Berkshire Fencible Cavalry

53: 533: 550: 70: 619:, but when war was resumed in 1803 the Wargrave Rangers were reactivated and the officers received new commissions in April. In August Ximenes offered to raise and pay for a corps of volunteer infantry to be attached to the Troop, with wagons to travel in. It is not known if this proposal was taken up. 610:

When the Windsor Foresters were disbanded, Capt Moses Ximenes sought permission to raise a 'Troop of Gentlemen Cavalry' (Yeomanry) in Berkshire. He offered to pay for its clothing and kit if the arms and accoutrements of the disbanded Windsor Foresters were transferred to it. Royal permission was

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infantry regiments began to do in 1798) the officers objected strongly to being treated like professional soldiers, 'being pressed to extend or services beyond our abilities or inclinations by adopting a line of life which ought to have commenced at an earlier period when we might have secured an

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In November 1796 legislation was passed to create another body of home defence cavalry known as Provisional Cavalry. Like the Militia, these were raised by ballot if insufficient volunteers came forward, and were considered socially inferior by the

630:

and the Wargrave Rangers was disbanded early in 1814, the officers having retired. However, the 1st Berkshire Cavalry (commanded by Lt-Col Dundas) maintained a Troop at Wargrave from 1817 to 1820, after which it may have joined the new

280:. The regiment concentrated for camp near Aberdeen in the summer of 1798 before breaking up in October and the Troops returning to their former stations. The regiment did not camp in the summer of 1799, but in October it moved south to 303:

Service in the fencibles (who did not serve overseas) was popular, and the regiment succeeded in recruiting above its establishment strength. Although most of the original recruits probably came from Berkshire and the

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The uniform of the Berkshire Provisional Cavalry was a green jacket with red facings and white cords, with green pantaloons. A waistcoat was also worn. The cap was leather with a feather. The regimental

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In March 1800 the fencible cavalry were disbanded. The 5th Regiment sold off its horses and the men were progressively discharged, some of them re-enlisting with Regular units, especially the

1037: 1032: 622:

Sir Morris Ximenes (as he had now become) retired from command of the Wargrave Rangers in March 1809 when he was appointed to a lieutenant-colonelcy in the 2nd Berkshire Local Militia, and

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William Soundby was promoted to succeed him. In late 1813, with the war drawing to a close, the independent Troops of Gentlemen Cavalry in Berkshire were invited to amalgamate with the

1027: 707:

The 1797 list of fencible officers only uses the less formal title of Windsor Foresters. It also indicates that the regiment was fifth in seniority among fencible cavalry.

1022: 720:, and his brother Morris raised sufficient recruits for him to obtain promotion to major. Sir David Ximenes went on to a distinguished military career, dying as a 623: 487:. In August 1799 the provisional cavalry were placed on the same footing as the fencible cavalry and the regiment's designation was confusingly changed to 460: 197: 664: 643:

The style of uniform of the Windsor Foresters followed that of the Light Dragoons in the Regular Army, but with a red coat instead of blue; the

674:

The Wargrave Rangers wore a blue coat faced red with white lace or cords, conforming to the other Troops of Yeomanry Cavalry in Berkshire.

655:, but with a plain white sword knot instead of the gold lace with scarlet stripe of the Regulars. The sword was carried in a black leather 721: 189: 264:

and that the regiment 'appeared to us as the perfection of light dragoons'. For the winter of 1796/7 the regiment moved to barracks at

683: 667:

was of scarlet silk, with a crown, rose and thistle in the centre and 'Dieu et mon Droit' beneath. In the 1st and 4th corners was the

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with steel mounts. Officers also wore a red cloak with white lining and dark blue cape, which was fastened with a silver metal clasp.

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was converted into fencible cavalry in 1799. Both regiments were disbanded in 1800, when a number of members transferred to a new

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List of the officers of the several regiments and corps of fencible cavalry and infantry: of the officers of the militia (etc.)

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regiments were full-time troops, raised to serve in any part of Great Britain and Ireland for the duration of a war, releasing

296:. As well as anti-invasion duties on the coast, much of the unit's service was spent on anti-smuggling duties in support of 495:). The former provisional cavalry regiments were disbanded in March 1800, at which time part of the Berkshire unit was at 464: 651:

with black crest and plume, and the title 'WINDSOR FORESTERS' on the scroll. The officers' sword closely resembled the

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and part at Reading. On disbandment, Lt-Col Dundas, Maj Stead and some other officers were granted commissions in the

805: 241: 293: 181: 165: 58: 950:

Nick Mansfield, 'Allen Davenport of the Windsor Foresters: Fencible Cavalry Trooper and Political Activist',

671:, in the 2nd and 3rd was the lettering 'Berks. Prov. Y.C.' with a rose and thistle wreath on a green ground. 468: 396: 340: 647:

were dark blue and the officers' lace silver. The waistcoat and pantaloons were white. The headdress was a

925: 668: 476: 281: 582: 359: 185: 224:

captain in the Regular Army, was commissioned into the Foresters as a lieutenant in January 1795.

688: 632: 627: 500: 442: 424: 412: 371: 102: 17: 459:

The regiment was embodied for full-time service at Newbury in August 1798 on the orders of the

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In mid-1798 the existing fencible cavalry regiments were numbered, the Berkshire becoming the

260:, about five miles from the barracks. An eye-witness recorded that the Windsor Foresters rode 984: 758: 616: 367: 237: 142: 648: 549: 277: 265: 245: 69: 335:

When it was proposed that the Berkshire Fencible Cavalry should volunteer for service in

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The English Militia in the Eighteenth Century: The Story of a Political Issue 1660–1802

599: 538: 201: 915: 1016: 644: 325: 305: 217: 317: 285: 233: 161: 130: 73: 129:, was a British regiment of cavalry raised for home defence in 1794. It served in 292:. During the winter of 1799/1800 the men were scattered between Duns, Dunbar and 794: 309: 261: 257: 137:

on coastal defence and anti-smuggling duties until 1800. A second regiment, the

308:, Trooper Allen Mansfield (later a leading political activist) was enlisted at 480: 449: 430: 313: 297: 209: 205: 615:

was formed, with Ximenes as captain. All the Yeomanry were stood down at the

717: 484: 436: 418: 363: 249: 177: 157: 164:

units for overseas service. A large number were raised in 1794 during the

656: 553: 496: 453: 392: 273: 269: 253: 221: 213: 146: 134: 975: 966: 957: 897: 882: 864: 472: 379: 336: 329: 321: 916:

Cormack, 'Captain Moses Ximenes and the Berkshire Fencible Cavalry',

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was raised on 17 January 1797 under the command of Lt-Col the Hon

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Maj G.Tylden, 'The Berkshire Provisional Cavalry, 1797 to 1800',

248:. By October that year it had moved to Piers Hill Barracks, near 716:

Captain David Ximenes returned to full-pay service in the

382:, where the regiment completed its disbandment on 4 June. 344:

interest in the Profession if such had been our object'.

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Fencible Cavalry Regiments (of Light Dragoons) 1794–1799

312:. In August 1798 the recruiting parties were working in 491:(the original unit now being the 5th Fencible Cavalry, 355:) took over the title of Berkshire Fencible Cavalry. 978: