Lieutenant-Governor, and was requested by him to proceed 
 to the suburbs of the town to protect the special Constables and 
 Police in capturing some rioters. I asked the Magistrate if 
 he had a written order with him, in case the troops should be 
 required to fire. He showed me the written order. At the 
 Chaussee, outside the town, the Constables succeeded in making 
 several prisoners. The Magistrate then asked me to divide my 
 party, which I refused in the first instance, but as he stated that 
 several more captures would be effected, I consented on condition 
 that a Magistrate accompanied each party. I ordered Lieutenant 
 Fowke to take the left sub-division, and he was accompanied by 
 Mr. Brossard a stipendiary Magistrate, Both parties after mak- 
 
( 60 ) 
 
 ing a detour of the hill occupied by the rioters met and more cap- 
 tures were made. I then returned with the whole detachment to 
 the Chaussee, at the upper end of which I observed a large party 
 of rioters who retired as we advanced. The Constables chased 
 them up a steep hill, and the Magistrate again requested me to 
 detach a force. I detached the same party under Lieutenant Fowke. 
 Soon afterwards, the Magistrate with my party asked me to follow 
 the other, and I marched along the road towards Pigeon Island, and 
 when about 150 yards in rear of the others I halted at the Magis- 
 trate’s request. Suddenly I perceived the party under Lieutenant 
 Fowke loading, and I also gave orders to load. Scarcely had we 
 loaded, when the detached party gave their fire, and I immediately 
 joined them, took command, and followed the rioters some distance 
 along the road, but perceiving it useless to follow them far into 
 the country, I asked the Magistrate to be permitted to retire. He 
 acceded to my wish. On retiring the special Constables and Police, 
 who were dispersed making captures, were followed by the rioters 
 and fell back on my force, which I halted, and perceiving the 
 danger of some of the Constables falling into the hands of the 
 rioters, I disposed my force on the road and bank. The Magis- 
 trate then requested me to fire to check the advance of the rioters, 
 and seeing their determination, I gave the order (having already 
 in my possession his order in writing). I ceased fire immediately 
 the Police and Constables were out of danger, and returned to the 
 town. After remaining in the town till 5 o’clock, I was ordered 
 to march again to the Chaussee, where the rioters had assembled, 
 armed with cutlasses and sticks, the greater part with cutlasses. 
 
 The party was halted when about 10 yards from the rioters, 
 and the Magistrate conversed with the leaders, and endeavoured 
 to persuade them to disperse. At his request I posted four men 
 as sentries across the road, and he induced the rioters to give 
 way some distance followed by the sentries, whom I 'supported with 
 the main body. Mr. Drysdale now read the riot act for the second 
 time, and gave the rioters time to disperse, but seeing that they re- 
 mained firm, he retired accompanied by the special Constables and 
 
{ 61 ) 
 
 Police, upon which showers of stones and bottles filled with water 
 w^ere thrown, and the Magistrate ordered me to fire. I ordered 
 the four first men to give their fire, but the discharge of missiles 
 increasing, especially from the right bank, the whole party was 
 forced to open fire. It was only on my mounting the right bank 
 and calling up some men that the rioters gave way, when I im- 
 mediately ordered the ^ cease fire.’ I furnished a party to escort 
 the Police in collecting the killed and wounded. Several of the 
 detachment were struck, but none hurt. The conduct of the de- 
 tachment during this harrassing duty was highly satisfactory. 
 
 “ (Signed) S. L. SMITH, Captain, Regty 
 The following is an extract from a despatch of Sir William 
 Colebrook, Governor of the Windward Islands in reference to the 
 above : — 
 
 “ I request you will convey to Messrs. Drysdale and Brossard, 
 stipendiary Magistrates, &c., my acknowledgments for their 
 zealous exertions in the trying circumstances in which they were 
 placed, to which, and the excellent conduct of the troops who were 
 employed on the occasion, is to be ascribed the quelling of the 
 riot, without a greater loss of life. You will be pleased to con- 
 vey to Major Moore and to the officers and men of the 54th Eegi- 
 ment engaged, my thanks for their important services.” 
 
 The Duke of Wellington’s approval was expressed in a letter 
 to General Berkeley commanding at Barbadoes. 
 
 Horse Guards^ 2Qth April, 1849. 
 
 “ Sir, — Having had the honour to submit to the Commander- 
 in-Chief your letter of the 20th ultimo, with its accompanying 
 reports of the late outbreak of the negroes at St. Lucia, I have it 
 in command to express to you, and to desire that you will be 
 pleased to express to the Officer commanding that island, namely. 
 Major Moore of the 54th Regiment, His Grace’s satisfaction at 
 learning that the conduct of the troops, who were employed under 
 that Officer’s orders, in aid of the civil power, on the occasion 
 alluded to, met with his approbation. 
 
 (Signed) JOHN MACDONALD, 
 
 “ Adjutant- General,” 
 
( 62 ) 
 
 The following letter from Earl Grey, Colonial Secretary, was 
 also transmitted through the Horse Guards. 
 
 Downing Street^ 27th Aprils 1849. 
 
 My Lord Duke, — I transmit to you herewith, enclosed extracts 
 of despatches, which have been received from the Governor of the 
 Windward Islands, and from the Lieutenant-Governor of St. Lucia, 
 relating to certain disturbances, which broke out on this last island, 
 on the 5th ultimo, and rendered it necessary to have recourse to the 
 assistance of the troops ; and I have it in command from the Queen 
 to desire that Your Grace will signify to the officers and troops, 
 Her Majesty’s gracious approval of their conduct and services on 
 the occasion. 
 
 ‘^Signed) GREY. 
 
 “ To Field Marshal, 
 
 “ The Duke of Wellington^ 
 
 In 1850 the Regiment, still in the West Indies, suffered severely 
 from yellow fever. At Antigua the epidemic was specially fatal, 
 nearly' one-third of the strength at head-quarters being carried 
 off. The following officers died, the two last of the fever. Cap- 
 tain John Brett Chalk, Ensign George Kinahan and Surgeon 
 Charles Dawson. 
 
 The four company Depot, which had been moved to Jersey in 
 1849, left that island for Guernsey in May 1850. Previous to its 
 departure a complimentary order was issued by Lieutenant-General 
 Regnett, the Lieutenant-Governor, expressing “ his regret at part- 
 ing with the Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men who 
 formed the Depot, whose conduct had always been such as was to 
 be expected from any portion of a Regiment of so high a character 
 for discipline as the 54th.” 
 
 Again, when the Depot left Guernsey for Bristol, in May 1851, 
 similar expressions of regret at parting, and approval of the ex- 
 emplary conduct of the men, were embodied in a resolution of the 
 Bailiff and Royal Court of Guernsey, and in a letter from the Major- 
 General Commanding, to Major William Yorke Moore. 
 
( 63 ) 
 
 In July 1851, the service companies moved from the West 
 Indies to Canada and were quartered at Quebec. 
 
 In November of this year, Colonel Mildmay Fane was promoted 
 Major-General, and left the Kegiment which he had commanded 
 for nearly 22 years. Seldom has a Commanding Officer been' fe 
 universally esteemed. On setting out from Quebec, the officers 
 and all the principal inhabitants escorted him in sledges out of the 
 city. 
 
 On revisiting the Kegiment in 1857 at Devonport, he was re- 
 ceived with such honour and welcome, by officers and men, as the 
 most affectionate remembrance could suggest. He died in 1868 
 as Colonel of his old Regiment, being killed by a fall in the hunt- 
 ing field. 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel William Yorke Moore succeeded to the 
 command. 
 
 On the 20th May, 1853, the 54th left Quebec for Kingston, 
 Canada West, and was quartered in the Tete-de-pont barracks. 
 On its departure from Quebec, the City Council passed the follow- 
 ing resolution, which were recorded in French and English : “ That 
 this Council cannot allow Her Majesty’s 54th Regiment to leave 
 the city, without an expression of our satisfaction with its ready 
 co-operation on all occasions when required to act with the civil 
 authorities, and with the quiet orderly conduct of the Regiment, 
 while in this garrison.” 
 
 And the Magistrates, on behalf of their fellow citizens, addres- 
 sed to Lieutenant- Colonel Moore, “ a tribute of acknowledgment, 
 of the sense we entertain of the orderly and exemplary conduct of 
 the Regiment during the time it has been quartered in the city, and 
 our gratification in witnessing the harmony and good feeling, which 
 have invariably marked the intercourse between yourself, the officers 
 and men under your command, and the inhabitants of Quebec.” 
 
 In Kingston the Regiment remained till October 1854; when 
 it embarked for England m the Canadian Steam-ship Company’s 
 steamer ‘ Ottawa,’ and crossed the Atlantic in a violent gale, mak- 
 ing an unusually short passage of eleven days from Quebec to 
 
( 64 ) 
 
 Liverpool. On landing, it proceeded to Glasgow, and was there 
 joined by the Depot, which had been sent to Ireland in 1853, and 
 successively occupied quarters in Londonderry, Enniskillen and 
 Dublin. 
 
 ^jpChe strength of the Eegiment had been much reduced during 
 the years it served in Canada, and through giving volunteers on 
 leaving the colony ; and now, even with the Depot, it mustered 
 under 500 men. 
 
 The war with Russia was at its height, and the British Army 
 in the Crimea was commencing the trials of a winter in the 
 trenches before Sebastopol. The 54th therefore remained only 
 three weeks in Glasgow, before it was ordered back to Liverpool 
 to embark for Gibraltar. There, it arrived on the 30th November, 
 and was under the orders of General Lord Raglan commanding 
 the British Forces in the East ; but though in daily expectation of 
 orders for the front, it remained to form the garrison of the Rock 
 with the 66th, 94th Regiments of the Line, and the 3rd Lanca- 
 shire, 6th West York and Northamptonshire Regiments of Militia, 
 till the close of the Crimean War. In Gibraltar the Regiment 
 received rifled muskets, Enfield pattern, instead of the smooth 
 bore musket, commonly called * Brown Bess.’ On the embark- 
 ation of the service companies, the four company Depot marched 
 from Glasgow to Paisley; thence in January 1855 to Newcastle- 
 on-Tyne, where it was energetically recruited, and received 300 
 volunteers from the Northumberland Militia. In May it marched 
 to Sunderland, and in June was moved to London, to garrison 
 the Tower. Thence, large drafts having been sent to the service 
 companies in November, the Depot moved to Woolwich, and 
 subsequently to Canterbury, and rejoined the Regiment in June 
 1856, when the service companies returning from Gibraltar land- 
 ed at Devonport. 
 
 In September 1856 the Regiment was reviewed by Her Majesty 
 Queen Victoria, and the Princes Albert Edward and Alfred were 
 brought to the Mess by the Prince Consort to inspect the centre- 
 piece presented by their grandfather, the Duke of Kent. 
 
