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THE HISTORY

OF THE

FROM

LONDON: W.H. ALLEN & CO., 13 WATERLOO PLACE, PALL MALL, S.W. 1888.

LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.

WITH THE CONSENT OF HIS LORDSHIP,

AND

WITH THE HEARTY CONCURRENCE OF THE MAJORITY OF OFFICERS AND MEN, PAST AND PRESENT, COMPOSING THE 1ST WILTS RIFLE VOLUNTEERS,

I HAVE MUCH PLEASURE IN

Dedicating this Work

THE EARL PEMBROKE AND MONTGOMERY,

COMMANDING THE BATTALION.

PREFACE

It may be asked, What can be the history of a battalion of infantry not thirty years old, which has never seen a shot fired in earnest or done garrison duty? None, would be the reply, were the said battalion raised, officered, instructed, and regulated for, as are all its predecessors; but when this battalion is one of many created suddenly, without any well-arranged system for its continuance, and left at a time of great emergency to make its own arrangements, and sink or swim as it might, it must have a history, and the history of it is the history of every corps or company of which it is composed.

Rifle corps were raised anywhere, everywhere, anyhow, and nohow. War was imminent; the country was unprepared, terribly vulnerable, and the army and navy far too weak to afford protection. Influential gentlemen proposed rifle clubs, others were for arming keepers, and not a few anxiously inquired into the system pursued by the Victoria and Devonshire Rifles. To arm the people was a leap in the dark, and yet it had to be faced; and by May, 1859, the Government saw the "propriety of permitting the formation of rifle volunteer corps," and issued a circular accordingly. Beyond this sanction no assistance was offered, and according to the patronage of people of influence, or the length of their subscription list, so did these rifle volunteer corps get into existence and continue to live. Arms, accoutrements, ammunition, uniform, drill sheds, practice grounds, armouries, magazines, &c., &c., everything had to be found by the corps, and to country corps, those afterwards forming part of an administrative battalion, the expense was ruinous; far more expensive than to companies raised in large town or cities. There they could hire sheds, &c., and men attending drills could do so without losing a day's work and perhaps having to hire a trap. At the end of some months arms were furnished by the Government, and as no harm had yet been done by this show of confidence, at the end of the year the little independent corps were further favoured by being made part of volunteer battalions, an attendance at the headquarters of these battalions for so many drills in the year being directed, and a travelling allowance, most mean and unjustly arranged, being offered to cover expenses. The battalion had for its officers a lieut.-colonel, a major, an adjutant, a surgeon, and perhaps half-a-dozen retired sergeants as drill instructors, the adjutant and drill instructors alone receiving pay.

It was a time of great difficulty and doubt, but of course chiefly so at the commencement of the movement. Indeed, had it not been for the patience and perseverance of men and officers of the force, and the grand generosity and confidence in them shown by noblemen, gentlemen, tradesmen, and especially by ladies, the whole would have fallen through. The Government Order, as given below, will show the amount of assistance received therefrom.

"The principal and most important provisions of the Act are--

"That the corps be formed under officers bearing the commission of the lieutenant of the county.

"That its members must take the oath of allegiance before a deputy lieutenant, or justice of the peace, or a commissioned officer of the corps.

"That it be liable to be called out in case of actual invasion, or appearance of an enemy in force on the coast, or in case of rebellion arising out of either of those emergencies.

"That while thus under arms, its members are subject to military law, and entitled to be billeted, and to receive pay in like manner as the regular army.

"That all commissioned officers disabled in actual service are entitled to half-pay, and non-commissioned officers and privates to the benefits of Chelsea Hospital, and widows of commissioned officers killed in service to such pensions for life as are given to widows of officers of Her Majesty's Regular Forces.

"That members cannot quit the corps when on actual service, but may do so at any other time by giving fourteen days' notice.

"That members who have attended eight days in each four months, or a total of twenty-four days' drill and exercise in the year, are entitled to be returned as effectives.

"That members so returned are exempt from Militia ballot, or from being called upon to serve in any other levy.

"That all property of the corps is legally invested in the commanding officer, and subscriptions and fines under the rules and regulations are recoverable by him before a magistrate.

