Not One in Ten Thousand Know Your Name: the Officers
of the British 1st Battalion of Detachments in 1809 -- Assistant
Surgeon George Beattie, 92nd Foot
We can not determine when George Beattie entered the army, however
he was initially a hospital mate and became an assistant surgeon in
the 92nd Foot on 25 September 1803.[1] Assistant Surgeon Beattie went to the Peninsula in August 1808[2] with the 92nd Foot and served there until
September 1809. In February 1809, he was attached to the 1st Battalion
of Detachments and escorted the remnants of the battalion back to England
in September. In January 1810, he became a surgeon in the 60th Foot,
with a date of rank of 4 January 1810.[3]
He served less than two months when he exchanged into the 79th Foot
switching with Surgeon Drumgold, with a date of regimental seniority
of 1 March 1810.[4]
He would stay with the 2nd Battalion in Glasgow, Scotland until
early 1812, when he was transferred to the 1st Battalion, which
was in the Peninsula. He would stay with the 1st Battalion
until September 1813 when he was promoted to surgeon and was assigned
to the 6th Division. He would be with them until April
1814.
Little is written about his service, except when he was attached to
the 1st Battalion of Detachments. Sergeant Daniel
Nicols of the 92nd Foot, who was in the 1st Battalion of Detachments,
left a vivid and not altogether flattering portrait of Surgeon Beatty. Sergeant
Nicols was wounded on the first day of the battle of Talavera.
“About four o’clock I was struck by a musket ball, which
grazed my left knee and passed through my right leg about two inches
below the cap of the knee. . . as the French cannon were doing
great execution at this time, and their shells had set the cornfields
on fire in the plain, and the brushwood and long grass were blazing
on the sides of the hill; and many wounded men, unable to get away,
were burned to death. If I had sat down no doubt the same lot
would have been mine, so I kept hopping along until I came to a large
white house where many wounded men were waiting to be dressed. Here
I found the surgeon of the Gordons, Dr. Beattie, who came at once to
me and dressed my leg and put a bandage on it. He then gave me
a drink of water, and told me I had got it at last. I, smiling,
replied, ‘Long run the fox, but he is sure to be caught at last.’ This
made many smile whose bones were sore enough.”
“I had now time to look about me, and I saw that we were going
on in the plain little to our advantage. Some of our guns were
drawn to the rear to take up a fresh alignment. Feeling very
weak, I took a mouthful of water and a slice of the loaf that I got
in the morning. . . I got up and hopped along for the town of Talavera.”
“I trudged along in the rear of the line towards the town with
some more men in the same condition. . . I then went to the general
hospital, a large convent where hundreds of men were lying in the courts
and passages and on the stairs. I lay down and put my head
on the dead body of a man of the 61st Regiment, and slept amid
all the uproar and bustle.
I awakened about dark, and got into one of the large rooms. . . I was
wakened by the surgeons performing their operations, cutting off legs
and arms. I found myself stiff and sore. Dr. Beattie
came and dressed our wounds.”
“On the 2nd of August all the British troops marched
off by daybreak – we thought to attack the enemy; but, to our horror,
we found they had retreated, leaving us wounded men in a dreadful condition,
without provisions, only a few surgeons, little medicine, and no attendants.
About twelve o’clock Dr Beattie came in desired every man that
was able to make the best of his way after the army.”
“On the 4th the Spanish troops left the town, and took
their own wounded with them, but none of the British, who were left
in a very helpless condition, more especially those belonging to
our battalion, as we had nobody to take charge or attend us. I
certainly blame Dr Beattie for this, as other corps left their assistant
surgeon, orderlies, hospital sergeant etc., while we were destitute
of any assistance.”[5]
Surgeon Beatty would served at the Douro, Talavera, Salamanca, Burgos,
the Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes and Toulouse. He was promoted to
Staff Surgeon on 9 September 1813 and would continue to serve with
Wellington’s Army until the war ended in April 1814. He went
on half pay in 1814. On 25 April 1815 was called back to active
duty to be Surgeon to the Forces.[6] He went back on half pay and on
5 November 1818 came off half pay to be Surgeon to the Forces, replacing
James Arthur, who went on half pay.[7]
George Beattie died in Langholm, Scotland on 18 August 1837.[8]
Notes:
[1] London Gazette:
11 October 1803
[2] Challis does not
provide a date for when Beattie arrived in the Peninsula. However,
he probably arrived with the 92nd Foot – which was
in August 1808.
[3] London Gazette:
2 January 1810
[4] London Gazette:
27 February 1810
[5] Robinson; pp. 22
- 26
[6] London Gazette:
20 May 1815
[7] London Gazette:
24 November 1818
[8] Mackenzie; p. 208
Placed on the Napoleon Series: January 2009
[ Not
One in Ten Thousand Know Your Name: the Officers of the British
1st Battalion of Detachments in 1809 ] |
