William Edward Moyses Reilly
Encyclopedia
Major General
William Edward Moyses Reilly (13 July 1827 - 28 July 1886), born Scarragh, County Down
, on 13 January 1827, was fourth son of James Miles Reilly of Cloon Eavin, Co. Down, by Emilia, second daughter of the Rev Hugh Montgomery of Grey Abbey. He was educated at Christ's Hospital
, and at the age of fifteen became a cadet at the Royal Military Academy Woolwich.
on 18 December 1845, promoted first lieutenant on 3 April 1846 and second captain on 17 February 1854. In that year he was appointed aide-de-camp to General Fox-Strangways, who commanded the artillery in the Crimea
; but, on his way out from England, he learned that Strangways had been killed in the battle of Inkerman
. He went on to the Crimea, and volunteered for service as a battery officer. He was employed in the trenches through the winter, and in February 1855 he was made adjutant (and subsequently brigade-major) of the siege train. He was present at the several bombardments, and was three times mentioned in despatches. He received a brevet majority on 2 November 1855, the Légion d'honneur
of France, and the fifth class of the Medjidie
, and was created a companion of the Order of the Bath
. After the fall of Sebastopol he was deputy-adjutant quartermaster-generalat the headquarters of the army till it left the Crimea in June 1856. From December 1856 to April 1859 Reilly was aide-de-camp to Sir Richard Dacres, commanding the Royal Artillery in Ireland, and, under Dacres's direction, he compiled the official account of the artillery operations of the siege of Sebastopol.
During the war of 1866 between Prussia
and Austria he was sent out as British commissioner with the Prussian army, but could not join it till 19 July, when the fighting was over. He wrote a memorandum on the Prussian army, or rather on its system of supply and transport, as tested in the field, and on its artillery material. While generally favourable, he blamed the hospital arrangements, and he pronounced the breech-loading guns inferior to muzzle-loading guns, and, for some purposes, even to smooth-bores.
Reilly became regimental lieutenant-colonel in 1868, and next year was the guest of Lord Mayo
in India, whence he wrote some descriptive letters to The Times
newspaper. He spoke French fluently, and at the end of October 1870, while the siege of Paris
was going on, he was sent out as extra military attaché
to the British embassy at Tours
. He at once joined the headquarters of the French army of the Loire, and became the channel for distributing British contributions in aid of the wounded. He was present at the Battle of Beaune-la-Rolande
, and the subsequent battles in front of Orléans. The hurried evacuation of Orléans by the French in the night of 4 December took place without his knowledge. He was arrested there next morning by the Prussians, and sent to England by way of Saarbrücken
and Belgium. He wished to rejoin the British embassy, then at Bordeaux
, but the British government decided that he should not. In recognition of his services the French government raised him to the grade of officer of the Legion of Honour on 20 March 1872, and commander on 4 November 1878.
From April 1871 to January 1876 he was employed in the War Office
as assistant director of artillery. During this time he made several visits abroad to report on artillery questions: to Berlin in 1872 to France and to the Vienna exhibition in 1873. He also accompanied the Duke of Edinburgh
to Russia in 1874. In his reports he still adhered to his preference for muzzle-loading guns, and did not think Great Britain had much to borrow from foreign artillery.
He became brevet
–colonel
on 22 August 1873, and regiment
al colonel on 25 September 1877. In January 1879 he was appointed to command the royal artillery at Aldershot
, but in the following month he was sent out to South Africa, in a similar capacity, to take part in the Zulu War
, which was then entering on its second stage. While he was inspecting one of his batteries his horse fell with him, and broke his wrist; and this prevented his being present at Ulundi
. After his return, in 1883, he became director of artillery at the war office, with the temporary rank of brigadier-general. He resigned this post at the end of 1884 on account of ill-health.
On 1 May 1885 lie was appointed inspector-general of artillery, with the rank of major-general. On 28 July 1886 he died on board the steamer Mistletoe while engaged in the inspection of the artillery at Guernsey
. He was buried with military honours at Cheriton
, near Sandgate
. A tablet and window in memory of him were put up in St. George's garrison church at Woolwich
by his brother-officers.
