During this period some important change_The Scottish Highlands, Highland Clans and Highland Regiments, Volume 2 (of 2)

superior officers of the regiment. Lieutenant-Colonel Monkland, who

had been with the regiment since first he entered the army, exchanged

in November 1859 to half-pay, with Lieutenant-Colonel James Villiers,

who joined regimental headquarters from England in February 1860.

This latter officer, however, was not destined to be long connected

with the regiment, as he had the misfortune to be cut off by brain

fever at Ramdroog on May 10, 1862.

The senior Lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment, Major-General (local

rank) John Macduff, C.B., commanding the Oudh division of the Bengal

Presidency, had been placed on half-pay on the 24th of January of

this year, the date of his appointment to the Bengal staff, and the

supernumerary Lieutenant-Colonelcy was thereby absorbed.

On the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Villiers, Major William Kelty

Macleod, who had been in temporary command since that officer’s

departure on leave of absence on the 23rd of March, succeeded to the

command, Colonel Patton being absent in command of a brigade at

Thagetmyo in Burmah.

The depôt of the regiment was during this period stationed at

Aberdeen, and sent out frequent detachments of recruits to supply the

deficiencies created in the service companies by men who left on the

expiry of their term, and by the numerous batches of invalids whom it

was found necessary to send home for the sake of their health.

A pattern dress bonnet had been supplied to the companies at Aberdeen

in 1861 on trial, but not having been found durable, a new pattern

was designed by Captain Palmer, commanding the depôt, and submitted

by him to the clothing department for the approval of His Royal

Highness the General Commanding-in-Chief, who was pleased to direct a

letter to be sent to Captain Palmer, thanking him for his suggestion,

and directing the pattern to be sealed and adopted by the regiment as

its future head-dress.

The Indian mutiny medals having been received for the officers and

men of the regiment who were engaged at the capture of the forts

of Shorapoor, Noorgoond, and Kopál in 1858, they were presented at

Bellary, in presence of the division, on the 23rd of September (being

the sixtieth anniversary of the victory of Assaye), by Major-General

Armstrong, commanding the ceded districts. He addressed the regiment

in the following terms:--

“Major Macleod, officers, and men of the 74th Highlanders,--This is

the anniversary of a memorable day in the annals of your regiment,

and consequently I have selected it to perform a duty most agreeable

to myself; that is, to present in the presence of the assembled

division the medals to so many officers and men of your distinguished

regiment with which Her Most Gracious Majesty, our beloved Queen, has

been pleased to reward the good and gallant services and conduct of

her troops during the recent disturbances in Bengal and other parts

of India. But before fulfilling this duty, I feel called upon to say

a few words to you.”

Major-General Armstrong then glanced rapidly at all the brilliant

services performed by the 74th Highlanders, from Assaye to the Indian

Mutiny, concluding as follows:--

“Bravery is the characteristic of the British soldier, but the 74th

Highlanders possesses also another claim to distinction, such as in

all my long service I have never seen surpassed, and which has justly

obtained for the regiment a high reputation--I mean that very best

criterion of the good soldier, steady good conduct, obedience to

orders, and the most perfect discipline at all times, whether in camp

or quarters. You have now served in this division under my command

for a year and a half, and it is particularly gratifying to me to

be the medium of presenting so many of you with medals, honourable

tokens of your service to your country, and the approbation of your

Queen.”

The medals were then fastened on the left breast of the officers and

men by the General, assisted by several ladies, after which General

Armstrong spoke again as follows:--

“I am quite sure there is not a man now wearing the decoration just

fixed upon your breasts that will hereafter willingly be guilty of

any act to tarnish this token of your Sovereign’s favour. Long may

you live, one and all, to wear the honours you have won! I greatly

regret to think that the time is rapidly approaching when I shall

lose the 74th Regiment from my command on its return to England. Many

of you, no doubt, will volunteer for other regiments in India, and

you may be assured that every well-conducted man will find a good

recommendation to his new corps in his having served in a regiment

possessing the high reputation of the 74th Highlanders. But others

will be returning with the regiment to your native land, whither, if

my life is spared, I may follow you at no distant period, when I hope

to beat up the quarters of the regiment, and if so, I trust to see

many of the medals I have this day presented to you still decorating

the ranks of the corps. It will always be to me a proudly gratifying

recollection that a regiment so gallant, so well behaved, and in

every way distinguished, has served under my command.

“Major Macleod, and officers of the 74th, you may well feel a pride

in your Highlanders. I trust that you, Major Macleod, will long be

permitted to retain the command of them--a command which you have so

ably and efficiently exercised for the advantage of the service, and

the happiness and well being of all ranks during the whole period

the regiment has been under my orders.”

On the 1st of January 1864, 261 men who had volunteered to other

corps in the Madras Presidency were struck off the strength of the

regiment; and on the 4th of the same month the regiment marched

from Bellary _en route_ to Madras, where it arrived on the 13th of

February, and was ordered to encamp till the vessels were ready to

convey it to England.

While in camp cholera broke out, and several deaths having occurred,

the camp was at once removed to Palaveram, where, happily, the

disease disappeared.

On the 7th of March the regiment proceeded to Madras and embarked

for England--the headquarters and right wing under Major Jago (Major

Macleod having been permitted to proceed to England by the overland

route), and the left wing under Captain Thackeray.

On the 19th of June, the headquarters reached Spithead, where orders

were received for the vessel to proceed to Gravesend, on arrival

at which place the wing was transhipped, without landing, to the

“Princess Royal” steamer, and proceeded to Leith, disembarking at

Granton Pier on the 24th of June, and marching to Edinburgh Castle,

there to be stationed. The left wing did not reach Edinburgh till the

29th of July, having been delayed at St Helena by the illness of the

commander of the “Hornet.”

Brevet-Colonel Patton, who had gone home from India on sick leave

some weeks previously, joined headquarters on the 25th of June, and

assumed the command; but on the 9th of September he retired upon

half-pay, and Major Macleod was promoted to the lieutenant-colonelcy

of the regiment.

The movements of the regiment, from its arrival in Edinburgh up to

the present time, may be very briefly recorded, as there is but

little to tell except its movements from one quarter to another. Its

stay in Edinburgh was very brief, for in less than a year after its

arrival, on May 1, 1865, it re-embarked at Granton for Portsmouth _en

route_ for Aldershot, where it arrived on the evening of the 4th. The

74th left behind its old colours, which were deposited in the armoury

of Edinburgh Castle.

After a stay at Aldershot of a few months, the regiment got short

notice to proceed to Dover, which it did on February 20, 1866,

the admirable manner in which it turned out eliciting the special

commendation of His Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief. On

its arrival at home, the strength of the regiment was of course

considerably reduced, and in April 1866 it was still further

reduced by two companies, the new establishment consisting of

only 640 privates, with a proportionate number of officers and

non-commissioned officers.

After a stay of six months at Dover, the 74th was ordered to Ireland,

arriving at Cork, whence it proceeded to Limerick, where it stayed

till September 26, 1867, on which day it went by rail to Dublin,

where it occupied Richmond barracks. While at Limerick, detachments

had been told off to do duty at Clare Castle and Nenagh. In

consequence of Fenian riots, flying columns were sent out on several

occasions, of which various companies of the 74th formed a part.

In November 1867, orders had been received for the regiment to hold

itself in readiness to proceed to New Brunswick; its destination was,

however, changed about a month later, when it received orders to make

ready to proceed to Gibraltar; the depôt companies, consisting of 92

men, under Captain Thackeray and 3 subalterns, having, on January

27, 1868, sailed for Greenock in order to proceed to Fort-George,

where it was to be stationed. The regiment sailed from Kingstown on

February 2nd, on board H.M. ship “Himalaya,” for Gibraltar, where it

arrived on February 7th, disembarked on the 8th, and encamped on the

North Front until the 13th, when it was removed to the South Barracks.

The 74th remained at Gibraltar till February 1872, on the 17th of

which month headquarters and four companies under Colonel Macleod

sailed for Malta, where it arrived on the 22nd. The left wing, under

Major Jago, followed on the 7th of March, arriving at Malta on the

12th.

SUCCESSION LISTS OF COLONELS AND FIELD OFFICERS OF THE 74TH

HIGHLANDERS.

COLONELS.

Sir Archibald Campbell, K.C.B., Oct. 12, 1787.

He was a Major-General, and the first Colonel of the 74th, which he

raised. He died on the 31st of March 1791, and a monument was erected

to his memory in Westminster Abbey.

Charles O’Hara, April 1, 1791.

