Nothing is known about the early life of William. He is Ian's 5x great grandfather.

William was enlisted in the 4th Foot on 28 Jul, 1799^a1. At the time of William’s recruitment the regiment were stationed at Horsham Barracks in Sussex. William was recruited into the 1st Battalion as a private. There is, unfortunately, no record of his recruitment, however a note is written against his entry in the July 1799 muster rolls: “Sth Hants”.^a1

He was promoted to corporal on 15 Aug, 1799^a2. This promotion, in Captain Hitchman's company, was received less than a month after enlisting. The new rank came with a modest pay increase of 2¼d on top of the shilling paid daily to all privates.^a2

In September of 1799 the regiment was ordered to Holland to join the Anglo-Russian invasion of the Netherlands. They fought at Bergen on the 19th and advanced to Castricum on the 6th October where they were defeated by the combined Dutch and French Republic forces. The regiment suffered heavy losses and retreated to England, landing at Yarmouth and proceeding to Ipswich where they spent the winter.^b1,c1,c2

William transferred to Captain Murray’s company and, on the 3rd June, 1800, was demoted from sergeant to private. There is no indication of the reason for this demotion. Quite probably the cause was some misconduct such as drunkenness or theft. In January 1802 he re-attested in Captain Chaplin’s company and was promoted back to the rank of corporal in June and then to sergeant later that year only to be demoted to corporal again on 25th December. In March 1803 Captain Hemman took command of Captain Chaplin's company and William was restored to the rank of sergeant.^d1,e1,e2

Throughout the first half of 1803, William was recruiting at Southampton. On 2 July Edward Hinksman was recruited by Ensign Craigg, who led William's recruiting party. Edward may have been a relation of William's, possibly a brother. William and his wife, Jane, was to later act as witnesses to Edward's marriage.^{e3,e2,e4,e5,e6,e7,e8}

By August the recruiting parties had returned to the main body of the regiment which had been ordered to march to Shorncliffe due to a renewed threat of invasion by the French. Banns for William and Jane Fisher★ to marry had been read in Winchester on the 10th, 17th and 24th of July but these orders must have disrupted their plans.^f1,f2,g1,b2

He married Jane Fisher on 30 Sep, 1803 at St. Martin's Church in Cheriton, Kent, England^h1,k1,f1,n1 and had two daughters:–

• Jane★ baptised on 30 Apr, 1809 at St Leonard-at-the-Hythe Church in Colchester St. Leonard, Essex, England^p1. Married William Rouse on 8 Jul, 1839 at All Saints Church in Earsham, Norfolk, England^q1,r1. Died on 12 Jul, 1840 in the parish of Geldeston in Norfolk, England^q2 at the age of thirty-one.
• Maria baptised on 11 Mar, 1810 in the parish of Colchester St Mary Magdalen in Essex, England^s1. Married George Ponsford in 1828 at St. Mary's Church in Alverstoke, Hampshire, England^t1,k2,u1 and Richard Lucas in 1860 at Holy Trinity Church in Portsea Holy Trinity, Hampshire, England^q3.

On the 21st October, 1805, the British won the battle of Trafalgar and on the 27th the William's battalion embarked at Ramsgate for Hanover, from which the French had withdrawn. The regiment were not involved in action and, after a major defeat of the allied forces by the French at Austerlitz, withdrew to England. They landed at Yarmouth in February 1806 and proceeded to Woodbridge in Suffolk, about seven miles northeast of Ipswich.^b3

On 25 Jul 1807 William's battalion embarked for Copenhagen as part of an expedition to capture or destroy the Danish and Norwegian fleets. After days of bombardment by British warships the city was captured on the 7th September. William's regiment remained in occupation of the city until the end of October.^b4

On 28 April 1808 the 1st battalion embarked for Gothenburg in Sweden but returned after only a few weeks of fruitless manoeuvres.^b5

On return from Gothenburg William's regiment was immediately ordered to Portugal in response to the seizing of the Spanish crown by Napoleon. Jane★ may have remained behind in England as the name Mary Hinksman (which may be a variation of Mary Jane) appears in the schedule of allowances to take wives home upon the regiment's departure for Portugal. The only other possible candidate would be Edward Hinksman's wife Susan. William landed at Maceira Bay, in Portugal, on the 25th of August and advanced on Lisbon shortly after the decisive defeat of the French in Portugal.^b6,d1

William's regiment marched through Portugal to Spain, arriving at Salamanca on the 14th November. Here they faced stiff opposition from superior French numbers forcing the British forces into a chaotic three week retreat over 250 miles to the coast. The regiment arrived at Corunna and made preparations to embark for England. On the 16 Jan 1809 the French attacked the British forces during embarkation. The British held off until nightfall whereupon they completed their embarkation, sailing for home.^b6

