Read Ebook: The history of the 1st Batt. Wilts volunteers from 1861 to 1885 by Gibney Robert Dwarris

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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.

Salisbury being the head quarters, and at the furthest removed point from any of the corps excepting Wilton: Lieutenant-General P. Buckley, M.P. for Salisbury, an officer of the Guards, and a subaltern at Waterloo, being appointed lieutenant-colonel; Captain J.H. Jacob, of the 1st Corps, major; and Captain R.D. Gibney, of the Indian army, as adjutant; Charles Bleeck, Esq., F.R.C.S., as surgeon; and William Fawcett Esq., quartermaster; the Marquis of Bath being honorary colonel.

Soon after being made into a battalion, all the corps were present at the reviews held at Bristol and Salisbury, and did not add much to their fame in the performance. The volley firing carried on by some battalions at the conclusion of the review at Bristol was joined in by the 1st and 2nd Administrative Battalion, Wilts, and drew upon them the terrible reproof of the staff. However, as hard words break no bones, no great evil or good resulted, and the mistake was not worth the fuss made about it. Each battalion declared that they were not the one commencing the fire, but simply took it up as supposing it to be part of the orders in three cheers for the Queen, and as loyal subjects blazed away, to the horror of the cocked hats, and their own everlasting shame. The next day the local papers were filled with letters from warriors of all countries, anxious to explain that they had nothing to do with it, refused the temptation to join in the "bad example set by their neighbours," and were assured that it began with a volunteer on the extreme right wearing a green uniform and plumed chaco. It was not long after being made into a battalion on the 24th of August, 1862, that Major Jacob of Salisbury was removed by death. A slight accident in stepping ashore from his boat produced a serious illness ending fatally; to the great grief of many friends, and to the whole of the volunteers, among whom he had become very popular, as knowing his work well, and doing it. The vacancy in the battalion was filled up by the promotion of Captain T. Clark of the 2nd Trowbridge Corps, who at once attached himself to the 55th Foot, so as to acquire a thorough knowledge of his new duties. There were various occasions in which the whole corps assembled beyond these reviews; such as inspections by district inspectors, or where anything of moment was likely to draw a multitude to any place of note. Trains ran more conveniently on such occasions, and it was an opportunity to get off one of the required battalion drills. For example, there is an assembly of the battalion at the Earl of Pembroke's beautiful park at Wilton. It is a great occasion, and Lord Palmerston with no end of the quality are to be present; so the muster is good, and all are anxious that not only the Prime Minister, but all the multitude shall see, that neither time nor money has been spared in making the flamingo-coloured regiment assembling before their eyes, thoroughly efficient, and able defenders of their country.

There is the usual difficulty and delay in equalizing companies; as local corps have come in full strength, but the ones further away in lesser proportion. However, at last, the adjutant and sergeant-major between them have squared the circle, and all being ready, the same is reported to the lieutenant-colonel in command by the adjutant.

Lord Palmerston, with the Lady Herbert of Lea on his arm, followed by the future heir to Wilton House and the Earldom of Pembroke, move away to the saluting point, and the lieutenant-colonel directs the regiment to "march past in slow time."

A shuffle, a halt, and as the dressing of companies is deranged, the adjutant moves out to explain that "slow time" is not required to be performed by the volunteers, and that they only know "quick and double," passing always at the "quick."

"Is no one going to dress the points?" asked the junior major, as the adjutant waited patiently at the distant point for orders, the rain meanwhile descending in torrents.

