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1772-1779.
PAGE
Origin of Corps—Its establishment and pay—Engineers to 1
command it—Its designation—Working
pay—Recruiting—Dismissal of civil artificers—Names of
officers—Non-commissioned officers—First
augmentation—Consequent promotions—Names of other officers
joined—King’s Bastion—Second augmentation
1779-1782.
Jealousy of Spain—Declares war with England—Strength of the 10
garrison at Gibraltar—Preparations for defence and
employment of the company—Siege commenced—Privations of
the garrison—Grand sortie and conduct of the company—Its
subsequent exertions—Origin of the subterranean
galleries—Their extraordinary prosecution—Princess Anne’s
battery—Third augmentation—Names of non-commissioned
officers
1782-1783.
Siege continued—Magnitude of the works—Chevaux-de-frise from 22
Landport-Glacis across the inundation—Précis of other
works—Firing red-hot shot—Damage done to the works of the
garrison, and exertions of the company in restoring
them—Grand attack, and burning of the battering
flotilla—Reluctance of the enemy to quit the contest—Kilns
for heating shot—Orange bastion—Subterranean
galleries—Discovery of the enemy mining under the
Rock—Ulterior dependence of the enemy—Peace—Conduct of the
company during the siege—Casualties
1783.
Duc de Crillon’s compliments respecting the 29
works—Subterranean galleries—Their supposed
inefficiency—Henry Ince—Quickness of sight of two boys of
the company—Employment of the boys during the siege—Thomas
Richmond and John Brand—Models constructed by them
1783.
State of the fortress—Execution of the works depended upon 39
the company—Casualties filled up by transfers from the
line—Composition—Recruiting—Relieved from all duties,
garrison and regimental—Anniversary of the destruction of
the Spanish battering flotilla
1786-1787.
Company divided into two—Numerous discharges—Cause of the 43
men becoming so soon ineffective—Fourth
augmentation—Labourers—Recruiting,
reinforcements—Dismissal of foreign artificers—Wreck of
brig ‘Mercury’—Uniform dress—Working ditto—Names of
officers—Privileges—Cave under the signal-house
1779-1788.
Colonel Debbieg’s proposal for organizing a corps of 53
artificers—Rejected—Employment of artillerymen on the
works at home—Duke of Richmond’s “Extensive plans of
fortification”—Formation of corps ordered—Singular silence
of the House of Commons on the subject—Mr. Sheridan calls
attention to it—Insertion of corps for first time in the
Mutiny Bill—Debate upon it in both Houses of Parliament
1787-1788.
Constitution of corps—Master artificers—Officers—Rank and 64
post of the corps—Captains of companies;
stations—Allowance to captains;
adjutants—Recruiting—Labourers—“Richmond’s whims”—Progress
of recruiting—Articles of agreement—Corps not to do
garrison duty—Sergeant-Majors—John Drew—Alexander
Spence—Uniform dress—Working dress—Hearts o'
pipe-clay—“The Queen’s bounty”—Arms, &c.—Distinction of
ranks—Jews’ wish
1789-1792.
Appointment of Quartermaster and 72
Colonel-Commandant—Distribution of corps, Captains of
companies—Jealousy and ill-feeling of the civil
artificers—Riot at Plymouth—Its casualties—Recruits
wrecked on passage to Gibraltar—Song, “Bay of Biscay,
O!”—Defence of the Tower of London against the
Jacobins—Bagshot-heath encampment—Alterations in the
uniform and working dress
1793.
War with France—Artificers demanded for foreign 81
service—Consequent effects—Detachment to West Indies—Fever
at Antigua—Detachment to Flanders—Siege of
Valenciennes—Waterdown Camp—Reinforcement to
Flanders—Siege of Dunkirk—Nieuport—Another reinforcement
to Flanders—Toulon—Private Samuel Myers at Fort
Mulgrave—Formation of four companies for service
abroad—Establishment and strength of corps
1794-1795.
Working dress—Company sails for West 90
Indies—Martinique—Spirited conduct of detachment
there—Guadaloupe—Mortality—Toulon—Flanders—Reinforcement
to company there—Return of the company—Works at
Gravesend—Irregularities in the corps—Causes—Redeeming
qualities—Appointment of Regimental Adjutant and
Sergeant-major—Consequences—Woolwich becomes the
head-quarters—Alteration in working dress
1795-1796.