On the 16 July, 1809, William's regiment formed part of an expeditionary force to the Netherlands intended to destroy the French fleet and fortifications around Antwerp and the island of Walcheren. His wife, Jane★, received an allowance of £1-6s for her and their six month old daughter★ to return home while her husband was abroad. The regiment departed from Deal and landed on the 1st of August on the island of South Beveland, where it was stationed during the attack and capture of Flushing. William was one of an estimated 8,000 soldiers incapacitated by "Walcheren Fever", most likely a combination of malaria, typhus, typhoid and dysentery. He spent 16 days in the general hospital. In September the regiment was withdrawn from South Beveland and returned to Colchester Barracks with much reduced numbers.^b7,c3,v1,v2

On 24 October, 1810 William was sent back to Portugal with the 1st battalion. Jane and her two daughters received an allowance of £1-11s to take them home. William became sick almost as soon as he arrived in Lisbon. This may have been a recurrence or continuation of the fever he had caught in Walcheren. He was absent from all musters from November 1810 through to February 1812 and spent a total of 162 days in the general hospital. In March 1812 William was assigned to command at Belém Tower a coastal fortification in Lisbon. He remained there until June 1812 when a medical board reviewed him and deemed him unfit to remain in Portugal. He was invalided back to England on the 4th July to and transferred the 2nd Battalion on the 25th August 1812.^v3,v4

Throughout the period from Jan 1813 to Mar 1815, he remained in England while the 1st battalion fought in France, the USA and at the Battle of Waterloo. William spent his time recruiting for the regiment, managing to enlist nine new soldiers, all from Southampton.^{w1,w2,w3,w4,w5,w6,w7,w8,w9,w2}

At the end of 1815, with the conclusion of the wars against Napoleon, the 2nd battalion was disbanded. In March 1816 William was recorded as being a member of the 1st battalion, stationed at the depot in Deal. In September he was transferred to France to join the rest of the regiment at St. Omer in the north east. A few weeks later they relocated to Frankenburg then in the Kingdom of Westphalia.^{x1,x2,x3,x4,x5,x6,x7,x8}

On 29 Oct 1818 the regiment embarked at Calais and returned to England, taking up quarters in Winchester. In February, 1819, William was posted with the regiment to the islands of Granada, Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies. Two companies, including William, were deployed to Tobago. Fever ran rife among the soldiers on Tobago killing 88 men, over two thirds of the force, throughout 1820. Almost certainly William one of those that succumbed to the fever.^{b8,y1,y2,y3,z1,z2}

William died on 30 Mar, 1820 in Tobago in British West Indies^z3,z2

Timeline

1799

28 Jul

Enlisted in the 4th Foot.^a1

15 Aug

Promoted to corporal.^a2

24 Aug

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Barham Camp, Barham, Kent, England.^a1,a2

19 Sep

Participated in the Battle of Bergen in Bergen, Batavian Republic.^c1,b1

6 Oct

Participated in the Battle of Castricum in Castricum, Batavian Republic.^c2,b1

1800

3 Jun

Demoted to private from sergeant.^d1

1802

Jun

Promoted to corporal from private.^d1

25 Dec

Demoted to corporal from sergeant.^e1

1803

24 Jan

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^e1

24 Feb

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^e3

Mar

Promoted to sergeant from corporal.^d1

24 Mar

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^e2

24 Apr

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^e4

24 May

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^e5

24 Jun

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^e6

10 Jul

Marriage banns read to marry Jane Fisher★ at St. Maurice Church, Winchester St. Maurice, Winchester, Hampshire, England.^g1
Recorded as residing in Winchester St. Maurice, Winchester, Hampshire, England.^g1

24 Jul

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^e7

24 Aug

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^e8

28 Aug

Marriage banns read to marry Jane Fisher★ at St. Martin's Church, Cheriton, Kent, England.^f2

24 Sep

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^e9

30 Sep

Married Jane Fisher★ at St. Martin's Church, Cheriton.^h1,k1,f1,n1
Recorded as residing in Cheriton, Kent, England.^h1,f1

24 Oct

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^e10

24 Nov

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^e11

24 Dec

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^e12

1806

24 Jan

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Hanover, Electorate of Hanover, Holy Roman Empire.^ba1

24 Feb

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Hanover.^ba2

24 Mar

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Woodbridge, Suffolk, England.^ba3

24 Jun

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Colchester Barracks, Colchester, Essex, England.^ba4

24 Sep

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Colchester Barracks, Colchester.^ba5

24 Dec

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Colchester Barracks, Colchester.^ba6

1807

24 Mar

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Colchester Barracks, Colchester.^ba7

24 Jun

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Colchester Barracks, Colchester.^ba8

