In answer, therefore, to a letter despatched to him by Mr. Hawker, the Secretary of State for War stated, in a reply dated 7th November, 1859, that he would be happy to recommend Her Majesty to accept any offer of the service of a Company or Sub-division of Volunteers, which he might receive from Mr. Hawker through the Lord-Lieutenant of the County.
Audit Corps Formed.
Forthwith, at a general meeting held in the Audit Office on the 10th November, it was resolved, “That it was desirable that a Sub-division of not less than forty effectives be at once formed in the Audit Office, and that other departments be invited to co-operate by raising Companies or Sub-divisions with the view of promoting the formation of a Brigade.”
From this time forward enthusiasm and hard work were the order of the day. A circular letter to other Government Departments was issued, and the nucleus of the Corps was at once formed by the immediate election of forty-six members of the Audit Office.
In a few days the number of effective members enlisted had reached seventy. Affairs were pushed on with great energy, and on the 25th November, 1859, at half-past four in the afternoon, the first drill of the Civil Service Volunteers was held in Westminster Hall—one Sergeant Chace being the Instructor.
Other Corps Formed.
The Auditors were not to be left long in sole possession of the military arena of the Civil Service, for Corps were being rapidly raised in the Post Office, Inland Revenue, Customs, Whitehall, and Admiralty.
An unsuccessful attempt was made to raise a Corps in the British Museum.
Almost all of these Corps date their origin from the circular issued from the Audit Office, inviting the co-operation of their department. So rapidly were they organised, that towards the end of December, 1859, they appear to have got into fair working order; and in answer to an invitation from the Audit Office, a Provisional Council, consisting of two representatives from each Corps, assembled for the purpose of taking the necessary steps to amalgamate the whole into one Brigade.