Companies to St. Domingo and the Caribbee Islands—Reduction 101
of St. Lucia—Conduct of company there—Gallantry in forming
lodgment and converting it into a battery—Attack on
Bombarde—Distribution and conduct of St. Domingo
company—Mortality in the West Indies—Detachment to
Halifax, Nova Scotia—Dougal Hamilton—Detachments to
Calshot Castle and St. Marcou
1797.
Detachments to Portugal—To Dover—Transfers to the 105
Artillery-Enlistment of artificers only—Incorporation of
Gibraltar companies with the corps—Capture of
Trinidad—Draft to West Indies—Failure at Porto
Rico—Fording the lagoon, by private D. Sinclair—Private W.
Rogers at the bridge St. Julien—Saves his
officer—Casualties by fever in Caribbean company—Filling
up company at St. Domingo with negroes—Mutinies in the
fleet at Portsmouth—Conduct of Plymouth company—Emeute in
the Royal Artillery, Woolwich—Increase of pay—Marquis
Cornwallis’s approbation of the corps—Mutiny at the
Nore—Consequent removal of detachment to
Gravesend—Alterations in dress
1798-1799.
Contribution of corps to the State—Detachment with 116
expedition to maritime Flanders—Destruction of the Bruges
canal—Battle near Ostend—Draft to West Indies—Capture of
Surinam—St. Domingo evacuated—Expedition to
Minorca—Conduct of detachment while serving
there—Composition of detachments for foreign
service—Parties to Sevenoaks and Harwich—Mission to
Turkey—Its movements and services—Special detachment to
Gibraltar to construct a cistern for the Navy—Detachment
with the expedition to Holland—Its services—Origin of the
Royal Staff Corps
1800.
Mortality in the West Indies—Blockade of Malta—Capture of a 126
transport on passage from Nova Scotia—Movements and
services of detachments in Turkey; attacked with
fever—Anecdote of private Thomas Taylor at
Constantinople—Cruise of expedition to Cadiz—Attack on the
city abandoned—Subsequent movements of the expedition;
Malta; and re-embarkation for Egypt—Statistics of
companies at Gibraltar
1801-1802.
Distribution of corps—Dispersion of West India 132
company—Statistics—Detachment to St. Marcou—Capture of
Danish settlements—Casualties in West India
company—Compared with mortality in Gibraltar
companies—Working dress—Services, &c., of detachment at
Gibraltar—Conduct of Sergeant W. Shirres—Concession to the
companies by the Duke of Kent—Cocked hat superseded by the
chaco
1803-1805.
Party to Ceylon—The treaty of Amiens broken—State of West 141
India company—Capture of St. Lucia—Tobago—Demerara,
Essequibo, and Berbice—Works at Spike Island—Capture of
Surinam—Conduct of private George Mitchell—Batavian
soldiers join West India company—Fever at
Gibraltar—Consequent mortality—Humane and intrepid conduct
of three privates—Invasion of England—Works at
Dover—Jersey—Chelmsford—Martello towers at Eastbourne—Bomb
tenders at Woolwich—Recruiting—Volunteers from the Line
and Militia—Treaty of St. Petersburg—Party to Naples—Ditto
to Hanover
1806.
First detachment to Cape of Good Hope—Misfortunes at Buenos 153
Ayres—Reinforcements to Gibraltar—Services at
Calabria—Formation of Maltese military artificers—Increase
of pay to royal military artificers—Augmentation to the
corps and reorganization of the companies—Establishment
and annual expense—Working pay—Sub-Lieutenants
introduced—Indiscipline and character of the corps
1807.
Appointments of Adjutant and Quartermaster—Captain John T. 161
Jones—Disasters at Buenos Ayres—Egypt—Reinforcement to
Messina—Detachment of Maltese military artificers to
Sicily—Newfoundland—Copenhagen—Captures in the Caribbean
Sea—Madeira—Danish Islands in the West Indies—Hythe
1808.
