THE HISTORY OF THE BERRY HEAD FORTIFICATIONS
Written by: D Evans
The gentry prepare for invasion
During the early stages of the construction of the fortifications many schemes of defence, supplementary to the militia, were being hatched by local magnates. The levies their plans proposed to raise would very likely have been called upon to serve in the redoubts of Berry Head, as part of the value of fortifications was considered to be as an efficient way of employing partly trained men. As a former Surveyor-general of the Ordnance put it "Veteran troops only could be opposed to veterans in the open field, and superior numbers of the enemy must probably succeed; but within forts, militia, seamen, almost any stout brave fellow might be as useful in the article of defence as the most experienced soldier." [55]
It was realised that the militia alone would be insufficient to provide the required force, and on April 17 1794 an Act was passed "for encouraging and disciplining such troops, or companies of men, as shall voluntarily enrol themselves for the defence of their counties, towns, or coasts, or for the general defence of the kingdom during the present war." This had four main provisions.
Volunteers duly recruited and officered were entitled to pay at the same rates as Regulars if and when they were called out to resist invasion or to suppress "riots and tumults"; in such cases they were to be subject to the same military discipline and laws as the Regulars and the Militia, but the Courts Martial were to be composed of Volunteer officers only.
NCO's and drummers were to be entitled to billetting if called out. Commissioned officers disabled in service were to be entitled to half-pay, and if killed their widows would receive a pension for life; NCO's and privates who were disabled were to be eligible for Chelsea Hospital.
Volunteers were to be exempt from the Militia ballot and service if they had for the previous six weeks punctually attended at all exercises.
With this encouragement, the following years saw many local organisations promoted in Devon. Some of the plans remained unfulfilled: one such was the following proposal for volunteer artillery sent on March 1st. 1797 by Sir John Coxe Hippisley to the Commander in Chief, the Duke of York:
"Sir
At a crisis so serious as the present I believe there are but few of his Majesty's Subjects whose contemplation is not fixed on the same object. Even where the Spirit of genuine Patriotism is slow to be roused, the principle of self preservation at least will naturally be alive in all. In this persuasion Sir I take the liberty of submitting to Your Royal Highness the rude Sketch of a project which appears, in my humble judgment, to be capable of being moulded by Professional hands, into a form of immediate public utility.
The moment when we have fresh on the public mind the spirited and efficacious exertion of the Welch Peasantry [56] seems to be well salted to inculcate similar exertions directed to the easy formation of a solid defensive Cordon, of formidable annoyance, extending throughout all the Coast of Great Britain, which may be accessible to the smallest veasels of transport.
I will suppose, Sir, that each Parish (or Association of parishes when they are small) to the extent of thirty or forty miles within the coast were provided, by means of a voluntary subscription or by a County Rate, with two or more Field Pieces (or Howitzers), and for such service of emergency even Ship Guns mounted on Field Carriages hastily provided from the nearest Royall Yards, Arsenalls, or Sea Port Towns might sufficiently answer the purpose, accompanied with Stout Carts fitted as extempore Tumbrils with appropriate Ammunition &c. All which to be deposited in the Parish Church,.. Training to take place, perhaps under the direction of a Chelsea Pensioner, after Church Service. The Parish Officers authorised to allow on such occasions a moderate quantity of Beer to drink the Health of his Majesty &c.
Some Horses might be attached to this Rustic Artillery in aid of the Peasantry, though I need not suggest to your Royal Highness that their habits of life, accustomed to the Plough and the Spade and to draw and lift considerable weights, are much better suited to exertions of this description, than as Horsemen.
Pioneer's tools might also be kept, the labourers would require no training in their use ... The Principle seems to offer a much more efficacious and formidable defence than can be expected from the desultory exertions of our Provisional Cavalry on the present System.
The Strength and Activity of the Peasantry may be thus called forth in the mode most congenial with their habits of labour, and by establishing Signals from Parish to Parish, a powerful accumulated Battery might be brought to bear on an adventurous Enemy, at the confused moment of disembarkation, before they could possibly form on any part of our coast, to our serious annoyance.
