Page 138 - Wish Stream Year of 2017

Huguenot commander Admiral Gaspard de Col- igny, which he seems to have used as his cho- sen name, at least as a young man. However, Guernseymen in public life in Britain (particularly during times of war with France) often opted to anglicise their names, rather than be suspected of having sympathies with the French, so he was known as ‘John’ in later life.
The young John Gaspard was sent at an early age to ‘Dr Morgan’s excellent boarding school’ in Bath where he certainly did not excel. He formed a passing childhood friendship with Syd- ney Smith (later Admiral Sir Sydney Smith), who was a fellow pupil at the school. In later years, when pressed on the point, old Dr Morgan would say with some asperity that he could not really remember a greater dunce than Le March- ant, unless it was Sydney Smith!
Le Marchant Junior was hot-headed at school, frequently taking on school bullies in fights. He later admitted that he ‘could not apply at that age’, and that the fault lay more with the pupil than the school! His father despaired and with- drew him from the school to continue his edu- cation at home (in Bath and Guernsey), tutored mainly by the unusually well-educated family butler, an American loyalist. But his father, John Le Marchant Senior, sympathised,
Lt Col John Gaspard Le Marchant by J D Harding
bantering remark he made to him resulted in an immediate challenge to a duel! This was quickly smoothed over by the sensible colonel, but Le
having deserted his own books in his youth to become one of the very first Guernseymen to hold a com- mission in the British Army.
First military service
Le Marchant Junior, hereaf-
ter referred to as ‘Le Marchant’,
became determined to turn his life
around and make something of
himself and therefore decided to
become a soldier. He somewhat prophetically said at an early stage in his mili- tary career that ‘I am determined to rise to the head of my profession and nothing but death will stop me’. So at age 16 John Le Marchant Senior bought his son a commission in the Wilt- shire Militia in 1782. This would have probably cost about £500 at that time, around £55,000 of purchasing power in today’s money! Militia regi- ments were the principle reserve forces of Great Britain during the 18th century.
The Colonel was a friend of Le Marchant Senior, and welcomed his son to the regiment, but was amazed (and no doubt quite annoyed) when a
Marchant continued with his bellig- erent behaviour, which could have brought an abrupt end to his military career.
After just a year in the Militia (probably to the relief of his Colonel), in 1783 Le Marchant transferred to the regular Army, with a commission as Ensign in the 1st (Royal) Regiment of Foot. He was sent initially to the Regiment in Dublin, but in early 1784 moved with it to Gibraltar. On the eve of embarka-
tion in Dublin, he was pressed by a senior officer to spend the evening gambling at cards, los- ing £200 in two hours! Thinking that he had no other option than sell his commission to pay his gambling debt – leaving the Army forever – he approached the Regimental Paymaster in des- peration. Happily, and to his amazement, the Paymaster lent him £200 on the condition that he never gambled again. He didn’t break that condition throughout the rest of his life.
Improving his social position
Le Marchant had entered professional soldiering with unfavourable auspices. His principle con-
‘I am determined to rise to the head of my profession and nothing but death will stop me’
136 HISTORICAL