"The conditions on which Her Majesty's Government will recommend to Her Majesty the acceptance of any proposal are:--

"That the formation of the corps be recommended by the lord lieutenant of the county.

"That the corps be subject to the provisions of the Act already quoted.

"That its members undertake to provide their own arms and equipments, and to defray all expenses attending the corps, except in the event of its being assembled for actual service.

"That the rules and regulations which may be thought necessary, be submitted to me in accordance with the 56th section of the Act.

"The uniform and equipments of the corps may be settled by the members, subject to your approval; but the arms, though provided at the expense of the members, must be furnished under the superintendence, and according to the regulations of this department, in order to secure a perfect uniformity of gauge.

"The establishment of officers and non-commissioned officers will be fixed by me, and recorded in the books of this office; and in order that I may be enabled to determine the proportion, you will be pleased to specify the precise number of private men which you will recommend, and into how many companies you propose to divide them.

"I have only to add that I shall look to you, as Her Majesty's Lieutenant, for the nomination of proper persons to be appointed officers, subject to the Queen's approval.

"I have the honour to be, &c., Your most obedient Servant, J. Peel.

Much less could not have been offered, or regulations made by which an useful force to be relied on in the event of invasion might turn out to be worthless. Members were to find their own arms, only the gauge to be equal, smooth bores or rifles; equipments, uniform, and quantity of drill to be at discretion of members, and all rules and regulations to be left to the decision of each lord lieutenant of a county, thereby certainly ensuring a variety of systems. Out of such confusion it is wonderful that the present disciplined and reliable force has come; and it speaks well for a nation, with such encouragement as is showed by this letter to the lord lieutenants of counties, that the volunteers held their own so long, and did not throw up in disgust.

The battalion of volunteers to which I was attached as adjutant on its first formation in 1861, and whose history I have been invited to write by the officer now in command, Lieut.-Colonel the Earl Pembroke and Montgomery, and the officers serving and served, laboured under many disadvantages. The corps composing it were much scattered, and communication with outposts or headquarters difficult. A wild county, with villages and towns few and far between, making attendances at squad drills, and much more battalion assemblies, not only very laborious to the majority of corps, but a great source of expense to officers and men.

Probably some eight or ten thousand of all ranks have passed through the hands of the author during the twenty years he served as adjutant, and chief drill and musketry instructor; and he here willingly bears testimony to the ever-ready obedience given by all to his directions, and the exhibition of a general desire to lessen troubles and difficulties. These were a little heavy in the beginning, and it was some time before all could be got to see that the wish of individuals must yield to the general welfare, and that such things as breaking up of companies or corps must be done if instruction in battalion drill was to be effectually imparted.

HISTORY

OF THE

THE BATTALION.

Before the corps were formed into a battalion and designated the 1st Administrative Battalion Wilts Rifle Volunteers, all of them, more or less frequently, had attended at various large reviews of the Volunteer Force. The Royal Review held in Hyde Park in 1860 was alone attended by the 2nd or Trowbridge Corps of this battalion, and for smartness of the men in marching, and altogether for its really soldier-like appearance, received the commendations of both military and civilians. On passing Her Majesty a prolonged shout of "Well done, Wiltshire; well done, Trowbridge!" from the crowd, proved that this determination to be present and show their loyalty was not lost on the multitude. Indeed they were worthy, for it had necessitated their leaving Trowbridge soon after midnight by horse breaks, so as to arrive in time to catch the train leaving Chippenham station at daybreak with passengers for London. Arriving in London they were at once marched to their position in the Park, and after passing, returned to Paddington to be off again by the rail, but this time homewards, not arriving there until about midnight. Again, at a review held in Clarendon Park, near Salisbury, with Major-General Lord William Paulet, C.B., in command, the various corps put in good musters; but the making up of the battalions consisted of rather a scratch lot collected from the various corps present; these being North and South Wilts, Hants, Dorset, Somerset, Oxford, Cambridge, and Middlesex. The whole were formed into two battalions and worked as a single brigade; but as these battalions were commanded by such men as Hume and Mansel, and the staff were not selected for their shouting or galloping powers, but knew their duties, the whole was a complete success; and doubtless much more of the duties of a regiment, either acting alone or as portion of a brigade, was learnt by the volunteers on this occasion than is usually done. The 1st Wilts, Salisbury, attended as two companies of thirty file each. The 2nd Corps, Trowbridge, the 6th Maiden Bradley, the 8th Mere, the 9th Bradford-on-Avon, the 10th Warminster, and 14th Wilton were the corps attending from South Wilts, and this they all did in full numbers. Small reviews of this sort, where not only those commanding the whole were regulars, but where regulars took command for the time being of both brigades and battalions, were far more useful, more especially at this early stage of the Volunteer Force, in teaching officers and men what was expected from them, than when the command devolved on the officers of the force--new men, mere learners, if civilians, and if from the line, as a rule but retired captains, or even subalterns, whose knowledge of manoeuvring extended not beyond company drill, and yet these were made brigadiers and lieutenant-colonels to command regiments.

