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 knight 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 C.B. 31 March 1874, and K.C.M.G. 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.
[Times, 22 Nov. 1866, p. 6, and 27 Nov. p. 6; Ann. Reg. 1873, p. 103, &c.; Illustr. London News, 25 April 1874, p. 384, with portrait, and p. 386; Graphic, 2 May 1874, pp. 413, 415; Hart's Army List, October 1886, pp. 397, 401 a; Maurice's Ashantee War (1874), p. 3, &c.; Brackenbury's Ashantee War (1874), i. 72–100.]
FESTING, MICHAEL CHRISTIAN (d. 1752), violinist and composer, was at first a pupil of Richard Jones, who succeeded Carbonelli as leader of the orchestra of Drury Lane Theatre. He subsequently studied with Geminiani, and in or about 1727 became a member of the band at the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. He had made his first appearance in public in a concerto and solo of his own composition as early as 1724. He belonged to the king's private band, and in 1737 was appointed director of the Italian opera. From 1739 onwards he directed the subscription concerts at Hickford's room, and the Swan and Castle concerts in the city were for many years under his direction. An amateur society which met at the Crown and Anchor Tavern in the Strand, and was called the ‘Philharmonic Society,’ as well as many benefit concerts, &c., were directed by him, and on the opening of Ranelagh in 1742 he was appointed leader of the band and director of the music. Burney's very poor opinion of his powers as a violinist was probably not far wrong, although allowance must be made for Burney's well-known antipathy to English musicians. Festing seems to have become the fashion, and must have had very little time for study. From about 1730, too, he was more or less constantly engaged in composition. His works for stringed instruments include some twenty concertos in seven parts, eighteen sonatas in three parts, and fourteen solos with figured bass. Among his vocal works are mentioned a paraphrase of a passage from Habakkuk, Addison's ‘Ode for St. Cecilia's Day,’ Milton's song on May morning, an ode on the return of the Duke of Cumberland after the rising in 1745, a cantata, ‘Sylvia,’ and many songs. The best action of Festing's life was the initiation of
