The 36th Regiment in the Leeward Islands 1833-35

Background

Antigua was discovered by Columbus in 1493 and the first British colonists settled there in 1632.  Its geographical features made it an attractive island for settlement.  The sheltered anchorages and inlets afforded some sanctuary from hurricanes and privateers, the relatively even country made it easy to cultivate – mainly with tobacco and sugar – and the steady trade winds were ideal for driving the windmills which provided the power to dry the tobacco leaves and process the sugar cane.

As British rule was consolidated in the Caribbean area Antigua’s location to windward of its neighbours made it, in days of sail, the obvious choice as capital of the Leeward Islands group, enabling naval and military reserves held there to be moved rapidly to counter any threats in the other islands.  As the pace of European colonisation and Great Power rivalry grew in the 18th Century and the Caribbean became a focus in the struggle for naval supremacy and territorial gain the British military presence in Antigua was steadily expanded.  Initially a line of forts was constructed to protect the major harbours and settlements and prevent landing on the sheltered beaches, and subsequently as the fine natural anchorage at English Harbour was developed as an important naval base extensive fortifications were constructed around it and additional troops were brought in to man them.  During the Napoleonic Wars, when the French threat was at its height, there were over 1000 troops garrisoning the island including elements from 4 Foot regiments.  After the convincing British naval victories of the Saints in 1782 and at Trafalgar in 1805 the French did not again challenge British naval supremacy in the Caribbean, but they retained their Caribbean colonies, and the threat of French attack ensured the retention of a substantial British naval and military presence in the area. In 1836, in response to pressure from .the Horse Guards in London for a reduction in the military presence, the regional military commander in Barbados firmly stated his case for the continued garrisoning of the islands:

“The naval defence of all these petty colonies is by the Mastery of the Seas, and whoever is Master of that Element may always take them, notwithstanding the millions of money that have been thrown away in Fortifications, which have seldom had troops to defend them.  The first principle therefore of eventual defence in my opinion is, to hold these positions ready for our Fleet in case of sudden war; so as to have the means at hand of supplying them with ammunition, stores and water; protected as they would be by strong batteries on shore.  I cannot conceive it possible that there can be a different Military or Naval opinion on this question.”

The Army stayed in some strength until the demands of the Crimea campaign forced a major withdrawal, and the Navy remained until the end of the century

The 36th Regiment was stationed in the West Indies on three occasions in the 18th century; in 1702-03, 1740-41 and 1764-72, mainly in Jamaica.  After a two year tour in Ireland they were again ordered in 1830 to the West Indies for what turned out on this occasion to be a tour of 8 years.  Leaving the 4 Depot companies in Ireland the Headquarters and 6 Service companies embarked at Cork and spent the next 2 years in Barbados.  In December 1832 the Regiment received orders to move to the Leeward Islands to relieve the 86th Regiment.  The Headquarters and Right Wing, consisting of Nos 1, 2 and the Light companies disembarked in Antigua on 2nd February 1833 from HM Ships North Star, Columbus, Arachna and Army Vessel Duke of York.  A local newspaper reported:

“Lord William Paget, the Senior Officer of the Squadron, requested for himself and the Captains of the other vessels to express to the companies previous to dismissal the gratification they felt at the uniform good conduct of the men whilst on Board, which had merited their Warmest Approbation —-”

They occupied the barracks at Shirley Heights and the Ridge overlooking English Harbour.  The Left Wing, comprising the Grenadier and 3 and 4 companies sailed to St Kitts, and subalterns’ detachments from Nos 1 and 3 companies were sent to Montserrat and Tortola respectively.

The Regiment arrived under the command of Major Crosse as the former commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel R Nickle, had assumed the appointment of Lieutenant Governor of St Kitts some months previously.  Major Cairns then took over on arrival from England in July 1834 and remained in command apart from the brief tenure from February to September 1835 of Lt Col Maxwell who was forced to return to England on grounds of ill health.  During the tour other officers acted periodically in a civil capacity:  Captain Kilkeley for instance took over as Lieutenant Governor of St Kitts from Lt Col Nickle.