There was yet another review of volunteers at which every corps of this battalion was represented, and which came off before the whole were formed into a battalion. The review took place on Durdham Down, near Bristol, and at the time was considered as one of some mark in the volunteer movement. The reviewing officer was Major-General Hutchinson, and in his somewhat laconic address to the troops at the conclusion of the manoeuvres, he expressed himself willing to make a favourable report, as the day had been successful. He also observed that he gave them all credit for having taken much pains to become efficient, more especially as he was aware that many had had little battalion drill, and some none at all.

The day was showery, the ground cramped, and spectators here, there and everywhere, and little, if anything, was learned or gained by the volunteers in attendance. But it could not have been otherwise with so few on the staff who knew anything about manoeuvring, and some thousands of volunteers commanded by learners only. Here, as elsewhere, beyond the volunteer inspectors, two in number, the staff was composed of young gentlemen from the yeomanry, militia, or line, whose chief recommendation for the appointments of A.D.C., galloper, &c., consisted in their being able to ride fairly well and roar out orders in a loud tone of voice. The object of such orders was no affair of theirs, nor were they supposed to know the correct wording. It was a way we had in the army in those days, and did no great harm as long as playing at soldiers at Brighton, Salisbury, York, &c., was supposed to be lessons in real warfare; but the volunteers were in earnest, and putting away childish things gradually became nearer what soldiers could be; and by pressure on the authorities, and using common sense, helped very much to raise not only themselves to a higher standard of efficiency, but to make the regular army what it is now--a thoroughly useful force, second to none in Europe or elsewhere for scientific and well-taught officers, steady and smart non-commissioned officers, and men who do and know their work.

It is plain to a military man that a body of men so constituted, subsisting almost altogether on the liberality or length of purse of its officers and supporters, somewhat independent of authority, and held to duty by the provisions of the War Office letter to the Lord Lieutenants of Counties dated May, 1859, or by rules founded on the same, could have little stability; and that however much inspector-generals or assistant-inspectors might exert themselves, and endeavour to bring the force into forming an useful adjunct to the regular army, it would result in failure. It was impossible to have a single system pervading the whole, or indeed to make corps equally or even nearly equally fit to take their places in battalion or brigade drill. Enthusiasm was on the wane, and it was plain enough to any but those holding out for some Utopian idea of the advantages to be derived in having only well-to-do men for volunteers, that a diminishing subscription list and inability of officers to continue the constant drag on their purses was not only a serious factor in attendances at squad and company drills, but was undermining discipline, and eventually would bring the majority of corps into little else than shooting clubs; an organization not at all desirable or in any way meeting the demand for which the volunteers were raised. The few officers on the volunteer staff worked with a will, never sparing themselves in any way; and to these, from the inspector-general to each assistant-inspector, the volunteer force is much indebted. They did not expect or demand impossibilities, or even an approach to the mobility and discipline of the regular army. They knew the officers and men; and, making allowances for the difficulties under which they laboured, offered them support and advice, combined with instruction; but the system was beyond their capabilities, and failure must have resulted had not the authorities suddenly awoke to facts, and besides organizing corps into battalions, with the proper complement of field officers to command and an adjutant to carry out a fixed system of drill and interior economy, agreed to meet some of the expenses incidental to clothing, attendances at drill, &c., by issuing a capitation grant, payable by results.

