Star.
London, England, 1819-09-22 00:00:00

GENERAL ORDERS.

Horse Guards, September 8, 1819.
It having been represented to the Commander In Chief, that
the full benefit of the indulgence granted by the Legislature' to
Soldiers, in sending Letters to their relatives or friends, has in
many instances been withheld, in consequence of the Officers by
whom such Letters are indorsed having omitted to state the
name of the Regiment, Corps, or Detachment, commanded by
them, as required by the Act of Parliament to entitle such Let-
ters to be delivered free of
,postage, his Royal Highness the
Commander in Cbief is under the necessity of calling the atten—
tion of Of commanding Regiments and Detachments to the
General Order of the eild January•, 1817, as contained in page
476 of the General Regulations of the Army, and of directing
that all single Letters from Soldiers are to be addressed in the
following manner':

• From A.

of the - Regiment.

Commanding
Regiment,
or Detachment.

The Post Muter. amend have been requested to report to
the Commander in Chief the name of any Officer by whose in-
attention to the Orders on this subject the intentions of the Le-
gislature may in future be defeated.—lly command of his Royal
Highness the Commander in Chief, (Signed)
HARRY CALVERT, Adjutant-Getteral.

• The Christian and Surname of the Writer; Ma Rank, or
Station---that is, whether Serjeant, Corporal, Trumpeter, Drum-'
mer, or Private; and the Number or Title of the Regiment id
which be belongs, are to be here superscribed.
The Signature and Rank of the Officer commanding the Re-
giment or Detachment, and the Number or Title of the Regi-
ment, are here to be written.

Horse Guards, September 16, 1819.
The existing Regulations for the Clothing of the Army direct
that the Non-commissioned Officers, Drummers, and Privates,
of every Regiment of Infantry stationed in Great Britain, shall
at all times be in possession of a Pair of White Breeches and
Long Black Gaiters, perfectly serviceable, and conformable in
every respect to the established pattern; but the Commander in
Chief is pleased to leave it to the discretion of Commanding Of-
ficers to supply their men with Grey Pantaloons of the approved
pattern, instead of the Second Pair of Breeches, which is fur-
nished at the cost of the men, if they consider it tending to their
comfort, and beneficial to the Service.—By command of his Royal
Highness the Commander in Chief, (Signed)
HARRY CALVERT, Adjutant-General.
COURTS MARTIAL

Horse Guards, September 6, 1819.
At a General Court Martial held at Corfu, on the 31st May,
1819, and continued by adjournments to the 2d June following,
Major Thomas Buck, of the Bth (or King's) Regiment of Foot,
was arraigned upon the undermentioned Charge, viz.

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" For conduct most unmilitary•, and subversive of all Disc:-
pline and good Order, in the following instances, viz.
" 1. For making use of insulting language to the Officers of
the Bth (or King's, Regiment of Foot, at large, at the Aless at
Malta, in or about the month of May last, as follows That he
would be d—d if ever he sat at the Mess-table again,' or words
to a similar insulting effect; aad then withdrawing himself from
the Mess.

" 2. For refusing, subsequently to using such expressions, and
so conducting himself, to retract what he had said, when reques-,
ted so to do by Lieutenant-Colonel Rossarow.
" 3. For delivering a message to Lieutenant-Colonel ROSES-
TON, to be carried to the Officers of the Bth (or King's) }Uzi-
mutt of Foot, to the following purport, amounting to a Chal-
lenge—' That if any persons thought themselves aggrieved at
what he,-Major Been, had said, be would grant them satisfac-
tion,' and which message Lieutenant-Colonel 11911ERTON did im
mediately, or shortly afterwards, deliver to the said Officers."

