the _Army List_:--
The Marquis of Bath, _Honorary Colonel_.
J.F. Everett, _Lieut.-Colonel_.
T. Clark and C. Penruddocke, _Majors_.
R.D. Gibney, _Adjutant_.
Charles Bleeck, _Surgeon_.
John M. Cardell, _Assist. Surgeon_.
J. Fawcett, _Quartermaster_.
1st Corps, Salisbury.
Wm. Pinckney, _Captain_ (_Comdt._).
G. Smith, _Captain_.
W. Pain, _Lieut._
W.J. Wilton, _Lieut._
E.F. Kelsey, _Ensign_.
F. Hodding, _Ensign_.
J.M. Cardell, _Assist. Surgeon_.
Revd. R.G. Swayne, _Chaplain_.
2nd Corps, Trowbridge.
W.P. Clark, _Captain_ (_Comdt._).
E.P. Stancomb, _Lieut._
,_Lieut._
W.P. Clark, _Ensign_.
R.S. Seale, _Assist. Surgeon_.
Revd. J.D. Hastings, _Hon. Chap._
6th Corps, Maiden Bradley.
H.B. Festing, _Captain_.
Thos. K. Harding, _Lieut._
E.S. Jefferys, _Ensign_.
W.N. Marshall, _Assist. Surgeon_.
Revd. R. Rowley, _Hon. Chaplain_.
8th Corps, Mere.
, _Captain_.
E.A. Card, _Lieut._
J. White, _Ensign_.
Chas. Rumsey, _Assist. Surgeon_.
Revd. C.H. Townsend, _Hon. Chaplain_.
9th Corps. Bradford-on-Avon.
, _Captain_.
William Adye, _Lieut._
E.M. Davis, _Ensign_.
W.H. Jones, _Hon. Chaplain_.
10th Corps, Warminster.
John Scott, _Captain_.
H. Ingram, _Lieut._
P. Grubb, _Lieut._
J. Smith, _Ensign_.
H.J. Wakeman, _Ensign_.
J. Flower, _Assist. Surgeon_.
Revd. Sir J.E. Philipps, Bart., _Chaplain_.
13th Corps, Westbury.
W. Knapp, _Captain_.
H.W. Pinniger, _Lieut._
W.H. Laverton, _Ensign_.
14th Corps, Wilton.
Charles Penruddocke, _Captain_. Fred King, _Lieut._ , _Ensign_. P.J.
Bennett, _Assist. Surgeon_. Revd. D. Olivier, _Chaplain_.
The year commenced with a meeting of the officers at Warminster,
followed by a mess dinner, at which it was settled that a regimental
camp should be held at Warminster the first week in August, and that
the commanding officer of the battalion should apply to the southern
division of the county of Wilts for subscriptions so as to defray the
expenses. Accordingly a circular letter was sent out by Lieut.-Colonel
Everett, a copy of which is given:--
"Proposed Camp for the 1st Battalion of Wilts Rifle Volunteers.
Greenhill, Warminster,
_February, 1868_.
"----. The Lord-Lieutenant of the county has given his sanction
to the forming of a camp for the 1st Battalion of the Wiltshire
Rifle Volunteers, which it is proposed should take place in the
neighbourhood of Warminster in the month of next July.
"Such a camp, it is considered, would tend considerably to the
efficiency of the volunteers, by giving them an insight into camp
life, and some experience of the requirements of actual service, in a
way that cannot otherwise be obtained.
"It is felt that, as the volunteers freely give their time in the
service, they should not be called upon for a further sacrifice in
providing the necessary funds, and it is to be hoped that the county
will readily and generously come forward in assisting this object.
"Contributions will be received by me or by the Secretary, Ensign
H.J. Wakeman, of Warminster; or can be paid into the camp fund at the
following banks:--Messrs. Pinckney Brothers, Salisbury; the North
Wilts Bank at Warminster, Trowbridge, Westbury, and Bradford; as
also at the Wilts and Dorset Bank, Mere. Such contributions will be
acknowledged in the county papers.
"I have the honour to be
"Your obedient Servant,
"John F. Everett, _Lieut-Colonel_.
"_Comdg. 1st. A.B. Wilts Rifle Volunteers._
"P.S.--As arrangements must be completed speedily, I should feel
obliged by your informing me at your earliest convenience the amount
you may be willing to contribute to the above object.--J.F.E."
