GENERAL ORDERS. Head Quarters, Cape Town, January 27, 1847.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 199, 26 June 1847, Page 3

GENERAL ORDERS. Head Quarters, Cape Town, January 27, 1847.

At a General Court Martial held at Fort Peddie, ceded territory of the Cape of Good Hope, on the 4ih June, 1846, and subsequent days, Captaiu Colin Campbell, 91st Regiment, was arraigned upon the undermentioned charges, viz. : — Ist. For conduct unbecoming an officer on the morning of the 21st May, 1846, when in command of a detachment of troops escorting waggons from Tromi«etter's Drift to Fort Peddie, ceded territory, Cape of Good Hope, in not supporting Lieutenant Dickson, 91st Regiment, nor making himself personally acquainted with the situation of that officer, during about two hours, that he, Lieutenant Dickson, continued engaged with the enemy, with the advanced guard under his orders, on the occasion set forth in this charge. 2nd. For having shamefully abandoned, on the morning of the 21st May, a certain num- j ber of waggons, containing public "stores and j supplies, of which he had charge for the purpose of escorting to Fort Peddie. Sentence of the Court. — The Court having found the prisoner guilty of part of tie first charge, and also guilty of the whole of the second charge preferred against him, which being in breach of the Articles of War, do now sentence him, the prisoner, Captain Colin Campbell, of the 91st Regiment, to be cashiered from Her Majesty's service. Recommendation of the Court. — The Court having performed a^painful duty in sentencing the prisoner, Captain C. Campbell, 91st, Regiment, to be cashiered, feel themselves called upon strongly to recommend him to her Majesty's most gracious clemency, it appearing that from the prisoner's having made two attemps to reach the front, after the attack on the waggons by the enemy had commenced, there does not appear to have been any want of personal courage, but the Court attribute his having so hastiiy abandoned the waggons to want of judgment; the novelty of the position in which he found himself placed in charge of a large convoy of forty-three waggons through a dense wood, and his ignorance of the character of the enemy with whom he bad to contend.

Upon a consideration of the whole proceedings in this case, it appeared to her Majesty that neither the finding on either charge, nor the sentence should be approved and confirmed, and consequently her Majesty was graciously pleased to command, that Captain C. Campbell should be directed to return to his duty with such reproof and admonition as the Commander-in-Chief might think fit to give him. It appears accordingly to the Commander-in-Chief that the unmihtary conduct of Captain Campbell, at the period alluded to on the 21st May, 1847, as shown on the face of the proceedings, ought not in justice to her Majesty's military service, to be permitted to pass without a severe animadversion. His Grace therefore desires the following expression of his opinion to be conveyed to Captain Campbell : — " It appears to his Grace that Captain Campbell did nothing which an officer in command of a body of troops, escorting a convoy of waggons, ought to have done in the circumstances in which he was placed. Having found that the advance of the waggons was seriously opposed, he should have gone to the i front to ascertain by personal view and enquiry whether he had sufficient force to attack and drive off the enemy, so as to enable the waggons to pass the defile unmolested, Having ascertained that point, and supposing his determination to be, that he could not attack the enemy with hopes of success, he might have determined whether he could maintain the post occupied by the advanced guard, till the waggons could be turned about and marched back. But it does not appear that Captain Campbell did anything to show his capacity for the command in which he was engaged." 2. Captain Campbell is released from arrest and will return to his duty, (Signed) A. J. CLOETE, Lt. -Colonel, D. ft. M. g.