The Robertson court martial : authentic report of the trial (by Court Martial) of Captain A.M. Robertson, Fourth (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards, held at the Royal Barracks, Dublin, on the 6th February 1862 and following days. With portraits.

Date:
1862
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Robertson court martial : authentic report of the trial (by Court Martial) of Captain A.M. Robertson, Fourth (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards, held at the Royal Barracks, Dublin, on the 6th February 1862 and following days. With portraits. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    i faction in full.” In another letter of the 4th of July, 1861, in reply to one also from Major Jones, in which he was called on to state what steps he had taken in reference to his promise contained in his former letter of May, he said, “ I decline having any further communication with any one on that subject, either now or at any future period.” With tliose letters in Captain llobcrtson’s liandwriting before him, he told Captain Robertson that further delay was unreasonable, and that he must at once makeup his mind either to submit to be placed under arrest, with a view to charges being framed against him by the commanding officer, or apply for permission to retire from the service. At the same time he repeatedly told Captain Robertson that he should distinctly understand that Sir George Brown had no desire to influence his decision either way, and that it was a question he was to decide en- tirely from himself, and be guided solely by his own feelings. He was an.xious here to impress on the Court that in his conversations with Captain Robertson he was especially careful of what he said,.in consequence of circumstances regarding that officer which had come to his knowledge, and that he cautiously abstained from any expression which could in the remotest manner intimidate him in the decision to which he might come. After he had communicated with Captain Robertson in the manner he stated, he requested to retire for a short period, which he did ; and on his return to his I'oom in ten minutes afterwards, he announced that after due con- sideration he had decided upon retiring from the service. He said to him, “Now remember. Captain Robertson, I am to understand that this is your deliberate decision, founded on your own unbiassed judgment, without any pressure and he said, “Yes, certainly.” He then went into the next room to write his application for leave to retirefroiu the service, hiiving first asked him to do it for him, which he declined ; and he then told him if he had made up his mind to retire from the service by the sale of his commission he had better add in his letter that he was willing to wait for the price of a cornetcy without interest; and he said,“ Yes, I understand that.” In a short time he returned with the letter, and having handed it to him, he addressed himself to Colonel Beutiuck, requesting that he would recommend him for an adju- tancy in a yeomanry corps. He was further prepared to prove that pending his request to retire, Captain Robertson requested leave of absence, and that he then returned to Newbridge, commenced to negociate the sale of his commission with two officers, and when he failed to induce them to become purchasers, he made the unfounded statement which formed the third charge—namely, that it was entirely through intimidation that he had applied for permission to retire from the service. He had thought it advisable to enter thus fully into the particulars of the tliird charge, as to which he was himself a witness. He knew nothing himself of the matters which constituted the first, and the second charges. The circumstances connected with the latter were the Ibllowing On the 17th of October, I860, Colonel Dickson, in the presence of Captain Durant, publicly insulted the prisoner in the Army and Navy Club in London, by accusing him of blackguard and cowardl3^ conduct, and by shaking his fist before him, and threatening to horsewhip him. The prisoner emplo^'ed Captain Henr^^ to obtain an apology or redress, but failed in obtaining either ; and up to this time the prisoner had neglected to place the matter in the hands of his comm.anding officer, in order that it might be dealt with by him, and to take the proper and lawful steps to vindic.ate his honour and character. The mode in wliich he proposed to prove the first and second charges were—first, by calling in Colonel Bentinck, the prisoner’s commanding officer, who would prove that on or about the 9th !May, 1861, he first became accidentally aware of what occurred seven months before; and that during the interval the prisoner had repeated opportunities of placing the matter in the hands of his commanding officer, and that he had failed to obtain tbe redress and apology which it was his duty to demand. His course of action, however, wliich was clearly pointed out to the prisoner by the 17th article of war, was entirely neglected; and he remained contented to submit to the epithets of “coward” and “ blackguard,” as applied to him, and the threats ivhich had been used, until, in consequence of the perpetrator of those insults. Colonel Dickson, having alluded to. them to Colonel Bentinck, the prisoner was first called upon for an explanation. Major Jones would prove that by order of the command- ing officer he wrote to Captain Robertson on the 15th of May, 1861, for the e.xplana- tion: and he would prove the receipt of a letter, in repl.v from tbe prisoner, dated the 20th of May, which would be laid before the Court. In that letter the prisoner declared with graphic distinctness the whole catalogue of insults he had received from Colonel Dickson. He stated the means adopted by him to obtain an apology from his insulter, and Colonel Dickson’s distinct refusal to have anything to-say to him; and he concluded his letter by expressing a determination to extort an ample
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