Militia Saturday

We decided to go on the Jersey Militia walk, and this year it was from St Peter's Church where the bell was rung , and then on into town. To those historians among you some facts...

The Death of Major Peirson, 6 January 1781 is a 1783 large oil painting by John Singleton Copley. It depicts the death of Major Francis Peirson at the Battle of Jersey on 6 January 1781.

The Battle of Jersey was the last French attempt to seize the island of Jersey, and one of the last battles with invading forces from a foreign nation in the British Isles.^{[Note 1]} The invasion was organised privately by BaronPhilippe de Rullecourt but funded and supplied by the French government, and was intended to remove the threat that British naval vessel based in Jersey posed to American ships in the American Revolutionary War.

Approximately 1,000 French soldiers, commanded by de Rullecourt and an Indian, Mir Sayyad, landed at La Rocque,Grouville, overnight on 5–6 January. They occupied St Helier early on the morning of 6 January. They captured theLieutenant Governor of Jersey Moses Corbet, in bed. Although he surrendered, Peirson, the 24-year-old commander of around 2,000 troops of the British garrison, refused to surrender. As Peirson organised a counter-attack, a French shot killed him. Lieutenant Philippe Dumaresq of the Jersey militia took command of the British forces, which comprised detachments of the 95th Regiment of Foot, 78th Highlanders, and Jersey Militia. The British forces quickly overwhelmed the French, most of whom surrendered.

John Boydell, a successful engraver and publisher and Aldermen of the City of London, commissioned Copley to paint a large 251.5 centimetres (99.0 in) by 365.8 centimetres (144.0 in), painting. The scene looks towards the final French resistance in Royal Square, viewed along what is now Peirson Place, with the French soldiers taking their last stand around the statue of George II. Further British reinforcements are visible on the hill at the top left. The statue and some of the buildings depicted still stand (some with bullet holes caused by the battle).

Although Peirson was killed in the early stages of the battle, the painting shows Peirson (wearing white, at the centre of the painting under the large Union Flag, supported by other officers), and being shot down leading the final charge, giving him a more heroic role and fate. To the left, his black servant Pompey avenges his master by shooting the sniper. It is believed that the depictions of the officers supporting the stricken Peirson are true portraits; the black servant of auctioneer James Christie was the model for Pompey, although it is unclear whether a black servant played a role (there is no suggestion in contemporaneous sources). Copley modeled the civilians fleeing to the right on his wife, family nurse and children.

The 1781 Jersey Militia commemorated the 234th anniversary of The Battle of Jersey this afternoon.

The 6th January marks the Battle of Jersey and the disbandment of the Jersey Company, both events happening on the same day, in the years 1781 and 1918 respectively.

Earlier today a march from the Town Hall to the Royal Square in procession with the Caledonian Pipes and Drums and Jersey Militia took place, followed by a volley of musket fire once the march had reached the Royal Square.

The guard dog and I were waiting for the troops to arrive on West Hill....

In the Royal square...

FIRE....

Right...Steve here...just adding the thoughts you all had while reading the above...as in, there should be a ban on "pasting and copying" in blogs....Jill can hardly claim that there's much original material. All that being said...we did walk from St. Peter to town...and we did witness the musket volley....and the dog got very cold...and we went to St. Peter's Garden Centre for food on the way back to the car.

We were all a little exhausted this afternoon...some of us even had to have 39 winks while watching the darts...and then, as expected, the house started filling up with youngsters...and now some of them are now making pizza (from scratch)...it's just as well that Jill is upstairs at the moment as Dan is weighing out the flour and whatever else you need to make the base....the kitchen is going from being clean to being not-so-clean in a matter of minutes.

Jack is home by the way....asleep on the sofa after 10 minutes back in the house...he started early this morning....seems to have a cold (sneezing everywhere.....not near Mum please) and also a very bruised bottom.....the last day on the slopes included a 6k toboggan...very fast...quite dangerous....impossible to slow down....plenty "air" apparently....and (most importantly) NO cushion on the seat.....result? major bruising....hahaha.

Before I go I have to report that I got on the scales this morning....I can't say too much, but I have to admit that the second number (it's a digital read out) was a 7.....that's not good....it's been quite a while since a 7 appeared....will have to think about how to get it back to a 6 while down at the Rozel Bay this evening.

On the bright side...there are no more chocolate Father Christmas' in the fridge....no more temptation.....apart from the fact that there appears to be a new supply of home made macaroons that have mysteriously appeared from somewhere....is there no hope for my diet? .....

.....Just back from a great evening with good friends and good food....this computer machine is about to run out of battery (I have a vague idea how it feels) so I'm going to push the "publish" button while I have the strength! More tomorrow.....