44th Foot

[liverpool annie]

Brian!

Garen has a terrific web site that may give you some insight into your family's military careers - take a look!

http://www.garenewing.co.uk/kandahar/

Annie

[liverpool annie]

Brian - Check this out! this is Canadian - but was the son in the British Army? I think I got confused because Henry and Sarah were in Nova Scotia ....

http://www.rootsweb.com/~canmil/index.html?o_xid=0039503765&o_lid=0039503765&o_xt=39503765

NILE EXPEDITION

Battle of Khartoum

In 1884, during the Battle of Khartoum in the Sudan, the British put out a call for Canadian volunteers to help guide British soldiers up the Nile River. The soldiers were to provide some relief to the isolated men stationed there.
The River Column left Korti on the Nile, December 1884, to traverse the rapids and advance south into the Sudan to relieve Gen. Gordon in Khartoum, who was being attacked by the forces of the Mahdi. General Lord Garnet Wolseley needed men who could overcome the Nile's cataracts as they moved upriver, and he decided that Canadian boatmen like those who assisted in his Red River Expedition, would be the answer.

Only 89 men actually helped the expedition in moving the boats up the Nile. A total of 16 Canadians lost their lives during this six-month, 19,000-kilometre expedition. The journey turned out to be in vain as the British troops were killed two days before the rescuers arrived. Upon learning of General Gordon's death, the column was forced to retrace its steps in March 1885

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=collections/cmdp/mainmenu/group03/em

Annie

[Brian1]

Hi Annie,
Thanks for all of your efforts, they are greatly appreciated.
I will certainly follow all of the leads you have given me.
The sons of Sarah Mary Cordial and their careers certainly make very interesting reading.
Four of them went to Boston in the States and one went into the U.S. Army and served in the U.S. Mexican war at the turn of the century. One went to Alaska and California gold mining. One as they say was serving the the railroad. One became a Boswain's mate in the U.S, Navy. One left for Buenos Aires and became a millionaire developing the telephone network in Argentina and building the huge Post and Telegraph office in the centre of the city. Two went to Australia and two stayed in the U.K.
Of the American side one of the their sons became a Colonel in WW2 and is mentioned in dispatches and decorated for his part in the capture of the Bridge at Remagen.
This all makes for very interesting reading and the best part is that I am still unearthing new facts week by week.
Many thanks for all your help and I do hope I am not boring you too much with all of this history.
Brian

[liverpool annie]

No! this is wonderful - sorry if I got  a little confused!! what a terrific family history - this is ten thousand times better than Ag Labs!!!

Here's a book - don't know if you could get it from the library - but it might give some idea of James Cordial's life and times!!

Hay, Captain William, CB. Reminiscences 1808-15 Under Wellington. These excellent memoirs chronicle the author's service with the 52nd Light Infantry in the Peninsula from 1810 to Sept. 1811 incl Torres Vedras, Fuentes de Onor and Cuidad Rodrigo. He then transferred to the 28th Light Dragoons and saw extensive service in the Peninsula 1812-14 and at Waterloo 1815. 1992 r/p of 1901 ed, 6 x 9, 311 pp, list of engagements, index.

Annie

[liverpool annie]

Brian -
here's the Rifle Brigade ! - my Granddad was in the Rifle Brigade - but a little later!! Boy your guys are all over the place - hope you get to travel!!!

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/%7Eawoodley/regency/95th.html

 

[Brian1]

Hi Annie,
Thanks again for your posting. Guess you must be burning the midnight oil like me.
Wonder was the Rifle Brigade related to Sharpes ' Chosen Men '?
Have done a fair bit of travelling as once I had unearthed my Boston connection I then went t visit them last November.
Many thanks again.
Brian

[liverpool annie]

Is that a TV program or film or something?
I've never heard of them .....

Annie

Well I guess I'm answering my own question....

http://www.southessex.co.uk/

I had never heard of it!! - duh!

[Brian1]

Hi Annie,
I was referring to the TV series which I think was called Sharpe. This starred Sean Bean in the role of Sharpe and featured a specially selected group of men who excelled in marksmanship, hence sharp shooters. They were in the Spanish and Portugese Peninsular war in the Napoleonic period. These were dressed in plain green tunic similar to the photo's of the Rifle brigade on one of your featured sites.
Brian1

[liverpool annie]

Hi Brian!

I haven't been in England for a while - so I've never seen that program 
is it any good? - I'll have to look for it and read a bit more!!
Now you'll maybe take a little more notice -  if you can still watch it !!

Annie