From the 22nd Regiment in 1791.

Appointed Lieut.-General in 1793.

Governor of Gibraltar in 1798, and promoted to the rank of General.

He died at Gibraltar, Feb. 21, 1802.

John, Lord Hutchinson, K.B., March 21, 1802.

M.P. for Cork in 1777.

Lieut.-Colonel of the Athole Highlanders in 1783.

Colonel of the 94th in 1794.

Major-General in 1796.

Second in command in Egypt.

Chief in Egypt on the death of Abercromby, 1801.

Baron Hutchinson, Dec. 5, 1801.

Governor of Stirling Castle in 1803.

Lieut.-General in 1803.

Colonel of the 57th in 1806.

Colonel of the 18th Royal Irish in 1811.

General in 1813.

In 1825 became Earl of Donoughmore; and died June 29, 1832.

Sir John Stuart, K.B., Count of Maida, Sept 8, 1806.

Ensign 3d Foot Guards, 1779.

Lieut.-Colonel, 1793.

Colonel in 1796.

Brigadier-General in 1800.

Major-General in 1802.

Gained the victory over the French at Maida, July 4, 1806; received

the freedom of the city of London, and was appointed Colonel of the

74th, Sept. 8, 1806; Lieut.-General, April 25, 1808; Colonel of

the 20th Dec. 29, 1808; Commander of the Western District of Great

Britain, June 10, 1813; and died in 1815.

The Hon. Sir Alexander Hope, G.C.B., Dec. 29, 1809.

Ensign in the 63d Regiment, March 6, 1786.

Lieut.-Colonel of the 14th, Aug. 27, 1794.

Governor of Tynemouth and Glifford’s Fort, 1797.

Lieut.-Governor of Edinburgh Castle, 1798.

Deputy Adjutant-General, 1799.

Colonel in the Army, Jan. 1, 1800.

Colonel of 5th West India Regiment, Oct. 30, 1806.

Major-General, 1808.

Colonel of the 74th, Dec. 29, 1809.

Colonel of the 47th, April 1813.

Lieut.-General, June 1813.

General, July 22, 1830.

Colonel of the 14th, 1835.

G.C.B. and Lieut.-Governor of Chelsea Hospital. He died on the 19th

of May 1837.

James Montgomerie, April 26, 1813.

Ensign in the 51st, Sept. 13, 1773.

Exchanged into the 13th Foot, 1775.

Lieutenant, 1779.

Promoted to the late 93rd, 1780.

To the 10th Foot, 1786.

Brigade-Major, 1794.

Brevet-Major and Lieut.-Colonel of 6th West

India Regiment, 1795.

Volunteered with Sir Ralph Abercromby, 1796.

Commander of the troops at St Kitt’s till 1798,

when he exchanged into the 45th Regiment.

Brevet-Colonel, April 29, 1802.

Lieut.-Colonel of the 64th, 1804.

Brigadier-General in the West Indies, 1804.

Governor of these Colonies till 1808.

Major-General, Oct. 25, 1809.

Colonel of the 74th, April 26, 1813.

Lieut.-General, June 4, 1814.

Colonel of the 30th Regiment, June 13, 1823.

Which he retained till his death in 1829.

The Hon. Sir Charles Colville, G.C.B.,

G.C.H., June 13, 1823.

Ensign in the 28th, Dec. 26, 1781.

Lieutenant, 1787.

Major in the 13th, 1795.

Lieut.-Colonel, Aug. 26, 1796.

Brevet-Colonel, Jan. 1, 1805.

Brigadier-General, Dec. 25, 1809.

Major-General, July 25, 1810.

Col. of the 5th Garrison Battalion, Oct. 10, 1812.

Colonel of the 94th, April 29, 1815.

Lieut.-General, Aug. 12, 1819.

Colonel of the 74th, June 13, 1823.

Governor of the Mauritius, Jan. 1828.

Removed to the 14th Regiment of Foot, 1834.

Col. of the 5th Regiment of Foot, March 25, 1835.

General, Jan. 10, 1837.

Died March 27, 1843.

Sir James Campbell, K.C.B., K.C.H., Dec. 12, 1834.

Ensign 1st Royal Regiment of Foot, March 30, 1791.

Lieutenant, March 20, 1794.

Half-pay, Jan. 1790.

42nd Highland Regiment, Dec. 1797.

Major in the Argyll Fencibles, June 1799.

Removed to the 94th, April 7, 1802.

Lieutenant in the 94th, Sept. 27, 1804.

Brevet-Colonel, June 4, 1813.

Major-General, Aug. 12, 1819.

K.C.B., Dec. 3, 1822.

Colonel of the 94th, April 13, 1831.

Removed to the 74th Regiment, Dec. 12, 1834.

Died in Paris, May 6, 1835.

Sir Phineas Riall, K.C.H., May 20, 1835.

Ensign, Jan. 31, 1792.

Lieutenant, Feb. 28, 1794.

Captain, May 31, 1794.

Major, Dec. 8, 1794.

Lieut.-Colonel, Jan. 1, 1800.

Colonel, July 25, 1810.

Major-General, June 4, 1813.

Lieut.-General, May 27, 1825.

Colonel of the 74th Regiment, May 20, 1835.

General, Nov. 23, 1841.

Sir Phineas Riall received a medal and one clasp for Martinique and

Guadaloupe; served in America in 1813, and was severely wounded at

the battle of Chippawa.

Sir Alexander Cameron, K.C.H., April 24, 1846.

Ensign, Oct. 22, 1799.

Lieutenant, Sept. 6, 1800.

Captain, May 6, 1805.

Major, May 30, 1811.

Lieut.-Colonel, April 27, 1812.

Colonel, July 22, 1830.

Major-General, June 28, 1838.

Died at Inverailort, Fort-William, July 26, 1850.

Served in Holland, 1799; expedition to Ferrol, 1800; Egypt, 1801

(severely wounded at the battle of Alexandria); expedition to

Germany, 1805; Copenhagen and battle of Kiöge, 1807; Portugal in

1808; battles of Vimeiro and Corunna; Peninsula in 1809; present

at Busaco, Torres Vedras, Coa, Almeida, Fuentes d’Onor, &c., till

severely wounded at Vittoria and obliged to return to England; served

in the campaign of 1814 and 1815, including Quatre Bras and Waterloo

(severely wounded).

Alexander Thomson, C.B., Aug. 15, 1850.

Ensign, Sept. 23, 1803.

Lieutenant, Feb. 29, 1804.

Captain, May 14, 1807.

Major, April 9, 1812.

Lieut.-Colonel, Sept. 21, 1813.

Colonel, July 22, 1830.

Major-General, Nov. 23, 1841.

Lieut.-General, Nov. 11, 1851.

Colonel 74th Regiment, Aug. 15, 1850.

Died 1856.

Lieut.-General Thomson accompanied the 74th to the Peninsula,

landing at Lisbon in Jan. 1810, and was present at the battle of

Busaco, retreat to the lines of Torres Vedras, advance of the army

on Massena’s retreat therefrom, action at Foz d’Arouce (wounded),

battle of Fuentes d’Onor, siege and capture of Ciudad Rodrigo, where

he served as assistant engineer, and for his services was promoted

to the rank of Brevet-Major; siege and capture of Badajoz, where he

served as assistant engineer, and was slightly wounded when leading

about 300 men of the party that stormed and took the raveline of

St Roque to reinforce the 3rd division of the army which had taken

the castle; siege and capture of the forts of Salamanca, where he

served as assistant engineer, and was slightly wounded; battle of

Salamanca (severely wounded); siege of Burgos and retreat therefrom;

served as assistant engineer, and had the blowing-up of the bridge of

Villa Muriel and the bridge at Cabezon entrusted to him; battle of

Vittoria, as second in command of the 74th; siege of St Sebastian,

where he served as assistant engineer, and for his conduct was

promoted to the brevet rank of Lieut.-Colonel; battles of the

Nivelle and the Nive, passage of the Bidassoa, and battle of Orthes,

besides several skirmishes with his regiment at Alfayates, Villa de

Pastores Albidos, and other places. He received the gold medal for St

Sebastian, and the silver war medal with nine clasps for the other

battles and sieges.

Charles Augustus Shawe, Nov. 24, 1856.

Ensign, May 26, 1808.

Lieutenant and Captain, April 23, 1812.

Captain and Lieut.-Colonel, April 28, 1825.

Major and Colonel, Aug. 8, 1837.

Major-General, Nov. 9, 1846.

Lieut.-General, June 20, 1854.

General, March 6, 1863.

