The appointment of an Adjutant also caused difficulty. A committee consisting of a few members of the Council was elected to consider the applications for the post. The choice of this committee fell upon Captain Ennis, who was a member of the Corps, and Captain-Commandant of the Inland Revenue Companies. Captain Ennis had at one time been in the “Hussars.”

The War Office, however, refused to accept Captain Ennis as Adjutant, on the ground that he was over fifty, and that his service in the army had been in connection with the Cavalry. The feeling in the Regiment was very strong against this decision, and grave consequences with regard to the prosperity of the Corps were said to be likely to ensue if the War Office refused to appoint so popular an officer.

One of the first tasks which Lord Bury undertook, by desire of the Council, was to overcome the objection raised by the War Office. In this he was successful, and Captain Ennis was appointed to the post, which, however, he held for two years only, when he resigned.

Surgeon.

With the authority for the appointment of Captain Ennis to the Adjutancy came also that of Dr. Spencer Smith to the post of Surgeon. This gentleman resigned only a few years ago, after a service of 24 years. In the early days his office was by no means the apparent sinecure it has since become, for it was the duty of the Surgeon, or the Assistant Surgeon, to attend at the range whenever target practice was held, and for the zealous and kind manner in which this duty was carried out, at great sacrifice of time and convenience, the Commanding Officer, in regimental orders, expressed the warmest thanks of the Regiment.

The amount of zeal with which the Surgeons entered upon their work in those days is exemplified by the following unpleasantly expressive item in the Regimental accounts of that period:

“To set of Amputating Instruments kept at the
Range£4 4 0.”

Major.

The War Office, at that time, required that Majors of Volunteer Corps should have served in the Army, so that it was not until April, 1861, that the post of Major was filled by the appointment of Major Leslie (late Captain 1st Life Guards).

With this exception the formation of the Regiment may now (June, 1860) be said to have been complete. It was composed as follows: