The column to which the 72nd belonged to_The Scottish Highlands, Highland Clans and Highland Regiments, Volume 2 (of 2)

rear of a wall which separated the Rajah’s quarters from that part

of the city held by the rebels, close to the Hunnyman Bastion.

The design was to blow open a gap in the wall sufficiently large

to admit of the 72nd making a rush through it upon the enemy; the

engineers, however, found the wall too solid to admit of a successful

result, and at eleven o’clock A.M., the regiment was ordered to

the Kittenpole Gate, which had been strongly built up. This was

instantly blown out by the engineers, and the column, headed by the

72nd under Major Thellusson, rushed through, and turned immediately

to the right, under cover of a party placed on the walls of the

fortifications of the Rajah’s quarters. But little resistance was

offered, and the advance of the column was rapid, the principal

object of attack being a bastion called the Zooraivoor, on the outer

walls of the city. On the approach of the column, a few shots were

fired by matchlock-men, but Enfield rifles cleared the way; and on

the 72nd reaching the bastion, most of the enemy had fled, while

some, throwing themselves from the ramparts, were dashed to pieces

at the bottom. The column then proceeded along the top of the outer

wall of the city as far as the Soorjpole Gate, one of the principal

entrances, through which a considerable body of the enemy was making

a precipitate retreat; the gateway was at once taken possession

of, and the column rushed into the city itself. No sooner, however,

had the regiment left the walls than the matchlock-men opened fire

from a strongly-built stone house, facing the gateway, an entrance

into which was attempted by Lieutenant Cameron of the 72nd with a

small party of men. This officer in a very gallant manner dashed up

a narrow passage and stair-case leading into the upper part of the

building, when he was met by a determined band of rebels, headed

by “THE LALLA,” the commander-in-chief of the rebels. Lieutenant

Cameron was cut down and severely wounded, while one man of the Royal

Engineers, and one of the 83rd, who happened to be with the party,

were killed, and one of the 72nd was wounded. Lieutenant-Colonel

Parke deemed it expedient not to risk more lives in the narrow, dark,

and intricate passages of the building; and accordingly he ordered

the company of Royal Engineers to lay powder-bags and effect an

opening by that means; this was immediately done, and some of these

determined fanatics were destroyed by the explosion, the remainder

being slain by the troops. A few other instances of desperate

resistance occurred, but anything like united, determined opposition

was nowhere encountered.

The other two columns had been equally successful, and by the evening

of the 30th of March 1858 the city of Kotah, one of the strongest

positions in India, was in possession of the British. Upwards of 70

guns of various calibres, some very heavy, besides a vast amount

of powder and war material, fell into the hands of the captors.

The escape of the rebels was unfortunately not intercepted by the

cavalry. On the 31st, the detachment of the 72nd was relieved by a

party of the regiment which had remained in camp.

The casualties of the 72nd on the 30th were few, considering the

importance of the victory. One officer, Lieutenant Cameron, was

wounded, and one private killed and eight wounded. The victory was

gained by a clever flank movement, which turned the enemy’s position

and rendered their defences useless. This point in tactics, the

rebels never sufficiently attended to, and consequently repeatedly

lost battles by allowing their flanks to be turned.

On the 18th of April the 72nd left Kotah, and on the 2nd of May the

regiment reached Neemuch, having on the march from Kotah passed

through the Mokundurra Pass, a long narrow valley between two ranges

of hills, easily rendered formidable by a small number of men, and

unfortunately known in Indian history for Colonel Monson’s disastrous

retreat thence. At Neemuch, new barracks were nearly completed for

the men, but no accommodation of any kind for officers. Nothing but a

mass of ruins remained of this once extensive cantonment, which had

been completely destroyed by the mutineers of the Bengal Army, who

had been quartered here.

The force at Neemuch now consisted of a wing of the 2nd Bombay

Cavalry, six guns of Bombay field artillery, one company of Royal

Engineers, one company of Royal Artillery without guns, the 72nd

Highlanders, one company of Her Majesty’s 95th regiment, and one wing

of the Bombay Native Infantry. The remainder of the division was at

Nusseerabad, with the exception of a column under Colonel Smith of

the 3rd Dragoon Guards, consisting of a wing of the 8th Hussars, a

wing of the 1st Bombay Lancers, one troop Bombay Horse Artillery

(Lieutenant-Colonel Blake’s), Her Majesty’s 95th Regiment, and a

Native Infantry Regiment, which had been detached to Goonah, to keep

open the communications between Jhansee and Indore in the rear of Sir

Hugh Rose’s division.

The 72nd was now once more in quarters. The conduct, discipline,

and health of the men from the time of their landing in India was

quite unexceptionable, the regiment remaining perfectly efficient

in every sense, though considerably under the proper number of its

establishment. The recruiting, however, at the dépôt quarters at

Aberdeen proved most satisfactory.

The regiment continued under the command of Major Thellusson,

Lieutenant-Colonel Parke having been appointed to command the station

at Neemuch.

On the 6th of June, four companies of the regiment were suddenly

ordered to Nusseerabad under Major Rocke, in consequence of the

mutiny of the main body of the army belonging to Sindhiah of

Gwalior. On the 20th of June this detachment of the regiment reached

Nusseerabad, and immediately took the field with a strong column

under the command of Major-General Roberts. This force consisted

of one troop Bombay Horse Artillery, a wing of Her Majesty’s 8th

Hussars, a wing of the 1st Bombay Cavalry, and some Belooch Horse,

a detachment of Her Majesty’s 72nd Highlanders, Her Majesty’s 83rd

regiment, a regiment of native infantry, four 9-pounder guns Bombay

Artillery, and a small siege train.

Major-General Roberts proceeded with the column in the direction

of Jeypoor to cover and protect that city, which was threatened by

a large army of rebels under the Rao Sahib and Tantéa Topee. These

two noted leaders, after the capture of Gwalior in June by Sir Hugh

Rose, crossed the river Chumbul at the northern extremity of Kerowlee

District, at the head of ten or twelve thousand men, and entered

the Jeypoor territory. On the advance, however, of Major-General

Roberts, the enemy turned south, marched on the city of Tonk,

pillaged the suburbs, capturing four field-pieces, and in good order,

on the approach of the British troops, made a rapid retreat in a

south-easterly direction to Bhoondee.

Major-General Roberts now detached a small force, composed of

horse-artillery, cavalry, and the four companies of 72nd Highlanders,

besides some native infantry, to take up the pursuit; but owing to

excessive rains, this service was one of great difficulty, and the

men were exposed to unusual hardships and privations. Such was the

state of the weather that, for several days consecutively, not even

the rebels could move.

On the 14th of August, Major-General Roberts, after a rapid

succession of forced marches, came up with the enemy near the village

of Kattara on the Bunas river, a few miles north of the city of

Oodeypoor, where the rebels had taken up a good position. On the

advance of the hussars and horse artillery, they abandoned their guns

and fled; their loss, it was calculated, having exceeded 1000 men

killed.

Simultaneously with these operations, a column, including 330 rank

and file of the regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Parke, recently

appointed Brigadier of the 1st Class, moved out from Neemuch to

co-operate with Major-General Roberts in the direction of Odeypoor,

the head-quarters. On the 18th of this month, the column under

Brigadier Parke received orders to pursue the scattered and fugitive

rebel forces, and was reinforced by the head-quarters and a wing

of the 13th Regiment Native Infantry, a wing of H.M. 8th Hussars,

250 Belooch horse, and a detachment of Goojerat irregular cavalry.

Notwithstanding the utmost efforts on the part of the pursuing

column, the enemy completely outstripped it by the extraordinary

rapidity of their flight. They took a direct easterly course between

the rivers Bunas and Bairas, retreating into the mountains and

rocky fastnesses to the north of Chittoor, proceeding as far as the

Chumbul river, which they crossed on the 23rd of August, without

being intercepted by the pursuing column. This, probably, would not

have happened had not the information supplied by the political

authorities been incorrect. On the evening of the 23rd, Brigadier

Parke reached the Chumbul; but he was unable to cross on account

of the rapid swelling of the stream and the completely worn-out

condition of the cavalry that had been detached from Major-General

Roberts’s column for the pursuit. The force accordingly returned,

reaching Neemuch on the 28th, the infantry having marched upwards of

220 miles between the 11th and 23rd of August.

On the 5th of September, the Neemuch or 2nd Brigade of the

Rajpootanah Field Force was again ordered to take the field, under

the command of Brigadier Parke. This force consisted of 200 men of

the 2nd Bombay Light Cavalry; one troop 8th Hussars; one company 11th

Royal Engineers; 500 of the 72nd Highlanders, under Major Thellusson;

four 9-pounder guns, Bombay Artillery; two mountain-train mortars;

two siege-train mortars; and 450 of the 15th Regiment Bombay Native

Infantry.

The object of this expedition was to attack the rebels, who were

reported as being in position at Jhalra Patoon, having obtained

possession of the Fort, containing upwards of 40 pieces of artillery,

and a great amount of treasure. Here they had been joined by the

Rajah’s troops, who opened the gates of the city as well as those

of the Fort, which is distant about 3 miles; the Rajah fled for

protection to the nearest British force at Soosneer.

The rebels, now considerably augmented in numbers and completely

re-equipped, hearing of the advance of the force from Neemuch, left

Jhalra Patoon and moved south towards Soosneer, as if intending

to attack a small body of British troops, detached from Mhow and

encamped at Soosneer under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel

Lockhart, of the 92nd Highlanders. The 2nd Brigade Rajpootanah Field

Force accordingly marched to Sakoondai Ford, crossed the Chumbul

river, and went direct to Soosneer. The rebels, however, did not

attack Lieutenant-Colonel Lockhart, who was joined shortly afterwards

by Major-General Michel, commanding the Malwah Division, together

with reinforcements.

On the morning of the 15th of September, the 2nd Brigade Rajpootanah

Field Force left Soosneer, heavy artillery firing having been heard

to the eastward. The brigade accordingly marched in that direction

to Mulkeera on the Sind river, a branch of the Kalli-Sind. It was

ascertained that Major-General Michel had overtaken the rebels near

Rajgurh, attacked, defeated, and captured all their guns, in number

twenty-seven. The rebel forces, computed at 10,000 to 12,000 men,

fled in hot haste and re-assembled at Sironj, a small state and large

Mohammedan city in Rajpootanah.

Major-General Michel now directed the 2nd Brigade Rajpootanah

Field Force to take up a position at Sarungpoor on the Bombay

and Agra grand trunk road, the object being to cover Indore, the

head-quarters of the Maharajah Holkar, and containing a numerous and

most disaffected population. It was therefore a matter of paramount

importance to frustrate any endeavour on the part of the rebels even

to appear in that immediate neighbourhood. The Major-General, after

the action at Rajgurh, likewise took a south-easterly course in

order to attack the rebels, covering at the same time the state and

city of Bhopal.

A few days afterwards, the brigade was transferred, as a temporary

arrangement, to the Malwah Division, and placed under the orders

of Major-General Michel. At end of September, when it marched to

Beawr on the grand trunk road. The 72nd, as part of the brigade, was

now employed in keeping open the communications with the rear and

covering the advance of the column under the Major-General through

Sironj to the eastward towards the river Betwah.

The enemy having been again attacked by the Major-General, on the

9th of October, near a place called Mungowlee, sought refuge in the

Chundairee jungles, and the 2nd Brigade Rajpootanah Field Force

received orders to march by Sironj to these jungles. The rebels,

however, crossed the Betwah and took a more easterly course, thus

causing change in the intended movements of the brigade, which, after

a few days’ halt at Sironj, was ordered to Bhorasso on the Betwah

river.

On the 25th of October information was received that the rebels had

been again attacked by the Major-General and driven south, as if

intending to make a descent on the city of Bhopal.

