Details
Chronology
1798: Born in the Plymouth area
Enters Genevan Foundling Hospital, Plymouth Dock: founder and pastor, Rev Scougall, Scottish Calvinist; matron Miss Amelia Plinlimmon, Welsh; 25 foundlings; charitable and supported by local Calvinists; founded 1780s; porter Mr George, naval pensioner.
1808, July: Harry just ten; climbs spire of Emmanuel's church during marriage of Scougall, who decides a career for Harry as chimney sweep.
September: Interviewed by S. Trapp, chimney sweep and fisherman, Barbican, Plymouth. Joins Trapp after Michaelmas, 29 Sept.
1809, May 1: First meeting of Harry and Amelia Plinlimmon at Tucker's Bun Shop, Bedford Street, Plymouth.
1810, May 1: Second meeting of Harry and Amelia Plinlimmon at Tucker's. Meets Amelia Plinlimmon's nephew Archibald Plinlimmon and Sergeant Letcher (Leicester) of 105th, the North Wilts Regiment.
1811, May 1: Third meeting of Harry and Amelia Plinlimmon at Tucker's.
June 18: Rodriguez of Marine Stores requests services of S. Trapp through Harty.
June 19, 5 am: Harry and Trapp walk to Rodriguez, Southside Street, Plymouth. Sees Letcher outside. Climbs chimney. Sees Archibald Plinlimmon on roof. Sees Rodriguez dead on bedroom floor. Sees Rev Whitmore disappear across landing. Sees Archibald Plinlimmon looking from roof into bedroom.
6 am: Exits onto roof, speaks to Plinlimmon & escapes.
Morning: Taken in funeral cortège with Ben Jope and Rev Whitmore to St Budeaux.
12 noon: Boards Glad Tidings, Capt Onesimus Pengelly of Looe.
Evening: Sails out of Plymouth on Glad Tidings.
10 pm approx: Glad Tidings hailed by excise boat off Cawsand.
11 pm approx: Swims ashore in Cawsand Bay, sees soldiers and climbs cliff.
12 midnight: Sees smugglers surprised by soldiers and meets Jack Rogers.
June 2, 1-2 am: Carried in Jack Rogers' tilbury to house of Lydia Belcher and hides in garden.
2 am approx: Sees Whitmore and Letcher in garden.
4 am approx: Rogers identifies Harry as suspected murderer of Rodriguez.
5 am approx: Finds refuge in Minden Cottage of I. Brooks.
9 pm approx: Meeting of Harry, Rogers and Parson Doidge at Whitmore's.
10 pm approx: Letcher arrives at Whitmore's.
Marriage of Isabel Brooks and Archibald Plinlimmon.
June 21 - July 4: Stays at Minden Cottage.
Joins 52nd Regiment.
July 28: Flotilla leaves Plymouth for Iberia.
September 3: Disembarks at Figueira, Mondego estuary, Portugal.
December 25: Christmas Day. Carried with battery of six-pound guns from Figueira to Coimbra, where guns placed in magazine, and on foot with gunners to Ciudad Rodrigo via Almeida.
1812, January 7: Arrives at Boden and camp with 52nd Reg. Placed in No 4 Company under Captain Lockhart.
January 8: From Boden, across Agueda river, to a camp near Ciudad Rodrigo.
Harry meets Archibald Plinlimmon .
8 pm: Marched out of camp to hill overlooking Great and Lesser Tesson, by the fort of San Francisco.
January 9: Fort taken by Colborne. Build three counter batteries.
January 10 - 11: In reserve.
January 12: Duty in siege works relieving North Wilts.
Harry meets Letcher/Leicester, news of Whitmore in Ciudad Rodrigo.
January 19: Harry joins assault of Ciudad Rodrigo at 'fausse braye'.
January 20, early morning: Harry sees death of Letcher/Leicester & Whitmore in Ciudad Rodrigo.
Injured, 2 months hospital in Ciudad Rodrigo & Belem.
March-May: Belem to Tagus and boards Cumberland on 2nd May.
May 29: Arrives Plymouth. 2 months leave. Reunited with Amelia Plinlimmon.