War in the Peninsula—Expedition thither—Detachments to the 165
seat of war, with Captains Landmann, Elphinstone, Squire,
Burgoyne, and Smyth—Captain John T. Jones—Reinforcement to
Newfoundland—Discipline at Halifax—Services at
Messina—Parties temporarily detached to different
places—The queue
1809.
Retreat to Coruña—Miserable state of the detachment on 168
reaching England—Hardships of the stragglers—Capture of
Martinique—Skill of George Mitchell at the siege—Fever in
the West Indies—Reduction of the Saintes—Detachment to
Portugal—Battles of Oporto and Talavera—Casualties in the
retreat, and distribution of the party—Naples—Zante and
the Ionian Islands—Term of service of the Maltese military
artificers—Siege of Flushing—Services of the military
artificers there—Gallantry, in the batteries, of John
Millar, Thomas Wild, and Thomas Letts—Conduct of corps at
the siege—Casualties by the Walcheren fever—Skilful
conduct of Corporal T. Stevens in the demolitions at
Flushing—Captain John T. Jones—Servants—Incidental
detachments
1810.
Capture of Guadaloupe—Of St. Martin’s and St. 175
Eustatius—Torres Vedras—Anecdote of Corporal William
Wilson at the Lines—Almeida and Busaco—Detachments to
Cadiz—Puntales and La Isla—Destruction of Forts Barbara
and St. Felipe, near Gibraltar—Santa Maura—Occasional
detachments
1811.
Mortality in the West Indies—Strength and distribution of 178
detachments in the Peninsula—Recapture of Olivenza—Field
instruction prior to siege of Badajoz—Conduct of corps at
the siege—Conduct of Sergeant Rogers in
reconnoitring—Reinforcement to Portugal and duties of the
detachment—Its distribution and services—Battle of
Barrosa; gallant conduct of Sergeant John
Cameron—Tarragona—Defence of Tarifa—Augmentation to corps
and reconstruction of companies—Annual expense of
corps—Command of the companies—Their stationary
character—The wealthy corporal—New distribution of
corps—Commissions to Sub-Lieutenants, and ingenious
inventions of Lieutenant Munro
1812.
Plymouth company instructed in field duties—Engineer 187
establishment at Chatham—Major Pasley appointed its
director—Discipline and drill of corps—Its character—Sir
John Sinclair ex-private—Title of corps changed—Captain G.
Buchanan—A sergeant acrobat—Cuidad Rodrigo—Exertions of a
company on the march to the siege—Repairs to the
fortress—Siege of Badajoz—Difficulties in removing the
stores to the park—Duties of the sappers in the
operation—Gallant behaviour of Patrick Rooney and William
Harry—Also of a party at Fort Picurina, and of Patrick
Burke and Robert Miller—Hazardous attempt to blow down the
batardeau in the ditch of the lunette, and conduct of
corporal Stack—Bravery of a party in mining under the
bridge of the inundation—Distribution of the Peninsular
companies and their services—Bridges of Yecla and
Serrada—Reinforcement to Spain—Salamanca—Burgos, and
boldness of Patrick Burke and Andrew Alexander at the
siege—Bridge of Alba—Carthagena—Reinforcement to Cadiz;
action at Seville—Reinforcement to the Peninsula and
distribution of the sappers—Green Island—Tarragona—First
detachment to Bermuda
1813.
Designation of corps modified—Uniform—Working 197
dress—Arms—Mode of promoting non-commissioned
officers—Rank of colour-sergeant created—Company to
Canada—Reinforcement to Bermuda—Sub-Lieutenant Mackenzie
appointed Town-Major there—Sickness at Gibraltar—Services
of company in East Catalonia—Malha da Sorda—Services on
the advance to Vittoria—Bridge at Toro—Blockade of
Pampeluna—Pyrenees—Stockades near Roncesvalles—San
Sebastian and services of the corps at the siege—Valour of
sergeants Powis and Davis—Of private Borland; and of
corporal Evans—Casualties in the siege—Restoration of the
fortifications—Pontoon train—Bidassoa—Bridge across it,
and conduct of privates Owen Connor and
Nowlan—Vera—Nivelle, and behaviour of corporal
Councill—Bridge over that river—Bridges over the Nive, and
daring exertions of private Dowling—Fording the Nive, and
posts of honour accorded to corporal Jamieson and private
Braid—Strength and distribution of corps in the
Peninsula—Recruiting
1814.
