Genealogy Chat

I think I have 'lost the plot!' I am trying to find a gt grandfather x4, who served in the Aberdeenshire Militia...but he was also a sargant in the '5th Garrison Battalion'. Can anyone please advise me as to whether this garrison was part of the Aberdeen Militia or part of another army unit.

Thank you...I seem to be going round in circles.

Yvonne

Hi Yvonne,
I was researching my g granfathers membership of a militia in Sussex.
I found that many had Drill Halls built for them. There are a number of sites covering Drill Halls it might be worth checking them out In the Aberdeenshire area.
Regards,
Mayfield

British Regiments and the Men Who Led Them 1793-1815
24 October - 2nd Battalion disbanded at Aberdeen. ... Kilkenny; recruited 150 Irish militia volunteers; June – Cork; to Peninsula ... Colonel of 5th West India Regiment 30 November 1796; died at Cork 1800. ... served in Egypt 1801; Major in 8th Garrison Battalion 16 July 1803; Major in 42nd Foot 9 September 1803; ...

www.napoleon-series.org/military/organization/Britain... - 29k - Similar pages

List of Regiments of Foot - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
5th (Northumberland) Regiment of Foot 1782–1836 5th (Northumberland) (Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot 1836–1881 ...... Dispersed to independent garrison companies in 1768/69. .... Raised 1793 from the Staffordshire Militia. 1881: 2nd Battalion, ... Raised 1777 as Aberdeenshire Highland Regiment, numbered 81st in 1778. ...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Regiments_of_Foot - 368k - Similar pages
British Army Regiment Names - Total War Center Forums
2 Sep 2010 ... 5th battalion / 60th (Royal American) Regiment of Foot ..... There were 8 Garrison battalions (6 from 1810), 13 Veteran battalions (13th ... Scottish Embodied Militia Aberdeen (l) Argylle & Bute (l) ..... The period of 1800-1805 is a time of continued gradual reform, which saw the Duke of York ...

www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=385953 - 220k - Similar pages

Dear Mayfield and Ann,

Thank you so much for your time and effort in helping me - I am very grateful and will now be looking for 'drill halls', Mayfield and using the internet sites that you suggest Ann.

Kind Regards,
Yvonne

Another thread gave this URL
http://genegenie-scotland.blogspot.com/

Here's an entry from that blog:

25 September 2010
NAIRNSHIRE MILITIA
The Lieutenancy of the County of NAIRN, hereby intimate, that the following persons, who were drawn by Ballot to serve in the MILITIA of the said County, have failed to appear, and are now liable to be apprehended as DESERTERS. All Magistrates and others, are therefore requested to be aiding and assisting in apprehending and commiting them, or any of them, to any of His Majesty's Jails, when the Statutory Reward will be paid.
[Names & descriptions of 17 persons]

By order of the Lieutenancy.
(Signed) JAS. MURRAY, C.G.M.
Nairn, 19th Sept. 1810

Published in The Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday 26th September, 1810.



I don't have a lot of knowledge abt the Scottish militia in that period.
However, I would imagine the N American colonial militia's were set up in pretty much the same way. So the militia would be a volunteer force (supplemented by conscription, as we've seen above). Even when wide-spread conscription was introduced during the American Civil War, one was allowed to hire substitutes to take the conscriptee's place.

I'm guessing the militia, much like today's territorial army, would train and drill, maybe once a week with an annual training camp of a couple of week's duration. In times of war, the militia would have a limited time of service, say 90 days - 1 year (depending on colony). They couldn't be sent abroad without their agreement, which often wasn't forth-coming. I don't see the militia being used as garrison battalions. The cost of calling out the militia would be enough to guarantee that, I'ld have thought.

Are you sure your guy was in the 5th garrison battalion, rather than the 5th garrison battery. Battalions are really infantry units. Batteries are artilliary units - both would be grouped into brigades in WW1.

Dear mgnv,

Thanks for taking the time to pass on this information. I've double checked my information with regards to 'battery' and 'battalion' and it is definitely 'battalion', when his son was born in 1807 in Dundee...so he was in the Aberdeen Militia in 1801 at the time of his marriage in Dundee and a sergeant in the 5th Garrison Battalion in 1807! Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you.

Yvonne

There are some discharge papers for men in the 5th Garrison Battalion on FindmyPast. What was his name?

Thanks for taking the time to reply. His name was Donald/Daniel Gordon.

Thank you

I haven't got a sub to FMP but this one is on the National Archives Catalogue, so his papers will be on FMP - perhaps someone could get copies for you if it's the right man?

More informationDONALD GORDON Born KILDONAN, Sutherland Served in Aberdeenshire Militia Discharged aged 52 1803-1835

Thanks annielaurie for all your help. A visit to the National Archives seems to be the next step forward...fortunately I live in England, so with the information you have provided, I'll try and find my elusive ancestor. Thank you for all your help and advice.

Yvonne