Item 33: Military Order from Prince Regent George Augustus Frederick [future King George IV] on Behalf of His Majesty [King George III] (removed to Black Box #1) , 1817 June 25
Item — Box: 2, Folder: 33
Dates
- Created: 1817 June 25
Creator
Disclaimer for Name and Subject Authorities
Some of the name and subject authority tags have been assigned by educated guessing and estimation of persons and subjects by region, age, profession, and familial relationships. They have been thoroughly researched by using primary and secondary sources available digitally, and named in each description, or in some cases linked directly to the person tag.
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Military Order
Condition Note:
Fair; paper is browning and document contains stains; small burn approximately 1 inch in length; document is partially torn at the seam; ink well-preserved
Measurements:
14 ½ in. x 9 ½ in. (closed)}; 14 ½ in. x 19 in. (open)
Description:
The following item is a royal decree written by the Prince Regent, George Augustus Frederick, later King George IV of Great Britain, to an English officer in Jamaica on June 25, 1817. The decree gives an officer of the forces in Jamaica permission and instructions how to perform Courts Martial, as established in Parliament’s “Act for punishing Mutiny and Desertion, and for the better Payment of the Army and their Quarters.” This item contains King George IV’s signature with an “R,” denoting “Rex” or “King” and a “PR” denoting “Prince Regent.” The Prince Regent and Lord Sidmouth signed a similar order in July, 1819. The officer in charge of the British forces in Jamaica may have been part of the 58th, 60th (6th Bn), 61st, York Chasseurs arr. Nov. 1816, 2nd W. I., 5th W. I., because according to the Jamaica Defense Force, these British regiments were stationed in Jamaica in 1817. Before the court martial was established as a permanent standing court, it was performed by officers with permission according to the instruction manual referenced earlier using swords. At the time this document was dated. King George III was sick with an unsound mind (theorized to be either porphyria or bipolar disorder), so Parliament passed a bill in 1789, naming the King’s eldest son the Prince Regent, to serve in place of his father.
Location:
Carlton House (London, England); Jamaica.
Transcription:
[Front]
George P[rince] R[egent], R[ex] (Signature) By His Royal Highness the Prince Regent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
Whereas an Act has been made and passed in this present session of Parliament, entitled, “An Act for punishing Mutiny and Desertion, and for the better Payment of the Army and their Quarters.” And Whereas We, in the Name and on the Behalf of His Majesty, have been pleased to establish Articles of War for the better Government of all His Majesty’s Forces, which Act of Parliament and Articles of War are hereunto annexed; We for the more effectually carrying the purposes of the said Act and Articles of War into execution within the limits of your Command, have thought fit to direct, and We do hereby authorize and empower you from time to time as occasion may require, to convene a cause to be assembled, General Courts Material for the Trial of any Officer or Soldier of His Majesty’s Forces under your Command, charged with Mutiny or Desertion, or with any other Offence against the Rules of Military Discipline, whether the same shall have been so committed previous to or after you shall have taken upon yourself such Command; And We do hereby further empower you to direct your Warrant to any Officer (not under the degree of a Field Officer) having the Command of a Body of His Majesty’s said Forces, authorizing him to convene Courts Martial for the Trial of Offences committed by any Officer or Soldier under his Command; every of which Courts Martial shall consist of a President and of a competent number of other Officers who can be conveniently summoned to attend the same, regard being always had, as well in the appointment of such President as in the Rank and Quality of the other Officers composing such Courts Martial, to the Rules prescribed by the said Act of Parliament and Articles of War, and We do hereby authorize and empower such Courts Martial to hear and examine into all such matters and [Inside, left; Page 2]
and informations as shall be brought before them touching the misbehavior of any Commissioned Officer, Non-commissioned Officer, or Soldier, by Mutiny, Desertion, or otherwise as aforesaid, and to proceed in the Trial of such Charges, and in giving Sentence and awarding Punishment according to the powers and directions contained in the said Act of Parliament and Articles of War. And whereas it is necessary to have a Military Discipline kept up amongst the said Troops under your Command, in as great exactness as possible, and as nothing can contribute more to retain the Soldiers in due obedience to their Officers, and to make them diligent in discharging the duties incumbent upon them, than the bringing delinquents to speedy justice; Our Will and Pleasure therefore is, and We do hereby further authorize and empower you when and as often as any Sentence is given and passed by a General Court Martial legally constituted as aforesaid, to cause such Sentence to be put in execution, or to suspend, mitigate, or remit the same, as you shall judge best, and most conducive to the good of His Majesty’s Service, without waiting for further Orders; except in the case of Commissioned Officers, adjudged to suffer Death, or to be cashiered, in which case, as in other instances wherein you shall think it proper to suspend the execution of any Sentence, the proceedings of the Court Martial upon such Trial are to be transmitted to His Majesty’s Judge Advocate General in Great Britain, (in order to their being laid before Us,) who is afterwards to send them to the Commander in Chief, or in his absence to the Adjutant General for Our decision thereupon. And that there may not in any case be a failure of Justice from the want of a proper Person authorized to act as Judge Advocate, We do hereby further empower you in default of a person appointed by Us, or deputed by the Judge Advocate General of His Majesty’s Forces, or during the illness or occasional absence of the person so appointed, or deputed, to nominate and appoint a fit person from time to time for executing the Office of Judge Advocate at any such Court Martial for the more orderly proceedings of the same. And for enforcing the Adjudication or Sentence of every such Count-Martial, We do also give you authority to appoint a Provost
[Inside right; page 3]
Provost Marshal to use and exercise that Office as it is usually practised [sic.] [practiced] in the Law Martial; and for executing the several powers, matters, and Things herein expressed, these shall be as well to you as to the said Courts Martial and all others whom it may concern, a sufficient Warrant and Authority.
