Above, the chevrons worn by a Quarter Master Sergeant and by a Sergeant Major. These are Canadian, but they would appear the same in the British army.

The Quarter Master Sergeant's role is to take care of regimental logistics such as ordering in clothing, weapons, ammo, kit, stores, etc. He was also responsible for accounting for it, maintaining it, having it cleaned, etc. The Quarter Master Sergeant would have a staff of storeman working for him. He himself would report to the Quarter Master, an officer (e.g., Captain or Major) Traditionally, the only way to gain the rank of Quarter Master was by working one's way up through the non-commissioned ranks to the Quarter Master Sergeant, and then becoming an officer.

The Quarter Master Sergeant was the second most senior NCO in a regiment after the Sergeant Major. So, when I initially looked at JBW's posting to the militia unit as a QMS, it appeared that it was a step back from his previous Sergeant Major rank. However, taking a lower rank would be understandable if the role of Sergeant Major in the 5th Brigade was already filled. The attractiveness of serving in Montrose, close to Dundee, might have overcome any apparent negativity that might have been associated with that posting. In addition, as I understand British Army organization back in those days, a Brigade was bigger than a Regiment, and therefore the quarter master position would have offered additional responsibilities. Besides, this is a retirement-type position. Would John care much if he stepped back a hierarchical level?

All of that is pure speculation, of course - trying to put myself in the mind of my great, great-grandfather. Then, I was struck by another thought. Would the 5th Brigade put someone into the position of a Quarter Master Sergeant if that person had absolutely no experience in the quarter master unit? Surely, the work of quarter master for an entire brigade would require some knowledge and previous experience? I then wondered if it was possible that JBW had been working in the quarter master unit ever since his promotion to Colour Sergeant in the early 1850s? Consider, for example, the following data that support that theory:

1. JBW's male descendents in generations 7-10 all have had strong organizational skills and a penchant for becoming involved in administration. (This is a very weak argument, I realize, but I'm starting with the flimsiest support and building up.)
2. JBW's son, John Murray Wighton, took a posting with the Scottish Civil Service where he worked.... (wait for the drum roll) ... as the Chief Clerk responsible for buying supplies for the prisons. That sure sounds like a quartermaster's job, doesn't it? Might JBW have actually helped to pave the way for his son through his military connections?
3. JBW worked in another job during his posting to the 5th Brigade - as a factor for some local estates. Would very rich people hire JBW to manage their estates if all he had was experience as a battle sergeant? Surely, they would expect some quite specific skills, perhaps the skills of managing all of the logistics and supplies for an army regiment?
4. In the Victoria Wars website I found the comment that the QMS was second in seniority only to the Sergeant Major. This meant that he was senior to even Colour Sergeants. Furthermore, and most importantly, the site stated that normally, the Quarter Master Sergeant would be promoted to the position of Sergeant Major when that post became vacant. Thus, an NCO would only became a regimental Sergeant Major if he had previously served as Quarter Master Sergeant. Since we know that JBW held the position of Sergeant Major, therefore, it would be logical to assume that he had previously been the QMS of his regiment.
5. But, if JBW served as Quarter Master Sergeant, why wouldn't that ranking be evident in his army records? I found the explanation in the Nationmaster website when I was researching what a Colour Sergeant did. The key point is: Staff sergeants can have a special designation such as a quarter master shown in their records when they serve in some army regiments, such as the Cavalry. However, in the infantry, a Staff Sergeant is always known as a Colour Sergeant , no matter what his appointment. The infantry does not show key appointments beyond that. Thus, John could have been a Quarter Master Sergeant in the 72nd Regiment and there would have been no such entry in his records.

Quarter Master Sergeants are referred to informally by the troops as "Q" - which will be a great delight to you James Bond fans who remember Q as the quartermaster who supplied James Bond with all the special gadgets. So, was John Baxter Wighton the inspiration for the James Bond gadget man? I can just picture JBW, sitting in his workshop tent, and modifying Enfield rifles so that they could shoot around corners.

Of course, the idea that John Baxter Wighton served as a quartermaster staff sergeant during his army career is only a theory. We don't really know what duties John had as a Staff Sergeant - all of them would have involved some higher responsibilities and some higher skills. Clearly, John demonstrated those early in his career (double promotion to Sergeant after only 4 years). If John had been acting as a Quarter Master Sergeant, that does fit well with him being able to get a job as factor, but it's hardly proof. Believe what you wish. Personally, I like to picture him in Fredericton in 1853 reassuring the 72nd Regiment's commanding officer that he'd be able find the key to the locked blockhouse holding all of the regiment's rum but only if the commanding officer would give his approval for John to marry a young Canadian girl named Catherine Latta. Right now, he was too distraught to look for the key.

Sources

Various websites, including Nation Master: http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Quartermaster-Sergeant Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartermaster Victorian War Forums: http://www.victorianwars.com/ (Enter search term = "rank quartermaster")