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Index of first names

George Douglas of Timpendean

 

 

 

 

 

George Douglas, 12th of Timpendean (1819-1865) was the son of Major General Sir William Douglas of Bonjedward and Timpendean and his wife, Marianne Tattersall.

 

George Douglas entered the army in 1836 and transferred to the 93rd Highlanders from the 31st Foot as an Ensign.  He was promoted Lieutenant in the 93rd on 30 August 1839 and promoted Captain on 14 November 1845

 

He transferred to 2nd West India Regiment on 2 November 1845 and then then exchanged into the 16th in May 1848 being anxious because of his health to avoid being posted to 'the deadly west coast of Africa'.

 

He served in India, Canada and the West Indies.

 

At the time of his transfer, the HQ of the 16th were in Corfu. In July following, he joined the depot in Guernsey, and in October 1848 was ordered with his company on detachment to Alderney, taking with him his wife, an 'invalid', and two children. There followed a number of disagreements with the local commander, a Lt Col Le Mesurier.

 

Things came to a head when he was accused of killing a bullock, and on denying it, was subsequently tried for conduct unbecoming an officer. He was convicted on his 30th Birthday in 1849

 

The conduct of his court martial has been the subject of much research, and there is no doubt a miscarry of justice occurred.  However, in law there could be no appeal.

 

It is notable that the cost of purchasing his commission was returned to him, and that funds withheld to cover the cost of the trial were also returned to him.

 

His brother was also arrested on matters relating to the trial and held for seven months, although no charges were brought.

 

He succeeded in 1834, but sold the land in 1843 to the Scott family, farmers of Bonjedward.

 

On 11th February 1843, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Templars when Grand Treasurer.

arms
Arms of George Douglas of Tmpendean, H.M. 93rd Highlanders, in his capacity as a Knight Commander of the order of the Templars, 11th February 1843.

 

He is reported as dying, on 29th December 1865 in Bathurst, Australia, without male issue, although at the time of his court martial, he had a son and a daughter. His brother, Henry succeeded, although Timpendean was no longer in the family.

 

Any contributions will be gratefully accepted

 

COPY of the Charges, Finding, Sentence, and Confirmation by
the Queen, in the case of the Court-Martial on Captain
George Douglas, 16th Regt.
" Horse Guards,
"May 23, 1849.
" Sir,
" Field-Marshal the Commander-in-Chief, having had the honour to lay before Her Majesty the Queen, the proceedings of the General Court-Martial, holden at Fort George, Guernsey, on the 28th March, 1849, and continued by adjournments until the 12th April following, for the trial of Captain George Douglas, 16th Regiment, who was arraigned upon the under-mentioned charge, viz.:—
" For conduct unbecoming the character of an officer and a gentleman, in the following Instances:
"1st.—For having, on or about the 8th January, 1849, when asked by constable Renier, in the Barracks at Longy, in Alderney, whether he had any knowledge of the person or persons who had been firing ball on the ramparts of Longy Battery on the 5th January, 1849,—answered that he had no knowledge of such person or persons; whereas he, Captain Douglas well knew, at the time he so made that answer, that he himself had been firing ball on the said ramparts on the said 5th January, 1849.
" 2nd,—For having, at the Civil Court at Alderney, on the 9th January, 1849, and before a Military Court of Enquiry, in the same place, on the 15th and 16th February, 1849, and from the said 9th January till the 16th February, 1849, omitted, and neglected, and refused, to acknowledge that he, Captain Douglas, had, on the 5th January, 1849, been practising ball-firing on the ramparts of Longy Battery, in the said Island, thereby intending to conceal the fact that he, Captain Douglas, had been so practising ball-firing on the said ramparts; although he, Captain Douglas, knew that the said Civil and Military Courts were engaged on the said 9th January and the said 15th and 16th February, 1849, respectively as aforesaid, in prosecuting an investigation as to the cause of the death of a bullock, supposed to have been shot near the said ramparts on the said 5th January, and that one of the objects of enquiry in such investigation was to ascertain who it was that was or were using fire-arms on the said ramparts on such day, and especially whether it was Captain Douglas who was using fire-arms on the said ramparts.
" 3rd.—For having, on or about the said 9th January, 1849, at Alderney aforesaid, when asked by Mr. Gaudion, the Judge of the said Island of Alderney, with a view of ascertaining whether he, Captain Douglas, had been practising ball-firing on the said ramparts, how he accounted for the ' Times' London newspaper, to the address of him, Captain Douglas, being found on the ground (meaning the said ramparts of Longy Battery), answered evasively, 'that he (Captain Douglas) could not be accountable for newspapers in his name;' adding, 'that his papers travelled through the Barracks, and even in the town' —he, Captain Douglas, at the same time knowing, and having afterwards stated, that he had, on the day in question, placed a newspaper against the wall of the said ramparts, in order to make a potato, which he had used as a mark to shoot at, more distinctly visible, and intending, by such evasive answer, to conceal the fact that he had been practising ball-firing on the said ramparts on the said 5th January.
"4th.—For having, on or about the 11th February, 1849, at the said Island of Alderney, addressed a letter to the TownMajor of Alderney, with the apparent intention of explaining his conduct with reference to certain paragraphs in newspapers respecting him, Captain Douglas, and also in reference to the enquiry prosecuted in the Civil Court of Alderney, as to the cause of the death of the bullock near the said ramparts, and as to who were discharging fire-arms on or near the said ramparts on the 5th January, and especially whether Captain Douglas had discharged fire-arms on or near the ramparts on that day; in which letter he, Captain Douglas, failed and omitted to state whether he had or had not discharged fire-arms on or near the said ramparts on that day; but, on the contrary, by various evasive passages in such letter, suggesting that other persons than himself had been discharging fire-arms on or near the said ramparts on that day, endeavoured further to conceal the fact that he, Captain Douglas, had been practising ball-firing on the said ramparts on that day."


Upon which charge the Court came to the following decision:—
"The Court having maturely weighed and considered the evidence in support of the Prosecution, together with what the prisoner has urged in his defence, are of opinion—
" That, with regard to the First Instance of the charge, he (Captain George Douglas, of the 16th Regiment) is Guilty.
" That, with regard to the Second Instance of the charge, he Captain George Douglas, of the 16th Regiment, is Guilty, with the exception of the words ' and refusedf and also, the words, ' and especially whether it was Captain Douglas who was using fire-arms on the said Ramparts/—of which portion of this instance of the charge, the Court do Acquit Captain Douglas.
" That, with regard to the Third Instance of the charge, he, Captain George Douglas, of the 16th Regiment, is Guilty.
" That, with regard to the Fourth Instance of the charge, he, Captain George Douglas, of the 16th Regiment, is Guilty.
" The Court are further of opinion, that all such conduct is unbecoming the character of an Officer and a gentleman.
'' The Court having found the Prisoner (Captain George Douglas, of the 16th Regiment) guilty of the charge preferred against him, with the exception of that portion of the second instance specified in their finding, do sentence him, (Captain George Douglas, of the 16th Regiment) to be Cashiered.
" The Court having passed a sentence upon the Prisoner, Captain George Douglas, of the 16th Regiment, commensurate with the nature of the offences of which he has been found guilty, do respectfully recommend his case to the favourable.

 

See also:
•  Douglas of Timpendean

 

 

 

 

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