Wellington's Sharpes: British Army Ranker Officers 1793-1815

By Steve Brown

Part One: 1793-1807

This piece provides a brief summary of former privates (rankers) who reached commissioned officer rank in the British Army during the Napoleonic era.

This first list is selective, but demonstrates that, despite expectations, former ‘rankers’ could indeed prosper – look at Elley and Darling – provided they started early enough. Ralph Darling took 15 years to go from private to lieutenant-colonel (although he seems to have had patronage), Elley 17 years, Tudor and Burton 39 years, and Brunt 41 years!  

Richard Armstrong

Private in 64th Foot 1790; to Ensign and Adjutant in 64th Foot 28 February 1791; Lieutenant in an independent company of the 102nd Foot 31 October 1793; Captain in 68th Foot 27 February 1796; to half-pay of 129th Foot; Captain in  (consecutively) 46th Foot 1803, 1st Royal Veteran Battalion 1804, 9th Royal Veteran Battalion 1805 and 63d Foot 1808; brevet Major 25 April, 1807; Captain in 76th Foot 3 January 1811; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 4 June 1814; Major in 9th Royal Veteran Battalion 9 December 1819; to half-pay on reduction in 1821.

Jacob Brunt

Private in 14th Foot 1770; served and wounded in American War of Independence; Serjeant-major in 55th Foot 1791; Quartermaster in 55th Foot 31 December 1791; to Ensign in 55th Foot 15 May 1793; Lieutenant and Adjutant in 83rd Foot 28 September 1793; served on Jamaica as Major of Brigade 1795 to 1802, wounded in action; Captain 28 August 1798; Major in 83rd Foot 16 May 1805; Lieutenant-Colonel 13 June 1811; died at the Cape of Good Hope in 1822.

Robert Haly Burton

Private in 30th Foot 1774; Serjeant-major in 1783; to Assistant-Adjutant 25 August 1783; Quartermaster in 60th Foot 12 April 1786; Lieutenant in 7th Foot 1794; Major 18 May 1806; served in Copenhagen 1807; served in Martinique 1808; served in Peninsula with 2/7th Foot February 1810 to July 1811; and again with 1/7th Foot September 1812 to October 1813; commandant of Vittoria July 1813; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 26 August 1813; Lieutenant-Colonel in 13th Royal Veteran Battalion 21 October 1813; died in Dorset in 1831.

Thomas Berkeley Campbell

Private in 66th Foot 1784; Quartermaster 21 December 1785; to Lieutenant (by purchase) 16 October 1792; Captain 2 June 1796; brevet Major 13 May 1804; Major in 62nd Foot 1 September 1804; Major in 11th Royal Veteran Battalion 25 September 1807; retired on full pay 2 November 1814.

Ralph Darling

Born Ireland 1772, son of Quartermaster Christopher Darling of 45th Foot; Private in 45th Foot 1786; served in West Indies 1793 to 1799; Ensign in 45th Foot 15 May 1793; Lieutenant 2 September 1795; Captain in 27th Foot 6 September 1796; Major in 4th West India Regiment 2 February 1800; Lieutenant-Colonel in 69th Foot 17 July 1801; exchanged to 51st Foot 8 May 1806; commanded 51st Foot 1806 to 1811; served in Peninsula October 1808 to January1809; Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General Walcheren 1809; brevet Colonel 25 July 1810; on staff positions 1810 to 1813; subsequently Major-General 4 June1813; Governor of Mauritius 1818 to 1823; Colonel of 90th Foot 9 October1823; Governor of New South Wales 1824 to 1831; Lieutenant-General 27 May 1825; General 23 November 1841; died at Brighton in 1858.

David Byron Davies

Born Brecon 1765; Private in 16th Foot 1785; to Ensign and Adjutant in 16th Foot 12 February 1791; Lieutenant and Adjutant in 16th Foot 12 August 1795; Captain in 8th West India Regiment 25 June 1798; Captain in 69th Foot 3 July 1801; Captain in 55th Foot 5 December 1802; to half-pay of 3rd Foot Guards 4 April 1805; Captain in 100th Foot 10 August 1809; brevet Major 25 July 1810; led a forlorn hope and wounded at Fort Niagara;  to half-pay on reduction 24 April 1818; died of exposure on Jamaica in 1822.

Sir John Elley, K.C.B., K.C.H.

Born London 1770; joined Royal Horse Guards as Private in 1789; Quartermaster 4 June 1790; Cornet 6 June 1794; served in Flanders 1793 to 1795; Lieutenant 26 January 1796; Captain 26 February 1801; Major 29 November 1804; Lieutenant-Colonel 6 March 1806; commanded Royal Horse Guards March 1806 to May 1813; served in Peninsula as Assistant Adjutant-General of Cavalry, November 1808 to January 1809; and again June 1809 to April 1814; wounded at Salamanca; brevet Colonel 7 March 1813; Deputy Adjutant-General and wounded at Waterloo; Major-General 12 August 1819; Colonel of 17th Lancers 23 November 1829; Lieutenant-General 10 January 1837; died in Wiltshire 23 January 1839.

Donald McDonald of Dalchosine, C.B.

Born Scotland 1769; Serjeant-major in 42nd Foot 1785; Quartermaster 16 November 1785; to Adjutant in 100th (later 92nd) Foot 23 November 1798; Ensign in 81st Foot 22 February 1799; Lieutenant in 92nd Foot 20 March 1799; wounded at Helder 1799; wounded in Egypt 1801; Captain 8 July 1803; served at Copenhagen 1807; served in Peninsula August 1808 to January 1809; again in Peninsula October to March 1812, wounded at Arroyo del Molinos; Major 26 November 1812; wounded at Quatre Bras 1815; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 18 June 1815; commanded 92nd Foot at Waterloo; to half-pay of Malta Regiment 26 November 1818.

Adam Charles Muir

Born Scotland 1766 or 1770; Private in 41st Foot 1788; to Ensign and Adjutant in 41st Foot 30 July 1793; served on San Domingo; Lieutenant 12 July 1794; served in Canada 1799 to 1813; Captain 9 February 1804; received Gold Medal for Detroit; POW at Moraviantown 1813; brevet Major 4 June 1814; commanded militia in the Grand River Region 1814; crippled by a fall from a horse in 1816; resigned 1818; emigrated to Canada in 1819 and died there in 1829.

William Carr Royall

Private in 93rd Foot 1780; Private in Coldstream Foot Guards 1783; to Ensign and Adjutant in 58th Foot 31 December 1792; served in West Indies in 1794; Lieutenant 29 October 1794; served in Egypt in 1801; Captain 1801; Major in 61st Foot 25 December 1807; Fort Major at Messina in 1809; commanded 1/61st Foot in Peninsula October 1811 to April 1814; Lieutenant-Colonel 23 July 1812; died in London December 1826.

Samuel South

Born 1760; Private in 20th Foot in 1780s; Quartermaster 14 March 1794; to Ensign in 20th Foot 19 March 1799; Lieutenant 10 August 1799; served at Helder, wounded at Zuyper-Sluis 1799; Captain in Royal Regiment of Malta 13 February 1805; Captain in 20th Foot 14 March 1805; served at Maida 1806; served in Peninsula as Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General August 1808 to January 1809; served at Walcheren 1809; Major 21 October 1813; subsequently Lieutenant-Colonel 17 December 1818; to half-pay of 8th Foot 21 December 1820. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Maida and Corunna.

Thomas Summerfield

Born Staffordshire 1775; Private in 83rd Foot 1793; served in West Indies 1796 to 1802; Quartermaster in 83rd Foot September 1796; Ensign in 83rd Foot 4 December 1798; Lieutenant 20 February 1800; Captain 19 September 1804; served in Peninsula April 1809 to April 1814; wounded and POW after Talavera; brevet Major 4 June 1814; Major 21 December 1820; died in Limerick in 1833.

Charles Tudor

Born Shropshire 1750; Private in 16th Light Dragoons 1771; served in North America 1776 to 1779; Quartermaster in 16th Light Dragoons 24 July 1789; Adjutant 24 December 1794; Cornet 29 April 1795; Lieutenant 12 April 1797; Captain in Royal Waggon Train 16 August 1799; Major 3 December 1803; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 25 July 1810; on half-pay 1814; brevet Colonel 12 August 1819; Lieutenant-Colonel in 1st Royal Veteran Battalion 1 November 1819; died in London in November 1830.

John Wheatstone

Born 1765; Private in 53rd Foot 1790s; to Ensign and Adjutant in 53rd Foot 1 September 1795; Lieutenant and Adjutant 4 November 1795; Captain 2 July 1803; brevet Major 4 June 1814; Major 3 May 1821; retired 15 June 1826; died in London 11 November 1835. Had two sons in the Army who died young whilst on campaign in 1830 and 1839. 

Part Two: 1808-1815

What is conspicuous from this regiment-by-regiment list are those formations that did NOT elevate NCOs to commissions; the Foot Guards, the Royal and Welsh Fusiliers, the 29th Foot, the Black Watch; although these units sent their deserving NCOs to other regiments. And any such deserving NCO after 1808 ideally needed to be serving in a Scots or Irish regiment if he wanted to get ahead!

(Two of Sharpe’s old regiments – the 33rd Foot and 95th Rifles – are conspicuously absent from this list…)

Whilst this is a long summary, the dramatic expansion of the British officer corps due to organic expansion and losses on campaign mean that these men still represent only a very small percentage of total commissions in the period.

