man might be, still he fell very far short of what would be required in
a modern rifleman. The troops which an enemy engaging in the invasion
of this country would bring, must be selected men, and if opposed by
riflemen, held together without knowledge of drill and discipline,
but merely acting on the spur of enthusiasm, would scatter such as is
chaff before the wind. Elderly landholders were content to entrust
the defence of the country to gamekeepers, with perhaps a sprinkling
of poachers, as being equally good shots; and some (the military
especially) could only see there was nothing like leather, and that
troops not trained by the regulations for the army, and drilled exactly
as are line and militia, would be worse than useless.
The first meeting, held at the office of Mr. J.G. Foley, with Thomas
Clark, Esq. of Bellefield, in the chair, appointed a committee to
canvass the town for volunteers; and Mr. J. Pattison of Bridge House
was nominated as secretary. At the second meeting it was seen that a
goodly number of names had been enrolled, and that others were ready
to join. The meeting then arranged that a corps for Trowbridge should
immediately be formed, and that Mr. Thomas Clark of Bellefield be
recommended to Her Majesty for the commission of captain.
Subscriptions towards meeting the various wants of the new corps came
in from every quarter; Mr. Walter Long of Rood Ashton, Mr. W. Stancomb,
and Mr. T. Clark each contributing fifty pounds, whilst sums of smaller
amount but yet munificent were received from other gentlemen and the
tradesmen generally. All were enthusiastic in the matter.
In the first week of December 1859, Mr. T. Clark received information
from the Lord Lieutenant of the County that Her Majesty had accepted
the services of those offering, appointing him as captain, with
one lieutenant, one ensign, and 100 men of all ranks. The officers
recommended for the commissions of lieutenant and ensign were Mr. W.P.
Clark and Mr. J.G. Foley.
Constant and regular drills now gave the new corps plenty of
occupation. Drill sergeants from the militia and retired veterans
from the line were obtained, and fathers of families with their sons,
independent gentlemen, tradesmen, and mechanics, despising snow and
sleet, pouring rain, and muddy streets, were to be seen at nightfall,
with rifle over the shoulder, and not improbably a very heavy stick in
hand, just by way of strengthening the muscles of the forearm, wending
their way to the place of drill; there to be kept uncomfortable for at
least a quarter of an hour for not raising the toes sufficiently off
the ground in the "right about turn," or to be pointed at as unworthy
of being enrolled as a defender of his country, when the necessary
delay of several minutes between the words "two" and "three" in the
second position of the musketry exercise made his arm shake like an
aspen leaf, and his rifle to wabble ("warble" more probably) in a
most unsatisfactory manner. Sergeant Swipes was a great man on these
occasions; he knew how things ought to be done and would have them
done. There were none there to say he didn't, or any to dispute his
right, so gentlemen drilled on night after night, hoping eventually to
be able to complete the circle of "about" without staggering as if half
tipsy, and to hold out the rifle if "three" was yet longer in being
shouted out.
A detachment of the Antrim Rifles were at this time stationed in the
barracks, and from them every assistance and kindness was received. The
officers took great interest in the corps, supplied drill sergeants,
attended themselves at some of the drills, and as all improved in
knowledge of what was necessary, often allowed the corps to do
battalion drill with their two companies commanded by Major Bruce.
About this time, through the exertions of Mr. Walter Long of Rood
Ashton, a sub-division of the Trowbridge corps was raised at Steeple
Ashton, of which Mr. W. Stancomb took command; but soon after resigning
was succeeded by Mr. George Temple. However, the whole had but a short
life. The men were few, the country wild, and regular attendance at
drill almost impossible, so it was broken up.
It will not be out of place here to say what then was meant by raising
and supporting a rifle corps, and how great the enthusiasm and
patriotism of both men and women must have been when they submitted to
give so much and receive so little. In the movement ladies were most
enthusiastic and helpful, contributing by gifts of money, uniforms,
shooting prizes, and in holding bazaars. To the Government of the day
not one shred of praise or thanks are due. They never moved in the
matter until very late in the day, and then only to intimate to the
Lord Lieutenants of counties that corps might be raised, provided
that they met the terms of this letter, which simply said that every
expense, even to finding arms--stipulating only for these to be of the
same bore--should be borne by the newly formed corps, and that in the
event of their services being required, pensions as in the line for
wounds, &c., would be sanctioned.
