“The Terror of the Service…” The Black Drummers of the 9^th (East Norfolk) Regiment of Foot

By John D Ellis

In February 1853 the Limerick Chronicle informed its readers of the return to the city of the 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment of Foot:

“Yesterday the grand division of the 9th Foot, under Maj. Elmhirst, arrived from Galway, and this morning left for Clonmel by train. Officers, with headquarters division — Major Elmhirst, Capt Bethune, Lieut Lousada, Adjutant Burden. With 2d division, on Thursday last — Capt Lyster and Lieut Daunt. The 9th Regt, now en route from Galway to Clonmel, was stationed in Limerick before they last sailed for India, and then enjoyed the most splendid band of any Regt. in Ireland. During the last general war the 9th had a corps of black drummers the terror of the service.^[1]Limerick Chronicle, Saturday 26th February 1853.” findmypast.co.uk

The “last general war” referred to was the Napoleonic Wars (1793-1815). That a regiment should have a “splendid band” and a “corps of black drummers” (as part of the band, or in addition to it is not clear), was not unusual as all regiments of the time had bands and most regiments employed enlisted Black military musicians as drummers, trumpeters or bandsmen.^[2]Ibid. The suggestion that the Black drummers of the 9^th had been “the terror of the service” is a reference to the fact that traditionally military musicians were responsible for flogging miscreant soldiers and clearly this was a duty the Black drummers of the 9^th performed with such proficiency that it led them to be feared by their enlisted peers.^[3]The 9^th Foot later became ‘The Royal Norfolk Regiment’ and are an antecedent of ‘The Royal Anglian Regiment’.

So, who were the men wielding the lash? Army pension records facilitate the identification of two Black soldiers serving in the ranks of the 9^th Foot during the Napoleonic Wars: William Fuller of Norfolk, Virginia and Erasmus Walker of St Christopher’s, West Indies. Although enlistment was usually for an ‘unlimited’ period, most soldiers were either discharged upon the end of a campaign or during the periodic reductions in the size of their regiments. Others died either in barrack rooms or on campaign. Thus, Fuller and Walker were probably not the only Black soldiers to serve in the 9^th Foot.

The presence of William Fuller and Erasmus Walker in the 9^th Foot dated between June 1796 and October 1816, during which time the regiment had up to three battalions in existence and saw much service.^[4]Cannon, R. “Historical Record of the Ninth, or the East Norfolk, Regiment of Foot”. (Parker, Furnivall and Parker. London. 1848).

The 1^st Battalion, 1796-1816

The West Indies, 1788 to 1796: St Christopher’s, Barbados, Tobago, Martinico, St Lucia, Guadeloupe and Grenada.
Home (Britain and Ireland), 1796-1799: Norwich, Guernsey
Holland, 1799.
Home, 1799-1808: Norwich. (Including the abortive expedition to Corunna and Cadiz in 1800). Jersey, Hampshire, Sussex , Norfolk and Devon. Ireland, including Kinsale, Dublin, Kildare and Clonmel. England, including Hampshire and Kent. Ireland, including Cork and Fermoy
Peninsular Campaign, 1808-1809: Battles of Roleia (1808) and Vimiera (1808)
Home, 1809: Kent.
Walcheren Expedition, 1809.
Home, 1809: Kent.
Peninsular Campaign, 1810-1814: Battles of Busaco (1810), Sabugal (1811), Fuentes de Onoro (1811), Ciudad Rodrigo (1812), Badajoz (1812), Salamanca (1812), Burgos (1812), Vitoria (1813), San Sebastian (1813), Nivelle (1813) and Nive (1813).
The ‘War of 1812’ in North American, 1814-1815.
Allied Army of Occupation in France, 1815-1818.

