Chapter 17 of 32 · 1534 words · ~8 min read

CHAPTER XVI

THE SECOND BATTALION.—THE HISTORY AND PRESENT DESIGNATION OF THE COMPANIES.

FORMED in 1757, at the same time as the 1st Battalion, the 2nd Battalion at first included companies in all parts of the world—the East Indies, America, Gibraltar, and England. The Cadet Company belonged to it, and was one of the twelve which constituted the Battalion; but in 1758 another service company was added, making it, in respect of service companies, equal to the 1st Battalion.

Its strength in 1758 amounted to a total of 1385, divided into thirteen companies. This strength was reduced in the following year by the transfer of three companies to assist in the formation of the 3rd Battalion. One company was again added in 1761, and two taken away when the 4th Battalion was formed in 1771. During the American War two companies were again added, and the greatest strength of all ranks was 1145. In 1793 and 1794 it approached 1300; and during the Peninsular War its average strength was 1460. While the Crimean War lasted the Battalion consisted of eight companies, and its strength was as follows:—In 1854, 1216; in 1855, 1344; and in 1856, 1480.

The distinctive mark of this Battalion was the fact, that the only Artillery present during the memorable siege of Gibraltar belonged to it.

The early services of the companies are difficult to trace. One company, under Captain Hislop, was present at the defence of Fort St. George, Madras, when besieged by the French, in October, 1758. In November of the same year a company of the Battalion, under Captain P. Innes, embarked with General Barrington's expedition, for the attack of the Island of Martinique. This expedition was unsuccessful, but the troops were then ordered against Guadaloupe, which was taken on 1st May, 1759. In February, 1759, the siege of Fort St. George was raised by the French, Captain Hislop's Company receiving great praise for its conduct during the defence.

No. 1 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION, Now "7" BATTERY, 21st BRIGADE.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 1779-1783 Siege of Gibraltar. 1801 Detachments in Egypt, present at Battle of Alexandria, and later actions. 1809 Expedition to Walcheren.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── * * * * * 1782 Captain Joseph Eyre. 1782 Captain Charles Abbott. 1793 Captain James M. Hadden. 1793 Captain James Boag. 1800 Captain Thomas Charleton. 1806 Captain Joseph D'Arcy. 1825 Captain Richard T. King. 1837 Captain Charles Manners. 1840 Captain Charles H. Nevett. 1848 Captain C. J. Wright. 1855 Captain M. A. S. Biddulph.

No. 2 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION, Now "2" BATTERY, 12th BRIGADE.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 1761 Siege of Belleisle. 1779-1783 Siege of Gibraltar. 1801 Detachments in Egypt, present at Battle of Alexandria, and later actions. 1810-1812 Cadiz, during siege. 1812 Carthagena, and operations in South of Spain.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── * * * * * 1782 Captain Philip Martin. 1783 Captain Edward Stephens. 1794 Captain William Bentham. 1795 Captain William Collier. 1796 Captain Daniel Gahan. 1802 Captain Robert Wright. 1806 Captain Patrick Campbell. 1825 Captain Robert S. Douglas. 1831 Captain Peter D. Stewart. 1841 Captain W. H. Hennis. 1850 Captain W. B. Gardner. 1855 Captain A. E. H. Anson.

No. 3 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION, Now "7" BATTERY, 10th BRIGADE.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── 1779-1783 Siege of Gibraltar. 1809 Detachments served in Expedition against St. Domingo. 1854 Detachments furnished for siege of Sebastopol.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── * * * * * 1782 Captain George Groves. 1782 Captain Alexander Shand. 1793 Captain James Butler. 1794 Captain Edward Stehelin. 1801 Captain William Dixon. 1808 Captain Marcus Roe. 1810 Captain Dugald Campbell. 1828 Captain Zachary C. Bayly. 1836 Captain Daniel Bissett. 1837 Captain John M. Stephens. 1837 Captain Edmund Sheppard. 1839 Captain William Lemoine. 1840 Captain G. James. 1840 Captain T. O. Cater. 1847 Captain G. Gambier. 1850 Captain T. A. Shone. 1852 Captain R. H. Crofton. 1856 Captain J. C. Childs.

No. 4 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION, Now "D" BATTERY, 1st BRIGADE.