Volunteer Associations of Gentlemen and the superior Yeomanry might officer these Patriot Bands, and at certain Stations on the Coast some Invalid Artillery Officers. Mattrosses or Chelsea Pensioners might be advantageously stationed, connecting this Cordon ...
I might add Sir that in Great Britain a great number of Gentlemen on the Coast (indeed there is scarcely a River or a Harbour where they are not to be found) - keep Pleasure Vessels generally well equipped and fast Sailers, which by a little spirited regulation and concert might on an
emergency, convey intelligence from Post to Post with great obvious advantage." [57]
These plans were not all mere paper theories suggested to the authorities : some local gentry brought local defence organisations into being, though the enthusiasm for the project was often restricted to the organisers, as the example of the retired Admiral Ourry at Ugborough shows : in March 1797 he printed and circulated 200 copies of the following leaflet to the principal citizens of the area -
"It was proposed to the Parish of Ugborough, the 19th of last March, to come to the following Agreement ; the Utility of which being fully explain'd, and perfectly well understood, to the Satisfaction of a full Meeting of the principal Inhabitants of the said Parish, by GEORGE OURRY, Esq, the said Agreement was unanimously sign'd, with Readiness and Loyalty, the 21st of the said Month ; since which, a Number of other neighbouring Parishes have entered into the same Agreement, as it gives Regularity to the Parishes, Security to Property, Strength to the Army, no Expence or Demands on Government, and will give great Force to the Country, if it be made general, of which there can be no Doubt, as it is much approv'd of by the Lord Lieutenant of the County, the Duke of Portland, Bishop of Exeter, Commanding Officer of his Majesty's Forces, Clergy, and Gentlemen at large in this Part of the County, as well as all the Farmers of those Parishes, who have join'd Hand in Hand, and pledg'd their Faith to each other, in the true Prosecution of the under Agreement ; the said Parishes are induced, for those Reasons above given, to recommend it to their Country, as no Man, that is a true Friend to himself, his Neighbour, and Old England, can object to so laudable and loyal a Scheme, as it will make us appear prepar'd to receive the enemy like true Britons.
The Articles of Agreement are
The principal Inhabitants and Farmers shall voluntarily divide themselves into Companies of eight or ten Men in each, and a respectable Inhabitant or Farmer to be their Chief or Captain.
When class'd into Companies, at the North, East, South, and West, as it may be most convenient to them, taking their Labourers as part of their Company; they will then be told where they are to assemble when the Alarm is given, and will be wanted to defend, what is most dear to them, from the Enemies of our gracious KING, and GLORIOUS CONSTITUTION.
They shall not be obliged to go out of their Parish on any Pretence whatever, but by their own free will and Inclination, but to do within the said Parish all such Work or Labour as shall be requir'd of them, by the Commanding Officer of his Majesty's Forces, then and near the said Parish, in case of an Invasion.
The Work requir'd of them will be to cut down Trees, break up Roads, make Breast-Works, in short, all such Works the Labourer is capable of, within the said Parish, for which he shall be paid, and agreed to be so, by the Parishioners.
As it will be very proper if the Enemy should land, to remove from the Sea-shore all live and dead Stock of every Kind, that it may not be made Use of by the Enemy, the Parish next to the Sea shall drive that Stock to the next Parish, and so on to the next, until it shall be out of the Power of the Enemy, and it may be saved for the proper Owners.
It shall be the Duty of said Parishioners to aid, assist, and succour all Convoys of Stores, Provisions, &c. going to, or from the Army, from their Parish to the next.
All the above being agreed to, and Time fix'd for its Duration to hold good, (which is six Months, or during the War) all the said Parishioners so agreed, Join Hand in Hand, pledging our Faith to each other, to assist each other in the true Prosecution of this our Agreement.
GOD Save the KING."
The Devon Record Office copy has an addendum in the Admiral's hand: "It is Requested that those Parishes which come in to the said Association shall Display a Union Flag on Top of the Church every Sunday, & in Case of Invasion to display it every Day, by which means the Army will know where to Expect the Assistance Proposed."
