Adjutant-General, that her Majesty had been pleased to approve of
its bearing on the regimental colour and appointments the words
MOODKEE, FEROZESHAH, ALIWAL, and SOBRAON, in commemoration of the
distinguished conduct evinced by the THIRTY-FIRST at those battles.
Lieut.-General the Honorable Henry Otway Trevor was appointed to
the colonelcy of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment on the 12th of July,
1847, in succession to General Sir Colin Halkett, G.C.B., who was
removed to the forty-fifth regiment.
On the 6th of September, 1847, Lieut.-General Sir Henry Smith
came to Walmer to see the regiment, before he proceeded to the
Cape of Good Hope, of which colony he had been appointed Governor
and Commander-in-Chief. On the 7th of September he reviewed the
regiment, and expressed his satisfaction at seeing its discipline
so perfect, considering that only a few months had elapsed since it
returned home a mere skeleton.
The regiment was inspected by Major-General Brown on the 4th of
May, and on the 1st of October, 1847; it was inspected on the 10th
of November, by His Grace the Duke of Wellington, who expressed
his approbation in the highest terms. In November the regiment was
removed to Manchester by railway in three divisions, where it was
completed to its establishment of 39 officers, 47 serjeants, 40
corporals, 17 drummers, and 760 privates.
[Sidenote: 1848]
On the 7th of April, 1848, the regiment proceeded to Ireland,
and arrived at Dublin on the following day. In July the regiment
marched to Athlone.
New Colours were presented to the THIRTY-FIRST regiment, on the
19th of May, 1848, by Major-General His Royal Highness the Prince
George of Cambridge, K.G., and the following account of the
ceremony was given in “_Saunders’ News-Letter_” of the following
day:--
“The interesting military ceremonial of the presentation of
New Colours to this gallant and distinguished corps took place
yesterday, in the ornamental grounds in front of that fine
building, the Queen’s Inns, Henrietta-street, Dublin. The
regiment was formed in full review order at three o’clock,
shortly after which His Royal Highness Prince George of
Cambridge, accompanied by his aide-de-camp Captain the Honorable
James Macdonald, Major-General John M‘Donald, and several other
officers of distinction, came upon the ground.
“In front of the line were four standards, captured by the
regiment from the Sikhs, one of them taken at _Ferozeshah_, one
at _Aliwal_, and two at _Sobraon_. The Colours of the Corps,
torn to pieces from the grape-shot through which they were led
to victory, and stained with the blood of the Ensigns who were
killed carrying them to the muzzles of the Sikh guns, were
objects of great interest to the numerous citizens who thronged
the grounds. Lieut.-Colonel Spence, C.B., who commanded the
gallant regiment in all these actions, except Sobraon (where he
commanded the first brigade of Sir Henry Smith’s Division), was
in command, and looked in admirable health and spirits.
“The survivors of the Indian campaigns were decorated with their
medals. After the usual routine of parading the old colours, and
giving them up, the band playing ‘_Auld lang syne_,’ the Regiment
formed a hollow square, and the Garrison Chaplain repeated the
prescribed formula for the occasion. The New Colours were then
handed to Ensigns Christian and Brown, when His Royal Highness
the Prince George of Cambridge briefly addressed the Regiment,
stating his gratification at having this pleasing duty to
perform. He had not seen service himself, and the task would have
fallen more appropriately upon one who had. In encouraging the
troops to the performance of their duty, he related the anecdote
of the Serjeant who, when the Ensign bearing the old colour had
fallen mortally wounded, seized it,--carried it onwards,--and
victory resulted. The non-commissioned officer was promoted to an
ensigncy in the Eighteenth, Royal Irish, regiment.[36]
“The corps then formed in line, and gave a Royal salute, the band
playing ‘_God save the Queen_.’ The day was remarkably fine, and
after the ceremony the regiment marched into its quarters in the
Linen-Hall Barracks.”
Certain of the distinguished officers of the garrison of Dublin
were entertained by the officers of the regiment at dinner in the
evening; but His Royal Highness Prince George was prevented from
attending by an expected disturbance in the city.
[Sidenote: 1849]
On the 1st of February, 1849, the establishment of the regiment
was reduced from eight hundred to seven hundred and fifty rank and
file.
On the 20th of July, 1849, Lieut.-Colonel Spence retired, after a
lengthened service of forty-one years, and Major George Staunton
was promoted to the rank of Lieut.-Colonel of the THIRTY-FIRST
regiment, in succession to Lieut.-Colonel James Spence.[37]
During the year 1849 the regiment remained at Athlone.
