Rifleman Thomas Plunkett

For the American Civil War Union Army soldier, see Thomas Plunkett.

Thomas Plunket(t) (died in 1851 or 1852) was an Irish soldier in the British 95th (Experimental Corps) Rifles. He is remembered for a feat at Cacabelos during Moore's retreat to Corunna in 1809. Here Plunket shot the French Général de Brigade Auguste-Marie-François Colbert at a range of between 200 and 600 metres using a Baker rifle.[1][2]

Plunket had run forward to make this shot, and before returning to his own lines he reloaded, and shot a trumpet-major who had rushed to the aid of the fallen general. This second feat showed that the first shot had not been a fluke, and the deaths were sufficient to throw the pending French attack into disarray.[1] The shots were at a sufficiently long distance to impress others in the 95th Rifles, whose marksmanship (with the Baker rifle) was far better than the ordinary British soldiers who were armed with a Brown Bess musket and only trained to shoot into a body of men at 50 metres with volley fire.[3]

Later life

After the war, Plunket was awarded a pension of one shilling a day, after the intervention of his former commanding officer. He later renounced his pension in exchange for four years' pay and land in Canada, but he returned to England after a year, considering the land unsuitable. Since he no longer had a pension, he and his wife traveled as pedlars to support themselves, until Plunket's death at Colchester in 1851 or 1852. Several retired officers in the town heard about the death and recognized his name; as a result, they took up a collection for his widow and paid for his funeral.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Hadaway, Stuart. Rifleman Thomas Plunkett: 'A Pattern for the Battalion.'
  2. ^ Costello, Edward - 'Rifleman Costello' ISBN 1-84677-000-9 First published in 1841 entitled "The Adventures of a Soldier". Costello served with Plunkett and can both cite personally witnessed experiences and the legend he already was at the time.
  3. ^ The Weapons Collection: Technical Notes - Introduction, REME Museum of Technology. See paragraph six in the section "Development of the lock"
  4. ^ Hadaway, Stuart. Rifleman Thomas Plunkett: 'A Pattern for the Battalion'. Published by the Napoleon Series. October 2000.

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