“He’s brave as brave can be;
He wad rather fa’ than flee;
But his life is dear to me,
Send him hame, send him hame.
“Your love ne’er learnt to flee,
But he fell in Germanie,
Fighting brave for loyalty,
Mournfu’ dame, mournfu’ dame.”
GERMANY—MARINE SERVICE—WEST INDIES—EGYPT—WEST
INDIES—GIBRALTAR—1755–1862.
In 1755 the encroachments of France awakened a new war, in which our
Borderers were employed in several generally successful expeditions
against the fortified towns and arsenals on the coast of France,
especially the Isle of Oleron, St Maloes, and Cherbourg. A few years
later, with the Twelfth, the Twentieth, the Twenty-third, the
Thirty-seventh, and Fifty-first Foot, the Horse Guards, the First and
Third Dragoon Guards, the Second, Sixth, and Tenth Dragoons, they formed
the British army, which, advancing from the north of Germany, allied
with the Germans and other auxiliaries, latterly served under the
command of Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick. Encountering at first severe
reverses, they were at length rewarded by the victory of Minden. “This
was the first occasion on which the British troops took aim by placing
the butt of the firelock against the shoulder, and viewing the object
along the barrel, when firing at the enemy, in which mode they had been
instructed during the preceding peace. On former occasions, the firelock
was brought up breast-high, and discharged towards the enemy a good deal
at random; because it was considered a degradation to take aim according
to the present custom. And in this year the cavalry adopted the trumpet,
in place of the side-drum and hautbois.” Throughout the war, the
regiment suffered very severely, its loss at the battle of Campen alone
amounting to two-thirds of its number. In the Regimental Records, which
afford a most interesting and ably-written account of the many “brave
deeds” of the regiment, as well as a comprehensive, yet most accurate,
record of the wars in which it was concerned, and to which we are
largely indebted, it is recorded: “1760, December 9, died, in the 34th
year of his age, of the wounds he had received in the battle of Campen,
Henry Reydell Dawnay, Viscount Down, Baron Dawnay of Cowick, county
York, M.P. for that county, Colonel in the army, and Lieutenant-Colonel
commanding the Edinburgh Regiment, greatly regretted and lamented by
every officer and soldier of the corps, and by all his companions in
arms. His Lordship commanded the regiment in the battle of Minden.”
Notwithstanding the great superiority of the enemy, ably commanded by
the Marshal Duke de Broglio, the allies, by the most heroic efforts, not
merely held their own, but frequently repulsed the enemy, especially at
the battle of Kirch Deukern, or Fellinghausen, where the French were
defeated with great slaughter. “Hitherto, punishments in the British
army were, to a certain extent, discretionary with commanding officers
of corps, and inflicted by means of switches, generally willows; but
during the present year, regimental courts-martial, consisting generally
of a captain and four subalterns, were instituted, and punishment with a
cat-of-nine-tails introduced.”
[Illustration: ANCIENT BADGE OF TWENTY-FIFTH, OR KING’S OWN BORDERERS.]
At length, in 1763, peace was restored. The Twenty-fifth, returning to
England, whilst stationed at Newcastle, buried, with military honours,
the shreds of the colours which they had so honourably fought under at
the battles of Fontenoy, Culloden, Roucoux, Val, Minden, Warbourg,
Campen, Fellinghausen, and Wilhelmsthal. Having replaced the losses they
had suffered in the recent war, and having enjoyed for several years
peaceful and pleasant quarters at home, our Borderers, in 1768, embarked
in H.M.S. “Dorsetshire,” 70 guns, for Minorca, where they discharged the
duties of the garrison for some time with the Third, Eleventh,
Thirteenth, and Sixty-seventh regiments.
The magistrates of Edinburgh having denied a recruiting party from the
regiment the ancient privilege, conferred upon it by the city in token
of its good conduct at Killiecrankie, of marching at all times through
the streets and beating up for recruits, the ire of the Duke of
Richmond, whose brother, Lord George Lennox, then commanded the
regiment, was so stirred by this indignity, that he applied for leave to
have the title of the regiment changed, and, in accordance therewith, it
was for a while known as the Sussex Regiment—Sussex being the county
where the Lennox family held extensive estates.
About this period France and Spain, at war with Great Britain, coveting
the possession of Gibraltar, had laid siege to that powerful fortress.
It was no easy thing in those days, when our navy was comparatively in
its infancy, to cope with the armaments of such powerful
neighbours—powerful alike on land and water, and whose combined fleets
had hitherto “swept the seas.” To throw in reinforcements, and
re-victual Gibraltar, was in consequence a hazardous undertaking;
nevertheless the British fleet, under Lord Howe, not only successfully
accomplished it in spite of the immediate presence of the Spanish fleet,
but signally defeated the foe off Cape St Vincent. The Twenty-fifth and
Twenty-ninth regiments were on this occasion thrown into the garrison,
where they helped in the successful defence of the fortress, baffling
the most gigantic efforts of the enemy to reduce it.
The Twenty-fifth was ordered home in 1792, where it arrived at a time
when our country was in great peril from internal enemies—the
discontents which the fair promises of the French Revolution had
excited, and which proved such a lamentable delusion, had their effects
even amongst “our sober selves,” begetting a progeny of evils which
threatened to shipwreck our good ship—the Constitution. Happily, the
abilities of our Administration brought the vessel of the State in
safety through the storm. Meanwhile France had declared war against us,
and the tempest, which had been imminent, descended with terrible fury.
Our fleet, which was then wofully inefficient, was put into commission;
but, for lack of marines, detachments from various regiments, amongst
others the Second (Queen’s), the Twenty-fifth (Borderers), the
Twenty-ninth, and Sixty-ninth, were allotted to this service. In this
new capacity a portion of the Twenty-fifth was engaged in the several
land actions which are recorded in the fruitless defence of Toulon and
conquest of Corsica. Although this new duty was at first attended with
many disagreeables, it in the end proved a most profitable service to
our soldiers, who soon became reconciled to the change. The spoil got on
the sea by repeated captures far exceeded aught that might have been
expected on shore. On one occasion the “St George” and “Egmont,” with
detachments of the Twenty-fifth on board as marines, captured the French
privateer “General Dumourier,” with a Spanish prize in tow, the “St
Jago”—treasure-ship containing about one million sterling. Under Lord
Howe this amphibious regiment was present to share the glories of the
fight which almost annihilated the French fleet off Brest. At length, in
1794, the corps of marines having been strengthened, the regiment was
relieved and returned to its native element—the land. Still we shall
find that its adventures, as well as misadventures, throughout these
records manifest a strong predilection for the sea—perhaps not of
choice, but certainly of necessity. The loyalty of the regiment whilst
serving as marines was most conspicuous during the mutiny which, in
1797, threatened very disastrous results.
In 1795, the regiment was sent to the West Indies; and whilst stationed
in Grenada, rendered most important service were employed in defending
Granada from the incursions of numerous hordes of brigands who infested
it. The heroic defence of Pilot Hill by the Twenty-fifth, under Major
Wright, is one of the most gallant actions to be found in the records of
our army. Reduced by disease and the sword to about 130 officers and
privates, these brave men refused to yield, well knowing, moreover, the
ferocious character of the enemy with whom they had to deal. At length,
exhausted and without the means to sustain life or longer maintain the
post, they determined to break through the enemy, which they
successfully accomplished, joining the few British that yet remained in
St George’s, the capital, where they were hailed by the inhabitants as
the saviours of the island; the ladies, in token of their appreciation
of such valour, wore ribands round their waists—inscribed, “Wright for
ever;” whilst the following address was presented to the relics of the
regiment:—“The inhabitants of this island congratulate Major Wright of
the Twenty-fifth regiment, and his gallant little garrison of Pilot
Hill, on their safe arrival in St George; and assure him that it was
with the most lively sensation of joy they beheld the landing of a
handful of brave men, whom, a few hours before, they considered as
devoted to the relentless cruelty of a savage and ferocious enemy; and
impressed with a high sense of their meritorious exertions in defence of
that post, and the well-conducted retreat upon the evacuation of it
under the most desperate circumstances, request his and their acception
of this tribute of their approbation and thanks, so justly due to such
bravery and conduct.” The arrival of reinforcements enabled the British
once more to take the field, recovering the posts which lack of numbers
had compelled them hitherto to abandon; and in the end, the brigands,
defeated, were dispersed, or craved, by submission, the clemency of the
Government.