[Sidenote: 1850]
In April, 1850, the regiment proceeded from Athlone to Dublin,
where it continued to be stationed at the conclusion of the
Historical Record.
FOOTNOTES:
[6]
Colonel Thomas Saunderson’s Marine Corps, now 30th Regiment.
Colonel George Villiers’s do. now 31st do.
Colonel Edward Fox’s do. now 32nd do.
Colonel Harry Mordaunt’s do. disbanded in 1713.
Colonel Henry Holl’s do. do. do.
Colonel Viscount Shannon’s. do. do. do.
[7] Minorca, an island in the Mediterranean, on the eastern coast
of Spain, is about thirty miles in length and twelve in breadth,
and is chiefly valuable for the excellent harbour of Port Mahon.
In September, 1708, Minorca was taken by Admiral Leake and a
land force under Lieut.-General Stanhope, after a siege of about
three weeks. The island was ceded to Great Britain by the treaty
of Utrecht, and remained in its possession until 1756, when, in
April of that year, it was besieged by the French, under Marshal
the Duke de Richelieu. After a brave defence by the Governor,
General Blakeney, the garrison, consisting of the 4th, 23rd, 24th,
and 34th regiments, surrendered, and, in consideration of their
gallantry, were permitted to march out with all the honors of war.
At the peace of Fontainebleau, in 1763, Minorca was restored to
the English in exchange for Belle-Isle. In February, 1782, the
garrison, under the Governor, Lieut.-General the Honorable James
Murray, after suffering severely from sickness, surrendered to the
Duke de Crillon, the Commander-in-Chief of the combined French and
Spanish forces, and Minorca was retained by Spain at the peace of
1783. Minorca again surrendered to a British force under General
the Honorable Charles Stuart, on the 15th of November, 1798; and
at the peace of Amiens, in 1802, Minorca was restored to the
Spaniards, under whose sway it remains at the present period.
[8] The nature of the services on which the _Marine Corps_ were
employed has since obtained for them the Royal authority to bear
the motto, “_Per mare, per terram_.”
[9] “On the morning of Sunday, the 10th of June, 1688, a day long
kept sacred by the too faithful adherents of a bad cause, was born
James Francis Edward Stuart, the most unfortunate of princes,
destined to seventy-seven years of exile and wandering,--of vain
projects,--of honours more galling than insults,--and of hopes
such as make the heart sick.”--‘History of England,’ by _Thomas
Babington Macaulay_. Vol. ii. page 363.
[10] _James Francis Edward_, “_The Pretender_,” son of _James II._,
and of _Mary_, daughter of the Duke of Modena, his second wife; was
born on the 10th June, 1688. He married, in 1719, Mary Clementina,
daughter of Prince James Sobieski, and granddaughter of John
Sobieski, King of Poland. He died on the 1st June, 1766 (aged 78
years), leaving issue two sons:--
1. _Charles Edward Louis Cassimir_, termed in England “_The Young
Pretender_;” born on the 30th November, 1720, who married the
Princess Stohlberg of Germany, and died at Rome, without issue, on
the 31st January, 1788.
2. _Henry Benedict_, called _The Cardinal York_; born on the 24th
March, 1725. When the last grand effort for the restoration of his
family, in 1745, proved abortive, he took holy orders, and was
elevated to the Purple by Pope Benedict XIV. in 1747, and died at
Rome in 1807. The Cardinal was the last male branch of the House of
Stuart.
[11] From the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht, in April, 1718,
until 1739, the only events that appeared at times to threaten
the _general_ tranquillity of Europe which prevailed during the
above period, arose from the Rebellion in Scotland, in favour of
the Pretender, in 1715, which was suppressed by the Battle of
_Sheriffmuir_, on the 13th of November of that year. Charles XII.,
of Sweden, also espoused the cause of the Pretender in 1717, but
the death of King Charles, in the following year, put an end to
the projected expedition to Great Britain. In 1719 Spain supported
the Pretender with troops, which were, however, defeated at
_Glenshiel_, on the 10th of June, 1719. This was followed by the
British expedition against Spain, but in January, 1720, the Spanish
Monarch accepted the conditions of Peace. In 1726 Spain made an
unsuccessful attempt to recover _Gibraltar_, and in 1729 a treaty
of Peace was concluded at Seville, which remained unbroken for the
ten following years.
[12] The “_Pragmatic Sanction_” was published by the Emperor
Charles VI. on the 17th of April, 1713, whereby, in case of
his having no male issue, his daughters were to succeed to his
hereditary dominions, in preference to the sons of his late
brother, Joseph I.
[13] See list of British regiments which served in Flanders and
Germany between 1742 and 1748, during the “_War of the Austrian
Succession_.”--Appendix, page 224.
