250 Memoirs of John Shipp. [ Marcu, 
this impregnable post stormed, and three times Shipp led the way, 
wounded severely every time. Recovered from his wounds, he was 
rewarded with an ensigncy, and, ina few weeks, with a lieutenancy , and, 
for some time, acted as extra aide-de-camp to the brigadier-general. In 
1807, he returned with his regiment to England, where, in a few 
months, in a country town, he got into pecuniary difficulties, and obtained 
leave to sell out. Debts paid, he was again upon the world ; and, seeing 
no impediment to his again running the same career, he forthwith, with his 
characteristic care-nothing recklessness, enlisted in a marching regiment, 
and was again almost immediately sent to India. 
For seven long years he served as a non-commissioned officer—the 
greater part of the time as serjeant-major ; and, in 1815, again by his 
gallantry, won another commission—a thing unparalleled, perhaps, in 
the British army. As lieutenant of the 87th, be led the attack of Hut- 
trass, and was again wounded. After the close of the Pindaree war, 
eame peace, for. which Shipp was much less fitted. Idleness worked 
mischief. He joined the major of his regiment in a racing partnership, 
in the course of which differences arose, and Shipp impetuously expressed 
his dissatisfaction with both the major and the lieutenant-colonel. For 
this breach of discipline—for so it was construed—he was brought to a 
court-martial, first, for charging the major with persecution ; and next, 
the colonel with unfairly listening to Major Browne’s misrepresentations, 
and excluding Shipp from all opportunity of explaining: The court, 
after sentencing him to dismissal frorn the service, recommended him to 
mercy,on the grounds of his former gallantry, his numerous wounds, 
and the high character he still bore ; and the sentence was, in conse- 
quence, remitted, and, in lieu of it—a favour almost equally galling— 
leave of absence was granted, and a removal to the half-pay. The 
prosecutor himself, in reply to a question, said, “I consider him, and 
indeed know him to be, up to the present moment, one of the best officers 
in his Majesty’s service.” The fact is, this was a private quarrel, and 
the proper way of dealing with it was not by a court-martial, but by 
removal to another regiment, either of Shipp or of his superior officers. 
Shipp publishes the official details of the trial, and we form our judg- 
ment on the perusal of them: of any thing beyond, we know nothing. 
This occurred in 1823, and in the following year he came to England 
—since which he has remained unemployed, on half-pay, and with a 
pension of 50/. from the India Company. The avowed object of his 
work is the chance of attracting attention to his very hard case. He is 
in the full vigour of life, passionately devoted to the service, and panting 
for action. This, we fear, is not the course; but, in the changes and 
chances of life, it may be as successful as any the most prudent could 
suggest. The pages are full of interesting materials, communicating 
information—from the writer’s very peculiar position—which rarely fall 
under the consideration of men differently placed. We shall give our 
extracts without much regard to connexion. 
At eighteen, when at Calcutta, he felt the stirrings of ambition, and 
solicited a change :— 
“Tn about a week after having made this request, I was transferred from 
the drummers’ room, and promoted to the rank of corporal. This was pro- 
motion indeed—three steps in one day! From drum-boy to private; from 
a battalion company to the Light Bobs; and from private to corporal. I was 
not long before I paraded myself in the tailor’s shop, and tipped the master 