There was no one to dress. The companies on the right had been dismissed , and as no order was received, each company in turn took upon itself to seek shelter, and thus commenced and ended a battalion drill of the 1st Wilts Rifle Volunteers at Wilton Park. Still it counted towards the required number. This was not learning battalion drill. There was no one in authority on the spot who could teach; moreover everything was against officers and non-commissioned officers willing and fairly able to instruct. The drill itself, subject to constant changes by circulars from the War Office, was patched, altered and amended until red books, were useless, and adjutants and sergeant instructors knew not what to teach; uniforms so varied in colours and cut, as to make a battalion, when equalized, appear ridiculous, and the whole drill hurried over and generally smashed up by corps having to leave in order to catch trains. The uniform was a matter that should have been arranged by the Lord Lieutenant, as was done after some delay, and no little correspondence between lieutenant-colonels, adjutants, captains of corps, and small authorities in which it was shown that each preferred his own colour to another's, considering such as exactly adapted for the battalion's adoption. The Marquis of Ailesbury, as Lord-Lieutenant, settled the matter by desiring the officers commanding both battalions of Wiltshire Volunteers to meet him at the clothing dep?t in London, and there after consultation with the officer in charge, dark green with black lace, similar to that worn by the Rifle Brigade, was decided upon. It was a wise decision, necessitating a general change, and an expense which would be shared in by all; and though extinguishing the supposed utility of the very lengthy and somewhat Noah's Ark cut of tunic, much approved of by the Salisburian, or the glittering loveliness of the grey and silver of the Wiltonian, or the light blue and white lace, with the wondrous solar topee, a rough ill-shaped pith or coarse felt helmet, of the Bradleyan, yet helped very much in one way or another to overcome the clannishness of corps, and to make the battalion look better on parade, but also to cause them to drill and work together better.

Improvements were very gradual. At their respective head quarters, and drill grounds, corps certainly improved in squad and company drills, and in single ranks with ropes learnt something of the theory of combination movements; but the whole was unsatisfactory. There was a want of unanimity, discipline, and cohesion, and it was not until some time after Lieut.-Colonel Everett, late captain in the 25th King's Own Borderers, had assumed the command, that any change for the better was generally visible. Captain J.F. Everett, having resigned his commission in the Borderers and settled down on his property at Greenhill near Warminster, had been selected by the Lord Lieutenant of the county to succeed General E.P. Buckley in the command; and to his untiring energy, perseverance, and foresight, the battalion is very much indebted. It was a great trust to impose on so young and untried an officer, this command of a battalion, composed of a class of men totally different from those he had been accustomed to, and worked on a system certainly not to be found in the Queen's Regulations; but which nevertheless was authorized, was rather looked upon as a "valued right" by some officers and men, and was composed of corps, each having its own head quarters, its own officers and non-commissioned officers, and difficulties to contend with. Doubtless the lieutenant-colonel brought with him numerous line ideas, which he afterwards found to be unworkable; and an inspection of corps at their own head quarters, with one or two general assemblies for battalion drill, revealed unsuspected facts. However, be all this as it may, the lieutenant-colonel set to work with a will, and by looking up single companies, interesting himself in prize shooting, commanding the battalion at autumn manoeuvres, and establishing a regimental camp, gradually raised the whole tone of the battalion, causing both officers and men to see the necessity for greater punctuality, strict discipline, and the advantages to the service of cohesion and collective energy. To the diary kept by Lieut.-Colonel Everett of occurrences from the date of his joining to his resignation in 1885, I am indebted for much that is told about camps and incidental expenses, the remarks of inspecting officers, and other matters.

On the 20th April, 1866, John Frederic Everett, late a captain in the 25th King's Own Borderers, was gazetted as lieutenant-colonel, and on the 11th July following, the battalion was inspected by Colonel R. Bruce, lately commanding the 2nd Royals, and assistant inspector of the district at Salisbury. The drill was fairly well done, and met with the approval of the inspecting officer.

On the 25th July the battalion took part in a review held on the racecourse, Lansdown, Bath, but were under the command of the senior major, Major T. Clark, Lieut.-Colonel Everett commanding a brigade on the occasion.

