Star. — London, England, 1814-11-01 00:00:00

sations of mortification and regret. Now he had to say that this was a direct attack on the conduct of the Officers of the regiment, and required explana tion. He wished to refer to the Courts-Martial. General VYSE said he hoped Colonel Palmer would not read the whole of the Courts Martial, as they were 7'2 in number. Colonel Painter said the Court were aware that it was impossible to preserve discipline in a regiment' without having recourse to corporal punishment. With respect to his punishments, he had not a fourth part of the number of punishments . inflicted by Cola Del Quentin, notwithstanding the relaxation of disci. pline under him. He (Colonel Palmer) had arrived at Lisbon on the 17th of February. At that time he bad called the regiment together and told them that he was determined to enforce discipline, and that every man reported to him by his Commanding Offi cer should be subjected to punishment. After that the first thing which 'he did was to break four of the best serjeants in the regiment, by bringing them be fore a Court-Martial. He had thus given the men a warning of what they had to expect. The men, in cluding °Meets, amounted in all to 603. and out of 600 men, in two months, from the 17th February to the 12th April, there were but nine *puaislied for drunkenness. General V YSE said Colonel Palmerwas giving him a 'great deal of unnecessary trouble, - as . his conduct while in the command of the regiment, had been so eatistactory, that every man saw that he was not called on to enter into any justification of himself. Colonel Palmer said the question respecting 'cor poral punieiment Lad been brought forward year alter year in Parliament. If the opinion that cor poral ptini,halent was unnecessary, was not contro verted, it would be impossible to preserve discipline in a regiment. It had been said that it was impossible to prevent men from getting drunk, and as punishment would not prevent the evil it was unnecessary. But be would maintain, that if a Commanding Officer did justly by his troops, there was nothing so easy as to stop drunkenness in a regiment. When men knew that whenever they got drunk they were sure to be punished, they would take care to abstain : from drink ing. The evidence brought forward by Colonel Quentin had stated, that the drunkenness was effec ' tually stopped before his arrival. It was much more easy to prevent drunkenness in quarters than on a march ; for on a march it was not always easy to catch a man. From the 19th of April to the 16th of June there were bin eight men punished for. drunken ness. On the 27th and 29th June there were twelve men punished for it. This required some explana tion. After the affairs of Vittoria and Moralez, and the rapid advance of the army, nothing could exceed the joy of the people at the arrival of our troops, never having seen British troops before. They absolutely pulled the men off their horses and gave them drink whether they would or not. When Lord Wellington and his Staff came through the quarters, and the re giment was called wee to receive them, three fourths of the regiment were dead drunk. On this occasion it was thought proper that some o( the greatest vaga bonds of the troops should be selected for punish ment, by way of example to the rest. From the 19th of April to the 19th of July there were but ten or eleven men punished, with the exception of the above Individuals. But when Colonel Quentin came to the regiment how did things go on ? With respect to five men of Captain Wyndham's troop, who had been punished, he had to state that Captain Wyndham, who was a good officer, atid sensible of the mischief of Colonel Quentin's system, took the advantage of Colonel Quentin's absence in the Pyrenees to flog five of his troop, which behaved incomparably better af terwards... The first man who had been brought to punishment by a Court Martial was Abbott, a man whose conduct had been shockingly bad. It had been bald the other day that this man had died in conse qnenee of his illness, and that it was at the intreaty of ' Captain Gordon that he was not punished. So far from this being the case, Captain Gordon had ac tually complaiiled to him that Colonel Quentin did not punish him. General VICSE observed, that it had been stated by a serjeant in evidence that the man had walked till he Icould walk no longer. Colonel l'elmer •;aid, that this man's condttct had afterwards been so riotous, that Major Robarts, w!