Colonel 74th Foot, Nov 24, 1856.

General Shawe served in the campaigns of 1810 and 1811, and part

of 1812, in the Peninsula, including the battle of Busaco. Served

also in Holland and Belgium from Nov. 1813 to 1814, and was severely

wounded at Bergen-op-Zoom. He received the war medal, with three

clasps, for Busaco, Fuentes d’Onor, and Ciudad Rodrigo.

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

| LIEUTENANT-COLONELS. |

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

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

|George Forbes |Oct. 12, 1787 |Dec. 14, 1788 |Died. |

|Alexander Ross |Dec. 5, 1795 |Dec. 3, 1796 |Died. |

| | | | Dec. 1803. |

|Samuel Swinton |Dec. 1, 1803 |May 13, 1805 |Promoted in 75th |

|John Alexander Mein|Mar. 20, 1823 |Nov. 5, 1841 |Died. |

|Eyre John Crabbe |Nov. 6, 1841 |May 1, 1846 |Retired on Full-pay. |

|Alexander Seton |Nov. 7, 1851 |Feb. 26, 1852 |Drowned in the wreck of|

|James Villiers |Nov, 4, 1859 |May 10, 1862 |Died. |

| |

| MAJORS. |

| |

|Francis Skelly |Nov. 5, 1788 |Nov. 30, 1793 |Died. |

|Robert Shawe |Dec. 1, 1793 |Mar. 28, 1795 |Exchanged to 76th Foot.|

|Alexander Ross |Mar. 28, 1795 |Dec. 4, 1795 |Promoted Lieut.- |

|Alexander Campbell |Dec. 25, 1795 |Dec. 4, 1796 |Promoted Lieut.- |

|William Douglas |Dec. 4, 1796 |May 17, 1799 |Promoted in 85th Foot. |

|Samuel Swinton |May 17, 1799 |Dec. 1, 1803 |Promoted Lieut.- |

|James Robertson |Nov. 22, 1803 |Nov. 14, 1804 |Retired. |

|Francis R. West |Dec. 1, 1803 |Nov. 15, 1804 |Retired. |

|Malcolm M’Pherson |Nov. 14, 1804 |May 13, 1807 |Promoted Lieut.- |

|Hon. M’Donnell |Nov. 15, 1804 |Mar. 10, 1808 |Died. |

|Russell Manners[459]May 11, 1808 |April 18, 1822|Retired. |

|John Alexander Mein|Nov. 11, 1813 |Mar. 20, 1823 |Promoted Lieut.- |

|William Moore[461] |Mar. 20, 1823 |Jan. 31, 1828 |Retired. |

|Eyre John Crabbe |Jan. 31, 1828 |Nov. 6, 1841 |Promoted Lieut.- |

|John William |Dec. 4, 1828 |Oct. 22, 1830 |Died. |

|Donald John M’Queen|Oct. 23, 1830 |Oct. 3, 1834 |Retired. |

|Thomas Mannin |Oct. 3, 1834 |Oct. 12, 1839 |Died at sea. |

|William White |Oct. 13, 1839 |May 1, 1846 |Promoted Lieut.- |

|John Casamir Harold|Nov. 6, 1841 |Oct. 22, 1844 |Exchanged to 11th Foot.|

|Augustus Francis |May 1, 1846 |May 24, 1850 |Retired on Half-pay. |

|Alexander Seton |May 24, 1850 |Nov. 7, 1851 |Promoted Lieut.- |

|G. W. Fordyce |Mar. 14, 1851 |Feb. 27, 1852 |Promoted Lieut.- |

|W. D. P. Patton |Feb. 27, 1852 |May 11, 1862 |Promoted Lieut.- |

|John Jago[462] |May 11, 1862 | -- | -- |

|L. H. L. Irby |Oct. 4, 1864 |Feb. 4, 1871 |Exchanged to Half-pay. |

|Robert F. Martin |Feb. 4, 1871 | -- | |

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

FOOTNOTES:

[438] Portrait on the next page.

[439] This able officer was son of Sir William Maxwell of Monreith,

and brother of the Duchess of Gordon. He died at Cuddalore in 1783.

[440] For further details see the history of the 73rd regiment page

570, vol. ii.

[441] Welsh’s “Military Reminiscences,” vol. i. p. 178.

[442] A powerful Arab threw a spear at him, and, drawing his sword,

rushed forward to finish the lieutenant. But the spear having entered

Langland’s leg, cut its way out again, and stuck in the ground

behind him. Langlands grasped it, and, turning the point, threw

it with so true an aim, that it went right through his opponent’s

body, and transfixed him within three or four yards of his intended

victim. All eyes were for an instant turned on these two combatants,

when a Sepoy rushed out of the ranks, and patting the lieutenant

on the back, exclaimed, “Atcha Sahib! Chote atcha keeah!” “Well

Sir! very well done.” Such a ludicrous circumstance, even in a

moment of such extreme peril, raised a very hearty laugh among the

soldiers.--Welsh’s “Military Reminiscences,” vol. i. p. 194.

[443] Napier’s _Peninsular War_.

[444] Ibid.

[445] Napier’s _Peninsular War_.

[446] The two opposing armies were encamped for some time on the

opposite side of the Douro, and parties of the officers and men of

both armies used to meet daily, bathing in the river, and became so

familiar and friendly that the practice was forbidden in a general

order.

[447] Napier.

[448] This officer was present with the 74th during the whole of its

service in the Peninsula, and kept an accurate daily journal of all

the events in which he was concerned. He was afterwards Major of the

depôt battalion in the Isle of Wight.

[449] Napier.

[450] This brave officer, who died only quite recently, and who had

been made a Military Knight of Windsor only a few months before his

death, was severely wounded through the lungs. He had been in almost

every battle fought during the Peninsular War, and seldom came out

without a wound, yet he became Major of his regiment only in 1830,

though for his conduct in the Peninsula he received the silver

war medal with nine clasps. For some years he was barrack-master

at Dundee and Perth. In 1835, as a recognition of his meritorious

services in the Peninsula, he was made a Knight of the Royal

Hanoverian Guelphic Order. The following incident in which he was

concerned at Toulouse is worth narrating:--When left for dead on the

field, and his regiment had moved on, a soldier, his foster-brother,

named John Gillanders, whom he had taken with him from his native

parish as a recruit, missed his captain, and hurried back through a

heavy fire, searched for and found him, and carried him to the rear.

There were few places for shelter, and the faithful soldier, loaded

with his almost insensible burden, pushed his way into a house which

was filled with officers, and called out for a bed. In the room there

was a bed, and on it lay a wounded officer. He heard the entreaty

of the soldier, and saw the desperate condition of the officer he

carried, and at once exclaimed, “That poor fellow needs the bed more

than I do,” and rose and gave it up. That officer was the gallant Sir

Thomas Brisbane.

[451] Napier.

[452] On its arrival in South Africa, the 74th, with the exception of

about 80, mainly Irishmen, consisted of men raised in the northern

counties of Scotland.

[453] Captain Thackeray, who is intimately acquainted with the

history of his old regiment, and to whom we are greatly indebted for

having carefully revised this history of the 74th Highlanders, and

otherwise lent us valuable assistance and advice.

[454] We regret very much that, after making all possible inquiries,

we have been unable to obtain a portrait of this distinguished

officer; indeed, his brother, General Fordyce, informs us that no

good portrait of the Colonel exists.

[455] There is no doubt that the energetic Sir Harry Smith was

made the scape-goat of the shortcomings of the Government at home.

Among other things, he had been accused “of using the language of

hyperbole in describing the numerous rencontres which have occurred,

and of giving praise to the gallant officers and troops as well as

burghers.” Possessing, however, some experience in war, he says, in

his spirited despatch to Earl Grey, dated Camp Blinkwater, March 17,

1852, “I must maintain that such is not the case. Troops acting in

the open field expect not the stimulus of praise; the soldier sees

his foe, and his British courage rises at each step; but he who,

after perhaps a night-march of great length, has to ascend mountains,

or penetrate dense bush and ravines, filled probably with a daring

and intrepid enemy, as resolute as athletic, ready to murder any one

who may fall into his hands, and when warfare is of the most stealthy

and enterprising kind, appreciates the praise of his commander,

because, when his acts are conspicuously daring, he is conscious he

deserves it. He does his duty; but human nature renders even the

soldier’s intrepid heart sensible of the approbation of his superior,

which he is proud to know may reach the eye of his parents and

friends.”

[456] We regret exceedingly that we have been unable to procure an

authentic portrait of Colonel Seton.