Wreck of ‘Queen’ transport; humanity of sergeant Mackenzie; 209
heroic exertions of private M‘Carthy—Quartermaster;
Brigade-Major—Santona; useful services of corporal
Hay—Bridge of Itzassu near Cambo-Orthes; conduct of
sergeant Stephens—Toulouse—Bridge of the Adour; duties of
the sappers—Flotilla to form the bridge—Casualties in
venturing the bar—Conduct of the corps in its
construction—Bayonne—Expedition to North America—Return to
England of certain companies from the Peninsula—Company to
Holland; its duties; bridge over the Maerk; Tholen; Fort
Frederick—March for Antwerp—Action at Merxam—Esprit de
corps—Coolness of sergeant Stevens and corporal
Milburn—Distribution; bridge-making—Surprise of
Bergen-op-Zoom—Conduct of the sappers, and casualties in
the operation—A mild Irish-man—Bravery of corporal
Creighton and private Lomas—South Beveland—Reinforcement
to the Netherlands—Review by the Emperor of Russia—School
for companies at Antwerp—Detachments in the Netherlands,
company at Tournai—Movements of the company in Italy and
Sicily—Expedition to Tuscany; party to Corfu—Canada;
distribution of company there, and its active
services—Reinforcement to Canada—Washington, Baltimore,
New Orleans—Notice of corporal Scrafield—Expedition to the
State of Maine
1815.
Siege of Fort Boyer—Alertness of company on passage to New 225
Orleans—Return of the sappers from North America—Services
and movements of companies in Canada—Also in Nova
Scotia—Captures of Martinique and Guadaloupe—Services and
movements of companies in Italy—Maltese sappers
disbanded—Pay of Sub-Lieutenants—Ypres—Increase to
sappers’ force in Holland; its duties and detachments;
notice of sergeant Purcell—Renewal of the war—Strength of
the corps sent to the Netherlands—Pontoneers—Battle of
Waterloo—Disastrous situation of a company in
retreating—General order about the alarm and the
stragglers—Sergeant-major Hilton at Brussels—Notice of
lance-corporal Donnelly—Exertions of another company in
pressing to the field—Organization of the engineer
establishment in France—Pontoon train—Magnitude of the
engineer establishment; hired drivers; Flemish
seamen—Assault of Peronne, valour of Sub-lieutenant
Stratton and lance-corporal Councill—Pontoon bridges on
the Seine—Conduct of corps during the campaign—Corporal
Coombs with the Prussian army—Usefulness of the sappers in
attending to the horses, &c., of the department in
France—Domiciliary visit to Montmartre
1816-1818.
Movements in France—Return of six companies from thence to 241
England—Strength of those remaining, and detachments from
them—St. Helena—Return of company from Italy—Disbandment
of the war company of Maltese sappers—Battle of
Algiers—Conduct of corps at Valenciennes—Instances in
which the want of arms was felt during the war—Arming the
corps attributable to accidental circumstances—Training
and instruction of the corps in France—Its misconduct—But
remarkable efficiency at drill—Municipal thanks to
companies at Valenciennes—Dress—Bugles adopted—Reduction
in the corps—Sub-lieutenants disbanded—Withdrawal of
companies from certain stations—Relief of company at
Barbadoes—Repairing damages at St. Lucia; conduct of the
old West India company—Corfu—Inspection of corps in
France—Epaulettes introduced—Sordid conduct of four men in
refusing to wear them—Murder of private Milne, and
consequent punishment of corps in France by the Duke of
Wellington—Return of the sappers from France
1819-1824.
Reduction in the corps—Distribution—Sergeant Thomas Brown, 253
the modeller—Reinforcement to the Cape, and services of
the detachment during the Kaffir war—Epidemic at
Bermuda—Damages at Antigua occasioned by a hurricane—Visit
to Chatham of the Duke of Clarence—Withdrawal of a
detachment from Corfu—A private becomes a peer—Draft to
Bermuda—Second visit to Chatham of the Duke of
Clarence—Fever at Barbadoes—Death of Napoleon, and
withdrawal of company from St. Helena—Notice of private
John Bennett—Movements of the company in
Canada—Trigonometrical operations under the Board of
Longitude—Feversham—Relief of the old Gibraltar
company—Breast-plates—St. Nicholas’ Island—Condition of
company at Barbadoes when inspected by the Engineer
Commission—Scattered state of the detachment at the
Cape—Services of the detachment at Corfu—Intelligence and
usefulness of sergeant Hall and corporal Lawson—Special
services of corporal John Smith—Pontoon
trials—Sheerness—Notice of corporal Shorter—Forage-caps
and swords
1825-1826.