Notice also that except for a very few, the invariable fate of the ranker officer in 1808-1815 was half-pay on reduction; a few managed to serve on until the 1830s, with Charles Cureton of the 20th Light Dragoons seemingly being the only ‘ranker’ to go on to general officer rank.

2nd Dragoons

James Chadwick, Cornet 20 September 1810, from Serjeant; Lieutenant 15 July 1813; to half-pay in 1814.

3rd Dragoons

Mark Johnstone, Cornet 12 March 1812, from Paymaster-Serjeant; Lieutenant 26 November 1812; Paymaster 13 November 1817; still serving in 1830. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Salamanca, Vittoria and Toulouse.

George Crabtree, Cornet and Adjutant 11 March 1812, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 29 October 1812; exchanged to half-pay of 5th Dragoon Guards 18 April 1823. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Vittoria, Pyrenees and Toulouse.

7th Light Dragoons (Hussars)

Arthur Myer, Cornet 29 September 1808, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant and Adjutant 24 May 1810; retired in 1816.

9th Light Dragoons

John Wright, Cornet and Adjutant 14 June 1811, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 4 February 1812; exchanged to half-pay unattached 5 April 1827.

11th Light Dragoons

William Leach, Cornet 4 July 1811, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant; to half-pay 9 December 1812.

Timothy Grinsted, Cornet and Adjutant 3 June 1813, from Serjeant-Major in 16th Light Dragoons; resigned in January 1815.

12th Light Dragoons

John Griffith, Cornet and Adjutant 29 July 1813, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 4 May 1815; served at Waterloo; Adjutant in 5th Dragoon Guards 10 April 1823; Lieutenant in 28th Foot 15 October 1829; Captain in 1st West India Regiment 28 June 1839; retired on full-pay 29 July 1839. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Egypt, Vittoria, Nivelle and Nive.

John Carruthers, Cornet 26 October 1815, from Serjeant-Major; served at Waterloo; to half-pay 25 December 1816.

17th Light Dragoons

William Gale, Cornet and Adjutant 3 March 1808, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 12 January 1809; died November 1811.

18th Light Dragoons

James Henry Waldie, Cornet and Adjutant 17 October 1811, from Serjeant; Lieutenant 13 February 1812; served at Waterloo; to half-pay 7 September 1820.

20th Light Dragoons

Charles Robert Cureton, subaltern in Shropshire Militia 1806; fled from creditors disguised as a sailor; joined 14th Light Dragoons as trooper; wounded at Coimbra 1810 and at Fuentes d’Onoro; Cornet 20 October 1814, from Serjeant 14th Light Dragoons (exchanged via 40th Foot); Lieutenant 27 June 1816; Captain in 16th Light Dragoons 12 November 1825; Major 6 December 1833; brevet Lieutenant-Colonel 23 July 1830; Lieutenant-Colonel 21 August 1839; received CB 1844; Brigadier-General in India 1846; killed in action at Ramnagur 22 November 1848.

22nd Light Dragoons

William Bott, Cornet and Adjutant 1 January 1811, from Serjeant; Lieutenant 3 April 1812; to half-pay 25 September 1820.

23rd Light Dragoons

Henry Hill, Cornet and Adjutant 19 January 1815, from Serjeant-Major in 14th Light Dragoons; Lieutenant 5 April 1815; served at Waterloo; to half-pay 25 January 1818.

1st Foot

Peter Perry, Ensign 8 June 1809, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 7 February 1810; Lieutenant in 5th Royal Veteran Battalion 23 July 1812; retired on full pay 1815.

William MacEwen, Ensign and Adjutant 11 October 1810, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 30 June 1813; died in December 1819.

Donald Fraser, Ensign 14 March 1811, from Quartermaster-Serjeant in 74th Foot; Lieutenant 1 July 1813; to half-pay 25 March 1816; later Lieutenant-Colonel commanding militia in Canada. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Busaco and Badajoz.

John Stewart, Ensign and Adjutant 24 August 1813, from Serjeant-Major: Lieutenant 7 October 1814; to half-pay 17 April 1817.

2nd Foot

Andrew Simpson, Ensign 25 April 1811, from Serjeant-Major in 95th Foot; Lieutenant 17 June 1813; to half-pay in 1815.

James Spencer, Ensign and Adjutant 25 March 1811, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 10 June 1813; died 10 December 1816.

3rd Foot

Michael Charles Horner, Ensign and Adjutant 26 April 1810, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 29 April 1812; to half-pay in 1821.

Richard Nelson, Ensign and Adjutant 27 January 1814, from Serjeant-Major; to half-pay 18 July 1816.