The 2nd brigade Rajpootanah Field Force accordingly left Bhorasso

on the night of the 25th of October, marched direct on Bhopal, and

bivouacked near that city on the evening of the 28th, thus having

accomplished a distance of about 110 miles in 74 hours. The important

and wealthy city of Bhopal was thus saved from falling into the

hands of the Rao Sahib and Tantéa Topee; for there was no doubt

whatever that the Begum’s troops would have joined the rebels. For

this service, the thanks of the Governor in Council (Bombay) and of

Sir Henry Somerset, the Commander-in-Chief of the Presidency, were

received.

Soon after the arrival of the brigade in Bhopal, the rebel forces

crossed the river Nerbudda about 40 miles to the eastward of

Hoosungabad, and proceeded due south through the Poochpoonah range

of mountains to the banks of the Taptee river. Major-General Michel,

C.B., with a column composed of cavalry and horse artillery,

followed rapidly to Hoosungabad, and ordered the 2nd brigade

Rajpootanah Field Force to do likewise. On the 9th of November the

brigade reached Hoosungabad, crossed the Nerbudda on the 11th, and

remained on the south side till the 14th. One wing of the regiment,

under Major Norman, was now ordered to remain with a portion of the

brigade at Hoosungabad, whence the headquarters of the regiment and

the brigade marched _en route_ to Charwah in a south-west direction.

At Charwah another change was made in the disposing of this regiment.

Brigadier Parke was ordered by the major-general to assume command

of a column composed of light and irregular cavalry, with 100 men

of the 72nd Highlanders mounted on riding camels, to pursue with

the utmost speed the rebels, who had entirely changed their course,

having turned north-west, making for the fords of the Nerbudda in the

vicinity of Chicoolda. This last-named detachment of the regiment was

composed of the light and No. 4 companies, under Lieutenant Vesey.

The headquarters of the regiment and the wing under Major Thellusson

were shortly afterwards ordered up to Mhow, which they reached on the

5th of December 1858, and on the 8th they were ordered to Indore,

where they remained until the 5th of January 1859, on which day they

returned to Mhow, and went into quarters. The detachment which had

remained under Major Norman in November at Hoosungabad recrossed

the Nerbudda, and was ordered north through Sehoor to Chapeira, and

thence south again to Angoor.

The detachment under Lieutenant Vesey continued with the pursuing

column under Brigadier Parke. The operations of this small force

commenced on the 23rd of November 1858, and on the 1st of December,

after having marched 250 miles in nine days, including the passage of

the Nerbudda near Chicoolda, it came up with the enemy at daylight,

and attacked him near the town and palace of Chhota Oodepoor, on the

road to Baroda, the capital of Goojerat. The rebel forces were under

the Rao Sahib and Tantéa Topee. These were completely dispersed,

and suffered considerable loss; but it was impossible to obtain

satisfactory accounts of the results, or to strike a heavy blow on

these rebel hordes, who scattered themselves in all directions. In

the course of ten days, however, the rebels again collected their

forces, and marched through dense jungles due north by Banswarra to

Sulumboor, a large and important city, strongly fortified, belonging

to an independent but disaffected Rajah, who secretly gave all the

aid in his power to the rebels, furnishing supplies in a country both

barren and very thinly inhabited--the only inhabitants of these vast

forest and mountainous districts being the aboriginal Bheels.

The rebels, however, being closely pressed by the pursuing column

under Brigadier Parke, entered the open country again near

Pertabgurh. Here they were met by a small force from Neemuch, under

Major Rocke, 72nd Highlanders. This force consisted of 150 men of

the 72nd, a small detachment of H.M.’s 95th Regiment, a few native

infantry and cavalry, and two 9-pounder guns Royal Artillery. The

rebels advanced late in the evening, but he was well and steadily

received by Major Rocke’s small detachment. For a considerable time

a heavy fire was kept up; but the object of the rebels being to

gain the open country, and rid themselves as rapidly as possible of

the presence of the numerous small columns of British troops which

had been stationed to watch the Banswarra and Sulumboor jungles,

they availed themselves of the night, and effected their escape to

the eastwards to Soosneer, crossing the Chumbul and the Kolli-Sind

rivers. From the want of cavalry, Major Rocke’s column could not take

up the pursuit, and therefore shortly afterwards returned to Neemuch.

The detachment under Lieutenant Vesey, with the column of pursuit,

now followed the course taken by the enemy, keeping to the westward,

but nearly parallel to it, there being several other fresh columns

in closer pursuit. Towards the middle of January, Brigadier Parke’s

column passed through the Mokundurrah Pass, and thence to the

Gamootch Ford, near Kotah, to Jeypoor, by Bhoondee, the rebels with

extraordinary rapidity having crossed the Chumbul near Indoorgurh,

and again entered the Jeypoor territory. They were attacked by

a column from Agra, under Brigadier Showers, and driven westward

towards the borders of the Jeysoolmeer sandy districts bordering upon

the deserts that extend to the Indus. Major-General Michel, with

a strong column, entered Rajpootanah, and took a position on the

highroad between Nusseerabad and Neemuch, ordering Colonel Somerset

to watch the mountain passes south of Nusseerabad in the range of

mountains separating Marwar and Jeypoor. Two other columns were also

out from Nusseerabad, all trying to intercept the rebel forces.

Brigadier Parke held the country between Samboor Lake and Jeypoor

to the north, and extending south to Kishengurh, near Ajmeer. After

several skirmishes with the British forces, the rebels marched due

south, and, in the middle of February, crossed the Aravulli range of

mountains at or near the Chutsebooj Pass, within a few “coss”[434]

of Colonel Somerset, who, with a fine brigade of fresh cavalry and

mounted infantry, took up the pursuit, but was unable to overtake his

flying foe. The rebels had now recourse to stratagem, and feeling at

last much distressed, they pretended to sue for truces. About 200

of the Ferozeshah’s followers surrendered. The British columns were

halted, and the rebel leaders availed themselves of the opportunity,

to return eastward with their now (as rumour had it) disheartened

followers greatly reduced in numbers, and sought refuge in the Sironj

and Shahabad jungles.

In March 1859 the pursuing column under Brigadier Parke was ordered

to Jhalra Patoon, there to halt and watch the country lying to the

south as far as Booragoon, and north to the Kotah district.

In the beginning of April the rebel leader Tantéa Topee, who had

separated from the main body of the rebels, was captured by means

of treachery on the part of a surrendered rebel chief, Maun Singh,

and executed at Sippree. The two remaining rebel leaders now were

Rao Sahib and Ferozeshah, Prince of Delhi, son of the late king; the

latter having managed to escape from Oude with about 2000 followers,

joined the Rao Sahib in January 1859, before crossing the Chumbul

into the Kerowlee and Jeypoor territories.

The rebel forces were now so much scattered, and such numbers had

been slain, that it was deemed advisable to order as many European

troops as possible into quarters. The detachment under Lieutenant

Vesey accordingly left Jhalra Patoon, and regained headquarters at

Mhow on the 21st of April. Brigadier Parke, with Captain Rice, of

the 72nd (his orderly officer), and some irregular cavalry, remained

in the field until 16th June 1859, on which day they returned into

head-quarters at Mhow, and the regiment was again in cantonments.

To enter into the details of the extraordinary pursuit and campaign

of the division under Major-General Michel, C.B., in Central India

and Rajpootanah, would be out of place. Suffice it to say that the

regiment under the command of Major Thellusson, from July 1858

to May 1859, was constantly in the field, engaged in perhaps the

most arduous and trying service which has ever fallen to the lot

of British soldiers in India. Disastrous marches, unsuccessful

campaigns, attended by all the miseries of war, have occurred

undoubtedly in India; but, for a constant unceasing series of

forced marches, frequently without excitement, the campaign

under Major-General Michel stands unsurpassed. The results were

most satisfactory. The pacification and restoration of order and

confidence in Central India were the completion of Sir Hugh Rose’s

brilliant campaign in 1858.

The thanks of both houses of Parliament were offered to Major-General

Sir John Michel, K.C.B., and the troops under his command, being

included in the general thanks to the whole army under Lord Clyde.

The conduct, discipline, and health of the regiment during all the

operations in 1858-9 were excellent. The detachment of the regiment

under Lieutenant Vesey, on its arrival at headquarters at Mhow, had

been under canvas in the field since January 1858, with the exception

of five weeks at Neemuch, and had marched over 3000 miles. The

headquarters of the regiment were in Neemuch during May, June, and

July 1858; with the exception of this period, they likewise were in

the field from January 1858 to January 1859.

In consequence of the services of the regiment, above enumerated, it

became entitled to a medal, granted for the suppression of the Indian

Mutiny of 1857-8.

Brigadier Parke returned from field service on the 16th of June,

and took over the command of the regiment from Lieutenant-Colonel

Thellusson.

[Illustration: Major-General William Parke, C.B.

From a Photograph by Mayall.]

The following promotions and appointments were made in the regiment

in 1858-9. Lieutenant-Colonel Parke was nominated a Companion of

the Bath on March 22, 1859, and was appointed aide-de-camp to the

Queen, with the rank of colonel in the army, on April 26, of the

same year. Major Thellusson was promoted to the brevet rank of

lieutenant-colonel in the army on July 20, 1858. Captain Norman was

promoted to the rank of Brevet-Major on July 20, 1858. Sergeant-major

James Thomson was promoted to the rank of ensign on October 15, and

appointed adjutant to the regiment on December 31, 1858.

The Victoria Cross was conferred on Lieutenant A. S. Cameron of the

72nd, on November 11, 1859, for conspicuous bravery at Kotah on March

30, 1858.

The field force under Major Rocke returned to Mhow on January 5,

1860, having marched through India to the confines of the Bengal

Presidency, a distance of 400 miles, and ensured the peace of the

territories of Sindiah, Holkar, and other minor chiefs, and prevented

the outbreak which had been expected to take place during the late

cold season.

Brigadier Horner, C.B., concluded the half-yearly inspection of the

regiment on May 3, and found the state of discipline so admirable,

that he was pleased to remit the unexpired term of imprisonment of

men under sentence of court-martial.

In December 1863, His Excellency Sir William Mansfield, K.C.B.,

Commander-in-Chief, Bombay Presidency, inspected the regiment, and

addressed it in nearly the following words:--“SEVENTY-SECOND, I have

long wished to see you. Before I came to this Presidency, I had often

heard from one who was a great friend of yours, as well as of my

own, Sir Colin Campbell, now Lord Clyde, that of all the regiments

he had known in the course of his long service, he had not met with

one in which discipline and steadiness in the field, as well as the

most minute matters of interior economy, all the qualities, in fact,

which contribute to make a good regiment, were united in so eminent

a degree as in the 72nd Highlanders, when serving in his division in

the Crimea, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Parke. I have

never met Colonel Parke, but I have heard of the reputation he made

at your head. It will afford me very great satisfaction to report

to His Royal Highness Commanding-in-Chief, and to write as I shall

do to Lord Clyde, that from the reports of all the general officers

you have served under in India, and now, from my own personal

observation, the 72nd Highlanders have in no way deteriorated

during their service in India, but are now under my old friend and

brother officer, Colonel Payn, in every respect, on the plains of

Hindoostan, the same regiment that, when serving under Sir Colin

Campbell on the shores of the Crimea, was considered by him a pattern

to the British army.” After the inspection, his Excellency requested

Lieutenant-Colonel Payn, C.B., to express to Lieutenant and Adjutant

J. Thomson, and Quarter-master D. Munro, his sense of the zeal and

ability which they had displayed in assisting their commanding

officer to carry out the institutions that were now in full working

order in the regiment.

By a General Order, dated 3d September 1863, the Queen, in

commemoration of the services of the 72nd Highlanders in Her

Majesty’s Indian dominions, was graciously pleased to command that

the words “Central India” be worn on the colours, &c., of the

regiment.