( 65 ) 
 
 This year Colonel William Yorke Moore retired on full pay 
 with the rank of Major-General, and was succeeded by Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Bowland Moffat ; and General Sir Edward Codrington, 
 G.C.B., became Colonel. 
 
 In May 1857 the 54th moved to Aldershot, and was posted to 
 the 1st Brigade, under command of Major-General Lord William 
 Paulett, K.C.B., composed of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, 
 the 22nd and 66th Regiments, and 3rd Battalion Rifle Brigade, 
 and quartered in the north camp. In June the Brigade was 
 encamped on Cove Common. During this summer. Her Majesty 
 the Queen several times reviewed the troops at Aldershot, and 
 visited the camp of the 1st Brigade. In June, the 54th was in- 
 spected by its Colonel, Sir William Codrington. 
 
 The title of the officers to wear the Sphinx on their forage caps 
 having been questioned, the following letter was received from the 
 Adjutant-General on the subject. 
 
 “ Horse Guards^ hth March, 1857. 
 
 Sir, — In reply to your letter of the 2nd instant I am directed, 
 in transmitting the annexed extract from the Gazette, dated War 
 office, 20th January, 1842, td acquaint you that the officers of the 
 54th Foot are entitled to wear on their forage caps, the Sphinx 
 and the word ‘ Marabout,’ and that this will appear in the forth- 
 coming Dress Regulations. 
 
 “ I have, &c. 
 
 ‘‘ (Signed) G. A. WETHER ALL, 
 
 “ Adjutant- General, 
 
 To Officer Commanding, 
 hith Regiment.’^ 
 
 In July 1857 news of the Indian Mutiny having reached Eng- 
 land, the 54th was placed under orders to embark for Bengal. The 
 Regiment sailed in three detachments ; five companies under Major 
 J. H. Jones on board the ‘ Lady Jocelyn ’ from Portsmouth, on 
 the 4th August. Previous to sailing, this vessel was visited by 
 Her Majesty, accompanied by the Princess Royal. The * Lady 
 Jocelyn’ embarked a wing of the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade and 
 
 K 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 detacliments of Horse Artillery at Cork, and reached Calcutta on 
 the 1st November. 
 
 Two companies, under Lieutenant- Colonel C. E. Michel, (just 
 appointed second Lieutenant-Colonel,) sailed in the ‘ City of Man- 
 chester,’ and arrived on the 11th November. 
 
 The Head-Quarters, consisting of Lieutenant-Colonel Bowland 
 Moffat with wife and two daughters, Major W. F. Brett, Captain J. 
 
 S. Thomson and wife. Captain Prideaux W. Gillum, Lieutenant and 
 Adjutant Thomas Blackiston Houston, Lieutenant A. Galbraith, 
 Lieutenant J. W. Hughes, Lieutenant G. Cronyn, Lieutenant P^ 
 Schlotell, Lieutenant J. A. Wood, Surgeon J. M. Grant, Assistant 
 Surgeon M. O’Donovan, Pay-Master Sam. Daniel, Quarter-Master 
 
 T. Hipkin and -wife ; the Grenadiers, No. 5, the Light Company, 
 and the Band ; strength 354 Non-Commissioned officers and men, 
 with six women, sailed from Portsmouth in the steamer “ Sarah 
 Sands ” on the 15th August. 
 
 On the 15th October, the vessel put into Simon’s Bay, Cape of 
 Good Hope, and after five days’ detention, pursued her voyage, 
 worked out of harbour chiefly by the troops ; most of the crew 
 being in a state of mutiny. 
 
 On the 7th November a squall carried away the foremost of. the 
 vessel’s four masts, and on the 11th when in Latitude 14° S. and 
 Longitude 56° E., a more serious disaster occurred. 
 
 About 3-45 p.M. that day, a fatigue party working in the hold, 
 found smoke issuing from the after hatches. These were at once 
 closed. 
 
 The next care of Captain Castles, the commander, was to lower 
 the boats. The women were put on board, and the boats were 
 hastily provisioned. 
 
 The smoke increased rapidly. 
 
 The starboard magazine was cleared of its proportion of the 
 large quantity of cartridges carried for the troops. 
 
 The long boat was with some difficulty launched, but no sooner 
 was this done, than the sailors and a few soldiers jumped on board 
 and pushed off. 
 
( 67 ) 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Moffat and Surgeon Grant had gone on 
 board the boats with the women, and failed to regain the 
 ship. 
 
 The saloon was now full of smoke. Lieutenants Houston and 
 Hughes attempted to get out the colours which were fixed against 
 the end of the saloon but failed. Ship’s Quarter-Master Kichmond, 
 wrapping his face in a wet cloth and rushing in armed with a 
 hatchet, cut down the colours, but fainted before he could emerge 
 from the suffocating smoke. Private W. Wiles dragged him and 
 the colours from the cabin. 
 
 The Port Magazine was still uncleared. It was difficult of 
 access, and the volumes of smoke belching from the hatchway, 
 showed that it was close to the seat of the fire. Volunteers 
 were called for the duty. Lieutenant Hughes descended first, and 
 passed up a barrel of ammunition ; then the work went on with 
 regularity ; men were pulled on deck senseless, but others, with 
 wetted handkerchiefs on their mouths, went down ; and as barrel 
 after barrel was hove overboard, Quarter-Master Sergeant Bar- 
 wick noted the numbers in his pocket-book, till two barrels only 
 were left. These, however, had fallen from the hands of fainting 
 men, and rolling into a corner, were overlooked. 
 
 There was also a quantity of ship’s signalling powder on board, 
 but of this the troops knew nothing, and the ship’s officers were 
 all employed elsewhere. 
 
 At the call of the Captain, several officers and men climbed 
 with him on the spanker boom to set the sail, and endeavour to 
 bring the ship’s head to wind. 
 
 It was now 5 o’clock. At this momentthe flames broke through 
 the deck, illumining the sea and showing shoals of sharks already 
 attracted to the devoted ship. 
 
 kSoou the flames leaped up the pitched rigging and drove the 
 men from aloft. 
 
 . Meanwhile the pumps were working hard. Captain Gillum led a 
 party to cut away the bridge and deck cabins and throw all inflam- 
 mable lumber overboard. 
 
( 68 ) 
 
 Mr. Walsh, first Lieutenant, assisted by soldiers, lashed together 
 spars for rafts. 
 
 At this time Captain Castles took Major Brett aside, and as- 
 sured him that all hope of saving the ship was over, but advised 
 that the men should be kept employed. Major Brett replied, “we 
 shall fight till we are driven overboard.” But now the boldest 
 held his breath. An explosion rent the air, timbers and debris 
 flew high aloft, men were thrown prostrate, the ship trembled, and 
 lurching, seemed about to settle by the stern ; hut when in a few 
 minutes, nothing more alaming had occurred, this long impending 
 danger, safely passed, brought relief and renewed hopes, which 
 encouraged all to fresh exertion. 
 
 The explosion caused the only casualties- which occurred during 
 the fire : Lieutenant Cronyn and Corporal Singer were thrown 
 down a hatchway and injured. 
 
 A happy suggestion was now made by Mr. Frazer, Chief En- 
 gineer, whose ready resource and knowledge of the ship’s construc- 
 tion, were invaluable at this emergency. 
 
 It was, to cut the decks at one of the strong bulkheads which 
 crossed the ship, and at that point make a stand against the ad- 
 vancing flames. 
 
 This was done, and for long hours of the night, a life and death 
 struggle was carried on, to stop the fire from leaping the gap and 
 reaching the coal bunkers and the engine room. 
 
 The coals had to be cleared from contact with the heated iron, 
 and this was a most trying work, in which the stout Grenadiers 
 were specially forward. A few seconds of the suffocating stench 
 were all the most resolute could endure, and many men were 
 dragged out senseless. 
 
 On deck the pumps were working incessantly, and lines of 
 buckets were passed from hand to hand. 
 
 Whenever the flames seemed to be gaining ground, and the 
 water to make no impression on the red hot bulkheads; then 
 the cheery voices and example of Captain Gillum and Adjutant 
 Houston were conspicuous, encouraging the men. 
 
( 69 ■, 
 
 The mizzen mast had by this time disappeared ; the main mast, 
 though wrapped round with wetted blankets, was alight, its stays 
 and rigging gone ; whilst all aft was a red gulf of flame. 
 
 The boats were now hailed, for a new danger threatened to end 
 the struggle. The sea was running high, the ship was broadside 
 to the waves, and more than once volumes of fire and smoke had 
 swept the decks. If the wind once veered astern, all on board must 
 instantly choose between fire and water. 
 
 The boats were therefore hailed, to tow and keep the vessel’s 
 head to wind; but only the gig responded. The other small boats 
 were sufficiently occupied in keeping afloat ; one had been swamped, 
 though the occupants were saved ; the long boat alone could be 
 of service, but the seamen, doubtless afraid to come too near, not 
 only held aloof, but consigned the ship and all she carried to per- 
 dition. 
 
 These men were the mutinous ordinary seamen ; the behaviour 
 of the petty officers and engineers who all remained on board was 
 far different. 
 
 So the night wore on. It was an anxious speculation how soon 
 the ship’s sides would be burnt through. The unusual thickness 
 of the plates proved the vessel’s safety. 
 
 At 3 o’clock A.M. on the 12th the barrier was still held, and the 
 flames aft showed signs of exhaustion. At 9 o’clock the fire was 
 mastered. At 11 o’clock the boats crews were taken on board. The 
 sailors trembled for their reception ; but their services were urgently 
 required, and the feelings of all on board were too full of thankful- 
 ness to allow room for thoughts of retribution. 
 
 This was the vessel’s state. 
 
 Aft the main mast, was a steaming chasm, with 17 feet of water 
 in the after compartments. At every roll of the ship four huge 
 iron water tanks dashed against the sides threatening to breach 
 the bent and weakened plates. The port side of the stern was 
 blown out to the water’s edge, and admitted every wave ; the miz- 
 zen mast was gone, the main mast tottering. 
 
 Work went on without relief. The pumps were plied as hard to 
 
( 70 ) 
 
 get rid of the water, as they had before been, to pour it in. The 
 tanks were secured as soon as they were cool : sails were passed 
 round the stern, and a barrier, formed of hammocks, sails and planks, 
 effectually stopped the leak. So the second day and night passed. 
 On the third day, a steering apparatus worked by fatigue parties 
 was rigged up, and preparations made to leave the place, where 
 the ship had till now helplessly drifted. No sail had been sighted 
 since the fire. Charts, compasses, chronometers, all were gone ; 
 whilst the last observation marked the ship’s position about 600 
 miles from Ceylon and 800 from Mauritius. To the latter port 
 the trade wind would serve, so sail was made on the one sound 
 mast, and the ship’s head set for Port Louis. 
 
 A thanksgiving service was held as soon as the men could be 
 spared from work. 
 