[457] This officer met his death by a sad mischance in 1873, at one

of the London Metropolitan Railway Stations.

[458] His bust is on page 583, vol. ii.

[459] Brevet Lieut.-Colonel.

[460] Brevet Lieut.-Colonel, 30th June 1813

[461] Brevet Major, 21st June 1813.

[462] Brevet Lieut.-Colonel. 9th Dec. 1872

SEVENTY-FIFTH REGIMENT.

1787-1809.

Raising of the Regiment--India--Home--Ceases to be a Highland

Regiment.

While Major-General Sir Archibald Campbell was appointed Colonel

of the 74th, the colonelcy of its coeval regiment, the 75th, was

conferred on Colonel Robert Abercromby of Tullibody. He had commanded

a light infantry brigade during six campaigns in the American war;

and as several companies of this brigade had been composed of the

light infantry of the Highland regiments then in America, the colonel

was well known to the Highlanders, and had acquired an influence

among them rarely enjoyed by officers born south of the Grampians.

There are instances, no doubt, such as those of the Marquis of

Montrose and Viscount Dundee, and others of modern date, “where

Highland corps have formed attachments to officers not natives of

their country, and not less ardent than to the chiefs of old;”[463]

and if the instances have been few, it must be attributed entirely

to want of tact in officers themselves, who, from ignorance of the

Highland character, or from some other cause, have failed to gain the

attachment of the Highland soldiers.

From personal respect to Colonel Abercromby, many of the Highlanders,

who had served under him in America, and had been discharged at

the peace of 1783, enlisted anew, and with about 300 men who were

recruited at Perth, and in the northern counties, constituted the

Highland part of the regiment. According to a practice which then

prevailed, of fixing the head-quarters of a regiment about to be

raised in the neighbourhood of the colonel’s residence, if a man of

family, the town of Stirling was appointed for the embodying of the

75th; it was accordingly regimented here in June 1788, and being

immediately ordered to England, embarked for India, where it arrived

about the end of that year.

For eighteen months after its arrival in India, the regiment was

subjected to extreme severity of discipline by one of the captains,

who appears to have adopted the old Prussian model for his rule.

A more unfortunate plan for destroying the morale of a Highland

regiment could not have been devised, and the result was, that during

the existence of this discipline, there were more punishments in the

75th than in any other corps of the same description. But as soon as

the system was modified by the appointment of an officer who knew the

dispositions and feelings of the Highlanders, the conduct of the men

improved.

The regiment took the field in 1790, under the command of Colonel

Hartley, and in the two subsequent years formed part of the force

under Major-General Robert Abercromby, on his two marches to

Seringapatam. The regiment was also employed in the assault on

that capital in 1799, the flank companies having led the left

columns.[464] From that period down to 1804, the regiment was

employed in the provinces of Malabar, Goa, Goojerat, and elsewhere,

and in 1805 was with General Lake’s army in the disastrous attacks on

Bhurtpoor.

The regiment was ordered home in 1806; but such of the men as were

desirous of remaining in India were left behind. In 1809 there were

not one hundred men in the regiment who had been born north of

the Tay; on which account, it is believed, the designation of the

regiment was at that time changed.

The regiment, however, still retains its old number, and is known

as the “Stirlingshire Regiment.” It has had a distinguished career,

having been present in many of the engagements which we have had to

notice in connection with the existing Highland regiments. As will

be seen in our account of the 78th Highlanders, the 75th formed part

of the force with which Sir Colin Campbell marched to the relief of

Lucknow in November 1857, it having been left to guard the Alum Bagh

while Sir Colin, with the rest of the force, made his way to the

besieged garrison on the 14th of that month.

FOOTNOTES:

[463] Jackson’s _Characteristics_.

[464] See histories of the 71st, 72nd, 73rd, and 74th regiments in

this volume.

THE 78th HIGHLANDERS, OR ROSS-SHIRE BUFFS.[465]

1793 to 1796.

The Clan Mackenzie--The various Battalions of the 78th--Offers

from F. H. Mackenzie, Esq. of Seaforth, to raise a Regiment

for Government--Letter of service granted to F. H. Mackenzie,

Esq., to raise a Regiment of Highlanders, to be numbered the

78th--The 1st Battalion--List of officers--Inspected and passed

by Sir Hector Munro--Under Lord Moira in Guernsey--The Campaign

of 1794-95 in Holland--The Regiment joins the Duke of York

on the Waal--Nimeguen--Disastrous retreat on Deventer--The

Regiment returns home--The Loyalist war in La Vendée--The

Quiberon Expedition--Occupation of L’Île-Dieu--The Regiment

returns home--Colonel F. H. Mackenzie’s proposals to raise a

2nd Battalion for the 78th--Letter of Service granted to him

for that purpose--List of Officers--Inspected and passed by Sir

Hector Munro--Granted the title of the Ross-shire Buffs--Ordered

to England--Difficulties prior to embarkation at Portsmouth--The

Regiment sails on secret service--Capture of the Cape of Good

Hope--The Regiment goes into quarters at Capetown, until the arrival

of the 1st Battalion.

[Illustration:

ASSAYE.

MAIDA.

JAVA.

PERSIA.

KOOSHAB.

LUCKNOW.]

The clan Mackenzie was, next to the Campbells, the most considerable

in the Western Highlands, having built its greatness upon the fallen

fortunes of the Macdonalds. Its military strength was estimated in

1704, at 1200 men; by Marshal Wade in 1715, at 3000 men; and by

Lord President Forbes in 1745, at 2500 men; but probably all these

conjectures were below the mark.[466]

The clan Mackenzie furnished large contingents to the present 71st

and 72nd Regiments when they were first raised.

In 1793, Francis Humberstone Mackenzie, heir-male of the family, and

afterwards Lord Seaforth, raised the present 78th Highlanders, and

a second battalion in the following year, when nearly all the men

enlisted were from his own or his clansmen’s estates in Ross-shire

and the Lewis. Another second battalion was subsequently raised in

1804, when, Lord Seaforth being absent as Governor of Demerara, his

personal influence was not of so much avail. However, again the

greater part of the men were recruited on the estates of the clan by

his brother-in-law, Colonel Alexander Mackenzie of Belmaduthy (who

afterwards adopted the additional surname of Fraser, on succeeding to

the Castle Fraser estates in right of his mother) and Colonel J. R.

Mackenzie of Suddie. Several Fencible, Militia, and local Volunteer

regiments were also raised among the Mackenzies at the end of the

last and beginning of the present century.

[Illustration: COLONELS OF THE 78^{TH} AND 79^{TH} HIGHLANDERS.

F. H. MACKENZIE OF SEAFORTH. LORD SEAFORTH.

Col. of 78^{th} Highl^{rs} 7^{th} March 1793--May 1796.

_First Colonel._

SIR PATRICK GRANT, G.C.B. G.C.M.G.

Col. of 78^{th} Highl^{rs} 23^{rd} Oct^r 1863--

SIR RONALD CRAUFURD FERGUSON, G.C.B.

Col. of 79^{th} Highl^{rs} 24^{th} March 1828--10^{th} April 1841.

SIR JAMES MACDONELL, K.C.B. K.C.H.

Col. of 79^{th} Highl^{rs} 14^{th} July 1842--8^{th} Feb. 1849.

_Also Col. of 71^{st} Highl^{rs} 8^{th} Feb. 1849--15^{th} May 1857._

A. Fullarton & C^o London & Edinburgh.]

As the early history of the 78th is a little complicated, owing to

its having been twice augmented with a 2nd battalion, it is as well

to remember the following chronology:--

1st Battalion--Letter of Service dated 7th March 1793.

2nd Battalion--Letter of Service dated 10th February 1794.

Both Battalions amalgamated, June 1796.

2nd Battalion--Letter of Service, dated 17th April 1804.

Both Battalions amalgamated, July 1817.

The regiment has ever since remained as a single battalion.

As early as the autumn of 1787 (when the 74th, 75th, 76th, and

77th Regiments were ordered to be raised for service in India),

Francis Humberstone Mackenzie of Seaforth, lineal descendant and

representative of the old earls of Seaforth, had made an offer to the

King for the raising of a Highland corps on his estates in Ross-shire

and the Isles, to be commanded by himself. As the Government,

however, merely accepted his services in the matter of procuring

recruits for the regiments of Sir Archibald Campbell and Colonel

Abercromby (the 74th and 75th), he did not come prominently forward.

On the 19th of May 1790, he again renewed his offer, but was informed

that Government did not contemplate raising fresh corps, the

establishment of the army having been finally fixed at 77 regiments.