Upon which Charge the Court came to the following decision
" The Court having investigated the Charge preferred against
the prisoner, Major Tnostas Beer, of the Bth (or King's) Hee,:
ment, and having under its consideration the whole of the evi-
dence offered on this Trial, as well in support of the prosecution
as on the behalf of the prisoner, declares its opinion, that in re-
spect to•the first instance, the prisoner is Guilty of the Chirp
as specified in the said first instance.
" In respect to the second instance, the prisoner is Guilty of
the Charge, as specified in the said second instance.
" In respect to the third instance, the prisoner is Not Guilty •
of the Charge, as specified in the said third instance; inasmuch
as the evidence does net sufficiently prove that Lieutenant-Colo-
nel Roberton was actually authorised by Major Buck to carry
the challenge, which he did tarry, to the Officers of the Regi-
ment, although it is clear that Major Buck made use of the lan-
guage as stated in the third instance of the Charge.
" The Court, in consequence of the above opinion and find-
ing, does sentence the prisoner Major 'Thomas Buck, of the Bth
(or King's) Regiment of Foot, to be placed at the foot of the list
of the Majors of his Majesty's Army, and further to be pub-
licly and severely reprimanded, at such time and place as may
be directed.
" The Court having delivered its opinion and sentence. deems
it its duty to animadvert upon a part of the evidence oeßrevet
Major Campbell, given on the defence, as regarding the third
(instance of the Charge.
" And the Court cannot refrain from remarking, as well on
the spirit which evidently appears* to have actuated the wit-
ness, as on the answers themselves, which are most extraordi-
nary, inasmuch as it must have been evident to the witness, that
the message which he himself sent, could not, by any possibi-
lity, have been in consequence of the communication made by
Lieutenant-Colonel Roberton ; as that communication was,
within the witness's own knowledge, made on the day subse-
quent to that on which he sent the message, which he relates in
his evidence."
His Royal Highness the Prince Regent has been pleased, in
the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, to approve and con-
firm the finding and sentence of the Court • and as Major Buck
has been promoted according to his standing in the General
Brevet lately published, and previous to this sentence being
made known, the same will be cancelled, in older to the fulfil-
ment thereof.
By command of his Royal Highness the Commander in Chief.
lIARRY CALVERT, Adjutant-General.
Horse Guards. 4th Sept. 1819.
At a General Court Martial held at Corfu, on the 21st of:
April, 1819, and continued by adjournments until 28th May'
following, Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Thomas Roberton, of the
Bth (or King's) Regiment of Foot, was arraigned upon the un-
dermentioned Charges, viz.
" Ist. When commanding the Bth. (or King's) Regiment, in
or about the month of May last, in Malta, for being the carrier
of a challenge, or of a message tantamount to a challenge, from
the Major of that Regiment (Major Buck) to the Officers of the
corps assembled, as ordered by himself."
" 2d. For misapplying his Majesty's provisions, in the instance
of drawing a daily ration of provisions for many months, under
the pretence, and certified by himself, as for a private servant
of his own, not a soldier, when, in fact, such ration was drawn
for, and delivered to, the Master of the Regimental Band."
" 3d. For conduct disgraceful to himself, as Commanding
Officer of the Regiment, and subversive of every principle of
military rule and subordination, in sending for the Pay Serjeanta
of the whole, or some, of the Companies of the Regiment, some
days antecedent to the first inspection subsequent to the arrival
of the Regiment at Malta, and either advising, directing, or
stating to thenythat the men of their different Companies ought
to complain to the General Officer at the e'tsuing inspection, of
the trowsers furnished by the Captains of Companies, or by the
Officers in payment thereof ; or generally expressing that the
men ought not to have received them, and ought to complain;
or words tending to make the men dissatisfied with the conduct
of their Officers."
" 4th. For conduct most unmilitary and derogatory to his'
character, as an Officer commanding a Regiment in his Majesty's
service, in confining, in the month of September last, and subse-
quently trying and punishing, private James Coburne, for making
a compLiint to him, the Commanding Officer ; whereat the said
private did not come forward with, or in fact make, any coin-
; laint, but being asked a question or questions, merely had re-

turned a natural answer to such question or questions put front
him the •Commanding Officer."
" sth. For unmilitary conduct, as Commanding °Aker of the
Bth (or King's) Regiment, in permitting private James Coburn,
to appear as an evidence on a General Court Martial, assembled

at Sialta in the month of October last, with his side-arms on,
though the said private was at that time a prisoner, and returned
into confinement, and had been for many days confined as such,
`on charges stated by Lieutenant-Colonel Roberson himself to the
General Court Martial, to be of a heinous nature.
" &h. For gross abuse of his power and authority, as Corn-
'handing Officer of the Bth (or King's) Regiment, in conducting
himself towards private James Coburn, tyrannically, cruelly,
and unjustly, as well in Charge 4th, as in other respects through-
out, from the period commencing in September and ending
in November following;—in shewing a misplaw,d partiality in
_ .

