FIFTH BATTALION.
On the 14th August, 1794, an augmentation of five companies to the Royal Artillery was sanctioned, to be called, after organization, the Fifth Battalion. The companies were formed,—two at Plymouth and three at Woolwich,—by transfers from other battalions. Major-General Duncan Drummond was appointed Colonel en seconde; the first Lieutenant-Colonel was Edward Williams; and the Major, Robert Douglas. Captains Rogers and Miller commanded the companies formed at Plymouth, and Captains Hutton, Harding, and Sproule, those at Woolwich. The following was the strength of the five companies:—
| 10 | Captains and Captain-Lieutenants. |
| 12 | Lieutenants, 15 being the normal number. |
| 2 | Staff Sergeants. |
| 20 | Sergeants. |
| 45 | Corporals and Bombardiers. |
| 5 | Drummers. |
| 324 | Gunners. |
On the 6th March, 1795, five additional companies were added to the battalion; and the total number of companies remained ten until the year 1819, when Nos. 7 and 8 were reduced; Nos. 9 and 10 becoming respectively Nos. 7 and 8.
No very great augmentation to the strength of the battalion took place during the earlier years of its existence, except in the year 1804, when a second Colonel was added, and also twenty men per company. The services of the companies were very varied and distinguished, including the Campaigns in Egypt, Cape of Good Hope, South America, Spain, and Holland.
Annexed is the history of each Company's active service, and the succession of Captains up to the introduction of the Brigade System:—
No. 1 COMPANY, 5th BATTALION,
Now "F" BATTERY, 1st BRIGADE.
| Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. |
| 1814 | Castine, North America. |
| 1854 | Expedition to the Crimea, and Fall of Sebastopol. |
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| 1794 | Captain Henry Rogers. |
| 1802 | Captain Charles Gold. |
| 1803 | Captain Henry Phillott. |
| 1814 | Captain Hon. H. Gardner. |
| 1822 | Captain Edward Walsh. |
| 1825 | Captain A. F. Crawford. |
| 1837 | Captain W. Lemoine. |
| 1838 | Captain Edmund Sheppard. |
| 1840 | Captain W. B. Ingilby. |
| 1842 | Captain J. Bloomfield. |
| 1842 | Captain P. H. Sandilands. |
| 1846 | Captain W. F. Williams. |
| 1855 | Captain H. A. B. Campbell. |
No. 2 COMPANY, 5th BATTALION,
Now "D" BATTERY, 8th BRIGADE.
| Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. |
| 1815 | Capture of Guadaloupe. |
| 1855 | Detachments embarked for Expedition to the Crimea, and Fall of Sebastopol. |
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| 1794 | Captain James Miller. |
| 1802 | Captain J. H. Carncross. |
| 1809 | Captain Robert Douglas. |
| 1811 | Captain J. Chamberlayne. |
| 1811 | Captain F. Campbell. |
| 1828 | Captain J. Gray. |
| 1841 | Captain E. Morgan. |
| 1844 | Captain R. J. Dacres. |
| 1852 | Captain John Travers. |
| 1858 | Captain W. B. Saunders. |
No. 3 COMPANY, 5th BATTALION
Now "2" BATTERY, 2nd BRIGADE.
| Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. |
| 1805 | Expedition to the Cape of Good Hope. |
| 1806 | Capture of the Cape. |
| 1806 | First Expedition to the River Plate. |
| 1806 | Capture of Buenos Ayres. |
| 1806 | Second Expedition to River Plate. |
| 1807 | Siege of Monte Video. |
| 1810 | Expedition to the Isle of France. |
| 1826 | Expedition to Portugal. |
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| 1794 | Captain Henry Hutton. |
| 1802 | Captain Alexander Watson. |
| 1809 | Captain Edward Wilgress. |
| 1827 | Captain William Dunn. |
| 1837 | Captain J. L. Smith. |
| 1846 | Captain W. H. Askwith. |
| 1855 | Captain G. Colclough. |
| 1855 | Captain F. W. C. Ord. |
| 1858 | Captain O. B. B. Woolsey. |
No. 4 COMPANY, 5th BATTALION,
Now "3" BATTERY, 2nd BRIGADE.
| Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. |
| 1805 | Expedition to Hanover. |
| 1808 | Expedition to Portugal and Spain. |
| 1808 | Battle of Roleia.[[56]] |
| 1808 | Battle of Vimieiro. |
| 1809 | Battle of Corunna. |
| 1812 | Expedition to the Adriatic. |
| 1813 | Siege of Tarragona. |
| 1851-3 | Kaffir War. |
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| 1794 | Captain John Harding. |
| 1802 | Captain Henry Geary. |
| 1808 | Captain Robert Carthew. |
| 1809 | Captain James St. Clair. |
| 1809 | Captain R. J. J. Lacy. |
| 1827 | Captain H. Jackson. |
| 1838 | Captain F. Macbean. |
| 1841 | Captain T. A. Lethbridge. |
| 1861 | Captain H. R. Eardley-Wilmot.[[57]] |
| 1852 | Captain Hon. G. T. Devereux. |
| 1858 | Captain W. N. Hardy.[[58]] |
| 1858 | Captain R. J. Hay. |
No. 5 COMPANY, 5th BATTALION,
Now "1" BATTERY, 5th BRIGADE,
| Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. |
| 1801 | Expedition to Egypt. |
| 1801 | Siege of Alexandria. |
| 1809 | Expedition to Walcheren. |
| 1809 | Siege of Flushing. |
| 1815 | Expedition to Holland and France. |
| 1815 | Detachments present at the Battle of Waterloo. |
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| 1794 | Captain F. M. Sprowle. |
| 1803 | Captain S. G. Adye. |
| 1812 | Captain C. Ilbert. |
| 1816 | Captain Thomas Greatley. |
| 1817 | Captain William Roberts. |
| 1825 | Captain R. B. Hunt. |
| 1832 | Captain F. Wright. |
| 1840 | Captain H. Slade. |
| 1841 | Captain H. G. Ord. |
| 1841 | Captain R. Tomkyns. |
| 1848 | Captain C. L. Fitzgerald. |
| 1858 | Captain C. R. O. Evans. |
No. 6 COMPANY, 5th BATTALION,
Now "3" BATTERY, 3rd BRIGADE.
| Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. |
| 1800 | Expedition to Egypt. |
| 1801 | Siege of Fort Aboukir. |
| 1801 | Battle of Alexandria. |
| 1801 | Siege of Alexandria. |
| 1813 | Expedition to Holland and France. |
| 1815 | Battle of Waterloo. |
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| 1795 | Captain John Wood. |
| 1802 | Captain A. Y. Spearman. |
| 1803 | Captain Richard Buckner. |
| 1803 | Captain Jno. S. Williamson. |
| 1808 | Captain Richard Buckner. |
| 1811 | Captain W. G. Elliott. |
| 1813 | Captain Charles Tyler. |
| 1818 | Captain B. T. Walsh. |
| 1822 | Captain Hon. H. Gardner. |
| 1823 | Captain A. C. Mercer. |
| 1835 | Captain Jos. Hanwell. |
| 1847 | Captain T. A. Shone. |
| 1847 | Captain C. Gostling. |
| 1851 | Captain M. C. Marston. |
| 1855 | Captain P. F. G. Scott. |
| 1858 | Captain P. D. Margesson. |
No. 7 COMPANY, 5th BATTALION,
Reduced in 1819.
| Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. |
| 1801 | Expedition to Egypt. |
| 1801 | Siege of Alexandria. |
| 1809 | Reduction of Fort Dasaix and Island of Martinique.[[59]] |
| 1810 | Expedition to Guadaloupe. |
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| 1795 | Captain George Cookson. |
| 1799 | Captain I. Wood. |
| 1802 | Captain A. Y. Spearman. |
| 1803 | Captain Hon. H. Gardner. |
| 1804 | Captain Brooke Young. |
| 1808 | Captain Samuel Reynell. |
| 1814 | Captain Chris. Wilkinson. |
No. 8 COMPANY, 5th BATTALION,
Reduced in 1819.
| Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. |
| 1799 | Expedition to Holland. |
| 1805 | Expedition to Hanover. |
| 1809 | Capture of Martinique. |
| 1810 | Expedition to Portugal. |
| 1810 | Taking of Matagoiad. |
| 1811 | Battle of Barosa. |
| 1813 | Battle of Vittoria. |
| 1814 | Operations against Fort Erie. |
| 1814 | Defence of the Log Bridge. |
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| 1795 | Captain P. Riou. |
| 1803 | Captain H. Owen. |
| 1815 | Captain S. J. Rawlinson. |