 Next came a kindly rivalry among the men of No. 5 and the 
 Light Company quartered forward, whose kits had been saved, 
 to supply the officer’s wants, and clothe their almost naked 
 comrades. 
 
 On the twelfth day, thanks to the skilful navigation of Captain 
 Castles, Peterbot in the Mauritius was sighted. The 4th Foot 
 quartered at Port Louis, received their destitute brothers in arms 
 with cordial hospitality. A banquet was given by the inhabitants, 
 and the Legislature of the Island passed the following Eesolu- 
 tion 
 
 Proceedings 
 
 Of a Special Committee of the Council of Government, appointed hy 
 His Excellency the Governor in Legislative Council, assembled on 
 the 2Qth November, 1857, to draw up and present a suitable 
 Address to the Commanding Officer, Officers, and Men of Her 
 Majestfs hith Regiment, and to the Captain, Officers and Crew 
 of the Transport Steamer “ Sarah Sands, ” expressing the Board* s 
 high admiration of their heroic and gallant conduct during the 
 Fire which broTce out at Sea on board that Vessel on the llth No-- 
 vember last. 
 
THE AFTER PART OF THE “SARAH SANDS." 
 
 { Front a Photograph taken at Mauritius. ) 
 
 That which is represented in the above drawing is iron, and was (during the fire) of white 
 

( 71 ) 
 
 Present : 
 
 The Honorable the Major-General in Command of the Forces. 
 
 „ „ the Colonial Secretary. 
 
 „ „ the Procnreur General. 
 
 „ „ H. Koenig, and 
 
 „ „ H. Lemiere. 
 
 1. Bead Letter from the Honorable the Major-General in Com- 
 mand of the Forces, dated the 24th November last, reporting the 
 arrival of the Steam Transport “ Sarah Sands ” with the Head- 
 Quarters of the 54th Regiment, under the Command of Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Moffat, and the circumstances under which that Vessel had 
 put into this Port. 
 
 2. Read Letter from the Honorable the Major-General, dated 
 the 27th November, in continuation of his prevjous Letter, convey- 
 ing further particulars with reference to the above catastrophe. 
 
 3. Read also Letter from Captain Castles, in command of the 
 
 Sarah Sands,” dated the 27th November, transmitting a state- 
 ment of the circumstances connected with the Fire. 
 
 4. The Committee unanimously adopted the following Address : 
 
 “ That His Excellency the Governor of Mauritius and the Legis- 
 lative Council, in the name of the Colony at large, express their 
 highest admiration of the devoted and heroic courage shown by the 
 Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of Her Majesty’s 
 54th Regiment, and by the Captain, Officers, and men of the Ship 
 ‘ Sarah Sands, ’ during the fearful fire on board that Vessel. 
 
 Not less heroic than the noblest deeds of bravery displayed by 
 the British Army in the battle-field, are the undaunted courage 
 and discipline which these brave men exhibited, when, in most 
 perilous circumstances, they faced and overcame an enemy more 
 terrible than mortal foe. And the Council considers this Colony 
 as honored in having been the first to receive a band of heroes, who, 
 under God’s good Providence, did, by conduct beyond all praise, 
 deliver themselves and their fellow-passengers from an appalling 
 death. ” 
 
 Resolved, further, — That this Address be presented to the 
 
( 72 ) 
 
 Commanding Officer, Officers and Men of Her Majesty’s 54th Regi- 
 ment, through the Honorable the Major-General, and to the Com- 
 mander, Officers, and Crew of the “ Sarah Sands, ” through the 
 Honorable the Colonial Secretary. 
 
 Council Chamber, ) HUMPHRY SANDWITH, 
 
 December 1857. J Chairman, 
 
 A complimentary order was issued by Major-General Breton, 
 Commanding the Troops in the Mauritius, and the following Horse 
 Guards General Order was subsequently published to the Army, 
 and read at the head of every Regiment. 
 
 “ General Order, No. 700. 
 
 Horse Guards^ S. TU., 21th February , 1858. 
 
 His Royal Highness the General Commanding-in-Chief, has 
 great gratification •in making known to the Army the substance 
 of a report received from Major-General Breton, commanding the' 
 Troops at the Mauritius, recording the remarkable gallantry and 
 resolution displayed by the Officers and Soldiers of the 54th Regi- 
 ment on board the ship “ Sarah Sands,” on the 11th November, 
 1857, under circumstances of a most trying nature, namely, when 
 that vessel took fire at sea, having at the time a large quantity of 
 ammunition on board. 
 
 It is under such emergency that presence of mind, high courage, 
 and coolness — qualities which are the attributes of British Soldiers 
 —are conspicuous, and are rendered particularly so when attended 
 by the maintenance of that discipline which was evidently observed 
 on the occasion. 
 
 Major-General Br&ton states in his report, that the first consid- 
 eration acted upon was to throw the powder overboard, a most 
 hazardous and dangerous duty, which was affected (with the excep- 
 tion of a portion of it) by volunteers, at the risk of their being 
 suffocated by the smoke below. 
 
 “ The boats were got ready — the women and children placed in 
 them — and the greatest degree of emulation evinced by the offi- 
 cers and men in the performance of all that could be required of 
 them. 
 
( 73 ) 
 
 For the lengthened period of sixteen or eighteen hours, the 
 ship was in extreme peril, until the fire was subdued, and the hold 
 cleared of water, which was thrown in for the purpose of extin- 
 guishing it, or which had rushed in through the opening in the 
 stern, caused by the explosion of the last of the powder. 
 
 “ The following Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates are 
 specially named by Major Brett (upon whom the command devolv- 
 ed) as having particularly distinguished themselves on the occa- 
 sion : — 
 
 Sergeant Henry Kobinson. 
 
 „ Thomas Page. 
 
 „ James Doyle. 
 
 „ James Houston, 
 (Instructor of Musketry). 
 Private William Warren. 
 
 „ John Doyle. 
 
 „ James Hopkins. 
 
 „ James Fitzpatrick. 
 
 „ George Dodd. 
 
 „ James Gallagher. 
 
 „ William Wiles. 
 
 „ Andrew Walsh. 
 
 Private Thomas Holland. 
 
 „ Francis Glenny. 
 
 George Lamb. 
 
 „ James Carmichael, 
 
 Lance-Corporal John Westby. 
 Private Phillip Follohd. 
 
 „ James Buckingham. 
 
 ,, Robert Denton. 
 
 „ Bartholomew Canavon. 
 Lance-Corporal John Stevenson. 
 Private Michael Byrnes. 
 Lance-Corporal John M’Cullum. 
 Private Stewart Hall. 
 
 “ The Colours of the Regiment appear to have been saved by 
 Private William Wiles, 54th Regiment, and Richard Richmond, 
 one of the Quarter- Masters of the ship, at the hazard of their lives. 
 
 “ Major Brett exerted himself to the utmost, and is entitled to 
 high praise for his conduct throughout. He reports of the Officers 
 generally, that their conduct was admirable, and gives great credit 
 to Captain Gillum, Lieutenant and Adjutant Houston, and Lieu- 
 tenant Hughes. By extraordinary exertions the ship was saved 
 from destruction, and enabled to reach Port Louis. 
 
 His Royal Highness is pleased to observe, that the behaviour 
 of the 54th Regiment during the course of this distressing occur- 
 rence was most praiseworthy, and by its result, must render mani- 
 fest to all the advantages of subordination and strict obedience to 
 
( 74 ) 
 
 orders under the most alarming and dangerous circumstances in 
 which soldiers can be placed. 
 
 “ By Order of His Royal Highness 
 
 “ The General Commanding-in- Chief, 
 
 « (Signed) G. A. WETHERALL, 
 Adjutant GeneraV^ 
 
 Rewards were conferred on thpse ofBcers and men mentioned 
 in the General Order. Major Brett was promoted Brevet Lieuten- 
 ant-Colonel, and Captain Gillum, Brevet Major. Lieutenant and 
 Adjutant Houston was promoted to a Company in the 4th Foot, 
 and a Brevet Majority was conferred on Lieutenant Hughes after 
 he obtained his Company. The men received on their discharge 
 6c?. a day extra pension. 
 
 . The Humane Society’s medal was presented to Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Brett and Private William Wiles, and the thanks of the 
 Society was passed to those on board in these words : That the 
 
 warmest thanks of this Committee are justly due, and are hereby 
 presented to Major and Brevet Lieutenant- Colonel W. F. Brett, of 
 Her Majesty’s 54th Regiment and the men under his orders, for 
 their cool, courageous, and energetic exertions, displayed on the 
 ,11th November, 1857, when the Transport ‘ Sarah Sands’ was 
 on fire in Latitude 14° S., Longitude 56° E., and by whose united, 
 and admirable arrangements, not a life was lost. 
 
 ^‘(Signed) ARGYLE, PresidenU'^ 
 
 Sergeant-Major Parnell, who lost his hearing by the explosion, 
 was obliged on this account to decline a Commission in the Regi- 
 ment, but received the Medal and Annuity for distinguished 
 service. Orderly Room Clerk William Turnley was afterwards 
 commissioned as Quarter-Master. 
 
 On the 20th December the Head-Quarters re-embarked at Port 
 Louis on board the Clarendon.” An ill-advised economy had 
 prompted the selection of this vessel, which had been abandoned 
 by her passengers at the Cape, on the voyage from England, and 
 afterwards rejected for cOolie emigrants at Calcutta. Without 
 adequate accommodation nor proper stores, and altogether unsea- 
 
( 75 ) 
 
 worthy, the vessel sailed on 21st December, and three days after 
 starting almost foundered in a hurricane ; Captain Thornhill the 
 Commander died of exposure and anxiety during the storm. The 
 engines broke down repeatedly, and it was not till the 25th of 
 January that the Sand Heads at the mouth of the Hoogly were 
 reached. A kindly act of courtesy on the part of Commander 
 Lecran of the American ship ‘ Hamlet’ here deserves record. The 
 supply of tobacco had been exhausted for days, and the privation 
 was greatly felt by the men. A party of officers therefore boarded 
 the American at Kedgeree, in hopes of being able to buy some 
 tobacco ; but the Captain placed all his stock at their disposal, re- 
 fusing any payment. 
 
 On the 27th January, 1858, the Kegiment disembarked at Calcut- 
 ta, and marched to the Town Hall, where it remained for some days 
 till accommodation was available in Fort William. 
 
 Here it was joined by four companies under Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Michel, which returned from Eastern Bengal. This force had on 
 the 28th November proceeded to Dacca and thence to Luccai in 
 river flats. It then marched to Sylhet in pursuit of the mutinous 
 sepoys of the 34th Native Infantry, but before it could overtake 
 them, the mutineers were met and dispersed by the Sylhet Light 
 Infantry. The services rendered by this detachment were acknow- 
 ledged by the Government of Bengal in a letter from the Secretary 
 to Government to Lieutenant-Colonel Michel, dated 8th June, 1858. 
 