Given at Our Court at Carlton House, this twenty fifth day of June 1817, in the Fifty-Seventh Year of Our Reign, His Majesty’s Reign.
By Command of His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in the Name and on the behalf of His Majesty. Sidmouth [signature]
[Handwritten] To The Officer commanding for the time being, a Body of His Majesty’s Forces employed in the Island of Jamaica.
[Back; page 4] [Handwritten] Warrant authorizing the Officer commanding the Forces in the Island of Jamaica; to hold Courts Martial, confirm sentences &c [etc.], amongst the Troops under his command.
25th June 1817
George P[rince] R[egent], R[ex] (Signature) By His Royal Highness the Prince Regent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
Whereas an Act has been made and passed in this present session of Parliament, entitled, “An Act for punishing Mutiny and Desertion, and for the better Payment of the Army and their Quarters.” And Whereas We, in the Name and on the Behalf of His Majesty, have been pleased to establish Articles of War for the better Government of all His Majesty’s Forces, which Act of Parliament and Articles of War are hereunto annexed; We for the more effectually carrying the purposes of the said Act and Articles of War into execution within the limits of your Command, have thought fit to direct, and We do hereby authorize and empower you from time to time as occasion may require, to convene a cause to be assembled, General Courts Material for the Trial of any Officer or Soldier of His Majesty’s Forces under your Command, charged with Mutiny or Desertion, or with any other Offence against the Rules of Military Discipline, whether the same shall have been so committed previous to or after you shall have taken upon yourself such Command; And We do hereby further empower you to direct your Warrant to any Officer (not under the degree of a Field Officer) having the Command of a Body of His Majesty’s said Forces, authorizing him to convene Courts Martial for the Trial of Offences committed by any Officer or Soldier under his Command; every of which Courts Martial shall consist of a President and of a competent number of other Officers who can be conveniently summoned to attend the same, regard being always had, as well in the appointment of such President as in the Rank and Quality of the other Officers composing such Courts Martial, to the Rules prescribed by the said Act of Parliament and Articles of War, and We do hereby authorize and empower such Courts Martial to hear and examine into all such matters and [Inside, left; Page 2]
and informations as shall be brought before them touching the misbehavior of any Commissioned Officer, Non-commissioned Officer, or Soldier, by Mutiny, Desertion, or otherwise as aforesaid, and to proceed in the Trial of such Charges, and in giving Sentence and awarding Punishment according to the powers and directions contained in the said Act of Parliament and Articles of War. And whereas it is necessary to have a Military Discipline kept up amongst the said Troops under your Command, in as great exactness as possible, and as nothing can contribute more to retain the Soldiers in due obedience to their Officers, and to make them diligent in discharging the duties incumbent upon them, than the bringing delinquents to speedy justice; Our Will and Pleasure therefore is, and We do hereby further authorize and empower you when and as often as any Sentence is given and passed by a General Court Martial legally constituted as aforesaid, to cause such Sentence to be put in execution, or to suspend, mitigate, or remit the same, as you shall judge best, and most conducive to the good of His Majesty’s Service, without waiting for further Orders; except in the case of Commissioned Officers, adjudged to suffer Death, or to be cashiered, in which case, as in other instances wherein you shall think it proper to suspend the execution of any Sentence, the proceedings of the Court Martial upon such Trial are to be transmitted to His Majesty’s Judge Advocate General in Great Britain, (in order to their being laid before Us,) who is afterwards to send them to the Commander in Chief, or in his absence to the Adjutant General for Our decision thereupon. And that there may not in any case be a failure of Justice from the want of a proper Person authorized to act as Judge Advocate, We do hereby further empower you in default of a person appointed by Us, or deputed by the Judge Advocate General of His Majesty’s Forces, or during the illness or occasional absence of the person so appointed, or deputed, to nominate and appoint a fit person from time to time for executing the Office of Judge Advocate at any such Court Martial for the more orderly proceedings of the same. And for enforcing the Adjudication or Sentence of every such Count-Martial, We do also give you authority to appoint a Provost
[Inside right; page 3]
Provost Marshal to use and exercise that Office as it is usually practised [sic.] [practiced] in the Law Martial; and for executing the several powers, matters, and Things herein expressed, these shall be as well to you as to the said Courts Martial and all others whom it may concern, a sufficient Warrant and Authority.
Given at Our Court at Carlton House, this twenty fifth day of June 1817, in the Fifty-Seventh Year of Our Reign, His Majesty’s Reign.
By Command of His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, in the Name and on the behalf of His Majesty. Sidmouth [signature]
[Handwritten] To The Officer commanding for the time being, a Body of His Majesty’s Forces employed in the Island of Jamaica.
[Back; page 4] [Handwritten] Warrant authorizing the Officer commanding the Forces in the Island of Jamaica; to hold Courts Martial, confirm sentences &c [etc.], amongst the Troops under his command.
25th June 1817
Creator
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
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84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu