The History of the Rifle Brigade (the Prince Consort's Own) Formerly the 95th

by William Henry Cope

M’Cullock had been wounded in the shoulder on Massena’s retreat from Portugal in March 1811, and this wound deprived him of the use of the arm. At Waterloo, by a shot fired very late in the day, he lost the other arm. He was promoted, ‘having no longer an arm to wield for his country,’ as he told the Duke of Wellington, ‘but being anxious to serve it,’ to a majority in the 2nd Garrison Battalion in Dec. 1815, and died in London in 1818.

Charles Beckwith had his left leg shattered by grape-shot shortly before the end of the battle. It was amputated a few days afterwards. He exchanged to half-pay in 1820; and some years subsequently, having had his attention directed to the Waldenses, he, after frequent visits to the Pignerolo valleys, eventually settled in that country. Here his career was one of great usefulness. He found the people in a state of great depression, poverty and ignorance; and by untiring devotion to their interests, temporal as well as spiritual, conferred on them inestimable benefits. He established schools for primary education, and seminaries for more advanced instruction. And he taught the people self-reliance, and led them to join in and contribute to the good works he originated for them. After a career of great usefulness he died (having then the rank of Major-General) at Torre, on the 19th July, 1862, attended to the grave by the love and lamentations of the people for whom he had done so much.[164]

Lieutenant Allen Stewart was stabbed through the left arm by a French officer ‘whom he finished in an instant;’[165] he was subsequently wounded by a musket-ball which lodged in the shoulder. After long suffering at Brussels, where he experienced, as did many other Riflemen, very great attention and kindness from the inhabitants on whom they were billeted, he returned to England[166] with George Simmons, who had also long been detained at Brussels by his dangerous wounds.[167]

Sir James Kempt, who succeeded to the command of the 5th Division on Picton’s death, says in his report to the Duke of Wellington: ‘I lost in my brigade major, who was killed, Captain [Charles] Eeles, 95th, a most valuable officer.... I shall take the liberty of bringing under your Grace’s notice the particular claims and merits of the officers commanding regiments, in a separate report; but I cannot close this one without mentioning that Colonel Sir A. Barnard and the next in command, Colonel Cameron of the 95th, were both wounded.’[168]

And Sir Henry Clinton, in his report to Lord Hill, says: ‘The manner in which the several regiments ... the 2nd and 3rd Battalions 95th, under Lieutenant-Colonels Norcott and Ross, discharged their duty, was witnessed and admired by the whole army.’[169]

And on the 26th June he writes thus to Lord Hill: ‘I beg leave to add the names of officers, which from the favourable reports made of them by the officers commanding brigades, it is my duty to request you will lay before the commander of the forces, in the hope that his Grace will recommend them for promotion. The names of these officers are: ...

‘Captain Logan, Lieutenant Humbley,[170] and Lieutenant and Adjutant Smith, 2nd Battalion, 95th Regiment.

‘Captain [William] Eeles and Lieutenant Hope, 3rd Battalion, 95th Regiment.’[171]

It appears also, by a letter from Sir Henry Torrens to the Duke of Wellington, February 29, 1816, that the Duke had on the 12th strongly recommended Lieutenant-Colonel Norcott, on account of his conduct at Waterloo. For after stating that his obtaining the honour of Commander of the Bath, in his then rank, was contrary to regulation, he goes on to add: ‘You may be assured that I shall pay every attention in my power to the high opinion you have expressed of him, and to your desire that his claim should be attended to.’[172]

On June 19, 1815, the Regiment began its march to Paris. On the 24th the 1st Battalion moved from Bavay to Engle-fontaine, and encamped or was cantoned in that neighbourhood, and on the 25th at Maretz. On the 26th the 2nd Battalion moved from Nauroy and Magny, and encamped near Beauvoir and Lanchy; and the 1st Battalion halted at Nauroy, Magny, and Bellenglise. On the next day the 2nd Battalion crossed the Somme at Villecourt and moved by Nesle to Roye, and the 1st Battalion advanced, and encamped between Douilly and Villers. On the 28th the 2nd Battalion marched by Montdidier to Petit Crèvecœur: on the next day from that place to Clermont; and the 1st Battalion from Roye, where it had halted on the 28th, to Gournay on the road to Pont St. Maxence. On the 30th this Battalion crossed the Oise at Pont St. Maxence, and was pushed on as far as Fleurines on the road to Senlis; while the 2nd Battalion and companies of the 3rd moved from Petit Crèvecœur to Chantilly. On July 1 this Battalion relieved the Prussians near Aubervilliers; and the 1st Battalion moved by Senlis and Louvres, and encamped between Louvres and Vauderlan. On the 6th both Battalions were encamped near Neuilly. On July 7 the army marched into Paris, and the 2nd Battalion had the honour of being the first corps which entered; Lieutenant and Adjutant Thomas Smith, riding in front of the Battalion, being the first British officer who entered Paris on that famous day.