It was very necessary that the regimental camp should be a complete
success, and to ensure this much anxious thought and time was given
to details by the lieut.-colonel commanding the battalion, as also by
the committee. Meetings of this committee were held at Warminster on
the 5th February, 4th March, 1st, 8th and 13th of April, 13th May,
3rd, 10th and 22nd June, and on the 13th July. The committee had no
precedents to guide them; and the more the necessary arrangements
were considered, the greater appeared to be the difficulties. To make
contracts where there was little certainty, in itself was a hard task,
and it showed how much care and trouble had been given to the subject,
when the camp proved a complete success.
The prospect of a regimental camp, however, did not prevent the
battalion putting in an appearance at the grand review held at
Portsmouth on Easter Monday, where some 25,000 men assembled, the
regulars, and gunboats of the Navy, taking part in the proceedings.
The part in the performance relegated to this battalion was neither
instructive nor interesting. It rather imitated the army of a certain
King of France, by walking up a hill and then walking down again.
Some gunboats took up a position to its front, to drive away which
the battalion descended from its perch to the railway embankment; but
as the tide was receding, the gunboats receded also, doubtless their
departure hastened by the appearance, if not by the fire of the gallant
1st Wilts, which being delivered at something over rifle range would
have been harmless. Then the regiment itself retired and resumed its
position on the hillside, sitting down comfortably awaiting further
orders; which eventually directed them to "fire away" at some supposed
enemy; and having emptied their ammunition pouches, the whole returned
to Fareham station, to be taken homewards.
What possible good to any branch of the services could have arisen
from this Easter Monday review is hard to see! It appeared to be only
a waste of time and money; and by encouraging the volunteers to go
to such, and to join in a general scramble called manœuvring, was
prejudicial to discipline and respect for authority. If the reviews
are held in large towns, such as Brighton, Dover, Portsmouth, &c.,
whole brigades of volunteers hang about, often for hours, from the time
of arrival until the general assembly shall sound, meanwhile none the
better for public-house entertainments and want of occupation; then
are marched through streets to the ground selected--a march past, and
a sham fight, in which firing and confusion are prominent features, as
instruction could not there be given, and utter ignorance of the very
outlines of skirmishing and attack by the majority of men, are only too
visible. This done, and the enemy defeated, the majority, hot, dirty,
and probably very hungry, resume their places in the train to return to
London or far further away, perhaps wondering for what purpose they had
been brought so far, or if real war was thus conducted! The minority
obtaining leave of absence remain behind, and many, now free from all
supervision and control, do the grand service to which they belong no
little injury by drunkenness and debauchery.
On the 20th July the battalion assembled for their first encampment
on Warminster Down; the ground selected being between the old coach
road over Salisbury Plain leading from Bath to Salisbury and the
town itself, perhaps about two miles from Warminster--a magnificent
undulating spot with room for manœuvring on a large scale, but
waterless, thereby necessitating every drop of that precious liquid
being brought up in carts from the town, making a huge item in the
expenses of holding a camp on the healthy and somewhat lofty downs of
Wiltshire.
The camp was pitched and struck by old soldiers from the regular army,
and the catering both for officers and men was undertaken by Messrs.
Fort of Bath, the men messing together in a very large tent. It was
well done, albeit costly, but there was not sufficient experience as
yet gained by the committee of management to allow them to venture on a
less expensive method of providing for the wants of so many.
A very excellent selection of standing orders was compiled by the
officer commanding the battalion, and these with a few additions have
yet remained in force. The following extract from them as referring to
the camp about to be established is herewith given:--
Standing Orders for Camp.
The 1st Bugle will sound at 5 0 a.m.
" 2nd " " 7 0 a.m.--Morning parade, setting-up drill, &c.
8 0 a.m.--Men's breakfasts.
9 30 a.m.--Pickets and guard-mounting.
10 0 a.m.--Officers' instruction in mess tent.
10 45 a.m.--Comdng. Officer's parade.
1 0 p.m.--Men's dinners.
3 0 p.m.--Comdng. Officer's parade.
7 0 p.m.--Men's supper.
9 0 p.m.--Tattoo.
10 0 p.m.--Lights out.
The officers messed together, taking their meals at about the same time
as those ordered for the men.
