John Robyns

Major General John Robyns, KH (13 May 1780 – 22 March 1857) was a senior officer of the Royal Marines who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and earned historically noteworthy military distinctions on the North America and West Indies Station during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812. As a battalion commander of Royal Marines, Captain John Robyns faced enemy forces which included his counterparts of the United States Marines at Bladensburg, Washington, Baltimore, and New Orleans. In his later years Robyns served one term as Mayor of Penzance (1840–41) in his native Cornwall.

John Robyns
Born(1780-05-13)13 May 1780
Madron, Cornwall
Died22 March 1857(1857-03-22) (aged 76)
Madron, Cornwall
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Marines
Years of service1796–1835
RankMajor General
Battles/warsNapoleonic Wars

War of 1812

AwardsKnight of the Royal Guelphic Order

Early Life and career

John Robyns, the son of Thomas Robyns, was christened in the Parish of Madron, in West Cornwall, on 13 May 1780. The private christening, performed by a midwife, probably occurred soon after his birth, if not on the actual day of birth.[1][2]

It may be assumed that young Robyns received an adequate common school education that was sufficient to prepare him for a commission. He may have served in the Royal Navy or British Army prior to 1796. It is difficult to document this period of his life with precision.[3]

Robyns received his commission as a second lieutenant of His Majesty's Marine Forces in 1796. Soon afterwards he was ordered to the East Indies where he remained on station nearly five years, earning his promotion to first lieutenant in 1799. Following his return, shortly prior to the Treaty of Amiens, he was sent to Ireland where he remained on station until his promotion to captain in 1807. John Robyns was thus still a subaltern when H.M. Corps of Marine Forces was elevated to the dignity of Royal Marines on 29 April 1802. In 1808 Captain Robyns of the Marines sailed for Barbados as part of the expedition under Vice Admiral Alexander Cochrane and Lieutenant General George Beckwith.

Invasion of Martinique

In 1809 Captain John Robyns participated in the British Invasion of Martinique, a highly successful amphibious operation.[4] Captain John Robyns remained on the Leeward Islands Station until about 1811, well after the seizure of Guadeloupe by the British forces under Cochrane and Beckwith.[5]

Chesapeake Campaign

Still a Marine captain, Robyns rejoined Vice Admiral Alexander Cochrane's command in 1813, as the Officer Commanding the detachment of Marines aboard HMS Albion.[6][7] He was among the handful of Royal Marines company-grade officers chosen to command a battalion ashore during the War of 1812. Robyns commanded a 400-strong composite battalion of Royal Marines and Royal Navy personnel in the Battle of Bladensburg, the Burning of Washington, and in the Battle of Baltimore.[8] At Baltimore Robyns was severely wounded while leading his battalion on 12 September 1814. The British Army commander, Major General Robert Ross, was killed in the same action.

Writing from HMS Tonnant, to the Admiralty Lords on 17 September 1814, Vice Admiral Alexander Cochrane singled out the "frequently gallant conduct" of Robyns as worthy of special "favour and protection".[9]

Battle of New Orleans

Following the defeat at Baltimore, Robyns was brevetted a major on the British Army List.[10]

Though still recovering from a wound described as "severe," he accompanied the British expeditionary force which was sent to engage in the Battle of New Orleans. Once again charged with a composite command, he commanded a company in the "composite battalion" of 100 Marines commanded by his senior, Brevet Major Thomas Benjamin Adair (1783–1849), of the Royal Marines. Adair's 100 Royal Marines and a similar-sized party of Edward Nicolls' Red Sticks [11] were brigaded with Colonel William Thornton (British Army officer)'s 85th Regiment of Foot (Bucks Volunteers). Thornton's Brigade performed laudably at New Orleans, overwhelming the American line on the west bank of the Mississippi. The brigade's small triumph, however, was not enough to counterbalance the British disaster of 8 January 1815.[12]

Royal Marines also contributed to the subsequent orderly withdrawal by the British forces.[13]

Peacetime establishment and later years

In spite of the award of a pension for wounds received, Robyns escaped the officer reductions in the Royal Marines establishment of 1814 and 1816.[14] Robyns married Miss Wilmot John (1787–1867), the second daughter of George John, of Penzance, at Madron on 18 July 1815.[15][16]

Routine duties and assignments followed until his retirement in 1835. He was promoted to the substantive rank of major in the Royal Marines on 16 April 1832, thus finally attaining the permanent status of "General and Field Officer (G & FO)", Royal Marines.[17][18]

