The North View of Gibraltar in 1779
The 56th were garrisoning Gibraltar in
1779 when Spain declared war on Great Britain. The Spanish army
moved to attack Gibraltar but was repulsed and so began a long
siege.
The 560 men and 27 Officers plus the
civilian population only received two relief convoys of food and
so were on very limited rations.
On several occasions raiding parties were
sent out to damage artillery that the Spanish were assembling
ready for an assault.
The siege ended after 3 and a half years
February 1783 when the war with Spain ended.
This heroic resistance enabled the 56th
and subsequently the Essex Regiment to the battle honour of
Gibraltar and the incorporation of the Castle and Key into their
insignia.
Officers serving in the siege
Majors
Bulleine Fancourt ( In command)
John Barker , John Hardy, John Hallowes
Captains
John Cassan, Meridith Chambers, Henry
Hamilton, Samuel Moore, John Pigot, Rice Price, Wyndham Quin and
Charles Valletot.
Captain Lieutenant
James Willerd
Lieutenants
James Barrington, John Chapman, Thomas
Jackson, E J Fancourt, T Nixon, Fred Page, Charles Roberts,
Edwards Vicars, Richard White and Samuel Wood
Ensigns
Bradshaw, Francis Craig, Richard Edgar
Gyllett, Edward Harling, Benjamin Johnson and George Johnstone
Chaplain
Charles O'Niel
Surgeon
Thomas Chisholme
In 1786 John Drinkwater wrote a History
of the late siege of Gibraltar in which he described the siege
and named some officers and men from the 56th West Essex.
John Drinkwater was a capatin the the
72nd Regiment who also served throughout the siege and was
able to write from a first hand account..
Officer who subscribed to the book
Colonel Craige, Major Moore, Captain
Price, Captain Addison and Mr Chisholme
In June 1799 Captain Lefanue joined the
56th by assuming a disguise and using a row boat to get into the
port.
In July 1799 Captain Vallotton was made a
staff officer to the Governor, Major Hardy was appointed as
Quarter Master General and Lt S Wood was appointed as Assistant
Town Major.
In August 1780 Ensign Bradshaw was taken
as prisoner while entering harbour as a passenger on a sloop
although he was later released.
In September 1800 two men from the 56th
deserted to the Spanish and these were followed by occasional
deserters over the next few months until on 1st February 1781
the bodies of two deserters were found having died while trying
to desert.
On 15th April Surgeon Chesholme was
wounded by a splinter from a door in the north casement when a
shell landed. The surgeon broke his leg and badly wounded his
knew an officer from the 72nd Regiment lost his leg in the same
explosion.
On
26th September 1781 , Lieutenant Clarke died of 'decline' no
doubt hastened by the poor living conditioned under siege.
The Spanish attack Gibraltar
In October 1781 Lieutenant Vicars was
slightly wounded in the front lines during an exchange of fire.
In November 1781 it was the turn of
Lieutenant Edgar to be wounded this time by splinter from
stones.
On 16th March Lieutenant White was
slightly wounded.
In September 1782 two rank and file men
were killed and another two wounded during exchanges of fire.
By the end of the
siege the 56th West Essex had 17 rank and file killed, 1
Sergeant and 9 rank and file died from wounds, 1 officer and 6
rank and file disabled by wounds, 3 officers, 2 sergeants and 59
rank and file wounded but recovered and 1 officer ,4 sergeants
and 34 men died by sickness and there were 3 deserters.
