Black soldiers in Kent Regiments between 1765 and 1834

By John D Ellis

The Black soldiers of the ‘The Buffs’, the 3rd (East Kent) Regiment of Foot, between 1803 and 1834

The 3^rd Foot, commonly known as ‘The Buffs’ after the colour of the facings on their coats, were similar to most other Crown regiments of the British Army, in that they employed soldiers of African and Asian origin in musical roles before, during and after the Napoleonic Wars, 1793-1815,^[1]The Buffs are an antecedent of ‘The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment (Queen’s and Royal Hampshires)’. specifically, between the years 1803 and 1834. During this period the Transatlantic Slave Trade was in existence, and the Abolition Act (1807) only stopped the trade in enslaved people in Britain and empire, and not the ownership of them. However, no reference to slavery has been identified in any records relating to the soldiers mentioned in this article.

One of those soldiers, George Devon, had the relatively rare distinction for an enlisted man of having his exploits in battle commented on. In his case by Lieutenant Colonel William Stewart, who wrote:

“This man is rather a drunken character but has frequently shown great bravery in action with the enemy”.^[2]William Stewart (also rendered as ‘Stuart’, 1769-1854), later a Major-General, commanded the Buffs during the Peninsula Campaign, and in New South Wales and India. For George Devon see: The … Continue reading

Historically, drink was the curse of the British Army in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Whilst recognising George Devon’s flawed character, William Stewart also paid him the greatest compliment a soldier could receive.

George Devon was born c.1777. Most of his army records state that he was born at Ottery St Mary, Devon – but a description book for the Buffs dating from the early 1800s (ostensibly for 1804-1807) states that he was born in Jamaica. He may have claimed to have been born in Devon to avoid being re-enslaved, or enslaved if he was captured by the French or the Americans. Claiming to have been born in Devon would also have saved him from being discharged during the periodic War Office sweeps discharging ‘foreign born’ soldiers, which did at times include Black soldiers born in British owned colonies (as Jamaica was at the time). Two dates are given for his enlistment in the 1st Battalion of the Buffs: 1^st November 1802 and 22^nd February 1803. He had previously served with the South Devon Militia (for 5 years, and which might be where the link to Ottery St Mary comes from), or with the Royal Marines (7 years’ Marine service were allowed when his pension was being reckoned, and this service again might have been linked to Devon).

When the Buffs were inspected in the early 1800s, George Devon was described as follows: George Devon. Born 1777. Served 5 years with the South Devon Militia. Height: 5 feet 5 tall. From: Jamaica, West Indies. Person: Black. Form: Strong-made. Head: Round. Face: Oval. Eyes: Black. Eyebrows: Black. Nose: Flat. Mouth: Large. Neck: Short. Hair: Woolly curly. Shoulders: Square. Arms: Stout. Hands: Small. Thighs: Short and stout. Legs: Rather bowed. Feet: Large. Unerring marks: Wound on right shoulder and on back of the shoulder.^[3]TNA WO 25/322.

George Devon served as a drummer in the 1^st Battalion of the Buffs until June 1814, and as such saw action in the Peninsula Campaign at the battles of Corunna (1809), Talavera (1809), Bussaco (1810), Albuera (1811), Vitoria (1813), Pyrenees (1813), Nivelle (1813), Nive (1813), Orthez (1814) and Toulouse (1814). The wounds to his shoulder and back, and the comment “…frequently shown great bravery in action with the enemy” bear testimony to his service.

He was discharged on a pension of 1s per day as a drummer on 24^th June 1814 being lame. On discharge he was 35 years of age, 5 feet 4” tall with black hair, black eyes and a black complexion. He was a barber by profession and marked, rather than signed, his records. He became a Chelsea out-pensioner on 1s per day in October 1815. When his age was also twice noted as 39 years (suggesting that he had been born in 1776) and the comment “Service in the Marines to be approved” (which it was, with 7 years’ service being acknowledged).^[4]TNA WO 97/250/29. His out-pension was paid in Canterbury by the Justices of the Peace (‘JP’s’) of Kent, who recorded that he resided at Ramsgate (1819) and then Dover (1820).^[5]TNA WO 121/0184. He claimed his pension in December 1819 and November 1820 he marked, rather than signed, the paper. Thereafter, his fate remains unknown.

He was not the only Black soldier to serve in the Buffs:

James Crossen served in the 1st Battalion alongside George Devon and was also present during the inspection of the early 1800s, when he was described as follows: James Crossen. Born 1782. Height: 5 feet 5 and ½. From: Philadelphia, America. Person: Negro. Person: Stout. Form: Slender. Head: Long. Face: Oval Black. Eyes: Black. Eyebrows: Black. Nose: Large. Mouth: Small. Neck: Short. Hair: Black woolly. Shoulders: Square. Arms: Slender. Hands: Long. Thighs: Short. Legs: Slender. Feet: Large. Trade: Hatter. Unerring marks: An American Negro…with a scar on the left eyebrow. The word “negro” was not one commonly found in descriptions of Black soldiers by the regiments they served in. The fate of James Crossen remains unknown.^[6]For James Crossen see: TNA WO 25/322. ancestry.co.uk