Perhaps it was as well that the authorities did not give more definite
orders, if one is to judge by this letter. They, however, did one good
thing, they appointed officers immediately under their own command as
Inspectors and Assistant Inspectors--men fresh from the Crimean and
Indian Mutiny campaign, who had not only seen service, but had received
other impressions than those gathered in the barrack square; and to
their common sense, judgment, patience, and willingness to be guided by
circumstances, may be attributed the good qualities of the officers and
men composing the volunteer force. Names need not be given, these will
live in the memory of more than one.
It was impossible that an army such as the volunteer force had now
become could go on for ever spending their own money and begging for
more to keep them efficient; and so demand after demand was made on the
War Office for assistance; but it was not until they saw that it was
the people's force, and was supported in its claims by landed gentry
and people having detestable influence in Parliament, that this help
was sanctioned, and a starvation allowance voted; and as a certain
increased amount of efficiency was demanded in return, the volunteer
force at once became part of the defensive organization of the country.
The Court had earlier shown an indefinite recognition of the force, as
it had sanctioned the appearance of the officers at a special levée.
The officers appearing at the same from Trowbridge were Captain Thomas
Clark, Lieut. W.P. Clark, Ensign J.G. Foley, and Assist.-Surgeon
Seale. The modesty of their uniform as compared with the wonderful
compositions surrounding could hardly have given the facetious among
the crowds ranging St. James' Street an opportunity of making remarks.
Dark grey cloth, with red facings, fitting well to the body, a small
chaco and ball, with black belts, left little to be desired. Perhaps
the proximity of the Antrim Rifles at the barracks had something to do
with this and many other things.
At the Royal Review in Hyde Park the only corps of volunteers
representing the county was that of Trowbridge, and their general
appearance and smartness obtained approval. If "Well done, Wiltshire!"
"Well done, Trowbridge!" sung out by many in the crowd, is worth
recording, this was repeated more than once.
To enable the Trowbridge Corps being present at the Royal Review
in Hyde Park, it had to hire brakes, and by starting not very long
after midnight from Trowbridge, arrive at the Great Western Railway
Station at Chippenham, so as to meet the special train leaving there
at daybreak for London. Perhaps "Well done, Wiltshire!" "Well done,
Trowbridge!" was not such undeserved praise when these men of Wilts
passed the Queen, and it is remembered that soon again they would be on
their travels, and not be home before the break of another day; and to
this may be added few, if any, of them absent from their work at the
mills. The corps also attended at the review held in Clarendon Park,
near Salisbury, and again at Durdham Downs, above Bristol, coming in
for its share of abuse in discharging rifles because other corps did
the same when three cheers for Her Majesty the Queen were demanded.
Doubtless the crime was great, and proved at once that men who could
fire without orders, or contrary to the musketry regulations as laid
down for the British army, could never be otherwise than a rabble, and
were unfitted to be trusted with arms. However, Trowbridge, and indeed
the rest of the sinners, survived their iniquity, and No. 2 Corps
put in an appearance at several subsequent general assemblies of the
volunteers.
It was not the fault of the volunteers that only too often at these
reviews the manœuvring was bad, fire wild, and confusion great. Orders
were almost always badly conveyed, the general staff selected for the
occasion quite ignorant of tactics or the movement of large bodies,
and brigades, with their composing regiments, left to be guided by
volunteer officers, themselves only beginners in the very outlines of
drill. The War Office were content to look on. They were told the force
would melt away of itself, and perhaps hoped and believed it would; but
it did not, though now that the war fever had diminished the supporters
were fewer, and the expenses greater on officers and men, and it was
fully time that assistance should be given by the Government. Pressure
was brought to bear, and as certain allowances were granted, it was
necessary to guard the same. The demand to be recognised more fully
as part of the British army, and the quality presenting itself, at
length made the War Office consent to these corps being formed into
battalions and with paid Adjutants and Sergeant Instructors brought
into one system of governance and discipline.
