George Douglas of Timpendean

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.

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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