CHAPTER XVI.
The Second Battalion.—The History and Present
Designation of the Companies.
Formed in 1757, at the same time as the 1st Battalion,
the 2nd Battalion at first included companies in all
parts of the world—the East Indies, America, Gibraltar, and
England. The Cadet Company belonged to it, and was one
of the twelve which constituted the Battalion; but in 1758
another service company was added, making it, in respect of
service companies, equal to the 1st Battalion.
Its strength in 1758 amounted to a total of 1385, divided
into thirteen companies. This strength was reduced in the
following year by the transfer of three companies to assist
in the formation of the 3rd Battalion. One company was
again added in 1761, and two taken away when the 4th
Battalion was formed in 1771. During the American War
two companies were again added, and the greatest strength
of all ranks was 1145. In 1793 and 1794 it approached
1300; and during the Peninsular War its average strength
was 1460. While the Crimean War lasted the Battalion consisted
of eight companies, and its strength was as follows:—In
1854, 1216; in 1855, 1344; and in 1856, 1480.
The distinctive mark of this Battalion was the fact, that
the only Artillery present during the memorable siege of
Gibraltar belonged to it.
The early services of the companies are difficult to trace.
One company, under Captain Hislop, was present at the
defence of Fort St. George, Madras, when besieged by the
French, in October, 1758. In November of the same year a
company of the Battalion, under Captain P. Innes, embarked
with General Barrington's expedition, for the attack of the
Island of Martinique. This expedition was unsuccessful, but
the troops were then ordered against Guadaloupe, which was
taken on 1st May, 1759. In February, 1759, the siege of Fort
St. George was raised by the French, Captain Hislop's
Company receiving great praise for its conduct during the
defence.
No. 1 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION,
Now "7" BATTERY, 21st BRIGADE.
| Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. |
| 1779-1783 |
Siege of Gibraltar. |
| 1801 |
Detachments in Egypt, present at Battle of Alexandria, and later actions. |
| 1809 |
Expedition to Walcheren. |
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| |
* * * * * |
| 1782 |
Captain Joseph Eyre. |
| 1782 |
Captain Charles Abbott. |
| 1793 |
Captain James M. Hadden. |
| 1793 |
Captain James Boag. |
| 1800 |
Captain Thomas Charleton. |
| 1806 |
Captain Joseph D'Arcy. |
| 1825 |
Captain Richard T. King. |
| 1837 |
Captain Charles Manners. |
| 1840 |
Captain Charles H. Nevett. |
| 1848 |
Captain C. J. Wright. |
| 1855 |
Captain M. A. S. Biddulph. |
No. 2 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION,
Now "2" BATTERY, 12th BRIGADE.
| Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. |
| 1761 |
Siege of Belleisle. |
| 1779-1783 |
Siege of Gibraltar. |
| 1801 |
Detachments in Egypt, present at Battle of Alexandria, and later actions. |
| 1810-1812 |
Cadiz, during siege. |
| 1812 |
Carthagena, and operations in South of Spain. |
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| |
* * * * * |
| 1782 |
Captain Philip Martin. |
| 1783 |
Captain Edward Stephens. |
| 1794 |
Captain William Bentham. |
| 1795 |
Captain William Collier. |
| 1796 |
Captain Daniel Gahan. |
| 1802 |
Captain Robert Wright. |
| 1806 |
Captain Patrick Campbell. |
| 1825 |
Captain Robert S. Douglas. |
| 1831 |
Captain Peter D. Stewart. |
| 1841 |
Captain W. H. Hennis. |
| 1850 |
Captain W. B. Gardner. |
| 1855 |
Captain A. E. H. Anson. |
No. 3 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION,
Now "7" BATTERY, 10th BRIGADE.
| Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. |
| 1779-1783 |
Siege of Gibraltar. |
| 1809 |
Detachments served in Expedition against St. Domingo. |
| 1854 |
Detachments furnished for siege of Sebastopol. |
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| |
* * * * * |
| 1782 |
Captain George Groves. |
| 1782 |
Captain Alexander Shand. |
| 1793 |
Captain James Butler. |
| 1794 |
Captain Edward Stehelin. |
| 1801 |
Captain William Dixon. |
| 1808 |
Captain Marcus Roe. |
| 1810 |
Captain Dugald Campbell. |
| 1828 |
Captain Zachary C. Bayly. |
| 1836 |
Captain Daniel Bissett. |
| 1837 |
Captain John M. Stephens. |
| 1837 |
Captain Edmund Sheppard. |
| 1839 |
Captain William Lemoine. |
| 1840 |
Captain G. James. |
| 1840 |
Captain T. O. Cater. |
| 1847 |
Captain G. Gambier. |
| 1850 |
Captain T. A. Shone. |
| 1852 |
Captain R. H. Crofton. |
| 1856 |
Captain J. C. Childs. |
No. 4 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION,
Now "D" BATTERY, 1st BRIGADE.
| Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. |
| 1779-1783 |
Siege of Gibraltar. |
| |
| 1801 |
Detachments in Egypt, present at battle of Alexandria, and later actions. |
| |
| 1854 |
Expedition to Crimea, and siege of Sebastopol, from December, 1854. |
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| |
* * * * * |
| 1772 |
Captain Vaughan Lloyd. |
| 1782 |
Captain Robert Garstin. |
| 1793 |
Captain Henry T. Thomson. |
| 1801 |
Captain Ralph W. Adye. |
| 1803 |
Captain J. Vivion. |
| 1815 |
Captain James E. Grant. |
| 1817 |
Captain Robert H. Birch. |
| 1825 |
Captain Henry W. Gordon. |
| 1837 |
Captain James S. Law. |
| 1842 |
Captain William Fraser. |
| 1848 |
Captain Henry Poole. |
| 1852 |
Captain S. D. Broughton. |
| 1857 |
Captain D. S. Greene. |
| 1857 |
Captain R. K. Freeth. |
No. 5 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION,
Now "8" BATTERY, 3rd BRIGADE.
| Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. |
| 1779-1783 |
Siege of Gibraltar. |
| |
| 1809 |
Detachments served in Expedition against St. Domingo. |
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| |
* * * * * |
| 1782 |
Captain James Dunbar. |
| 1782 |
Captain Jacob Schalch. |
| 1789 |
Captain John Ramsay. |
| 1794 |
Captain Charles N. Cookson. |
| 1803 |
Captain W. Henry Gardner. |
| 1803 |
Captain A. Y. Spearman. |
| 1808 |
Captain Nathl. W. Oliver. |
| 1808 |
Captain William Lloyd. |
| 1815 |
Captain Charles H. Godby. |
| 1826 |
Captain Alexr. McLachlan. |
| 1840 |
Captain Wm. Furneaux. |
| 1847 |
Captain J. A. Wilson. |
| 1848 |
Captain Anthony Benn. |
| 1855 |
Captain C. G. Arbuthnot. |
| 1855 |
Captain A. R. Wragge. |
No. 6 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION,
Reduced on 1st March, 1819.
| Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in which this Company has been engaged. |
| 1807 |
Expedition to Copenhagen. |
| |
| 1809 |
Expedition to Walcheren. |
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| |
* * * * * |
| 1782 |
Captain Joseph Walton. |
| 1782 |
Captain John Fairlamb. |
| 1782 |
Captain Ralph Wilson. |
| 1790 |
Captain W. P. Smith. |
| 1796 |
Captain George Wulff. |
| 1799 |
Captain Spencer C. Parry. |
| 1805 |
Captain Thomas Francklin. |
| 1807 |
Captain Robert H. Birch. |
| 1808 |
Captain Thomas Paterson. |
No. 7 COMPANY (afterwards No. 6), 2nd BATTALION,
Now "G" BATTERY, 8th BRIGADE.
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| |
* * * * * |
| 1782 |
Captain George Fead. |
| 1792 |
Captain Thomas R. Charleton. |
| 1799 |
Captain William Cox. |
| 1805 |
Captain William Millar. |
| 1805 |
Captain William Payne. |
| 1816 |
Captain James S. Bastard. |
| 1817 |
Captain J. F. Fead. |
| 1821 |
Captain H. B. Lane. |
| 1826 |
Captain Charles G. Napier. |
| 1826 |
Captain Thomas Scott. |
| 1834 |
Captain William A. Raynes. |
| 1843 |
Captain G. M. Glasgow. |
| 1848 |
Captain H. J. Morris. |
| 1851 |
Captain A. G. W. Hamilton. |
| 1854 |
Captain A. C. Pigou. |
No. 8 COMPANY (afterwards No. 7), 2nd BATTALION,
Now "5" BATTERY, 2nd BRIGADE.
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| |
* * * * * |
| 1782 |
Captain Alexr. McKenzie. |
| 1782 |
Captain George Groves. |
| 1782 |
Captain Abraham Witham. |
| 1794 |
Captain Edward Stehelin. |
| 1794 |
Captain Charles Nevelle. |
| 1802 |
Captain Thomas Dodd. |
| 1813 |
Captain Abraham Paul. |
| 1814 |
Captain Francis Knox. |
| 1819 |
Captain Joseph Brome. |
| 1821 |
Captain Frederick Gordon. |
| 1826 |
Captain Wm. E. Maling. |
| 1833 |
Captain Wm. Saunders. |
| 1834 |
Captain J. R. Colebrooke. |
| 1840 |
Captain E. Trevor. |
| 1845 |
Captain A. Shuttleworth. |
| 1852 |
Captain M. O. Nixon. |
No. 9 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION,
Reduced 1st February, 1819.
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| |
* * * * * |
| 1782 |
Captain Thomas Paterson. |
| 1790 |
Captain John Macleod. |
| 1793 |
Captain Thomas Desbrisay. |
| 1799 |
Captain William Robe. |
| 1800 |
Captain Robert Wright. |
| 1802 |
Captain Daniel Gahan. |
| 1804 |
Captain George Forster. |
| 1804 |
Captain Benjamin Fenwick. |
| 1812 |
Captain David Story. |
No. 10 COMPANY (afterwards No. 8), 2nd BATTALION,
Now "A" BATTERY, 14th BRIGADE.
| List of Captains who have successively commanded the Company, as far back as can be traced, down to introduction of Brigade System, in 1859. |
| |
* * * * * |
| 1782 |
Captain Thomas Davis. |
| 1783 |
Captain F. M. Dixon. |
| 1793 |
Captain Charles Robison. |
| 1803 |
Captain John Dyer. |
| 1804 |
Captain George Desbrisay. |
| 1814 |
Captain Thomas J. Harrison. |
| 1819 |
Captain Thomas Paterson. |
| 1825 |
Captain Courty. Cruttenden. |
| 1826 |
Captain Hamelin Trelawney. |
| 1831 |
Captain Thomas Grantham. |
| 1843 |
Captain T. C. Robe. |
| 1851 |
Captain Evan Maberley. |
| 1856 |
Captain J. E. Thring. |