In Colonels Hume and Bruce the volunteers of Wiltshire had officers not only of known merit, but such as spared no pains in trying to make those under them learn their duties. Inspecting was no easy-going affair in these early times. It was no pompous parade in a park or in a comfortable camp, with a good luncheon and the best of the county for guests and spectators. It was far more of a reality than at present, and both officers and men felt that in the inspector they had almost a personal friend. To the inspecting officer visiting corps was often a matter of difficulty, and necessitated exposure in all weathers and at all hours. Meeting the adjutant at some railway station, the two started off across country roads or over wild downs and moors in a dog cart, or not improbably, a hired shandederan fast falling into firewood, with horses none of the steadiest, to the rendezvous, which might be a village, a hillside, or country inn, and there, in all the glories of a cocked hat and feathers, he is both instructor and inspector; probably not returning to his own residence until very late at night, and this frequently. To work under such officers as these made difficulties light, and not a little aided adjutants to persevere in what at times would appear to be an almost hopeless task. To Colonel Gustavus Hume--now Major-General Sir Gustavus Hume, K.C.B.--and to Colonel Robert Bruce--now Lieut.-General R. Bruce, lately commanding the Northern Division--I hereby offer sincere thanks for support and timely advice; and in using these terms "support and advice" as being most kindly offered and willingly accepted, I believe I only echo the sentiments of most of the adjutants, on whom fell nearly all the brunt and difficulties in working volunteer battalions on their first formation.

The junction of a certain number of corps together and calling the whole a battalion, and giving some miserably inadequate sum towards meeting expenses, but with no alteration in regard to rules for the better observance of discipline, did not do much towards improving matters. The officers commanding these battalions were almost powerless, and their adjutants not only disgracefully underpaid, but left without any defined position or authority. In fact the amalgamation of corps into battalions did little, if anything, towards encouraging or improving squad or company drills, and added very much to the already very heavy expenses of officers and men in becoming efficient. The travelling expenses were doubled. The railway fares being the full conveyancing charges for soldiers, and as the usual daily train service on lines could be the only one obtainable for men coming to battalion drills, it often resulted in a day's work being lost. Besides this, to corps scattered all over a wild extent of country where no railroads existed, and waggons or carts had to be hired, attendance at the head quarters of the battalion for united drill was easier ordered than performed, and so gradually attendance at the same fell off, or was made up, or said to be made up, by an extra quantity of squad drills at home.

It must have been through complete ignorance of these facts, and of the true condition of volunteer corps, that the War Office, in granting a travelling allowance of four shillings per head, should have exempted all corps at the head quarters, or within five miles of the same, from any participation in the boon. The War Office could not possibly be expected to know anything about the fitness or accessibility of these head quarters as places for general assembly, of the strength of the companies there, or within the five-mile radius, and of the costs incidental to corps few in numbers, much scattered, and far distant who would have to put in an appearance thereat. Applied to South Wilts it meant that the travelling allowance drawn for about three hundred and sixty men should cover the expenses of the whole battalion, then probably nearly seven hundred strong. It also meant that all corps within the five miles should give a whole day, walk the distance out and home, and do all that was required at the parade; besides all this, it supposed that the men composing these corps, whose head quarters were within five miles of the battalion head quarters, were all close at hand, instead of being nearly if not quite as much scattered as corps further away. Altogether, it was unworkable. The corps on the spot came in full strength, and others according to distances, and funds in hand; so that keeping men of the same companies together, and thus avoiding heartburnings and a motley appearance, was impossible, and did much to make battalion drills disliked and useless for instruction.

The punctual attendance of corps was not to be thought of, so the volunteers came and went as trains fitted in; hanging about the headquarter town until the assembly sounded, or marched on to the ground some time after the parade had begun: their train being late or time inconvenient; thus necessitating retelling off and confusion. Then, just as the object of a manoeuvre was being understood, and some steadiness showing itself in the ranks, the commanding officer was reminded that "It is train time," and men of the corps about to leave were recalled from the various companies into which they had been numbered off for drill purposes, and the whole parade collapsed.

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