Undismayed, however, by the manner in which his offers had been

hitherto shelved, he was the first to step forward, on the

declaration of war, and place his great influence in the Highlands

at the disposal of the Crown. Accordingly, a Letter of Service,

dated 7th March, 1793, was granted to him, empowering him, as

Lieut.-Colonel Commandant, to raise a Highland battalion, which, as

the first to be embodied during the war, was to be numbered the 78th.

The strength of the battalion was to be 1 company of grenadiers, 1

of light infantry, and 8 battalion companies. Seaforth immediately

appointed as his major his brother-in-law, Alexander Mackenzie

of Belmaduthy, son of Mackenzie of Kilcoy, a captain in the 73rd

Regiment, and a man in every way fitted for the post. A notice was

then posted through the counties of Ross and Cromarty, and the island

of Lewis.

Applications for commissions now poured in upon Seaforth; and,

besides his own personal friends, many who were but slightly known to

him solicited favours for their relatives. The following is a list of

those whose names were approved by the King:--

FIRST LIST OF OFFICERS.

_Lieut.-Colonel Commandant._--F. H. Mackenzie, afterwards Lord

Seaforth, Lieut.-Gen. 1808. Died 1815. [His portrait is on the Plate

of the Colonels of the 78th and 79th Regiments.]

_Lieut.-Colonel._--Alexander Mackenzie of Belmaduthy, afterwards of

Castle Fraser, when he assumed the name of Fraser. Lieut.-General

1808. Died 1809.

_Majors._

George, Earl of Errol, died 1799.

Alexander Mackenzie of Fairburn, Lieut.-General 1809.

_Captains._

Alexander Malcolm, died 1798.

Thomas Fraser of Leadclune.

John Mackenzie (Gairloch).

Gabriel Murray, Brevet-Major, killed at Tuil, 1794.

Alexander Grant, died 1807.

J. R. Mackenzie of Suddie, Major-General, killed at Talavera 1809.

Alexander Adams, Major-General 1814.

Hon. Geo. Cochrane, son of the Earl of Dundonald.

_Captain-Lieutenant_--Duncan Munro of Culcairn.

_Lieutenants._

Colin Mackenzie.

James Fraser, retired 1795.

Charles Rose.

Hugh Munro, Captain of Invalids.

Charles Adamson.

William Douglas, son of Brigton, Lieut.-Colonel 91st Regiment.

George Bayley, promoted to 44th.

Thomas, Lord Cochrane, Captain Royal Navy.

_Ensigns._

Duncan Macrae.

John Macleod, Colonel 1813.

J. Mackenzie Scott, Captain 57th, killed at Albuera, 1811.

Charles Mackenzie (Kilcoy).

John Reid.

David Forbes, Lieut.-Colonel, H.P.

Alexander Rose, Major of Veterans.

John Fraser.

_Chaplain_--The Rev. Alexander Downie, D.D.

_Adjutant_--James Fraser.

_Quarter-Master_--Archibald Macdougall.

_Surgeon_--Thomas Baillie. He died in India.

[Illustration: Notice posted throughout the Counties of Ross and

Cromarty and the Island of Lewis.

Engraved from a photograph of the original poster.]

SEAFORTH’S HIGHLANDERS

To be forthwith raised for the DEFENCE of His Glorious Majesty KING

GEORGE the Third, and the Preservation of our Happy Constitution in

Church and State.

All LADS of _TRUE HIGHLAND BLOOD_, willing to shew their Loyalty

and Spirit, may repair to _SEAFORTH_, or the Major, _ALEXANDER

MACKENZIE_ of _Belmaduthy_; Or, the other Commanding Officers

at Head Quarters, at _____________ where they will receive HIGH

BOUNTIES, and _SOLDIER-LIKE ENTERTAINMENT_.

_The LADS of this Regiment will_ LIVE _and_ DIE _together;--as they

cannot be DRAUGHTED into other Regiments, and must be reduced in a

BODY in their OWN COUNTRY_.

Now for a Stroke at the Monsieurs my Boys!

KING George for ever!

HUZZA!

The martial spirit of the nation was now so thoroughly roused, and

recruits poured in so rapidly, that, on the 10th of July, 1793, only

four months after the granting of the Letter of Service, the regiment

was inspected at Fort George, and passed by Lieut.-General Sir Hector

Munro. Orders were then issued to augment the corps to 1000 rank and

file, and 5 companies, including the flank ones, under the command of

Major Alexander Mackenzie, were embarked for Guernsey. In October of

the same year the remaining 5 companies were ordered to join their

comrades.

“This was an excellent body of men, healthy, vigorous, and efficient;

attached and obedient to their officers, temperate and regular; in

short, possessing those principles of integrity and moral conduct

which constitute a valuable soldier. The duty of officers was easy

with such men, who only required to be told what duty was expected

of them. A young officer, endowed with sufficient judgment to direct

them in the field, possessing energy and spirit to ensure the respect

and confidence of soldiers, and prepared on every occasion _to show

them the eye of the enemy_, need not desire a command that would

sooner and more permanently establish his professional character,

if employed on an active campaign, than that of 1000 such men as

composed this regiment.

“Colonel Mackenzie knew his men, and the value which they attached

to a good name, by tarnishing which they would bring shame on their

country and kindred. In case of any misconduct, he had only to

remonstrate, or threaten to transmit to their parents a report of

their misbehaviour. This was, indeed, to them a grievous punishment,

acting like the curse of Kehama, as a perpetual banishment from a

country to which they could not return with a bad character.”[467]

After being stationed a short time in Guernsey and the Isle of

Wight, the 78th, in September 1794, embarked with the 80th to join

Lord Mulgrave’s force in Walcheren. While detained by contrary winds

in the Downs, fever broke out on board the transports, which had

recently brought back prisoners of war from the West Indies, and had

not been properly purified; thus several men fell victims to the

disease.

The British troops had landed in Holland, on the 5th of March, 1793,

and since then the war had been progressing with varying success.

Without, therefore, giving details of their operations during the

first year and a half, we shall merely sketch the position they

occupied when the 78th landed at Flushing.

On the 1st of July, 1794, the allies having decided to abandon the

line of the Scheldt, the Duke of York retired behind the Dyle,

and was there joined by Lord Moira and 8000 men. On the 22nd the

Duke, having separated from the Austrians, established himself

at Rosendaal, and there remained inactive in his camp the whole

of August and the early part of September; but, on the 15th of

September, Boxtel having fallen into the hands of General Pichegru,

he was constrained to break camp and retire across the Meuse, and

finally across the Waal, establishing his head-quarters at Nimeguen.

At this juncture the 78th and 80th reached Flushing, and found that

Lord Mulgrave was ordered home. They therefore embarked with the

79th, 84th, and 85th, to join the Duke’s army. Early in October

the 78th landed at Tuil, and proceeded to occupy the village of

Rossem in the Bommeler-Waart, or Island of Bommel, where they first

saw the enemy, scarcely one hundred yards distant, on the opposite

side of the river. Here, through the negligence of a Dutch Emigrant

Officer, a sad accident occurred. This person hearing voices on the

bank of the river, and dreading a surprise, ordered his gunners to

fire an iron 12-pounder, loaded with case shot, by which discharge

the officer of the day, Lieut. Archibald Christie, 78th, and a

sergeant, were seriously wounded while visiting a sentry. They both

recovered, but were unable to serve again; strange to say, the sentry

escaped untouched. While quartered here, by a tacit understanding,

the sentries exchanged no shots, but it was observed that the French

frequently fired howitzers with effect when the troops were under

arms, and that, before the fire commenced, the sails of a certain

windmill were invariably put in motion. The owner was arrested, found

guilty as a spy, and condemned to death, but was reprieved through

the lenity of Lieut.-Colonel Mackenzie, the commandant, with the full

understanding that, on a repetition of the offence, the last penalty

would be enforced.

About the end of October the 78th proceeded to Arnheim, the Duke

of York’s headquarters, and thence, by a night march, to Nimeguen,

against which place the French were erecting batteries. On the 4th

of November a sortie was made, when the 78th was for the first time

under fire, and did such execution with the bayonet, as to call forth

the highest encomiums from experienced and veteran officers. The loss

of the regiment in this engagement was Lieutenant Martin Cameron

(died of his wounds) and seven men, killed; wounded, Major Malcolm,

Captain Hugh Munro, Captain Colin Mackenzie, Lieutenant Bayley, 4

sergeants, and 56 rank and file.