4th Foot

Joseph Pickering, Ensign 8 May 1812, from Serjeant-Major; Adjutant 30 September 1813; Lieutenant 16 November 1813; to half-pay 25 February 1816. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Corunna, Fuentes d’Onoro and  Busaco.

5th Foot

Henry Bishop, Ensign and Adjutant 18 November 1813, from Serjeant in Coldstream Foot Guards; Lieutenant 28 April 1825; died 15 June 1829.

6th Foot

John Price, Ensign and Adjutant 23 July 1812, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 5 September 1814; to half-pay in 1817.

William (Thomas) Blood, Ensign 18 November 1813, from Serjeant in 43rd Foot; Lieutenant 8 September 1814; Lieutenant in 6th Royal Veteran Battalion 25 May 1815. Received General Service Medal with clasp for Orthes.

Samuel Rose, Ensign 10 February 1814, from Quartermaster-Serjeant; to half-pay of 15th Foot in 1814.

8th Foot

John Street, Ensign and Adjutant 21 October 1813, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 26 July 1815; exchanged to half-pay of 49th Foot 2 October 1817.

9th Foot

William Hoe, Ensign 23 August 1813, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 15 June 1815; to half-pay in 1816.

10th Foot

Philip Ryan, Ensign and Adjutant 28 January 1813, from Serjeant-Major; superseded and reinstated in 1815; to half-pay in 1816.

11th Foot

David Scott, Ensign 18 July 1811, from Serjeant in 23rd Foot; killed in action at Salamanca 22 July 1812.

12th Foot

??? Ellis, Ensign 1 September 1809 (by purchase!), from Serjeant-Major; retired August 1812.

17th Foot

Dobson Young, Ensign 3 December 1807 from Serjeant; Lieutenant 1 August 1810; exchanged to 44th Foot 1 April 1824; Captain in 26th Foot 30 May 1834; still serving in 1841.

20th Foot

John Storey, Ensign and Adjutant 26 August 1813, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 1 April 1814; Captain 4 October 1827; died 18 June 1830.

21st Foot

James Stewart, 2nd Lieutenant 25 May 1808 from Serjeant-Major; to Lieutenant in York Chasseurs 1814.

22nd Foot

George Jackson, Ensign 11 August 1808 from Serjeant in 17th Foot; retired January 1810.

Thomas Edwards, Ensign and Adjutant 15 February 1811, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 22 December 1813; Captain 25 September 1828.

24th Foot

Robert Topp, Ensign and Adjutant 18 May 1809, from Serjeant-Major, wounded at Talavera; died in Peninsula 11 November 1809.

Hugh Fleming, Ensign and Adjutant 1 January 1810, from Serjeant-Major in 3rd Foot Guards; Lieutenant 26 March 1813; Lieutenant in 13th Royal Veteran Battalion 26 March 1813; retired on full-pay 1821; later a Military Knight of Windsor. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Busaco, Fuentes d’Onoro, Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle and Orthes.

William Fry, Ensign 14 October 1812, from Serjeant-Major in 95th Foot; to half-pay in 1814.

25th Foot

John Keens, Ensign and Adjutant 2 November 1809, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 14 November 1811; to Captain (unattached) in 1827.

26th Foot

Michael Pointon, Ensign and Adjutant 4 October 1810, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 2 July 1812; Captain 13 March 1829; still serving in 1835.

27th Foot

J. Warrington, Ensign 11 July 1811, from Serjeant-Major in 57th Foot; severely wounded at Badajoz 6 April 1812; died of wounds 8 April 1812.

Arthur Byrne, Ensign 17 July 1811, from Quartermaster-Serjeant in 7th Foot; Lieutenant and Adjutant 25 August 1813; still serving in 1830.

William Harris, Ensign and Adjutant 31 July 1812, from Serjeant-Major; to Lieutenant in 13th Royal Veteran Battalion 25 January 1813.

Samuel Ireland, Ensign 25 August 1813, from Serjeant-Major; killed in action at Waterloo.

Fraser Spencer, Ensign and Adjutant 14 October 1813, from Serjeant-Major; died of wounds 13 September 1813.

Lawrence Ward, Ensign and Adjutant 14 July 1814, from Serjeant-Major; to half-pay 11 May 1826.

Thomas Trotter, Ensign and Adjutant 27 October 1814, from Quartermaster-Serjeant; to half-pay 25 October 1816.

28th Foot

Thomas Bridgeland, Ensign and Adjutant 4 February 1811, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 15 April 1813; wounded at Waterloo; died on Malta 5 July 1823.

30th Foot

George Stephenson, Ensign and Adjutant 25 January 1810, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 16 July 1811; died 21 March 1818.

John Donnelly, Ensign 21 November 1813, from Serjeant in 67th Foot; Lieutenant 18 July 1815; to half-pay in 1816.