1801 Detachments in Egypt, present at battle of Alexandria, and later actions.

1854 Expedition to Crimea, and siege of Sebastopol, from December, 1854.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── * * * * * 1772 Captain Vaughan Lloyd. 1782 Captain Robert Garstin. 1793 Captain Henry T. Thomson. 1801 Captain Ralph W. Adye. 1803 Captain J. Vivion. 1815 Captain James E. Grant. 1817 Captain Robert H. Birch. 1825 Captain Henry W. Gordon. 1837 Captain James S. Law. 1842 Captain William Fraser. 1848 Captain Henry Poole. 1852 Captain S. D. Broughton. 1857 Captain D. S. Greene. 1857 Captain R. K. Freeth.

No. 5 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION, Now "8" BATTERY, 3rd BRIGADE.

1809 Detachments served in Expedition against St. Domingo.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── * * * * * 1782 Captain James Dunbar. 1782 Captain Jacob Schalch. 1789 Captain John Ramsay. 1794 Captain Charles N. Cookson. 1803 Captain W. Henry Gardner. 1803 Captain A. Y. Spearman. 1808 Captain Nathl. W. Oliver. 1808 Captain William Lloyd. 1815 Captain Charles H. Godby. 1826 Captain Alexr. McLachlan. 1840 Captain Wm. Furneaux. 1847 Captain J. A. Wilson. 1848 Captain Anthony Benn. 1855 Captain C. G. Arbuthnot. 1855 Captain A. R. Wragge.

No. 6 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION, _Reduced on 1st March, 1819._

1809 Expedition to Walcheren.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── * * * * * 1782 Captain Joseph Walton. 1782 Captain John Fairlamb. 1782 Captain Ralph Wilson. 1790 Captain W. P. Smith. 1796 Captain George Wulff. 1799 Captain Spencer C. Parry. 1805 Captain Thomas Francklin. 1807 Captain Robert H. Birch. 1808 Captain Thomas Paterson.

No. 7 COMPANY (afterwards No. 6), 2nd BATTALION, Now "G" BATTERY, 8th BRIGADE.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── * * * * * 1782 Captain George Fead. 1792 Captain Thomas R. Charleton. 1799 Captain William Cox. 1805 Captain William Millar. 1805 Captain William Payne. 1816 Captain James S. Bastard. 1817 Captain J. F. Fead. 1821 Captain H. B. Lane. 1826 Captain Charles G. Napier. 1826 Captain Thomas Scott. 1834 Captain William A. Raynes. 1843 Captain G. M. Glasgow. 1848 Captain H. J. Morris. 1851 Captain A. G. W. Hamilton. 1854 Captain A. C. Pigou.

No. 8 COMPANY (afterwards No. 7), 2nd BATTALION, Now "5" BATTERY, 2nd BRIGADE.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── * * * * * 1782 Captain Alexr. McKenzie. 1782 Captain George Groves. 1782 Captain Abraham Witham. 1794 Captain Edward Stehelin. 1794 Captain Charles Nevelle. 1802 Captain Thomas Dodd. 1813 Captain Abraham Paul. 1814 Captain Francis Knox. 1819 Captain Joseph Brome. 1821 Captain Frederick Gordon. 1826 Captain Wm. E. Maling. 1833 Captain Wm. Saunders. 1834 Captain J. R. Colebrooke. 1840 Captain E. Trevor. 1845 Captain A. Shuttleworth. 1852 Captain M. O. Nixon.

No. 9 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION, _Reduced 1st February, 1819._

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── * * * * * 1782 Captain Thomas Paterson. 1790 Captain John Macleod. 1793 Captain Thomas Desbrisay. 1799 Captain William Robe. 1800 Captain Robert Wright. 1802 Captain Daniel Gahan. 1804 Captain George Forster. 1804 Captain Benjamin Fenwick. 1812 Captain David Story.

No. 10 COMPANY (afterwards No. 8), 2nd BATTALION, Now "A" BATTERY, 14th BRIGADE.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── * * * * * 1782 Captain Thomas Davis. 1783 Captain F. M. Dixon. 1793 Captain Charles Robison. 1803 Captain John Dyer. 1804 Captain George Desbrisay. 1814 Captain Thomas J. Harrison. 1819 Captain Thomas Paterson. 1825 Captain Courty. Cruttenden. 1826 Captain Hamelin Trelawney. 1831 Captain Thomas Grantham. 1843 Captain T. C. Robe. 1851 Captain Evan Maberley. 1856 Captain J. E. Thring.