William Burney

William Burney 1792 - 1879

Colonel with the letters KH after his name. This is a Hanovarian decoration.

From 'Modern English Biography' by Frederic Boase 1965 ed.

"William Burney, Major Cape Mounted Riflemen 20-6-1834 to 16-2-1844. Col 28-11-1848. D Elgin Crescent 1-12-1879, Ken."

Extract below from the Waterloo Roll Call, pages 162 - 163.

"Entered the army in 1808. He served at the capture of Ischia and Procida in 1809; defence of Cadiz (1810); Sabugal, Fuentes d'Onor, and the retreat from Burgos; subsequently in the campaign in Holland (1814). Quatre Bras, where he was twice wounded; and the Burmese war. Commissions dated; Ensign, April 28th, 1808; Lieut, May 1st, 1810; Capt. June 2nd, 1814; Maj. Sept. 6th, 1827; Lt-col. Nov. 23rd, 1841; Col. Nov. 28th, 1854."

According to the Army list he was firstly in the 44th Regiment of Foot, Essex Regiment.

The 44th at Quatre Bras

reproduced from Ian Fletcher's "Wellington's Regiments"

The 2/44th did not remain long in England, however, for soon afterwards it departed for Holland to take part in the campaign against Bergen-op-Zoom. At the conclusion of this campaign the battalion remained in quarters at Ostend until April 1815 when news was received of Napoleon's escape from Elba. The 2/44th was posted to the 9th British Infantry Brigade under the command of Sir Denis Pack. It suffered 165 casualties during the Waterloo campaign and was particularly hard-pressed at Quatre Bras on June 16th. During the battle a French lancer made for the battalion's Regimental Colour and in the ensuing melee Engin Christie, carrying it, was speared by the lance which entered his left eye and penetrated to the lower jaw. In spite of his wound Christie managed to save the Colour and the Frenchman was shot dead. Between the 10th and 18th of June, 1815, it was reduced to nearly one-third of its strength. About seventy officers had been killed and wounded under its colours. This campaign earned for the regiment list of honours "Waterloo". After the battle of June 18th the 44th marched to Paris. It returned to England in January 1816.[2]

The Eagle of the 62nd Ligne Regimente is now on display in the Essex Regiment Museum, Chelsmford, England.

The Colours of the 2nd Battalion which were carried through the Peninsular Campaign and at Waterloo are now at rest with the Royal Anglian Regiment.

REFERENCES:

[1] The British Army and Auxillary Forces (chapter - The Essex Regiment, p86); and

[2] Wellington's Regiments (chapter - 44th (East Essex) Foot, p159-160),

by Ian Fletcher (ISBN: 1-873376-06-5)

Extract below from the following website: http://www.historikorders.com/...

Accessed 10th July 2006

Directly quoting Capt. Burney:

"The regiment reached Quatre Bras about one or two o'clock; halting and ordered to cook. The Duke of Brunswick with his dragoons lay on one side of the road, the 44th on the other; we could distinctly hear artillery. The Prussians were engaged, and several of their wounded passed us saying -- it would be warm work in front, they had had enough of it the day before. Presently Fall in the 44th: cooking knocked on the head; all was excitement. The brigade advanced under General Denis Pack, when we reached a rise in the road, we discovered the French army covering the country, and the Prussians hotly engaged with them at a distance, as we advanced down the slope. The French were in line, with skirmishers in the fields of rye, which was about five feet high. We advanced with the light company extended, but finding that the French had the advantage of seeing us, and picking off many, Colonel Hamerton called them in, and file firing commenced from each company, to clear the rye we advanced. After several movements, the 44th were detached at double quick to a rising ground, where we found the French Cavalry had driven our artillerymen from their guns, and had taken possession of but could not move them, as the horse were gone; many of a our artillerymen were sheltered under the guns. We were in quarter distance column, and soon put our men in charge of their guns again. A German regiment then came up, and the 44th rejoined their brigade. Soon afterwards the division was in line on the plain: the roar of artillery was awful. The French cavalry repeatedly charge, and we formed squares: on the third occasion I was wounded."