In October 1864 the regiment was inspected by Major-General Edward

Green, C.B., when he forwarded a letter to Colonel Payn, from which

we give the following extract:--

“The regiment under your command being about to leave this division,

I desire to express to you my entire satisfaction with the manner in

which duty has been performed by the officers and soldiers during

eighteen months that I have been associated with them as commander of

the division. The perfect steadiness under arms, the neat and clean

appearance of the soldiers at all times, the small amount of any

serious crimes, the order in which everything is conducted as regards

the interior economy, makes the 72nd Highlanders quite a pattern

corps, and a source of pride to a general officer to have such a

regiment under his command....

“As senior regimental officer in this brigade, you have assisted and

supported me with a readiness and goodwill most advantageous to the

public service, and as, in all probability, I may never again have

any official communication with the 72nd Regiment, I have to beg that

you will accept my hearty acknowledgements. Read this letter at the

head of the regiment at a convenient opportunity, and permit it to be

placed among the records of the Duke of Albany’s Own Highlanders.”

The regiment being under orders to leave Central India, three

companies marched from Mhow on the 26th of October for Sattarah,

and two companies for Asseergurh. On the 11th of February 1865, the

headquarters and five companies left Mhow for Poonah. The regiment

had been stationed there since January 1859.

On the 1st of March the regiment was distributed as under:--

Headquarters, with two companies, Nos. 4 and 6, Poonah--Colonel

Payn, C.B. Detachment of three companies, Nos. 5, 7, and 10,

Sattarah--Lieutenant-Colonel Rocke. Detachment of three companies,

Nos. 1, 3, and 9, Khandallah--Major Rice. Detachment of two

companies, Nos. 2 and 8, Asseergurh--Captain Ffrench. Nothing

requiring record occurred until the 15th of July, when the regiment

was placed under orders to proceed to Great Britain.

The order to volunteer into other regiments serving in India (usually

given to corps on departure from that country) was issued on the 6th

of September. The volunteering commenced on the 14th, and continued

till the 17th, during which time 272 men left the 72nd Highlanders to

join various other regiments.

On the 13th of October, a detachment, consisting of 1 captain,

5 subalterns, 1 assistant surgeon, 5 sergeants, 6 corporals, 2

drummers, and 72 rank and file, went by railroad to Bombay, and

embarked on the same day on board the freight ship “Talbot.” After

a prosperous though somewhat lengthened voyage of 108 days, this

detachment landed at Portsmouth on the 31st of January 1866, and

proceeded to Greenlaw, near Edinburgh, where it awaited the arrival

of the headquarters of the regiment.

On the 6th of November Brigadier-General J. C. Heath, inspected the

headquarters at Poonah, and expressed his satisfaction at the steady

and soldier-like manner in which it moved upon parade, commending the

good behaviour of the men, and the “particularly advanced system of

interior economy existing in the regiment.”

The detachments from Sattarah and Asseergurh, having joined

headquarters, the regiment left Poonah, under command of Major Hunter

(Major Crombie being at Bombay on duty, and the other field-officers

on leave), and proceeded by rail to Bombay, embarking on the 16th on

board the freight ship, the “Tweed.”

On afternoon of the 18th of November, the “Tweed” weighed anchor, and

on the evening of February 10, having passed the Needles, she reached

Spithead, and there, at her anchorage, rode through a terrible

hurricane which lasted twenty-four hours, during which many vessels

near her were lost, dismasted, or wrecked. Proceeding to Gravesend,

the regiment disembarked there on February 15th, and proceeded by

rail to Edinburgh Castle on the 21st, and released the 71st Highland

Light Infantry. The strength of the regiment on arriving in Great

Britain, including the depot companies at Stirling, was:--

Field Officers, 3

Captains, 12

Lieutenants, 14

Ensigns, 10

Staff, 5

Total Officers, -- 44

Sergeants, 42

Drummers and Pipers, 21

Corporals, 36

Privates, 578

Total Non-Commissioned Officers

and Privates, --- 677

---

Grand Total, 721

The depot, under command of Captain Beresford, joined the

headquarters shortly after their arrival at Edinburgh.

During the stay of the 72nd in Edinburgh no event of importance

occurred, and the conduct of the men was highly satisfactory. At

the various half-yearly inspections, Major-General F. W. Hamilton,

commanding in North Britain, expressed himself as thoroughly

satisfied with the discipline and appearance of the regiment, as well

as with its interior economy, which, as will have been noticed, also

elicited the commendation of the officers who inspected the regiment

in India.

On May 9th, the regiment embarked on board H.M.S. “Tamar” at Granton,

and landing on the 13th went by rail to Aldershott, where it was

placed in camp under canvas.

On October 7th, Major-General Renny, commanding the 1st Brigade

of Infantry at Aldershott, inspected the regiment under Major

Cecil Rice, and subsequently thus expressed himself to the latter

officer:--“I could see at a glance the regiment was beautifully

turned out, and, indeed, everything is as good as it is possible

to be. Such a regiment is seldom seen, and I will send the most

favourable report I am able to make to the Horse Guards.”

Of the 72nd, as of other regiments during time of peace, and

especially when stationed at home, there is but little that is

eventful to record. The regiment was kept moving at intervals from

one place to another, and wherever it was stationed, and whatever

duties it was called upon to perform, it invariably received the

commendation of the military officials who were appointed to inspect

it, as well as the hearty good-will of the citizens among whom it was

stationed. We shall conclude our account of the brave 72nd, which, as

will have been seen, has all along done much to ward off the blows of

Britain’s enemies, and enable her to maintain her high position among

the nations of the world, by noticing briefly its movements up to the

present time.

On October 24th, the regiment, now commanded by Major Hunter, left

Aldershott by rail for Manchester, taking with it every one belonging

to the regiment on its effective strength. The regiment remained at

Manchester till February 1st, 1868, when it proceeded, under the

command of Major Cecil Rice, to Ireland, arriving at Kingston on the

5th, and marching to Richmond barracks, Dublin.

A detachment under command of Captain F. G. Sherlock, consisting of 1

captain, 2 subalterns, and 2 companies, proceeded on the 25th by rail

to Sligo, in aid of the civil power, returning to Dublin on March

6th. Major C. Rice commended the good behaviour of the detachment

while on duty at Sligo. “It is by such conduct,” he said, “that the

credit and good name of a regiment are upheld.”

Colonel W. Payn, C.B., rejoined from leave of absence on the 12th of

March, and resumed command of the regiment.

In April, their Royal Highnesses the Prince and the Princess of

Wales visited Dublin; and on the 18th, the installation of His

Royal Highness as a Knight of the Order of St Patrick took place

at a special chapter of the order, held in St Patrick’s Cathedral,

His Excellency the Duke of Abercorn, Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland,

presiding as Grand-Master. The regiment, under Colonel Payn, C.B.,

was on that day on duty in York Street.

On the 20th of April the whole of the troops in Dublin were paraded

in the Phœnix Park, in review order, in presence of H.R.H. the Prince

of Wales, the Princess of Wales, and H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge,

Field-Marshal, commanding-in-chief.

On September 16th the 72nd was ordered to Limerick, where it remained

till the end of October 1869. On the 21st the headquarters and three

companies, under the command of Major Beresford, proceeded by rail

to Buttevant in county Cork. On the 22nd, five companies proceeded

by rail to the Cove of Cork, viz., three companies under command

of Captain Sherlock to Cambden Fort, and two companies under the

command of Captain Tanner to Carlisle Fort. On the 25th, “F” (Captain

Guinness’s) company proceeded from Clare Castle to Tipperary to join

“A” (Captain Fordyce’s) company at the latter place.

On June 27th, 1870, orders were received for the embarkation of the

regiment for India on or about February 19th, 1871. In the months

of June and July 276 volunteers were received from various corps on

the home establishment, and 191 recruits joined in June, July, and

August. On October 4th, orders were received for the regiment to

proceed to Cork.

On the transfer of General Sir John Aitchison, G.C.B., to the

Colonelcy of the Scots Fusilier Guards, General Charles G. J.

Arbuthnot, from the 91st Foot, was appointed colonel of the regiment,

under date August 27, 1870. On the decease of General C. G. J.

Arbuthnot in 1870, Lieutenant-General Charles Gascoyne was appointed

colonel of the regiment, under date October 22, 1870.

On January 16th, 1871, the depot of the regiment was formed at

Cork, and on the 21st the headquarters and the various companies,

with the whole of the women, and children, and heavy baggage of the

regiment, under the command of Captain Payn, sailed from Queenstown

on board H.M. troop-ship “Crocodile” for India, where the 72nd had

so recently won high and well-deserved honours. The regiment arrived

at Alexandria on March 7th, and proceeded overland, to Suez, from

which, on the 9th, it sailed in the “Jumna” for Bombay. The regiment

arrived at Bombay on March 24th, embarked next morning, and proceeded

in three divisions by rail to Deoleca, where it remained till the

28th. On that and the two following days the regiment proceeded in

detachments to Umballah, where it was to be stationed, and where it

arrived in the beginning of April.

On May 3rd the regiment paraded for inspection by H.E. the

Commander-in-Chief, Lord Napier of Magdala, but owing to the

lamentable death of Lieutenant and Adjutant James Thomson--who, it

will be remembered, was promoted from the rank of sergeant-major

in 1858, for distinguished service in India--who was killed by a

fall from his horse on parade, the regiment was dismissed to its

quarters. On the evening of that date the remains of the late

Lieutenant Thomson were interred in the cemetery, his Excellency the

Commander-in-Chief and staff-officers of the garrison, and all the

officers and men of the regiment off duty, attending the funeral.

The following regimental mourning order was published by Colonel

Payn, C.B., on the occasion of this melancholy occurrence:--“A good

and gallant soldier has passed from amongst us, and Colonel Payn

is assured that there is no officer, non-commissioned officer,

or soldier in the 72nd Highlanders, but feels that in the death

of Lieutenant and Adjutant Thomson the regiment has suffered an

irretrievable loss. He was endeared to every one from the highest to

the lowest for his many estimable qualities, and nobody appreciated

his worth and value more than Colonel Payn himself. He had served

thirty years as soldier and officer in the 72nd, and was the oldest

soldier in it; and the welfare of the regiment was invariably his

first thought, his chief desire. He was just and impartial in

carrying out every duty connected with the regiment. His zeal and

abilities as an officer were unequalled, and he was killed in the

actual performance of his duties on parade, in front of the regiment

that he dearly loved, and it will be long before he is forgotten by

those whose interests were his chief study.”

On December 20th and 21st, the regiment proceeded to the camp of

exercise, Delhi, under command of Major Beresford. It was attached to

the 1st Brigade 3rd Division, which was commanded by Colonel Payn,

the division being under the orders of Major-General Sir Henry Tombs,

K.C.B., V.C.

On January 17th, 1872, the regiment was suddenly recalled to

Umballah, owing to an outbreak among the Kukah Sikhs. The regiment

was highly complimented by the Commander-in-Chief, Lord Napier of

Magdála, and Major-General Sir Henry Tombs, for the discipline and

efficiency it displayed whilst serving at the camp. On February 9th,

the regiment was inspected by Major-General Fraser-Tytler, C.B., at

Umballah, when he expressed himself highly pleased with the general

efficiency of the regiment.

Having received orders to move to Peshawur, the 72nd left Umballah on

the 27th of October 1873, and marched the whole way, a distance of

476 miles, or 46 marches, although there is rail as far as Lahore.

We have much pleasure in being able to present our readers with

authentic steel portraits of three of the gallant colonels of this

famous regiment:--That of its first Colonel-Commandant, Kenneth,

Earl of Seaforth, from a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds; that of

Sir George Murray, G.C.B. and G.C.H., who was for some time also

Colonel of the 42nd Royal Highlanders, which is given on the plate of

colonels of that regiment; and that of Sir Neil Douglas, K.C.B. and

K.C.H., appointed from the 81st Regiment on the 12th of July 1847.

