History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery Vol. 2: Compiled from the Original RecordsDuncan, Francis
History
History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery Vol. 2: Compiled from the Original Records
Duncan, Francis
Great Britain. Army. Royal Regiment of Artillery
“It will be plain to you, sir, that as we had risen to this state of
defence, so in proportion were our labours increased when we came to
dismantle. All that was done had to be undone; and every article of
guns, ammunition, and stores throughout the island, to be embarked in
the least possible time. The same diligence was continued, and within
the given period not a trace remained in the works of the ordnance with
which they had been defended.... Without meaning to take at all from the
general report of the good conduct of the officers and men employed in
the island of Walcheren, but as you are aware that, from various causes,
there are degrees even in excellence itself, I hope I shall not be
considered as acting inconsistently when I recommend the following
officers as more particularly deserving your approbation. To Captains
Maitland and Light I am greatly indebted for their activity and zeal in
completing the defences of Walcheren. To Captain Adye I owe everything
for the assistance he gave in dismantling the works, and embarking the
guns, ammunition, and stores; and to his name, which, in every respect,
deservedly stands first, I beg leave to add those of Captains Rawlinson,
Maitland, and Macartney, in the same undertaking. The whole of the
subalterns went through every part of the duties imposed on them with
zeal and goodwill, even in serving on board the _shutes_ with parties of
gunners to load and unload these vessels. I could place no reliance on
the Dutch who navigated them, but was thus compelled to ensure their
services by guarding against their escape. The navy, I presume, could
not (for they certainly _would_ not) grant us any assistance. Nautical
skill we were not supposed to possess, but necessity, at length, helped
us to find it. I shall conclude, sir, by recommending to your favour
Lieutenant Anderson, the acting Adjutant, whose zeal and activity
neither sickness nor fatigue could arrest, and I cannot hesitate in
pronouncing him one of the finest young men I ever met in my life.”
The amount of ordnance and stores captured in the islands of South
Beveland and Walcheren, and either sent to England or destroyed, was
very considerable. Summarised, according to date of capture, the
following is a list of the guns and mortars which were taken.[19]
_List of Captured Ordnance._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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