 Meanwhile three companies under Major Jones had been des- 
 patched to Sasseram and Deyra Ghat on the Grand Trunk Road, to 
 protect the passage of the Sone and keep open the road. 
 
 These companies also took part, in conjunction with a heavy 
 battery, a mountain battery, Rathray’s Sikhs and a squadron of 
 Irregular Cavalry, the whole under command of Colonel Mitchell 
 of the Bengal Army, in an expedition against the old fort of Rhotas- 
 ghur, which had been occupied by a body of rebels under Ummer 
 Sing. 
 
 Rhotasghur, situated on the summit of a precipitous, jungle- 
 covered hill, rising nearly 1,000 feet from the fertile plain of 
 
( 76 ) 
 
 Tilotho, forms an almost impregnable stronghold. No. 8 company 
 with 150 Sikhs under Major Jones, accompanied by Mr. Herwald 
 Wake, C.S., the gallant defender of Arrah, was detailed to ascend 
 the mountain ridge ; while two other columns made the circuit of 
 the base to surround the rebels. 
 
 Major Jones forced his way up the mountain, through thorny 
 jungle, on the 12th of February, 1858, and on the two succeeding 
 days pursued the rebels who had retreated on the approach of the 
 force, through almost impracticable thickets. The rebels, how- 
 ever, doubled backhand escaped contact with any of the three columns, 
 and the whole force was collected at Akbarpore by Colonel Mitchell 
 on the 14th February. 
 
 This detachment was, in March, despatched to Benares, with a 
 view of relieving Azimgurh, where a detachment of the 37th Reg- 
 iment was besieged. In this duty it was anticipated by the 13th 
 Light Infantry, which had been pushed on from Allahabad. 
 
 In April by a forced march to Ghazeepore it relieved that station 
 which was threatened by the rebel leader Kooar Sing of Jugdees- 
 pore. Next, it was despatched by steamer to intercept that leader 
 from his jungles, but failed owing to the steamer grounding. It 
 then guarded Buxar and the stud stables at Karuntadee, and finally 
 joined Head-Quarters at Allahabad on the 2nd July, 1858, after a 
 separation of eleven months. 
 
 Meanwhile Head-Quarters had left Calcutta and proceeded up- 
 country by bullock train, concentrating at Allahabad on the 8th 
 March. On the 11th of the same month. No. 5 and the Light 
 Company, commanded by Brevet Major Gillum and Captain Shiff- 
 ner, were detached into Oude. On the 19th, forming part of a 
 force under Colonel Whistler, Madras Army, this detachment was 
 engaged in an unsuccessful attack on the strong jungle fort of 
 Tyrhoul, and lost one man killed and four severely wounded. 
 
 The force then fell back on Soraon, where it formed an intrenched 
 post in the heart of the rebel country, and formed the nucleus of 
 the Soraon Field Force, subsequently commanded by Brigadier 
 Barkeley, 32nd Light Infantry. 
 
( 77 ) 
 
 During the early summer, Head-Quarters remained at Allahabad, 
 and in May buried 54 men who died chiefly from sunstroke brought 
 on by the heat and the heavy guard duties. On 15th June, Lieu- 
 tenant-Colonel Michel succeeded to the command vice Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Moffat, who was placed on half pay. In July the Soraon 
 Field Force took the field, and on the 11th captured the fort of 
 Dehain. The detachment 54th lost one man. The loss of the 
 rebels was said to be 600. 
 
 On the 17th July the force moved to attack Tyrhoul, and the 
 Head- Quarters 54th Regiment was ordered from Allahabad in 
 support. The rebels, however, cowed by their losses at Dehain, 
 made little resistance. On the march from Allahabad and the 
 passage of the Ganges, which occupied from 8 p.m. till 12 next day, 
 many men were prostrated by sunstroke, and six died. 
 
 The Regiment now united at Soraon, was brigaded with the 
 32nd Light Infantry, 6th Madras Cavalry and two Native Infantry 
 levies, under command of Brigadier Pinkney, 73rd Regiment. 
 
 On the 31st August the force advanced over a country flooded 
 and almost impracticable, against the town and fort of Pertabghur. 
 The enemy hastily retreated at its approach, but had several men 
 cut up by the Cavalry, whose loss in the skirmish was two sowars 
 killed. 
 
 At Beylah near Pertabghur, troops were collected in the month 
 of October for a cold season campaign, under the immediate direc- 
 tion of Lord Clyde, Commander-in-Chief in India. They consisted 
 of the 6th Carabineers, 1 Field Battery Royal Artillery, a heavy 
 siege train, 23rd Company Royal Engineers and detachments Native 
 Sappers, with escalading train ; 5th Fusiliers, 54th Foot, 6th 
 Madras Cavalry, Pathan Horse, 1st Regiment of Sikh Infantry, 
 and levies. The fortress of Deolee, 12 miles from camp, was cap- 
 tured early in November with a loss to the enemy of 16 men. Two 
 companies 54th Regiment were employed on this duty. 
 
 On the 9th November camp was broken up, and the force moved 
 towards the fort of Amethie, one of the last and most important 
 strongholds remaining in the hands of the Oude rebels, under 
 
( 78 ) 
 
 Benie Madho. On the 10th, the force arrived before the fort, 
 while from the other sides columns commanded by Major-General 
 Sir Hope Grant and Brigadier Wetherall converged and completed 
 the investment. On this day, a defiant message was sent, in 
 answer to a summons to surrender, and on the 11th the troops 
 fell in for the assault ; the 54th Begiment being told off to storm 
 the main gate. It was, howeverj now discovered that the rebels, 
 taking advantage of an interval purposely left in the line of pic- 
 quets on the previous night, had abandoned the fort and escaped. 
 The Kajah rode into camp and surrendered. A detachment of 
 the Kegiment occupied the fort which proved to be of great 
 strength. 
 
 At Amethie 22 guns and a large quantity of ammunition were 
 captured. An attempt was made on the night of the 11th Novem- 
 ber, by some rebels, to blow up the magazine ; the men detected 
 in the act were cut to pieces. 
 
 The Army of Oude was now dispersed, and the 54th was des- 
 patched, Head-Quarters to Sultanpore, left wing to Kai Bareilly, 
 and there encamped. Next January the left wing was moved to 
 Fyzabad. Both wings remained under canvas during the following 
 hot season, till huts were built for the men in August, the officers 
 being put to the cost of building for themselves. 
 
 At the end of this year Colonel C. E. Michel retired, and Col- 
 onel Charles Herbert, C.B., who had been transferred from the 75th 
 Foot vzce Lieutenant-Colonel Bowland Moffat, succeeded to the com- 
 mand ; Major J. H. Jones becoming second Lieutenant-Colonel. 
 
 In October 1859 a force was assembled on the Gorrukpore and 
 Oude Frontier of Nepal, to act against the last remnants of the 
 rebels and mutineers, who had taken refuge in the forests of the 
 Terai. The 20th and 54th Foot, with Hodson’s Horse and two 
 Eegiments Native Infantry, were employed on this duty during 
 the winter of 1859 and 1860, under Brigadier Holdich, C.B. 
 Most of the surviving leaders of the mutiny fell into their hands. 
 Mummoo Khan, Khan Bahadur Khan of Bareilly ; TJmmer Sing, 
 brother of Koer Sing the notable Jugdeespore rebel ; and Jowallah 
 
( 79 ) 
 
 Persbad, the blood-thirsty Lieutenant of Nana Sahib, and chief actor 
 in the Cawnpore massacres, were all escorted towards Lucknow by 
 the 54th. ^ 
 
 On thQ breaking up of the Force the Regiment marched into 
 cantonments at Cawnpore, arriving at the end of January 1860. 
 
 The services of the troops engaged were acknowledged by Lord 
 Clyde, Commander-in- Chief in India, in General Orders, and by 
 the Governor- General in the following letter 
 
 ‘‘To the Adjutant- General of the Army. 
 
 “ Sir, — Having laid before His Excellency the Governor-General 
 your letter No. 23a. of the 7th ultimo, transmitting a despatch 
 from Brigadier Holdich, C.B., Commanding the Gorrukpore and 
 Oude Frontier, reporting the termination of active operations 
 against the rebels on the Nepal border, I am directed to request 
 that the Right Honorable the Commander-in-Chief may be moved 
 to cause the special acknowledgments of His Excellency to be 
 conveyed to Brigadier Holdich for his excellent, and most success- 
 ful services, and to the whole of the officers and men, European 
 and Native, who served under his command, for the energy and 
 zeal displayed by them, on all occasions during the period above 
 stated. 
 
 “ I have, &c., 
 
 “ (Signed) R. J. BIRCH, Major-General, 
 
 “ Secretary to the Government of India” 
 
 Camp Jullundur : 1 
 1st February^ 1860. j 
 
 Memorandum. 
 
 “Forwarded to Colonel Holdich, C.B., for information and com- 
 munication to the troops lately under his command. 
 
 “ By order, 
 
 “ (Signed) W. MAHEW, Lieut.-Colonel, 
 f “ Adjutant-General of the Army.” 
 
 27th November^ 1860. The Regiment was reviewed and in- 
 spected at Cawnpore by General Sir Hugh Rose, Commander-in- 
 Chief in India. 
 
( 80 ) 
 
 On the 27th December, 1860, Lieutenant-General Mildmay 
 Fane was appointed Colonel, vice General Sir W. Coddriogton 
 transferred to the 43rd Foot. 
 
 On the 5th August, 1861, the establishment was fixed at — 
 
 1 Lieutenant-Colonel, 2 Majors, 12 Captains, 14 Lieutenants, 
 10 Ensigns, 1 Pay-Master, 1 Quarter-Master, 1 Adjutant, 1 Sur- 
 geon, 3 Assistant Surgeons, 6 Staff Sergeants, 50 Sergeants, 24 
 Drummers, 950 Bank and File. 
 
 On the 26th October of the same year. Head- Quarters and 
 five Companies proceeded to Allahabad to form the escort of the 
 Viceroy of India, at the great Durbar held to inaugurate the Order 
 of the Star of India, and to invest as Grand Commanders, Maha- 
 rajah Scindia of Gwalior, the Maharajah of Puttiala, the Begum 
 of Bhopal, the Nawab of Kampur, and General Sir Hugh Bose. 
 
 The Begiment afterwards took part in a review of the troops 
 by the Commander-in-Chief in India, and returned to Cawnpore 
 on the 5th November. 
 
 The 54th being detailed, in course of relief, for Boorkee and 
 Moradabad, Head-Quarters marched on the 21st November, and 
 reached Boorkee on the 26th December ; while the Left Wing, 
 setting out from Cawnpore on the 7th January, 1862, arrived at its 
 new quarters on the 11th February. 
 