[14] The following tradition has been preserved in the
regiment:--The facings and breeches of the THIRTY-FIRST being of
the same colour as those worn by the _Third “Buffs,”_ King George
II. mistook it for the latter regiment, and called out “_Bravo,
Buffs_,” with a view of animating the men to further gallantry;
and when reminded that it was the THIRTY-FIRST, and not the “Old
Buffs,” His Majesty then rejoined, “_Bravo, Young Buffs_;” and this
name, valuable for the time and manner of its being conferred, has
been since retained by the Regiment.
[15] Although the results of the _Battle of Dettingen_, fought
on the 27th of June, 1743, were not equal to those attending the
victories gained over the French by Edward the Third and Henry
the Fifth, yet there are circumstances which render the conflict
at _Dettingen_ similar to those of _Creçy_ and _Agincourt_. At
_Creçy_, on the 26th of August, 1346, King _Edward the Third_ and
his son _Edward the Black Prince_ were present; and at _Dettingen_,
_King George the Second_ was accompanied by his son the _Duke of
Cumberland_. It was the _début_ of both the Royal Princes on the
tented plain, and the chivalrous bearing of the _Black Prince_,
particularly his behaviour to the prisoners, finds a parallel
in the conduct of the _Duke of Cumberland_, who refused to have
his wound attended to, until the surgeons had examined that of a
French officer, the Count De Fenelon, who had been taken prisoner
and conveyed to the Duke’s tent. “Begin,” said His Royal Highness,
“with the wound of the French officer; he is more dangerously hurt
than I am, and stands more in need of assistance.”
The disadvantage under which the British fought at _Dettingen_ was
equal to that at _Agincourt_, and the impetuosity of the enemy, in
both instances, prevented the English army perishing from want of
provisions.
All these battles are likewise noted for the number of the French
Royal family and nobility who were present; and the battle of
Dettingen is further remarkable as being the last action in which a
British Monarch commanded the army.
The want of provisions and tents, unfortunately, compelled the
victors to abandon the field of battle, otherwise Dettingen might
have rivalled many of the achievements recorded in British History.
[16] “The Dutch, in their flight, breaking in on the _English_
ranks, were fired upon by those troops, which did them considerable
damage; a _Highlander_ in Lord Semphill’s (forty-second) regiment
being asked ‘Why he fired upon them; they were his friends?’
replied, ‘I am sure they are the greatest enemy we have seen this
day.’”--_Biggs’s Military History of Europe from 1739 to 1748._
[17] _Vide_ List of Battles, Sieges, &c., inserted in Appendix,
page 223.
[18] The regiments which returned to England from Flanders, on this
occasion, are specified in the List inserted in the Appendix, page
224.
[19]
2nd Batt. Constituted
3rd Foot, the 61st Regiment.
4th ” the 62nd Regiment.
8th ” the 63rd Regiment.
11th ” the 64th Regiment.
12th ” the 65th Regiment.
19th ” the 66th Regiment.
20th ” the 67th Regiment.
23rd ” the 68th Regiment.
24th ” the 69th Regiment.
31st ” the 70th Regiment.
32nd ” the 71st Regiment.
33rd ” the 72nd Regiment.
34th ” the 73rd Regiment.
36th ” the 74th Regiment.
37th ” the 75th Regiment.
The 71st, 72nd, 73rd, 74th, and 75th regiments were disbanded after
the peace of Fontainebleau in 1763.
[20] Major-General John Burgoyne was promoted, to the rank of
Lieut.-General on the 20th of August, 1777.
[21] _Martinique_ was captured by the English in 1762, but was
restored to France at the Peace of Fontainebleau in 1763.
[22] Promoted to the brevet rank of Lieut.-Colonel on the 1st of
March, 1794.
[23] Return of the Troops at _Guadaloupe_ on the 1st of September,
1794.
+----------------------------+--------------------------+
| | Rank and File. |
| +----------+-------+-------+
| Corps. | Fit for | Sick. | Total.|
| | Duty. | | |
|----------------------------+----------+-------+-------+
|Grenadier Battalion | 152 | 208 | 360 |
|Light Infantry Battalion | 33 | 382 | 415 |
|35 Regiment | 47 | 116 | 163 |
|39th Ditto | 24 | 284 | 308 |
|43rd Ditto | 23 | 176 | 199 |
|56th Ditto, three companies | 67 | .. | 67 |
|65th Ditto | 43 | 209 | 252 |
| +----------+-------+-------+
|General Total | 389 | 1375 | 1764 |
+----------------------------+----------+-------+-------+
The _Grenadier_ and _Light Infantry_ battalions were composed of
the flank companies of the 8th, 12th, 17th, 31st, 33rd, 34th, 38th,
40th, 44th, and 55th Regiments.