Unfortunately for the Admiral, the enthusiasm of his parishioners for this project was short-lived. On April 2nd 1798 he wrote to the Lord Lieutenant:
"My Lord ;
Inclosed is the agreement the Parish of Ugborough enterd into the 21st of March 1797, which was to continue for Six Months, to be renew'd if necessary ; at the expiration of that time I requested to renew it for the Duration of the War, which was refused by a great majority...[they said they would support] Government with their Lives & Fortunes, &... use every effort in their power to repel & annoy the Enemy, should an Invasion happen: but were determined not to enter into any written Engagement, which they were doubtful they could not fulfil. In consequence of their refusal, I desired the Union Flag might not appear any more on the Church, as the Army must not be deceived by false Colours..." [58]
More seriously, enthusiasm for the conflict was no greater within the armed forces. The mutinies of the Fleet at Spithead and the Nore are well known: but these were merely the overt part of a general disaffection. Lt.Col.J.P.Bastard of the 1st Devonshire Militia wrote on July 16 1797 to the Lord Lieutenant stating that morale in the Fleet had risen (he was wrong: severe disturbances were shortly to take place in the Hamoaze) but "I wish I could give you as good an account of the Marines, whose officers are certainly attentive and determined; ...but the Truth is, there are about Two hundred of them, who it is not thought prudent to trust with their Arms." [59]
Nor was the threat an illusory one. The Directory had decided on the expedition, and appointed Napoleon the Commander of the Army of England; the official order to that effect was issued on October 26 1797. Some fifty-six thousand men had been massed on the coast of France, though they were also needed for maintaining order there.
In these circumstances the role played in Home Defence by the Militia was an important one: the few records illustrative of service life at Berry Head come from the records of the 1st Devon Militia. Their commander, Colonel Bastard, was a forceful and capable man: interestingly, he had little belief in the value of fortifications, having spoken violently in the House of Commons in 1785 against Pitt's proposal to fortify Plymouth Dockyard. He was to suppress serious rioting at Plymouth in 1801. [60]
Not surprisingly, he also had a scheme for defence against invasion; the correspondence dealing with this has survived. Bastard made his original proposals in a letter to the Commander of the Western District, Lord George Lennox :
"My Lord
In the present New, & extraordinary Crisis, I trust I shall not be impertinent in asking your Lordship, If I from local circumstances, & connections, can render any assistance to your Lordship in the Defence of Plymouth, & Its Environs. If your Lordship considers the Military which can be spared, in the General Distribution of the National Force, for this District sufficient for that purpose, I have only to apologize for giving you this trouble. But If on the contrary you wish it, to be strengthened by the Exertions, & Cooperation of the country, I beg to offer my services, in any way your Lordship thinks they can be employed with Effect. Which is all I should presume to state, if it were not for the Local Circumstances, in which I happen to be placed, and in which the 1st Devon Militia is likely from your application to remain. I am led to the following Statement, from a conviction That the unheard of Exertions of the Enemy are only to be counteracted by exertions of a similar nature.
I therefore would propose to your Lordship, to establish Depots of Arms for several Thousand Men, ready to be delivered to such as would engage to take them, under the direction of the Neighbouring Gentry, Clergy, & Yeomanry properly authorized. Which should put Government to no other expence than the Arms, until the Men were actually called on, to use them to repel Invasion: to appoint to every one his station, & employment, whether that of harassing the Enemy, guarding Prisoners, driving Cattle &ca., breaking up Roads, or any other purpose Your Lordship might point out.
In short If I may be allowed the expression, to organize the whole Mass of the Coast from the Dart to the Plym; commonly called the South Hams; and to hold it in readiness to obey any orders your Lordship may issue, between the former place and the Thames. If your Lordship wishes such a Plan to take place, I shall be ready [ to ] give my assistance to a [ sic ] in any way I can, to anyone whom Geoverment [ sic ] chuses to authorize to carry it into effect. If it is thought necessary I should undertake any part of it myself, I am equally ready to do it, provided no possible Reward or Emolument of any sort, could possibly accrue to Myself.