To the battalion generally the camp proved to be a kind of perpetual
picnic, good eating and drinking, with very little sleeping, but
plenty of hard work. It was not intended to be child's play, but a
lesson in drilling and discipline, and so far as volunteer rules and
regulations, combined with tact and temper, allowed, this was carried
out; but it was beyond human skill to make all obedient to one will,
to insist upon punctuality on parade, that lights were out at the
time ordered, and that strict silence reigned throughout the camp
until the rouse sounded. Men might mean well, and doubtless did not
intend to defy authority, but with a canteen ever open, and the liquor
to be had almost for the asking, no little injury was inflicted on
discipline. It may be necessary for a certain amount of drink to be
purchaseable where large bodies of men assemble, but when these are
brought together to do a special work, and to learn obedience to all
orders received from those in authority, drinking booths, whether
termed canteens or clubs, are destructive of discipline, and tend to
incapacitate the men from doing that which was intended they should
do. Moreover it is not good, either for the man himself--only too
often a mere lad of 17--that when not on duty he should find no other
recreation provided than is afforded by a huge public-house with its
rows of tables and seats, where the drink, the song, the profanity,
and the uproar grows faster and more furious as the day advances. It
is not in the canteen that respect for officers and authorities is
learned. The best non-commissioned officers, and men who are wide awake
and cautious, on picket or sentry, are not from canteen frequenters.
The canteen in the regular army and militia is a fruitful source of
misery to the many, however well conducted it may be, but when open
at all hours, from daybreak to last post, in a volunteer encampment,
subject only in reality to the mere licensing laws of the country, it
is little else than a curse. If necessary for merely supplying beer,
&c., let the canteen tent be at least one mile from the camp. Of course
there were very many amusing incidents occurring in the camp, few more
so, perhaps, than those in connection with guard and sentry duties.
These had to be learned _ab initio_, and as the learners were often
utterly ignorant of the rudiments of drill, the explanations as given
were scarcely understood. "Your front" was a tremendous difficulty,
and to challenge properly perhaps more abominable. The reliefs were
not carried out quite regularly as the night advanced, and posts were
deserted by sentries to know the reason why relief did not arrive.
Sitting was found to be as cheap as standing, and a pipe on the sly in
the pale moonlight a great relief to the monotony of sentry go.
Mr. Calvesfoot, generally useful man at Baredown Farm, having walked
about the magazine tent until tired, orders his arms, and lounging in
an easy and not ungraceful attitude, awaits his relief; being quite
happy with himself and the world in general, beer and beef agreeing
with him immensely.
"Hallo! Is that what you call doing sentry?" suddenly demands a voice,
which arouses him from his reverie, and in which he recognizes that of
Squire ----, the captain of the day, and the officer commanding the
corps to which the delinquent belongs.
"I was a looking after ye, captain. I thought you'd come some time and
look I up," was the reply, said with charming naïveté.
"What are your orders?" asks the subaltern of the day from a youthful
volunteer, supposed to be guarding the precious water-carts, but
occupied in quarrelling with the cook, who had neglected the men on
duty in the guard tent to which he belonged.
"To watch them waterbutts, sir, but seeing this'un I came away for a
minute to let him know as we aint to be forgotten," replied the sentry.
There were, besides these, various tales told of out-of-the-way
occurrences, such as tricks played off upon sentries, and the very
queer views the men had of a sentry's duty. Going on sentry to the
Wiltshire man was not the like of going to drill. There, at drill, he
had to hold his head up, hold his tongue, and turn right or left at
a moment's notice, whenever somebody shouted out a word of command;
but here, after the corporal had left him, and said some stuff about
looking after the camp, observing his front, and saluting officers, he
had only to walk up and down a certain distance or stand still should
he prefer it. After all, it was only a make believe, and "he warnt
goin' to be made a vool on."
"Why don't you look sharper, sentry? Not one of those fellows to your
left have passes; coming into camp at this time of night!" said an old
hand, drawing the attention of the sentry to some few men leisurely
passing across his beat into camp.
"Aint they though?" inquires Johnny, and proceeds to stop them and to
demand the passes which each produces; meanwhile a goodly multitude of
young rascals without passes, slip in among the tents unknown to our
sentry, and have dodged being absent at roll call.
Another sentry story will suffice. It is a pouring wet night and the
corporal starts on relief duties.
Corporal to relief, on approaching the cooking department, where are
carts and ovens scattered about, "Relief, halt. Where's the sentry?"
