THE DEMERARA REBELLION, 1823.
On the 25th of October, 1821, the establishment of the 1st West India
Regiment was reduced from ten to eight companies, which were thus
distributed:
Head-quarters and 3 Companies at Barbados.
1 Company at Demerara.
1 " " St. Lucia.
1 " " Dominica.
1 " " Antigua.
1 " " Tobago.
--
8
No change took place in this distribution until 1823, when the light
company rejoined the head-quarters at Barbados, from Tobago.
In August, 1823, an alarming insurrection broke out among the slaves in
the district of Mahaica, on the east coast of Demerara. The first notice
of the impending rising was communicated, on the morning of the 18th of
August, by a mulatto servant, to Mr. Simpson, of Plantation Reduit (now
Plantation Ogle), a place distant some six miles from Georgetown. The
servant stated that all the negroes on the coast plantations would rise
that night; and Mr. Simpson at once proceeded with the intelligence to
Georgetown, warning the various planters at their habitations _en
route_. The Governor appeared to doubt the reliability of the
information, but called out a troop of burgher horse, and proceeded with
a portion of it to Plantation Reduit. There a considerable body of
negroes, armed with cutlasses, sticks, and a few muskets, was met; and,
after a short parley with them, which led to no result, the Governor
returned at once to Georgetown, and called upon the officer commanding
the troops for assistance.
A detachment of the 21st Regiment, and No. 8 Company of the 1st West
India Regiment, the whole being under the command of Captain Stewart, of
the latter corps, at once marched up the coast; while the militia of
Georgetown was called out and patrolled the town. A body of the rebels,
who had with them as prisoners several Europeans, was met near
Wittenburg Plantation. On the approach of the troops the slaves opened a
desultory fire, which did no damage, and a volley being returned, they
dispersed in all directions. The force under Captain Stewart then
proceeded further up the coast, encountering and dispersing other
parties of slaves.
Next day, the 19th of August, martial law was proclaimed, for nearly all
the negroes employed upon the coast estates had risen and were
overrunning the country, capturing every European they met. Continually
dispersed by the troops, they reassembled again, and, after being
repulsed by a detachment of the 21st in an attack upon the post of
Mahaica, a body of some 2000 of the better-armed slaves collected
together and began to advance on Georgetown. By this time another
detachment of the 21st Regiment had come up from Georgetown, under the
command of Lieutenant-Colonel Leahy of that corps, who joined the troops
already in the field, and moved with his whole force against this more
formidable body of insurgents. Proceeding past pillaged houses and
destroyed bridges, the troops at last fell in with the rebels, and
Lieutenant-Colonel Leahy, after reading a proclamation that had been
issued by the Governor, warned them that if they did not disperse the
men would open fire. After waiting for some time, the order to advance
was given, and the slaves at once commenced firing. This was returned by
the troops, and after a conflict of a few minutes' duration the rebels
fled in all directions.
This was the last occasion on which the slaves assembled in any
considerable force, but a constant skirmishing was kept up along the
whole line of the coast; and two companies of the 1st West India
Regiment, which were despatched from Barbados when the news of the
insurrection reached there, and arrived at Demerara on the 26th of
September, were actively employed in assisting to restore tranquility
in the colony and in the apprehension of the ringleaders of the
rebellion. Captain Chads, Lieutenants Strong and Lynch, and Ensign
Brennan were the officers who were serving with these two companies.
The following general order was published, dated Head-quarters, Camp
House, 17th December, 1823:
"Major-General Murray has great satisfaction in communicating to the
troops and militia within this colony the following extracts from
letters from Lord Bathurst, and the Commander of the Forces, Sir Henry
Ward, the former conveying the approbation of His Majesty, and the
latter that of His Royal Highness, the Commander-in-Chief, for their
conduct during the late insurrection. The Commander-in-Chief takes this
opportunity of again returning his thanks to the officers and troops for
the uniform support he has received from the former, and for the good
conduct of the latter, during the late operations; by these means alone
have those services been accomplished which have occasioned His
Majesty's flattering marks of approbation."
Extract (No. 1) of a letter from the Right Honourable Lord Bathurst, to
His Excellency Sir John Murray:
"Downing Street, 23rd October, 1823.
