Historical Record of the Thirty-first, or, the Huntingdonshire Regiment of Foot; / containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1702, and of its subsequent services to 1850

by Richard Cannon

SUCCESSION OF COLONELS

OF

THE THIRTY-FIRST,

OR

THE HUNTINGDONSHIRE REGIMENT OF FOOT.

---

George Villiers,

Appointed 12th February 1702.

This officer did not long enjoy the colonelcy of the regiment, as his decease occurred in December 1703, when he was unfortunately drowned while in command of the regiment on board the fleet.

Alexander Lutterell,

Appointed 6th December 1703.

Upon the decease of Colonel Villiers, Lieut.-Colonel Alexander Lutterell was promoted to the colonelcy of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment, which he held but for a few years, his decease occurring early in the year 1706.

Josiah Churchill,

Appointed 1st February 1706.

Lieut.-Colonel Josiah Churchill was promoted on the 1st of February 1706, to the colonelcy of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment, at that period serving as Marines. In March 1711 Colonel Churchill received permission from Her Majesty Queen Anne to sell his commission.

Sir Harry Goring, Bart.,

Appointed 1st March 1711.

Colonel Churchill having sold his commission, Lieut.-Colonel Sir Harry Goring, Bart., was promoted to the colonelcy of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment on the 1st of March, 1711. Sir Harry Goring retired on the 8th of September, 1716.

Lord John Kerr,

Appointed 8th September 1716.

Colonel Sir Harry Goring having retired, His Majesty King George the First conferred the colonelcy of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment on Lord John Kerr, the commission being dated 8th of September, 1716. His Lordship’s decease occurred on the 1st of August 1728.

The Honorable Charles Cathcart,

Appointed 13th August 1728.

The Honorable Charles Cathcart, son of Alan, seventh Lord Cathcart, entered the army in the eighteenth year of his age, and in 1704 he commanded a company in Colonel Macartney’s regiment (since disbanded), serving on the frontiers of Holland. In 1706 he commanded a troop in the Scots Greys, which corps distinguished itself at the battle of Ramilies in the same year: in 1707 he was brigade major to the Earl of Stair. Continuing in active service with the army under the Duke of Marlborough, he acquired the reputation of a brave and zealous officer: in 1709 he was appointed major of the Scots Greys, and was soon afterwards promoted to the lieut.-colonelcy of the regiment. On the accession of King George I., he was appointed one of the grooms of His Majesty’s bedchamber. In the autumn of 1715 he joined the forces under the Duke of Argyle at Stirling, and served against the rebels under the Earl of Mar. On the 23rd of October, he was detached against a hundred rebel horse and two hundred foot, whom he attacked with his dragoons, killed many, and took seventeen prisoners. At the battle of Sheriffmuir on the 13th of November, in the same year, he charged the insurgents at the head of the Scots Greys, and contributed materially to the overthrow of the left wing of the rebel army. His Majesty rewarded him with the colonelcy of the ninth foot, in 1717; but he only retained this appointment eleven months. In 1728 he obtained the colonelcy of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment, and was removed, in 1731, to the eighth dragoons. In 1732 he succeeded to the title of Lord Cathcart; he was appointed lord of the bedchamber to King George II. in the following year, and was promoted to the colonelcy of the seventh horse, now sixth dragoon guards. In 1739 he was advanced to the rank of major-general. His Lordship was chosen one of the representatives of the Scottish peerage in several parliaments; and was governor of Duncannon fort, and of Londonderry. An attack on the Spanish possessions in America having been resolved upon, in the year 1739, Lord Cathcart was selected to command the expedition: at the same time he was appointed commander-in-chief in America; but he died on his passage in December, 1740, and was buried on the beach of Prince Rupert’s Bay, Dominica, where a monument was erected to his memory.

William Hargrave,

Appointed 1st January 1731.

William Hargrave was appointed ensign in a regiment of foot in 1694, and he served in the wars of Queen Anne. He proved a good and useful officer, but was not conspicuous for any quality calculated to attract attention. After serving twenty years he was appointed major of the thirty-sixth foot, and subsequently lieut.-colonel of the seventh Royal Fusiliers. In 1731 he was promoted to the colonelcy of the THIRTY-FIRST foot, and was appointed to the ninth in 1737. He was removed to the seventh royal fusiliers, and promoted to the rank of major-general in 1739, and was advanced to the rank of lieut.-general in 1743. He died in 1751.

