Wednesday 20 March 2013

20th March 1813: General Maitland commends some of his officers to the Home Secretary

Stratton Street, 20th March
1813

My Lord

(The Disturbances in the Manufacturing Districts being now happily and completely terminated, and the Troops employed on that Service being about to be considerably dispersed—And as I am myself upon the Eve of leaving the Yorkshire District, it is a Duty I owe both your Lordship and myself to state the deep Sense I feel of the eminent propriety and zeal manifested by all the Officers and men of the militia Regiments under my Orders) upon that Occasion.—

It certainly could not be called a Service of Danger but it was one where great Industry Patience, Perseverance & Firmness combined with Temper were eminently necessary.

Independent however of the general merit which justly attaches to all, it naturally from Circumstances occurred, that some of the Officers were more actively employed that others—And that from being so employed, they have a greater opportunity of manifesting their zeal and Devotion for the Service of their Country, which they did with a degree of Intelligence Industry and Perseverance highly honorable to themselves and tending in its Consequences to the happy result that has taken place—

So deeply Convinced and I of their merits upon this Occasion that I feel it at once a paramount & a pleasing Duty to mention their names to Your Lordship  – humbly trusting, should your Lordship agree with me in opinion, that through your Lordship’s recommendation it may be the means of obtaining for them some favorable Consideration from his Royal Highness the Prince Regent.

The names of these officers are Captain Rayne of the Stirling Militia — Lieuts Cooper and Young of the West Suffolk — Lieut Galloway of the North Lincoln & Ensign Mclachlan of the Stirling Militia—

In troubling your Lordship on the present Occasion I have only to add that I had no knowledge of any of these Gentlemen till I knew them from the Services they had rendered.—

I have [etc]
T Maitland
&c &c

[To] Viscount Sidmouth
&c &c &c

This letter can be found at HO 42/133.

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