The History of the Rifle Brigade (the Prince Consort's Own) Formerly the 95thCope, William Henry
History
The History of the Rifle Brigade (the Prince Consort's Own) Formerly the 95th
Cope, William Henry
Great Britain. Army. Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)
The Regiment marched to Weymouth in the early part of the summer, and
was encamped there. Their being near Windsor the year before, and now
at Weymouth, the summer residence of George III., was probably due
to Manningham’s being attached to the person of that sovereign. They
returned to Blatchington barracks in the autumn.
On June 25 the establishment of the Corps was again changed, and
companies were given to the field-officers, as was then the case in
line regiments. But this arrangement was of short duration, for on
March 27 following field-officers’ companies were abolished, and
effective captains were appointed in their place.
In the autumn of 1802 the Regiment marched to Chatham. On this march,
at Maidstone, some of the men broke open the plate-chest of the
officers’ mess. One of the offenders was discovered, and being tried
by court-martial, was sentenced to receive 800 lashes, the whole of
which were inflicted at one time.
The Regiment appears, even at this early period, to have been a
favourite one with volunteers from the line and militia; and Surtees
mentions four men in the ranks who had been commissioned officers;
one of whom, indeed, was drawing half-pay, and was eventually
recalled to full pay as lieutenant.
After a short stay at Chatham, the Regiment was moved for the winter
to Shorncliffe and forts in the vicinity.
On December 25, 1802, the Rifle Corps was ordered to be numbered as
the 95th Regiment, and thus assumed the name under which it was long
known, and which its services on the continent of Europe made famous.
In May 1803, the head-quarters, with five companies, returned
to their old quarters at Blatchington, and in November moved to
Colchester, and eventually to Warley and Woodbridge barracks; the
other five companies, under Colonel Beckwith, remaining during the
summer at Shorncliffe, where, on Colonel Stewart’s promotion to
Brigadier-General and command of a district, the head-quarters and
other five companies joined them. Here they formed part of that
camp of instruction under Sir John Moore, the marvellous results of
which have been so truly and eloquently described by Sir William
Napier;[24] and here they first met and were brigaded with their
compeers, the 43rd and 52nd, in united action with whom, as the Light
Division in the Peninsula, so many of their laurels were won.
During the time the Regiment was encamped at Shorncliffe, Colonel
Manningham, carrying out the intentions of his own standing orders,
delivered a course of lectures on the duties of Riflemen in active
service, which he published.[25]
On the breaking up of that camp, the Regiment moved into Hythe
barracks till April 1805, when it appears to have returned to
Shorncliffe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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