William Handasyd,

Appointed 27th January 1737.

Colonel William Handasyd was promoted from the fifteenth foot to the colonelcy of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment on the 27th of January 1737, in succession to Colonel William Hargrave, who was removed to the ninth foot. Brigadier-General Handasyd died near Hammersmith on the 27th of February 1745.

Lord Henry Beauclerk,

Appointed 22nd April 1745.

King George II. appointed Colonel Lord Henry Beauclerk from the forty-eighth to the colonelcy of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment on the 22nd of April 1745, in succession to Brigadier-General Handasyd, deceased. Colonel Lord Henry Beauclerk retired from the service on the 8th of May, 1749.

Henry Holmes,

Appointed 8th May 1749.

Colonel Lord Henry Beauclerk having retired from the service, Colonel Henry Holmes was appointed to the colonelcy of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment on the 8th of May 1749. Colonel Holmes was promoted to the rank of Major-General on the 2nd of February, 1756, and to that of Lieut.-General on the 2nd of April, 1759. Lieut.-General Holmes died in the year 1762.

Sir James Adolphus Oughton,

Appointed 20th August 1762.

Colonel Oughton was removed by His Majesty King George III. from the colonelcy of the fifty-fifth to that of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment on the 20th of August 1762, in succession to Lieut.-General Holmes deceased. Colonel Oughton was promoted to the rank of major-general on the 15th of August 1761, and to that of lieut.-general on the 30th of April 1770. His Majesty King George III. also constituted him a Knight of the Order of the Bath. Lieut.-General Sir James Adolphus Oughton, K.B., died in April 1780.

Thomas Clarke,

Appointed 3rd May 1780.

Major-General Thomas Clarke, from the Coldstream Guards, was appointed on the 3rd of May 1780 to the colonelcy of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment in succession to Lieut.-General Sir James Adolphus Oughton, deceased. Major-General Clarke was promoted to the rank of lieut.-general on the 20th of November 1782; and on the 8th of February 1792, he was removed to the thirtieth regiment. On the 3rd of May, 1796, he was advanced to the rank of general. His decease occurred in the year 1799.

James Stuart,

Appointed 8th February 1792.

Major-General James Stuart was appointed from the half-pay ninetieth regiment, which corps was disbanded at the Peace of 1763, to the colonelcy of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment, on the 8th of February 1792, in succession to Lieut.-General Thomas Clarke, removed to the thirtieth foot. Major-General Stuart’s decease occurred in the following year.

Henry Earl of Mulgrave, G.C.B.

Appointed 8th February 1793.

Lord Mulgrave entered the army on the 8th of June 1775, as an ensign in the first foot guards, in which regiment he was promoted lieutenant and captain on the 2nd of April 1778; on the 30th of August 1779 he was promoted to the rank of major in the eighty-fifth regiment, and to that of lieut.-colonel of the eighty-eighth regiment on the 4th of October 1780. He was removed to the forty-fifth regiment on the 9th of January 1782, and was appointed captain and lieut.-colonel in the first foot guards on the 6th of June 1783. He was advanced to the rank of colonel in the army on the 18th of November 1790. His Majesty King George III. conferred the colonelcy of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment upon Colonel Lord Mulgrave on the 8th of February, 1793. Lord Mulgrave was advanced to the rank of major-general on the 3rd October 1794; to that of lieut.-general on the 1st of January 1801; and to that of general on the 25th of October 1809.

Lord Mulgrave served in America from 1776 to the end of 1778; in the West Indies in 1780:—he commanded at Toulon in 1793; in Zealand in 1794; and in 1799 his Lordship was employed on a military mission to the Archduke Charles and Marshal Suvaroff. During the course of his military career, Lord Mulgrave received the thanks, in public orders, of the officers under whom he served. His Lordship was appointed Master-General of the Ordnance on the 5th of May 1810, and held that appointment until the 31st of December, 1818. On the 15th of August 1812, he was created Earl of Mulgrave and Viscount Normanby. His Lordship was also appointed Governor of Scarborough Castle. On the 20th of May 1820, his Lordship was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath. General the Earl of Mulgrave died on the 12th of April 1831.