“o was opposite him, was obliged to send to him to be quiet. General V YSK thought it but right to the defendant, to mention one circumstance in his favour. It was very natural for him, as corporal punishment was so fontrary to the spirit of the English Constitution, to 4.4 y to himself, 1 will endeavour to recur to measures "of greater lenity, and adopt a contrary system, as 1 cannot but think that English soldiers will be more disposed to behave properly by gentle than by severe means. Colonel Quentin had very modestly said, that he endeavou'red to adopt a system more conso nant to the spirit of an Englishman. • Colonel Nee= proceeded to observe, that Colo nel Quentin arrived at the regiment in August, and from August to November, it appeared that four men were Finished. When soldiers were in quarters It was comparatively easy to keep theta quiet. When once, however, they got into habits of drunkenness, • it became almost impussible to stop them. But how did Colonel Quentin act ? WI en they were in quar ters he would not punish them ; and when they went intuthe mountains the punishments increased at. an amaz ng rate, when the men `'were in the midst of arrow; and were entering all manner of hardshipse-- In one day le punished seven men for drunkenness. The punishments under him, without being produc tive of any good, were much more numerous, were its three to one, when compared with - those of Major !lobar: or himself. If punishment did not prevent the offence it was unjustifiable, nothing but absolute necessity could justify it. Colonel PALMA then began to read his written reply, .which was nearly as tollows et Colonel Quentin has prefaced his defence against the cherges by observations on the circumstances in wlech he was placed, and animadversions on the cies duct of his accusers, but though I think it necessary they *WNW be answered, alai nut now indulge ro) self in pleseevatiens on any point 'which does Inns bear 'elation to some one of the charges. But I think it first proper to detain the Court by mentionin the circianstauces of ivy return to this county ) ; and Li my lieavieg Ike pot:tweed of the Telemeter, arid to pistil . ) , myself from any imputation ot. neglect on that occasion. Colonel Quentin, sin his- defence, has stated, that I wished to remain iu England on account of Parliamentary business of importance to my family, and abet accor di ng ly I left the regiment, after" having a cebinpanied it to Lisbon,, under the command of Major R obaits, and that the middle of the year he went out himself to join the regiment, notwithstanding the precarious state of his health at that time. Now,-through I impute no such intention to Colonel Quentin, it is impossible for any person to read this statement, without drawing a comparison between ColonelQuentin't conduct and , mine; and remarking that family affairs had suffi cient weight with me to induce me to return to Eng-- land, while the most imminent danger to his own health could not induce Colonel Quentin to reirain from joining his regimen:. Now the case was; that I did not leave the command of the regiment until I was informed by letter from England that Colonel Quentin was about to sail, nor should I have left the regiment but that it was not under marching orders, and that Colonel Quentin was daily expected. The affairs which required my presence in England deeply involved the interests of my family, but when the re giment was ordered for the Peninsula, I immediately gave up all thoughts of that which I might other wise have reconciled with my professional duties: and if I had anticipated that Colonel Quentin, who left England on the 25th April, would riot have reached the army till August, atter the battle of,Vittorie and the affair of Morales, I should not have toregsone the. honour and rewards attached to the command of the regiment on important occasions. However, my spy in England was not long, for I reached Lord We lington's headquarters four days after Colonel Quen-' tin had joined the regiment. I shall now say a few wa ds on the questions put to Lord Combermem, re specting the state of Colonel Quentin's health. His Lordship stated, that from bad health, or some other cause, Colonel Quentin appeared to Hut unfit to come ma ad a regiment of cavalry on active service. Now, this answer of his Lordship's seems only to have been the best excuse which his Lord.hip could lied, feel the manifest want of energy on the part of Colonel' Quentin. His Lordship said tkat he had heard Co. lonel Quentin was in bad health ; and he believed, which belief his Lordship might reasonably have en tertained, because Colonel Quentin, in rainy or cold weather, was constantly cloaked. But to the offi cers who bad constant opportunities of observing him, be never appeared in better health, nor was this ge neral state of health, with the exception of a tempo rary indisposition, which all were subject to, at all worse than that of the other officers. With respect to the letter of the 9th of August, Colonel Quentin has 'stated that he did not hear any thing of it until the 15th of August, and that he did not know i( s contents, 'until it was read to him in the presence of his Royal Highness. Now, atter the termination of the cam paign, I applied for the command of the detachment' of dismounted men which were