Meanwhile the detachments which had been called in from the marine
service on board the “St George,” the “Egmont,” the “Gibraltar,” the
“Monarch,” the “Stately,” and the “Reunion,” with a number of recruits
obtained chiefly from among the Dutch sailors, who had become prisoners
of war, were enrolled as a second battalion. Encamped with the army
assembled on Shirley Common, this battalion was, in 1795, moved to the
coast, and embarked on board the “Boddington” and the “Belfast.” The
fleet, containing the army, which amounted to nearly 26,000 fighting
men, consisted of about 300 sail. A variety of accidents arose to detain
the expedition, and ultimately caught in a tempest, the vast armament
was broken or dispersed. In the confusion which ensued, the
“Boddington,” with part of the Twenty-fifth on board, her officers
having opened the sealed orders, and found the West Indies to be the
destination of the expedition, encountering many perils, at length
reached Barbadoes in safety; whilst the “Belfast,” with the remainder of
the regiment, was captured by a French corvette, the “Decius,”
twenty-four guns. The unfortunate prisoners were treated most cruelly,
and the more so that a conspiracy to rise upon their captors had been
divulged by one of the Dutchmen who had recently joined the regiment.
Landed at St Martin’s, they were afterwards removed to the common gaol
at Guadaloupe, during the passage to which the men of the regiment rose
against and overpowered the crew of one of the transports, and succeeded
in escaping to the British island of Grenada, where they joined their
comrades of the first battalion who still survived. The officers
remaining prisoners were inhumanly treated, and only released by
exchange, after enduring for ten months the miseries of confinement on
board the prison hulk “Albion”—a vessel captured from the British. On
their passage to rejoin the regiment which had returned home, calling at
the island of St Christopher, they had the satisfaction of witnessing
the captain and crew of the “Decius” in irons as prisoners. Unhappily
this “chapter of accidents” had not yet ended. On the homeward voyage
the transports, under convoy of the “Ariadne” frigate, encountered so
severe a tempest that several foundered—the frigate was under the
necessity of throwing her guns overboard; the “Bee” transport, shifting
her ballast, was cast on her beam ends, and was only saved by a marvel
of mercy—saved from the storm, to become the prey of a French privateer.
Lauded as prisoners in France, the officers were sent on their parole
into Brittany, until regularly exchanged. On returning, the survivors
rejoined the relics of the regiment in Plymouth lines in 1797. Whilst in
garrison here, along with the Second and Twenty-ninth Foot, and the Down
Militia, the regiment was exposed to the villany of an evil-disposed and
disaffected class—revolutionary incendiaries—the creatures of an
iniquitous delusion, in whose soul the God-like emotion of patriotism
had been stifled, and who appeared the specious friends yet certain foes
of virtue. Armed with all the seductive attractions of the licentious
liberty they preached, they therewith hoped to ruin our ancient
constitution, and set up in its stead the lying, fatal dogmas of
democracy. To accomplish this end, they strove to destroy the bulwarks
of our strength as a nation by the seduction of our soldiers and
sailors. In the presence of other grievances, and the absence of
immediate redress, these incendiaries had succeeded but too well in
imposing upon the navy, and exciting a dangerous mutiny, to which we
have already referred, as illustrating the fidelity of the Twenty-fifth,
who served as marines, and who could not be induced to forsake their
duty to their country, nor stain the honour of the regiment by any
defection. We now turn to record the fidelity of the regiment as equally
creditable in the army; and we have pleasure in adding the following as
a testimony of the loyalty which animated our Borderers. This
interesting document—the production of the Non-Commissioned Officers of
the regiment—affords us an earnest of their anxiety to detect and bring
to punishment the incendiaries who had dared to sap the allegiance of
the soldier:—
“_Nemo me impune lacessit._ The subscribing Non-Commissioned Officers
of H.M. Twenty-fifth regiment of foot, find, with great regret, that
attempts have been made by base and infamous persons to alienate some
of the soldiers of this garrison from their duty to their King and
country, by circulating inflammatory papers and hand-bills containing
the grossest falsehood and misrepresentation, thereby insulting the
character of the British soldier. In order to bring the incendiaries to
the punishment they so justly deserve, we hereby offer a reward of ten
guineas (to be paid on conviction) to the person or persons who will
inform upon, secure, or deliver over to any of the subscribers, the
author, printer, or distributor of papers or hand-bills criminal to the
military establishment and laws of the country, or for information
against any such person found guilty of bribing with money, or of
holding out any false allurements to any soldier in this district
tending to injure the good order and discipline of the army; which
reward of ten guineas is raised and subscribed by us for this purpose,
and will immediately be paid on conviction of any such offenders. God
save the King!