 On the 1st February medals were received for service during 
 the Mutiny, and presented on parade. 
 
 In March 1863 H. E. Sir Hugh Bose inspected both Wings of 
 the Begiment, and then, as on all other occasions, expressed his 
 satisfaction with the result. 
 
 In November of this year both Wings marched, in relief, to 
 Benares, and were united there on the 3rd December, having been 
 conveyed by rail between Allyghur and Allahabad, 
 
 During the following summer, detachments, each of two Com- 
 panies, were stationed at Jaunpore and Azimghur. In November 
 1864 the Begiment proceeded by rail to Calcutta, and during the 
 next year occupied quarters in Fort William. 
 
 Orders having been received for the return home of the 54tb, 
 
( 81 ) 
 
 195 men were permitted to volunteer to remain in India, whilst 
 498 Non-Commissioned officers and men formed the strength of 
 the Regiment when it embarked for England in the sailing ships 
 ‘‘ Winchester ” and St. Lawrence” in January 1866. 
 
 The losses by death during the nine years’ service in India had 
 been — 
 
 Ensign W. Spooner, died at Dacca, 25th December, 1857. 
 
 Lieutenant A. Herrick, „ Calcutta, 1 3th February, 1858. 
 
 „ T. Parr, „ Nynee Tal, 29th August, 1859. 
 
 „ G. Cronyn, „ Calcutta, 2nd January, 1862. 
 
 Pay-Master W. Marriott, „ Mussoorie, September, 1863. 
 
 Captain H. Gordon, „ Calcutta, 16th November, 1865. 
 
 and 376 Non-Commissioned officers and men. 
 
 Of these deaths, cholera accounted for 75, dysentery 91, apo- 
 plexy 40, and fever 57. 
 
 350 men were invalided home, besides those discharged on com- 
 pleting their service. 
 
 On the 13th April, 1866, both the “St. Lawrence” and 
 “ Winchester ” arrived at Portsmouth ; and next day the Regiment 
 disembarked at Gosport and occupied the new barracks. 
 
 Here the Depot, which in 1858 had been moved from Winchester 
 to Colchester, joined the service Companies. The establishment 
 was reduced to 3 Field Officers, 10 Captains, 12 Lieutenants, 
 8 Ensigns, 5 Staff Sergeants, 49 Sergeants, 21 Drummers, 590 
 Rank and File. On the 27th July Colonel Charles Herbert, C.B., 
 retired on full pay, and was succeeded in command by Lieutenant- 
 Colonel James Sinclair Thomson. Colonel J. C. H. Jones had 
 previously been placed on half pay, being supernumerary to the 
 establishment. 
 
 On the 10th October Field Marshal H. R. H. the Duke of 
 Cambridge inspected the Regiment. 
 
 On the 3rd December it proceeded by rail to Manchester, 
 furnishing detachments at Weedon and Chester. 
 
 At the latter place much alarm and excitement was caused 
 among the inhabitants, by a report on the night of the 11th Feb- 
 
 M 
 
( 82 ) 
 
 ruary, 1865, that a raid on the city was contemplated by Fenian 
 malcontents, and that an attempt to surprise the castle was to be 
 made. Captain L. K. Edwards, commanding the detachment 54th, 
 took prompt measures to ensure the safety of the castle. The 
 Chester Volunteers in considerable force augmented the garrison, 
 and during the night, in response to telegraphic appeals from the 
 Mayor, reinforcements of two Companies 54th from Manchester, a 
 Battalion of Guards from London and the 18th Foot poured into 
 the city. 
 
 Whether there was good ground for alarm is uncertain ; but 
 considerable numbers of strangers, supposed by the Police to be 
 Fenians, had assembled in the city, and after the precautions 
 adopted had made any such enterprise, as they were said to contem- 
 plate, impossible, they disappeared as mysteriously as they had come. 
 
 The detachments at Chester and Weedon were now withdrawn, 
 and two Companies sent to Tynemouth. 
 
 On the 13th June, an officer much beloved in the Kegiment, 
 Captain Launcelot Kirby Edwards, died at Manchester. 
 
 On the 18th June, two Companies under command of Major 
 Shiffner proceeded to Birmingham on the requisition of the Civil 
 authorities, and returned to Head-Quarters on the 22nd. 
 
 July 23rd. The old Colours of the Regiment tattered and 
 stained, were replaced by Colours of the new pattern, presented by 
 Lieutenant-General Sir Sydney Cotton, K.C.B., who took the place 
 of General Fane, prevented by illness from being present. On the 
 19th of the following January the old Colours were escorted to 
 Norwich Cathedral, by Captain F. G. S. Parker, Lieutenants Smart 
 and Ibbetson, and, with much ceremony, after an eloquent discourse 
 from the Reverend Canon Nesbit, were deposited in the Cathedral 
 Church of the county from which the Regiment takes its title. 
 
 July 27th. The Regiment moved to Aldershot, and occupied 
 huts in the South Camp, being posted to the 1st Infantry Brigade 
 commanded by Major-General H. Renny, to which also belonged 
 at different times, the 72nd Highlanders, 6th Foot, 8th Foot, 
 56th and 57th Regiments. 
 
( 83 ) 
 
 This year, a breech loading rifle converted on the Snider prin- 
 ciple, replaced the muzzle loading Enfield. 
 
 The 54th remained at Aldershot during this and the following 
 seasons. It was then ordered to Ireland, and embarked in the 
 “Himalaya” at Portsmouth, on the 16th September, 1868, dis- 
 embarking on the 22nd, at Belfast, whence detachments were sent 
 to Londonderry, Newry and Armagh. 
 
 At this time, political feeling ran high in the North of Ireland, 
 and the 54th was frequently called on to assist the Civil power in 
 keeping the peace, at elections and party meetings ; happily, on 
 all occasions without the necessity of bloodshed. When, on the 
 26th October, 1869, the Eegiment was leaving Belfast, the Magis- 
 trates addressed to Lieutenant-Colonel Thomson an acknowledg- 
 ment of the services and the uniform good conduct of the men, and 
 an expression of the kindly feeling of the citizens towards the 
 Regiment under his command. 
 
 The 54th was now moved to the West of Ireland, and distributed 
 as follows : — 
 
 Head- Quarters and two Companies at Mullingar. 
 
 Three Companies at Athlone. 
 
 Two „ „ Galway. 
 
 One Company „ Castlebar. 
 
 „ „ „ Boyle. 
 
 „ „ „ Sligo. 
 
 On the 6th December, Head- Quarters was ordered to Athlone, 
 and the detachments from Boyle and Sligo rejoined. 
 
 Disturbances connected with the Fenian conspiracy were now 
 agitating the West of Ireland, and the troops were kept in con- 
 stant readiness to act. A ‘ flying column ’ was formed at Athlone ; 
 Officers commanding Regiments were commissioned as Justices of 
 the Peace for the whole of Leinster and Connaught ; detachments 
 were billeted in villages or quartered in the poor-houses through- 
 out the country, and were harrassed by patrolling the roads during 
 the wet nights of winter. 
 
 On the 3rd March, 1870, the Regiment was re-distributed; 
 
( 84 ) 
 
 Head- Quarters and three Companies at Castlebar, two Companies 
 at Athlone, two at Ballinrobe, two at Westport, and one at Ballina. 
 
 The Depot and two companies of the 36th Regiment was at- 
 tached to the Regiment at Castlebar. 
 
 Claremorris, Newport, Galway and Oughterard on Lough Cor- 
 reb, were occupied by detachments during the summer. 
 
 The establishment was raised from 560 to 600 rank and file, in 
 March 1870; and a further increase to 800 rank and file was or- 
 dered in August. 
 
 On the 14th September, Head-Quafters proceeded to the Curragh, 
 leaving detachments at Ballina, Westport, Newport and Castlebar. 
 
 The Depots of the 56th and 64th were attached to the Regi- 
 ment on its arrival. 
 
 On the 1st January, 1871, the knapsack was superseded by a. 
 valise equipment. The establishment was also raised to 850 rank 
 and file. 
 
 In the following June the detachments from the west of Ire- 
 land were called in, and the Regiment placed under orders to 
 embark for India. 
 
 On the 4th August the 54th took part in a review held in the 
 Phoenix Park, Dublin, before His Royal Highness the Prince of 
 Wales : on the 18th of the same month it was inspected by Gene- 
 ral Lord Sandhurst, Commanding the Forces in Ireland. 
 
 On the 8th September a Depot of two Companies was formed, 
 and the service Companies were completed by volunteers from the 
 15th, 20th and 51st Regiments, giving in return all men under 
 20 years of age. 
 
 On the 20th October, 1871, the Regiment sailed from Queens- 
 town in H. M.’s Indian Troopship ‘Euphrates ’ for Bombay. The 
 strength embarked was— 
 
 3 Field Officers, 7 Captains, 12 Subalterns, 6 Staff Sergeants, 
 46 Sergeants, 40 Corporals, 15 Drummers, 824 Privates. The 
 Depot remained at the Curragh attached to the 11th Foot, 
 
 On the 25th November, the 54th disembarked at Bombay and 
 proceeded by rail to Deolalee ; thence in detachments to Jullun- 
 
( 85 ) 
 
 dur in the Punjab, "where it was concentrated on the 4th December, 
 and on the 8th two Companies marched to Umritsur to occupy the 
 fort of Govindghur. 
 
 On the 16th January, 1872, a spark of fanaticism, which had 
 been long smouldering among a Sikh sect styled Kookhas, flamed 
 up in open revolt in the district of Loodiana, under the leadership 
 of Ram Singh. Troops were hastily summoned from Jullundur, 
 the nearest Military station, and two Companies 54th under Major 
 Shiffner proceeded by rail, whilst E Company, under Brevet Major 
 Hughes, marched in the evening escorting half a battery of Artil- 
 lery. The latter Company reached Phillour by midnight ; assisted 
 in rendering the approaches to the Sutlej practicable for the 
 guns ; crossed the river in country boats, and on the left bank, 
 extricated with much labour from a quicksand, the teams and guns 
 of the battery. It then completed its march to Loodiana, 33 miles, 
 in the early morning. Meanwhile prompt, if severe, measures 
 had been adopted by the Civil authorities, aided by a contingent of 
 troops from the Rajah of Malair Kotla. 40 rebels were blown 
 from guns, and the insurrection was quelled without further inter- 
 vention of the British troops, now increased by two Regiments 
 from the south. The 54th returned to quarters at Jullundur on 
 the 22nd January. 
 
 In April the Companies from Umritsur rejoined, and a Company 
 was detached to garrison the fort of Phillour, and large parties 
 were sent to the Convalescent Depots of Dalhousie and Bagsoo. 
 
 This summer, cholera broke out at Head-Quarters, and also with 
 great severity in the Company at Phillour. 14 men, 6 women and 
 17 children died at Jullundur, and out of a strength of 62 men 
 at Phillour, 16 fell victims to the epidemic. 
 
