A Small Group of Rare and Important Military General Service Medals New Orleans


So ended the major operations along the littoral region of the mid-Atlantic states of Virginia and Maryland. Although the war was nearing its end, one last major endeavour occurred in the Gulf of Mexico against Louisiana. Thus, on 7 December 1814, Robyns found himself anchored 90 miles from New Orleans. On 14 December, operations commenced with the capture of some gunboats and on the 23rd the landing of troops. On New Year’s Day of 1815, Robyns was again commanding a battalion of Marines formed from the units aboard ships of the fleet. On 8 January, whilst the main British Army engaged in a disastrous frontal assault against the American defences on the east bank of the river, south of the city, Robyns operated with his brigade on the west bank with some success, as he later reported:


“Having with much labour cut a communications canal on the landing place to the Mississippi, drew the boats up, on which the 85[th Foot] and four of our companies crossed over to the opposite side of the river, where they had some strong batteries; we effected our landing at day light without opposition, and immediately advanced carrying every battery in succession. Our force engaged was about 400, the enemy 700, but we drove them at the point of the bayonet into the woods, our loss was not great.”


Meanwhile, he wrote, “The Army made an attempt to carry the enemy’s lines by storm, but were unfortunately repulsed with a severe loss, Gen Pakenham killed, Gen Gibbs mortally wounded, and Gen Keane slightly so, near 2000 men and officers were killed and wounded. On this we re-crossed the river and prepared to embark the stores, etc. The enemy’s loss could not be great as they were completely undercover. Their lines were immensely strong, a deep wet ditch in front and flanked by heavy batteries, they have three between them and the town.” He concluded: “Thus has ended this ill-fated expedition, the weather throughout has been most severe, several have died of the cold, and the West Indian regiments from it have been totally useless; the boat crews for seventeen days and nights never left the boats, and were indefatigable in supplying the army with provisions and bringing up stores.”


Following a minor success with the capture of the fort at Mobile, Alabama, in February 1815, Robyns recorded, “Arrived the ‘Brazen’ Sloop of War, 45 days from England bringing news of a peace between the two countries.”


In the early part of January of that year, Robyns had received news of his brevet Majority for his services in North America, and by May 1815 he had returned to Headquarters with the Portsmouth Division. His subsequent career was uneventful apart from a serious accident in August 1820 when he “Received a very severe accident in a concussion of the brain by a fall from a horse on my way to Exeter races.” Almost a month later, the effects were still apparent, as he lamented on 4 September: “Recovered from my accident in some measure, but a bad sensation in my head.”


Robyns retired from the Royal Marines on full pay on 24 September 1835. Shortly before that he was one of the lucky Captains to receive one of the few substantive promotions to field grade rank. As he wrote on 16 April 1832, “Got my promotion as an establishment Major to the Plymouth Division.” Reflecting a basic problem in the Corps of slow promotion and limited opportunities for service above that rank, Robyns had served just under 25 years in the rank of Captain. Ironically, on the retired list, further promotions occurred: to Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel on 10 January 1837, Brevet Colonel on 11 November 1851, and finally to Major-General on 20 June 1855. The crown, on 16 October 1816, had also awarded him a pension for war wounds. On 25 January 1836, he was made a Knight of the Royal Hannovarian Guelphic Order by King William IV. Remarkably, Robyns was one of only nine Royal Marine officers to be honoured as a member of the Order of the Guelphs, comprising three Knight Commanders (K.C.H.) and six Knights (K.H.). Major- General John Robyns died at Penzance, Cornwall, on 22 March 1857.


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