The 2^nd Battalion,, 1799-1802 and 1804-1815

Holland, 1799. Home, 1799-1802: Norwich. (Including the abortive expedition to Corunna and Cadiz in 1800). Jersey, Hampshire and Sussex. Disbanded. Reformed in 1804. Home, 1804-: Hampshire, Staffordshire and Essex. Peninsular Campaign, 1808-1809: Battle of Vimiera (1808). Gibraltar, 1809-1813: Participated in the assault on Cadiz (1811). Home, 1813-1815: Including Kent. Disbanded.

The 3^rd Battalion, 1799-1802 and 1813

Home, 1799-1802: Ashford, Kent. Disbanded. Reformed in 1813. Home, 1813-: Essex. Provisionally reformed and then disbanded.

The Black Soldiers of the 9th Foot

William Fuller was born at Norfolk, Virgina c.1770. He enlisted in the regiment in June 1796, prior to it leaving the West Indies. Initially he served with the 1^st Battalion, but by 1812 he was serving with the 2^nd Battalion. He was discharged as a private on a pension of 9d per day in October 1816, being “old and worn out”. On discharge he was 46 years old, 5 feet 10 and ½” tall with black hair, black eyes and a black complexion. He was a hairdresser by occupation and marked, rather than signed, his discharge record. His fate remains unknown.^[5]Sources: The National Archives (TNA) WO 12/2727, WO 25/926, WO 97/305/103 and WO 120/23.

Erasmus Walker was born at Sandy Point, St Christopher’s. He enlisted in the regiment in January 1797, almost certainly after it returned to Britain from the West Indies. He may have travelled in the retinue of an officer of the regiment, or already have been resident in Britain.

An Erasmus Walker, an “Adult Negro” aged 23 years, was baptised at St Mary, Lancaster in May 1796, pre-dating the return of the 9^th Foot to Britain.

Erasmus Walker applied for a marriage license from St Peter at Mancroft, Norwich on the 15^th of May 1798. He was a drummer in the 9^th Regiment of Foot, a bachelor over the age of 21 years and a resident of St Gregory, Norwich. His application was sponsored by “Alexander Tompson of the same parish, musician in the same regiment” (a Corporal Alexander Thompson enlisted in the 9^th Foot in June 1791). His intended spouse was Rebecca Garner of St Peter, Norwich also aged over 21 years. Erasmus Walker married Rebecca Garner at St Peter at Mancroft, Norwich on the 16^th of May 1798. Erasmus marked the certificate, whilst Rebecca signed it. The witnesses to the marriage were Elizabeth Stamp and Lewis Johnson.

Erasmus and Rebecca Walker had two sons, Benjamin and James. Benjamin Walker, the son of Erasmus Walker and Rebecca his wife, late Garner, was born on the 5^th of September 1799. He was baptised privately at St Peter Southgate, Norwich on the 20^th of September 1799. James Walker, the son of Erasmus and Rebecca Walker, was born on the 25^th of February 1803. He was baptised at Stoke Damerel, Devon on the 15^th of March 1803.^[7]William Cork, a Black rating in the Royal Navy, married his wife Jane in the same church in 1832. See: www.historycalroots.com/william-cork-a-black-sailor-in-the-royal-navy/ (Benjamin was also baptised, for a second time, alongside his brother).

Erasmus Walker appears to have spent all of his service with the 1^st battalion (something that the dates and locations of his marriage and the births of his two children support). He was discharged as a private on a pension of 1s per day in August 1814, being blind in the left eye and worn out. On discharge he was 45 years old, 5 feet 8” tall with black hair, black eyes and a black complexion. He was a labourer by occupation and marked, rather than signed his discharge record. His records reveal that he served 7 years as a drummer, and that at some point in his service he had held the rank of corporal for 2 years – it was uncommon for Black soldiers to be promoted. His fate remains unknown.^[9]Sources: For Erasmus Walker see: TNA WO 25/925, WO 97/311, WO 116/19 and WO 120/3. Baptism: Lancashire Record Office. Baptisms & Burials. 1788-1799. PR 3262/1/5. Page 204. findmypast.co.uk Banns … Continue reading