The review was about as useful and successful as such gatherings usually were, or could be under the circumstances of their management. A few yeomanry collected together from the troops of adjacent counties, some local artillery, horsed from cabs and drays, and three or four brigades of infantry, under the command of volunteer officers. Bands very plentiful and manoeuvring space limited. Each battalion on its arrival at Bath was marched away to the racecourse, and all felt that the beer and sandwich given by the citizens of Bath to each volunteer, was well earned as he reached the summit of the terrible Lansdown hill. It was a trial for many, unaccustomed to be dressed up in tight-fitting tunics, wabbling chacos with gaudy plumes, cross belts, and haversacks, to say nothing of a heavy rifle and some rounds of blank ammunition, toiling up that hot and dusty road in the hottest part of a day in hot July; but few fell out, and panting upwards, they could afford to smile at the greetings offered in honour of their coming, "Welcome!" "Our brave defenders!" &c. &c., were civil and perhaps flattering; but when half way up was reached, and strangers asked how much further it might be, the answer "Excelsior," inscribed on a banner crossing the highway, said the end was not yet.

The corps attending from the 1st Administrative Battalion were as follows:--

Lieut.-Colonel J.F. EVERETT, Commanding; Captain Max, Major of Brigade.

Major Clark , Major Penruddocke, Captain and Adjutant Gibney.

Total of all ranks, 430.

The idea was that the enemy were advancing from Bristol on Bath, and in the defence of Kelson Round Hill, the Bath battalion, supported by some artillery, covered themselves with glory; and doubtless would have been annihilated had not the whole of the force, accompanied by several thousand spectators, moved forward to their assistance. It was late in the evening before the review ended, and still later ere many a corps reached its head quarters.

The annual prize-meeting of the Wilts Rifle Association was held this year at Warminster, and proved to be a great success. The excellent range and the more central situation of the town enabled competitors from both battalions to enter the lists in goodly numbers. The custom hitherto had been that the meetings should be held alternately at Salisbury and Devizes, but it was considered advisable to alter this arrangement, and owing to the judgment and decision of the local committee, consisting of Lieutenants Scott, Ingram, Smith, Quartermaster Toone, &c., all went off admirably.

The 1st Administrative Battalion Wilts Volunteer Rifles possessed very many good shooting men, but in this respect were certainly inferior to their companions in No. 2 Administrative Battalion. One thing, the 2nd Administrative Battalion were several corps and many men stronger, and on the whole possessed greater facilities for target practice. The President's prize, a prize of thirty-five guineas given by the Marquis of Bath in certain portions at various distances to the best shots, was taken chiefly by competitors belonging to the second battalion; but Mr. Poynder's grand prize of a piece of plate value fifty guineas, open to all Wiltshire volunteers and yeomanry, was won by Colour-sergeant Jefferys of the 6th Maiden Bradley Corps, after making a tie with Private Martin of the 10th Warminster Corps, the scores being:--

The score at the longest distance deciding the prize.

Mr. R. Long, of Rood Ashton, M.P., offered a prize to be given to the best shot of either battalion: each corps sending one competitor, when Sergeant Baker, 7th Wilts, 2nd Administrative Battalion, was declared the winner. Lieut.-Colonel Everett and Major T. Clark gave prizes, but these went to the 2nd Administrative Battalion, as did similar prizes given by Lieut.-Colonel M.F. Ward and Major Perry Keene; but the prizes offered by Lieut.-General Buckley and Major Penruddocke fell to Sergeant Graham, 2nd Corps, Trowbridge. The challenge cup, value ?50, with a piece of plate valued at ?25, given by the inhabitants of Warminster, was unfortunately lost to the 1st Battalion, being given to Corporal Nott, 5th Corps, 2nd Battalion, whose score of 41 was equalled by Lieutenant Wakeman of the 10th Corps and Corporal Purton of the 1st Corps, whilst Sergeant Butler of the 1st, and Sergeant Harris of the same corps, came next in order, and this out of eighty-one competitors.

The prizes were given away by the Marchioness of Bath, and the opportunity was taken advantage of to hold a battalion drill, but it was rather a failure--very few attended. The officers afterwards messed together at the "Bath Arms," and a plan was hastily sketched out for a camp to be held for the whole battalion in the coming year, it becoming only too evident that these spasmodic battalion drills were useless, and that each corps would be better for a continuous and systematic course of drilling and discipline, either at Aldershot or in a regimental camp. The usual annual prize-meeting between the officers of both battalions, to compete for a challenge cup of large value, and a very beautiful silver claret jug, to be retained by the winner, came off at Chippenham, and was won by an officer of the 1st Battalion. These valuable and most desirable prizes were given each year by Mr. Poynder, whose liberality in supporting the Rifle Corps and rifle movement generally was unbounded. Perhaps the terms on which this officers' prize was to be shot for did not encourage good shooting, or prove that the winner of a silver claret jug was in reality a terrible man at the targets. Each year saw the challenge cup held by a new officer, who was somewhat heavily handicapped for the next year's competition: so much so, indeed, as to render his chance, or the chances of his predecessors, in the prize holding from repeating themselves almost impossible. Under these circumstances, it appeared but a calculation of time as to how long it might be before each competing officer in the two battalions possessed an embossed silver claret jug.

These massive or fragile pieces of plate being offered as prizes for excellence in shooting, to the volunteers, were a mistake. To many of the men money prizes would have been much more acceptable, as these cups, mugs, salvers, &c., were of small advantage to any but the silversmiths, who, seizing the occasion for emptying their shops of all the ill-shaped rubbish accumulated by time, charged the donors a price far beyond the real value of the article. Experience has made all wiser, and old pint pots, and drinking cups, almost transparent in their absence of metal, have been relegated to the melting-pot. The year 1867 was a marked epoch in the history of this battalion. It was a year of preparation for more systematic arrangements generally, and for drawing tighter the cords of discipline and unity. It was very desirable that the two battalions should form regimental camps, and by these means ensure a knowledge of combined movements being more general throughout the battalions; but proposals fell to the ground, and the oft-repeated hasty assembling, and more hasty departure of portions of corps for train-catching, were continued for yet another year.

Lieut.-Colonel Everett and Lieut.-Colonel Ward, with their respective adjutants, met together at Warminster for the purpose of organizing a camp for both regiments at Devizes, and it was hoped that if this camp were held during the training time of the county militia and yeomanry, good would result; but after much correspondence with the Lord-Lieutenant, the Marquis of Ailesbury, commanding the yeomanry, and various officers, the scheme had to be abandoned. It was evident that an encampment of the battalion in its own district, and under the sole control of the commanding officer, could alone be brought about, and not improbably would meet all that was required. There was a meeting of officers commanding battalions in the three counties of Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Dorsetshire, and the neighbouring counties, held at Bishopstoke Station, at which meeting it was determined to hold a volunteer review on a large scale at or near Salisbury, on the 29th May. The review took place accordingly at the date specified, on the downs, a very hard three miles' distance from Salisbury. It may have been satisfactory to some of the performers in it; but as to any real knowledge of how troops should be handled in absolute warfare there was none given. The infantry, divided into three brigades, numbered nearly 5000 men, of which this battalion yielded 500; the artillery, 228 men, with six guns, being two guns per brigade, and 180 sabres; yeomen, serving in the Wilts and Hants Yeomanry and Mounted Rifles; Colonel Erskine, Inspector-General of Volunteers, being in command, assisted by Colonels McMurdo, Bruce, and Colville, assistant inspectors.

After passing in review order, the supposed enemy had to be dislodged; but as this enemy were short of cavalry, and we, being well off in that respect, as the returns showed, it was resolved to lend him ours, so, halting the infantry, these gallant troopers passed through the openings left between brigades, and in the four-deep formation, to disappear in the valley where the enemy lay concealed. We re-formed, unsuspicious of their treachery.