The first necessity was to change the uniforms. It was painful to some,
doubtless. The brilliant silver and grey of corps had to yield to the
more sombre pattern of the Rifle Brigade. Elegant shoulder belts, with
buckles of the beadle pattern, were replaced by shiny black, bare of
ornament. Tunics of the Noah's Ark cut lessened their skirts, and pith
helmets were bowed out. Trowbridge was not long in accommodating itself
to the new state of things, and helped not a little by its discipline
to make the task of amalgamation and uniformity less difficult to those
appointed to carry out the same.
In conjunction with the rest of the corps composing the battalion,
the Trowbridge companies (now two) attended various assemblies for
united battalion drills held in different parts of the county, as also
elsewhere for reviews, the chief of these being at Durdham Downs,
Clifton, Lansdown, Bath, Portsmouth, Portsdown, Royal Review, Windsor,
1881, Jubilee Review at Aldershot in 1887, and the Autumn Manœuvres
which were carried on in Wiltshire and Dorsetshire in 1872. At all
Regimental Camps, No. 2 Corps mustered in strength, and perhaps had
a larger average attendance daily than other corps composing the
battalion; but this they were bound in honour to show, inasmuch as the
date and place of assembly was arranged so as to meet the peculiar
position of the corps.
To the uninitiated the expression "peculiar position" may need
explanation. It would yet seem to do so to War Office authorities,
commanding officers, inspecting officers, depôt commanders, and
adjutants. These gentlemen are much given to treat every company
composing a battalion of volunteers alike, and judging all by one,
comment on non-attendances and want of skill at target practice or
on parade. Now in a county battalion no two companies are similarly
situated, and can give an equal attendance on drill or other
instructions. One company has its members scattered over an area of
twenty miles, the centre of such area being little more than a village,
and serving as head quarters. To these head quarters no railway runs,
nor is there anything beyond the floor of a barn obtainable for drill
purposes in bad weather. The target practice ground is inaccessible,
and terribly exposed. There are no resident gentry to help the funds
of the corps or to offer prizes for best drills or best shots, and all
the expenses incurred beyond those met by the dole received from the
War Office comes down on the two or three officers attached, perhaps
the village attorney and the doctor, who as Captain and Lieutenant
have undertaken the thankless office of commanding and keeping up the
company. Another company lives in clover; its head quarters are in a
good town: the officers are wealthy and popular, and the townspeople
proud of their men and the band. The practice ground is close at
hand, the armoury large, with drill-yard attached, and all expenses
incidental to attendance at regimental camps, autumn manœuvres, and
reviews on a large scale, immediately met. It is easy for such a
company to be efficient, and it is still more easy for an inspecting
officer, with his beloved barrack square dangling before his eyes,
to select this company as a criterion, and _ex uno disce omnes_. The
Trowbridge companies are composed chiefly of mill hands, and so defined
is the work of the mill among the numerous hands employed, that in
many instances the withdrawal of two or three of these from a single
machine will delay the completion of an order for an indefinite period.
A battalion drill at 2 p.m. simply means all work in that part of the
mill where these men now gone to the drill are employed must cease; and
when these attendances at drills are demanded for days at a time, as
is the case with a regimental camp or at autumn manœuvres, indeed any
man, excepting perhaps an Army fossil or a War Office clerk, could see
that so serious a demand on the hands of mill-owners or employers of
labour generally, must be met by special arrangements, and thus it was
with the Trowbridge Rifle Corps. The mills were overhauled and repaired
generally in the month of August, and so this time was selected for
holding the Regimental Annual Camp.
The assistance received in supporting the corps was great from all
at and about Trowbridge, the ladies being foremost in helping on the
movement by giving prizes to be shot for, and by holding stalls at
bazaars, &c., by which undress uniforms, hand instruments, &c., &c.,
were purchased, but which could not be found with the paltry allowance
received from the War Office. The want of covered spaces in which to
drill in bad weather, or indeed to find any place at all for such a
purpose out of doors, excepting the damp field, muddy roadside, or
barrack yard, was felt considerably. Public rooms or offices offered
certain advantages, but had many drawbacks, and it was not until Major
Thos. Clark, promoted to field rank by the death of Major Jacob at
Salisbury, munificently met the difficulty, that this want was removed.