On the 6th the regiment marched from Nimeguen to Arnheim, and finally

to Dodewaart on the Waal, where they were brigaded with the 12th,

the 33rd, under Lieut.-Colonel Arthur Wellesley (afterwards Duke of

Wellington), and the 42nd under Major Dickson. The General going home

on leave, the command devolved on Colonel Alexander Mackenzie of the

78th, who, however, still remained with his regiment.

On the 2nd of December the Duke of York quitted Arnheim for England,

and handed over his command to Lieut.-General Harcourt.

On the 29th of December General Daendels, having crossed the Waal on

the ice and driven back the Dutch, Major-General Sir David Dundas

was ordered to dislodge him. He, therefore, marched towards Thiel by

Buren and Geldermalsen, and came up with the enemy at Tuil, which

village he carried at the point of the bayonet with comparatively

little loss, though Brevet Major Murray and three men of the light

company, 78th, were killed by the bursting of a shell thrown from a

distant battery. After the action the troops lay on their arms in the

snow until the evening of the 31st, and the French recrossed the Waal.

On the 3rd of January 1795 the French repossessed themselves of

Tuil, and on the 5th they drove in the British outposts at Meteren,

capturing two three-pounders, which were, however, recovered later in

the day. They then attacked Geldermalsen. The 78th were in advance,

supported by the 42nd, when they were charged by a Republican cavalry

corps, dressed in the same uniform as the French Emigrant Regiment

of Choiseul. They advanced towards the Highlanders with loud cries

of “Choiseul! Choiseul!” and the 78th, believing them to be that

regiment, forbore to fire upon them until they were quite close,

when, discovering the mistake, they gave them a warm reception,

and those of the enemy who had penetrated beyond their line were

destroyed by the 42nd. The infantry then came up, the officers

shouting “Avançez, Carmagnoles!” but the 78th, reserving their fire

till the foe had almost closed with them, poured in such a withering

volley, that they were completely demoralised and retreated in

great confusion. It was remarked that in this action the French

were all half drunk, and one officer, who was wounded and taken,

was completely tipsy. The loss of the 78th was four men killed, and

Captain Duncan Munro and seven men wounded. It was on this occasion

that a company of the 78th, commanded by Lieutenant Forbes, showed

an example of steadiness that would have done honour to the oldest

soldiers, presenting and recovering arms without firing a shot upon

the cavalry as they were coming down. The whole behaved with great

coolness, and fired nearly 60 rounds per man.

On the night of the 5th the troops retired to Buren. On the 6th the

British and Hanoverians retired across the Leck, with the exception

of the 6th Brigade, Lord Cathcart’s, which remained at Kuilenburg. On

the 8th both parties assumed the offensive, but the British advance

was countermanded on account of the severity of the weather. It

happened, however, luckily for the picquet of the 4th Brigade, which

was at Burenmalsen, opposite to Geldermalsen, that the order did not

reach Lord Cathcart until he had arrived at Buren, as being driven

in, it must otherwise have been taken. Here a long action took place,

which ended in the repulse of the French. The 4th and a Hessian

Brigade went into Buren, and the British into the castle.

The day the troops remained here, a man in the town was discovered

selling gin to the soldiers at such a low price as must have caused

him an obvious loss, and several of the men being already drunk, the

liquor was seized, and ordered by General Dundas to be divided among

the different corps, to be issued at the discretion of commanding

officers. Thus what the French intended to be a means of destruction,

turned out to be of the greatest comfort and assistance to the

men during their fearful marches through ice and snow. During the

afternoon a man was apprehended at the outposts, who had been sent to

ascertain whether the trick had taken effect, and whether the troops

were sufficiently drunk to be attacked with success.

Abercromby and Hammerstein having been unable to reach Thiel, were,

with Wurmb’s Hessians, united to Dundas at Buren. On the 10th the

French crossed the Waal, and General Regnier crossing the Oeg, drove

the British from Opheusden, back upon Wageningen and Arnheim, with a

loss of fifty killed and wounded. Abercromby, therefore, withdrew,

and the British retired across the Rhine at Rhenen. This sealed the

fate of Holland, and on the 20th General Pichegru entered Amsterdam.

The inclemency of the season increased, and the rivers, estuaries,

and inundations froze as they had never been known to do before, so

that the whole country, land and water, was one unbroken sheet of ice.

The Rhine was thus crossed on the ice on the night of the 9th of

February, and for two more nights the 78th lay upon their arms in

the snow, and then marched for Wyk. On the 14th Rhenen was attacked

by the French, who were repulsed by the Guards, with a loss of 20

men; however, the same night it was determined to abandon the Rhine,

and thus Rhenen, the Grand Hospital of the army, fell into the hands

of the French, who, nevertheless, treated the sick and wounded with

consideration. After resting two hours in the snow during the night,

the 78th resumed their march, passed through Amersfoort, and about

11 A.M. on the 15th lay down in some tobacco barns, having marched

nearly 40 miles. It had been decided to occupy the line of the

Yssel, and Deventer therefore became the destination. On the 16th at

daybreak the regiment commenced its march across the horrible waste

called the Veluwe. Food was not to be obtained, the inhabitants were

inhospitable; with the enemy in their rear, the snow knee deep,

and blown in swirls by the wind into their faces, until they were

partially or entirely blinded, their plight was most pitiable.

They had now a new enemy to encounter. Not only was the weather still

most severe, and the Republicans supposed to be in pursuit, but

the British had, in consequence of French emissaries, a concealed

enemy in every Dutch town and village through which they had to

pass. Notwithstanding the severity of the climate,--the cold being

so intense that brandy froze in bottles--the 78th, 79th (both young

soldiers), and the recruits of the 42nd, wore their kilts, and yet

the loss was incomparably less than that sustained by the other corps.

After halting at Loo to allow the officers and men to take off their

accoutrements, which they had worn day and night since the 26th

December, they on the 18th marched to Hattem on the Yssel. Finally,

on the 28th of March the 78th entered Bremen, and the army being

embarked, the fleet sailed on the 12th of April. On the 9th of May,

1795, the shores of Old England brought tears into the eyes of the

war-worn soldiers, and the first battalion of the Ross-shire Buffs

landed at Harwich, and proceeded to Chelmsford, where they took over

the barracks. After making up the returns, and striking off the names

of all men supposed to be dead or prisoners, the regiment, which

had embarked on the previous September 950 strong, and in excellent

health, was found to be reduced to 600 men, which number included

the disabled and sick who had not been yet invalided. The 78th

remained three weeks at Chelmsford, and marched to Harwich, where

it was brigaded with the 19th, under command of General Sir Ralph

Abercromby. It then proceeded to Nutshalling (now Nursling) Common,

where a force was assembling under the Earl of Moira, with a view to

making a descent on the French coast.

On the 18th of August the 78th, in company with the 12th, 80th, and

90th Regiments, and some artillery, embarked under the command of

Major-General W. Ellis Doyle, and sailed for Quiberon Bay; the design

was to assist the French Royalists. They bore down on Noirmoutier,

but finding the island strongly reinforced, and a landing

impracticable, they made for L’Île-Dieu, where they landed without

opposition. Here they remained for some time, enduring the hardships

entailed by continued wet weather and a want of proper accommodation,

coupled with an almost total failure of the commissariat, but were

unable to assist Charette or his royalist companions in any way.

Finally, the expedition embarked in the middle of December, joined

the grand fleet in Quiberon Bay, and proceeded with it to Spithead.

On the 13th of October 1793, Seaforth made an offer to Government to

raise a second battalion for the 78th Highlanders; and on the 30th

Lord Amherst signed the king’s approval of his raising 500 additional

men on his then existing letter of service. However, this was not

what he wanted; and on the 28th of December he submitted three

proposals for a second battalion to Government.

On the 7th of February 1794, the Government agreed to one battalion

being raised, with eight battalion and two flank companies, each

company to consist of “one hundred private men,”[468] with the usual

complement of officers and non-commissioned officers. But Seaforth’s

services were ill requited by Government; for while he contemplated

raising a second battalion to his regiment, Lord Amherst had issued

orders that it was to be considered as a separate corps. The

following is a copy of the letter addressed to Mr Secretary Dundas by

Lieut.-Colonel Commandant F. H. Mackenzie[469]:--

“ST ALBAN’S STREET,

“_8th Feb. 1794_.