 On the 6th November the Regiment was inspected by General 
 Lord Napier of Magdala. The same month, two Companies pro- 
 ceeded to Umritsur. This detachment rejoined Head- Quarters 
 the following March. During the summer of 1873 detachments 
 were stationed at Kangra Fort and at Bagsoo. 
 
 On the 23rd June Colonel William Cosmo Trevor, C.B., assumed 
 
( 86 ) 
 
 command, having exchanged from the 14th Foot with Colonel J. S. 
 Thomson. 
 
 The 54th remained at Jullundur till 15th October, 1874, when it 
 commenced its march to Morar, arriving there on the 27th Novem- 
 ber. 
 
 The Depot had meanwhile formed part of the Depot Battalion 
 at Chatham, and after this was broken up in September 1873, was 
 attached to the 82nd Regiment remaining at Chatham. In April 
 1874 the Depot proceeded to Fleetwood to join the 95th Regiment, 
 with which the 54th had been linked, under the “ Localization of 
 the Forces Scheme ” of Mr. Cardwell, Secretary of State for War. 
 With the 95th, it moved to Pembroke Dock in July 1875, and 
 thence to Cork the following year. 
 
 Little of special interest occurred while the service Companies 
 were stationed at Morar. On the 29ih January, 1876, the 54th 
 furnished the guard at the Palace of the Maharajah Scindia of 
 Gwalior, during the visit of His Royal Highness the Prince 
 of Wales. 
 
 Lieutenant-General Lord Mark Kerr, K.C.B., succeeded General 
 Studholm Hodgson as Colonel in October 1877. The Regiment 
 marched on the 19th November to Etawah en route, to Calcutta. 
 
 On the 21st November Colonel Trevor was appointed to the Bri- 
 gade Staff, and Lieutenant-Colonel E. T. Shiffner obtained the 
 command of the Regiment. 
 
 On the 5th December the Regiment reached Calcutta by rail, 
 and was quartered in Fort William. In February 1878 it \yas 
 reviewed by General Sir Frederick Paul Haines, G.C.B., Command- 
 er-in-Chief in India. On the 9th March, 1879, orders were received 
 for 400 men equipped for service to proceed to Burmah, where 
 Theebah, King of Upper Burmah, had caused alarm by his atrocities 
 and insolence. Head-Quarters of the 54th under Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Shiffner embarked in the steamers “ Umballa” and “ Kandalla,” 
 and landed at Rangoon on the 13th March. These preparations 
 and reinforcements having had the effect of quieting in British 
 Burmah the apprehensions of trouble with the Court of Mandalay ; 
 
( 87 ) 
 
 the Colours and Kegimental Staff returned to Calcutta on the 16th 
 of September, while four Companies remained at Eangoon under 
 Major Newbolt. On the 28th October, 1879, Head-Quarters and 
 Wing proceeded by train to Delhi to garrison the Fort of Selim- 
 ghur. This Wing continued to be Head-Quarters till the return 
 of the Companies from Burmah, when these were brought to 
 Meerut, and the Regimental Staff joined them at that station on 
 the 12th July, 1880. 
 
 Whilst in Rangoon the 89th Regiment had been in garrison 
 with the 54th, and much friendly intercourse had taken place 
 between the Regiments. A piece of plate was subsequently pre- 
 sented by Colonel E. T. Sbiffner and Officers of the 54th Regiment 
 and Surgeon H. Fogerty in medical charge ; as a souvenir of the 
 kindness and hospitality shown to them by Colonel Penton and 
 the Officers of the 89th Princess Victoria’s Regiment. 
 
 On the 22nd of February, 1880, Lieutenant-General John Ram- 
 say Stuart, C.B., succeeded Lieutenant-General Lord Mark Kerr, 
 C.B., as Colonel, the latter being transferred to the 13th Light 
 Infantry. 
 
 On the 30th of November, 1880, Head-Quarters and Wing 
 arrived in Roorkee, having marched from Meerut on the 24th. The 
 Left Wing still occupied Delhi. 
 
 In these stations the Regiment was quartered on the 30th 
 June, 1881, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel J. W. Hughes 
 (Colonel Shiffner being on sick leave in England), when the 
 organization of the British Army in territorial Regiments brought 
 the history of the 54th to a close. Under the new organization 
 the 54th was styled 2nd Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment, the 39th 
 Foot becoming 1st Battalion. On that day the 54th, assembled 
 for the last time on parade, trooped and saluted the Regimental 
 Colour with sorrowful respect. At night, when every Officer met 
 at Mess, the Duke of Kent’s punch-bowl was filled for a toast to 
 the memory of the 54th, and the honoured title ceased to have a 
 living existence. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
APPENDIX, 
 
 List of Officers appointed to hith Foot, when raised as Colonel 
 John CamphelVs Begiment. 
 
 Colonel 
 
 John Campbell, 28rd December, 1755, 
 
 Lieutenant- Colonel 
 
 Mark Beaton, 3rd January, 1756. 
 
 Captains 
 
 W. Powell, 10th 
 
 January, 1756. 
 
 >7 
 
 J. Broughton, 
 
 77 77 
 
 77 
 
 W. Hamilton, 
 
 77 77 
 
 77 
 
 €r. T. Eedesdale, 
 
 77 77 
 
 77 
 
 W. Bellenden, 
 
 7 ? 7 ? 
 
 77 
 
 W. Dodswortb, 
 
 77 77 
 
 77 
 
 J. Townshend, 
 
 77 77 
 
 Captam-Lientenant 
 
 F. Palmer, 
 
 77 77 
 
 Lieutenants 
 
 J. DeButts, 24th March, 1756. 
 
 13 
 
 J. Dalton, 
 
 77 77 
 
 77 
 
 Alex. Drummond, 
 
 77 77 
 
 77 
 
 P. Beaver,. 
 
 17 77 
 
 77 
 
 J. Kenna, 
 
 77 77 
 
 77 
 
 C. K. Courtnay, 
 
 77 77 
 
 Ensigns 
 
 Peter Gordon, 
 
 77 77 
 
 77 
 
 H. Harrison, 
 
 77 77 
 
 77 
 
 G. Maxwell, 
 
 77 77 
 
 31 
 
 E. Campbell, 
 
 77 77 
 
 77 
 
 J. Bowyer, 
 
 77 77 
 
 77 
 
 A. Bruce, 
 
 77 77 
 
 77 
 
 E. Eainey, 
 
 77 77 
 
APPENDIX. m 
 
 54th Regiment op Foot. 
 
 Station^ Gibraltar, Isf Jamary ^ 1765. 
 
 Colonel 
 
 John Parslow, (Lieut. -General). 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel 
 
 Mark Renton. 
 
 Major 
 
 Captains 
 
 Robert Walsh. 
 William Powell. 
 
 « 
 
 G. T. Redesdale. 
 
 »> 
 
 W. Bellenden. 
 
 It 
 
 W. Dodsworth. 
 
 t) 
 
 E. Eyre. 
 
 ii 
 
 Captain-Lieutenant 
 
 Lieutenants 
 
 John Bruce. 
 T. Bund. 
 
 C. Phillips. 
 
 
 John Bowyer. 
 
 i> 
 
 R. Rainey, (Adjutant). 
 
 j> 
 
 John Bachop. 
 
 n 
 
 John Hamilton. 
 
 J? 
 
 W. Tidswell. 
 
 J> 
 
 T. Croore. 
 
 if 
 
 Ensigns 
 
 S. Bromfield. 
 John Saunders. 
 
 >> 
 
 N. Evan. 
 
 
 John Grey. 
 
 j> 
 
 A. Ferguson. 
 
 
 James Woodward. 
 
 
 A. Breley. 
 
 >> 
 
 Chaplain 
 
 Quarter-Master 
 
 Surgeon 
 
 N. Nicholls. 
 Arthur Louther. 
 John Fothergill. 
 John Haig. 
 
iv 
 
 AFPBNDIS. 
 
 54th Regiment op Foot. 
 
 Station, Ireland, let January, 1775. 
 
 Colonel 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel 
 
 Major 
 
 Captains 
 
 n 
 
 f> 
 
 If 
 
 f) 
 
 » 
 
 Captain-Lieutenant 
 
 Lieutenants 
 
 >» 
 
 »» 
 
 n 
 
 n 
 
 a 
 
 jy 
 
 yy 
 
 Ensigns 
 
 yy 
 
 yy 
 
 yy 
 
 yy 
 
 yy 
 
 yy 
 
 yy 
 
 Chaplain 
 
 Quarter-Master 
 
 Surgeon 
 
 Mariscoe Frederick, (Lieut.-General), 
 Robert Walsh. 
 
 Alured Clark. 
 
 G. T. Redesdale. 
 
 Edmond Eyre. 
 
 John Bruse. 
 
 Stephen Bromfield. 
 
 T. Croore. 
 
 Archibald McArthur. 
 
 John Bowyer. 
 
 Robert Rainey, (Adjutant). 
 
 John Bachop. 
 
 William Sidswell. 
 
 William Bunbury. 
 
 Rowley Hill. 
 
 Alexander Breley. 
 
 Northend Nicholls. 
 
 John Evans. 
 
 Richard Powell, 
 
 John Groeme. 
 
 John Harrison. 
 
 James Liche. 
 
 George Gladstone. 
 
 William Blacker. 
 
 John Thomas Layard. 
 
 George Lane. 
 
 Hugh Colvill. 
 
 Henry Goldsmith. 
 
 Edward Liche. 
 
 John Moore. 
 
 George Davis. 
 
 Richard Powell. 
 
 John Sutcliffe. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 V 
 
 54th (ob West Norfolk) Regiment op Foot. 
 
 Station^ New York, January^ 1785 , 
 
vi 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 54th (or West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot. 
 Station^ Holland, Isi January ^ 1795* 
 
 Colonel 
 
 Lieutenant- Colonel 
 Major 
 Captains 
 
 t) 
 
 » 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 Captain- Lieutenant 
 Lieutenants 
 11 
 II 
 II 
 II 
 II 
 II 
 11 
 11 
 11 
 
 Ensigns 
 
 II 
 
 II 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 Chaplain 
 
 Adjutant 
 
 Quarter-Master 
 
 Burgeon 
 
 Mariscoe Frederick, (General). 
 William Goodday Strutt, (Colonel). 
 Christopher Darby. 
 
 John Thomas Layard. 
 
 R. Alex. Montgomery. 
 
 Robert Garden. 
 
 Christopher Seaton. 
 
 George Harrison. 
 
 William John Hall. 
 
 William Wright. 
 
 John Douglas. 
 
 Samuel Warren. 
 
 Godfrey Gibson. 
 
 Robert Frederick. 
 
 William Williams. 
 
 Charles Bayntuu. 
 