Entirely at his own expense, Major Clark erected a hall large enough
for every purpose, and after a while the Rifle Volunteers of Trowbridge
found themselves welcome in a most comfortable and substantial
building, in which all squad and, to a certain extent, company drills
could be performed, their arms and accoutrements properly cared for,
and additional rooms, where roaring fires in winter, the morning and
other newspapers, a fair library, and bagatelle table, made members of
the corps, off drills, rest and be thankful. Once a year outsiders were
admitted, for a consideration, to witness the distribution of prizes,
or perhaps the performance of theatricals, the members of the corps
being the actors and entertainers. "Mrs. Jarley's Waxworks," and other
incidents equally well got up and done, to say nothing of the witty
prologues written on every occasion by Sergeant A. Wilkins, will long
be remembered.
Among his earliest efforts are these recited by Lieut. Stancomb:--
"To give that pleasure is the rifle band,
So let everybody here quite understand,
That without _stocks_ the funds can't keep supplied
With instruments and music, if we tried.
The band has got the brass, but not the tin,
So please to help us out by sending in."
Then again, referring to the Oxford Corps at autumn manœuvres:--
"The Oxford University were there,
Those noble swells, turned cooks, the sight was rare,
To see them cut their meat and put their pots on,
Good judges they of beef, just come from Oxon."
The amalgamation of the various corps into a battalion occurred in
1861, and found many of the companies well advanced in drills. Indeed,
at the first inspection of the whole at Warminster by Major Hume,
Assistant Inspector of the district, he remarked on the very great
advance in the knowledge of drill each company had made. On this
occasion the Trowbridge Corps mustered 72 of all ranks, Captain T.
Clark, in command, and Lieutenant W.P. Clark being the only officers.
Major Jacob was in command of the battalion, and by his skill in
manœuvring the regiment, and his evident knowledge of the meaning of
certain movements, not only drew forth encomiums from the inspecting
officer, but even at this early date of the Volunteer Force showed that
the military were not the only ones capable of commanding armed men,
and that drilling regiments, companies, or squads could be managed
by civilians. Soon after this, to the great regret not only of the
volunteers of his own corps, No. 1, at Salisbury, but to that of others
in the battalion, and to all in Wiltshire, knowing the man and his
worth, Major Jacob was called away by death, the result of an injury
received in stepping from a boat. His place as major in the battalion
was taken by the officer commanding the Trowbridge Corps, who as senior
major of the battalion retired in the year 1879. The command of the
company was taken by Lieutenant W.P. Clark, and Mr. E.P. Stancomb
promoted from sergeant to the ensigncy. Shortly after this Mr. Foley
resigned his commission as lieutenant, and Mr. W.P. Clark, jun., was
appointed ensign in the place of E.P. Stancomb promoted.
Among the officers of the Wiltshire Rifle Volunteers accepting
the offer of fourteen days' musketry instruction at the School of
Musketry, Hythe (entirely to be at their own expense) was Captain
(Major) T. Clark of this company. At the same time there were present
at the school from the battalion the Marquis of Bath, Captain Charles
Penruddocke, and Captain Pickwick. The course was the longer one
epitomized, and answered its purpose well. Indeed, absolute experience
makes it no exaggeration to say that almost as much good, so far as
the use of the rifle is concerned, and to teach the same, was obtained
in this short course as from the longer of two months' duration. It
scarcely requires an officer to be detached from his regiment for
two months, so that he may learn how to do position drill, hold his
rifle straight, strike the bull's-eye, or do skirmishing, volley,
or independent firing. All this, and everything besides, including
register-keeping, lecturing, brown mixture, and even laws of motion,
to say nothing of mean deviation and attraction of gravity, could be
equally well and probably more thoroughly taught at the headquarters
of a regiment than at the more pretentious place. If an adjutant can
be made at home, and as such directs and instructs, so at least can be
the musketry instructor. The Trowbridge Rifle Corps possessed among
themselves very many good shots, but among these Sergeant Graham stood
pre-eminent. His shooting was uniformly good, and at the Wimbledon