Thomas Jones was born at Tanjore, Madras (Thanjavur, India), in 1794. He was the son of Private Thomas Jones of the 74^th Foot and Nancy “a Portuguese woman” (‘Portuguese’ often being used to describe people of ‘mixed heritage’, in this case European and Indian, or ‘native’ converts to Christianity). He served as a drummer in the 59^th (2^nd Nottinghamshire) Foot between 1812 and 1829. At Berhampore, Calcutta (Baharampur, Kolkata), in October 1820, Thomas Jones, “Drummer of HM 59^th Foot” (a bachelor) married Mary Drawerbeat “a Native Christian”. He transferred to the Buffs at Fort William, Bengal in January 1829. On transfer he was 5 feet 4” tall, with dark eyes, black hair and a black complexion. He was a labourer by occupation. Thomas Jones aged 40 years and a drummer in “HM’s 3^rd Buffs” was buried at Ghazeepore, Bengal in February 1834. At Ghazeepore in October 1834, Mary Jones (a widow) subsequently married Charles Warner (a bachelor) of “HM’s 3^rd Buffs”. It was not uncommon for the widows of soldiers to re-marry the comrades of their husbands.^[7]For Thomas Jones see: TNA WO 25/324. BIO. Madras ecclesiastical records, omissions and corrections, 1777-1884. Parish Baptisms. N-2-C5. Folio 1246. findmypast.co.uk  BIO Marriages. Parish register … Continue reading

William Robinson served in the 1^st Battalion alongside James Crossen and George Devon and was also present during the inspection of the early 1800s, when he was described as follows: William Robinson. Born: 1786. Height: 5 feet 5 and ½. From: Bombay. Former service: None. Person: Erect. Form: Rather slender. Head: Small. Face: Round. Eyes: Black. Eyebrows: Brown, Nose: Proportionable. Mouth: Small. Neck: Long. Hair: Black. Shoulders: Round. Arms: Proportionable. Hands: Short thick. Thighs: Stout. Legs: Well made. Feet: Small. Trade: Servant. Unerring marks: Scar on back of right hand. A mark longer than a thumb on the right hand. Mulatto. His fate remains unknown.^[8]For William Robinson see: TNA WO 25/322. ancestry.co.uk

Charles Thompson was born at Petersburg (Virginia), America c.1778. He enlisted in the Buffs at Chatham in November 1803. He was with the regiment until the last 1 year and 5 months of his service when he transferred to the ‘Veterans’ (probably due to illness or infirmity). He was discharged on a pension of 7d per day as a private in December 1818, being old, under size and worn out. On discharge he was 40 years of age, 5 feet 3” tall with black hair, black eyes and a black complexion. A labourer by occupation, he marked, rather than signed, his records. He is believed to have died in 1828.^[9]For Charles Thompson see: TNA WO 97/257 and WO 120/23. ancestry.co.uk findmypast.co.uk

Black soldiers in Kent militia units, 1765-1806

In 1961, the Buffs were amalgamated with ‘The Queen’s Own West Kent Regiment’ to form ‘The Queen’s Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment’. Black soldiers have not yet been identified as serving in either of the antecedent regiments of The Queen’s Own West Kent Regiment’ (the 50^th and 97^th Regiments of Foot), during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. However, they have been identified serving in Kent militia units:

William Lyon of the East Kent Militia was one of two deserters from Chelmsford New Barracks, on December 29^th 1806. (The other being William Williams of Ruckinge, Kent). A newspaper advert gave notice of his desertion: William Lyon, Drummer, aged 28 years, 5 feet 3 inches high, born in the parish of Market Harboro, Leicester, person stout, long head, black face, black eyes, flat nose, large mouth, long neck, black hair and curly, square short arms, small hands, stout thighs, long legs, by trade a labourer; deserted in his regimentals, white jacket and pantaloons, and regimental cap. Whosoever shall apprehend or cause the above deserters to be apprehended shall receive a reward of twenty shillings over and above the reward allowed by Act of Parliament, by applying to the Commanding Officer, or William Tustin, esq. Fludyer Street, Whitehall, London.^[10]For William Lyon see: Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal, 6 January 1807. findmypast.co.uk

George Postell was born at Savannah in the United States c.1788. He was baptised at St Paul’s, Liverpool in June 1797 when it was noted that he was “A Drummer of the East Kent Militia. Native of Savannah. Aged 11 years”.^[11]For George Postell see: Liverpool Baptisms 1769-1812. Page 41. Entry 6. LDS 1656373. Reference provided by Audrey Dewjee.

When William Robinson of the Kent Militia was buried at St Paul’s, Canterbury in August 1765, he was described as “a negro drummer”.^[12]For William Robinson see: Burial from St Paul’s, Canterbury.  Canterbury Cathedral Archives. U3/81/1/3. findmypast.co.uk Reference provided by Marika Sherwood.

Joseph, a “Black Soldier” whose surname was not recorded, had been captured during the British conquest of the Island of St Lucia from the French in 1796. He was being held as a prisoner of war on the Prothee prison ship (possibly harboured at Portsmouth) when he was persuaded to enlist in the West Kent Militia in July 1797.^[13]For Joseph see: TNA ADM 103/378. findmypast.co.uk Reference provided by Abigail Coppins.