1772—1779.
Origin of Corps—Its establishment and pay—Engineers to command it—Its designation—Working pay—Recruiting—Dismissal of civil artificers—Names of officers—Non-commissioned officers—First augmentation—Consequent promotions—Names of other officers joined—King’s Bastion—Second augmentation.
Before the year 1772, the works at Gibraltar were mainly executed by civil mechanics from the Continent and England, who were not engaged for any term of years, but were hired like ordinary artificers, and could leave the Rock whenever they felt disposed. Not being amenable to military discipline, they were indolent and disorderly, and wholly regardless of authority. The only means of punishing them was by reprimand, suspension, or dismissal, and these means were quite ineffectual to check irregularities. The dismissal of mechanics and replacing them by others was always attended with considerable inconvenience and expense, and often failed to secure an equivalent advantage. Consequently, the works progressed very slowly, imposing much additional trouble and anxiety upon the officers. Even the better class of artificers—locally termed “guinea men” from their high wages—who had something at stake in their situations, could not be relied upon. It therefore became necessary that steps should be taken to put a stop to the evil, and to secure the services of a sufficient number of steady, obedient mechanics, upon whom dependence could, at all times, be placed, for the proper execution of the works.
With this view, Lieutenant-Colonel William Green, the chief engineer at the fortress, suggested the formation of a company of military artificers as the only expedient. Of the value of this suggestion some experience had been derived, from the occasional occupation on the works, of mechanics belonging to the different regiments in garrison. Indeed, ever since the taking of Gibraltar, in 1704, soldiers had so been employed, particularly artillerymen, whose services to the fortress were always found to be beneficial. There was every reason, therefore, to expect that, when the department became entirely military in its character, corresponding results on a large scale would ensue. Besides which it was considered, that the employment of a military company on the works, organized expressly for the purpose, would produce a great saving of expense to the public; and also, that the men would be ready to participate in any military operation for the defence of the place, either as artificers or soldiers, should our relations with other countries render it desirable.
Influenced by these considerations, Colonel Green submitted the suggestion to the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor of Gibraltar. Too well aware themselves of the disadvantages of the system of civil labour in carrying on the works of The fortress, they were favourable to the trial of any experiment that promised success; and in recommending the plan to the attention of the Secretary of State, they expressed their decided opinion that many advantages would certainly arise to the service and the fortress by its adoption. The royal consent was accordingly given to the measure in a Warrant, under the sign manual, dated 6th March, 1772; and thus originated the corps, whose history is attempted to be traced in these pages.
The Warrant authorized the raising and forming of a company of artificers to consist of the following numbers and ranks, with the regimental pay annexed to each rank:—
| s. | d. | |||
| 1 | Sergeant and as adjutant[[1]] | 3 | 0 | a-day. |
| 3 | Sergeants, each | 1 | 6 | ” |
| 3 | Corporals | 1 | 2 | ” |
| 60 | Privates, or working men skilled in the following trades:—Stone-cutters, masons, miners, lime-burners, carpenters, smiths, gardeners, or wheelers, each | 0 | 10 | ” |
| 1 | Drummer | 0 | 10 | ” |
| 68 | Total. | |||
And officers of the corps of engineers were appointed to command this new body, to which was given the name of “The Soldier-Artificer Company.”[[2]]
Each non-commissioned officer and man was to receive as a remuneration for his labour a sum not exceeding two reals[[3]] a day in addition to his regimental pay; but this extra allowance was only to be given for such days as he was actually employed on the works.
The recruiting for the company was a service of but little difficulty, as permission was granted to fill it with men from the regiments then serving in the garrison; and although the company was restricted to the taking of properly qualified mechanics of good character, yet, at the end of the year, after supplying the places occasioned by casualties, there were only eighteen rank and file wanting to complete. As vacancies occurred, such of the soldiers of the garrison as came up to the established criteria, and wished to be transferred into the company, were allowed the indulgence; and this mode was the only one followed, for filling up the soldier-artificers, for many years after their formation.