 Charles Frederick. 
 
 Philip Hawkins. 
 
 Francis Gore. 
 
 John William Cairnes. 
 
 Frederick Spence. 
 
 Thomas McCormick. 
 
 John Atkinson. 
 
 Price Robbins. 
 
 Joseph Mould. 
 
 Isaiah Verity. 
 
 John Walford. 
 
 John Beever. 
 
 Denis Lahiff. 
 
 Thomas Holmes. 
 
 William Perry. 
 
ArPENDiX. 
 
 Tii 
 
 54th (or West Norfolk) Regiment op Foot. 
 StatioUy Gibraltar, 1st January, 1805. 
 
 Colonel Sir Darid Baird, K.C.B., (Lt.-General). 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonels Christopher Darby, (Colonel). 
 
 „ John Thomas Layard. 
 
 Major Alleyne Hampden Pye. 
 
 Captains Robert Frederick. 
 
 „ John William Cairnes. 
 
 „ John McFittie. 
 
 „ John Campbell. 
 
 „ John Galpine, 
 
 „ Marcus Lewis. 
 
 „ Jonathan Darby. 
 
 „ Jocelyn Mann. 
 
 „ Thomas Howard, 
 
 Lieutenants Allen Relly. 
 
 „ Thomas Cox Kirby. 
 
 „ Walter Th, Hudson. 
 
 „ Samuel Crawford. 
 
 „ Henry Robert Conolly, 
 
 „ — Aylmer. 
 
 „ Sampson Stawell. 
 
 „ Ulysses Burgh. 
 
 „ Robert Pigott. 
 
 „ Robert Bogle. 
 
 „ George Arnold. 
 
 „ Francis Rundell. 
 
 Ensign — Blackman, (Adjutant). 
 
viii 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Ensigns 
 
 Alexander Fraser, 
 
 f* 
 
 Edward Cassan. 
 
 ff 
 
 Christopher Darby. 
 
 tf 
 
 John Webb. 
 
 tf 
 
 George Arabin. 
 
 tf 
 
 Clement Peat, 
 
 ft 
 
 Hector Straith. 
 
 Pay-Master 
 
 John Wilkinson, 
 
 Quarter-Master 
 
 Hamilton Penny. 
 
 Surgeon 
 
 James O’Dwyer. 
 
 Assistant Surgeons 
 
 — Kedley. 
 
 jt 
 
 George Redmond. 
 
 tt 
 
 John Marmion. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 IX 
 
 54th (or West Norfolk) Regiment op Foot. 
 
 Station^ Belgium, Isi January, 1815. 
 
 Colonel 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel 
 
 ij 
 
 Majors 
 
 1) 
 
 Captains 
 
 ij 
 
 ii 
 
 }} 
 
 fj 
 
 ft 
 
 ft 
 
 ft 
 
 ft 
 
 ft 
 
 ft 
 
 Lieutenants 
 
 h 
 
 It 
 
 ft 
 
 ft 
 
 ft 
 
 ft 
 
 ft 
 
 ft 
 
 tt 
 
 tt 
 
 ft 
 
 ft 
 
 ft 
 
 ft 
 
 tt 
 
 James Lord Forbes (Lieut.-General). 
 John Thomas Layard. 
 
 John Earl Waldegrave. 
 
 Sir Neil Campbell, Kt. 
 
 Allen Kelly. 
 
 Thomas Cox Kirby. 
 
 Thomas Reeves. 
 
 Robert Pigott. 
 
 Richard Blakeman. 
 
 Walter Crofton. 
 
 Duncan Campbell. 
 
 James Leslie. 
 
 Gillon J. Sappendon. 
 
 George Black. 
 
 Archiebald Smith. 
 
 Thomas Juhartres. 
 
 George Fraser. 
 
 Alexander Burnett. 
 
 Gonville Bromhead. 
 
 Edw. Alleyne Evanson, 
 
 John Pillon. 
 
 Robert Woodgate. 
 
 William Clans. 
 
 Richard Relly. 
 
 Daniel Reogh. 
 
 Richard O’Meara. 
 
 John Blake. 
 
 John Grey. 
 
 Philip Mandilhon. 
 
 Joseph Henry Potts, 
 
 Robert Leacroft. 
 
 Francis Taylor. 
 
 o 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 Lieutenants 
 
 » 
 
 Ensigns 
 
 >» 
 
 » 
 
 » 
 
 97 
 
 99 
 
 99 
 
 99 
 
 Pay-Master 
 
 Quarter-Master 
 
 Surgeon 
 
 Assistant Surgeon 
 
 99 
 
 Edward Marcon. 
 
 Andrew Pattison Carlisle, (Adjutant). 
 John Reid. 
 
 Richard Stackpoole. 
 
 Francis Burgess. 
 
 William Pilkington. 
 
 William Perse. 
 
 Dixon Denham. 
 
 Francis Hutchinson. 
 
 M. S. H. Lloyd. 
 
 E. Nugent. 
 
 A. Maclachlan. 
 
 T. Fraser. 
 
 C. Hill. 
 
 John Clark. 
 
 C. W. Thomas, 
 
 A. Mathewson. 
 
 Henry Irwin. 
 
 William Coates. 
 
 George Redmond, 
 
 M. F. Fynan. 
 
 George Leech. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 xi 
 
 54th (or West Norfolk) Eegiment op Foot. 
 Station^ Arracan. 1st January , 1825. 
 
 Colonel 
 
 Isaac Gascoigne (Lieut.-General). 
 
 Lieutenant- Colonel 
 
 William Macbean. 
 
 
 Colquboun Grant. 
 
 Majors 
 
 Allen Kelly. 
 
 » 
 
 Leslie Walker. 
 
 Captains 
 
 James Leslie. 
 
 
 George Black. 
 
 >> 
 
 Frederick Gascoyne. 
 
 ») 
 
 John James Grindley. 
 
 
 John Campbell. 
 
 a 
 
 Alexander Burnett. 
 
 if 
 
 William Cox. 
 
 it 
 
 Philip Mandilhon. 
 
 a 
 
 James Henry Welch, 
 
 a 
 
 Edward Alleyne Evanson. 
 
 Lieutenants 
 
 Eobert Woodgate. 
 
 a 
 
 Eichard Kelly. 
 
 a 
 
 John Grey. 
 
 a 
 
 Joseph 0. S. Leyfield. 
 
 a 
 
 Charles Highmore Potts. 
 
 a 
 
 Edward Nugent. 
 
 a 
 
 Thomas Fraser, 
 
 a 
 
 Charles Hill. 
 
 a 
 
 John Clark, (Adjutant). 
 
 a 
 
 James Lawless. 
 
 it 
 
 John Griffiths Beaven. 
 
 a 
 
 Frederick Thornbury. 
 
 a 
 
 John Norman. 
 
 a 
 
 C. W. Thomas. 
 
 a 
 
 Pryce Blake. 
 
 it 
 
 Joseph Tynam. 
 
 it 
 
 Burrows Belly. 
 
xii 
 
 Lieutenants 
 
 )> 
 
 j» 
 
 V 
 
 }f 
 
 Ensigns 
 
 Pay-Master 
 
 Quarter-Master 
 
 Surgeon 
 
 Assistant Surgeons 
 
 j) 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 R. Tyrrell Rob. Pattoun, 
 R. Gethin Creagh Coote. 
 William Moore. 
 
 George Fenton. 
 
 Roland Campbell. 
 Frederick Considine. 
 Henry William Harris. 
 Ernest Augustus Slade. 
 Charles Tobin. 
 
 Henry Rose Clarke. 
 George Holt. 
 
 John Beach Dodd. 
 Charles Warren. 
 
 John Pillon. 
 
 William Coates. 
 
 Charles Hamilton. 
 
 Moore F. Fynan. 
 
 George Leich. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 54th (or West Norfolk) Kegiment op Foot. 
 
 Station^ Madras, Is^ January^ 1835. 
 
 Colonel 
 
 Isaac Gascoigne, (General). 
 
 Lieutenant- Colonels 
 
 Mildmay Fane. 
 
 » 
 
 John Reid. 
 
 Majors 
 
 John Clark. 
 
 
 Ranald Macdonald. 
 
 Captains 
 
 William Cox. 
 
 » 
 
 Phillip Mandilhon. 
 
 }} 
 
 J. H. Welsh. 
 
 V 
 
 Charles Hill. 
 
 ft 
 
 James Lawless. 
 
 tf 
 
 W. B. Bernard. 
 
 ff 
 
 F. Thornbury. 
 
 ff 
 
 John Norman. 
 
 ff 
 
 Aylmer Dowdall. 
 
 ff 
 
 Pryce Clarke. 
 
 Lieutenants 
 
 R. T. R. Pattoun, (Adjutant). 
 
 ff 
 
 Edward Wells. 
 
 ff 
 
 George Holt. 
 
 ff 
 
 J. B. Dodd. 
 
 ff 
 
 John Stoddard. 
 
 ff 
 
 Garnet Mann. 
 
 ff 
 
 Frederick Parr. 
 
 ff 
 
 Emilius Ross. 
 
 » 
 
 J. Reid Turner. 
 
 ff 
 
 John Mellis. 
 
 ff 
 
 James T. Bay ley. 
 
 ff 
 
 Robert Parr. 
 
 ff 
 
 A. C. Anderson. 
 
 ff 
 
 John Ross Wheeler. 
 
 ff 
 
 Henry Brown. 
 
 ff 
 
 Uriah Boyd. 
 
 ff 
 
 C. B. Vance. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 XIY 
 
 Lieutenants 
 
 9t 
 
 if 
 
 if 
 
 if 
 
 ff 
 
 Ensigns 
 
 if 
 
 if 
 
 if 
 
 ff 
 
 ff 
 
 if 
 
 if 
 
 Pay-Master 
 
 Quarter-Master 
 
 Surgeon 
 
 Assistant Surgeons 
 
 ff 
 
 W. B. Farrant. 
 
 J. Brett Chalk. 
 Donald Macdonald, 
 Launcelot E. Wood. 
 H. D. Williams, 
 Samuel Eeid, 
 
 Arthur Herbert. 
 Reginald H. Dyke. 
 S. Phillips. 
 
 Rowland Moffat. 
 
 W. Taylor. 
 
 C. F. Heatley. 
 
 G. F. Long. 
 Montague Barbauld, 
 C. Barlow. 
 
 James Willox, 
 Charles Hamilton. 
 Henry Thomas. 
 Francis Moran, M.D. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 XV 
 
 54th (or West Norfolk) Regiment op Foot. 
 Station^ Ireland. January ^ 1845. 
 
 Colonel 
 
 Lieutenant- Colonel 
 Majors 
 
 Captains 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 Lieutenants 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 77 
 
 Ensigns 
 
 77 
 
 Sir Henry S. Keating, K.C.B., (Lt.-Genl.) 
 Mildmay Fane, K.H., (Colonel). 
 