“SIR,--I had sincerely hoped I should not be obliged to trouble you

again; but on my going to-day to the War Office about my letter of

service (having yesterday, as I thought, finally agreed with Lord

Amherst), I was, to my amazement, told that Lord Amherst had ordered

that the 1000 men I am to raise were not to be a second battalion of

the 78th, but a separate corps. It will, I am sure, occur to you that

should I undertake such a thing, it would destroy my influence among

the people of my country entirely; and instead of appearing as a

loyal honest chieftain calling out his friends to support their king

and country, I should be gibbeted as a jobber of the attachment my

neighbours bear to me. Recollecting what passed between you and me,

I barely state this circumstance; and I am, with great respect and

attachment, Sir, your most obliged and obedient servant,

“F. H. MACKENZIE.”

This argument had its weight; Lord Amherst’s order was rescinded,

and on the 10th February 1794, a letter of service was granted to

Seaforth, empowering him, as Lieut.-Colonel Commandant, to add a

second battalion to the 78th Highlanders, of which the strength was

to be “one company of grenadiers, one of light infantry, and eight

battalion companies.”[470]

Stewart states that of this number 560 men were of the same country

and character as the first, and 190 from different parts of Scotland;

but he alludes to the first six companies, as the regiment was almost

entirely composed of Highlanders.

The following is a list of the officers appointed to the regiment:--

_Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant._

F. H. Mackenzie of Seaforth.

_Lieutenant-Colonel._

Alexander Mackenzie of Fairburn, from first battalion.

_Majors._

J. R. Mackenzie of Suddie, from first battalion.

Michael Monypenny, promoted to 73d, dead.

_Captains._

J. H. Brown, killed in a duel in India.

Simon Mackenzie.

William Campbell, Major, killed in Java, 1811.

John Mackenzie, Major-General, 1813.

Patrick M’Leod (Geanies), killed at El Hamet, 1807.

[His portrait will be found on page 650.]

Hercules Scott of Benholm, Lieut.-Colonel 103d Regiment, 1814,

killed in Canada.

John Scott.

John Macleod, Colonel, 1813, from first battalion.

_Lieutenants._

James Hanson.

Alexander Macneil.

Æneas Sutherland.

Murdoch Mackenzie.

Archd. C. B. Crawford.

Norman Macleod, Lieut.-Colonel Royal Scots.

Thomas Leslie.

Alexander Sutherland, sen.

Alexander Sutherland, jun.

P. Macintosh.

John Douglas.

George Macgregor.

B. G. Mackay.

Donald Cameron.

James Hay.

Thomas Davidson.

William Gordon.

Robert Johnstone.

Hon. W. D. Halyburton, Colonel, half-pay.

John Macneil.

John Dunbar.

_Ensigns._

George Macgregor, Lieut.-Colonel 59th Regiment.

Donald Cameron.

John Macneil.

William Polson.

Alexander Wishart.

_Chaplain._--The Rev. Charles Proby.

_Adjutant._--James Hanson.

_Quarter-Master._--Alexander Wishart.

The records of this battalion having been lost many years since,

the only knowledge we can derive of its movements is to be obtained

from the Seaforth papers. The regiment was inspected and passed at

Fort-George by Sir Hector Munro in June 1794. In July his Majesty

authorised the regiment to adopt the name of “The Ross-shire Buffs”

as a distinctive title. In August six companies embarked for England,

and proceeded to Netley Camp, where they were brigaded with the

90th, 97th, and 98th. The troops suffered much from fever, ague, and

rheumatism, the situation being very unfavourable; but here again the

78th was found to be more healthy than their neighbours. The young

battalion was chafing at this enforced idleness, and longed to go on

active service. On the 5th of November, the regiment marched from

Netley, four companies proceeding to Poole, one to Wimborne, and one

to Wareham, Corff Castle, &c.

In the end of February 1795, the second battalion of the 78th

Highlanders, Lieut.-Colonel Alexander Mackenzie of Fairburn in

command, embarked, under Major-General Craig, with a secret

expedition. Major J. R. Mackenzie of Suddie, writing to Seaforth

under date “Portsmouth, 4th March 1795,” narrates the following

unpleasant circumstance which happened on the day previous to

embarkation:--

“The orders for marching from Poole were so sudden that there was

no time then for settling the men’s arrears. They were perfectly

satisfied then, and expressed the utmost confidence in their

officers, which continued until they marched into this infernal

place. Here the publicans and some of the invalids persuaded the men

that they were to be embarked without their officers, and that they

would be sold, as well as lose their arrears. This operated so far

on men who had never behaved ill before in a single instance, that

they desired to have their accounts settled before they embarked.

Several publicans and other villains in this place were guilty of

the most atrocious conduct even on the parade, urging on the men

to demand their rights, as they called it. Fairburn having some

intimation of what was passing, and unwilling that it should come to

any height, addressed the men, told them it was impossible to settle

their accounts in the short time previous to embarkation, but that he

had ordered a sum to be paid to each man nearly equal to the amount

of their credit. This was all the publicans wanted, among whom the

greatest part of the money rested. Next morning the men embarked in

the best and quietest manner possible, and I believe they were most

thoroughly ashamed of their conduct. I passed a most miserable time

from receiving Fairburn’s letter in London till I came down here,

when it had all ended so well; for well as I knew the inclinations

of the men to have been, it was impossible to say how far they might

have been misled.

“There is little doubt of the expedition being intended for the

East. It is said the fleet is to run down the coast of Guinea,

proceed to the Cape, which they hope to take by negotiation; but if

unsuccessful, to go on to the other Dutch possessions.”

The fleet sailed on the morning of Sunday the 1st of March. 1 major,

1 ensign, 4 sergeants, 1 drummer, and 124 privates were left behind;

and the most of them, with others, were incorporated with the first

battalion, on its amalgamation with the second battalion.

Holland having entirely submitted to France, as detailed in the

record of the first battalion, and Britain being fully aware that

submission to France became equivalent to a compulsory declaration

of war against her, it behoved her to turn her attention to the

Dutch colonies, which, from their proximity to India, would prove of

immense importance to an enemy.

In June 1795 a British fleet under Sir G. Elphinstone arrived off the

Cape, having Major-General Craig and the 78th Highlanders (second

battalion) on board; and the commanders immediately entered into

negotiations with Governor Slugsken for the cession of the colony to

Great Britain in trust for the Stadtholder. A determination to resist

the force having been openly expressed, the commanders determined to

disembark their troops and occupy a position. Accordingly, the 78th

and the Marines were landed at Simon’s Bay on the 14th, and proceeded

to take possession of Simon’s Town without opposition. The Dutch were

strongly posted in their fortified camp at Muysenberg, six miles on

this side of Capetown; and accordingly a force of 800 seamen having

been sent to co-operate with the troops on shore, the whole body

moved to its attack; while the ships of the fleet, covering them from

the sea, opened such a terrific fire upon the colonists that they

fled precipitately. Muysenberg was taken on the 7th of August, and on

the 9th a detachment arrived from St Helena with some field-pieces;

but it was not till the 3rd of September, when Sir A. Clarke, at the

head of three regiments, put into the bay, that an advance became

practicable. Accordingly, the Dutch position at Wineberg was forced

on the 14th, and on the 15th Capetown capitulated, the garrison

marching out with the honours of war. Thus, after a two months’

campaign, during which they suffered severely from the unhealthiness

of their situation, the scarcity of provisions, and the frequent

night attacks of the enemy, this young battalion, whose conduct

throughout had been exemplary in the highest degree, saw the object

of the expedition accomplished, and the colony taken possession of in

the name of his Britannic Majesty.

Under date “Cape of Good Hope, 19th September 1795,” Lieut.-Colonel

Alexander Mackenzie of Fairburn, commanding the second battalion of

the 78th Highlanders, sends a long account of the transactions at the

Cape to Lieut.-Colonel F. H. Mackenzie of Seaforth. We are sorry that

our space permits us to give only the following extracts:--

“I think if you will not be inclined to allow that the hardships have

been so great, you will at all events grant that the comforts have

been few, when I assure you that I have not had my clothes off for

nearly nine weeks, nor my boots, except when I could get a dry pair

to put on.

“ ... If the regiment is put on the East India establishment, which

is supposed will be the case, it will be equally the same for you as

if they were in India. I must observe it is fortunate for us that we

are in a warm climate, as we are actually without a coat to put on;

we are so naked that we can do no duty in town....