If I am called on to execute any part, I should propose to your Lordship to permit the Regiment I command, or any part of it you could Spare to give that assistance, & Support to the Whole, which might be necessary to inspire confidence in the People, to direct their Movements with some kind of Regularity, as well as provide for their Wants &ca in a Military View. And also that we should have allotted to us the Three Troops of Provisional Cavalry which belong to this Neighbourhood. The Gentlemen who are destined to Command Them are desirous of it, and the Advantages of having them with us, arising from their Characters, & Connections with the People, and with Myself, as well as their perfect knowledge of the country would be Incalculable.
To enter into Minute Details of such a Plan would only be wasting your Lordship's Time. For as serving the Country is the only Object I have in view;They might be regulated in any way your Lordship approves, as the only Condition, I have to offer is that every one, Myself excepted, should if called out be provided for according to their Stations, during the Time they were in Actual Service in the Field, or should be wounded; in the same manner, as his Majesty's Forces are. And that the Families of the Privates should be subsisted while the Men are in Actual Service.
Kitley January 30th 1798" [61]
Bastard also sent a copy of this letter to Lord Fortescue, who forwarded it to Henry Dundas (secretary of war, 1794-1801.)
Dundas replied to the Lord Lieutenant :
" Parliament Street
10 March 1798
My Lord.
I have received the honor of your Lordship's Letter of the 7th instant inclosing a Copy of one from Lieut:Col.Bastard to Lord George Lennox - It appears to me that the ideas suggested in Col. Bastard's Letter are entitled to serious attention. Viewing then in that light, I cannot help Expressing to your Lordship my earnest wish, that as soon as it may suit your Lordship's convenience, the proper steps may be taken for bringing them under the consideration of the Deputy Lieutenants and Magistrates of the County of Devon, when I shall be glad to receive from Your Lordship a detailed Report of the Suggestions that may occur to them on Col .Bastard's Proposal, and their Opinion with respect to the most effectual mode of carrying it into execution, either in its present Shape, or with such amendments and alterations as it may appear to them to require." [62]
Fortescue apparently considered the plan to be too vague to be discussed in its present shape, and Dundas' reply showed that the administration had eventually got round to formulating a general plan, not intending to depend upon ad hoc arrangements.
"ParIt. Street
16 March
My Lord,
I have had the honour of receiving your Lordship's letter of the 13th instant, stating the reasons why it appears to you to be inexpedient to convene the Magistrates and Deputy Lieutenants of the County of Devon without being enabled to lay before them some more distinct and specific Plan than is contained in Mr .Bastard's letter....I shall have soon to signify to your Lordship His Majesty's commands respecting a plan proposed to be executed in the Maritime Counties for the defence of the Kingdom against Invasion." [63]
This appeared in the form of a lengthy government circular dated April 6 1798. This dealt with recruitment, organisation, pay, and training : the preparation of lists of those willing to serve as pioneers for road breaking, etc. Local associations such as that advocated by Admiral Ourry were to be encouraged, and routes for the evacuation of live and dead stock, women and children were to be planned so as not to conflict with military movements. Depots for the evacuees and the stock were to be arranged, together with arrangements for supplying the army. [64]
Bastard was not pleased with the rejection of his plan, and clearly felt little confidence in the official arrangements. On April 12 he wrote to a friend in Dundas' office: the letter shows that all was not well in Devonshire.
"Dear Hanley
I inclose you as you desire a copy of my letter to Lord George Lennox, who as well as General Simcoe pressed the Adoption of it in the Strongest Manner, as the best mode of giving security to Plymouth. Lord George also desired an early Determination on it, as He had prevailed on me to remain...at Plymouth for the purpose of carrying it into immediate Execution. After waiting Six weeks, without any notice being taken of it, I came to Town and about the last week in March was informed by Lord Fortescue in Bond St. that Mr.Dundass, had the Day before, notified to Him that as a General Plan was in agitation, no particular Plans of Defence would be considered. You will observe at the Time I wrote that Letter, not only the Gentlemen & Yeomanry had been applied to by me, but also the Corporation of Dartmouth and smaller Towns, who all then determined to carry it into effect. Of course I was obliged to communicate to Them Mr Dundass answer. What the views of that neighbourhood are now, I cannot answer for. I know in Parts of Devonshire some disagreeable things have happened and I am sure that the Manner in which things have been conducted as to Defence &ca have by no means added to the security of the country. I am perfectly ready to explain myself, if your Friend wishes it. For I cannot help feeling it, of serious consequence. And I cannot abstain from giving my opinion now on the merit of arming &ca proposed to be adopted viz : That you may perhap, but of that even I am not sure, have a Magnificent return on Paper but one that cannot be effective in Service. I say this from the Experience I had personally in carrying into Effect something Similar to the Plan now Proposed, last War. When we actually were called into Active Service, and Marched forty Miles from our own Homes with the French Prisoners. I mention this circumstance only to show you I do not speak at Random on the Subject.