This portrait is from a painting by Sir John Watson Gordon, late

president of the Royal Scottish Academy.

SUCCESSION LISTS OF COLONELS, FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS, &c., OF THE

72ND HIGHLANDERS.

COLONELS.

+------------------+---------------+--------+--------------------------+

+------------------+---------------+--------+--------------------------+

| | | | 1783. |

| | | | 1794. |

| Hill, G.C.B. | | | Feb. 1817. |

| G.C.H. | | | 1836. |

| Campbell, K.C.B.| | | 1847. |

| K.C.B. | | | 29th Dec. 1851. |

| |

| LIEUTENANT-COLONELS. |

| |

| | | | 1818. |

| | | | May 1831. |

| | | | Feb. 1838. |

| | | | 1856. |

| | | | Aug. 1860. |

| | | | 1866. |

| |

| MAJORS. |

| |

| | | | 1826. |

| | | | 1825. |

| |

| PAYMASTERS. |

| |

| | | | 1848. |

| |

| ADJUTANTS. |

| |

| | | | 1847. |

| | | | 1854. |

| |

| QUARTERMASTERS. |

| |

| | | | May 1825. |

| | | | Nov. 1848. |

+------------------+---------------+--------+--------------------------+

[Illustration: KAFFRARIA: TO ILLUSTRATE THE 72nd, 74th, AND 91st

REGIMENTS.]

FOOTNOTES:

[422] From the Dutch Service.

[423] From the Austrian service.

[424] “Journal of Lieutenant Ronald Campbell, of the Grenadier

Company, 72nd Regiment,” 2 vols. folio, MS.

[425] Lieutenant Campbell’s Journal.

[426] On the 12th of August, as the grenadiers and Captain Gordon’s

company of the 72nd were on duty in the trenches, exposed to a

burning sun, and a severe cannonade from the fortress, Colonel

Campbell, field officer of the trenches, sent his orderly to

Lieutenant Campbell of the grenadiers requesting that the piper of

the grenadiers might be directed to play some _pibrachs_. This was

considered a strange request to be made at so unsuitable a time; it

was, however, immediately complied with; “but we were a good deal

surprised to perceive that the moment the piper began, the fire from

the enemy slackened, and soon after almost entirely ceased. The

French all got upon the works, and seemed more astonished at hearing

the bagpipe, than we with Colonel Campbell’s request.”--_Lieutenant

Campbell’s Journal._

[427] Stewart’s _Sketches_, ii. pp. 137-8.

[428] An account of the part taken by the Highland brigade in further

operations at the Cape will be found under the 93rd regiment.

[429] “The soldiers suffered excessively from the heat of the sun,

which was as intense as I ever felt it in India; though our fatigue

was extreme, yet, for the momentary halt we made, the grenadier

company (72nd) requested the pipers might play them their regimental

quick step, CABAR FEIDH, to which they danced a Highland reel, to

the utter astonishment of the 59th regiment, which was close in

our rear.”--_Journal of Captain Campbell, Grenadier Company, 72nd

regiment._

Properly speaking, _Cabar Feidh_ is not the regimental quickstep, but

the warning for the regiment to get ready for parade. In “marching

past” in quick time, the tune played by the band is “_Highland

Laddie_;” and in double time the pipers play _Cabar Feidh_.

[430] Captain Campbell’s Journal.

[431] _Assegai_, a dart or javelin used by the Kaffirs.

[432] TRAKTIR, a frequent name of villages and towns in the Crimea,

simply means _village_. KUTOR is a _farm_.

[433] These old colours were sent to Keith Stewart Mackenzie, Esq.,

of Brahan Castle, near Dingwall, Ross-shire.

[434] Forty-one “coss” are equal to a degree, or 69 English miles.

One coss (or kos) is thus nearly equal to one mile and seven-tenths.

It varies, however, in different parts of the country.

ABERDEENSHIRE HIGHLAND REGIMENT,

OLD EIGHTY-FIRST.

1777-1783.

This regiment was raised by the Honourable Colonel William Gordon,

brother of the Earl of Aberdeen, to whom letters of service were

granted for that purpose in December 1777. Of 980 men composing the

regiment, 650 were from the Highlands of Aberdeenshire. The clan Ross

mustered strongly under Major Ross; when embodied it was found that

there were nine men of the name of John Ross in the regiment.

The corps was marched to Stirling, whence it was removed to Ireland,

where the regiment continued three years. In the end of 1782 it was

removed to England, and in March of the following year embarked at

Portsmouth for the East Indies immediately after the preliminaries

of peace were signed, notwithstanding the terms of agreement, which

were the same as those made with the Athole Highlanders. The men,

however, seemed satisfied with their destination, and it was not

until they became acquainted with the conduct of the Athole men,

that they refused to proceed. Government yielded to their demand to

be discharged, and they were accordingly marched to Scotland, and

disbanded at Edinburgh in April 1783. Their conduct during their

existence was as exemplary as that of the other Highland regiments.

ROYAL HIGHLAND EMIGRANT REGIMENT,

OLD EIGHTY-FOURTH.

1775-1883.

Two Battalions--First Battalion--Quebec--Second Battalion--Settle

in Canada and Nova Scotia.

This battalion was to be raised from the Highland emigrants in

Canada, and the discharged men of the 42nd, of Fraser’s and

Montgomery’s Highlanders, who had settled in North America after the

peace of 1763. Lieutenant-Colonel Alan Maclean (son of Torloish), of

the late 104th Highland Regiment, was appointed lieutenant-colonel

commandant of the first battalion. Captain John Small, formerly

of the 42nd, and then of the 21st Regiment, was appointed

major-commandant of the second battalion, which was to be raised from

emigrants and discharged Highland soldiers who had settled in Nova

Scotia. Each battalion was to consist of 750 men, with officers in

proportion. The commissions were dated the 14th of June 1775.

Great difficulty was experienced in conveying the recruits who had

been raised in the back settlements to their respective destinations.

A detachment from Carolina was obliged to relinquish an attempt to

cross a bridge defended by cannon, in which Captain Macleod, its

commander, and a number of the men were killed. Those who escaped

reached their destination by different routes.

When assembled, the first battalion, consisting of 350 men, was

detached up the River St Lawrence, but hearing that the American

General Arnold intended to enter Canada with 3000 men, Colonel

Maclean returned with his battalion by forced marches, and entered

Quebec on the 13th of November 1776. The garrison of Quebec, previous

to the arrival of Colonel Maclean, consisted of only 50 men of

the Fusiliers and 700 militia and seamen. General Arnold, who had

previously crossed the river, made a spirited attempt on the night

of the 14th to get possession of the outworks of the city, but was

repulsed with loss, and forced to retire to Point au Tremble.

Having obtained a reinforcement of troops under General Montgomery,

Arnold resolved upon an assault. Accordingly, on the 31st of December

he advanced towards the city, and attacked it in two places, but

was completely repulsed at both points. In this affair General

Montgomery, who led one of the points of attack, was killed, and

Arnold wounded.

Foiled in this attempt, General Arnold took up a position on the

heights of Abraham, and by intercepting all supplies, reduced the

garrison to great straits. He next turned the blockade into a

siege, and having erected batteries, made several attempts to get

possession of the lower town; but Colonel Maclean, to whom the

defence of the place had been entrusted by General Guy Carlton, the

commander-in-chief, defeated him at every point.[435] After these

failures General Arnold raised the siege and evacuated Canada.

The battalion after this service was employed in various small

enterprises during the war, in which they were generally successful.

They remained so faithful to their trust, that notwithstanding that

every inducement was held out to them to join the revolutionary

standard, not one native Highlander deserted. Only one man was

brought to the halberts during the time the regiment was embodied.

Major Small, being extremely popular with the Highlanders, was

very successful in Nova Scotia, and his corps contained a greater

proportion of them than the first battalion. Of ten companies which

composed the second battalion, five remained in Nova Scotia and

the neighbouring settlements during the war, and the other five,

including the flank companies, joined the armies of General Clinton

and Lord Cornwallis. The grenadier company was in the battalion,

which at Eataw Springs “drove all before them,” as stated in his

despatches by Colonel Alexander Stuart of the 3d Regiment.

In the year 1778 the regiment, which had hitherto been known only

as the Royal Highland Emigrants, was numbered the 84th, and orders

were issued to augment the battalions to 1000 men each. Sir Henry

Clinton was appointed colonel in-chief. The uniform was the full

Highland garb, with purse of racoon’s skin. The officers wore the

broad sword and dirk, and the men a half-basket sword. At the peace

the officers and men received grants of land, in the proportion of

5000 acres to a field officer, 3000 to a captain, 500 to a subaltern,

200 to a sergeant, and 100 to a private soldier. The men of the first

battalion settled in Canada, and those of the second in Nova Scotia,

forming a settlement which they named Douglas. Many of the officers,

however, returned home.

FOOTNOTE:

[435] Colonel Maclean, when a subaltern in the Scotch brigade in

Holland, was particularly noticed by Count Lowendahl, for his bravery

at Bergen-op-Zoom in 1774. See the notice of Loudon’s Highlanders.

FORTY-SECOND OR ROYAL HIGHLAND REGIMENT.

SECOND BATTALION.

NOW THE SEVENTY-THIRD REGIMENT.

1780-1809.

Raising of the Regiment--First list of Officers--St Iago--India

--Ponanee--Bednoor--Anantapoor--Mangalore--Tillycherry--Bombay

--Dinapore--Cawnpore--Fort-William--Seringapatam--Pondicherry

--Ceylon--Madras--Mysore--Home--Ceases to be a Highland Regiment.

About 1780 the situation of Great Britain was extremely critical,

as she had not only to sustain a war in Europe, but also to defend

her vast possessions in North America and the East Indies. In this

emergency Government looked towards the north for aid, and although

nearly 13,000 warriors had been drawn from the country north of the

Tay, within the previous eighteen months, it determined again to draw

upon the Highland population, by adding a second battalion to the

42nd regiment.

The following officers were appointed to the battalion:--

_Colonel_--Lord John Murray, died in 1787, the oldest General

in the army.

_Lieutenant-Colonel_--Norman Macleod of Macleod, died in 1801,

a Lieutenant-General.

_Major_--Patrick Græme, son of Inchbraco, died in 1781.

_Captains._

Hay Macdowall, son of Garthland, a lieut.-gen., who was lost on his

passage from India in 1809.

James Murray, died in 1781.

John Gregor.

James Drummond, afterwards Lord Perth, died in 1800.

John Macgregor.

Colin Campbell, son of Glenure.

Thomas Dalyell, killed at Mangalore in 1783.

David Lindsay.

John Grant, son of Glenormiston, died in 1801.

_Lieutenants._

John Grant.

Alexander Macgregor of Balhaldy, died Major of the 65th regiment

in 1795.

Dugald Campbell, retired in 1787.

James Spens, retired Lieutenant-Colonel of the 72d regiment in 1798.

John Wemyss, died in 1781.

Alexander Dunbar, died in 1783.

John Oswald.[436]

Æneas Fraser, died captain, 1784.

Alexander Maitland.

Alexander Ross, retired in 1784.

_Ensigns._

Charles Sutherland.

John Murray Robertson.

Alexander Macdonald.

Robert Robertson.

John Macdonald.

William White.

Charles Maclean.

John Macpherson, killed at Mangalore.

_Chaplain._--John Stewart, died in 1781.

_Surgeon._--Thomas Farquharson.

_Adjutant._--Robert Leslie.

_Mate._--Duncan Campbell.

_Quarter-master._--Kenneth Mackenzie, killed at

Mangalore.

The name of the 42nd Regiment was a sufficient inducement to the

Highlanders to enter the service, and on the 21st of March 1780,

only about three months after the appointment of the officers, the

battalion was raised, and soon afterwards embodied at Perth.

In December the regiment embarked at Queensferry, to join an

expedition then fitting out at Portsmouth, against the Cape of

Good Hope, under the command of Major-General William Meadows and

Commodore Johnstone. The expedition sailed on the 12th of March 1781,

and falling in with the French squadron under Admiral Suffrein at St

Iago, was there attacked by the enemy, who were repulsed. Suffrein,

however, got the start of the expedition, and the commander, finding

that he had reached the Cape before them, proceeded to India, having

previously captured a valuable convoy of Dutch East Indiamen,

which had taken shelter in Saldanha Bay. As the troops had not

landed, their right to a share of the prize-money was disputed by

the commodore, but after a lapse of many years the objection was

overruled.

The expedition, with the exception of the “Myrtle” transport, which

separated from the fleet in a gale of wind off the Cape, arrived

at Bombay on the 5th of March 1782, after a twelve months’ voyage,

and on the 13th of April sailed for Madras. The regiment suffered

considerably on the passage from the scurvy, and from a fever caught

in the island of Joanna; and on reaching Calcutta, 5 officers,

including Major Patrick Græme, and 116 non-commissioned officers and

privates had died.

Some time after the arrival of the expedition, a part of the troops,

with some native corps, were detached against Palghatcheri, under

Lieutenant-Colonel Mackenzie Humberston of the 100th Regiment, in

absence of Lieutenant-Colonel Macleod, who, being on board the

Myrtle, had not yet arrived. The troops in this expedition, of which

seven companies of the Highlanders formed a part, took the field on

the 2nd of September 1782, and after taking several small forts on

their march, arrived before Palaghatcheri on the 19th of October.

Finding the place much stronger than he expected, and ascertaining

that Tippoo Sahib was advancing with a large force to its relief,

Colonel Humberston retired towards Ponanee, closely pursued by the

enemy, and blew up the forts of Mangaracotah and Ramgurh in the

retreat.

At Ponanee the command was assumed by Lieutenant-Colonel Macleod.

The effective force was reduced by sickness to 380 Europeans, and

2200 English and Travancore sepoys, and in this situation the British

commander found himself surrounded by 10,000 cavalry and 14,000

infantry, including two corps of Europeans, under the French General

Lally. Colonel Macleod attempted to improve by art the defences of

a position strong by nature, but before his works were completed,

General Lally made a spirited attack on the post on the morning of

the 29th of November, at the head of the European troops: after a

warm contest he was repulsed.

The conduct of the Highlanders, against whom Lally directed his

chief attack, is thus noticed in the general orders issued on the

occasion:--“The intrepidity with which Major Campbell and the

Highlanders repeatedly charged the enemy, was most honourable to

their character.” In this affair the 42nd had 3 sergeants and 19 rank

and file killed, and Major John Campbell, Captains Colin Campbell and

Thomas Dalyell, Lieutenant Charles Sutherland, 2 sergeants, and 31

rank and file wounded.

After this service, Colonel Macleod with his battalion embarked for

Bombay, and joined the army under Brigadier-General Matthews at

Cundapoor, on the 9th of January 1793. On the 23rd General Matthews

moved forward to attack Bednoor, from which the Sultan drew most of

his supplies for his army. General Matthews was greatly harassed

on his march by flying parties of the enemy, and in crossing the

mountains was much impeded by the nature of the country, and by a

succession of field-works erected on the face of these mountains. On

the 26th of February, the 42nd, led by Colonel Macleod, and followed

by a corps of sepoys, attacked these positions with the bayonet,

and were in the breastwork before the enemy were aware of it. Four

hundred of the enemy were bayonetted, and the rest were pursued to

the walls of the fort. Seven forts were attacked and taken in this

manner in succession. The principal redoubt, distinguished by the

appellation of Hyder Gurh, situated on the summit of the highest

ghaut or precipice, presented a more formidable appearance. It had a

dry ditch in front, mounted with twenty pieces of cannon, and might

have offered considerable resistance to the advance of the army, if

well defended; but the loss of their seven batteries had so terrified

the enemy, that they abandoned their last and strongest position in

the course of the night, leaving behind them eight thousand stand of

new arms, and a considerable quantity of powder, shot, and military

stores. The army took possession of Bednoor the following day, but

this triumph was of short duration, as the enemy soon recaptured the

place, and took General Matthews and the greater part of his army

prisoners.

Meanwhile the other companies were employed with a detachment under

Major Campbell, in an enterprise against the fort of Anantapoor,

which was attacked and carried on the 15th of February with

little loss. Major Campbell returned his thanks to the troops for

their spirited behaviour on this occasion, “and his particular

acknowledgments to Captain Dalyell, and the officers and men of the

flank companies of the 42nd regiment, who headed the storm.” As the

Highlanders on this occasion had trusted more to their fire than to

the bayonet, the major strongly recommended to them in future never

to fire a shot when the bayonet could be used.

The Highlanders remained at Anantapoor till the end of February,

when they were sent under Major Campbell to occupy Carrical and

Morebedery. They remained in these two small forts till the 12th

of April, when they were marched first to Goorspoor and thence

to Mangalore. Here the command of the troops, in consequence

of the absence of Lieutenant-Colonels Macleod and Humberston

devolved upon Major Campbell, now promoted to the brevet rank of

lieutenant-colonel. General Matthews having been suspended, Colonel

Macleod, now promoted to the rank of brigadier-general, was appointed

to succeed him.

Encouraged by the recapture of Bednoor, Tippoo detached a

considerable force towards Mangalore, but it was attacked and

defeated by Colonel Campbell, on the 6th of May. Little loss was

sustained on either side, but the enemy left all their guns. The

Highlanders had 7 privates killed, and Captain William Stewart and 16

rank and file wounded.

Tippoo, having now no force in the field to oppose him, advanced upon

Mangalore with his whole army, consisting of 90,000 men, besides

a corps of European infantry from the Isle of France, a troop of

dismounted French cavalry from the Mauritius, and Lally’s corps of

Europeans and natives. This immense force was supported by eighty

pieces of cannon. The garrison of Mangalore was in a very sickly

state, there being only 21 sergeants, 12 drummers, and 210 rank and

file of king’s troops, and 1500 natives fit for duty.

With the exception of a strong outpost about a mile from Mangalore,

the place was completely invested by the Sultan’s army about the

middle of May. The defence of the outpost was intrusted to some

sepoys, but they were obliged to abandon it on the 23rd. The siege

was now prosecuted with vigour, and many attacks were made, but

the garrison, though suffering the severest privations, repulsed

every attempt. Having succeeded at length in making large breaches

in the walls, and reducing some parts of them to a mass of ruins,

the enemy repeatedly attempted to enter the breaches and storm the

place; but they were uniformly forced to retire, sustaining a greater

loss by every successive attack. On the 20th of July a cessation

of hostilities was agreed to, but on the 23rd the enemy violated

the truce by springing a mine. Hostilities were then resumed, and

continued till the 29th, when a regular armistice was entered into.

Brigadier-General Macleod anchored in the bay on the 17th of August,

with a small convoy of provisions and a reinforcement of troops; but

on learning the terms of the armistice, the general, from a feeling

of honour, ordered the ships back to Tellicherry, to the great

disappointment of the half-famished garrison. Two reinforcements

which arrived off the coast successively on the 22nd of November,

and the last day of December, also returned to the places whence they

had come.

About this time, in consequence of the peace with France, Colonel

Cossigny, the French commander, withdrew his troops, to the great

displeasure of the Sultan, who encouraged the French soldiers to

desert and join his standard. Some of them accordingly deserted,

but Colonel Cossigny having recovered part of them, indicated his

dissatisfaction with Tippoo’s conduct, by ordering them to be shot

in presence of two persons sent by the Sultan to intercede for their

lives.

The misery of the garrison was now extreme. Nearly one-half of the

troops had been carried off, and one-half of the survivors were in

the hospital. The sepoys in particular were so exhausted that many of

them dropped down in the act of shouldering their firelocks, whilst

others became totally blind. Despairing of aid, and obliged to eat

horses, frogs, dogs, crows, cat-fish, black grain, &c., the officers

resolved, in a council of war, to surrender the place. The terms,

which were highly honourable to the garrison, were acceded to by the

Sultan, and the capitulation was signed on the 30th of January 1784,

after a siege of nearly nine months. In the defence of Mangalore, the

Highlanders had Captain Dalyell, Lieutenants Macpherson, Mackenzie,

and Mackintyre, 1 piper and 18 soldiers killed; and Captains William

Stewart, Robert John Napier, and Lieutenants Murray, Robertson, and

Welsh, 3 sergeants, 1 piper, and 47 rank and file wounded. The corps

also lost Mr Dennis the acting chaplain, who was shot in the forehead

by a matchlock ball whilst standing behind a breastwork of sand-bags,

and looking at the enemy through a small aperture.

Alluding to the siege of Mangalore, Colonel Fullarton says that the

garrison, under its estimable commander, Colonel Campbell, “made a

defence that has seldom been equalled, and never surpassed;” and

Colonel Lindsay observes, in his Military Miscellany, that “the

defence of Colberg in Pomerania, by Major Heiden and his small

garrison, and that of Mangalore in the East Indies, by Colonel

Campbell and the second battalion of the Royal Highlanders, now the

73rd regiment, are as noble examples as any in history.” The East

India Company showed a due sense of the services of the garrison,

by ordering a monument to be erected to the memory of Colonel

Campbell,[437] Captains Stewart and Dalyell, and those who fell at

the siege, and giving a handsome gratuity to the survivors.

The battalion embarked for Tellicherri on the 4th of February 1784,

where it remained till April, when it departed for Bombay. It was

afterwards stationed at Dinapoor in Bengal, when, on the 18th of

April 1786, the battalion was formed into a separate corps, with

green facings, under the denomination of the 73rd regiment, the

command of which was given to Sir George Osborne. It was at first

intended to reduce the junior officers of both battalions, instead

of putting all the officers of the second on half-pay; but on

representations being made by the officers of both battalions, the

arrangement alluded to was made to save the necessity of putting any

of the officers on half-pay.

In December 1787, the 73rd removed to Cawnpore, where it remained

till March 1790, when it was sent to Fort William in Bengal. Next

year the regiment joined the army in Malabar, under the command of

Major-General Robert Abercromby. Major Macdowall being about this

time promoted to the 57th, was succeeded by Captain James Spens.

With the view of attacking Seringapatam, Lord Cornwallis directed

General Abercromby to join him with all his disposable force,

consisting of the 73rd, 75th, and 77th British, and seven native

regiments. He accordingly began his march on the 5th of December

1791, but owing to various causes he did not join the main army till

the 16th of February following. The enemy having been repulsed before

Seringapatam on the 22nd, entered into preliminaries of peace on the

24th, when the war ended.

The 73rd was employed in the expedition against Pondicherry in 1793,

when it formed part of Colonel David Baird’s brigade. The regiment,

though much reduced by sickness, had received from time to time

several detachments of recruits from Scotland, and at this period

it was 800 strong. In the enterprise against Pondicherry, Captain

Galpine, Lieutenant Donald Macgregor, and Ensign Tod were killed.

The 73rd formed part of the force sent against Ceylon in the year

1793, under Major-General James Stuart. It remained in the island

till 1797, when it returned to Madras, and was quartered in various

parts of that presidency till 1799, when it joined the army under

General Harris.

This army encamped at Mallavelly on the 27th of March, on which day

a battle took place with the Sultan, Tippoo, whose army was totally

routed, with the loss of 1000 men, whilst that of the British was

only 69 men killed and wounded. Advancing slowly, the British army

arrived in the neighbourhood of the Mysore capital, Seringapatam, on

the 5th of April, and took up a position preparatory to a siege, the

third within the space of a few years. The enemy’s advanced troops

and rocket-men gave some annoyance to the picquets the same evening,

but they were driven back next morning by two columns under the Hon.