Sir Henry Warde, G.C.B.

Appointed 13th April 1831.

In March 1783, this officer was appointed ensign in the first regiment of foot guards, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and captain in 1792; in the following year he landed in Holland with the first troops sent to that country, and was wounded in storming the outworks at the siege of Valenciennes. He came home, and when recovered, returned early in July 1794, and acted as adjutant to the third battalion of foot guards; he returned in November, on being promoted to a company, with the rank of lieut.-colonel. He served in the expedition to Ostend, as lieut.-colonel, with Lieut.-General Sir Ralph Abercromby at the Helder, and was present in all the actions. On the 1st of January 1801, His Majesty King George III. conferred on him the brevet of colonel, and in 1804 he was appointed brigadier-general; he served under Lord Cathcart at Copenhagen in 1807, and his name was included in the vote of thanks from Parliament for his services on that expedition. He was appointed major-general on the 25th of April 1808, and he commanded the first brigade of guards, in the force under Lieut.-General Sir David Baird sent to Corunna in 1808, and returned after that battle. For his services at the battle of Corunna, he again received the thanks of Parliament, and a medal. He proceeded to India in 1809, and as second in command under Lieut.-General Abercromby, to the Mauritius in 1810, where he remained in command of the troops after the capture. For the conquest of the Island of the Mauritius his name was included in the vote of thanks from Parliament. He was afterwards acting governor for three months, and was subsequently appointed to the command of the forces at the Mauritius. On the 1st of January 1813, Major-General Sir Henry Warde was appointed colonel of the sixty-eighth foot, and was advanced to the rank of lieut.-general on the 4th of June, 1813. In January 1815, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, and was advanced to the dignity of a Knight Grand Cross on the 13th of September, 1831. On the 22nd of July 1830, he was promoted to the rank of general.

On the 13th of April 1831, General Sir Henry Warde was removed from the sixty-eighth to the colonelcy of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment. His decease occurred on the 1st of October, 1834, at Alresford, in Hampshire.

Sir Edward Barnes, G.C.B.

Appointed 10th October, 1831.

This officer was appointed major in the ninety-ninth regiment on the 16th of November, 1794, which corps was directed to be raised early in that year, in consequence of the war with France. In the year 1796 the ninety-ninth regiment was reduced. Major Barnes was promoted to the brevet rank of lieut.-colonel on the 1st of January, 1800, and on the 17th of February following, was appointed from the half-pay of the late ninety-ninth Foot to be major in the seventy-ninth regiment, from which he was promoted to the rank of lieut.-colonel of the forty-sixth regiment on the 23rd of April 1807. He was promoted colonel in the army on the 25th of July 1810, and was advanced to the rank of major-general on the 4th of June 1813. He served on the staff in Spain and Portugal, to which he was appointed on the 8th of August, 1812, and commanded a brigade at the battles of Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, and Orthes. He also served with the army in the campaign of 1815 in the Netherlands and France, as adjutant-general, and was severely wounded in the battle of Waterloo. For his services the major-general was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, and had the honor to wear a cross and three clasps; was also appointed a Knight of the Austrian Order of Maria Theresa, and of the first class of St. Anne of Russia.

Major-General Sir Edward Barnes was appointed colonel of the late ninety-ninth regiment on the 24th of October 1816, and on the 13th of January 1819, he was appointed major-general on the staff at Ceylon, of which island he was appointed governor, and lieut.-general on the staff, in March 1823, which he held until October 1831. On the 13th of May 1820, he was appointed Colonel-Commandant of the Rifle Brigade, and was removed to the seventy-eighth regiment on the 25th of August, 1822. On the 27th of May 1825, he was promoted to the rank of lieut.-general, and in the year 1832 was nominated a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath. On the 10th of January, 1832, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief in the East Indies with the local rank of general, which he held until the 15th of October of the following year. Lieut.-General Sir Edward Barnes was appointed by His Majesty King William IV. to the colonelcy of the THIRTY-FIRST regiment on the 10th of October 1834. His decease occurred in London on the 19th of March 1838.

Sir Colin Halkett, G.C.B.

Appointed, 28th March 1838.

Removed to the forty-fifth regiment on the 12th July 1847.

The Honorable Henry Otway Trevor, C.B.

Appointed 12th July 1847.