By 1833 The British Government had resolved to yield to those who were campaigning for the abolition of slavery and the details of how it was to be effected were being debated at home and in the colonies.  These were therefore anxious times for the plantation owners and managers whose prosperity had been built on, and whose very livelihood now heavily depended on, the availability of free labour.  Their profits had already been eroded by a severe drought in 1833 and many could not envisage how the economic structure and social fabric of the islands could survive such a fundamental upheaval,  and there was widespread concern that once free the slaves would constitute a serious threat to law and order.  Their very numerical superiority, 29537 in Antigua in 1833 as against an estimate of only 5800 free men, gave cause for concern.  The argument whether in these circumstances the British Government or the local legislature was responsible for local security, which had been waged continuously since the earliest days of settlement, continued.  The legislature had always been reluctant  to vote money for security purposes, particularly at times of such economic uncertainty, though, as in other islands, a local militia force had been raised.  But as a contemporary account of its appearance in a riot in 1831 implied, it existed more for show than action:

            “Great were the marchings and counter-marchings upon this occasion; mysterious the signs     and counter-signs!  Then there was such buckling on of spurs, and bracing on of swords –           such displays of epaulets and aiguillettes, as would have surprised any one not accustomed to   West Indian militia “turn outs.”  Generals galloped here, and colonels there; at one moment a   party of gallant dragoons, armed to the teeth, and mounted – some on gaunt steeds of sixteen            hands high, and others on diminutive ponies, dashed along the streets; at another, the   governor and his brilliant staff might be seen hurrying forward as fresh intelligence arrived        of other fires breaking out.”

When there were imperial troops available therefore, they tended to be called on first in event of trouble, and it was against this background of heightened concern for security and uncertainty about the future that a number of subsequent deployments of the Regiment took place.  3 moves took place during 1833 in response to the Governor’s request for reinforcements.  In June the subaltern’s detachment at Montserrat was boosted to company strength when No 1 Company was sent from Antigua.  In July the subaltern’s detachment at Tortola was replaced by a company of the 65th Regiment.  The event which led to this re-inforcement of the Tortola garrison was the mutinous behaviour of elements of the local militia who had become disaffected over the import of a consignment of military accoutrements which some merchants claimed should have been ordered locally.  This was not the first time this militia unit had demonstrated its unreliability; in the previous year they had nearly opened fire on the imperial garrison.  In August a subaltern’s detachment was sent to Nevis, which had not been garrisoned for some years.  Towards the end of the year after the local legislature had been consulted about the procedure for the freeing of slaves when the Act for the Abolition of Slavery was due to be passed on 1 August 34, the Governor conveyed to the Secretary of State for the Colonies the wishes of the slave owners of Antigua to give immediate unrestricted freedom to their slaves, and not to require them to serve an apprenticeship as had been proposed.  In the same despatch he gave his views on further re-inforcements.

 “Previously to the next First of August it may be advisable in any case to solicit a reinforcement for Antigua, not so much on account of the Free Inhabitants, whom the King’s Troops present, and the Militia, are sufficient to protect, as for the sake of the newly liberated slaves themselves, in order to overawe them by a Show of Force, and thereby guard against the consequences of excesses, in which they might otherwise be tempted to indulge, on the first introduction of a great change in the Nature of their social condition”

and was more explicit in a subsequent despatch to the General commanding Troops in Barbados:

“In my humble opinion, a Complete Wing, at least, of one of His Majesty’s European Regiments, should be stationed in Antigua, and when the period of Emancipation approaches, a Vessel of War, in English Harbour, to guard its Naval Establishment —–”

This drew a sharp response:

—– and I have not heard of any appearances of bad Spirit, among the Negro population, which could not have been controlled by an Active Magistracy.

—– you will understand the impossibility of my dispersing more Troops upon precautionary grounds only.  If troubles come from any quarter I will endeavour to meet them promptly but I am sure Your Excellency will discourage applications for Troops arising from timidity, or the unreasonable expectations of Planters too indolent to exert themselves in Magisterial or Police arrangements —–”

But in June the Antigua Garrison was re-inforced by an additional company and the old barracks at Monk’s Hill and St John’s were re-opened and occupied by No 4 Company and the Light company respectively.

In the event there was little serious unrest in any of the islands either preceding or following emancipation, though a few incidents led to further requests for reinforcements.  In May 1834 a plea was received from Tortola, where the slaves were required to serve an apprenticeship:

“—- several of them have openly avowed their determination not to submit to the system of apprenticeship.  One man in particular —– to say before many of his Fellows that the King had made all slaves Free and that he would fight up to his knees in blood before he would work after 1st August for any man.