... ...
regard to private John Condell, and in having treated private
Daniel Reily with undue severit y ;--the whole of these acts being
principally consequent to the evidence which the three above-
mentioned soldiers had given at a General Court Martial, before
which he prosecuted Lieutenant M'Swiney, of the Bth (or King's)
Regiment.

" 7th. For gross neglect and most disorderly c .ndurt in the
tanagement of the Regiment under Isis command, in the fol-
wing instances, viz.

Ist. Establishing a Committee of Paymastership in a man-
ner contrary to his Majesty's Regulations.
'2(l. Knowingly permitting the Staff Serjeants of the Regi-
ment to be Pay Serjeants of Companies, contrary to his Majesty's
Regulations.

' Sd. Permitting Sentences of Regimental Courts Martial to
be carries into execution without affixing hia approval to the pro-
ceedings ofthe same.

4th. Illegally changing the Sentence of a Regimental Court
Martial by his own authority.
• stb. Approving a sentence of a Court Martial, which had
been held not by his order.
• 6th. Directing a sentence of a Court Martial to be carried
into execution in a manner contrary to the tenour of the said
sentence.
• 7th. Entering Courts Martial Irregularly, in respect to dates,
in the Regimental Court Martial Book.
• Bth. And lastly, omitting entirely to enter many Courts
Martial in the said book, which had taken place in the Regiment.
" Bth. For neglect of duty as Commanding Officer of the Bth
(or King's) Regiment, and for violation of those orders and
regulation of the service, which his Majesty has been gra-
ciously pleased to establish for the protection of the pecuniary
interests of every soldier in the British Army, in the following
instances, viz.

• Ist. Publishing a Regimental Order about November last,
and approving the Report of a Board, by which the Quarter-
Master was permitted to make an unwarrantable profit in the
sale of articles or necessaries to the soldiers.

2d. Permitting the Companies' Books to be in a state of
great irregularity.
- -- - -

3d. Permitting the Private Ledgers of the soldiers of the Re-
giment to be in a state of great disorder.
4th. Allowing the prices of the same articled of necessaries
supplied the different Companies, to be charged at a great variety
of rates, which must tend to create discontent in the Regiment,
and injury to the pecuniary interest of the soldier.' "
Upon which Charges the Court came to the following decision:
" The Court having investigated the several charges preferred
against the prisoner, Lieutenant-Colonel P. I'. Roberton, of the
Bth (or King's) Regiment, and having under its consideration
the whole of the evidence produced on this trial, as well in sup-
port of the prosecution as on the behalf of the prisoner, declares
its opinion—That in respect to the First Charge, the prisoner is
Guilty of the same."
" In respect to the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth
Charges, the prisoner is Guilty of the same."