Quatre Bras (quoting Siborne):

If this cavalry attack had fallen so unexpectedly upon the 42nd Highlanders, still less had it been anticipated by the 44th (Essex) Regt. Lt.-Col. Hamerton ... perceiving that Napoleon's Lancers were rapidly advancing against his rear, and that any attempt to form a square would be attended with imminent danger, instantly decided upon receiving them in line. (This is regarded as the first instance of so noble a defence against French cavalry, and their entire rout by a regiment of British infantry in line). Hamerton's words of command were: "Rear rank, right about face... Make ready..... Present.... Fire". The effect produced by this volley was astonishing. The men aware of their perilous position doubtless took most deliberate aim at their opponent who were thrown into great confusion. The lancers now commenced a flight towards the French position by the flanks of the 44th. As they rushed past the left flank, the officer commanding the light company (Lt. Campbell, who had very judiciously restrained his men from joining in the volley given to the rear, opened upon them a scattering fire; and no sooner did the lancers appear in the proper front of the regiment, when the front rank began in its turn to contribute to their overthrow and destruction.

Never, perhaps, did British infantry display its characteristic coolness and steadiness more eminently than on this trying occasion.... this was a feat of arms which the oldest or best-disciplined corps in the world might have in vain hoped to accomplish; yet most successfully and completely was this achieved by the gallant second battalion of the 44th British Regiment, under its brave commander, Lt. Col. Hamerton.

Captain Burney:

"The French cavalry charged repeatedly, and we formed squares. On the third occasion I was wounded" Captain Burney was carried to the rear, wounded in the head and leg. The achievement so graphically described by Capt. Siborne occurred shortly afterwards.

Captain W. Burney, who was severely wounded in the leg, and dangerously in the head, relates that, as he was being carried off the field by two sergeants, the Duke of Wellington and his staff passed by, when Capt. Cole, of the horse artillery, an old friend of Capt. Burney's, stopped to take leave. Capt. Burney having fainted, the other thought all was over with him, and gave directions for his being buried in the next ditch. A few years afterwards, Capt. Cole, at a ball at Portsmouth, on seeing his old friend enter the room, rushed out, and enquired if an officer of the name of Burney was one of the guests. Finding this to be the case, there was a happy re-union with the "dead alive".

In the rear of the Waterloo action, Asst-Surgeon Collins, after extracting the ball, put it into Capt. Burney's pocket, having written on a piece of paper in pencil, that I had been taken from the head of Capt. Burney. The medical officers had all agreed that unless the bullet could be extracted, the sufferer must "die mad". The ball, which was a little flattened, has been preserved as a precious relic (lost in time).

The second battalion was accordingly disbanded at Dover on the 24th of January 1816, the officers receiving full pay to the 24th of March following.

1826 INDIA and THE CAPE 1853:

During this campaign Capt. W Burney was present at the attack of the Padawa Pass, the fortified positions of Mahattee, storming the stockades and hills near Arracan, and capture of that city and its works. He led the advance in the latter operations on the 1st. April 1825. After quitting India in a most impaired state of health, from repeated attacks of fever, and the climate acting on the wound in his head received at Quatre Bras, he was removed in 1828 to the 75th Regiment. In 1834 he was appointed to the command of the Cape Mounted Riflemen, and was employed as second in command of the cavalry division, during the war against the Caffres. Colonel Burney, K.H., to which rank he was promoted on 28th Nov. 1854, has been on retired full pay as Major of the Cape Mounted Riflemen since 16th Feb., 1844.

LIST OF OFFICERS, KILLED, WOUNDED, AND MISSING DURING THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO.

(Extracted from the London Gazette 1815)

Forty-fourth Foot, second battalion

Lieutenant-Colonel J. M. Hamerton, slightly;

Captains Adam Burgh, David Power, William Burney, and Mildmay Fane, severely;

Lieutenants Robert Russel, Robert Grier, and W. B. Strong, severely;

Lieutenant Alexander Campbell, slightly;

Lieutenant W. M. Hern, severely;

Lieutenant James Burke, slightly;

Ensign James Christie, B. Whitney, J. C. Webster, and A. Wilson, severely.

From an email from Peter Gawn 6th April 2008

"I've exchanged several emails with the Burney Centre at McGill University, Montreal. The Centre is the research and publication partner of the Burney Society dedicated to the life & work of Fanny Burney: it has a website. The Centre had no information on WB but has now opened a file using the material I sent. Through the Centre I got a copy of a letter that Fanny B sent to her husband from Brussels in July 1815. She relates a chance meeting she had just had in Brussels with Capt William Burney, aged 22, 44th Foot, who had been wounded at Quatre Bras (June 16 1815). This was WB's oldest child. They discussed whether they were related but, she explained to her husband, "... I had been told by my brother, Dr Charles, there was no affinity between us; OUR family coming from Ireland, where we were among the MACS: & his being English." She added, later, "I found him a very pleasing young man, sensible, conversible, manly, yet modest... The young man is so amiable, I could wish you to know him."