32nd Foot

Edward Taylor, Ensign 10 September 1812, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 27 January 1814; to half-pay in 1814.

James Henry, Ensign 11 September 1812, from Quartermaster-Serjeant; Lieutenant 10 February 1814; to half-pay in 1814.

Edward Harwood, Ensign 21 October 1813, from Serjeant-Major in 77th Foot; to half-pay in 1814. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Nive and Orthes.

34th Foot

Charles Stewart, Ensign 25 July 1809, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 17 Oct 1811; exchanged to 19th Foot 22 April 1814; exchanged to half-pay of 4th Foot 24 January 1821.

Sampson Pickett, Ensign 25 February 1813, from Serjeant-Major; wounded 16 August 1813; Lieutenant 20 November 1816; to half-pay 25 June 1817. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Busaco, Albuera, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes and Toulouse.

36th Foot

Samuel Wall, Ensign and Adjutant 2 November 1809, from Serjeant in Coldstream Foot Guards; Lieutenant 27 February 1812; Lieutenant in 3rd Royal Veteran Battalion 7 January 1813.

John Colcroft, Ensign and Adjutant 28 February 1812, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 27 May 1813; retired on half-pay of 74th Foot 9 November 1826.

James McCabe, Ensign 8 September 1812, from Serjeant-Major; wounded at Nivelle and Toulouse; Quartermaster 10 May 1821; retired 12 October 1830.

Thomas Gibbons, Ensign 9 September 1812, from Serjeant-Major in 5th Dragoon Guards; to half-pay 7 August 1820.

37th Foot

John Jones, Ensign and Adjutant 10 June 1813, from Serjeant-Major; dead by January 1814.

39th Foot

Thomas Browne, Ensign and Adjutant 27 October 1808, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 19 July 1809; Lieutenant in 13th Royal Veteran Battalion 25 January 1813.

40th Foot

Edward Johnstone, Ensign 7 November 1811, from Serjeant-Major in 48th Foot; severely wounded at Badajoz 6 April 1812; died of wounds 11 April 1812.

Donald McDonald, Ensign 22 October 1812, from Serjeant-Major in 1st Foot; wounded at Toulouse; Lieutenant 7 June 1815; served at Waterloo; to half-pay 25 February 1816. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Corunna, Fuentes d’Onoro, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes and Toulouse.

Pharoah Harley, Ensign 26 August 1813, from Serjeant-Major; to half-pay in 1816.

43rd Foot

Lawrence Steel, Ensign and Adjutant 21 November 1811, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 21 April 1813; served at New Orleans; died in January 1835.

Jonah Harris, Private in 43rd Foot 1807; Ensign and Adjutant 16 December 1813, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 1 January 1816; Captain 29 June 1830.

Special mention:

James Newman, Private in 43rd Foot; promoted for conduct in the retreat to Corunna; Ensign in 1st West India Regiment of Foot 18 May 1809, from Serjeant; Lieutenant in 12th Royal Veteran Battalion 21 March 1811; retired on the Irish full-pay on reduction in 1814; Lieutenant in 6th Royal Veteran Battalion 25 April 1815; to half-pay on reduction in 1816.

44th Foot

Thomas McCann, Ensign 31 March 1814, from Quartermaster-Serjeant; wounded at Waterloo; to half-pay 24 February 1816.

45th Foot

James Yates, Ensign 4 March 1812, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant in 13th (later 9th) Royal Veteran Battalion 25 January 1813; died 6 July 1823.

George Golland, Ensign 5 March 1812, from Serjeant in 5th Foot; killed in action at Badajoz 6 April 1812.

47th Foot

Johnston Burrows, Private in Sligo Militia 1793; Ensign and Adjutant 13 April 1809, from Serjeant-Major in 47th Foot; Lieutenant and Adjutant 13 June 1811; died 23 December 1818.

Duncan Calder, Ensign 30 April 1812, from Serjeant-Major in 77th Foot; Lieutenant 2 December 1813; to half-pay in 1814.

Thomas Carmichael, Ensign 23 October 1813, from Serjeant-Major; wounded at San Sebastian; to half-pay in 1814. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Vittoria, San Sebastian, Nivelle and Nive.

48th Foot

John William Dixon, Ensign and Adjutant 2 November 1809, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 14 August 1811; to half-pay in 1814.

Benjamin Thompson, Ensign 11 July 1811, from Serjeant in 31st Foot; wounded at Badajoz and Nivelle; Lieutenant 29 August 1816; to half-pay in 1816. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Talavera, Albuera, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Nivelle and Tououse.

John Harford, Ensign 26 August 1812, from Serjeant in 3rd Foot Guards; Lieutenant in 13th Royal Veteran Battalion 25 January 1813; served at Waterloo; retired on full-pay in 1821.