- -
" In respect to the Seventh Charge, the prisoner is Guilty of
the same, in all the eight Counts. The Court remarks regard-
ing the Fourth Count, that the prisoner seems to have been in-
duced to change the Sentence of the Regimental Court Martial
in order to favour the soldier tried, on account of the particular
good character he bore, and the representation of that circum-
stance made by some Officers of the Regiment —Further the
Court observes, that the prisoner may have been led into the ir-
regularity stated in the Sixth Count, from a custom prevailing
(as the prisoner asserts) in the Bth Regimen, of indicting cor-
poral punishment for theft on the breech.
" In respect to the Eighth Charge, the Prisoner is Guilty of
the same in all the Four Counts of the said Charge. The Court
however cannot refrain from remarking, in reference to the first
Count of this Charge, the grass irregularity and carelessness with
which (as appears from the evidence) the Board conducted the
duty entrusted to it—which neglect of duty, whilst it compro-
mised the pecuniary interest of the soldier, might, by possibi-
lity, have inadvertently led Lieutenant-Colonel Roberton to pub-
lish t• the Regiment the proceedings of the Board, without due
reflection.
" Further the Court, in reference to its decision en the 4th
Count, deems it necessary to remark, that some variation
the prices of necessaries will frequently occur in the different
Companies of a Regiment, and may be unavoidable : yet the ex-
eceding difference of the prices of them (as appears in evidence
before the Court) was not warranted by any thing brought for-
ward on the defence, nor does it appear that the prisoner took any
steps to ascertain the grounds of such excessive variety of prices.
" The Court, in consequence of the above opinion and find-
ing on all the Charges preferred against Lieutenant-Colonel'P.
T. Roberton, does sentence him to be Cashiered.
" The Court having delivered its opinion and sentence, ad-
verts to the observations it made in the course of its proceedings
to Lieutenant-Colonel Roberton, respecting the infraction of the
Standing Orders of the Regiment, which he imputed to Brevet
_ _

Major Campbell.
" The Court remarks, that Lieutenant-Colonel Roberton 624
in a great degree, by his own acts, abrogated those Standing Or-
ders on the point in question. And further, it appears the Stand-
ing Orders which Lieutenant-Colonel Roberton attempted to
set forth as being in force, bad never been communicated to the
Officers of the Regiment, the Acting Adjutant, and Lieute-
nant-Colonel De Courcy, now in command of the Regiment,
both declared that they had never been in possession of them.
" The Court deems it further its duty to comment on the very
unusual course pursued by Lieutenant Ross, as appears front
his own evidence, in ordering private Coburne to bei confined
on the report nude by the S.:rjeant Major,that he did not know
what might be the consequences in the Company, of Cobnrne's
conduct ; yet Lieutenant Ross himself acknowledges in his evi-
dence, that he took no step that night to investigate into this
alleged misconduct, nor did he, though his Captain was preseet
with the Regiment, make any report of it to him, or to the Com-
manding Officer, till the next day. '
The Prince Regent is pleased, in the name and on the behalf
of his Majesty, to approve and confirm the finding and sentence
of the Court.
Ills Royal Highness at the lame time considers the irregula-
rities which appears upon the face of these proceedings to have
deranged the whole system of discipline and interior economy in
the Bth (or King's) Regiment, as calling for a decided mark of
his reproof and displeasure, not only as essential to the re-esta-
blishment of good order in this old and distinguished corps, but
as a warning to every Regiment in the Service, that a strict and
punctual adherence to his Majesty's Regulations, in .all their
detail, is enjoined and expected from them ; and it appedring
from the proceedings of this Court Martial; ,as if the practice
and the convenience of the moment were ',Created in many
instances to supersede the strict observance of the Rules and
Regulations laid down by his Majesty's Orders, his Royal High-
ness considers it essential to apprise the whole Army, that no
practice can be permitted to sanction the most trivial deviation
from those Regulations; and. that whoever, in the command of
Regiments, permits such irregular practice, must do so at his and
their peril.
Prom the tenonr of these proceedings the Prince Regent is
pleased to command that all promotion shall be stopped in the
Bth Regiment, until the Corps shall be reported in a. state of
good order, conformably to the Regulations of the Service ;
and in consequence of the irregularity attending the supply of,
and charge for, necessaries, to confider it essential that Quarter-
Master George Kiernan shall be removed from the Bth Regiment.
The Commander...es-Chief directs that the foregoing Charges
preferred against Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Thomas Roberton,
of the Bth (or King's) Regiment of Foot, together with the find-
ing and sentence 1,1 the Court, and the Prince ltegent's pleasure
thereon, shall be entered in the Genend Order Book, and read
I at the head of every Regiment in his Majesty's Service.
Ity emunsand of his Royal alginates the Comma.tdee-:n-Chief,
11.1211.1. CA L VERT, Adjutant-General