Dress—Curtailment of benefits by the change—Chacos—Survey of 263
Ireland—Formation of the first company for the
duty—Establishment of corps; company to Corfu—Second
company for the survey—Efforts to complete the companies
raised for it—Pontoon trials in presence of the Duke of
Wellington—Western Africa—Third company for the survey:
additional working pay—Employments and strength of the
sappers in Ireland—Drummond Light; Slieve Snacht and
Divis—Endurance of private Alexander Smith—Wreck of
‘Shipley’ transport—Berbice; corporal Sirrell at Antigua
1827-1829.
Augmentation—Reinforcement to Bermuda—Companies for Rideau 271
Canal—Reinforcement to the Cape—Monument to the memory of
General Wolfe—Increase to the survey
companies—Supernumerary promotions—Measurement of Lough
Foyle base—Suggestion of sergeant Sim for measuring across
the river Roe—Survey companies inspected by Major-General
Sir James C. Smith; opinion of their services by Sir Henry
Hardinge—Sergeant-major Townsend—Demolition of the
Glacière Bastion at Quebec—Banquet to fifth company by
Lord Dalhousie—Service of the sappers at the citadel of
Quebec—Notice of sergeants Dunnett and John Smith—Works to
be executed by contract—Trial of pontoons, and exertions
of corporal James Forbes—Epidemic at Gibraltar—Island of
Ascension; corporal Beal—Forage-caps—Company withdrawn
from Nova Scotia—Party to Sandhurst College, and
usefulness of corporal Forbes
1830-1832.
The chaco—Brigade-Major Rice Jones—Island of 281
Ascension—Notice of corporal Beal—Detachment to the Tower
of London—Chatham during the Reform agitation—Staff
appointments—Sergeant McLaren the first medallist in the
corps—Terrific hurricane at Barbadoes; distinguished
conduct of colour-sergeant Harris and corporal
Muir—Subaqueous destruction of the ‘Arethusa’ at
Barbadoes—Return of a detachment to the Tower of
London—Rideau canal; services of the sappers in its
construction; casualties; and disbandment of the
companies—Costume—First detachment to the Mauritius—Notice
of corporal Reed—Pendennis Castle
1833-1836.
Inspection at Chatham by Lord Hill—Pontoon 289
experiments—Withdrawal of companies from the
ports—Reduction of the corps, and reorganization of the
companies—Recall of companies from
abroad—Purfleet—Trigonometrical survey of west coast of
England—Draft to the Cape—Review at Chatham by Lord
Hill—Motto to the corps—Reinforcement to the
Mauritius—Inspection at Woolwich by Sir Frederick
Mulcaster—Mortality from cholera; services of corporals
Hopkins and Ritchley—Entertainment to the detachment at
the Mauritius by Sir William Nicolay—Triangulation of the
west coast of Scotland—Kaffir war—Appointments of ten
foremen of works—Death of Quartermaster Galloway—Succeeded
by sergeant-major Hilton—Sergeant Forbes—Notice of his
father—Lieutenant Dashwood—Euphrates expedition—Labours of
the party—Sergeant Sim—Generosity of Colonel Chesney,
R.A.—Additional smiths to the expedition—Loss of the
‘Tigris’ steamer—Descent of the Euphrates—Sappers with the
expedition employed as engineers—Corporal
Greenhill—Approbation of the services of the
party—Triangulation of west coast of
Scotland—Addiscombe—Expedition to Spain—Character of the
detachment that accompanied it—Passages; action in front
of San Sebastian—Reinforcement to Spain—Final trial of
pontoons—Mission to Constantinople
1837.