George Harwood Skeene, Ensign and Adjutant 11 November 1813, from Serjeant-Major; lost right leg at Toulouse; to half-pay in 1814.

William Foster, Ensign 19 May 1814, from Serjeant-Major; to half-pay in 1814.

49th Foot

Alexander Downie, Ensign and Adjutant 10 June 1813, from Serjeant in 1st Foot Guards; to half-pay in 1814; Adjutant in 6th Foot 2 January 1817; resigned August 1822.

50th Foot

Daniel Lyon, Ensign and Adjutant 28 November 1808, from Serjeant-Major in 1st Foot Guards; Lieutenant 31 May 1810; died in 1819.

51st Foot

William Jones, Ensign and Adjutant 21 February 1811, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 16 April 1813; wounded at Vittoria; served at Waterloo; to half-pay in 60th Foot 25 February 1819.

52nd Foot

John Winterbottom, Ensign and Adjutant 24 November 1808, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 22 February 1810; served at Waterloo; Paymaster 31 May 1821; still serving in  1829; died of yellow fever on Barbados 26 November 1838.

53rd Foot

Alexander Knox, Ensign 3 February 1808, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 18 January 1810; Captain 7 April 1825; retired shortly afterwards.

John Wilton, Ensign 10 March 1813, from Serjeant-Major; Adjutant 26 August 1813; Lieutenant 2 August 1815; retired in 1821.

James Stewart, Ensign 9 June 1812, from Serjeant in 48th Foot; to half-pay 9 September 1824.

56th Foot

George Nesbitt, Ensign 27 March 1811, from Quartermaster-Serjeant; Lieutenant 6 November 1813; died 11 August 1830.

57th Foot

James Leslie, Ensign 15 February 1810, from Serjeant-Major in 3rd Foot Guards; Adjutant 20 May 1813; Lieutenant 21 November 1811; wounded at Badajoz 3 June 1811; POW 1811-1814; to half-pay 5 February 1818.

Samuel Brierley, Ensign 11 July 1811, from Serjeant in 48th Foot; Lieutenant 10 November 1813; to half-pay in 1817.

William Johnston, Ensign 18 July 1811, from Serjeant in 7th Foot; Lieutenant 10 November 1813; killed in action at Nive 13 December 1813.

Thomas Deaman, Ensign and Adjutant 28 April 1814, from Serjeant-Major in 95th Foot; to half-pay in 1816; reinstated 5 February 1818; exchanged to half-pay in 1822.

58th Foot

William Grey, Ensign 25 July 1811, from Serjeant in 3rd Foot; Lieutenant 30 March 1815; to half-pay 25 February 1816.

George Wilson, Ensign 4 June 1812, from Serjeant-Major in 74th Foot; to half-pay in 1816.

59th Foot

Thomas Crawley, Ensign and Adjutant 24 September 1812, from Serjeant-Major; wounded at San Sebastian 25 July 1813; Lieutenant 24 May 1814; to half-pay in 1816.

60th Foot

Gottlieb Serche, Ensign 14 May 1812, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 19 August 1813; to half-pay of Royal Waggon Train in 1816.

Andrew Weiburg, Ensign and Adjutant 10 December 1812, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 21 April 1814; to Veteran Company in Newfoundland in 1826.

Karl Wevel von Kruger, Ensign 22 January 1814, from Serjeant in KGL; exchanged to half-pay of Ceylon Regiment in 1824.

Christian Katzmann, Ensign 23 January 1814, from Serjeant in KGL; to half-pay 24 April 1822.

Friedrich Weiss, Ensign 24 January 1814, from Paymaster-Serjeant in KGL; to half-pay 25 July 1818.

Wilhelm Bruns, Ensign 25 January 1814, from Serjeant in KGL; to half-pay 4 November 1819.

Karl Wilhelme, Ensign 26 January 1814, from Serjeant in KGL; died in 1816.

William Heurmann, Ensign 27 January 1814, from Corporal in KGL; exchanged to half-pay in 1822.

Thomas Adams, Ensign and Adjutant 15 June 1815, from Quartermaster-Serjeant; to half-pay in 1818.

Richard Packer, Ensign and Adjutant 16 November 1815, from Serjeant-Major; to half-pay in 1818.

61st Foot

William Bace, Ensign and Adjutant 9 February 1809, from Quartermaster-Serjeant; Lieutenant 2 October 1811; brought 61st out of action at Toulouse (received Gold Medal); exchanged to half-pay of 3rd Foot 19 December 1816; received General Service Medal with clasps for Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive and Orthes; died in November 1852.

Andrew Connell, Ensign 3 October 1811, from Serjeant-Major; Adjutant 2 July 1812; Lieutenant 29 September 1813; to half-pay in 1814.

