▁even ▁before ▁being ▁officially ▁accepted ▁its ▁first ▁duty ▁was ▁to ▁guard ▁the ▁French ▁prisoners ▁of ▁war ▁conf ined ▁at ▁St ap leton ▁Pr ison ▁after ▁the ▁Milit ia ▁reg iments ▁station ed ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁were ▁sent ▁to ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁French ▁landing ▁in ▁P embro kes hire ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁February ▁ 1 7 9 7 ▁( the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Fish guard ). ▁By ▁January ▁ 1 7 9 8 ▁the ▁unit ▁was ▁of ▁batt alion ▁strength , ▁with ▁ 1 0 0 0 ▁men ▁en rolled , ▁and ▁an ▁adj ut ant ▁and ▁permanent ▁staff ▁of ▁Serge ants ▁and ▁drum mers . ▁Vol unte er ▁units ▁could ▁be ▁called ▁out ▁' in ▁aid ▁of ▁the ▁civil ▁power ': ▁the ▁Br istol ▁Vol unte ers ▁were ▁on ▁duty ▁during ▁the ▁Br istol ▁food ▁ri ots ▁of ▁April ▁ 1 8 0 1 . ▁Service ▁in ▁the ▁Vol unte ers ▁con ferred ▁imm unity ▁from ▁cons cription ▁into ▁the ▁Milit ia . ▁Vol unte ers ▁also ▁received ▁pay ▁while ▁on ▁service : ▁a ▁national ▁short age ▁of ▁bronze ▁coin age ▁meant ▁that ▁the ▁Br istol ▁Vol unte ers , ▁like ▁some ▁other ▁units , ▁mint ed ▁their ▁own ▁tokens . ▁ ▁The ▁Vol unte ers ▁were ▁dis band ed ▁at ▁the ▁Peace ▁of ▁Am iens ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 2 , ▁but ▁when ▁the ▁peace ▁broke ▁down ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁and ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁renew ed ▁threat ▁of ▁invasion , ▁units ▁were ▁rapidly ▁formed ▁or ▁reform ed . ▁The ▁Br istol