Ezekiel Edwards Battle of Walcheren 1809

[pat]

Please can anyone help?

An Ezekiel Edwards born in Worcester 1788 was in the army 1809 to 1818. From the muster rolls he was transferred from the 2nd Batt to the West Kents in 1809 and sent abroad (does not say where) then sent home.
I believe he was at Battle of Walcheren in 1809 where he was affected along with thousands of soldiers with a long lasting illness known as Walcheren Fever.
He was next sent to Lisbon, Portugal in 1810. For the next four years he was ill nearly all the time.
On his later Chelsea Pension papers it says he served in Holland Lisbon and Toulouse in that order.
I only have his muster rolls but I want to know where I can find his attestation papers as they are not with the West Kents.
So can anybody connect the 2nd Batt with Worcester and suggest where his attestation papers might be found?
Many thanks Pat

[Graham Morris]

You could try the NAM (National Army Museum) London.
I have some old material dealing with Wellingtons army in Spain. I will have a sort-out and let you know.

Regards,
Graham

[pat]

Hi Graham I will try that thanks. I have a few more details now but not much.
He was sent by the 7th Company 2nd Batt (In Kent) to Walcheren 3rd company 1st Batt. Then back to the 2nd Batt. Then off to Ireland.
I was reading that there was a big drive to enlist all over England for a 2nd Batt , I just wonder if he could have signed up with a Worcester regiment and been transferred?
Still would love to know where his attestation papers are, so I will call the museum you mention, Thanks so much for your reply....Pat

[Graham Morris]

Dear Pat,
I find it very strange that your relation was involved in the 1809 Walcheren campaign and then turns up in Spain and France, since Wellington gave strict orders that NO units should be sent to him if they had served at Walcheren!

Where was he born?

Regards,
Graham

[Graham Morris]

Sorry about the question concerning where your relation was born, what I would like to know is where his family came from- Kent?

Graham

[pat]

Hi Graham he came from Worcester (All Saints area) all of his siblings were born there and parents as far as I know.
On his Chelsea Hospital in patients listing it says he served in Holland Portugal and Toulouse (he was supposed to have been shot in toulouse)
The pay lists and muster rolls (musters incomplete as yet) back this.
I also read that Wellington had said he didnt want any x Walcheren soldiers. I can quite understand this as he was ill for a few years before he went to Lisbon Portugal, and Petigo?.
Perhaps they were desperate for soldiers?
Pat

[Graham Morris]

Dear Pat,
Some of the Walcheren units did indeed slip-through!

The fact that your relation was one of the above gives ground for him being in Wellington's army pushing up into France in 1814 (Toulouse).

One wonders if his recruitment papers were transfered after he joined the West Essex?

Still on the trail!

Graham

[pat]

Graham Did he join the West Essex then? It seemed from his pay lists he was always with the West Kents. See below list for pay Although he did start in Dec 1807 (I think)
Mar-Jun 1809 £1-11-0 From 2nd Batt 25th May 1809
Jun-Sep £2-4-6
Sep-Dec £1-4-6 To England 13th Nov 1809
Dec-Mar 1810 £4-10-0 From 2nd Batt 25th Dec 1809
Mar-Jun £4-12-0 Reg hospital
Jun-Sep £4-7-0
Sep-Dec £2-5-6 Sick at Lisbon
Mar-June 1811 £2-6-0 Sick at Lisbon
June-Sept £2-6-0 Duty -
Sept-Dec £2-5-6 - Command -
Dec-Mar 1812 £2-5-6 sick Portugal sick Portugal sick Lisbon
Mar-June £2-6-0 sick Abrantes sick Abrantes sick Portugal
June-Sept 15-0 sent to England 24th Jul 1812
Sept-Dec - sick in England
Dec-Mar 1813 - sick in England
Mar-June - sick in England
Jun-Sept - sick in England
Sep-Dec - sick in England
Dec-Mar 1814 - returnd 15th Feb pd at Hilsea from 14th Feb
Mar-Jun £2-13-8 - - -
Jun-Aug £2-9-7 addt pay decd insuff?
Sep-Dec £4-18-7 Reg hospital detached Cookstown
Jan-Mar 1815 £4-10-0
Mar-Jun £5-0-2 Detach Aughnailoy 19th Mar, com extra pay
Jun-sep £4-19-8
Sep-Dec £4-18-7 Detach Petigo?
Dec-Mar 1816 £4-18-7
Mar-Jun £4-19-8
Jun-Sep £4-19-8
Sep-Dec £4-18-7
Dec-Mar 1817 £4-17-6
Mar-Jun £4-19-8 Detach to Greencastle pd at H/Q
Jun-Sep £4-7-9
Sep-Dec £4-18-7
Jan-May 1818 £3-13-8 Reg hospital discharged 31 May 1818

[Graham Morris]

Dear Pat,
Sorry about the mix-up, I did indeed mean the Essex Regiment!

A friend of mine also traced one of his ancestors back to the Napoleonic Wars. Like you he discovered that the man he was researching had also been in two different regiments of the British Army. Having joined the Buffs, he later turned-up in the Rifle Brigade! No reason was ever found for this change- over other than the fact that he may have been a good marksman; there was also the possibility that he joined up twice at different locations because he had been quite badly wounded and therefore taken off the Buffs regimental list?

Will keep on digging!

Regards,
Graham