Change in the dress—Increase of non-commissioned 305
officers—Services of the detachment at Ametza
Gaña—Oriamendi—Desierto convent on the
Nervion—Fuentarabia—Oyarzun—Aindoin—Miscellaneous
employment of the detachment—Trigonometrical survey west
coast of Scotland—Inspection at Woolwich by Lord Hill and
Sir Hussey Vivian—Staff appointments—Labours of sergeant
Lanyon—Staff-sergeants' accoutrements—Expedition to New
Holland—Corporal Coles selected as the man Friday of his
chief—Exploration from High Bluff Point to Hanover Bay;
difficulties and trials of the trip; great
thirst—Exertions and critical situation of Coles—His
courageous bearing—Touching instance of devotion to his
chief—Employments of the party—Exploration into the
interior with Coles and private Mustard—Hardships in its
prosecution—Threatened attack of the natives; return to
the camp
1838.
Services of party in New Holland—Start for the 315
interior—Labours of the expedition; corporal Auger—Captain
Grey and corporal Coles expect an attack—Attitude of
private Auger at the camp against the menace of the
natives—Captain Grey and Coles attacked; their critical
situation: the chief wounded; devotion of Coles—Usefulness
of Auger—Renew the march; Auger finds a singular
ford—Discovers a cave with a sculptured face in it—Mustard
traces the spoor of a quadruped still unseen in New
Holland—A sleep in the trees—Trials of the party—Primitive
washing—Auger the van of the adventurers—Humane attention
of the Captain to Mustard; reach Hanover Bay; arrive at
the Mauritius—Detachment in Spain—Attack on Orio—Usurvil;
Oyarzun—Miscellaneous employments of the
party—Reinforcement to it; Casa Aquirre—Orio—Secret
mission to Muñagorri—Second visit to the same chief—Notice
of corporal John Down—Bidassoa—Triangulation of north of
Scotland—Also of the Frith of the Clyde—Insurrection in
Canada; guard of honour to Lord Durham—Company inspected
by the Governor-General on the plains of
Abraham—Inspection at Niagara by Sir George
Arthur—Services and movements of the company in Canada;
attack at Beauharnois—Submarine demolition of wrecks near
Gravesend—Expedient to prevent accidents by vessels
fouling the diving-bell lighter—Conduct of the sappers in
the operations; exertions of sergeant-major Jones—Fatal
accident to a diver—Intrepidity of sergeants Ross and
Young—Blasting the bow of the brig ‘William,’ by
sergeant-major Jones—Withdrawal of the sappers from the
canal at Hythe
1839.
Expedition to Western Australia under Captain Grey—Excursion 328
with Auger to the north of Perth—Search for Mr.
Ellis—Exploration of shores from Freemantle—Bernier and
Dorre Islands; want of water; trials of the party—Water
allowance reduced—A lagoon discovered—Privations and
hardships of the party—Return to Bernier Island for
stores—Its altered appearance—Destruction of the depôt of
provisions—Consternation of Coles—Auger’s example under
the circumstances—Expedition makes for Swan River—Perilous
landing at Gantheaume Bay—Overland journey to Perth;
straits of the adventurers—Auger searching for a missing
man—Coles observes the natives; arrangements to meet
them—Water found by Auger—A spring discovered by Coles at
Water Peak—Disaffection about long marches; forced
journeys determined upon; the two sappers and a few others
accompany the Captain—Desperate hardships and fatigues;
the last revolting resource of thirst—Extraordinary
exertions of the travellers; their sufferings from thirst;
water found—Appalling bivouac—Coles’s agony and
fortitude—Struggles of the adventurers; they at last reach
Perth—Auger joins two expeditions in search of the slow
walkers—Disposal of Coles and Auger
1839.
