Historical Record of the Sixty-first, or the South Gloucestershire Regiment of Foot: Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1758, and of its subsequent services to 1844.Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the Sixty-first, or the South Gloucestershire Regiment of Foot: Containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1758, and of its subsequent services to 1844.
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 61st (South Gloucestershire) -- History; Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 61st -- History
In August, 1842, two companies, under the command of Major
Burnside, were called upon by the civil authorities of Halifax, to
suppress a formidable and organised riot which broke out in that
town: numbers of the rioters had assembled from the adjacent towns,
and were so confident in their strength and numbers as to attack
a party of the Eleventh Hussars, several of whom were severely
injured. The detachment of the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment was fired on by
the mob, and Captain Hoey and five men were wounded with slugs.
The order was then given to the Military to fire, when the peace
of the town was speedily restored. The owners and occupiers of the
mills and other property at Halifax, and in the neighbourhood,
conveyed a vote of thanks to Major Burnside for his services on
this occasion.
[Sidenote: 1843]
In March, 1843, the regiment was directed to furnish, by
volunteers, two hundred men to the Ninety-eighth Regiment, in
China: the required number were immediately produced; and the
detachment embarked on the 1st of April, at Newcastle-on-Tyne, for
Winchester, to join the depôt of the Ninety-eighth Regiment.
In the spring of 1843, the regiment proceeded by railway to
Carlisle, where it embarked for Ireland, and landed at Dublin
on the 6th of April; and was shortly afterwards inspected by
Lieutenant-General the Right Honorable Sir Edward Blakeney,
Commander of the Forces in Ireland, who was pleased to express his
approbation of the appearance of the regiment in the field, and of
its conduct in quarters.
On the 3rd June, five companies, under the command of Major McLeod,
embarked on board of Her Majesty’s steamer “Rhadamanthus” for
Waterford, on a particular service: the detachment landed on the
following day, and re-inforced the garrison in barracks until the
6th June, when it re-embarked and returned to Dublin.
During the stay of the regiment in the garrison of Dublin,
Lieutenant-Colonel Forbes died after a protracted illness. This
distinguished officer had commanded the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment five
years, and by his impartial and temperate exercise of authority, he
had rendered himself respected and beloved by all who had the good
fortune to serve under his command. Upon his decease, Major Henry
Burnside was promoted to the lieutenant-colonelcy on the 9th May,
1843.
In July, 1843, the regiment proceeded from Dublin to Limerick,
where it is stationed at the commencement of the year 1844, to
which period this record of its services is brought.
[Sidenote: 1844]
On the 20th January, 1844, Her Majesty was pleased to remove
Lieutenant-General Sir John Gardiner from the SIXTY-FIRST to the
Fiftieth Regiment, in succession to Lieutenant-General Sir Hudson
Lowe, deceased, and to appoint Major-General Sir Jeremiah Dickson,
K.C.B., to the colonelcy of the SIXTY-FIRST Regiment.
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