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Royal United Services Institution. Journal the Diary of First This article was downloaded by: [New York University] On: 10 October 2014, At: 12:24 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Royal United Services Institution. Journal Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rusi19 The Diary of First Lieutenant William Swabey, Royal Artillery, 28 July to 31 October, 1807 Major John H. Leslie R.A. Published online: 11 Sep 2009. To cite this article: Major John H. Leslie R.A. (1916) The Diary of First Lieutenant William Swabey, Royal Artillery, 28 July to 31 October, 1807, Royal United Services Institution. Journal, 61:441, 63-90, DOI: 10.1080/03071841609419044 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03071841609419044 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/ page/terms-and-conditions Downloaded by [New York University] at 12:24 10 October 2014 THE DIARY OF FIRST LIEUTENANT WILLIAM SWABEY, ROYAL ARTILLERY, 28 JULY TO 31 OCTOBER, 1807. Edited and prepa7ed for publication by Major ]elm H. Leslie, R.A., (retired list). INTRODUCTION. THIS diary was written by First Lieutenant William Swabey, Royal Artillery, during the expedition against Copenhagen in 1807 (July to November), which resulted in the capitulation of that city on 7 September. The diary is now published by the kind permission of Lady Bowman wife of Sir Paget Bowman, Bart., and daughter of the diarist. The following paragraphs give a‘ short sketch of Swabey’s career, compiled from notes furnished by his family. William Swabey was the third and youngest son of Maurice Swabey, D.C.L., of Langley Blarish, near Slough, Chancellor of the Diocese of Rochester, and mas born in London on 13 June, 1789. He was educated at Westminster School, joined the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, in June, ISO~,and received a commis- sion in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, as Second Lieutenant, on I July, 186. Downloaded by [New York University] at 12:24 10 October 2014 In 1807 he belonged to Captain J. P.; Cockburn’s Company, in the 1st Battalion, R.A., which took part in the espedition against Copenhagen. He served in the Peninsular War, with “E” Troop, R.H.A., from July, ISII, until June, 1813, when he was wounded at the Battle of Vitoria, necessitating his return to England on sick leave. He rejoined the army, however, before the end of the war, and was present at the Battle of Toulouse, 1814, returning to England with the Troop later in the year. In the same Troop he served in the Waterloo campaign in 1815- retreat from Quatre Bras and battle of Waterloo. VOL. LXI. E 64 THE DIARY OF FIRST LIEUTENANT WILLIAJl SWABEY For these services he received the Waterloo Medal, and the General Service Medal (issued in 1847)~ with clasps for Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, Vitoria, and Toulouse. His diary, covering the period of his service in the Peninsula, was published in the “Proceedings of the Royal Artillery Institu- tion,” Volumes SXII and SSIII, edited by Colonel F. A. Whinyates, R.A. He retired from the army, by the sale of his commission, in 1826, then being a Second Captain, and settled down in Buckingham- shire, where he was appointed a Justice of the Peace and a Deputy- Lieutenant of the county. He also commanded a troop of the Bucks Yeomanry Cavalry. In 1840 he emigrated with his family to Prince Edward Island, of which his friend, Sir Charles A. FitzRoy (an old Waterloo officer) was then Lieutenant-Governor. Swabey remained in the colony until 1861, and developed such capacity for the management of public affairs that he became, successively, a member of the Legislative and Executive Councils, Registrar of Deeds, Commissioner of Crown Lands, and member of the Board of Education, besides undertaking, latterly, the duties of Lieutenant-Colonel and Adjutant-General of the local hlilitiad The statute book of the island is full of useful measures which he either initiated or promoted. When the Prince of Wales visited the colony in 1860, Colonel Swabey was one of the two military aides-de-camp to the Lieutenant-Governor who received from His Royal Highness’s own hand a portrait of himself, in recognition of their services. Colonel Swabey was entertained at a public banquet in the colony and presented with an address, signed by the heads of departments and many other prominent inhabitants, on the occasion of his return to England in 1861. He was also allowed to retain, for life, the prefix of “ Honourable,” a privilege limited to those members of Co’uncil who (prior to the Union, about 1867, of the North American Colonies) had received their appoint- ments under the sign manual of Her Majesty the Queen. Captain Swabey married, in 1820, Marianne, third daughter of Edward Hobson, of Somerley, Hants, and of Hope Hall, Lanczishire, Esquire, and had a family of eleven children. He died on 6 February, 1872, at Wavendon House, Bucks, and is buried with his wife in the Downloaded by [New York University] at 12:24 10 October 2014 churchyard of Cranfield parish, near TITavendon House, where he had resided for some years. SHORTACCOUNT OF THE EXPEDITION. When in 1807 the British Government learnt that one d the secret articles of the treaty between Napoleon and the Emperor of Russih at Tilsit (7 July) involved the combination of all the fleets of the northern Powers against England, it was determined to take the initiative, and seize the Danish fleet, with or without the consent of that Power. For this purpose an expedition was prepared with the utmost secrecy, which set sail from Yarmouth Roads on 27 July, having THE DIARY OF FIRST LIEUTENANT WILLIAM SWABEY 65 on board 20,ooo men, under the command of Major-General Sir Arthur Wellesley, ILB. The force reached Helsingor on 3 August, and was there joined by some British troops which had been for some weeks in the island of Rugen, under Lieut.-General Lord Cathcart, who now assumed the chief command. An attempt to obtain possession of the fleet by negotiation failed, and the troops were consequently landed on 16 August. The construction of siege batteries was to a certain extent impeded by fire from Danish gunboats. Copenhagen, although strongly defended on the sea-side, was. comparatively open by land, and the besiegers were able to complete their batteries and commence a bombardment without the delay usually necessary in the attack on a fortified place. On 2 September .the fire was opened and for four days was maintained against the city,’ without cessation, I ,800 houses being destroyed and 1,500 of the inhabitants killed. On the evening of the 5th a flag of truce was sent out. Negotia-. tions ensued and the city capitulated on the 7th, the Danish fleet being surrendered. The object of the expedition having been thus gained, the whole force was re-embarked and returned to England, with seventeen Danish men-of-war, and naval stores of all descriptions to the amount of 20,000 tons. Accounts of the expedition are to be found in “British Minor Expeditions, 1746 to 1814,” ‘compiled in the Intelligence branch of the Quartermaster-General’s Department of the War Office, and pub- lished by His RIajesty’s Stationery Office in 1884, pp. 45 to 57; and in the “ United Service Magazine ”-one of a series of articles, entitled “Minor Expeditions of the British Krmy from 1803 to ISIj,” by Captain Lewis Butler, No. IX., relating to the Copenhagen expedition, appeared in the September number of Igoj, pp. 617 to 623. The table here following gives the details of the artillery portion of the force. It was commanded by Major-General T. Blomefield, R.A. Some short RISS. notes, made by him whilst in Denmark, are extant, and are given between brackets at the end of each corresponding day’s Downloaded by [New York University] at 12:24 10 October 2014 entries in Swabey’s diary. Major-General Thomas Blomefield ... Commanding Royal Artillery. Captain P. Fyers ............ Aide-de-camp. Captain P. Drummond ......... Brigade Major. Second Captain E. C. Whinyates ... Adjutant. First Lieutenant R. B. Hunt ...... Quartermaster. Lieut.-Colonel John Harding Lieut.-Colonel George Cookson Field Officers. Lieut.-Colonel William Robe t There were eight companies of Royal (foot) Artillery, as shown below. In 1807, companies of a battalion were not numbered, but were always referred to in Orders and in official correspondence by the names of their respective captains.
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