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Footnote 105:
The extras were allowed the men to provide them with bread, a pair of
breeches once in two years, and a rosette; and to pay the expense of
making up their gaiters, and converting their uniform coats, after a
certain period, into jackets.
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In promulgating the augmentation of pay to the corps, Lord Cornwallis
felt it his duty to accompany the pleasure of the King with an
expression of his own sentiments; and accordingly, in the orders dated
31st May, issued on the 2nd of June, he thus wrote:—
“Marquis Cornwallis, Master-General of the Ordnance, feels himself happy
in announcing to the corps of royal military artificers and labourers
the increase which His Majesty has been graciously pleased to make to
their pay, which puts it in their power to enjoy every comfort which a
good soldier can reasonably desire.
“The Master-General takes this opportunity of expressing his
satisfaction at the regular behaviour and good conduct which this corps
has manifested, and trusts it is not in the power of the most artful
traitor to seduce the soldiers of the royal military artificers and
labourers from their loyalty and attachment to their King and country;
and when he assures them he shall always take the greatest pleasure in
rendering them a service, he is persuaded they will continue to prove
themselves deserving of his good offices.”
Scarcely had the mutinies at Portsmouth subsided, before a more
formidable one appeared in the fleet at the Nore. Equitable concessions
had already been made to the navy; but at the Nore these were not
received with satisfaction. Other exorbitant demands were made by the
Nore seamen, and legitimate authority was resisted even by force of
arms. This bold menace then led the Government to compel unconditional
submission; and the instigators of the mutiny, with Richard Parker at
their head, suffered the extreme penalty of the law. During this
alarming outbreak, the company of artificers in the Medway division were
very zealous in the completion of various works to be employed against
the mutineers, should the crisis arise to require them. The companies at
the different ports were also on the alert and distributed to several
posts of importance. A detachment of sixteen non-commissioned officers
and men—withdrawn from Gravesend in April—were returned to that station
in June. This detachment erected two batteries at Northfleet for four
and two guns of heavy calibre, to fire into the ‘Neptune,’ 98, and
‘Lancaster,’ 64, lying off Greenhithe, should they attempt without
proper orders to pass to the Nore. They also made such repairs as were
necessary to the blockhouse and batteries at Gravesend, and also
strengthened the fortifications and renewed the furnaces for heating
shot red-hot at Tilbury Fort. Here also, before returning to Woolwich in
August 1798, the detachment built a wooden river-wall at the
Ferry-house.
This year the cocked hat was revived. It was an adaptation of the
pinched-up Nivernois hat and the ample Ramilies. The flaps were edged
with broad black binding instead of gold lace as formerly. The cockade
and gold loop were retained; but the short red feather was displaced by
an eight-inch length white heckle. At each of the shoots or angles of
the hat was a rose-shaped ornament of gold lace. The hats of the
sergeants and sergeant-majors were of equal fineness and edged with
black silk lace, flowered; while those of the corporals, artificers, and
drummers were much superior to the labourers. The latter did not wear
roses. Alterations were also made in the dress, inasmuch as the coatee,
with its long skirts, was reduced to what was called a half-coat with
short skirts. Lappels were abolished, and the laced looping was
succeeded by frogging. The drummers wore scarlet for the first time,
with the usual livery lace. Clubs were still in vogue; but the use of
hair powder ceased. Sashes were now worn over the coatees of the ranks
entitled to the distinction. See Plate VIII.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Illustration:
Royal Military Artificers. Plate VIII.
UNIFORM, 1797 Printed by M & N Hanhart.
]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1798-1799.
Contribution of corps to the State—Detachment with 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.
France, having but little occupation for her armies, turned her
attention to England and matured arrangements on a scale of surpassing
magnitude for its invasion. In this country all ranks and orders of men
were affected by the threat; and such was the spirit of military ardour
it induced, that corps of volunteers were rapidly embodied to meet the
exigency of the times. Throughout the kingdom the wealthy contributed
largely to assist the measures for defence; and the army, influenced by
the popular feeling, joined in the demonstration and tendered
subscriptions to the Government to aid in the realization of its
purposes. The corps of military artificers also, prompted as well by a
desire to relieve the general burden of the nation as from gratitude to
the King for the recent addition to their pay, gave, in February, a
contribution of three days' pay to the Treasury, to be applied as should
be considered best for the defence of the state.[106] In acknowledging
the letter conveying the gift, General Morse, the Colonel-Commandant,
writes under date of 13th February, “their loyal and laudable offer has
afforded me great satisfaction.”
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Footnote 106:
The following is a copy of the letter of the Woolwich company,
offering the contribution above alluded to:—
_Woolwich, 12th February, 1798_.