History of the Royal Sappers and Miners, Volume 1 (of 2) / From the Formation of the Corps in March 1712 to the date when its designation was changed to that of Royal Engineers

by T. W. J. Connolly

have refused to sign their accounts, alleging that they have no right to pay for the additional fringe for their epaulettes, as sanctioned by the commanding engineer’s orders of 4th April, 1818.

“Colonel Carmichael Smyth had not an idea that, in the whole of the five companies in this country under his command, four men of so sordid and mean a disposition would have been found. He holds them up to the contempt of their comrades, as void of every feeling that ought to actuate a soldier with pleasure or pride in the character or appearance of the company to which they belong.

“He directs that the epaulettes may be forthwith cut off their shoulders, and that they are in future to parade upon all occasions in the rear of the company until an opportunity offers to send them away from it altogether. They will be removed to either the Gibraltar or West India company, being perfectly unworthy of serving with this army.

“Colonel Carmichael Smyth feels confident that the non-commissioned officers and men of the sapper companies with this army must be sensible of their improved state of discipline, regularity, and appearance, and how much in consequence, their own individual happiness and respectability are increased. The character, conduct, and appearance of a corps, reflects good or evil upon every soldier belonging to it as the case may be.

“The sapper companies have fortunately established a respectable character, and are well thought of in this army. The epaulettes have been adopted as distinguishing them from the infantry. The sapper’s duty requires much more intelligence, and much more previous training, than that of a common infantry soldier. He is better paid and better clothed, and ought to conceive himself happy at being permitted to wear a distinction showing that he is a sapper. Such, no doubt, will be the view taken of the subject by every non-commissioned officer and sapper who feels any way interested in the welfare and respectability of the corps.

“The sooner men who have not this feeling are got rid of the better. They are unworthy of belonging to this army.

(Signed) “John Oldfield.

“Major of Brigade.”

On the 19th June, private Alexander Milne of the corps was found in a wheat-field, near Raismes, murdered! A number of the men of his company had been in the habit of breaking out of their quarters after tattoo roll-call, and spending the time of their absence in gambling. Some were said to have been playing with the deceased on the night of the murder. Strong suspicion attached to the card-party, but as the perpetrator of the deed could not be discovered, the Duke of Wellington, convinced that the murderer was in the ranks of the corps, ordered all the sappers and miners with the army, both near and distant, to parade every hour of every day from four in the morning till ten in the evening, as a punishment for the crime; and as the order was never rescinded, it was enforced—with only a slight relief—until the very hour the companies quitted France.[^[240]] Several of the officers and many of the men were worn out and laid up with fevers by the rigour of the penalty, and its execution fell with singular hardship upon one of the companies which, quartered with the division encamped near St. Omer, was, at the time, seventy miles away from the place of the murder!

Early in November, on the breaking up of the army of occupation, the eighth company, second battalion, took charge of the pontoons and stores to Antwerp, and the other four companies marched from Cambrai to Calais, where, as arranged by General Power with the French governor, they were encamped on the glacis on the east side of the town. This was requisite, as by the treaty of the 3rd November, 1815, no troops of the army of occupation could be quartered within any of the fortresses not specified in the treaty. At Calais the companies remained about a week, assisting in the embarkation of the army and the shipment of the cavalry horses. In this service the sappers became so expert, that a regiment was embarked and many were landed at Dover during the same tide. All the companies arrived in England before the end of November. One sergeant and twenty men, under Lieutenant Hayter, of the engineers, after the sailing of the troops, guarded the military chest both at Calais and on the passage, and rejoined their companies, when the important duty for which they were selected was completed.