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Henry Towry Miles
Cooper (Gentleman Cadet)
Father's Name: The Reverand Henry John Cooper
Born: Old Windsor, Berkshire
Age at date of Commission: 16 years
Made Second Lieutenant (Pronouced "Left - Tenent" rather than
the Yankee pronunciation of "Loo-Tenant") on 23 April 1855.
Served at Portsmouth, HQ, from 23 April 1855 to 4 March 1856.
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Supplement, April 10, 1858]
THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS
373
THE WAR IN CHINA
(Top picture caption: Officer's quarters,
provisional battalion Royal Marines on the walls of Canton.
Bottom picture caption: The old landing place, Canton.)
The cozy quarters of the officers of the Provisional
battalion of Royal Marines given above were perched on the walls
of Canton. It was here that our Artist spent a few days
and nights, as he says, "very picturesquely."
The Old Landing-place, Canton, with its Babel-like confusion
, is then described by the Times correspondent:--"The point is
where
a shallow streamlet or drain falls into the river, about a mile
to the east of the south-eastern corner of the city wall.
Suburban water-side hovels once covered the area upon which the
promiscuous crowd now raging, and shooting, and pushing, and
struggling; but those hovels are now only heaps of rubbish.
Twenty or thirty ships' boats have their bows against the bard:
the Commissariat lords, the General's chop-boat (which in the
confusion was once seized upon by a French ship-of-war and taken
down the river), several gun-boats, and the Commissariat lie off
the river. Packages innumerable, baggage and bales,
barrels and cases, munitions of war and munitions for the
stomach, are piled about in mountains . . . . Everybody wants
and escort, and everybody wants a troop of coolies. Oh
those patient, lusty, enduring coolies! It was a valuable
legacy which Colonel Wetherall left us, that Coolie Corps.
They carried the ammunition on the day of the assault close up
to the rear of our columns, and when a cannon shot took off the
head of one of them the others only cried "Ey yaw!" and laughed,
and worked away as merrily as ever . . . .
The French are already passing in strong bodies, carrying up
their heavy baggage to the front. Ever and anon some
gaping Chinaman is urged by curiosity to approach the crowd.
Quick as lightning Johnny Frenchman seizes him by the ear, pops
the end of a bamboo pole upon his shoulder, gives him a kick in
the rear, and makes him trot off, a pressed porter, amid the
jeers of our Commissariat coolies. When a long pile of
baggage-carriers has been formed an escort is given and away
they go through the dangerous débris of wrecked houses
which intervene between the landing-place and the East-gate." A
new landing has been made at the south-east point of the city by
Capt. Hall, which, by way of compliment to that energetic
officer, is called Hall's terrace. |
Made 1st Lieut. on 11 August 1858.
China and San Juan from 5 March 1856 to 23 July 1867.
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"The San Juan difficulty still remains unsolved and three Marine Officers that I know have been wasting their existance there for three years and still no prospect of relief".
- - Lt. Anderson RE, 2nd May 1862 |
Made 2nd Captain on 3 August 1867 while at Portsmouth, HQ, from 24 July
1867.
Made Captain on 3 November 1868.
Remarks:
Embarked at Plymouth. Served in China 1856. Present at the capture
and blockade of the Canton River, landed for protection of factories,
destruction of War Junks in Fashtan Creek, 1st June, 1857. Assault
and Capture of Canton. Expedition to the North. Capture of Forts at the
mouth of the Pei-ho River. Served at Vancouver's Island 7 years in
the Joint Military Occupation with the United States of the island of San
Juan. Served as Aide de camp to the Governor of British Columbia in
the Chilcoten Expedition against the Indian Tribes. Seconded (vide Board
letter, 20 Jan 1868.)
China medal with Clasp for Fashtan '57, Canton '57 and Taku Forts '58.
(received 26 October 1863)
Placed on Retired List, "own request", upon the Annuity which
his service entitles him to receive under Order-in-Council, 5 February,
1872. Board letter, 15 February 1872.
Commenced Retired Pay (122 Pounds Sterling per Annum) 20 April 1872.
Appointed Collector of Customs for the Settlement on the Gambia -
According to Gazette 11 June 1872.
Application for step of Honorary Rank not entertained, in consequence of
the length of time which has elapsed since this officer was placed on
Retired List (26 January 1874)
D. D. at Bathurst, Gambia, 9 January 1877. Obituary in "US
Gazette", 10 February 1877 and "Times" 22 feb 1877.
"On the 9th Jan., at Bathurst, Gambia, West Coast of Africa, Henry
Miles Towry Cooper, late Capt., Royal Marines, and Acting Administrator at
Bathurst, only son of the Late Rev. Henry John Cooper, Rector of Ewhurst,
Surrey, aged 38."
H. T. M. Cooper - Personal effects: under 1,500 Pounds Sterling 21
March. The Will of H. T. M. Cooper, formerly of 96 Ledbury Roar,
Bayswater, but late of 24 Tavistock Crescent, Westbourne Park, both in the
County of Middlesex, formerly a Captain in the Royal Marines who died 9
January 1877, at Bathurst River Gambia West Coast of Africa was proved at
the Principal Registry by Emeline Louisa Cooper of 24 Tavistock Crescent,
Widow the Relict the sole Executrix.
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