"Doan't know. Doan't zee un," said the man whose turn to be relief had
come. "Didn't ask you," savagely retorted the corporal, and raising
his voice, shouted out to the missing sentry, adding, "Where have you
got to?" "Here," said a voice from under a waggon, a few yards inside
the beat. "Here! Call under a waggon, here! Come out this instant. The
colonel will let you know about this to-morrow," exclaimed the angry
corporal, as the dripping man crept from under the shelter of the cart,
and humbly apologized for being there; giving, as an excuse, "That he
hadn't no greatcoat, that it poured 'wuss' enough to wet him through;
and that them 'chimbleys and things' could be seen just as well from
under the cart as 'where you said I was to stand.'"
Allowing leave to be absent from camp was always a difficulty. Tommy
Vol is pretty nearly as bad at shirking parade and exceeding leave as
Tommy Atkins. Getting up at cockcrow and doing extensive motions, or
drilling without arms under the adjutant, is not to his taste, and
if he can have a sick parent or a fair excuse for asking that his
attendance in camp may be excused for a day, he quickly avails himself
of it.
To show the difficulty the following is given. The captain, with
orderly-sergeant and colour-sergeant, very busy over company books and
registers, as the morrow is to be the inspection of the battalion, and
all books and returns in the adjutant's office by 10 a.m. Private Smith
darkens the tent doorway and, respectfully saluting, asks if he might
have leave for to-morrow to go home.
"Certainly not. Couldn't think of it. Inspection to-morrow. Why do you
want it?" asks the captain, and knowing the man, feels assured there
must be good cause. "Please, sir, the missus writes and says as how
the young heifer has calved and be mighty bad, and there beant none
thereabouts as can do her any good, and so she wants me to come at
once." Of course the leave must be granted and the column "absent with
leave" enlarged.
Adjutants, fresh to the work, young lieut.-colonels, and probably
martinet inspecting officers, watch this column with great dislike and
think it unnecessarily large; but after they have served some time,
and become acquainted with the officers and non-commissioned officers
of companies, and learn that men whose retention of a situation, daily
subsistence, and domestic calls, are often dependent on their being
present, will not be so ready to condemn those giving leave for being
too easily persuaded.
The weather was magnificent during the whole week, and on the 24th
the battalion was inspected in camp by Colonel R. Bruce; the honorary
colonel, the Marquis of Bath, being present on parade, and a very
large number of onlookers from the county families and neighbourhood
generally; the officers giving a handsome luncheon to some two hundred
guests at the termination of the review, and having a camp fire later
on.
The muster at the inspection was 532 of all ranks, and the following
remarks were made by the inspecting officer: "I find you much improved
in steadiness on parade, your drill has been well performed, and having
a camp has improved you in every way." Colonel Bruce then added that he
hoped next year to inspect them again in a regimental camp, either at
Warminster or elsewhere, and that as these camps were very expensive,
but most useful, he hoped that the necessary funds would be forthcoming
somehow. After the inspection the hon. colonel, the Marquis of Bath,
gave a dinner to the officers and men, and next day the camp broke up,
and all returned to their various head quarters. This year an officers'
mess and wine fund was formed, and on the 20th, 21st, and 22nd August
the annual meeting of the Wilts County Rifle Association was held at
Salisbury, Captain Knox, V.C., being umpire. On the 27th August the
prizes were given away in the Palace Grounds at Salisbury by Miss
Bathurst, daughter of Sir Fredk. Bathurst, who was president of the
association for the year.
The annual returns of efficients and non-efficients of the corps
comprising the battalion for the year ending November, 1868, were as
follows:--
+---------------------------+------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Corps. | A | B | C | D | E |
+---------------------------+------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
|Staff | 16 | 15 | 1 | 16 | 15 |
|1st Corps, Salisbury | 200 | 109 | 18 | 127 | 102 |
|2nd Corps, Trowbridge | 159 | 127 | 2 | 129 | 108 |
|6th Corps, Maiden Bradley | 100 | 70 | 1 | 71 | 67 |
|8th Corps, Mere | 100 | 55 | 12 | 67 | 44 |
|9th Corps, Bradford | 100 | 74 | 8 | 82 | 52 |
|10th Corps, Warminster | 159 | 102 | 32 | 134 | 90 |
|13th Corps, Westbury | 100 | 71 | 12 | 83 | 63 |
|14th Corps, Wilton | 159 | 50 | 30 | 80 | 48 |
| +------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Grand Total of Battalion | 1093 | 673 | 116 | 789 | 589 |
+---------------------------+------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
A Maximum Establishment.