In 1840 he served one term as Mayor of Penzance, a largely honorary public function.[19][20]

Robyns died in Cornwall on 22 March 1857. He was buried in Madron on 27 March 1857.[21][22][23]

Promotions and awards

28 December 1815 Awarded a pension for wounds.

Allowed to retire from the Royal Marines as a Major with full pay in 1835.[24]

See also

References
Citations
  1. Search Results-FamilySearch.org-Free Family History and Genealogy Records Note(a):Spelling of father's name given as "Thomas Robins"
  2. West Penwith Resources-Madron & Penzance Baptisms 1756–1888 (4)- Note(b):Spelling recorded variously as "Robins" or "Robyns"in document collection cited.
  3. Zerbe, Britt (September 2010). "That most useful body of men": The Operational Doctrine and Identity of the British Marine Corps, 1755–1802 (PDF) (PhD). University of Exeter.
  4. Captain H.G. Hart, 49th Regt., The New Annual Army List for 1845..., corrected to December 1844, with an Index, John Murray london 1845, pp.63 , and 86.
  5. Internet Archive:The Royal military calendar, or Army service commission book.Openlibrary.org
  6. The Navy List corrected to the end of Dec 1814, Great Britain. Admiralty – Google Books Note: Robyns, John, p.49 List of the Royal Navy [ships]
  7. Latimer, pg244
  8. Crawford, p273, quoting a memo from Rear Admiral Codrington to Respective Captains dated 11 Sept 1814, which allocates the command of the marines from HMS Tonnant, HMS Ramillies, HMS Albion & HMS Royal Oak to Captain Robyns
  9. "No. 16947". The London Gazette. 17 October 1814. pp. 2077–2077.
  10. "No. 16957". The London Gazette. 15 November 1814. pp. 2263–2263.
  11. Sugden, John (January 1982). "The Southern Indians in the War of 1812: The Closing Phase". Florida Historical Quarterly. Sugden, on p300, uses the source document a letter from Nicolls to Cochrane, December 3, 1814 from the Cochrane Papers held by the National Library of Scotland
  12. Patterson, p?
  13. Nicolas, chapters v, vi, and vii (inclusive)
  14. Internet Archive:The Royal military calendar, or Army service commission book. Openlibrary.org
  15. Search results-FamilySearch.org-Free Family History and Genealogy Records
  16. The new monthly magazine, number 20, 1 September 1815, volume 4, page 173, Provincial occurrences arranged alphabetically, Cornwall:("Married) at Madron..." – Google Livres -
  17. The Navy List corrected to 20 March 1835, Great Britain. Admiralty – Google Books Note: Robyns, John, p.114 General and field officers
  18. GENUKI:UK and Ireland Genealogy, United Kingdom and Ireland:Military Records, Naval and military officers listed in the Naval and military almanac for 1840:Flag officers, Captains, Commanders, Flag Lieutenants and Secretaries: IMPEY-YULE, Note: Abbreviations used include: "G & FO = General and Field officer, Royal Marines"
  19. 'A list of Mayors of Penzance' cited in West Penwith Resources
  20. "No. 19937". The London Gazette. 5 January 1841. pp. 36–36.
  21. citation "Erected by Wilmot Robyns in memory of her husband, Major General Robyns, K.H. died 22 March 1837 (a transcription error for 1857);aged 77."
  22. West Penwith Resources:Madron burials 1813–1902(3)
  23. Search Results-FamilySearch.org-Free Family History and Genealogy Records
  25. Internet Archive: The Navy List corrected to 20 June 1848, Great Britain. Admiralty – On openlibrary.org
  26. "No. 19910". The London Gazette. 3 November 1840. pp. 2410–2410.
  27. "No. 19911". The London Gazette. 6 November 1840. pp. 2438–2438.
  28. "No. 21262". The London Gazette. 11 November 1851. pp. 2970–2970.
  29. "No. 21735". The London Gazette. 26 June 1855. pp. 2457–2457.
Bibliography
  • Crawford, Michael J. (Ed) (2002). The Naval War of 1812: A Documentary History, Vol. 3. Washington: United States Department of Defense. ISBN 9780160512247
  • Latimer, Jon (2007): '1812: War With America'. Harvard University Press. ISBN 0674025849
  • Nicolas, Paul Harris (1845): 'Historical Record of the Royal Marine Forces, Volume 2', 1805–1842
  • Patterson, Benton Rains (2008), The Generals, Andrew Jackson, Sir Edward Pakenham, and the road to New Orleans, New York: New York University Press, ISBN 978-0-8147-6717-7
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