Services of the detachment in Spain—Last party of the 341
artillery on the survey—Survey of South
Australia—Inspection at Limerick by Sir William
Macbean—Triangulation of north of Scotland—Also of the
Clyde—Pontoons by sergeant Hopkins—Augmentation of the
corps—Also of the survey companies—Supernumerary rank
annulled—Tithe surveys; quality of work executed on them
by discharged sappers; efficient surveys of sergeant
Doull—Increase of survey pay—Staff appointments on the
survey—Responsibility of quartermaster-sergeant
M‘Kay—Colonel Colby’s classes—Based upon particular
attainments—Disputed territory in the State of
Maine—Movements and services of the party employed in its
survey; intrepidity of corporal M‘Queen—Experiments with
the diving-bell—Also with the voltaic battery—Improvement
in the priming wires by Captain Sandham; sergeant-major
Jones’s waterproof composition and imitation
fuses—Demolition and removal of the wreck of the ‘Royal
George’—Organization of detachment employed in the
operation—Emulation of parties—Success of the divers;
labours of the sappers—Diving-bell abandoned—Accident to
private Brabant—Fearlessness of corporal Harris in
unloading gunpowder from the cylinders—Hazardous duty in
soldering the loading-hole of the cylinder—First sapper
helmet divers—Conduct and exertions of the detachment
1840.
Return of the detachment from Spain—Its conduct during the 354
war—Survey of the northern counties of England—Notice of
sergeant Cottingham—Secondary triangulation of the north
of Scotland—Increase to survey allowances—Augmentation to
the survey companies—Renewal of survey of the disputed
boundary in the state of Maine—Corporal Hearnden at
Sandhurst—Wreck of the ‘Royal George;’ duties of the
sappers in its removal—Exertions of sergeant-major
Jones—The divers—An accident—Usefulness of the detachment
engaged in the work—Boat adventure at Spithead—Andrew
Anderson—Thomas P. Cook—Transfer of detachment from the
Mauritius to the Cape—Survey of La Caille’s arc of
meridian there—Detachment to Syria—Its active services,
including capture of Acre—Reinforcement to Syria
1841.
Syria—Landing at Caiffa; Mount Carmel—Cave of Elijah; 365
epidemic—Colour-sergeant Black—Inspection at Beirout by
the Seraskier; return of the detachment to
England—Expedition to the Niger—Model farm—Gori—Fever sets
in; return of the expedition—Services of the sappers
attached to it—Corporal Edmonds and the elephant—and the
Princess—Staff-sergeant’s undress—Staff appointments—Wreck
of the 'Royal George'—Sergeant
March—Sapper-divers—Curiosities—Under-water pay; means
used to aid the divers—Speaking under water—Gallantry of
private Skelton—Alarming accidents—Constitutional
unfitness for diving—Boundary survey in the state of
Maine—Augmentation to corps for Bermuda—Sandhurst;
corporal Carlin’s services—Quartermaster-sergeant
Fraser—Intrepidity of private Entwistle—Colonel
Pasley—Efficiency of the corps—Its conduct, and impolicy
of reducing its establishment—Sir John Jones’s opinion of
the sappers—And also the Rev. G. R. Gleig’s
1842.
Party to Natal—The march—Action at Congella—Boers attack the 384
camp—Then besiege it—Sortie on the Boers'
trenches—Incidents—Privations—Conduct of the detachment;
courageous bearing of sergeant Young—Services of the party
after hostilities had ceased—Detachment to the Falkland
Islands—Landing—Character of the country—Services of the
party—Its movements; and amusements—Professor Airy’s
opinion of the corps—Fire at Woolwich; its
consequences—Wreck of the 'Royal George'—Classification of
the divers—Corporal Harris’s exertions in removing the
wreck of the ‘Perdita’ mooring lighter—Assists an
unsuccessful comrade—Difficulties in recovering the
pig-iron ballast—Adventure with Mr. Cussell’s
lighter—Isolation of Jones at the bottom—Annoyed by the
presence of a human body; Harris, less sensitive, captures
it—The keel—Accidents—Conflict between two rival
divers—Conduct of the sappers employed in the
operation—Demolition of beacons at Blythe Sand,
Sheerness—Testimonial to sergeant-major Jones for his
services in connection with it
1842.
Draft to Canada—Company recalled from thence—Its services 401
and movements—Its character—Labours of colour-sergeant
Lanyon—Increase to Gibraltar—Reduction in the corps—Irish
survey completed; force employed in its
prosecution—Reasons for conducting it under military
rule—Economy of superintendence by sappers—Their
employments—Sergeants West, Doull, Spalding,
Keville—Corporals George Newman, Andrew Duncan—Staff
appointments to the survey
companies—Dangers—Hardships—Average strength of sapper
force employed—Casualties—Kindness of the Irish—Gradual
transfer of sappers for the English survey—Distribution;
Southampton
1843.
