According to The Western Times of 18th January 1845, the young Puseyite clergymen of Exeter were in the business of slandering those citizens who disapproved of them. One such victim of their foul weapons was George Augustus Moore, a worthy and respectable member of society and an Exeter auctioneer who lived opposite St. Sidwell's church: The newspaper was quick to nail the libel:
"He is charged with havng been flogged, and drummed out of the army. This atrocious falsehood, originating in pure and incomprehensible malice, and circuated for the gratification of the most diabolical feelings, puzzles almost as much as it disgusts one.
"We are at a loss to contrive how it can possibly serve the cause of the surplice, Divine right and Apostolical succession, to invent so black a falsehood against a harmless and unoffending, and comparatively humble man.
"What is stranger still, is that Mr. Moore has not taken any active part in the meetings. He has neither spoken nor acted at them in any way to excite observation. He happened, however, to leave the church, on Sunday morning last on the Rev. Perpetual Courtenay going into the pulpit in his surplice.
"In the afternoon Mr. Moore stood at his own door, opposite the church, and observing the crowd proceed to follow the clergyman, actually interfered for his protection. For this service he is rewarded with this atrocious slander.
"And now for the slander itself. Mr Moore, at the age of between fifteen and sixteen, left his apprenticeship, (his father having pais £100 premium) and enliisted in the 6th Light Dragoons (subsequently the 16th Lancers).
"Mr Moore having entered the army for love of military adventure, became a smart, active and intelligent soldier. He was generally employed as an orderly, a duty always bestowed on picked men, and rapidly rose to ne Serjeant. He was orderly to the Duke of York, at Bushy Park, to th Marquis of Anglesea on the field of Waterloo, saw him wounded, and assisted him to the litter. He was then tranferre to General Sir John Vandeleur, who took the command after the Marquis was disabled, in which service Mr. Moore lost his horse from under him. Having been rehorsed, he subsequently saved the life of his Captain (Wayland) at the expence of a sabre and lance wound in his right arm, which service Captain Wayland handsomely acknowledged by a gratuity. Mr Moore was offered to be made Regimental Clerk and Serjeant on the field, in consequence of the death of the |Regimental Clerk, but he preferred active servicemin the ranks, and respectfully declined. The day after the battle, Mr Moore was dispatched with secret orders to Capt. King, of the 16th, who was at the rendezvous of the allied Generals, at Amiens. This service through the retreating forces of the Frrench required courage, tact and fidelity, and would not have been entrusted to any man who had not acquired the esteem and confidence of his superiors.
"On his return to England, Mr Moore, having been made Serjeant, - served as orderly in Ireland, to Earl Wentworth, the Lord Lieutenant, and afterwards to Earl Talbot, the Lord Lieutenant, and finally,his riends purchsed his discharge from the regiment in which he had served six years.
We have his discharge and his Waterloo medal now lying before us. The former bears testimony to his good conduct, the latter speaks for itself."
I felt it was fortuitous that I found myself reading this account of George Augustus Moore's honourable military service on Remembrance Sunday 2025.
Wearing the surplice was one of the symbols of the retreat to the old Roman Catholic forms of worship much feared and hated by Anglicans in Exeter.
George was 49 in 1845. He died 20 years later at Devonshire House, Heavitree, later known as. Heavitrree House This had been the picturesque house, the home of the famous traveller and writer, Sir Richard Ford, who had died in 1858. The house had a celebrated Spanish Garden. I like to think of George enjoying it.
George was married and had issue. His wife, Maria, died, back in Verney Place, St. Sidwell's in 1881.
George Augustus Moore witnessed the Marquis of Anglesey, who was still very much alive in 1845, losing his leg, which, so goes the anecdote, occasioned the memorable exchange beteen the Marquis, then Lord Uxbridge, and the Iron Duke: :
Uxbridge: "By God , sir, I believe I have lost my, leg!"
Wellington: "By God, sir, so you have!"
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