 Jolin Clarke, (Lieut.-Colonel). 
 
 William Yorke Moore. 
 
 Charles Hill. 
 
 John Norman. 
 
 John Ross Wheeler. 
 
 Henry Brown. 
 
 Bowland Moflfat. 
 
 Seton Lionel Smith. 
 
 Thomas Mostyn. 
 
 A. R. Margary. 
 
 Patrick L. C. Paget. 
 
 John Brett Chalk. 
 
 Donald Macdonald. 
 
 Launcelot E. Wood, (Adjutant). 
 
 John A. Skurray. 
 
 William Williams. 
 
 George Poulett. 
 
 G. C. Miller. 
 
 J. C. H. Jones. 
 
 S. F. Jackson. 
 
 E. Neville. 
 
 T. Y. Ridley. 
 
 Francis Fane. 
 
 John Lloyd. 
 
 William F. Brett. 
 
 James Sinclair Thomson. 
 
 John S. F. Fowke. 
 
XVI 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Ensigns 
 
 Thomas H. Powell. 
 
 » 
 
 J. E. H. Taylor. 
 
 j? 
 
 Prideaux W. Gillum. 
 
 ii 
 
 V. G. Coates. 
 
 fi 
 
 J. G. P. Holbrook. 
 
 }f 
 
 Pay-Master 
 
 Quarter-Master 
 
 Surgeon 
 
 Assistant Surgeon 
 
 W. E. F. O’Brien. 
 George Bartley. 
 James Willox. 
 Gideon Dolmage. 
 E. S. Docker. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 xvii 
 
 54th (or West Norfolk) Kegiment op Foot. 
 Station, Gibraltar, Isf January, 1855. 
 
 Colonel 
 
 William A. Gordon, (Lieut.-General), 
 
 Lieutenant- Colonel 
 
 William Yorke Moore, (Colonel). 
 
 Majors 
 
 Bowland Mofifat. 
 
 » 
 
 Seton Lionel Smith. 
 
 Captains 
 
 G. C. Miller. 
 
 
 J. C. H. Jones. 
 
 » 
 
 James Swetenham. 
 
 
 W. Freeland Brett. 
 
 
 J. S. Thomson. 
 
 iy 
 
 J. S. Ferguson Fowke. 
 
 yy 
 
 Frederick Mathias. 
 
 yy 
 
 Thomas H. Powell. 
 
 yy 
 
 Prideaux W. Gillum. 
 
 yy 
 
 F. J. Griffin. 
 
 yy 
 
 W. E. F. O’Brien. 
 
 yy 
 
 Henry E. Bayly. 
 
 Lieutenants 
 
 John F. Flamank. 
 
 yy 
 
 P. G. Botfield Lake, (Adjutant). 
 
 yy 
 
 Edward Thomas Shiffner. 
 
 yy 
 
 W. H. D. Clarke. 
 
 if 
 
 J. Sackville Swann. 
 
 yy 
 
 C. A. Thomson. 
 
 yy 
 
 W. F. Eamsay. 
 
 yy 
 
 Charles Fitzroy Barnett. 
 
 yy 
 
 Charles Cullen Mansell. 
 
 yy 
 
 Edward Cliffe. 
 
 yy 
 
 B. Baret Stokes. 
 
 yy 
 
 A. B. Guy Evered. 
 
 yy 
 
 Thomas Blakiston Houston. 
 
 yy 
 
 Henry Fane. 
 
 yy 
 
 Dillon Beetham. 
 
 p 
 
APPENDIX* 
 
 Xviii 
 
 Ensigns 
 
 93 
 
 99 
 
 99 
 
 J» 
 
 93 
 
 99 
 
 99 
 
 Pay-Master 
 
 Quarter-Master 
 
 Surgeon 
 
 Assistant Surgeons 
 
 99 
 
 W. A, Galbraith, 
 
 Arthur Herrick. 
 
 G. L. White. 
 
 Francis Geo. S. Parker. 
 Thomas Parr. 
 
 John Stevenson. 
 
 Vere Temple Bayly. 
 Joseph William Hughes. 
 William Marriott. 
 Thomas Hipkin. 
 
 James McGrigor Grant, 
 W. M. Firth. 
 
 George Youell. 
 
APPENDIX, 
 
 XIX 
 
 54th (or West Norfolk) Regiment op Foot. 
 
 Station, Calcutta, January, 1865. 
 
 Colonel 
 
 Lieutenant- Colonels 
 >> 
 
 Captains 
 
 » 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 Lieutenants 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 Mildmay Fane, K.H., (Lieut.- General). 
 Charles Herbert, C.B., (Colonel). 
 
 J. C. H. Jones. 
 
 J. Sinclair Thomson. 
 
 W. E. D. Deacon. 
 
 J. S. Ferguson Fowke. 
 
 E. T. Shiffner. 
 
 Francis G. C. Probart. 
 
 Chas. A. Thomson. 
 
 A. R. Guy Evcred. 
 
 T. S. Robin. 
 
 J. J. Gordon. 
 
 F. G. S. Parker. 
 
 Vere Temple Bayly. 
 
 J. W. Hughes. 
 
 Joshua G. Jebb, 
 
 Edward D. Newbolt. 
 
 John Stevenson. , 
 
 J. Ay ton Wood. 
 
 L. K. Edwards. • 
 
 M. W. E, Gosset, (Adjutant). 
 
 J. Chute. 
 
 Warren E. Evans. 
 
 Charles Loveridge. 
 
 Dudley B. Coppinger, 
 
 Henry Lambard. 
 
 C. S. Chapman. 
 
 W. P. Hodnett. 
 
 E. Magill. 
 
 W. E. Wilkinson, 
 
 Michael O’Brien. 
 
 Charles F. Colvile. 
 
XX 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Ensigns 
 
 J. H. Tarleton. 
 
 i> 
 
 W. C. Erskine. 
 
 }} 
 
 Charles F. Carey. 
 
 ij 
 
 James E. McCarthy. 
 
 if 
 
 Mileson Edgar. 
 
 a 
 
 E. B. Bishop. 
 
 a 
 
 1). Thompson. 
 
 it 
 
 Henry Skey. 
 
 ti 
 
 W. N. Darnell. 
 
 if 
 
 T. S. Eyton. 
 
 Pay-Master 
 
 A. W. McKenzie. 
 
 Quarter-Master 
 
 W. Turnley. 
 
 Surgeon 
 
 W. W. W. Poole. 
 
 Assistant Surgeons 
 
 C. Mathew. 
 
 a 
 
 J. Lamb. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 xxi 
 
 54th (or West Norfolk) Eegiment op Foot. 
 
 Station f Morar, Isi January^ 1875. 
 
 Colonel Studholm J. Hodgson, (Lieut-General). 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel William Cosmo Trevor, C.B., (Colonel). 
 
 Majors 
 
 E. T. Shiffner. 
 
 
 J. H. H. Gammell. 
 
 Captains 
 
 F. G. S. Parker. 
 
 )) 
 
 Joseph W. Hughes, (Major). 
 
 11 
 
 E. Dorrien Newbolt. 
 
 11 
 
 M. W. E. Gosset. 
 
 11 
 
 William P. Hodnett. 
 
 11 
 
 William E. Wilkinson. 
 
 11 
 
 J. R. Kelsall. 
 
 11 
 
 J. H. Tarleton. 
 
 11 
 
 G. M. Chadwick. 
 
 11 
 
 J. A. Tighe, (Major). 
 
 Lieutenants 
 
 C. F. Carey. 
 
 11 
 
 Henry J. deB. Smart. 
 
 11 
 
 W. N. Darnell. 
 
 ti 
 
 W. T. Timbrell. 
 
 11 
 
 Arthur G. Tidy. 
 
 11 
 
 W. W. P. Joyce. 
 
 11 
 
 A. W. Dury. 
 
 11 
 
 C. G. L. Wingfield. 
 
 11 
 
 J. W. Ruddach, (Adjutant). 
 
 11 
 
 J. A. C. Wedderburn. 
 
 11 
 
 John W. M. Macartney. 
 
 11 
 
 Cecil H. Law. 
 
 11 
 
 Henry N. Webb. 
 
 11 
 
 C. B. Airey. 
 
 11 
 
 T. S. Boileau. 
 
XXll 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Lieutenants 
 
 » 
 
 11 
 
 Sub*Lieutenants 
 
 11 
 
 Pay-Master 
 
 Quarter-Master 
 
 Medical Officer \ 
 Surgeon Major j 
 
 W. B. Broughton. 
 H. M. Bruce. 
 
 L. J. Browne. 
 Arthur Lushington, 
 Harold A. Deane. 
 J. Mills Hewson. 
 Henry F. Hetties. 
 
 J. J. Thompson. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 xxiii - 
 
 H. M’s. 54th (West Norfolk) Regiment. 
 
 9 
 
 List of Officers serving on ZiHh June, 1881. Stations, MoorTcee 
 and Delhi, 
 
 Colonel 
 
 J. R. Stuart, C.B., fLieut.-General). 
 
 Lieutenant- Colonel 
 
 E. T. Shiffner, (Colonel). 
 
 Majors 
 
 Ji W. Hughes, (Lieut.-Colonel). 
 
 
 E. D. Newbolt. 
 
 Captains 
 
 M. W. E. Gosset, (Lieut.-Colonel). 
 
 
 W. P. Hodnett. 
 
 
 W. E. Wilkinson. 
 
 j> 
 
 J. R. Kelsall. 
 
 
 J. A. Tighe, (Major). 
 
 
 W. Phibbs. 
 
 
 T. M. Maxwell. 
 
 
 A. G. Tidy. 
 
 
 W. W. P. Joyce. 
 
 jj 
 
 A. W. Dury. 
 
 j» 
 
 C. G. L. Wingfield. 
 
 Lieutenants 
 
 J. W. M. Macartney. 
 
 » 
 
 C. H. Law. 
 
 
 W. B. Broughton. 
 
 
 A. J. Lusbington. 
 
 
 W. A. Campbell, (Adjutant). 
 
 j> 
 
 H. B. Lynch. 
 
 j> 
 
 G. Bowring. 
 
 if 
 
 A. Nugent. 
 
 if 
 
 D. W. Hickman. 
 
 it 
 
 G. G. Elrington. 
 
 if 
 
 J. C. Pyne. 
 
XXIV 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Second Lieutenants G. S. Haines. 
 
 „ G. F. Eowcroft. 
 
 „ W. Prior. 
 
 „ W. D. J. Pollard. 
 
 „ L. E. Lushington. 
 
 „ P. J. Gordon. 
 
 „ A. L. Phillips. 
 
 „ J. T. Evatt. 
 
 PayMaster(Hon. Major) J. M. Hewson, 
 Quarter-Master H. F. Nettles. 
 

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