Some transcriptions of letters from Lieutenant Gen Bright, Commandant of the Plymouth Division of Royal Marines
Some transcription errors, I do apologise.
Plymouth, January 29th 1813
Lieut gen Bright
Sir,
I have to apologise for troubling you but having a few years since formed an idea that a proportion of Riflemen attached to the Royal Marine Corps would be of ****, and since that *** having been deployed on detached service from the Fleet (in the Adriatic) which has fully confirmed me in that opinion as I have seen circumstances where a few Riflemen having been landed might have met the enemy an buru equal terms and cruin'd the Boats of the Squadron with & mass while employed in destroying their Conorys, or althirioise annoying them; has inraud one to lay my *** before you, and should they meet your approbation trust you with forward the name to my att Ltof the Admiralty who I have no doubt will be aware of the utility of such service would they be pleased to order such an addition to other of the Battalions, i should feel happy in being allowed to join them as a volunteer on such servicer, or should the *** have been pade previously, to be attached to any part of the Corps their Lordships might be pleased to command.
My ideas of the utility of riflemen are *** to the following. In acting with the Battalion who are already supplied with artilllery and no covering troops, I conceive their use would be very **** In the event of landing or making a descent on an Enemy's Coast, which would generally occur either just before dawn of day, or under cover of the night (which of course their own artillery would be noilps as they might be ** from the ships) the Riflemen might be landed an hour or two previous to the Main Body on either flank as circumstances would atmot or require to form a diversion during the landing of the Troops taking care to run the boats that landed them laying oars, to secure a retreat in the went of advantage the enemy los in great force and too coill fore – hard for their reception. In this case, Riflemen would naturally from Dress & other circumstances insure a better and more ready retreat than the main body.
Now the main body and Artillery were landing, *** utility would be greater, so as the march of a body of troops (which is generally performed in column) they might not **** on the right and left or flanks to the OOO, particularly in a close or ** country. either to give the alarm, and to cover the battalion during its formation into line, or ***as occasion might require. On the retreat this utility I conceive would be too obvious
to speak of. Should their services be called out afloat, they might be found particularly useful, either in a fleet or aboard ships. In a single ship, they might be placed in a sort of ambush on different parts of the ship. whine thur 3refs so much in colour like that of a Seaman would painter and protect them from being silich off, whilst they could not fail of greatly annoying the enemy by picking off their officers- In a fleet where the Marines are formed into battalions a certain number of Riflemen in each ship would soon form a company and the Officers might be placed as part of the effective strength in the different ships of the fleet.
Should these ideas must gowns, I have to reacquaint you will be pleased to represent to my Lords Commission of the Admiralty, and I have no doubt / (having visual offices Obituaries) of forming a company in a very short space of time.
I am Sir
Your most Obedient
Humble Servant
Jordan Capt RM