Advancing once again, the battle began; but success was not to be the portion of the attackers. They retreated, and were followed up in this retreat and harassed considerably by the cavalry so kindly lent to them but a short quarter of an hour previously. The firing was great, the confusion greater, but the damage was unappreciable; the proportion of cavalry to the retreating infantry, about one horseman to thirty infantry men, not being overwhelming. Besides, the bravery of these cavalry in riding within a few feet of the muzzles of groups of riflemen must have led to heavy casualties. However, all is well that ends well, and at the termination of the manoeuvres the authorities expressed themselves satisfied with the day's performance.

The Hampshire Mounted Rifles under Colonel Bower exhibited some pretty skirmishing at this review. Men and horses were all well trained and thoroughly understood their work. Colonel Bower here showed how useful an adjunct mounted infantry would be in the event of invasion.

The annual inspection of the regiment took place at Warminster Down in the month of August., Colonel Bruce being the inspecting officer.

The year commenced with a meeting of the officers at Warminster, followed by a mess dinner, at which it was settled that a regimental camp should be held at Warminster the first week in August, and that the commanding officer of the battalion should apply to the southern division of the county of Wilts for subscriptions so as to defray the expenses. Accordingly a circular letter was sent out by Lieut.-Colonel Everett, a copy of which is given:--

"Proposed Camp for the 1st Battalion of Wilts Rifle Volunteers.

"Such a camp, it is considered, would tend considerably to the efficiency of the volunteers, by giving them an insight into camp life, and some experience of the requirements of actual service, in a way that cannot otherwise be obtained.

"It is felt that, as the volunteers freely give their time in the service, they should not be called upon for a further sacrifice in providing the necessary funds, and it is to be hoped that the county will readily and generously come forward in assisting this object.

"Contributions will be received by me or by the Secretary, Ensign H.J. Wakeman, of Warminster; or can be paid into the camp fund at the following banks:--Messrs. Pinckney Brothers, Salisbury; the North Wilts Bank at Warminster, Trowbridge, Westbury, and Bradford; as also at the Wilts and Dorset Bank, Mere. Such contributions will be acknowledged in the county papers.

"P.S.--As arrangements must be completed speedily, I should feel obliged by your informing me at your earliest convenience the amount you may be willing to contribute to the above object.--J.F.E."

It was very necessary that the regimental camp should be a complete success, and to ensure this much anxious thought and time was given to details by the lieut.-colonel commanding the battalion, as also by the committee. Meetings of this committee were held at Warminster on the 5th February, 4th March, 1st, 8th and 13th of April, 13th May, 3rd, 10th and 22nd June, and on the 13th July. The committee had no precedents to guide them; and the more the necessary arrangements were considered, the greater appeared to be the difficulties. To make contracts where there was little certainty, in itself was a hard task, and it showed how much care and trouble had been given to the subject, when the camp proved a complete success.

The prospect of a regimental camp, however, did not prevent the battalion putting in an appearance at the grand review held at Portsmouth on Easter Monday, where some 25,000 men assembled, the regulars, and gunboats of the Navy, taking part in the proceedings. The part in the performance relegated to this battalion was neither instructive nor interesting. It rather imitated the army of a certain King of France, by walking up a hill and then walking down again. Some gunboats took up a position to its front, to drive away which the battalion descended from its perch to the railway embankment; but as the tide was receding, the gunboats receded also, doubtless their departure hastened by the appearance, if not by the fire of the gallant 1st Wilts, which being delivered at something over rifle range would have been harmless. Then the regiment itself retired and resumed its position on the hillside, sitting down comfortably awaiting further orders; which eventually directed them to "fire away" at some supposed enemy; and having emptied their ammunition pouches, the whole returned to Fareham station, to be taken homewards.

