THE BROME-WALTON FAMILY. 
481 
Clair, which began and ended in September 1746, as one of a series of 
futile attacks upon the French coasts, in retaliation for the French 
harbouring of the Pretender. 
A brief account of this expedition is given on pp. 15-6 of “ England’s 
Artillerymen”; but that author has gone too far in asserting that the 
incompetent Engineer, Mr. Thomas Armstrong, who was unhappily 
appointed “Commander-in-Chief of the Train of Artillery” commanded 
by Captain Chalmers, R.A., had “ never been on any previous expedi¬ 
tion” 1 2 : he meant rather “ had not held any Rank.” The following is 
memo, by General Sir Alexander Dickson, which properly explains the 
incident :—“ The company detached on the expedition of 1746 was 
commanded by Captain Chalmers, R.A., one of the most able and 
accomplished officers of the regiment. He and the artillery train were 
put, by express orders of the Master-General, under command of Mr. 
Armstrong, the Chief Engineer, who had not at that time, nor ever had 
before or since, any Rank in the army—for the corps of military 
engineers had no military rank nor title till the year 1757.” 
Judged by the large and costly personnel, the ordnance and materiel 
must have been extensive: but the Royal Warrant of 7th May, 1746, 
approving of the “ ordnance, mortars, and stores ” (originally destined 
against Louisbourg), has merely a note “for the proportion, see rough 
estimate book;” and that book cannot now be traced. 
The period from resumption, in autumn 1746, of the Austrian Suc¬ 
cession war until the close of that war by the Peace of Aix la Chapelle, 
in 1748/ was barren of international interest, notwithstanding the 
sanguinary battles of Yal or Laffeldfc and Rocroux, and the famous 
sieges of Bergen and of Maestricht—in which the Royal Artillery, 
while adding everywhere to its renown, suffered heavily in killed and 
wounded, and by dreadful hardships and diseases (“ History of R.A.,” 
Yol. I., pp. 131-134). The aged Colonel Thomas Pattison did not 
take the field, but delegated the command of the Royal Artillery with 
the Allied army to Colonel William Belford, whom he had imbued with 
a double portion of his spirit, and who took out with him, in July 1746, 
as Adjutant, Lieut. Joseph Bronte , followed by Captains Charles Brome 
1 Royal Warrant, 3.6.1740—Mr. Thomas Armstrong to be “ one of the engineers” of the Train 
commanded by Colonel Jonas Watson, R.A., for expedition to 
the Spanish West Indies. 
ii H 15.9.1741—Mr. Thomas Armstrong promoted “ Chief Engineer ” to attend the 
Train, vice Moore, deceased, in West Indies. 
ii n 13.4.1746—Mr. Thomas Armstrong to be “ First Engineer and Commander- 
in-Chief of the Train,” under Hon ble Lieut.-General Jas. St. 
Clair. 
2 One of the mortars employed in firing the Royal Salute in London for the Peace of Aix la 
Chapelle is nowin the Museum of Artillery at Woolwich. It has nine bores, chambered, calibre 
7'25-in.; -weight, 47 cwt. 3 qrs. 14 lbs. The others would appear to have done duty, unchanged, 
at the Gun House of St. James’s Park for all Royal salutes, until the year 1881 (when a troop 
of Royal Horse Artillery was ordered from Woolwich to St. James’s Park to fire the Royal Salute). 
These historical pieces (small Royal mortars and cohorns) were sent to Woolwich Arsenal a few 
years sinci—when the Gun House was about to be demolished—and are being enquired after. 
Lieut.-Colonel J. T. Ritchie, R. A., War Office, adds: ‘‘We fired the Royal salutes from the 
chamber pieces at St. James’s Park until 1880, when H.R.H. decided that a troop of R.H.A. be 
quartered in London ; and G/C Brigade came up accordingly, and fired the salutes in 1881.” 