[24] While stationed at Jersey, a soldier of the THIRTY-FIRST
regiment displayed the following example of courage and presence
of mind:--On the 4th of June, 1804, a salute had been fired in
honor of the anniversary of the birthday of King George III. The
bombardier, whose duty it was to deposit the slow match in the
magazine on the Town Hill at St. Heliers, after the performance of
the ceremony, neglected to observe whether it was extinguished;
it unfortunately was still alight, and set fire to the building;
there were within the place three hundred and twenty-five barrels
of powder, and, from its central situation, an explosion would
have destroyed the greater portion of the town. Private William
Pentenny, of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment, assisted by two inhabitants
of Jersey, broke open the magazine, when another moment’s delay
would probably have been too late, the fire having nearly reached
the spot where the powder was deposited, when he entered. With
infinite coolness and decision, he carried the nearest barrels
away in his arms, and continued so to act until the whole stock
was removed out of danger. This important service was highly
appreciated. The Patriotic Fund at Lloyd’s awarded Private William
Pentenny a pension of 20_l._ a year, while the states of Jersey
conferred an additional 12_l._ upon this deserving soldier, and
presented to him a gold medal, struck on purpose to commemorate
the achievement, which he was permitted to wear. The Governor,
Major-General the Honorable William Stewart, ordered a ring of
silver lace to be worn round his arm as a further distinction.
[25] This extract is from an excellent pamphlet published in
Edinburgh soon after the event, by a “_Passenger_.” It was written
by Major Duncan M‘Gregor of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment, who was
afterwards the Lieutenant-Colonel of the ninety-third Highlanders.
[26] General Avitabile, one of the military instructors of the
Sikhs, was a native of Italy, and at the conclusion of Napoleon’s
bright, but evanescent career, sought employment in the East. He
was handsomely rewarded by the Sovereign of the Punjaub, Runjeet
Singh, together with another Italian officer, named Ventura,
and two Frenchmen, Allard and Court, for introducing European
tactics into the Sikh army. Runjeet Singh also conferred the
governorship of Peshawur upon General Avitabile, and by his
vigorous administration it was reduced from a state of anarchy to
one of comparative security. Peshawur signifies “_advanced post_,”
that name having been conferred upon it by its founder, the Mogul
Emperor Akbar, in consequence of its being the frontier town of
India towards Affghanistan.
Runjeet Singh died in 1839, and his son and successor, Kurruck
Singh, being of weak intellect, was shortly afterwards deposed,
when his son, Noo Nehal Singh, assumed the reins of Government.
His death, which occurred in returning from his father’s funeral,
caused the throne to be again vacant, and the crown was bestowed on
Prince Shere Singh, a twin-son of Runjeet Singh. Shere Singh was a
firm friend to the English, and by his interference Major-General
Pollock was permitted to proceed with his army through the Punjaub
to Cabool in 1842, although the Sikh Sirdars were disposed to
attack the British troops.
[27] Vide Memoir of Lieut.-Colonel Skinner, Appendix, p. 226.
[28] The Punjaub derives its name from two Persian words (_punj_,
five, and _aub_ waters), signifying _five waters_. In fact there
are _six_ rivers intersecting the country, namely the _Indus_,
_Jhelum_, _Chenaub_, _Ravee_, _Beas_, and _Sutlej_. The course of
the _Beas_ is much shorter than the five other rivers, so that it
appears to have been disregarded when the name of the Punjaub was
bestowed.
[29] On the death of Assistant-Surgeon Gahan, Assistant-Surgeon
Patrick Gammie, of the 80th regiment, was appointed to take medical
charge of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment.
[30] Vide Memoir of Colonel Bolton, inserted in Appendix, page 225.
[31] Vide Memoir of Major Baldwin, inserted in Appendix, page 230.
[32] Shortly after the storming of the village of _Aliwal_, an
European officer in the Sikh service was given in charge to the
regiment, having surrendered himself as a prisoner to an officer
of one of the cavalry regiments in the Company’s service. He said
his servant had galloped off with his charger, and, being rather
stout, preferred giving himself up to the chance of running away;
his name was John Potter, a native of Maidstone in Kent; he had
deserted from the Company’s Artillery twenty years before, and was
at this period a Colonel of Artillery in the Sikh service, having
a native wife and family at Lahore. At first he was kept a very
strict prisoner, but the severity of his confinement was gradually
relaxed, and when the army encamped before Lahore, he was released
altogether. The Governor-General afterwards permitted him to hold
an appointment in the Sikh service.
