Star.
London, England, 1814-10-26 00:00:00

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COLONEL QUENTIN% DEFENCE CONTINUED.
" I eome,now tie the fourth and last charge. Lord Comber-
mere has said, that he bad oocasion to find fault with me as to
the state of my baggage and my march ; but his Lordship does
not say that he had any other ground of complaint against me.'
was not ;ware that I had incurred his Lordship's displeasure,
and waited tipori• him sortie time .once to ask him to come for:
ward for me as a witness. H a Lordship then stated that he did
not think that his evidence could' be material on either side. I
Aid not • knelt till -his Lordship came bete what would be his
testimony. I bad erroneously supposed that the charge in the
letter written to me was unfounded, because in the instance of.
Serjeaut Robinson I hal foend it to be so.
" The men and horses were mid to be particularly good when
the regiment tended at Lisbon. I hope that some credit would
be allowed to reflect on me, under whose previous superinten-
dence the regiment had entirely been. The first thing which
struck me when I arrived and took the command, was the extent
and number of the corporal punishments which had been inflict-
ed, and which exceeded all military regulation. This sort of
punishment I had diminished as much as possible in the regiment,',
and bad received repeated Injunctions from the Colonel, the
Prince Regent, to substitute the most unremitting attentions of.
the Officers to prevent faults, In lieu of this species of punish-
mein. It was also my own decided wish to abolish it as far as
possible, as indeed such seemed to be the feeling of all who dis-
cussed the subject either In Parliament er elsewhere.
- • " I looked at the list of corporal punishments, and found them
excessive: wished to substitute a dlffetent system, by closer
attention and vigilance en the part of the officers. Officers of
7 troops meat be supported, but they must also support their com-
m. nder ; and nothing can be more unjust than the substitution
of severe ponishments in the place of personal attendance. I was
net always cordially supported: I can prove that Colonel Palmer
bimetal did not report to me the medical state of the regiment,
aed that lie stated as his reason for such omission that we were
• not on speaking terms I. can prove several instances of want of
co.:Keratin') and cordial support from the Officirs. Though at
the,tinse I suspected some reasons for such conduct, I was not
severe etelest feeling which it now appears existed against me;
• but I ask whether it is likely that perecias so feeling towards me
would cordially Cu-operate with me I never comp7aintl
el
them, berausti no fresh occasion of charge against the regiment
occurred; •aed I hoped that the address of Leta E. Somerset to
them would prevent any neglect in future. Nothing ladeed but
the most absolute neeessity•ceuld have prevailed upon me to ex-
pose the intenial deisentions of the regiment. I will lay before
the Court the tiro of the Courts martial before and after 1 rook
the command, to prove what'l have said Many other circum•
stances I might have collected at the tinier bad I anticipated this
enquiry, but I cannot now meager them. • •
" Colonel Gardner has said,• that the regiment was late on the
ground, and that the equipments and horses became worse after
my access on to the command. On the first point I think he is
mistaken : as to eke second, the eqpipments of course became
worse at er long usage, and the horsee, being hlood-horses, had
suffered from th- winter. As to the drunkenness of the men,
they were latterly in as enemy's country, where it is :mpossible
ha keep them quite as well as ink friendly country, and the wits*
. was particularly cheap, aed to be got in every place. Before I
Apeciude, I must observe as to this last charge, that I have at-
• task been severely punished for it, and I hope that this punish-
.; einem vein be considered sufficient. I urfostunately incurred the
displeasure of the Commander is Chief, yet I have ne reason to
believe that soy unfavourable impreeskta remains upon his mind,
: At the time that animadversion was scot, I asked Lord E. So-
merset for a copy of it, in order to answer it, though it
.has es-
caped lis Lordship's memory. I have teed several paragraphs in
the papers against me, and partial extracts made from the Adju-
tant-Geveral's letter, butt disdained to giveany answer to them-.
I now leave my hor.our and character in the hands of the Court,
• and trust that et will be by them restored to me pure sad un-