Reilly's knowledge of all matters pertaining to his arm of the service was most comprehensive, and as a practical artilleryman he had no rival. The energy that underlay his normal composure was conspicuously shown in the last months of his life, when he vindicated the ordnance department from the charges formulated by Colonel Hope in the columns of the Times. 'I deny the charges you make; I defy you to prove them; I assert that they are false!' was the last emphatic declaration of Reilly, written from Guernsey. A commission on warlike stores was appointed, under the chairmanship of Sir James Fitzjames Stephen
to investigate the allegations; its report supported the charge of weak administration, but refuted that of corruption.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
William Edward Moyses Reilly (13 July 1827 - 28 July 1886), born Scarragh, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, on 13 January 1827, was fourth son of James Miles Reilly of Cloon Eavin, Co. Down, by Emilia, second daughter of the Rev Hugh Montgomery of Grey Abbey. He was educated at Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
, and at the age of fifteen became a cadet at the Royal Military Academy Woolwich.
Biography
Reilly was commissioned as second lieutenant in the Royal ArtilleryRoyal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
on 18 December 1845, promoted first lieutenant on 3 April 1846 and second captain on 17 February 1854. In that year he was appointed aide-de-camp to General Fox-Strangways, who commanded the artillery in the Crimea
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
; but, on his way out from England, he learned that Strangways had been killed in the battle of Inkerman
Battle of Inkerman
The Battle of Inkerman was fought during the Crimean War on November 5, 1854 between the allied armies of Britain and France against the Imperial Russian Army. The battle broke the will of the Russian Army to defeat the allies in the field, and was followed by the Siege of Sevastopol...
. He went on to the Crimea, and volunteered for service as a battery officer. He was employed in the trenches through the winter, and in February 1855 he was made adjutant (and subsequently brigade-major) of the siege train. He was present at the several bombardments, and was three times mentioned in despatches. He received a brevet majority on 2 November 1855, the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
of France, and the fifth class of the Medjidie
Medjidie
Medjidie or Mejidie is the name of a military and knightly order of the Ottoman Empire. The Order was instituted in 1851 by Sultan Abdülmecid I.-Order of the Medjidie:...
, and was created a companion of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
. After the fall of Sebastopol he was deputy-adjutant quartermaster-generalat the headquarters of the army till it left the Crimea in June 1856. From December 1856 to April 1859 Reilly was aide-de-camp to Sir Richard Dacres, commanding the Royal Artillery in Ireland, and, under Dacres's direction, he compiled the official account of the artillery operations of the siege of Sebastopol.
During the war of 1866 between Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
and Austria he was sent out as British commissioner with the Prussian army, but could not join it till 19 July, when the fighting was over. He wrote a memorandum on the Prussian army, or rather on its system of supply and transport, as tested in the field, and on its artillery material. While generally favourable, he blamed the hospital arrangements, and he pronounced the breech-loading guns inferior to muzzle-loading guns, and, for some purposes, even to smooth-bores.
Reilly became regimental lieutenant-colonel in 1868, and next year was the guest of Lord Mayo
Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo
Richard Southwell Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo KP, GMSI, PC , styled Lord Naas between 1842 and 1867, was a statesman and prominent member of the British Conservative Party from Dublin, Ireland....
in India, whence he wrote some descriptive letters to The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
newspaper. He spoke French fluently, and at the end of October 1870, while the siege of Paris
Siege of Paris
The Siege of Paris, lasting from September 19, 1870 – January 28, 1871, and the consequent capture of the city by Prussian forces led to French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and the establishment of the German Empire as well as the Paris Commune....
was going on, he was sent out as extra military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
to the British embassy at Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
. He at once joined the headquarters of the French army of the Loire, and became the channel for distributing British contributions in aid of the wounded. He was present at the Battle of Beaune-la-Rolande
Battle of Beaune-la-Rolande
The Battle of Beaune-la-Rolande on 28 November 1870 was a battle of the Franco-Prussian War, won by Prussia. In an attempt to relieve the Siege of Paris, French General Crouzat's XX Corps launched an attack against three Prussian brigades resting in Beaune-la-Rolande...