seta to Bourdeaux, to be embarked for this country, and I consequently did not join the regiment until subsequently to the , measure on which the present prosecution was found-1 ed. When I arrived in England, the officers presented me with the letter in question, reauesting that in their behalf I would present it to the Regent. Th, officer who bore it, stated on the behalt ot the others I who had signed it, that they could no longer sit quietly under the grievance which they hadalius far, borne, cut of delicacy to his Royal Highness, and because they had wished it might have been commit-, nicated to him through other channels ; that they thoUght, therefore, the best course was to put the let ter into my hands, and that they hoped the result would be somes private inqiiiry, by which arrange. ments might be made consistent with delicacy to his Royal Highness. I did not hesitate to offer them all the assistance in my power, and I accordingly found Colonel Quentin as in his defence be has stated, and endeavoured to explain to him, that from the circumstances stated in the letter he must have been convinced that it was not merely party spirit which could have given rise to the charges against him. Colonel Quentin re. fused to hear the letter, or to enter into any conver sation on the subject, and desired me to deliver the letter to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent. sought an interview with his Royal Highness, and obtained it; but being soon after left in command of the regiment, by the absence of Colonel Quentin on leave, I thought proper to withdraw the letter which I had given in, and took on myself to make a repre sentation of the complaints of the Officers, as Com mander of the Regiment. His Royal Highness te plied to this second letter, that if the Officers had any complaints to make against their Commanding Officer, they should put them into specific charges, and lay them before the Commander in Chief. In the meats time, Colonel Quentin returned, and de manded the letter from me which had first been written. I replied, that the Officers wished to withhold the letter, as what had subsequently hap pened prevented the necessity of an appeal to hit 'Royal Highness. Colonel Quentin still desired the delivery of the letter, and said that it was the cons: ,mapd of the Prince Regent that it should be gimp up. / afterwards learnt from his Royal Hight** that Colonel Quentin was not authorized to make such a demand. Considering 'that this letter cone coined imputations of misconduct against an Officer of whom his Royal Highness thought most highly, it was evident there was• no worse channel in tvhicie 'those charges could be conveyed to his Royal High. ness's ear, than the person against whom they were pointed. The Officers were sensible, when they first complained of the conduct of Colonel Quentin, thaw it was not for them. to choose the mode of incsiryg and if it was necessary, they were always prepared to support them by legal evidence. I shall now prq.l ceed to the several charges. In support of the final charge, it hits been stated that the regiment was, on' the lOth of January, under orders to forage in the' valley of Macoy ; that in the orders it was pointed' out that the Commanding °Dicer should previously apply tot/antral Murillo fur a covering party ; that it was twelveVelock at noon' before Captain Lloyd was dispatched to GeneneltutlUti ; that meanwhile . troops were permitted,tatcenge ; that shortly af ter, some ot them were at skid ; that Colonel queo un, who was within a ehoet distance at the coat. itnencement of the tiring,' filed the regiment up the leaving the party atticked without orders, and tessupported,- sod dim-sole, men and horses were tacit. Colonel Quentin's defence against this evi d9c With th4t the order was reatirett too htteinib‘ . . . 'evening of the 9th to dispatch in officer that hilebt to General Murillo. He then states the situation o(' the troops in the valley, which he connects with some nsisapprehensions of the order; that on arriving at the valley, finding no officer had been dispatched, he sent Captain Lloyd to General Murillo, and 'thinking that there would be soon a sufficient covering party, permitted some troops to forage ; notwithstanding' that the distance which Capt. Lloyd had to go was two miles, and that the road was, as he well knew, very bed, and the parties foraging being then attacked, though he did not Know the force of the enemy, and had given no orders tu the foragers, lie came tq this conclusion, that he would lead his regiment up the hill. Can the Court think that any Commander of a regiment could have left his detached parties at- 1 tacked, not only without support, but without a' single person to tell them by which way he had rodel off with his men, and that too in a fog ? Colonel Quentin has assumed some merit for having calcu lated the loss which the regiment sustained, and for the anxiety which he displayed to Captain Fitecla. rence respecting the fate of his troop. I have ,hewn that the troops were left without orders, and that it was but by the prudence of the officers that they were drawn off, and that while Colonel Quentin was within a short distance front the place where the safety of the troops was hazarded. For though Colonel Quen tin affects to think light of the attack of the enemy's cavalry, because Captain Fitzclarence, from the situa tion in which he was, was not able to distinguish whe ther they were not merely mounted Officers of the cavalry, yet Captain Stuart, who had a better op portunity of seeing the force of the enemy, gave A different statement.