01 Jan 1910 - WHEN BRITISH TROOPS WERE HERE.

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Sat 1 Jan 1910 - The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954)
Page 6 - WHEN BRITISH TROOPS WERE HERE.

While the 40th Regiment were in Ho-
bart, two of the men were lost on the
mountain, and never heard of again.
A party of them had been sent out in
pursuit of a gang of escaped convicts,
who had set up in business as bush-
rangers, and they became separated
somewhere on the New Town side of
the mountain. Two of the men never

came back, and whether they got lost
and perished from want, or were mur-
dered by the bushrangers, remains a
mystery to this day.

In 1831 a detachment of the 17th
Regiment, under Captain G. J. Rom-
ney, arrived, and the 63rd were in full
strength, under Lieut.-Colonel Logan.
In the following year the 4th, or King's
Own, put in an appearance, under Major
Breton. There were also in Hobart de-
tachments of the 17th under Lieuts.
Ball and Murray, and of the 57th
under Captain Welman. These de-
tachments were, however, gradually
withdrawn, and in 1832 the 63rd Regi-
ment furnished nearly the whole of the
troops in the island. Lieut.-Colonel
Logan still held the command, and had
under him Captains Briggs, Wilson,
Mahon, Neilley, and Lane. There were
21 sergeants, 14 corporals, 12 drum-
mers, and 655 rank and file, which, with
79 remaining from the 4th Regiment,
made a total of 734 troops. In the
record of the 63rd there first appears
an account of the distribution of the
men at the various stations throughout
the southern and western parts of the
island. At Port Arthur, which was just
then in process of establishment, there
was a lieutenant and 24 privates. At
Macquarie Harbour Captain Baylee was
in command, and he had under him
two sergeants, two corporals, and 44
privates. The establishment at Mac-
quarie Harbour was broken up in 1833,
and the soldiers and convict transfer-
red to Port Arthur. At Launceston
there were 54 privates under Major
Fairtlough. The other military sta-
tions throughout the island were Oat-
lands, Ross, Avoca, Fingal, Bothwell,
Oyster Bay, Richmond, Bridgewater,
Eaglehawk Neck, New Norfolk, Great
Island, Westbury, George Town, Perth,
and Campbell Town. The 63rd Regi-
ment had to furnish a main guard, and
guards for the chain-gang, gaol, regi-
mental barracks, magazine, and bat-
tery. This last is now known as the  
Queen's Battery. Besides that, there
was a picket-guard of a sergeant and
12 privates which patrolled the town

at night.

In 1834 a detachment of the 21st
Fusiliers arrived, under Lieut.-Colonel
J. T. Leahy. Major George Deare, and
Captain Fairweather. It consisted at
first of 217 privates, but later in the  

same year the rest of the regiment put
in an appearance, bringing the strength
up to 602. The 63rd Regiment was be-
ing withdrawn, and only 180 of them
remained at the outstations at this
time. In 1830 some of the 50th Regi-
ment, under Major Ryan, arrived, and
kept the 21st company for several
years. In 1838 the name of Lieut.
Colonel Hope appears as the com-
manding officer of the 21st.

About this period the regiments were
allowed to remain a much longer time
than had previously been the case, for
the 21st Fusiliers and the 50th seem to
have occupied the barracks until 1846,
when the 51st, under Lieut.-Colonel Elliott,
arrived. During that time there
was a detachment of the 11th Regiment,
the North Devonshire Foot, at Laun-
ceston, under Lieut.-Colonel Bloomfield.
In 1847 some of the 96th arrived, under
Lieut.-Colonel Cumberland, who became
senior officer of the forces. He had
with him as Major of Brigade and De-
puty Judge-Advocate Major Ains-
worth. The total of the military forces
in the island at this time was 30 officers,
and 1,180 men. In the following year
Lieut.-Colonel Hulme, of the 96th, ap-
pears as the senior officer in command.
The headquarters of the 96th were then
in Hobart, and there was a detachment
in West Australia, under Captain Bush.
The North Devonshires had their head-
quarters at Launceston, and had de-
tachments in South Australia and Nor-
folk Island.

In 1849 the 99th Regiment appeared
on the scene for the first time, under
Colonel Henry Despard, who becomes
senior officer. The 96th were, then at
Launceston under Lieut.- Colonel Cum-
berland. The 99th had detachments at
Norfolk Island and West Australia.
There also appears during this year a
detachment of the Royal Engineers. In
1850 the 96th left, and the 99th were
left in occupation. For some reason
or other the 99th has succeeded in im-
pressing itself more on the public me-

mory than any regiment that has been

in the island either before or since. The
men were to a large extent drawn from
Ireland, and perhaps it was because
they brought here some of the peculiar-
ities which distinguish this nation in
love and war. Colonel Despard, who
commanded them, had seen a good deal
of active service. He was engaged at
the assault and capture of the fortress
of Chumeer, in India, in 1807. In 1809
he served in the Sikh war, and in 1817-
18 was in the Deccan as Major
of brigade. In 1845 the first Maori
war broke out in New Zealand, and
the 50th and 96th Regiments, which
had returned to Sydney from Hobart,
were hurried to the scene, with Colonel
Hulme, who had been senior officer in
Tasmania, at their head. There were
400 men sent from the two regiments,
but as that number did not prove suffi-
cient. 600 men of the 99th, which was
then in Sydney, were sent to help them.
Col. Despard, was in command, and on
his arrival took over the direction of
the operations. In the attack on the
Ohawei Pah, July 1. 1845, where Hone
Heke the William Tell of the Maoris,
had entrenched his forces, the 99th suf-
fered a severe repulse. Col. Despard
ordered an assault, in spite of the
earnest warnings of friendly Maoris,
who knew the strength of the place.
The attacking force consisted of 200
men, mainly, from the 99th, and was
led by Lieut. Philpott, of H.M.S.
Hazard. The party was met by such a
furious fire that in 10 minutes 103 were
killed or wounded. Col. Despard then
ordered a retreat. In one unexpected
sally by the enemy, Colonel Despard
was very nearly captured, and only
saved by the exertion on his part of
considerable agility. One soldier of the
99th was captured by the Maoris, and
is supposed to have been tortured to
death, as his cries could be heard all
night above the triumphant war songs
and howls of the Maoris. Subsequent-
ly the Pah was captured. Colonel Des-
pard also commanded the combined
naval and military operations against
the Pah of Rua Peka-peka, which end-
ed in its final capture by assault on
January 11, 1846.

At the conclusion of the Maori war,
the 99th returned to Sydney, and were
some few years later drafted to Hobart.
While here, the regiment erected a
monument in the Barracks Reserve to
their fallen comrades. It still stands
on the rise near the entrance to the
bowling green. The following inscrip-
tion appears on the base -

This Pillar is erected by the

voluntary subscriptions ,

of the officers, non-commissioned officers,

and privates

of the 99th Regiment

to perpetuate the memory of

the brave men

who fell in the service of their Queen

and country .

during the campaign in New Zealand

in the years 1845 and 1846.

OFFICERS:

Lieut. Edward Beatty, Ensign E. M.

Blackburn.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS

Sergt. Thos Todd.

PRIVATES :

Thos. Crook, George Mahey, Jas.
Duff, Martin Moran, Jas. French, Jas.
Maere, J. Heaton, Henry Moseley,

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