B Efficients.
C Non-Efficients.
D Total Enrolled.
E Total Efficients Extra.
The year 1869 commenced with a meeting of the officers of the battalion
at Warminster, and it was therein settled that the regimental camp
should be held this year at Salisbury, in the first week of August.
Meetings were subsequently held to consider details, and to ascertain
how far it was possible to make these camps less costly.
The Mayor of Portsmouth having intimated a wish that a field day
in conjunction with the regular army on Southsea Common should be
organized, a meeting of officers commanding volunteer battalions in
the neighbouring counties took place at Portsmouth, which resulted
in a field day on some scale being held at Southsea Common on the
26th April. There were present about 3000 of the regular army, and
perhaps 5500 of the Volunteer Force; to which the 1st Administrative
Battalion Wilts contributed nearly 500 of all ranks. After a march
past, an attack on the forts and outworks round the town (which do not
now exist) was made; but probably it was unsuccessful, as guns were
conspicuous by their absence on the part of the attackers, and no fire
being returned from the embrasures showed that either there was no one
at home, or that we as an enemy were held somewhat in contempt. It
spoke well for the stuff of which volunteer battalions are composed,
that on the 1st Wilts Administrative Battalion assembling at the place
appointed for them in the town of Portsmouth, they were proved and then
dismissed, with orders to reassemble at the same place and in the same
order two hours later, the arms being piled and a few men detailed as
caretakers over them. Before the expiry of the two hours, each man was
in his place, sober, and brushed up, and after a while was marching
towards Southsea Common.
On the 2nd August the Second Regimental Camp commenced at Salisbury,
or rather on Homerton Down, ground very inferior for the purpose to
that at Warminster. The local companies pitched the camp, thus saving
some small expense, but the catering both for officers and men was
contracted for as at Warminster previously, Mr. Ward, of "The White
Hart," being the contractor. The weather was not all that could be
desired, and the proximity of two towns, such as Salisbury and Wilton,
no advantage: however, good resulted, and at the inspection of the
battalion by Colonel R. Bruce, on the termination of the camp, he
expressed himself satisfied with the steadiness of the men, the way
the drill was performed, and attributed the general improvement in
discipline and drill to this camp, which he hoped would be every year
repeated. The camp was struck and packed soon after daybreak next day,
and after breakfast all returned homewards.
The expense of this camp was £543, and was partly met by subscriptions
amounting to £458--the travelling allowance of 4_s._ per man,
sanctioned by the War Office to all corps not within a certain distance
of the head quarters, being taken to make up the difference, thus
creating an additional expense to the officers and supporters of
corps coming from a distance, as having to meet their own travelling
expenses. The muster at inspection showed 554 of all ranks.
It was determined by the committee for camp management, assembling at
Warminster on the 4th March, 1870, that the regimental camp should be
held in the first week of August at Warminster, on the downs, but that
as a means of lessening the expenses several important alterations
should be made. The time spent in camp should be less. The volunteers
to enter on Tuesday, and break up on Saturday; that they should be
supplied with rations, and each corps make its own arrangements for the
cooking of the same, and that the pitching and striking of the camp
should be done entirely by themselves.
On the 3rd August the battalion assembled in camp, and without further
aid than that supplied them through the knowledge of camp details by
the commanding officer and regimental staff, succeeded in a very short
time in pitching the camp most correctly. The rations consisted of
1-1/4 lb. of meat, 1/2 lb. of potatoes, 1 lb. of bread, some tea and
sugar, and six-pence the day beer money. All were satisfied, and the
arrangement was found to answer far better than formerly.
On the 5th, the battalion was inspected by Colonel Peel, who, after
pointing out a few faults in the keeping of distances, both in line
and skirmishing, expressed himself as being very well pleased, not
only with the way the drill had been performed, but with the camp
generally, and should make a favourable report. The numbers present at
the inspection were 507 of all ranks.
The officers gave the usual luncheon to the county families at the
termination of the inspection, and the next day, very early in the
morning, the tents were struck, blankets, palliasses, pegs, &c.,
counted and packed, and by 8 a.m. very little beyond straw, paper, and
débris marked where 500 men had been so long encamped.
The expenses of the camp were £230, and the subscriptions towards
meeting this but £161, making the normal deficit.