—[Colonel Palmer here read Captain Stuart's evidence.]--So much for the un officerlike conclusion of Colonel Quentin. For the anxiety of Colonel Quentin respecting the fate oil 1.0010; Captain Fitzclarence's troop, I can give him no cre dit, as it seems the strongest evidence of-hisaat . duct, as he seemed conscious that he had left great duties unperformed, and neglected the safety of those who were specially entrusted to his charge. For I will venture to affirm, that if the men could have I been examined as to their feelings when Colossi 1 Quentin led them to the rear, they would have stated that they felt the greatest anxiety for the safety of their comrades. I cannot but remark, that while Colonel Quentin remained near the foragers, he was far from displaying any energy, but continued tamely riding his horse up and down, instead of going in stantly to the place of attack, as it was his duty to have done. As to the statement that an officer was detached for a detachment at day-break to cover the foragers, no such circumstance could -have taken place ; it was on the 12th, and not on the 10th, that Lieutenants Wyndham anctFitzelarence were under orders to procure a covering party from General Mu- Alio, ant: the Colonel and the Sergeant Major must, to say the least of it, have confounded dates and cir cumstances. This is proved by the silence of Colonel Quentin when General blurillo's rebuke was related to him ; and by the fact, that at the time, the officer was not sent for to receive rebuke or graver punish ment. Why also did Colonel Quentin pat no question to Lieutenant Fitzclarence on the subject ? and why also is there no mention of the order in the orderly book ? The evidence of Brigade Major Jones was very strong in support of the charge. This officer, though he rode off to bring up a party of infantry, considered that a covering party had been stationed, as an order to that purpose had been given. He also :tates, that a chain of infantry would have pie vented the loss ; and that the ground was such. that one hundred infant-y would have stopped a large holy of troops ; how much more certainly then 'mglit they have prevented the attack which took place, and which was only made by the enemy's pipets. Tn deed, it is proved that the whole of Colonel Quentin's conduct was a mass of inconsistency and confusion.. Quarter -Master Eyre found forage in plenty, in a, place perfectly safe; yet Lieutenant Fitzclarence was, sent to forage in General Murdlo's cantonments, which were ordered to be respected. Lord Edwaid Somerset's order of the 15th originated in the events of the 10th, and these must have been among the circum stances which contributed to' Lord Cumbermere's opi. pion. On the second charge, the point in dispute is brought within a very narrow compass—whether Co lonel Quentin gave that support to the officers and Men which he was bound to do. Colonel Quentin rests his defence against this charge upon his former character, and on the station which it was the opinion of officers of high rank that the Commander of a re giment of cavalry ought to occupy, and also (to a degree which was not becoming in Colonel Quentin) on the speed of his horse. All the officers are willing to allow full force to Colonel Quentin's former good character, in affairs in which other officers of the re giment were also engaged, and to their conduct, in which they could adduce as favourable evidence as bad been given respecting Colonel Quentin's. But is the former good conduct of Colonel Quentin to estali lish him for ever ? There are, notwithstanding the insi. nuation of Col. Quentin, that to have led his regiment would have been an act of rashness, pardonable only in a young officer, officers even in the same regiment 'of older standing than himself. For let it be recol lected, in service Colonel Quentin is a young officer, ' and the affair of the 28th of February was the first . ' since he had joined the regiment in which he had had an opportunity of animating the regiment by le s exam pie. The Earlof Uxbridge, in answer to a question, where the Colonel of a regiment of cavalry should be stationed, said, in the flank of the column. Now the . case of Colonel Quentin has not been prnperly repre 'sented to his Lordship—it was given in evidence that Colonel Quentin was riding in front of his leading di vision, where Captain Fitzclarence s:ter him reining in his horse, and moving of to the Mani,, • Oeteeiiht Lacy also said, that.he passed him when tin, %v*, . at, the head of the column. ~ Now it either Lord Uxbridge or General V %Pim had been asked whether it was proper for a Colonel who had been riding at the bead of his division to stop and move off to the flank, when within 50 yards ui the enemy, and they had answered yes, all the army Might have retorted upon these excellent Officers, that their practice was contrary to their princiewa.