16 Aug

Participated in the Battle of Copenhagen in Copenhagen, Denmark.^c4

24 Sep

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^ba9

24 Dec

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^ba10

1808

24 Mar

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Colchester Barracks, Colchester.^ba11

24 Apr

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^ba12

24 Jun

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^ba13

24 Sep

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^ba14

1809

16 Jan

Participated in the Battle of Corunna in Corunna, Galicia, Spain.^c5,b6

24 Mar

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^v5

30 Apr

Daughter, Jane Hinksman (1809–1840)★, baptised at St Leonard-at-the-Hythe Church, Colchester St. Leonard, Essex, England.^p1

24 Jun

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^v6

24 Sep

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^v1

24 Dec

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^v7

1810

1 Mar

Daughter, Maria Hinksman (1810–?), born in Colchester, Essex, England.^s1

11 Mar

Occupation recorded as soldier in 4th regiment foot.^s1

24 Mar

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^v8

24 Jun

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^v9

24 Sep

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster.^v10

24 Dec

Recorded at muster.^v3

1811

24 Mar

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Portugal.^v11

24 Jun

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Portugal.^v12

24 Sep

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Portugal.^v13

24 Dec

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Portugal.^v14

1812

24 Mar

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Portugal.^bb1

24 Jun

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Portugal.^bb2

24 Sep

Recorded at muster taken in Portugal.^bb3

1813

31 Mar

Recorded in the 2nd battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Colchester Barracks, Colchester.^w1

24 Jun

Recorded in the 2nd battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Colchester Barracks, Colchester.^w3

24 Sep

Recorded in the 2nd battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Colchester Barracks, Colchester.^w4

24 Dec

Recorded in the 2nd battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Colchester Barracks, Colchester.^w5

1814

24 Mar

Recorded in the 2nd battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Colchester Barracks, Colchester.^w6

24 Jun

Recorded in the 2nd battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Colchester Barracks, Colchester.^w7

24 Sep

Recorded in the 2nd battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Colchester Barracks, Colchester.^w8

24 Dec

Recorded in the 2nd battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Colchester Barracks, Colchester.^w9

1815

24 Mar

Recorded in the 2nd battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Colchester Barracks, Colchester.^w2

24 Jun

Recorded in the 2nd battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Deal, Kent, England.^w10

24 Sep

Recorded in the 2nd battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Deal.^w11

24 Dec

Recorded in the 2nd battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Deal.^w12

1816

24 Mar

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Deal.^x5

24 Apr

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Deal.^x4

24 May

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Deal.^x3

24 Jun

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Deal.^x2

24 Jul

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Deal.^x8

24 Aug

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in France.^x1

24 Sep

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in France.^x7

24 Dec

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in France.^x6

1817

24 Mar

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in France.^y4

24 Jun

Recorded at muster taken in France.^y5

24 Sep

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in France.^y6

24 Dec

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in France.^y7

1818

24 Mar

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in France.^y8

24 Jun

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in France.^y9

24 Sep

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in France.^y10

24 Dec

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in France.^y11

1819

24 Mar

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken at Winchester Barracks, Winchester, Hampshire, England.^y12

24 Jun

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Granada, Trinidad and Tobago, British West Indies.^y1

24 Sep

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Granada, Trinidad and Tobago, British West Indies.^y2

24 Dec

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Granada, Trinidad and Tobago, British West Indies.^y3

1820

24 Mar

Recorded in the 1st battalion, 4th Foot at muster taken in Granada, Trinidad and Tobago, British West Indies.^z1

30 Mar

Died in Tobago, British West Indies.^z3,z2

24 Jun

Recorded at muster taken in Granada, Trinidad and Tobago, British West Indies.^z2,z3

1839

8 Jul

Occupation recorded as soldier.^q1,r1

1860

16 Oct

Occupation recorded as sergeant.^q3

Facts

Research Notes

William Hinksman's Place of Birth #

Isaac Munger or Mongar

Isaac was a witness to William and Jane’s marriage in Cheriton. The other witness was Mary Munger who may have been Isaac’s wife. Isaac was probably a friend from William’s regiment.

I found the following possible records of Isaac:

• an Isaac Mongar enlisted to the 4th Regiment on the same day as William (19 Jul 1799) as a Private (William enlisted as a Serjeant) https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=GBM%2FNAP3%2F00020435
• an Isaac Monger was pensioned by the Royal Hospital Chelsea on 19 Sep 1815. This states his rank as private, age as 37 and place of birth as Basingstoke in Hampshire. He enlisted at the age of 21 and was pensioned due to receiving a wound in the back at St. Sebastians forceswarrecords
• another Royal Hospital Chelsea document states his age as 46 in 1815 forceswarrecords
• a baptism entry for an Isaac Monger baptised 28 Mar 1762 in Tadley, Hampshire, son of Thomas and Avis Monger