POLITICAL HISTORY 



way from Egypt to India. There they remained from 1802 to 1818, 

 during which time most of the recruits were derived from the Staffordshire 

 Militia. 



In the first Sikh War the regiment made up for missing the Peninsula 

 and Waterloo by distinguishing itself highly at Moodkee, Ferozeshah, and 

 Sobraon, but took no part in the Crimean War, and only reached India after 

 the backbone of the Mutiny was broken, yet were in time to render valuable 

 service as part of one of the flying columns in 1858. During the Zulu 

 ar a company of the regiment was nearly annihilated at the Intombi 

 Ri>er. M7 



The last regular battalion now connected with the county to be formed 

 was the 9 8th or Second Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment, raised at 

 Chichester in 1824, which fought in the China War of 1841, the Punjaub 

 campaign of 1846, the Indian Mutiny, 348 and also in the late war in South 

 Africa. 



The condition of the militia during the seventeenth and the greater part 

 of the eighteenth century can only be described as disgraceful. Under the 

 early Stuarts they were hardly called out once in five years for drill. 349 In 

 1745 the march of the Pretender with a few thousand irregular troops into 

 the heart of England proved the utter incompetence of the constitutional 

 force. 



The great Chatham inspired the country with a new spirit, and in 

 1757, when England was fighting in all parts of the globe, among other 

 measures of defence a new Militia Bill 360 was passed remodelling that force, 

 but Staffordshire, instead of balloting for its quota, paid a fine. 



However, in 1778, ' owing to warlike preparations in France becoming 

 every day more considerable,' su the militia of the kingdom were embodied 

 and Staffordshire furnished 560 men ready to ' march to such posts as shall 

 be judged proper.' 8ES Their colonel was Lord Paget, their lieutenant- 

 colonel Sir John Wrottesley, and the other commissioned officers were a 

 major, six captains, nine lieutenants, an ensign, and an adjutant. 853 



In order to establish the seniority of the various regiments for that year 

 lots were drawn at the St. Albans Tavern in London by the lords-lieutenant 

 or their deputies, and by this method Staffordshire came fortieth on the list. 



354 



347 Lawrence Archer, op. cit. 321. M Ibid. 450. 



519 Fortescue, Hist, of Army, i, 194. " 30 Geo. II, cap. 25. 



851 Military Entry Bk. No. 4, 148, P.R.O. 



351 Ibid. 148, 202. Clode, Military forces of Crown, \, 48. 



353 The property qualification required for officers of the militia by 30 Geo. II, cap. 25, was : 



For a colonel, an estate of the yearly value of 400 For a captain, an estate of the yearly value of 200 

 lieut.-colonel 300 lieutenant, 100 



major 300 ensign 50 



Raikes, Hist. Rec. of First Reg. ofMiRtia, App. E. 



*" From 'A List of Officers of the Militia of England printed in London, 1779,' now in Bodl. 



Lib. which also gives the pay as follows : 



Subsistence 



j. d. 



Sergeant . . .10 



Corporal ... 8 



Private ... 6 

 Drummers and Fifers, 



each 8 



269 