— As to the silty invention of Serjeant Lacy, with' -respect to Polokbel Quentin's mare, I was it lila first disgusted se* 1, as tending to throw induesiol odium on C4 , 414,?4h0tin, who is a light weight 4ll excellent selector o ltqrse r s, and confessedly the best' hoepeman in r.u.ope. lacy, to bear out tilt stOrf; miril, that saTarai 'of , iliirbstitaliera , dittivia4.66l there was not a Siam pillow Pd bits % dicer or M. rate, who did not contradict this swertion. Colonel Quentin also spoke of the inferiority' et Wow% and the other Officers trooplorses, but he slid sot say that any Officer ever condescended to make Sae cif such a statement as an excu se foe not appearing in the post which he should have occupied. s aka appears, that there was quite speed and atreagthmairmient'ln. the horses when Cancel Quentisvoitased so seam& them. Although I do not chatty Celbed with misbelkaviour In presence of thsainemy, rt 4 n . elect, his conduct was much thinaniv, for it was of little consequence whether it originated •is *AMA*: courage 'er want olofficer.lite feeling. firrrides at the head of the division, and there receives *heti ha ' charge, when he trots and gallops with the division towards the enemy, and when within SO, or,. as his own orderly serjeant. says, 20 yards of the onetult: disappears, and is left behind. Bach semis* ie most &options to the regiment. " Although the private soldiers are as bravo is men can be, yet the force of example is 'W 1l knotfon, and in this case I venture to say it was only counter. acted by the 'zeal and activity of the other efficers who charged with me in the front. The next pishtt of time in the period referred to in the charge, is due' when the division formed a second tithe, and we were' left without orders—Colonel Quentin did not then pear, nor till the retreat after the second charge. The . defence against this charge betrayed a want of feeling, to use no harsher expression, which I should not have expected to have found in Colonel Quentin. He wai both wanted and called for, but did'aoteppear. His answer to this is, that the manner la which he was called for would have excited his surprise, if he had heard the call ; but that be dittnot bear It r he then says, he trusts all further remarks on this part of the charge are unnecessary. Was it atatilag then that the regiment should be without tip smitione..efsat - Ctimr , issanding - Offiter at 'inch a twit t Wet it nothing, that when the French were whetting upon the reit." meat in such imposing numbers, that its talky was threatened, they should be left without orderior port ? True it was, that the French did put alxinteit' the division advancing, even without support. z: " r 1 " The next point of time is that irhen CoIONEE Quentin quitted the front of Captain thieramiiiiiiit'a' squadron, as soon as it was fired on. kls stated tif the evidence, that when the centre tdron end& Captain de Grammont received a from *on*' infantry in a wood, Colonel Quentin put about tlfe: regiment, and passed to the rear. Captain Swart stated, that Captain Grammont gave the math-to front, and that he spoke so loud, that he (Cal/fain - Stuart) could hear him, though be was with his Mal in the rear. Captain Lloyd also says, that Colonel . Quentin ordered him to put about his troop, aftii' receiving the volley, and passed to the rear, and that being left without orders, and seeing some other troops put about, he thought it his duty to front without orders. Colonel Quentin contends, that the orders to front were given by him—the evidence ad duced on this subject I leave to the consid. ration of the Court. It is remarkable that Colonel Qiientin has always found reason for being any where tint in the discharge of his duty, when attended with danger. In the affair at Macoy, trifling as it was, he fotind reasons fur filing up the hill. On the day in question, he found reasons for leaving the leading division. and again, on the same day, for passing to the rear of th e centre squadron. Colonel Quentin calls the conduct of Captain de Grammont, in fronting the squadron. vivacity—but it was a vivacity which saved the re. potation of the regiment, and probably, liven -the manner in which the French