The whole of the civil mechanics were not discharged from the department on account of this measure. Such of them were retained as were considered, from their qualifications and conduct, to be useful in the fortress, and they were placed under the superintendence of the non-commissioned officers of the company, who were appointed foremen of the different trades. The foreign artificers were, with few exceptions,[exceptions,] dismissed; and twenty English “contracted artificers,” or “guinea men,” were sent home. Previously, however, such of the good men of the number as were willing to be “entertained” in the company were permitted the option of enlisting, but none availed themselves of the offer.
The officers of engineers who were first attached to the company were the following:—
Lieutenant-Colonel William Green, captain.
Captain John Phipps, Esq.
Capt.-Lieut. and Captain Theophilus Lefance, Esq.
Lieutenant John Evelegh.
And they were desired to take under their command and inspection the non-commissioned officers and private men of the company, and to pay particular attention to their good conduct and regular behaviour.[[4]]
On the 30th June, the date on which the company was first mustered, the non-commissioned officers were—
| Sergeant-major | Thomas Bridges.[[5]] |
| Sergeant | David Young, Carpenter. |
| Sergeant | Henry Ince, Miner. |
To these were added, on the 31st December—
| Sergeant | Edward Macdonald. |
| Corporal | Robert Blair, and |
| Corporal | Peter Fraser. |
and soon afterwards—
| Corporal | Robert Brand, |
who completed the non-commissioned officers to the full number authorised by the warrant.
At the time the soldier-artificers were raised, the extensive works ordered to be executed by his Majesty in October, 1770, were in progress, and furnished an excellent opportunity for testing their capabilities and merits. The advantage of the change, and the consequent benefits accruing to the fortress, were soon apparent. Scarcely had the company been in existence a year, before Major-General Boyd, the Lieutenant-Governor, impressed with the conviction of its usefulness, represented, in several communications to Lord Rochford, the Secretary of State, the expediency of augmenting it; and he was the more urgent for its sanction as the new works in hand—which were absolutely essential for the defence of the place—required to be hastened with all possible despatch. The recommendation, coming from so high an authority, met with ready attention, and a Warrant dated 25th March, 1774, was accordingly issued for adding twenty-five men to the company. Its establishment was then fixed as follows:—
| Sergeant-major | 1 |
| Sergeants | 4 |
| Corporals | 4 |
| Drummer | 1 |
| Private artificers | 83 |
| Total | 93 |
To the former list of non-commissioned officers were now added—
John Richmond, sergeant.
John Brown,[[6]] corporal.
Ensign William Skinner joined the company 20th May, and Ensign William Booth 23rd June.
No sooner was the company completed to its new establishment than the engineers proceeded with greater spirit in the erection of the King’s Bastion, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1773 by General Boyd.[[7]] This work, which was of material consequence for the safety of the fortress, caused the General much concern, and he employed his best efforts for its completion.[[8]] But, unavoidable delay in some official arrangements at home, coupled with a little misunderstanding and the loss of many civil mechanics, greatly retarded the work.
This led General Boyd in 1775 to apply for another augmentation to the soldier-artificers, which was the more necessary as three regiments, furnishing a number of mechanics for the fortifications, were about to leave the Rock; and also as the foreign artificers—several of whom had been re-engaged since the pressure of the works—were like birds of passage, abandoning the fortress when they pleased. This the soldier-artificers could not do. To their attention and assiduity, therefore, the progress of the bastion and other works of the garrison were mainly attributable; and General Boyd, in a letter to Lord Rochford, dated 5th October, 1775, gave them full credit for their services. “We can,” wrote the General, “depend only upon the artificer company for constant work, and on soldiers occasionally. Had it not been for the artificer company, we should not have made half the progress in the King’s Bastion, as well as in the other works of the garrison.”
On the 16th January, 1776, His Majesty sanctioned an addition to the company of one sergeant, one corporal, one drummer, and twenty privates, all masons, who were to be reduced again when the Hanoverian troops should leave the fortress.[[9]] With this increase the company consisted of 116 non-commissioned officers and men.
Steadily the works advanced; soon the King’s Bastion[[10]] was finished, and the fortress was now in such a state of defence as greatly to alleviate the apprehension, which, a few years before, caused General Boyd so much anxiety. Though not exactly all that could be desired to oppose the onslaught of a determined and daring adversary, it was yet capable of a long and obstinate resistance; and, from the political phases of the period, it did not seem at all unlikely that its strength would soon be tried, and the prowess and fortitude of the garrison tested.