What possible good to any branch of the services could have arisen from this Easter Monday review is hard to see! It appeared to be only a waste of time and money; and by encouraging the volunteers to go to such, and to join in a general scramble called manoeuvring, was prejudicial to discipline and respect for authority. If the reviews are held in large towns, such as Brighton, Dover, Portsmouth, &c., whole brigades of volunteers hang about, often for hours, from the time of arrival until the general assembly shall sound, meanwhile none the better for public-house entertainments and want of occupation; then are marched through streets to the ground selected--a march past, and a sham fight, in which firing and confusion are prominent features, as instruction could not there be given, and utter ignorance of the very outlines of skirmishing and attack by the majority of men, are only too visible. This done, and the enemy defeated, the majority, hot, dirty, and probably very hungry, resume their places in the train to return to London or far further away, perhaps wondering for what purpose they had been brought so far, or if real war was thus conducted! The minority obtaining leave of absence remain behind, and many, now free from all supervision and control, do the grand service to which they belong no little injury by drunkenness and debauchery.

On the 20th July the battalion assembled for their first encampment on Warminster Down; the ground selected being between the old coach road over Salisbury Plain leading from Bath to Salisbury and the town itself, perhaps about two miles from Warminster--a magnificent undulating spot with room for manoeuvring on a large scale, but waterless, thereby necessitating every drop of that precious liquid being brought up in carts from the town, making a huge item in the expenses of holding a camp on the healthy and somewhat lofty downs of Wiltshire.

The camp was pitched and struck by old soldiers from the regular army, and the catering both for officers and men was undertaken by Messrs. Fort of Bath, the men messing together in a very large tent. It was well done, albeit costly, but there was not sufficient experience as yet gained by the committee of management to allow them to venture on a less expensive method of providing for the wants of so many.

A very excellent selection of standing orders was compiled by the officer commanding the battalion, and these with a few additions have yet remained in force. The following extract from them as referring to the camp about to be established is herewith given:--

Standing Orders for Camp.

The 1st Bugle will sound at 5 0 a.m. " 2nd " " 7 0 a.m.--Morning parade, setting-up drill, &c. 8 0 a.m.--Men's breakfasts. 9 30 a.m.--Pickets and guard-mounting. 10 0 a.m.--Officers' instruction in mess tent. 10 45 a.m.--Comdng. Officer's parade. 1 0 p.m.--Men's dinners. 3 0 p.m.--Comdng. Officer's parade. 7 0 p.m.--Men's supper. 9 0 p.m.--Tattoo. 10 0 p.m.--Lights out.

The officers messed together, taking their meals at about the same time as those ordered for the men.

Mr. Calvesfoot, generally useful man at Baredown Farm, having walked about the magazine tent until tired, orders his arms, and lounging in an easy and not ungraceful attitude, awaits his relief; being quite happy with himself and the world in general, beer and beef agreeing with him immensely.

"I was a looking after ye, captain. I thought you'd come some time and look I up," was the reply, said with charming na?vet?.

"What are your orders?" asks the subaltern of the day from a youthful volunteer, supposed to be guarding the precious water-carts, but occupied in quarrelling with the cook, who had neglected the men on duty in the guard tent to which he belonged.

"To watch them waterbutts, sir, but seeing this'un I came away for a minute to let him know as we aint to be forgotten," replied the sentry.

There were, besides these, various tales told of out-of-the-way occurrences, such as tricks played off upon sentries, and the very queer views the men had of a sentry's duty. Going on sentry to the Wiltshire man was not the like of going to drill. There, at drill, he had to hold his head up, hold his tongue, and turn right or left at a moment's notice, whenever somebody shouted out a word of command; but here, after the corporal had left him, and said some stuff about looking after the camp, observing his front, and saluting officers, he had only to walk up and down a certain distance or stand still should he prefer it. After all, it was only a make believe, and "he warnt goin' to be made a vool on."

"Why don't you look sharper, sentry? Not one of those fellows to your left have passes; coming into camp at this time of night!" said an old hand, drawing the attention of the sentry to some few men leisurely passing across his beat into camp.

"Aint they though?" inquires Johnny, and proceeds to stop them and to demand the passes which each produces; meanwhile a goodly multitude of young rascals without passes, slip in among the tents unknown to our sentry, and have dodged being absent at roll call.

Another sentry story will suffice. It is a pouring wet night and the corporal starts on relief duties.

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