The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-08 00:00:00

MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

COURT-MARTIAL ON LIEUTENANT THE HOW. EDWARD
SIDNEY YLTINKETT, OF THE 95TH REGIMENT.
CHATHAM, APRIL s.—On Monday morning, at ten o'clock,
the whole of the troops in this garrison mustered. on parade by
order of the Commandant, Sir Thomas Willshire. On the
ground were about 2,000 men, and they formed into thirty-
two divisions, with their full proportion of officers. The troops
were formed into a square on the parade ground for the pur-
pose of promulgating the sentence of the court-martial held in
this garrison on the 3d of March last, and which continued for
the three following days. As soon as the soldiers had shouldered
their arms, the Commandant called for Mr. Plunkett, and de-
sired Adjutant Hume, on the 95th Regiment, to go forward
and escort Mr. Plunkett to the interior of the square. The Bri-
gade-Major O'Brien then announced the following sentence:—
" The General Commander-in-Chief having had the honour
to lay before the Queen the proceedings of a general court-
martial held in Chatham barracks on the 3d of March, 1842,
at.d continued by adjournment to the 7th of the same month,
for the trial of Lieutenant E. S. Plunkett, of the 95th Regi-
ment, arraigned upon the undermentioned charges-
1. For conduct unbecoming the character of an officer and
a gentleman, in having at a late hour of the night of Friday, the
21st of Jan. 1842, together with other officers, made a great
Boise and disturbance in the barracks at Chatham, in the course
of which disturbance the door of the room of Ensign Bridges,
of the 95th Regiment, who was then in such room, and in
bed, was violently broken in by one of the officers, and being
the senior officer present while such disturbance and acts of
violence were taking place, in not having endeavoured to pre-
vent and repress them, but in giving encouragement to and
joining them.
2. For conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman,
in having, on the night, arid about the time mentioned in the
first charge, proceeded with the said officers, and with other
(dicers, his juniors, to the room of Ensign Carew, of the 95th
Regiment, in the said barracks, and there drinking to excess
with such officers, and in having, on such occasion, introduced
into the said room, and to the company of such officers, a
woman of loose and abandoned character, with whom he (the
said Lieutenant Plunkett) was at the same time cohabiting,
such conduct being subversive of good order and military dis-
cipline._

s" 3. For having, after he had on the occasion beforemen-
tioned, and as senior officer present, placed Ensign Carew in
arrest for strising Ensign Baines, another of the officers pre-
sent, and afterwards continued in his company, and at last
overturned the tables, with the bottles, glasses, and other articles
thereon, at the same time throwing down the said Ensign
Carew, such conduct being, &c.

" 4. For neglecting in the said night of the 2lst of January,
or on the following morning, to report to his commanding
officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Trevor, the conduct of Ensign
Carew, before mentioned, or that he (the said Lieutenant
Plunkett) had placed the said Ensign Carew under arrest,
such conduct being, &c.
"5. For having at Sheerness on the 20th of December,
1841, entered the house of William Cole, butcher, and caused
wine to be sent for by William Cole, and in not having then or
since repaid the same, and then violently assaulting the said
William Cole, and damaging and destroying certain articles
of furniture, the property of the said William Cole, such con-
duct, &c.

" Upon those charges the Court came to the following de

" The Court having fully weighed and considered most
maturely the whole of the evidence adduced in support of the
prosecution, together with what he advanced and stated in his
defence, is of opinion that he, Lieutenant E. S. Plunkett, with
respect to the Ist charge, is not guilty, and the Court, there-
acquits him of the same. With respect to the 2d charge, that
he is not guilty, and the Court, therefore, honourably acquits
him of the same. With respect to the 3d charge, that he is
guilty, with the exception of so much of the charge which ac-
cuses him • of, at the same time, throwing down Ensign
Carew, and of which part of the said charge the Court
therefore acquits him. With respect to the 4th charge,
that he is guilty. With respect to the additional
seharge -( the sth), he is not guilty. The Court having
Sound the accused guilty of part of the third charge, and the
whole of the fourth, which being a breach of thy articles of
%var, does, in virtue thereof, sentence him, the said Lieutenant
E.. S. Plunkett, of the 95th Regiment of Foot, to be pub-
lic:l'v and severely reprimanded before the garrison of Chatham,
and further to be placed on the bottom of the list of lieutenants
of the 95th Regiment of Foot, and her Majesty was pleased to
approve and confirm the finding and sentence of the Court.
6' J. MACDONALD, Adjutant-General."
Sir T. Wieesniax, in addressing Lieutenant Plunkett, re-
primanded Sim severely, and said. during the lorty-five years
of his miiitaity service, he never before had the unpleasant duty
of publicly reprimanding an officer. Ilia (Sir T. Wiltshire's)
duty was disagreeable and unpleasant, and the reprimand which
he now reccivai, he (the Commandziat) hoped would be a
warning to him ('sir. Plunkett) for the future.
Mr. Plunkett then reired, and the troops marched off.