32nd Regiment of Foot 1815

[neil1821]

William Thomas Wyatt is the possible Waterloo veteran....

As William was apparently an officer, you could start by tracing his career through Army Lists, London Gazette and the like.

I have to say though, if he's not on the Waterloo Roll Call or the medal roll it's most unlikely he was there. I can double check the medal roll for you over the weekend.

[irish swallow]

Hi

Iam interested in this post as I have just got the discharge papers for two family members who fought at Quatre Bras and Waterloo.

The first was Smith McDole who was in Captain David Davies company of the 32nd - he was shot in the ankle at Quatre Bras on 16 June 1815 and was pensioned off as a result. He is on the Waterloo Medal Roll.

The second is Nathaniel Dunsheath who joined 32nd in Jan 1811 and was finally pensioned off in 1835 aged 40. According to his papers he got 2 years extra for having been at Waterloo. BUT I can't find him on medal roll - he also served 8 years in the Ionian Islands - anyone have any idea what 32nd would have been doing there ?? 

Why if he got the extra pension for Waterloo is he not on medal roll.

For Serjeant - these are two more men to be added to list of 32nd at Waterloo.

By the way both these men came from Co Antrim, Ireland.


Yvone

[serjeant]

Hi Yvone

Thanks for joining in - great to hear about more of the regiment - when did Smith McDole join the Regiment ?
Ref Ionian Islands

1815 - 32nd at Netherlands. Brussels. Quartre Bras - 16th June and Waterloo - 18th June. The 32nd, under Lieutenant-Colonel John Hicks, were placed in General James Kempt's Brigade in Sir Thomas Picton's Fifth Division. Paris.

1816 - 32nd at Sheernes, Channel Islands, Portsmouth.

1817 - 32nd to Ionian Islands.

Ionian Islands, group of islands, western Greece, forming an administrative region, in the Ionian and Mediterranean seas. In 1814 the islands became a British protectorate.

Do you happen to know where Smith McDole and Nathaniel Dunsheath are buried ? Did they return to County Antrim after their discharge
Hi Julie
I am sorry to say we can't find reference to Alexander Wyatt
Serjeant

[irish swallow]

Hi again

Smith McDole ( as he is in army docs but name was really McDowell) was born in Ballymena, Co Antrim in 1795 - joined the 32nd on 21 June 1813 - aged 18 - discharged 11 Dec 1815 - he returned to Co Antrim and settled in the village of Connor seven miles from Ballymena - married and had several children - one was Esther born 1819 - Smith is buried in Connor.

Nathaniel Dunsheath was born near the village of Clogh north of Ballymena  on 26 Jan 1795 -he joined 26 Jan 1811 (his 16th birthday) - came back to Ballymena after discharge in 1835 - went to see his old friend Smith - met and soon married Smith's daughter Esther - had three sons and then died cir 1850 - also believed to be buried in Connor.

Thanks for info re Ionian islands - so looks as if Nat was there 1817 to around 1825 if he did 8 years there.

BTW I now have found another Dunseath who was in 32nd and his discharge also says he was at Waterloo.

James Dunsheathe joined 7 Dec 1810 - born Ahoghill near Ballymena Co Antrim - born 6 Dec 1798

James Dunsheathe was a bad boy - promoted to Sergeant in 1831 and demotted -for many offences involving alcohol and theft -  served a prison sentence and was booted out in 1837 - but again  discharge says he was at Waterloo.  He was still under age in June 1815.

Yvonne

[serjeant]

Thanks Yvonne

That's great information - really puts meat on the bones rather than just names on the regimental role.
Apologies for my blunt army attitude but Nathaniel sounds a bit of a rogue as well marrying his friends daughter when he was the same age as her father

Do you have any info on which churchyard in Connor they are buried in ? ( I am sure that is not grammatically correct but this is too exciting )

Thanks
Serjeant

[irish swallow]

Yes I do know where they are buried although they don't have a headstone - there are only two graveyards in Connor - it is a small village now but then would be rural farming area. The two are attached to the churches - one is C of I (Anglician) and the other Presbyterian - Both the McDowell and the Dunsheaths were Pesbyterians so they are buried at Connor Presbyterian Church. Nat was my 3 x great grandfather's brother. His wfe Esther was 19 when they married and he was 43 !!!!!   As I said they had 3 sons  then Nat died and Esther married a man a good bit younger then her this time - they went to Scotland and died there. Marriage certs for two of Nat's sons in Scotland give their father as Nathaniel Dunsheath a soldier deceased - other (the older one who would have remembered him) says he was a labourer deceased. I assume he was a farm labourer after he left off soldiering. Other two younger boy probably just heard stories of dad going to war.

Yes I agree it does not look good for Nat - that he was same age as his dad in law

James Dunsheathe was Nat's cousin or 2nd cousin He seems he have been a rogue - one charge was he gave a Private a large glass of spirits then reported the poor lad for being unfit for duty. I love the naughty ones - makes more interesting reading.

Now can you  tell me is there a reason why Nat and James would not be on medal roll when their papers say they were at Waterloo ?

Yvonne.

[JulieTawse]

Hi Serjeant,

It would have been William Wyatt, Alexander Wyatt's father. But David Milner said he could not find a Captain Wyatt in 32nd Foot anyway, so it sounds like there was an error on Alexander's death certificate where his father, William, was recorded as being a Captain in the 32nd Foot. This is a mystery in its own right. Thanks for your interest. I'll let you know if I find out more.

Sounds like there are some happy outcomes, though.

Cheers all,

Julie

[serjeant]

Hi Yvonne

OK we are stumped, we can't find any reason why they wouldn't have got their medals
One suggestion was that they had to be applied for but can't find any evidence to back this up

Mercers account of Waterloo is one of the most detailed, if exaggerated, narratives of the battle but the story goes that he didn't get one either !!!

I think I will have to annoy the real historians of the battle rather than our general interest
When/if I get a reply I will let you know post (or is it Forum nowadays) haste
 Cheers Serjeant

[JulieTawse]

That's a point! Didn't they get an invitation to apply for a medal in the 1840s? So does this mean if they died before that or missed out applying for some other reason they wouldn't be on the medal roll?