46th Regiment Of Foot and Napoleonic Battles.

[MarkCDodd]

I need to know what, if any, participation the 46th Regiment of Foot took in the battles for the French islands of Martinique (30th January to 24th February 1809) and Gaudelope (28th January to 6th February 1810) in the West Indies.

I am researching a soldier, Patrick Mulvaney, who was a member of the 46th from 1801 to 1825.

[apowell]

Hi Mark,

The 46th Regiment of Foot during the period you are researching only comprised of one Battalion which makes it easier to place your chap.

The information from the unofficial history of the 46th Regiment confirms that the Regiment did indeed take part in the following:

Defence of Dominica, 22nd to 27th February, 1805

Capture of L'Impérial, 6th May, 1806

Martinique, 24th February, 1809

Guadeloupe, 6th February, 1810

Siege and Capture of Kittoor, 9th December, 1824

Check out this website for further information and it maybe an idea to email them for any further information.

www.46thfoot.com

Hope this helps Mark.

Regards
Adrian

[MarkCDodd]

Yes, but if you read the Order of Battle for Martinique on Wikipedia the 46th is not listed.

That sight, 46thfoot, is a bit suspect on some things.

That is why I have not taken their word for it and decided to post here.

[apowell]

Hi Mark,

Yes I see what you mean.

I did find this on the National Archive website which gives some evidence that an element of the 46th Regiment at least was in Martinique in 1809:

Scope and content Martinique 1809:
Staff, Commissariat, Medical Department, Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, 1st, 3rd, 4th, 8th West India Regiment, 7th, 8th, 13th, 15th, 23rd, 60th, 63rd, 90th, Regiments, Royal York Rangers, York Light Infantry Volunteers, Royal West India Rangers, Light Infantry attached to 4th West India Regiment, Grenadier Company, 25th Regiment, Grenadier Company 60th Regiment, Flank Company 46th Regiment
Covering dates 1809
Held by The National Archives, Kew

I noticed on wikipedia it does list engagement at Dominica 1808.

Ok I think I've got it check out this link

http://www.archive.org/details/histreco ... 00canniala

This will allow you to read for free the book 'Historical record of the Forty-sixth, or the South Devonshire'

' The Forty six embarked from Cork arriving at Dominica June 1804 and were involved in repulsing a French invasion in February 1805'. I haven't read it all but it states that a Flank Company of the 46th Regiment took part in further engagements (backs up the infomation held at the National Archive).This suggests to me that only a small number of the 46th took part in the Campaign which is going to be a real pain to find out if your chap was part of the Flank Company.

Have you checked the National Archive for any pension records held for your chap?

Hope this helps.

Regards
Adrian

[MarkCDodd]

Yes, I have his Chelsea Pension Record but his service record was too big for them to photocopy (They have a limit on number of pages).

Chelsea Pension Records tend to be a bit light on engagement detail. They are really only used to calculate time served under different ranks and locations.

So "East Indies" and "West Indies" are as close as you will get to locations.

Interesting that all those I have researched from the 46th don't have their three years in Australia listed on the Chelsea records.

Perhaps it was so much like England it was not considered an overseas posting????

Fascinating story of why the 46th was kicked out of Australia. It involves Freemasonry and typical upper class twits that did not fit in with Australian ideology even in the early 1800's.

Being a Freemason myself, I am glad the snobs of the 46th never had any lasting influence on Freemasonry in Australia as they did not pratice its basic principles.