—– under these circumstances it is most desirable, and which alone I consider likely to preserve the safety of this Colony, that an additional number of troops should be stationed here ——.

The detachment at present has only about 50 rank and file of which number not more than half, in case of any disturbance, can I understand, after placing the necessary guards on the Barracks and the Commissary Stores, be available for general assistance”

Sir Lionel Smith, the Commander at Barbados responded to this and a simultaneous request for reinforcement of the garrison at Anguilla:

—– my deep regret at being obliged to refuse these requests on account of the dispersed state of the Troops in this Command and the necessity for keeping a certain portion disposable at Headquarters.”

In August 1835 the Governor  of Antigua reported the deployment of an officer and seventeen men of the 36th as a result of:

“…. a discontinuance of an apprehended combination amongst that clan throughout the island, with the view of persisting in this design.

            Although the peasants in a free country may be entitled to desist from toil whenever so             inclined,  the landed proprietors of Antigua are no less privileged in evicting their dependants        refusing to serve them from the tenements, which, after the 1st and this month, the latter can     no longer legally retain.”

The Superintendent of Police who accompanied the soldiers reported:

“… arrived there at about 15 minutes before daybreak, and halted at a short distance from the negro houses, midway between Jarvis’s and Blazard’s, so as to be within view of the people on both properties. I took the bugler with me to an elevated spot among the huts, and precisely at daybreak they were roused from their beds on the former estate by the martial strains of his instrument.”

This cowed the labourers into thinking they were likely to be shot, but when they had been assured that they would not be harmed by the troops, they emerged from their huts and agreed to resume work.

The tiny island of Barbuda posed an unusual problem to the Governor.  It had many years previously been leased by the Crown to the Codrington family in perpetuity and had been administered by them as a private estate.  Since it was very low-lying and unsuitable for the cultivation of sugar its prime use had been as a breeding ground for slaves for the family estates in Antigua.  But since it had never been part of Antigua or any other colony there was no legal basis for any government or administration, and the Governor was unable to persuade the Antiguan Legislature to assume responsibility for it since they realised this would inevitably involve them in expense.  Despite this difficult legal position the Governor twice felt compelled to send a subaltern’s detachment of the 36th Regiment there to forestall insurrection.  There were only about 10 free people there – the manager’s family – and the slave population numbered some 500.  The first detachment, in April 1834

was accompanied by two civilian Justices of the Peace but on the second occasion, in March 1935, the Governor appointed the two officers, Lieut Burrows and Ensign Mauleverer, as Justices of the Peace.

The detachment was eventually withdrawn without incident, though Barbuda’s uncertain legal position remained unresolved. Mauleverer was by this time in command of the detachment because Burrows had become ill while in Barbados and had died in June on return to Antigua.  A plaque was erected to his memory in a local church which is now in the museum at English Harbour.

The Regimental death  toll  was heavy, with an .average of three men dying each month and an average daily number in hospital of thirty three. The Regiment’s total death toll in the Leeward Islands tour  was two officers, six sargeants and 96 rank and file. Amongst the rank and file two privates were accidentally drowned and two committed suicide. In August 1835 a hurricane hit Antigua and caused widespread damage and destruction, though the only regimental casualty

 was a soldier’s wife who was injured. In the wake of the hurricane an epidemic of Yellow Fever broke out, which presumably accounted for the high death toll of eighteen men of the 36th in October and the first few days of November of that year.  One of those who died of Yellow Fever was Ensign W Clarke, on 21 October; after 18 months in the appointment of Sergeant Major he had been commissioned and appointed Adjutant in July 1833.

A number of families, mainly of  the more senior members, accompanied the Regiment on the tour, though they are seldom mentioned in the official records unless their husbands died.  Anne, wife of Quartermaster Sargeant John Flanagan, returned to England when her husband died in Antigua in July 1833, but when Colour Sargeant Feeny died in Montserrat his widow remained there.  A gravestone in St John’s churchyard, Antigua records that Margaret Comerford, wife of the Light Company Colour Sargeant, lost both her husband and 5 year old son there.

On 8 November the HQ and Right Wing sailed for St Lucia and dropped off a Captain’s detachment at Pigeon Island en route, and on 19 November the Left Wing embarked at Antigua on HM Steamship Columbia, called in at Montserrat to take on board No 1 Company, and sailed for Dominica. In February 1838 the Regiment moved back to Barbados and in November 1838 the Regiment left for Nova Scotia.