advanced, thoellobenlll itself from destruction.” The JUDGE ADVOCATZ said it wotila now.ha j igoik per to ascertain whether the answer: • returned Duke de Guiche to the questions put to him,' be, in any manner, introduced into the proceedings! If either party objected to their being introduced, the Court bad no alternative. Colonel Palmer said if thedefentlanzhattlw objec on he would read the letter. Colonel Quentinltarvi objected to this; Colonel Palmer proceeded with his reply r " I come now to reply to that part of the delenee which relates to the third charge. Except with re spect to the point of Colonel Quendn's being present when Captain Fitzclarence was wounded, tie charge seems completely borne oat by the evidence. Wheh the regiment came under the fire of the enemy, it was halted; Colonel Quentin was at its bead .v.then the fit ing began, and as soon as it had began colartel Quentin was missing; Major Howard sent Lieute nant Wyndham to Lord Edward Somerset For orders m as he could not see Colonel Quentin ; Captain Fitl clarence was then wounded ; the firing lasted about 7 minutes • the point of Col. Quentin being present when the wound was given, is not material to the qttestioh, Captain Fitzclarence said that his memory was con. fused with respect to what took place at the time he was wounded ; but before that time he did not see the Colonel in Inapt ; he had had a previous shot ju,t he fore receiving his wound. Now Co}onel Quentin's witnesses have not done themselves or hint much ere dit on this occasion. ,Ouo puts linsinfrootstatiosinOb . puts him in a ditch—one has it before the halt, and another altar; hut the strongest lacts Were proved — that he quitted the front the moment the fire begin. and did not afterwards return ; that Major Howard. not seeing him, was forced to stud to Lord Edward Somerset fot orders; and that Lientenast y 'Whims delivered the orders of Lord Edward Somercet to Major Howard. This was therefore another of the instances of his quitting his post. Every man in the . service knows how ditfieuk it is to keep a re,imettto. cavalry to their post on such an OCCAtitn, and the it requires, the presence of the Commandug..Officrl• Yet this was the moment which Colonel qiienti. chose, according to his own acednk, to ascertain thf strength of the enemy. Cothnel Cloestin's-pretend for absence was highly IlliWalrfantsOk and. onseldicr• like; and when this, tht : pthet instances. was taken into consideration it . .pheirepo fear but t i te Cow. will be of the same op t wit i;th ti *E O to his conduct. " 1 cwoe now to the fourth /and clwrge. COnSiCkW toe truth of all die itiirgakibattA 14. 6 ' 801 c . harp why proved b ali titer orkieket l tiS:e nut littlq.AC,i44 . l,ion,to . troilble dte (laic witivi selvalibli on the subject Beftlfe V cl ode, however. consider that in the disetNr*tif tat duev, I tat iy allowed to ask 'lie Cour if they can think tn.. t , .c 0 4 44 _ lote ettriipbineit of Culmaiituetitaa **Outa dinstle4 end Mat a ‘% IL Act chit Any I 1 ask inhale ea their madam ha soselhestility perfectly coasisti act military dim ow: it to the seri cooreted aids t whit* they have tart amine of C filets as an elide " Subalterns I lever 4which caw their personal he ram ought am to cars, who hat a regiment daily I uasement, and i being allowed n they at last came it paper that to thay bad violated After this abort Cant the cavalr have only &ribs m ebosser, ani was not we sylh their answers to a to tbediscipline of if the regiment h Awes was invaria the won of spite •• Lord Edwai attributed it to th ing °Scar. So that Lord F,dwar to bamade to him mad of the regi nnipmswaimonAst 4ialatigiod with h Vaa.gooved by Cl 1 1114 1 * Woad lto at last gave of it was altogether be allowed to OW it may be to 444 atl Punishment. t always be fa ruiltatis to the arm the cannot the 01 impartiality of thi • ?tame Colonel p cotut was immix' liberating on the gibed till it is sane Pm= Itacrana. THE 1 TUESD4 ALL LIMITS . . We have retch turday last. The Emigrants still co 111114 AL SYLVIA/RN WOrdiVAlttiern, a limited liberality M. ToAuvr fol is the property of for the support of every man of prof of the funds thus give than up. 1 an Hospital so et under the canop thus dishonestly a M. Dzsro Ulllll been made again perfectly voluntar emirate until the their hearts. Several other h Weed, dwy are with soma slight Minas is favour of sees awe mare ad We subjoin the 1 1 1 *" vii ~p 1 great offal, OKI bat with ee be developed me eons seem to belie The Divan of t importance of tht asked the Grand Envoy Eztraordi busy from North American Diplca gpeably proceed ArOOSIC Other Views, we may 4tibes to the hot support the poses State, of Parma, The young Pri in a carrier wi ::,Iverani. H e ' crowds whit who present arcs IRE We have tete one Hume% N d and Hese ant • nit) , is abollibed. rainy win not be bete a tight of liiettaa : We rescind a ag, but duty coo