"I have received your several despatches, as per margin, reciting
the series of events that had occurred from the first intimation
received by you on the 18th of August last, of a disposition towards
insurrectionary movements on the part of the slave population in
the District of Mahaica, and concluding with an account of the
general termination of the revolt, which had yielded to the prompt
and judicious measures of remonstrance and resistance offered by
you, and which you represent to have been so admirably enforced by
the civil and military authorities under your command. With respect
to those measures, I have laid them before His Majesty, and they
have received his most gracious approbation, which you will convey
to the officers, both civil and military, who have so distinguished
themselves on this occasion."
Extract (No. 2) of a letter from His Royal Highness the
Commander-in-Chief, to Sir Henry Ward, K.C.B., commanding the Windward
and Leeward Islands:
"I have received your further despatch reporting to His Lordship the
issue of this revolt, so satisfactorily and judiciously terminated
by the prompt and vigorous measures taken by Major-General Murray,
and the exemplary zeal, discipline and good conduct of the 21st
Regiment, the 1st West India Regiment, and the Militia, which
entitle officers and men to the greatest credit."
Ensign Miles, of the 1st West India Regiment, the only officer serving
with No. 8 Company under Captain Stewart, died a few days after the
termination of the rebellion, of fever produced by fatigue and exposure
in hunting down the rebel leaders.
In February, 1824, the Court of Policy passed a vote of thanks, and
conferred a gift of 200 guineas on the regiment, to be expended in the
purchase of plate, as a mark of the high estimation in which the
inhabitants of the colony held the services of Captain Stewart and his
detachment.
"KING'S HOUSE, DEMERARA,
"_19th July, 1824_.
"SIR,
"I have the honour to enclose to you for the information of Captain
Stewart and the detachment of the 1st West India Regiment, which
served with so much credit to itself under his command during the
late revolt in this Colony, the accompanying resolution of the
Honourable Court of Policy, expressive of the sense entertained by
the Court of that officer's conduct, and that of the officers and
men placed under him during that distressing period.
"I have, etc.,
"JOHN MURRAY,
"Major-General.
"To Major Capadose,
"Commanding Detachment, 1st West India Regiment."
"Extract from the Minutes of the Proceedings of the Honourable Court of
Policy of the Colony and dependant Districts of Demerara and Essequibo,
at an extraordinary and adjourned meeting held at the Court House,
George Town, Demerara, on Tuesday, the 13th of January, 1824.
"The Court of Policy, feeling anxious to mark its sense of the eminent
service performed, in the late unhappy revolt, by the troops composing
the garrison, as well as by the Militia of the United Colonies, take
the opportunity afforded it by the cessation of Martial Law, to express
its highest approbation of, and to return its warmest thanks to His
Excellency the Commander-in-Chief for the able and judicious measures
adopted by him, which succeeded in putting a speedy termination to a
Revolt, in its nature most serious and alarming....
"The steady and soldierlike conduct of the detachment of the 1st West
India Regiment commanded by Captain Stewart, the Court cannot too
highly estimate; and it begs, as a testimony of its lasting regard, to
be allowed to present to the Mess, through Captain Stewart, the sum of
two hundred guineas, to be laid out in plate."
On the 25th of October, 1824, the three companies stationed at Demerara
were removed to Barbados, where they arrived on the 2nd of November.
The following brigade order was published at Demerara prior to the
embarkation of the detachment:
"The detachment of the 1st West India Regiment under Major Capadose,
will embark on board the _Sovereign_ at half-past six on Monday
morning, the 25th instant, and the transport will proceed to Barbados
with the evening tide of that day.
"The Major-General commanding the district cannot allow these excellent
troops to embark without expressing to them his approbation of their
excellent conduct and discipline, and his cordial wishes for their
health and good fortune. The unremitting attention of Major Capadose in
the command of the detachment, and of Brevet-Major Gillard, Captain
Hemsworth, and Lieutenant Strong, in that of their respective outposts,
have given the Major-General unqualified satisfaction, and he requests
those officers to accept his thanks."
The distribution of the regiment was now as follows: 5 companies at
Barbados, 1 at St. Lucia, 1 at Dominica, and 1 at Antigua, and this was
continued till the 21st of February, 1825, when the head-quarters, with
4 companies, embarked on board the _Sovereign_ transport, and proceeded
to the Island of Trinidad, to relieve the 3rd West India Regiment,
ordered to be disbanded. The head-quarters landed at Port of Spain,
Trinidad, on February 23rd, and were quartered at Orange Grove Barracks,
being removed to San Josef Barracks on May 1st, 1828.
In April, 1826, a second lieutenant-colonelcy was re-established in the
regiment, Major Henry Capadose being promoted Lieutenant-Colonel,
without purchase, on the 22nd of that month.