John Bell, Ensign 10 February 1814, from Serjeant-Major; to half-pay in 1814. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Busaco, Salamanca, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes and Toulouse.

63rd Foot

James Simpson, Ensign 30 June 1808, from Quartermaster-Serjeant; Lieutenant 29 June 1809; appears to have died shortly thereafter.

66th Foot

William Gilbert, Ensign 23 December 1813, from Serjeant-Major in 3rd Foot Guards; Lieutenant 14 September 1816; to half-pay in 1816.

68th Foot

John Kearnes, Ensign 5 January 1814, from Serjeant-Major; to half-pay 25 July 1819. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle and Orthes.

69th Foot

Henry Oldershaw, Ensign 10 June 1812, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 3 February 1814; served at Waterloo; Quartermaster in 33rd Foot 3 August 1832; still serving in 1842.

70th Foot

James Samson, Ensign and Adjutant 18 September 1810, from Serjeant-Major in 42nd Foot; Lieutenant 22 April 1812; Captain 24 September 1829; retired before 1835.

71st Foot

John Fraser, Ensign and Adjutant 14 July 1808, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 17 July 1809; exchanged to 87th Foot 30 May 1816; to half-pay 1816.

??? Robertson, Ensign and Adjutant 10 May 1809, from Serjeant-Major; resigned August 1810.

John Graham, Ensign and Adjutant 11 May 1809, from Serjeant; Lieutenant 20 July 1810; killed in action at Fuentes d'Onoro 5 May 1811.

William Anderson, Ensign and Adjutant 2 August 1810, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 7 August 1812; served at Waterloo; to half-pay 25 December 1818.

William Gavin, Ensign 29 May 1811, from Quartermaster-Serjeant; Quartermaster 2 April 1812; served at Waterloo; exchanged to half-pay of 4th Dragoons 26 October 1815.

Abraham Moffatt, Ensign 5 August 1813, from Serjeant-Major; served at Waterloo; Lieutenant 22 June 1815; to half-pay 25 February 1816.

John Spalding, Ensign 20 January 1814, from Serjeant-Major; served at Waterloo; Lieutenant in 25th Foot 30 March 1826; still serving in 1835.

72nd Foot

Richard Coventry, Ensign and Adjutant 11 January 1810, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 20 August 1812; resigned in May 1819.

Thomas Whitaker, Ensign and Adjutant 24 June 1813, from Serjeant-Major 76th Foot; to half-pay in 1816.

73rd Foot

Thomas Frederick James, Ensign and Adjutant 12 January 1809, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 11 November 1810; resigned in January 1815.

74th Foot

Henry White, Ensign and Adjutant 5 April 1810, from Serjeant in 1st Foot Guards; Lieutenant 29 April 1812; wounded at Fuentes d’Onoro and Vittoria; to Lieutenant in 7th Royal Veteran Battalion 1816. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Corunna, Busaco, Fuentes d’Onoro, Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca and Vittoria.

Robert Barker, Ensign 30 May 1811, from Serjeant-Major in 42nd Foot; Lieutenant 22 October 1812; retired on half-pay of Royal Africa Corps in 1828.

Lachlan McPherson, Private in 74th Foot 1807; Ensign 31 March 1814, from Serjeant-Major; wounded at Vittoria and Toulouse; Lieutenant 7 April 1825; Captain 19 March 1827; still serving in 1835; later Staff Officer of Pensions. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Busaco, Fuentes d’Onoro, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Orthes and Toulouse.

75th Foot

James Hutcheon, Ensign 10 April 1809, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 6 October 1813; still serving in 1830; died in 1837.

76th Foot

Benjamin Rooth, Ensign and Adjutant 30 June 1808, from Serjeant-Major in 43rd Foot; Lieutenant 10 May 1809; to Captain (unattached) in 1828. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Corunna, Nivelle and Nive.

79th Foot

Nathaniel Carter, Ensign 30 May 1811, from Serjeant-Major in 45th Foot; Lieutenant 29 October 1812; exchanged to half-pay of Royal Staff Corps 13 October 1815.

Isaac Cheetham, Ensign 6 August 1811, from Serjeant-Major in 29th Foot; Lieutenant in 40th Foot 10 December 1812; Adjutant 17 December 1812; wounded at Nivelle; to half-pay in 1817. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Roleia, Vimiera, Talavera, Busaco, Albuera, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Orthes and Toulouse.

Thomas Cowan, Ensign 29 October 1812, from Serjeant-Major in 40th Foot; Lieutenant 26 May 1814; died January 1823.

James Robertson, Ensign 6 January 1814, from Serjeant-Major in 91st Foot; wounded at Quatre Bras; served at Waterloo; to half-pay 25 February 1816. Received General Service Medal with clasps for Corunna, Busaco, Fuentes d’Onoro, Salamanca, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive and Toulouse.