, and the subsequent battles in front of Orléans. The hurried evacuation of Orléans by the French in the night of 4 December took place without his knowledge. He was arrested there next morning by the Prussians, and sent to England by way of Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders on the west on Dillingen and to the north-east on Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live....
and Belgium. He wished to rejoin the British embassy, then at Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
, but the British government decided that he should not. In recognition of his services the French government raised him to the grade of officer of the Legion of Honour on 20 March 1872, and commander on 4 November 1878.
From April 1871 to January 1876 he was employed in the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
as assistant director of artillery. During this time he made several visits abroad to report on artillery questions: to Berlin in 1872 to France and to the Vienna exhibition in 1873. He also accompanied the Duke of Edinburgh
Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was the third Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and reigned from 1893 to 1900. He was also a member of the British Royal Family, the second son and fourth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha...
to Russia in 1874. In his reports he still adhered to his preference for muzzle-loading guns, and did not think Great Britain had much to borrow from foreign artillery.
He became brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
–colonel
Colonel (UK)
Colonel is a rank of the British forces, ranking below Brigadier, and above Lieutenant Colonel. British Colonels are not usually field commanders; typically they serve as staff officers between field commands at battalion and brigade level. The insignia is two diamond shaped pips below a crown...
on 22 August 1873, and regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
al colonel on 25 September 1877. In January 1879 he was appointed to command the royal artillery at Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
, but in the following month he was sent out to South Africa, in a similar capacity, to take part in the Zulu War
Anglo-Zulu War
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.Following the imperialist scheme by which Lord Carnarvon had successfully brought about federation in Canada, it was thought that a similar plan might succeed with the various African kingdoms, tribal areas and...
, which was then entering on its second stage. While he was inspecting one of his batteries his horse fell with him, and broke his wrist; and this prevented his being present at Ulundi
Battle of Ulundi
The Battle of Ulundi took place at the Zulu capital of Ulundi on 4 July 1879 and was the last major battle of the Anglo-Zulu War. The British army finally broke the military power of the Zulu nation by defeating the main Zulu army and immediately afterwards capturing and razing the capital of...
. After his return, in 1883, he became director of artillery at the war office, with the temporary rank of brigadier-general. He resigned this post at the end of 1884 on account of ill-health.
On 1 May 1885 lie was appointed inspector-general of artillery, with the rank of major-general. On 28 July 1886 he died on board the steamer Mistletoe while engaged in the inspection of the artillery at Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
. He was buried with military honours at Cheriton
Cheriton, Kent
Cheriton is a northern suburb of Folkestone in Kent that is the location of the English terminal of the Channel Tunnel. It is the location of the major army barracks of Shorncliffe Camp.- History :...
, near Sandgate
Sandgate, Kent
Sandgate is a village in the Folkestone and Hythe Urban Area in the Shepway district of Kent, England. In 2004, the village re-acquired civil parish status....
. A tablet and window in memory of him were put up in St. George's garrison church at Woolwich
Woolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
by his brother-officers.
Reilly's knowledge of all matters pertaining to his arm of the service was most comprehensive, and as a practical artilleryman he had no rival. The energy that underlay his normal composure was conspicuously shown in the last months of his life, when he vindicated the ordnance department from the charges formulated by Colonel Hope in the columns of the Times. 'I deny the charges you make; I defy you to prove them; I assert that they are false!' was the last emphatic declaration of Reilly, written from Guernsey. A commission on warlike stores was appointed, under the chairmanship of Sir James Fitzjames Stephen
James Fitzjames Stephen
Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, 1st Baronet was an English lawyer, judge and writer. He was created 1st Baronet Stephen by Queen Victoria.-Early life:...
to investigate the allegations; its report supported the charge of weak administration, but refuted that of corruption.
Works
Reilly published, besides pamphlets on the artillery or military organisation of France and Prussia:- An Account of the Artillery Operations before Sebastopol 4to, 1859 (written by desire of the Secretary of State for War).
- Military Forces of the Kingdom pamphlet, 1867.
- Supply of Ammunition to an Army in the Field, pamphlet, 1873.
- War Material at the Vienna Exhibition, ' pamphlet, 1873.