[33] This officer was promoted from Quarter-master-Serjeant to
Ensign after the battle of Ferozeshah.
[34] This part of the action is represented in the engraving of the
THIRTY-FIRST regiment at the battle of Sobraon.
[35] In some copies of this General Order it was erroneously stated
that Brigadier Hicks commanded the first brigade: he was not at the
battle of Sobraon.
[36] Vide pages 146 and 165 of Regimental Record.
[37] A beautiful silver inkstand has been recently presented
to Lieut.-Colonel Spence, by the Officers of the THIRTY-FIRST
regiment. It is an elegant testimonial, and is tastefully
embellished with military trophies, a soldier of the regiment being
introduced on the two extremities, in the position to receive
cavalry,--the whole surmounted by the British Lion. The following
inscription is engraved on the testimonial:--
Presented to
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL SPENCE, C.B.,
By Lieutenant-Colonel Staunton and Officers of the THIRTY-FIRST
Regiment,
As a token of their esteem and attachment,
On his leaving the Regiment, in which he had served for a period of
forty-one years,
With high distinction to himself and honor to his Country.
HISTORICAL RECORD
OF THE
SECOND BATTALION
OF THE
THIRTY-FIRST, OR THE HUNTINGDONSHIRE
REGIMENT OF FOOT.
[Sidenote: 1804]
Napoleon Bonaparte, upon being raised in May 1804 to the dignity
of Emperor of the French, increased his immense preparations to
carry into effect his project for the invasion of England, that
he might, by one great effort, crush the power of the British
people, who appeared as a barrier to his ambitious designs. This
menace of invasion had aroused the spirit of the British nation;
patriotic enthusiasm pervaded all ranks; and among the measures of
defence[38] adopted by the Government was the introduction of the
“_Additional Force Act_” which was passed on the 14th of July 1804.
[Sidenote: 1805]
Under this Act of Parliament, a _second battalion_ was added to the
THIRTY-FIRST regiment, which was to be formed of men raised in the
county of Chester for limited service.
The second battalion was embodied by July 1805, and in October it
proceeded from Chester to Winchester, where the first battalion was
stationed.
[Sidenote: 1806]
After the first battalion had embarked for Sicily in April 1806,
the second battalion continued at Winchester until June following,
when it proceeded to Gosport.
[Sidenote: 1807]
On the 8th of January 1807, the second battalion embarked at
Gosport for Guernsey, where it arrived on the 15th of that month.
In May 1807, the battalion proceeded to Ireland, and was stationed
at Limerick.
[Sidenote: 1808]
In March 1808, the battalion was removed from Limerick to Dublin.
Important events had in the meantime occurred on the Continent,
which occasioned the second battalion of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment
to be ordered on active service. Napoleon, having reduced Germany
to submission to his will, and forced Russia to accede to his
decrees, next attempted the subjugation of Spain and Portugal. The
Spaniards and Portuguese rose in arms to assert their national
rights, the French Emperor having conferred the crown of Spain on
his brother Joseph, who relinquished the throne of Naples in favor
of Marshal Murat.
In the summer of 1808, Portugal was delivered by a British army
under Lieut.-General Sir Arthur Wellesley; and in the autumn
Lieut.-General Sir John Moore received orders to advance with a
body of British troops from Portugal into the heart of Spain; at
the same time several regiments were embarked from the United
Kingdom to co-operate in the enterprise.
The second battalion of the THIRTY-FIRST, which had proceeded in
August to Fermoy, marched on the 8th of September to Monkstown for
embarkation, and sailed in a few days afterwards to Falmouth, where
a fleet was assembling with a force for service, the command of the
troops being held by Lieut.-General Sir David Baird. In a short
time, the fleet sailed, and arrived in the Bay of Corunna on the
23rd of October. The THIRTY-FIRST did not, however, land with the
army, the battalion being despatched to Lisbon, where it arrived on
the 5th of November.
Lieut.-General Sir John Cradock, who commanded in Portugal at
this period, detached some regiments towards the frontier, with a
view of reinforcing Lieut.-General Sir John Moore in Spain. The
THIRTY-FIRST, being one of the corps destined for this service,
marched with a force under the command of Brigadier-General Richard
Stewart from Lisbon, on the 18th of December, upon Castello Branco,
where the battalion arrived in ten days.
The communication with Lieut.-General Sir John Moore being at this
period suddenly interrupted, Brigadier-General Stewart was ordered
to halt, and unfavourable intelligence being received from Spain,
Lieut.-General Sir John Cradock determined to concentrate his army
near Lisbon, and the further advance was, therefore, countermanded.