Francis Worgan Festing
Encyclopedia
Colonel Francis Worgan Festing (1833–1886) was a British Royal Marines
officer.
Festing, second son of Captain Benjamin Morton Festing, R.N., K.H., by Caroline Jane, only daughter of F. B. Wright of Hinton Blewett, Somersetshire, was born at High Littleton
, Somerset
, 24 July 1833. He was educated at the Royal Naval College
, New Cross, at the age of sixteen entered the Royal Marines as a cadet, and was gazetted second lieutenant 3 July 1850.
In 1854 he served with the Baltic expedition, obtaining a medal. He commanded a mortar in the flotilla employed against Sebastopol from June 1855 until the fall of that fortress, and was also at the bombardment and surrender of Kinburn
. For these services he received a medal
with clasp, was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, and had the Turkish medal bestowed on him.
His next war services were with the China expedition 1857–9 as adjutant of the artillery, when he assisted in the blockade of the Canton River
and in the bombardment and storming of the city, and was rewarded with a medal and clasp and his brevet of major.
He served throughout the Ashantee war during 1873–4, and when the Ashantee army under Amanquatia threatened Cape Coast Castle
, he was selected to command the detachment of marines sent to the Gold Coast
in May 1873 to assist in repelling the Ashantee army, which was then encamped at Mampom, between Abrakampa and the river Prah, and within nine miles of Cape Coast Castle. The chiefs of Ehina were asked to lay down their arms, and on their refusal their town was attacked on 13 June. Festing commanded the forces in the two engagements fought on that day, when the natives were defeated and their town burnt. On the arrival of Sir Garnet Wolseley, Festing was placed in command at Cape Coast, and charged with the measures for the defence of the place. He was taken on Sir Garnet's list of special service officers on 20 Oct., and took the command of the native camp at Dunquah and of the advanced posts. He commanded the forces at the engagements near Dunquah on 27 Oct., when he was slightly wounded, and on 3 Nov., when he was severely wounded while trying to rescue Lieutenant Eardley Wilmot of the Royal Artillery
, who had fallen mortally wounded (Graphic, 2 May 1874, p. 420, with woodcut). He was afterwards placed in charge of the camp at Prahsu. He held a dormant commission to administer the government of the Gold Coast while commanding the regular troops, and was of the executive council. He was specially allowed to retain the rank of colonel (brevet-colonel, 7 Jan. 1874) in the army for his distinguished services in the field at the conclusion of the war, and was nominated CB
31 March 1874, and KCMG
8 May 1874, and received the thanks of both houses of parliament 30 March 1874 (Hansard, 1874, ccxviii. 383, 412).
Festing was appointed assistant adjutant-general of the Royal Marines in August 1876, made an aide-de-camp to the Queen 7 July 1879, and gazetted colonel commandant of the Royal Marine Artillery 3 Sept. 1886.
He died at Donnington Lodge, Newbury, 21 Nov. 1886, and was buried with military honours at Eastney cemetery, Portsmouth, 26 Nov. He had been married three times, first, in 1862, to Margaret Elizabeth, daughter of A. Hall of Watergate, Sussex; she died at Hayling Island 3 June 1864; secondly, in 1869, to Charlotte Letitia, daughter of R. J. Todd; she died in 1871; thirdly, in 1876, to Selina Emily Mary, only daughter of Leycester William Carbonell.
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
officer.
Festing, second son of Captain Benjamin Morton Festing, R.N., K.H., by Caroline Jane, only daughter of F. B. Wright of Hinton Blewett, Somersetshire, was born at High Littleton
High Littleton
The village of High Littleton and its hamlets of Hallatrow and Amesbury form a civil parish and are located in the county of Somerset and straddle both the A39 and A37, from Bath, from Wells and from Bristol. The parish has a population of 2,086...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, 24 July 1833. He was educated at the Royal Naval College
Royal Naval College
Royal Naval College may refer to:* Royal Naval Academy in Portsmouth , renamed the Royal Naval College in 1806* Royal Naval College, Greenwich * Royal Naval College, Osborne...