Colonel Arthur Wellesley and Colonel Shaw; an attempt made by the

same officers the previous evening having miscarried, in consequence

of the darkness of the night and some unexpected obstructions. The

Bombay army joined on the 30th, and took up a position in the line,

the advanced posts being within a thousand yards of the garrison. A

party of the 75th, under Colonel Hart, having dislodged the enemy on

the 17th, established themselves under cover within a thousand yards

of the fort; whilst at the same time, Major Macdonald of the 73rd,

with a detachment of his own and other regiments, took possession

of a post at the same distance from the fort on the south. On the

evening of the 20th, another detachment, under Colonels Sherbrooke,

St John, and Monypenny, drove 2000 of the enemy from an entrenched

position within eight hundred yards of the place, with the loss of

only 5 killed and wounded, whilst that of the enemy was 250 men. On

the 22nd the enemy made a vigorous though unsuccessful sortie on all

the advanced posts. They renewed the attempt several times, but were

as often repulsed with great loss. Next day the batteries opened

with such effect that all the guns opposed to them were silenced in

the course of a few hours. The siege was continued with unabated

vigour till the morning of the 4th of May, when it was resolved to

attempt an assault. Major-General Baird, who, twenty years before,

had been kept a prisoner in chains in the city he was now to storm,

was appointed to command the assailants, who were to advance in

two columns under Colonels Dunlop and Sherbrooke; the Hon. Colonel

Arthur Wellesley commanding the reserve. The whole force amounted to

4376 firelocks. Everything being in readiness, at one o’clock in the

afternoon the troops waited the signal, and on its being given they

rushed impetuously forward, and in less than two hours Seringapatam

was in possession of the British. The Sultan and a number of his

chief officers fell whilst defending the capital. In this gallant

assault, Lieutenant Lalor of the 73rd was killed, and Captain William

Macleod, Lieutenant Thomas, and Ensigns Antill and Guthrie of the

same regiment, were wounded.

Nothing now remained to complete the subjugation of Mysore but to

subdue a warlike chief who had taken up arms in support of the

Sultan. Colonel Wellesley was detached against him with the 73rd and

some other troops, when his army was dispersed, and the chief himself

killed in a charge of cavalry.

In 1805 the regiment was ordered home, but such of the men as were

inclined to remain in India were offered a bounty. The result was

that most of them volunteered, and the few that remained embarked

at Madras for England, and arrived at Gravesend in July 1806. The

remains of the regiment arrived at Perth in 1807, and in 1809 the

ranks were filled up to 800 men, and a second battalion was added.

The uniform and designation of the corps was then changed, and it

ceased to be a Highland regiment.

FOOTNOTES:

[436] This officer, the son of a goldsmith in Edinburgh, was very

eccentric in his habits. He became a furious republican, and going

to France on the breaking out of the revolution, was killed in 1793

in La Vendée, at the head of a regiment of which he had obtained the

command.

[437] Colonel Campbell died at Bombay. His father, Lord Stonefield,

a lord of session, had seven sons, and the colonel was the eldest.

After the surrender of Mangalore the Sultan showed him great

courtesy, and, after deservedly complimenting him upon his gallant

defence, presented him with an Arabian charger and sabre. Tippoo had,

however, little true generosity of disposition, and the cruelties

which he inflicted on General Matthews and his army show that he was

as cruel as his father Hyder.

74th HIGHLANDERS.

1787-1846.

Raising of Four new Regiments--Original establishment of Officers of

74th--Goes to India--Mysore--Kistnagherry--Seringapatam--Incident

at Pondicherry--Patriotic Liberality of the 74th--Seringapatam

again--Storming of Ahmednuggur--Battle of Assaye--Battle of

Argaum--Return home--Captain Cargill’s recollections--Highland

dress laid aside--The Peninsula--Busaco--Various skirmishes--Fuentes

d’Onor--Badajoz--Ciudad Rodrigo--Badajoz--Salamanca--Vitoria

--Roncesvalles--Nivelle--Nive--Orthes--Toulouse--Home--Medals

--Burning of the old colours--Nova Scotia--The Bermudas--Ireland

--Barbadoes--West Indies--North America--England--Highland garb

restored.

[Illustration:

ASSAYE (with the elephant).

SERINGAPATAM.

BUSACO.

FUENTES D’ONOR.

CIUDAD RODRIGO.

BADAJOS.

SALAMANCA.

VITORIA.

PYRENEES.

NIVELLE.

ORTHES.

TOULOUSE.

PENINSULA.]

In the year 1787 four new regiments were ordered to be raised for the

service of the state, to be numbered the 74th, 75th, 76th, and 77th.

The first two were directed to be raised in the north of Scotland,

and were to be Highland regiments. The regimental establishment

of each was to consist of ten companies of 75 men each, with the

customary number of commissioned and non-commissioned officers.

Major-General Sir Archibald Campbell, K.B., from the half-pay of

Fraser’s Highlanders, was appointed colonel of the 74th regiment.[438]

The establishment of the regiment was fixed at ten companies,

consisting of--

1 Colonel and Captain.

1 Lieutenant-Colonel and Captain.

1 Major and Captain.

7 Captains.

1 Captain-Lieutenant.

21 Lieutenants.

8 Ensigns.

1 Chaplain.

1 Adjutant.

1 Quartermaster.

1 Surgeon.

2 Surgeon’s Mates.

30 Sergeants.

40 Corporals.

20 Drummers.

2 Fifers, and

710 Privates.

A recruiting company was afterwards added, which consisted of--

1 Captain.

2 Lieutenants.

1 Ensign.

8 Sergeants.

8 Corporals.

4 Drummers.

30 Privates.

Total of Officers and Men of all ranks, 902.

The regiment was styled “The 74th Highland Regiment of Foot.” The

uniform was the full Highland garb of kilt and feathered bonnet, the

tartan being similar to that of the 42nd regiment, and the facings

white; the use of the kilt was, however, discontinued in the East

Indies, as being unsuited to the climate.

The following were the officers first appointed to the regiment:--

_Colonel_--Archibald Campbell, K.B.

_Lieutenant-Colonel_--Gordon Forbes.

_Captains._

Dugald Campbell.

Alexander Campbell.

Archibald Campbell.

William Wallace.

Robert Wood.

_Captain-Lieutenant and Captain_--Heneage Twysden.

_Lieutenants._

James Clark.

Charles Campbell.

John Campbell.

Thomas Carnie.

W. Coningsby Davies.

Dugald Lamont.

John Alexander.

Samuel Swinton.

John Campbell.

Charles Campbell.

George Henry Vansittart.

Archibald Campbell.

_Ensigns._

John Forbes.

Alexander Stewart.

James Campbell.

John Wallace.

Hugh M’Pherson.

_Chaplain_--John Ferguson.

_Adjutant_--Samuel Swinton.

_Quartermaster_--James Clark.

_Surgeon_--William Henderson.

As the state of affairs in India required that reinforcements should

be immediately despatched to that country, all the men who had been

embodied previous to January 1788 were ordered for embarkation,

without waiting for the full complement. In consequence of these

orders, 400 men, about one-half Highlanders, embarked at Grangemouth,

and sailed from Chatham for the East Indies, under the command of

Captain William Wallace. The regiment having been completed in

autumn, the recruits followed in February 1789, and arrived at

Madras in June in perfect health. They joined the first detachment at

the cantonments of Poonamallee, and thus united, the corps amounted

to 750 men. These were now trained under Lieutenant-Colonel Maxwell,

who had succeeded Lieutenant-Colonel Forbes in the command, and who

had acquired some experience in the training of soldiers as captain

in Fraser’s Highlanders.

[Illustration: Major General Sir Archibald Campbell, Bart., K.C.B.

From a painting by J. C. Wood.]

In connection with the main army under Lord Cornwallis, the Madras

army under General Meadows, of which the 74th formed a part, began a

series of movements in the spring of 1790. The defence of the passes

leading into the Carnatic from Mysore was intrusted to Colonel Kelly,

who, besides his own corps, had under him the 74th; but he dying in

September, Colonel Maxwell[439] succeeded to the command.

The 74th was put in brigade with the 71st and 72nd Highland

regiments. The regiment suffered no loss in the different movements

which took place till the storming of Bangalore, on the 21st of March

1791. The whole loss of the British, however, was only 5 men. After

the defeat of Tippoo Sahib at Seringapatam, on the 15th of May 1791,

the army, in consequence of bad weather and scarcity of provisions,

retreated upon Bangalore, reaching that place in July.

The 74th was detached from the army at Nundeedroog on the 21st of

October, with three Sepoy battalions and some field artillery, under

Lieutenant-Colonel Maxwell, into the Baramahal country, which this

column was ordered to clear of the enemy. They reached the south end

of the valley by forced marches, and took the strong fort of Penagurh

by escalade on the 31st of October, and after scouring the whole of

the Baramahal to the southward, returned towards Caverypooram, and

encamped within five miles of the strong fort of Kistnagherry, 50

miles S.E. of Bangalore, on the 7th of November. Lieutenant-Colonel

Maxwell determined on attacking the lower fort and town immediately,

and the column advanced from the camp to the attack in three

divisions at ten o’clock on that night; two of these were sent to the

right and left to attack the lower fort on the western and eastern

sides, while the centre division advanced directly towards the

front wall. The divisions approached close to the walls before they

were discovered, succeeded in escalading them, and got possession

of the gates. The enemy fled to the upper fort without making much

resistance, and the original object of the attack was thus gained.

But a most gallant attempt was made by Captain Wallace of the 74th,

who commanded the right division, to carry the almost inaccessible

upper fort also. His division rushed up in pursuit of the fugitives;

and notwithstanding the length and steepness of the ascent, his

advanced party followed the enemy so closely that they had barely

time to shut the gates. Their standard was taken on the steps of the

gateway; but as the ladders had not been brought forward in time,

it was impossible to escalade before the enemy recovered from their

panic.

During two hours, repeated trials were made to get the ladders up,

but the enemy hurling down showers of rocks and stones into the road,

broke the ladders, and crushed those who carried them. Unluckily, a

clear moonlight discovered every movement, and at length, the ladders

being all destroyed, and many officers and men disabled in carrying

them, Lieutenant-Colonel Maxwell found it necessary to order a

discontinuance of the assault.

The retreat of the men who had reached the gate, and of the rest of

the troops, was conducted with such regularity, that a party which

sallied from the fort in pursuit of them was immediately driven back.

The pettah, or lower town, was set fire to, and the troops withdrawn

to their camp before daylight on the 8th of November.

The following were the casualties in the regiment on this

occasion:--Killed, 2 officers, 1 sergeant, 5 rank and file; wounded,

3 officers, 47 non-commissioned officers and men. The officers killed

were Lieutenants Forbes and Lamont; those wounded, Captain Wallace,

Lieutenants M’Kenzie and Aytone.

The column having also reduced several small forts in the district of

Ossoor, rejoined the army on the 30th of November.

In the second attempt on Seringapatam, on the 6th of February 1792,

the 74th, with the 52nd regiment and 71st Highlanders, formed the

centre under the immediate orders of the Commander-in-Chief. Details

of these operations, and others elsewhere in India, in which the

74th took part at this time, have already been given in our accounts

of the 71st and 72nd regiments. The 74th on this occasion had 2 men

killed, and Lieutenant Farquhar, Ensign Hamilton, and 17 men wounded.