82nd Foot

William Herron, Ensign and Adjutant 4 May 1809, from Serjeant-Major in 3rd Foot Guards; Lieutenant in 12th Royal Veteran Battalion 14 November 1810.

Robert Thomas Elliott, Ensign 6 January 1814, from Serjeant-Major in 45th Foot; Lieutenant 23 July 1818; Adjutant 19 November 1818; Captain 20 November 1827; received General Service Medal with clasps for Roleia, Vimiera, Talavera, Busaco, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, and Orthes; died in August 1865.

83rd Foot

Luke Browne, Ensign 31 December 1812, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 4 August 1818; to half-pay 20 July 1820.

84th Foot

Charles Pullman, Ensign and Adjutant 25 May 1808, from Serjeant in 1st Foot Guards; Lieutenant 13 September 1809; died in 1815.

86th Foot

James Birkett, Ensign 24 September 1809, from Serjeant; Lieutenant 1 January 1810; dismissed in 1815.

87th Foot

Patrick Masterson, Ensign 27 June 1811 from Serjeant (captured Eagle at Barrosa, via York Light Infantry Volunteers); Lieutenant 17 November 1813; Captain 7 November 1825; retired in 1828.

Robert Wallace, Ensign 5 August 1813, from Serjeant-Major; died 31 May 1814.

88th Foot

Samuel Simpkin Fisher, Ensign in 77th Foot 5 September 1811, from Serjeant-Major in 88th Foot; Ensign and Adjutant in 88th Foot 21 November 1811; to half-pay 25 March 1816.

D. McIntosh, Ensign 30 May 1811, from Serjeant in 79th Foot; Lieutenant 21 April 1814; to half-pay in 1816.

Richard Giles, Ensign 26 March 1812, from Serjeant-Major; retired in June 1812.

Nicholas Thorpe, Ensign 20 April 1814, from Serjeant-Major; killed shortly afterwards.

90th Foot

Alexander Wilson, Ensign and Adjutant 11 February 1813, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 6 April 1820; retired in 1821.

91st Foot

Patrick Cahill, Ensign 31 March 1814, from Serjeant-Major; served in Waterloo campaign; Lieutenant 11 August 1822; Adjutant 23 August 1823; died on Jamaica in 1827.

92nd Foot

Ewen Kennedy, Ensign 26 November 1812, from Quartermaster-Serjeant; killed in action in Pyrenees 25 July 1813.

Ewen Cameron, Ensign 22 October 1812, from Quartermaster-Serjeant; Lieutenant 16 September 1813; to half-pay in 1814.

Samuel Turner, Ensign 25 February 1813, from Serjeant in 3rd Foot Guards; Lieutenant 23 December 1813; to half-pay in 1814.

Duncan McPherson, Ensign 23 December 1813, from Serjeant-Major; served at Waterloo; Lieutenant 22 October 1819; Captain 22 September 1825; to half-pay in April 1826.

93rd Foot

James Ireland, Ensign and Adjutant 25 April 1813, from Serjeant; Lieutenant 17 March 1815; died on Antigua 25 June 1827.

Howell Ball, Ensign and Adjutant 20 May 1813, from Serjeant-Major in 3rd Foot Guards; to half-pay in 1816.

99th Foot

John Hutchinson, Ensign and Adjutant 12 November 1812, from Serjeant in 1st Foot Guards; Lieutenant 6 November 1815; to half-pay on reduction 25 September 1818.

100th Foot

Samuel James Hingston, Ensign and Adjutant 4 January 1810, from Serjeant-Major; Lieutenant 15 May 1813; to half-pay on reduction 25 September 1818.

102nd Foot

??? Wikeley, Ensign and Adjutant 12 November 1812, from Serjeant-Major in 50th Foot; Lieutenant 3 January 1814; to half-pay on reduction 25 February 1818.

Sources:

War Office. Army Lists 1780 to 1835. London: various years.

Reid, Stuart. Wellington’s Officers, Volume 1. Leigh-On-Sea: Partizan Press, 2008.

Reid, Stuart. Wellington’s Officers, Volume 2. Leigh-On-Sea: Partizan Press, 2009.

Reid, Stuart. Wellington’s Officers, Volume 3. Leigh-On-Sea: Partizan Press, 2011.

Philippart, John. The Royal Military Calendar, or Army Service and Commission Book. London: A.J. Valpy, 1820.

London Gazette. March 2013.

Challis, Lionel. Peninsula Roll Call . The Napoleon Series. March 2013.

17th-18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers. April 2013. National Library of Australia.


Placed on the Napoleon Series: April 2013

Biographies ]

© Copyright 1995-2013, The Napoleon Series, All Rights Reserved.