Falkland Islands; services of the detachment 412
there—Exploration trips—Seat of government
changed—Turner’s stream—Bull-fight—Round Down Cliff, near
Dover—Boundary line in North America—Sergeant-major
Forbes—Operations for removing the wreck of the 'Royal
George'—Exertions of the party—Private Girvan—Sagacity of
corporal Jones—Success of the divers—Exertions to recover
the missing guns—Harris’s nest—His district pardonably
invaded—Wreck of the 'Edgar,' and corporal Jones—Power of
water to convey sound—Girvan at the ‘Edgar’—An
accident—Cessation of the work—Conduct of the detachment
employed in it—Sir George Murray’s commendation—Longitude
of Valentia—Rebellion in Ireland—Colour-sergeant Lanyon
explores the passages under Dublin Castle—Fever at
Bermuda—Burning of the ‘Missouri’ steamer at
Gibraltar—Hong-Kong—Inspection at Woolwich by the Grand
Duke Michael of Russia—Percussion carbine and
accoutrements
1844.
Remeasurement of La Caille’s arc at the Cape—Reconnoitring 431
excursion of sergeant Hemming—Falkland Islands—Draft to
Bermuda—Inspection at Gibraltar by General Sir Robert
Wilson—Final operations against the ‘Royal George’—and the
‘Edgar’—Discovery of the amidships—incident connected with
it—Combats with crustacea—Success of corporal Jones—Injury
to a diver—Private Skelton drowned—Conduct of the
detachment employed in the work—Submarine repairs to the
‘Tay’ steamer at Bermuda by corporal Harris—Widening and
deepening the ship channel at St. George’s—Accidents from
mining experiments at Chatham—Notice of corporal John
Wood—Inspection at Hong-Kong by Major-General D’Aguilar
1845.
Sheerness—Increase to the corps at the Cape—Survey of 444
Windsor—Skill of privates Holland and Hogan as
draughtsmen—Etchings by the latter for the Queen and
Prince Albert—Unique idea of the use of a
bullet—Inspection at Gibraltar by Sir Robert
Wilson—Falkland Islands—Discharges on the survey duty
during the railway mania
1846.
Boundary surveys in North America—Duties of the party 448
engaged in it—Mode of ascertaining longitudes—Trials of
the party; Owen Lonergan—The sixty-four mile line—Official
recognition of services of the party—Sergeant James
Mulligan—Kaffir war—Corporal B. Castledine—Parties
employed at the guns—Graham’s Town—Fort
Brown—Patrols—Bridge over the Fish River—Field services
with the second division—Dodo’s kraal—Waterloo Bay—Field
services with the first division—Patrol under Lieutenant
Bourchier—Mutiny of the Swellandam native infantry—Conduct
of corps in the campaign—Alterations in the dress—Drainage
of Windsor—Detachment to Hudson’s Bay—Its
organization—Journey to Fort Garry—Sergeant Philip
Clark—Private R. Penton—Corporal T. Macpherson—Lower Fort
Garry—Particular services—Return to England
1846.
Exploration survey for a railway in North America—Services 465
of the party employed on it—Personal services of sergeant
A. Calder—Augmentation to the corps—Reinforcement to
China—Recall of a company from Bermuda—Royal presents to
the reading-room at Southampton—Inspection at Gibraltar by
Sir Robert Wilson—Third company placed at the disposal of
the Board of Works in Ireland—Sergeant J. Baston—Services
of the company—Distinguished from the works controlled by
the civilians—Gallantry of private G. Windsor—Coolness of
private E. West—Intrepid and useful services of private
William Baker—Survey of Southampton, and its incomparable
map
1847.
Detachments in South Australia—Corporal W. 478
Forrest—Augmentation to the corps—Destruction of the Bogue
and other forts—Services of the detachment at Canton—First
detachment to New Zealand—Survey of Dover and
Winchelsea—Also of Pembroke—Flattering allusion to the
corps—Sir John Richardson’s expedition to the Arctic
regions—Cedar Lake—Private Geddes’s encounter with the
bear—Winter quarters at Cumberland House—Road-making in
Zetland—Active services at the Cape—Company to Portsmouth