, New Cross, at the age of sixteen entered the Royal Marines as a cadet, and was gazetted second lieutenant 3 July 1850.
In 1854 he served with the Baltic expedition, obtaining a medal. He commanded a mortar in the flotilla employed against Sebastopol from June 1855 until the fall of that fortress, and was also at the bombardment and surrender of Kinburn
Battle of Kinburn (1855)
The Battle of Kinburn/Kil-Bouroun was a naval engagement during the final stage of the Crimean War. It took place on the tip of the Kinburn Peninsula on 17 October 1855...
. For these services he received a medal
Crimea Medal
The Crimea Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1854, for issue to officers and men of British units which fought in the Crimean War of 1854-56 against Russia....
with clasp, was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, and had the Turkish medal bestowed on him.
His next war services were with the China expedition 1857–9 as adjutant of the artillery, when he assisted in the blockade of the Canton River
Pearl River (China)
The Pearl River or less commonly, the "Guangdong River" or "Canton River" etc., , is an extensive river system in southern China. The name Pearl River is usually used as a catchment term to refer to the watersheds of the Xi Jiang , the Bei Jiang , and the Dong Jiang...
and in the bombardment and storming of the city, and was rewarded with a medal and clasp and his brevet of major.
He served throughout the Ashantee war during 1873–4, and when the Ashantee army under Amanquatia threatened Cape Coast Castle
Cape Coast Castle
Cape Coast Castle is a fortification in Ghana built by Swedish traders. The first timber construction on the site was erected in 1653 for the Swedish Africa Company and named Carolusborg after King Charles X of Sweden. It was later rebuilt in stone....
, he was selected to command the detachment of marines sent to the Gold Coast
Gold Coast (British colony)
The Gold Coast was a British colony on the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa that became the independent nation of Ghana in 1957.-Overview:The first Europeans to arrive at the coast were the Portuguese in 1471. They encountered a variety of African kingdoms, some of which controlled substantial...
in May 1873 to assist in repelling the Ashantee army, which was then encamped at Mampom, between Abrakampa and the river Prah, and within nine miles of Cape Coast Castle. The chiefs of Ehina were asked to lay down their arms, and on their refusal their town was attacked on 13 June. Festing commanded the forces in the two engagements fought on that day, when the natives were defeated and their town burnt. On the arrival of Sir Garnet Wolseley, Festing was placed in command at Cape Coast, and charged with the measures for the defence of the place. He was taken on Sir Garnet's list of special service officers on 20 Oct., and took the command of the native camp at Dunquah and of the advanced posts. He commanded the forces at the engagements near Dunquah on 27 Oct., when he was slightly wounded, and on 3 Nov., when he was severely wounded while trying to rescue Lieutenant Eardley Wilmot of the Royal Artillery
Royal 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:...
, who had fallen mortally wounded (Graphic, 2 May 1874, p. 420, with woodcut). He was afterwards placed in charge of the camp at Prahsu. He held a dormant commission to administer the government of the Gold Coast while commanding the regular troops, and was of the executive council. He was specially allowed to retain the rank of colonel (brevet-colonel, 7 Jan. 1874) in the army for his distinguished services in the field at the conclusion of the war, and was nominated CB
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...
31 March 1874, and KCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
8 May 1874, and received the thanks of both houses of parliament 30 March 1874 (Hansard, 1874, ccxviii. 383, 412).
Festing was appointed assistant adjutant-general of the Royal Marines in August 1876, made an aide-de-camp to the Queen 7 July 1879, and gazetted colonel commandant of the Royal Marine Artillery 3 Sept. 1886.
He died at Donnington Lodge, Newbury, 21 Nov. 1886, and was buried with military honours at Eastney cemetery, Portsmouth, 26 Nov. He had been married three times, first, in 1862, to Margaret Elizabeth, daughter of A. Hall of Watergate, Sussex; she died at Hayling Island 3 June 1864; secondly, in 1869, to Charlotte Letitia, daughter of R. J. Todd; she died in 1871; thirdly, in 1876, to Selina Emily Mary, only daughter of Leycester William Carbonell.