History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Vol. 1: Compiled from the Original RecordsDuncan, Francis
History
History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Vol. 1: Compiled from the Original Records
Duncan, Francis
Great Britain. Army. Royal Regiment of Artillery
These were, briefly, that the Citadel with all its stores should be
handed over to the British troops: that the French garrison should be
provided with transport to the nearest French port; that the sick and
wounded left behind should be treated in the same manner as the British
soldiers; and that the inhabitants of the island should be allowed full
permission to worship according to the rites of the Roman Catholic
religion. Further, in consideration of the gallant defence made by the
Chevalier de St. Croix and his troops, they were permitted to march out
of the Citadel with the honours of war, drums beating, colours flying,
lighted matches, and three pieces of cannon with twelve rounds each; and
each soldier carrying fifteen rounds of ammunition in his cartouche box.
An inventory of the Ordnance and stores was at once taken by Brigadier
Desaguliers; and on a garrison for the island being decided on, the
following Artillery officers were selected to remain behind, and form
part of it:—Captain Hind, Captain-Lieutenant Martin, Lieutenant Rogers,
and Lieutenant-Fireworkers Rosat, Skottowe, and Mayne. The remainder of
the Artillery embarked on Christmas Day, 1761, for England.
Among the orders issued during the siege, which enable one to form an
idea of the weather which prevailed, is one directing the hides of all
animals killed for the troops to be taken to the trenches for the use of
the Artillery in making their expense-magazines water-tight.
From an old order-book in the Royal Artillery Library the discipline of
the troops after the siege, and the means taken to enforce it, may be
ascertained. Three men of the 75th Regiment having been found guilty of
drunkenness and absence from the King's works, received 300 lashes each,
and were debarred from employment on the works again. Two men of Colonel
Morgan's Regiment having been convicted of disorderly behaviour were
sentenced to receive 200 lashes each "on their bare backs;" and another,
in the 19th Regiment, received 100 lashes for drunkenness and
disobedience. A man in Crawford's Regiment, who had been convicted of
prevarication on a court-martial by which one of his officers was tried,
was sentenced to receive 500 lashes; but as it appeared by the evidence
that he had been under pressure and undue influence by the prisoner at
the time, the sentence was remitted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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