Meeting of 1863 he stood second in all Great Britain for the Queen's
Prize, his magnificent shooting leaving it doubtful until his last shot
at the distance of one thousand yards as to whether he or Sergeant
Roberts, 12th Shropshire, would be the winner. At an early part of
the day Sergeant Roberts had concluded his firing at all the ranges,
leaving the wonderful score of 65 to be exceeded by any disputing his
claim to victory. Sergeant Graham's time for attendance at the targets
was later on in the day, but his 24 at 800 yards against Sergeant
Roberts's 23 showed him to be a dangerous competitor. At 900 yards the
scores were Sergeant Roberts 26, Sergeant Graham 24. At 1000 yards
the score of 16 made by Roberts had to be beaten, or at any rate
could be tied, but it was not to be: much depended upon the value of
the last shot to be made by Sergeant Graham; a bull's-eye would tie
with the winner, and not a little was the excitement shown by the
onlookers, amongst these being Lord Elcho and General Hay, as to what
would occur. Coolly but resolutely the aim was taken, but a centre
left Sergeant Roberts undisturbed in his honours, and the high score
of 64, obtained at the longest ranges by thoroughly even shooting,
proved Sergeant Graham to be among the best shots in the Army. In
contests with neighbouring corps the 2nd Wilts simply held their own,
perhaps as often defeated as winning. In challenging the 9th Corps at
Bradford-on-Avon on 12th October, 1861, in the first match they were
defeated by 14, Sergeant Graham making the score for Trowbridge 12, and
Sergeant Thomas 15, whilst for Bradford Captain Pickwick scored 13,
and Private Scutt 14. In the return match the shooting of both Captain
Pickwick and Sergeant Graham was thoroughly bad, and Bradford won by a
few points.
The officers as well as non-commissioned officers and very many of
the privates were above the average at the targets, and at county as
well as at local meetings have made good scores, Major Clark at one
time holding his own fairly well against such men as Sergeant Thomas,
Sergeant Graham, and Sergeant Bailey, and a host of other sergeants
and men. The rifle range of the corps is at a long distance from the
armoury, and as this distance, nearly four miles, requires a lift being
given to the men detailed for class firing, it forms a heavy item in
the demand on the funds of the corps for conveyances. The range itself
is now improved, but could never have been considered good or very
safe, extending as it does over several grass meadows, intersected
by roads and paths, divided by hedgerows, and well perambulated by
cows and sheep; the butts, or fagot erection, sufficiently thick, but
scarcely broad or high enough to ensure safety.
It may not be out of place here to give the scores made by officers and
others of this company from the period when the Enfield muzzle-loader
was the weapon and two to five hundred yards the usual distances. In
looking back on those days many may think that the shooting was bad and
men have improved very much since; but put it in another light, that
the rifle has very much improved. The introduction of breechloading
obviated the necessity for using either a very tight-fitting
bullet--its shape, more especially point and sides, grooved and
injured by ramrod--or else an easy-fitting bullet supposed to expand
itself equally into the rifle grooves on the explosion of the powder
at its base. A little mental calculation will show that under such
circumstances no two bullets would keep the same trajectory fired by
the steadiest of shots. The bruised head or jagged base would cause
deviation sooner or later, and the longer the distance the greater
certainty of this apparent contradiction. The cartridge and loading
at the breech overcame this difficulty, and all that remained to be
done was to lower the trajectory and find out the best size for bore of
rifle, and the weight and balancing power of the projectile used.
In 1863 we find that at ranges 200 and 500 yards with five rounds
at each range, Corporal Marshman, missing once, scored 28, whilst
Colour-Sergeant Graham, also missing once, scored 27, but Ensign
Stancomb, hitting each shot, scored 25, but in the Challenge Cup given
by the ladies of Trowbridge, at ranges 200, 300, 500, and 600 yards,
five rounds at each range, with only two misses, Colour-Sergeant Graham
won the Cup with a score of 45, Private Reddrop, shooting as well,
scoring 44. Again on another occasion, at 200 and 400 yards, five
rounds at each distance, Colour-Sergeant Graham and Private Reddrop,
making no misses, scored respectively 33 and 31.