On the termination of hostilities this regiment returned to the

coast. In July 1793 the flank companies were embodied with those

of the 71st in the expedition against Pondicherry. The following

interesting episode, as related in Cannon’s account of the regiment,

occurred after the capture of Pondicherry:--

The 74th formed part of the garrison, and the French troops remained

in the place as prisoners of war. Their officers were of the old

_régime_, and were by birth and in manners gentlemen, to whom it

was incumbent to show every kindness and hospitality. It was found,

however, that both officers and men, and the French population

generally, were strongly tinctured with the revolutionary mania,

and some uneasiness was felt lest the same should be in any degree

imbibed by the British soldiers. It happened that the officers of

the 74th were in the theatre, when a French officer called for the

revolutionary air, “_Ça Ira_;” this was opposed by some of the

British, and there was every appearance of a serious disturbance,

both parties being highly excited. The 74th, being in a body, had an

opportunity to consult, and to act with effect. Having taken their

resolution, two or three of them made their way to the orchestra,

the rest taking post at the doors, and, having obtained silence, the

senior officer addressed the house in a firm but conciliatory manner.

He stated that the national tune called for by one of the company

ought not to be objected to, and that, as an act of courtesy to the

ladies and others who had seconded the request, he and his brother

officers were determined to support it with every mark of respect,

and called upon their countrymen to do the same. It was accordingly

played with the most uproarious applause on the part of the French,

the British officers standing up uncovered; but the moment it was

finished, the house was called upon by the same party again to

uncover to the British national air, “God save the King.” They now

appealed to the French, reminding them that each had their national

attachments and recollections of home; that love of country was an

honourable principle, and should be respected in each other; and

that they felt assured their respected friends would not be behind

in that courtesy which had just been shown by the British. Bravo!

Bravo! resounded from every part of the house, and from that moment

all rankling was at an end. They lived in perfect harmony till the

French embarked, and each party retained their sentiments as a thing

peculiar to their own country, but without the slightest offence on

either side, or expectation that they should assimilate, more than

if they related to the colour of their uniforms.

As a set-off to this, it is worth recording that in 1798, when

voluntary contributions for the support of the war with France

were being offered to Government from various parts of the British

dominions, the privates of the 74th, of their own accord, handsomely

and patriotically contributed eight days’ pay to assist in carrying

on the war,--“a war,” they said, “unprovoked on our part, and

justified by the noblest of motives, the preservation of our

individual constitution.” The sergeants and corporals, animated by

similar sentiments, subscribed a fortnight’s, and the officers a

month’s pay each.

[Illustration: Plan of the

BATTLE OF ASSAYE,

SEPT. 23, 1803.

A, the ford from Peepulgaon to Warroor; B, the rising ground which

protected the advance; C, four old mangoes; D, screen of prickly

pear, covering Assaye; E E E E 30,000 of the enemy’s cavalry.]

Besides reinforcements of recruits from Scotland fully sufficient to

compensate all casualties, the regiment received, on the occasion

of the 71st being ordered home to Europe, upwards of 200 men from

that regiment. By these additions the strength of the 74th was kept

up, and the regiment, as well in the previous campaign as in the

subsequent one under General Harris, was one of the most effective in

the field.

The 74th was concerned in all the operations of this campaign, and

had its full share in the storming of Seringapatam on the 4th of May

1799.

The troops for the assault, commanded by Major-General Baird, were

divided into two columns of attack.[440] The 74th, with the 73rd

regiment, 4 European flank companies, 14 Sepoy flank companies, with

50 artillerymen, formed the right column, under Colonel Sherbroke.

Each column was preceded by 1 sergeant and 12 men, volunteers,

supported by an advanced party of 1 subaltern and 25 men. Lieutenant

Hill, of the 74th, commanded the advanced party of the right column.

After the successful storm and capture of the fortress, the 74th was

the first regiment that entered the palace.

The casualties of the regiment during the siege were:--Killed, 5

officers, and 45 non-commissioned officers and men. Wounded, 4

officers, and 111 non-commissioned officers and men. Officers killed,

Lieutenants Irvine Farquhar, Hill, Shaw, Prendergast. Officers

wounded, Lieutenants Fletcher, Aytone, Maxwell, Carrington.

The regiment received the royal authority to bear the word

“Seringapatam” on its regimental colour and appointments in

commemoration of its services at this siege.

The 74th had not another opportunity of distinguishing itself

till the year 1803, when three occasions occurred. The first was

on the 8th of August, when the fortress of Ahmednuggur, then in

possession of Sindiah, the Mahratta chief, was attacked, and carried

by assault by the army detached under the Hon. Major-General Sir

Arthur Wellesley. In this affair the 74th, which formed a part of

the brigade commanded by Colonel Wallace, bore a distinguished

part, and gained the special thanks of the Major-General and the

Governor-General.

The next was the battle of Assaye, fought on the 23rd of September.

On that day Major-General the Hon. Arthur Wellesley attacked the

whole combined Mahratta army of Sindiah and the Rajah of Berar, at

ASSAYE, on the banks of the Kaitna river. The Mahratta force, of

40,000 men, was completely defeated by a force of 5000, of which

not more than 2000 were Europeans, losing 98 pieces of cannon, 7

standards, and leaving 1200 killed, and about four times that number

wounded on the field. The conduct of the 74th in this memorable

battle was most gallant and distinguished; but from having been

prematurely led against the village of Assaye on the left of the

enemy’s line, the regiment was exposed, unsupported, to a most

terrible cannonade, and being afterwards charged by cavalry,

sustained a tremendous loss.

In this action, the keenest ever fought in India, the 74th had

Captains D. Aytone, Andrew Dyce, Roderick Macleod, John Maxwell;

Lieutenants John Campbell, John Morshead Campbell, Lorn Campbell,

James Grant, J. Morris, Robert Neilson, Volunteer Tew, 9 sergeants,

and 127 rank and file killed; and Major Samuel Swinton, Captains

Norman Moore, Matthew Shawe, John Alexander Main, Robert Macmurdo,

J. Longland, Ensign Kearnon, 11 sergeants, 7 drummers, and 270 rank

and file wounded. “Every officer present,” says Cannon, “with the

regiment was either killed or wounded, except Quarter-master James

Grant, who, when he saw so many of his friends fall in the battle,

resolved to share their fate, and, though a non-combatant, joined

the ranks and fought to the termination of the action.” Besides

expressing his indebtedness to the 74th in his despatch to the

Governor-General, Major-General Wellesley added the following to his

memorandum on the battle:--

“However, by one of those unlucky accidents which frequently happen,

the officer commanding the piquets which were upon the right led

immediately up to the village of Assaye. The 74th regiment, which

was on the right of the second line, and was ordered to support

the piquets, followed them. There was a large break in our line

between these corps and those on our left. They were exposed to a

most terrible cannonade from Assaye, and were charged by the cavalry

belonging to the Campoos; consequently in the piquets and the 74th

regiment we sustained the greatest part of our loss.

“Another bad consequence resulting from this mistake was the

necessity of introducing the cavalry into the action at too early a

period. I had ordered it to watch the motions of the enemy’s cavalry

hanging upon our right, and luckily it charged in time to save the

remains of the 74th and the piquets.”

The names especially of Lieutenants-Colonel Harness and Wallace were

mentioned with high approbation both by Wellesley and the Governor

General. The Governor-General ordered that special honorary colours

be presented to the 74th and 78th, who were the only European

infantry employed “on that glorious occasion,” with a device suited

to commemorate the signal and splendid victory.

The device on the special colour awarded to the 74th appears at the

head of this account. The 78th for some reason ceased to make use

of its third colour after it left India, so that the 74th is now

probably the only regiment in the British army that possesses such a

colour, an honour of which it may well be proud.

Captain A. B. Campbell of the 74th, who had on a former occasion

lost an arm, and had afterwards had the remaining one broken at the

wrist by a fall in hunting, was seen in the thickest of the action

with his bridle in his teeth, and a sword in his mutilated hand,

dealing destruction around him. He came off unhurt, though one of the

enemy in the charge very nearly transfixed him with a bayonet, which

actually pierced his saddle.[441]

The third occasion in 1803 in which the 74th was engaged was the

battle of Argaum, which was gained with little loss, and which fell

chiefly on the 74th and 78th regiments, both of which were specially

thanked by Wellesley. The 74th had 1 sergeant and 3 rank and file

killed, and 1 officer, Lieutenant Langlands,[442] 5 sergeants, 1

drummer, and 41 rank and file wounded.

Further details of these three important affairs will be found in the

history of the 78th regiment.

In September 1805, the regiment, having served for sixteen years in

India, embarked for England, all the men fit for duty remaining in

India.

The following Order in Council was issued on the occasion by the

Governor, Lord William Bentinck:--

“_Fort St George, 5th Sept. 1805._

“The Right Honourable the Governor in Council, on the intended

embarkation of the remaining officers and men of His Majesty’s

74th regiment, discharges a duty of the highest satisfaction to

his Lordship in Council in bestowing on that distinguished corps a

public testimony of his Lordship’s warmest respect and approbation.

During a long and eventful period of residence in India, the conduct

of His Majesty’s 74th regiment, whether in peace or war, has been

equally exemplary and conspicuous, having been not less remarkable

for the general tenor of its discipline than for the most glorious

achievements in the field.

“Impressed with these sentiments, his Lordship in Council is pleased

to direct that His Majesty’s 74th regiment be held forth as an object

of imitation for the military establishment of this Presidency, as

his Lordship will ever reflect with pride and gratification, that in

the actions which have led to the present pre-eminence of the British

Empire in India, the part so nobly sustained by that corps will add

lustre to the military annals of the country, and crown the name of

His Majesty’s 74th regiment with immortal reputation.

“It having been ascertained, to the satisfaction of the Governor

in Council, that the officers of His Majesty’s 74th regiment were,

during the late campaign in the Deccan, subjected to extraordinary

expenses, which have been aggravated by the arrangements connected

with their embarkation for Europe, his Lordship in Council has been

pleased to resolve that those officers shall receive a gratuity equal

to three months’ batta, as a further testimony of his Lordship’s

approbation of their eminent services.

“By order of the Right Honourable the Governor in Council.

“J. H. WEBB,

“_Secretary to the Government_.”

Besides the important engagements in which the 74th took part during

its long stay in India, there were many smaller conflicts and arduous

services which devolved upon the regiment, but of which no record

has been preserved. Some details illustrative of these services are

contained in Cannon’s history of the 74th, communicated by officers

who served with it in India, and afterwards throughout the Peninsular

War. Captain Cargill, who served in the regiment, writes as follows:--

“The 74th lives in my recollection under two aspects, and during two

distinct epochs.

“The first is the history and character of the regiment, from its

formation to its return as a skeleton from India; and the second is

that of the regiment as it now exists, from its being embarked for

the Peninsula in January 1810.

“So far as field service is concerned, it has been the good fortune

of the corps to serve during both periods, on the more conspicuous

occasions, under the great captain of the age; under him also,

during the latter period, it received the impress of that character

which attaches to most regiments that were placed in the same

circumstances, which arose from the regulations introduced by His

Royal Highness the Duke of York, and the practical application of

them by a master mind in the great school of the Peninsular War.

Uniformity was thus given; and the 74th, like every other corps that

has had the same training, must acknowledge the hand under which

its present character was mainly impressed. But it was not so with

the 74th in India. At that time every regiment had its distinctive

character and system broadly marked, and this was generally found

to have arisen from the materials of which it had been originally

composed, and the tact of the officer by whom it had been embodied

and trained. The 74th, in these respects, had been fortunate, and the

tone and discipline introduced by the late Sir Archibald Campbell,

together with the chivalrous spirit and noble emulation imbibed by

the corps in these earlier days of Eastern conquest, had impressed

upon the officers the most correct perception of their duties, not

only as regards internal economy and the gradation of military rank,

but also as regards the Government under which they served. It was,

perhaps, the most perfect that could well exist. It was participated

in by the men, and certainly characterised the regiment in a strong

degree.

“It was an established principle in the old 74th, that whatever

was required of the soldier should be strikingly set before him

by his officers, and hence the most minute point of ordinary duty

was regarded by the latter as a matter in which his honour was

implicated. The duty of the officer of the day was most rigidly

attended to, the officer on duty remaining in full uniform, and

without parting with his sword even in the hottest weather, and under

all circumstances, and frequently going the rounds of the cantonments

during the night. An exchange of duty was almost never heard of, and

the same system was carried into every duty and department, with the

most advantageous effect upon the spirit and habits of the men.