Yours &ca
J.P.Bastard.
April 12th 1798" [65]
Arrangements for defence now went ahead and an official circular of May 9 1798 reported that 3779 muskets were available for the volunteer corps in Devon. [66]
Napoleon sailed for Egypt on May 19, but the immediate threat was not considered to have abated for some months.
In July Lt.General Simcoe, commanding at Exeter, sent in a return of the volunteers: "Persons who have voluntarily returned themselves as willing to serve in the Classes as specified....for such Military Purposes as may be necessary in case of an Actual Invasion of Britain, or of an Insurrection therein -."
The totals were 934 Cavalry, 17666 Infantry, 7977 Pioneers. The areas showing the largest returns were
|
Cavalry |
Infantry |
Pioneers |
|
|
Roborough |
86 |
2629 |
419 |
|
West Budleigh |
3 |
1446 |
944 |
|
Tiverton |
3 |
975 |
861 |
|
Exeter |
35 |
916 |
246 |
|
East Budleigh |
64 |
857 |
400 |
During 1799 the Lord Lieutenant circulated fresh instructions for the action to be taken in the event of invasion. The countryside, within fifteen miles of the coast, was to be "driven" so as to leave nothing for the enemy.
This was well organised. Two men from each parish were to be appointed as guides for leading the animals, etc. by non-strategic roads: each was to have a good horse, a light fowling-piece with ammunition, a hatchet or billhook and a sharp-pointed knife, and a blanket. The guides were to be officered and paid as Yeomanry and were to assemble at the local army headquarters. Pioneers, who were to repair communications for the army or destroy them before the enemy, were not to be armed, but organised in bodies of at least 25, and were to be equipped with six pickaxes, nine spades or shovels, four billhooks and six felling axes for every 25 men. They were to remain in their parishes for local service, unless sent elsewhere to erect fortifications, and were to be paid for at local labour rates, with the leader of a gang of 25 receiving 3 shillings per day, and a captain of 50 5 shillings.
Printed forms were to be issued to parish authorities for giving and recording the following information : Owners of waggons for removing the sick and infirm were to provide two days provisions for the horses and the driver, shoes and nails for the horses, tools to breach hedges if necessary. To be filled in were the names of the driver, the passengers, the pick-up point, and the name of the Conductor. ( Conductors had the charge of up to ten wagons, and were to move them by the designated routes.) Conductors of stock were to take provisions, a blanket, and hedge-breaking tools, and were to take the route given by the Superintendent of the parish. Owners of stock were to fill in the name of the driver, the place to join the Conductor, and the name of the Conductor, Persons in charge of dead stock were to remain in the parish and await orders, but in an emergency if the enemy approached they were to destroy corn, hay, cattle, horses and vehicles which had not been moved j the owners were to be compensated if co-operative. [68]
55 Parliamentary History, London, 1815. vol.25, cols.375-6.
56 The attempted landing at Pembroke.
57 DRO 152 M/c1797/OM 2
58 DRO 1262 M/L 22 ( Letter and leaflet )
59 DRO 152 M/c1797/ON 4
60 Col.H.Walrond, Historical Records of the 1st Devon Militia. London, 1897. For Col.Bastard see especially chapters 6-9.
61 BM Ms.Add.37877 ff .308-9.
62 DRO 1262 M/L 33
63 DRO 1262 M/L 33
64 DRO 1262 M/L 33
65 BM Ms.Add.37877 ff.306-7
66 DRO 1262 M/L 33
67 DRO 1262 M/L 28
68 A good collection of these orders and directives is in the Clifford archives at Ugbrooke House.