From "The Military General Service Roll 1793 - 1814" Pub. 1990

William Burney Lt. 1 - FD Fuentes D'Onor, 44th Regiment of Foot, Medals 1-FD, Waterloo, Army of India. Later Cape Mounted Rifles RFP(Retired Full Pay). His group of 3 medals has been on the market.

Letter of Fanny Burney dated 3rd - 12th July 1815

'Imagine how I was struck, when, at the time of the late most alarming invasion of the Pays bas, & during the horrible Battle which for 4 complete days were fighting within Canon shot of us - imagine, I say, how I was struck, while waiting at the English commandant's, Colonel Jones, for signature to my passport, for running away to Antwerp, I saw a young man enter, who addressed the secretary for 'a billet of residence for Captain Burney' 1. I started, & immediately made enquiry who he meant. He answered 'Captain Burney, ma'aam' in English; still more astonished, & almost thunderstruck, I made so many questions, & so rapidly, & with so much uneasiness, that the Person, surprised also, left the secretary to come & give me a minute account: & I then learnt Captain Burney was a land officer, of the 44th Regiment of, whose Friends lived in Portsmouth. He had a billet sent him for one of the first houses in Bruxelles. He had been wounded in the head.

A few days after, a Lady - Madame de Maurville, came to me de la part de Madame la Baronne de Spagen, to say how happy she should be to receive me at her house, if I would visit my Relation, just fixed with her, & wounded in the victory of the Duke of Wellington. I answered that I could not be happy to know such a Relation, if such a one I had; but that I had been told by my Brother, Dr Charles, there was not affinity between us: our famil coming from Ireland, where we were among the Macs & his being English. He did not care, however, to the point up, & after various manoeuvres, I accompanied Madam de Maurville to Baronne's. I found him a very pleasing young man, sensible, conversible, manly yet modest. He is but 22. A bullet has been cut of his head, which has been flattened in one part, by his skull! Such was the force with which it had entered. His escape has been narrow indeed. He came to see me with Madame la Baronne, immediately after & I have again returned the visit, & again returned the visit, & again received them. And I shall now this night - this moment, indeed post to La Place Royale with this sheet for my Alex. The man is so amiable, I could wish you to know him. The good Baronne is so pleased with him, she carries him about with her everywhere, as if he were her son. She has 2 other wounded young English officers with her.'

1William Burney (1793 - 1879) was then a captain in the 44th (or East Essex) Regiment of Foot, whose 2nd Battalion fought at Waterloo. Burney a youthful veteran of Italian and Peninsular campaigns, who had already been wounded twice at Quatre Bras, later served in the Burmese War, transferred as a major to the Cape Mounted Rifles from 1834 to 1844, when he retired on full pay, and was finally promoted colonels in 1854.

From his entry in the Will indexes.

15 Dec - William Burney late of 3 Elgin Crescent Notting Hill in the County of Middlesex a Colonel in Her Majesty's Army, who died 1 December 1879 at 3 Elgin Crescent was proved at the PRINCIPAL REGISTRY by Hugh Sommervile Sawyer Burney of 108 Lexham Gardens, South Kensington in the said County, a Lieutenant Colonel in Her Majesty's Army, the son, one of the Executors.

Personal effects under £1500.

From a copy of his death certificate his son Hugh Sommerville Burney was in attendance.

Copy of his Will

'This is the last Will and Testament of me William Burney of No 3 Elgin Crescent, Notting Hill, in the County of Middlesex a Colonel in Her Majetsy's Army. I give to my son Hugh Somerville Sawyer Burney the gold watch taken by me at Waterloo and as to all the rest residue and remainder of my estate and effects of what nature or kind soever and wheresoever situate I give devise and bequeath the same and every part thereof unto my dear Wife Diana Boyleson Burney her heirs executors administrators and assigns absolutely and I appoint my said Wife and son Executrix and Executor of this my Will In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this eleventh day of Feburary one thousand eight hundred and sixty eight ---- William Burney, Colonel ---- signed and published by the said testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us present at the same time who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses ---- Frank Richardson solicitor 28 Golden Square W ---- Emily A Alford 3 Elgin Crescent W.

Proved at London 15th December 1879 by the oath of Hugh Somerville Sawyer Burney the son one of the executors to whom admin was granted power reserved of making the like grant to Diana Boylson Burney Widow the Relic the other Executor.'