“Signed by the whole of the
Non-Commissioned
Officers of the Regiment.”
Stationed in Jersey in 1798, on returning to England the regiment formed
part of the army encamped on Barham Downs and Shirley Common, until
embraced in the unfortunate expedition which, in 1799, under the Duke of
York, occasioned the loss of so much British blood and treasure in a
vain attempt to deliver Holland from the thraldom of France.
Notwithstanding the glory obtained in the battle of Egmont-op-Zee,
little practical good resulted. The Dutch seemed disinclined to help
themselves, and the French were in such force, whilst our expedition was
so inadequate to do more than hold its own, that retreat and the
ultimate abandonment of the enterprise ensued as a necessary
consequence. On the return of the army, the Twenty-fifth was encamped on
Shirley Common, where the troops assembled were, in 1800, reviewed by
the King, who afterwards engaged in a sham fight with the Duke of York,
and is represented as having beaten him. Shortly thereafter an
expedition sailed under Sir Ralph Abercromby for Spain, but ill success
there led that chief ultimately to direct his efforts for the expulsion
of the French from Egypt. Here he fell gloriously, at the battle of
Alexandria, in the arms of victory. The Twenty-fifth joined the army
towards the close of the campaign. The surrender of the French having
completed the deliverance of Egypt, the army returned in part to
England, whence, in 1807, the Twenty-fifth was sent out to the West
Indies, where, in 1809, it shared in the capture of the French island of
Martinique.
“In the year 1813, while Lieut.-Colonel Light commanded the first
battalion, Twenty-fifth Foot, in the island of Guadaloupe, happening to
dine with the Governor, he was riding home to the barracks, distant
about one mile from the Governor’s house, in a violent thunderstorm with
heavy rain. A vivid flash of lightning coming very close to his horse,
the animal took fright, and suddenly sprang over a precipice of
fifty-four feet deep, which lay about five yards from the road on the
right, into a river swelled considerably by the rain. The horse was
killed by the fall, but Lieut.-Colonel Light swam on shore, with very
little injury, and walked home to his barracks, a quarter of a mile
distant from the place.
“Lord George Henry Lennox, son to Charles, second Duke of Richmond, and
father of Charles, fourth Duke of Richmond, was colonel of the
Twenty-fifth Regiment from 22d December, 1762, to 22d March, 1805 (the
day of his death), a space of forty-two years and three months. His
lordship was particularly attached to the regiment; so much so, that,
notwithstanding his great interest—being a personal friend of the King
(George III.)—his lordship was understood to have declined being removed
to any other corps, although it was at the time alleged and believed
that he had frequently the offer of a cavalry regiment. Lord George
Henry Lennox was truly a father to the corps—never sparing any expense
in its equipments, and never failing to use all his interest in
promoting the officers to every vacancy which occurred in the corps; and
his lordship has been known, in anticipation of a failure in this
respect with the Commander-in-chief, to have solicited and succeeded
with His Majesty in preventing promotion in passing out of the
regiment”—and in the word “Minden” being allowed to be borne on its
colours and appointments.
Having been engaged in nearly all the actions which, one by one, reduced
the French West Indian Islands and placed them under British rule, the
regiment returned to England in 1816, whilst the second battalion was
about the same time disbanded or merged in the first battalion. After
doing duty in various garrisons in Ireland for nearly ten years, the
regiment, in 1825, once more was sent out to the West Indies.
Since its return to Great Britain it has remained on home service,
excepting now, when, again increased to two battalions, the first is
stationed at Gibraltar, whilst the second, garrisoning Edinburgh Castle,
revels in the pleasing associations of “auld langsyne.”
[Illustration: QUEEN’S COLOURS OF TWENTY-FIFTH, OR KING’S OWN
BORDERERS.]
[Illustration: REGIMENTAL COLOURS OF TWENTY-FIFTH, OR KING’S OWN
BORDERERS.]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE TWENTY-SIXTH FOOT;
OR,
CAMERONIANS.
----------