“Intemperance was an evil habit fostered by climate and the great

facility of indulgence; but it was a point of honour among the men

never to indulge when near an enemy, and I often heard it observed,

that this rule was never known to be broken, even under the

protracted operations of a siege. On such occasions the officers had

no trouble with it, the principle being upheld by the men themselves.

“On one occasion, while the 74th was in garrison at Madras, and

had received a route to march up the country, there was a mutiny

among the Company’s artillery at the Mount. The evening before the

regiment set out it was reported that they had some kind of leaning

towards the mutineers; the whole corps felt most indignant at the

calumny, but no notice was taken of it by the commanding officer.

In the morning, however, he marched early, and made direct for

the Mount, where he unfurled the colours, and marched through the

cantonments with fixed bayonets. By a forced march he reached his

proper destination before midnight, and before dismissing the men,

he read them a short but pithy despatch, which he sent off to the

Government, stating the indignation of every man of the corps at the

libellous rumour, and that he had taken the liberty of gratifying

his men by showing to the mutineers those colours which were ever

faithfully devoted to the service of the Government. The circumstance

had also a happy effect upon the mutineers who had heard the report,

but the stern aspect of the regiment dispelled the illusion, and they

submitted to their officers.”

The losses sustained by the regiment in officers and men, on many

occasions, of which no account has been kept, were very great,

particularly during the last six years of its Indian service.

That gallant veteran, Quarter-master Grant, who had been in the

regiment from the time it was raised, fought at Assaye, and returned

with it to England, used to say that he had seen nearly three

different sets of officers during the period, the greater part of

whom had fallen in battle or died of wounds, the regiment having been

always very healthy.

Before the 74th left India, nearly all the men who were fit for duty

volunteered into other regiments that remained on service in that

country. One of these men, of the grenadier company, is said to have

volunteered on nine forlorn hopes, including Seringapatam.

The regiment embarked at Madras in September 1805, a mere skeleton so

far as numbers were concerned, landed at Portsmouth in February 1806,

and proceeded to Scotland to recruit, having resumed the kilt, which

had been laid aside in India. The regiment was stationed in Scotland

(Dumbarton Castle, Glasgow, and Fort-George), till January 1809, but

did not manage to recruit to within 400 men of its complement, which

was ordered to be completed by volunteers from English and Irish,

as well as Scotch regiments of militia. The regiment left Scotland

for Ireland in January 1809, and in May of that year it was ordered

that the Highland dress of the regiment should be discontinued,

and its uniform assimilated to that of English regiments of the

line; it however retained the designation _Highland_ until the year

1816, and, as will be seen, in 1846 it was permitted to resume the

national garb, and recruit only in Scotland. For these reasons we are

justified in continuing its history to the present time.

It was while in Ireland, in September 1809, that Lieutenant-Colonel

Le Poer Trench, whose name will ever be remembered in connection

with the 74th, was appointed to the command of the regiment,

from Inspecting Field-Officer in Canada, by exchange with

Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Macpherson; the latter having succeeded

that brave officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Swinton, in 1805.

In January 1810 the regiment sailed from Cork for the Peninsula, to

take its share in the warlike operations going on there, landing at

Lisbon on February 10. On the 27th the 74th set out to join the army

under Wellington, and reached Vizeu on the 6th of March. While at

Vizeu, Wellington inquired at Colonel Trench how many of the men who

fought at Assaye still remained in the regiment, remarking that if

the 74th would behave in the Peninsula as they had done in India, he

ought to be proud to command such a regiment. Indeed the “Great Duke”

seems to have had an exceedingly high estimate of this regiment,

which he took occasion to show more than once. It is a curious fact

that the 74th had never more than one battalion; and when, some time

before the Duke’s death, “Reserve Battalions” were formed to a few

regiments, he decided “that the 74th should not have one, as they got

through the Peninsula with one battalion, and their services were

second to none in the army.”

The regiment was placed in the 1st brigade of the 3rd division, under

Major-General Picton, along with the 45th, the 88th, and part of the

60th Regiment. This division performed such a distinguished part in

all the Peninsular operations, that it earned the appellation of

the “Fighting Division.” We of course cannot enter into the general

details of the Peninsular war, as much of the history of which as is

necessary for our purpose having been already given in our account of

the 42nd regiment.

The first action in which the 74th had a chance of taking part was

the battle of Busaco, September 27, 1810. The allied English and

Portuguese army numbered 50,000, as opposed to Marshal Massena’s

70,000 men. The two armies were drawn upon opposite ridges, the

position of the 74th being across the road leading from St Antonio

de Cantara to Coimbra. The first attack on the right was made at six

o’clock in the morning by two columns of the French, under General

Regnier, both of which were directed with the usual impetuous rush of

French troops against the position held by the 3rd division, which

was of comparatively easy ascent. One of these columns advanced by

the road just alluded to, and was repulsed by the fire of the 74th,

with the assistance of the 9th and 21st Portuguese regiments, before

it reached the ridge. The advance of this column was preceded by a

cloud of skirmishers, who came up close to the British position, and

were picking off men, when the two right companies of the regiment

were detached, with the rifle companies belonging to the brigade,

and drove back the enemy’s skirmishers with great vigour nearly to

the foot of the sierra. The French, however, renewed the attack in

greater force, and the Portuguese regiment on the left being thrown

into confusion, the 74th was placed in a most critical position,

with its left flank exposed to the overwhelming force of the enemy.

Fortunately, General Leith, stationed on another ridge, saw the

danger of the 74th, and sent the 9th and 38th regiments to its

support. These advanced along the rear of the 74th in double quick

time, met the head of the French column as it crowned the ridge, and

drove them irresistibly down the precipice. The 74th then advanced

with the 9th, and kept up a fire upon the enemy as long as they could

be reached. The enemy having relied greatly upon this attack, their

repulse contributed considerably to their defeat. The 74th had Ensign

Williams and 7 rank and file killed, Lieutenant Cargill and 19 rank

and file wounded. The enemy lost 5000 killed and wounded.

The allies, however, retreated from their position at Busaco upon

the lines of Torres Vedras, an admirable series of fortifications

contrived for the defence of Lisbon, and extending from the Tagus to

the sea. The 74th arrived there on the 8th of October, and remained

till the middle of December, living comfortably, and having plenty

of time for amusement. The French, however, having taken up a strong

position at Santarem, an advanced movement was made by the allied

army, the 74th marching to the village of Togarro about the middle

of December, where it remained till the beginning of March 1811,

suffering much discomfort and hardship from the heavy rains, want of

provisions, and bad quarters. The French broke up their position at

Santarem on the 5th of March, and retired towards Mondego, pursued

by the allies. On the 12th, a division under Ney was found posted

in front of the village of Redinha, its flank protected by wooded

heights. The light division attacked the height on the right of the

enemy, while the third division attacked those on the left, and after

a sharp skirmish the enemy retired across the Redinha river. The 74th

had 1 private killed, and Lieutenant Crabbie and 6 rank and file

wounded. On the afternoon of the 15th of March the third and light

divisions attacked the French posted at Foz de Arouce, and dispersed

their left and centre, inflicting great loss. Captain Thomson and 11

rank and file of the 74th were wounded in this affair.

The third division was constantly in advance of the allied forces

in pursuit of the enemy, and often suffered great privations from

want of provisions, those intended for it being appropriated by some

of the troops in the rear. During the siege of Almeida the 74th was

continued at Nave de Aver, removing on the 2nd of May to the rear of

the village of Fuentes d’Onor, and taking post on the right of the

position occupied by the allied army, which extended for about five

miles along the Dos Casas river. On the morning of the 3rd of May

the first and third divisions were concentrated on a gentle rise, a

cannon-shot in rear of Fuentes d’Onor. Various attacks and skirmishes

occurred on the 3rd and 4th, and several attempts to occupy the

village were made by the French, who renewed their attack with

increased force on the morning of the 5th May. After a hard fight for

the possession of the village, the defenders, hardly pressed, were

nearly driven out by the superior numbers of the enemy, when the 74th

were ordered up to assist. The left wing, which advanced first, on

approaching the village, narrowly escaped being cut off by a heavy

column of the enemy, which was concealed in a lane, and was observed

only in time to allow the wing to take cover behind some walls, where

it maintained itself till about noon. The right wing then joined

the left, and with the 71st, 79th, and other regiments, charged

through and drove the enemy from the village, which the latter never

afterwards recovered. The 74th on this day lost Ensign Johnston, 1

sergeant, and 4 rank and file, killed; and Captains Shawe, M’Queen,

and Adjutant White, and 64 rank and file, wounded.

The 74th was next sent to take part in the siege of Badajos, where

it remained from May 28 till the middle of July, when it marched

for Albergaria, where it remained till the middle of September, the

blockade of Ciudad Rodrigo in the meantime being carried on by the

allied army. On the 17th of September the 74th advanced to El Bodon

on the Agueda, and on the 22nd to Pastores, within three miles of

Ciudad Rodrigo, forming, with the three companies of the 60th, the

advanced guard of the third division. On the 25th, the French, under

General Montbrun, advanced thirty squadrons of cavalry, fourteen

battalions of infantry, and twelve guns, direct upon the main body of

the third division at El Bodon, and caused it to retire, surrounded

and continually threatened by overwhelming numbers of cavalry, over a

plain of six miles, to Guinaldo.

The 74th, and the companies of the 60th, under Lieut.-Colonel Trench,

at Pastores, were completely cut off from the rest of the division by

the French advance, and were left without orders; but they succeeded

in passing the Agueda by a ford, and making a very long detour

through Robledo, where they captured a party of French cavalry,

recrossed the Agueda, and joined the division in bivouac near Fuente

Guinaldo, at about two o’clock on the morning of the 26th. It was

believed at headquarters that this detachment had been all captured,

although Major-General Picton, much pleased at their safe return,

said he thought he must have heard more firing before the 74th could

be taken. After a rest of an hour or two, the regiment was again

under arms, and drawn up in position at Guinaldo before daybreak,

with the remainder of the third and the fourth division. The French

army, 60,000 strong, being united in their front, they retired at

night about twelve miles to Alfayates. The regiment was again under

arms at Alfayates throughout the 27th, during the skirmish in which

the fourth division was engaged at Aldea de Ponte. On this occasion

the men were so much exhausted by the continued exertions of the

two preceding days, that 125 of them were unable to remain in the

ranks, and were ordered to a village across the Coa, where 80 died of

fatigue. This disaster reduced the effective strength of the regiment

below that of 1200, required to form a second battalion, which had

been ordered during the previous month, and the requisite strength

was not again reached during the war.

The 74th was from the beginning of October mainly cantoned at Aldea

de Ponte, which it left on the 4th of January 1812, to take part in

the siege of Rodrigo. The third division reached Zamora on the 7th,

five miles from Rodrigo, where it remained during the siege. The work

of the siege was most laborious and trying, and the 74th had its

own share of trench-work. The assault was ordered for the 19th of

January, when two breaches were reported practicable.

The assault of the great breach was confided to Major-General

M’Kinnon’s brigade, with a storming party of 500 volunteers under

Major Manners of the 74th, with a forlorn hope under Lieutenant

Mackie of the 88th regiment. There were two columns formed of the

5th and 94th regiments ordered to attack and clear the ditch and

_fausse-braie_ on the right of the great breach, and cover the

advance of the main attack by General M’Kinnon’s brigade. The light

division was to storm the small breach on the left, and a false

attack on the gate at the opposite side of the town was to be made by

Major-General Pack’s Portuguese brigade.

The Scottish Highlands, Highland Clans and Highland Regiments, Volume 2 (of 2) · 第 21 / 31 章

The column to which the 72nd belonged took up its position in the