“I cannot tell you how much I am puzzled about clothing. The other

corps have all two years’ clothing not made up, and I should not be

surprised if this alone was to turn the scale with regard to their

going to India. General Clarke advises mo to buy cloth, but I fear

putting you to expense; however, if the clothing does not come out

in the first ship I shall be obliged to do something, but what, I

am sure I don’t know. I hope your first battalion may come out, as

there cannot be a more desirable quarter for the colonel or the

regiment. We are getting into excellent barracks, and the regiment

will soon get well of the dysentery and other complaints. They are

now immensely rich, and I shall endeavour to lay out their money

properly for them. I shall bid you adieu by saying that I do not

care how soon a good peace may be brought about. I think we have at

last turned up a good trump card for you, and I daresay the Ministry

will play the negotiating game well.”

In Capetown the regiment remained quartered until the arrival of the

first battalion in June 1796.

II.

1796-1817.

1st and 2d Battalions amalgamated--The Regiment sails for the

Cape--The consolidation completed--Capture of a Dutch fleet--Ordered

to India--Lucknow--Cession of Allahabad--Various changes of

Quarters--Colonels Alexander Mackenzie and J. R. Mackenzie quit the

Regiment--Ordered to Bombay--Join General Wellesley’s Army--The

Mahrattas--The Treaty of Bassein--Lake and Wellesley take the

field--War between the British and the Mahrattas--Ahmednuggur

taken--Battle of Assaye--Colours granted to the 74th and

78th--Wellesley’s pursuit of the Enemy--Battle of Argaum--Gawilghur

taken--The Regiment goes to Goojerat--From Bombay to Goa--Excellent

conduct--Ordered to Madras and thence to Java--Landing near

Batavia, which is invested--The Cantonment of Waltevreeden

forced--The Fortification of Cornelis captured, when General Jansens

flies--Colonel Gillespie defeats Jansens--The French army surrender

and evacuate the Island--Rebellion of the Sultan of Djokjokarta--His

Capital is taken, and he is deposed--Colonel Fraser and Captain

Macpherson murdered by Banditti at Probolingo--Major Forbes defeats

the Insurgents--Thanks of Government to the Regiment--Expeditions

against the Islands of Bali and Celebes--The Regiment sails for

Calcutta--Six Companies wrecked on the Island of Preparis--General

Orders by the Indian Government--The Regiment lands at Portsmouth

and proceeds to Aberdeen--Unfounded charge against the Highland

Regiments.

On the 28th of November, 1795, the Duke of York had issued orders

for the consolidation of both battalions, and accordingly, on the

arrival of the 1st battalion from L’Île-Dieu, the work was commenced

by the attachment to it of that part of the 2nd battalion which had

been left behind. On the 26th of February, 1796, only seven weeks

after its return from abroad, the battalion proceeded from Poole to

Portsmouth, where it embarked for the Cape in two divisions under

the command of Lieut.-Colonel Alexander Mackenzie of Belmaduthy, and

sailed on the 6th of March. On the 30th of May the 78th arrived in

Simon’s Bay, and on the 1st of June landed and commenced its march

to Capetown. Here the work of consolidation was completed, and

the supernumerary officers and men ordered home. The regiment now

presented the appearance of a splendid body of men, and mustered

970 Highlanders, 129 Lowlanders, and 14 English and Irish, the last

chiefly bandsmen. The Batavian Republic had formally declared war

against England in May; and, accordingly, on the 3rd of August,

apparently with the view of attempting the recapture of the Cape, a

Dutch fleet under Admiral Lucas anchored in Saldanha Bay. General

Craig, the commander of the troops, marched up a force, which

included the grenadier and light battalions of the 78th. As the Dutch

fleet, however, surrendered, the troops marched back to a place

called Groenekloof, about half-way to Capetown, where they remained

encamped for three or four weeks, when the 78th marched to Capetown,

and occupied the hill near the Castle until the transports were ready

to convey them to India.

On the 4th of November the regiment embarked, and sailed on the 10th;

it had a long passage, during which scurvy made its appearance, but

to no formidable extent. On the 10th of February 1797 the transports

reached Calcutta, and the following day the regiment marched into

Fort William. Ten days later it embarked in boats on the Hoogly,

and proceeded to Burhampoor, the voyage occupying fourteen days.

About the 1st of August, on the embarkation of the 33rd Regiment

with the expedition intended against Manilla, the 78th proceeded to

Fort William. In the beginning of October six companies were again

embarked in boats, and proceeded to Chunar. From Chunar, about the

end of November, the division, having drawn camp equipment from

the magazine, was ordered to drop down to Benares, there to land,

and form part of a large escort to the Governor-General (Sir John

Shore), and the Commander-in-Chief (Sir A. Clarke), about to proceed

to Lucknow. The division accordingly landed at Benares on the 6th of

December and marched to Sheopoor, six miles on the road, where it

halted to complete its field equipment. In the beginning of November,

the 33rd having returned to Fort William, the second division of

the 78th embarked and proceeded to Chunar, where it was landed and

encamped until the following March.

On the 9th of December the first division was joined by a part of

the 3rd Native Infantry, some artillery with field-pieces, and two

russallahs or squadrons of Irregular Hindoostani Cavalry, formerly

the body-guard of General De Boigne, a Savoyard in Sindiah’s service,

and marched forward, forming the escort above mentioned. The march

was continued without halting for fifteen days, which brought the

force to the race-course of Lucknow, where it was joined by the

remainder of the 3rd Native Infantry. It is unnecessary to enter here

into the complications of native Indian politics. It is enough to say

that on the death, in 1797, of the troublesome Asoph-ud-Dowla, the

Nawaub Vizir of Oudh, he was succeeded by his equally troublesome and

weak-minded son, Mirza Ali.

The young prince had barely ascended the throne, however, ere reports

were brought to the Governor-General of his incapacity, faithless

character, and prodigality. It was on receiving these reports,

therefore, that Sir John Shore determined to proceed to Lucknow in

person, and, by actual observation, satisfy himself of the merits of

the case. The narrative is resumed from the regimental records of the

78th.

“On the frontier of the Nawaub Vizir’s dominions, we had been met by

the new Nawaub Vizir, Ali, a young lad of known faithless principles,

with a large force; and his intentions being considered very

suspicious, each battalion furnished a captain’s outlying picquet,

for the security of the camp at night, which was continued until

after his deposition and the elevation of his successor, Saadut Ali,

on the 22nd January 1798.”

By skilful management Vizir Ali was secured without violence, and his

uncle, Saadut Ali, placed in his stead.

On the 23rd of February, the 78th, the 1st Battalion Native Infantry,

and a company of Artillery, under the command of Colonel Mackenzie of

the 78th, marched for the Fort of Allahabad, which had lately been

ceded to the British by Saadut Ali.

After various movements, the 78th found itself in garrison at Fort

William in December 1800. In the October of that year Lieut.-Colonel

Alexander Mackenzie had left for England, handing over his command to

Lieut.-Colonel J. Randoll Mackenzie of Suddie.[471] And in the latter

part of November Lieut.-Colonel Mackenzie also went to England, and

was succeeded in the command of the regiment by Lieut.-Colonel Adams.

The regiment remained in quarters at Fort William during the whole of

1801 and 1802.

In the middle of January, 1803, the 78th received orders to prepare

for embarkation for Bombay, where head-quarters arrived on the 26th

of March, and immediately received orders to prepare for field

service. The regiment re-embarked on the 4th of April, and proceeded

to Bassein, where it landed on the 7th, and marched at once to join

the camp of Colonel Murray’s detachment at Sachpara, 7 miles from the

town; being formed as an escort to His Highness the Peshwah, who had

been driven from his dominions by Holkar during the previous October.

The detachment set out on the 18th of April, and marched by Panwell

and the Bhore Ghât. In the beginning of June the 78th joined at

Poonah the army under General Wellesley, destined to act against

Sindiah and the Mahrattas. The regiment was posted to the brigade

commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Harness, 80th Regiment, which was

called the 4th brigade, with reference to the Grand Madras Army,

from which General Wellesley was detached, but which formed the

right of the General’s force. Its post in line was the right of

the centre, which was occupied by the park, and on the left of the

park was the 74th Highlanders, in the brigade commanded by Colonel

Wallace, 74th, and called the 5th Brigade. Besides these two brigades

of infantry there was one of cavalry, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel

Maxwell, 19th Light Dragoons; each brigade consisted of 1 European

and 3 native regiments. The train consisted of four iron and four

brass 12-pounders, besides two 5½-inch howitzers, and some spare

field-pieces.

A very few days after the army moved forward the rainy season

commenced, but was by no means a severe one; the great want of

forage, however, at the commencement of this campaign, destroyed

much cattle, and the 78th Highlanders, who were by no means so well

equipped as the other corps, were a good deal distressed at first.

The movements of the army were slow, making long halts, and not

keeping in a straight direction till the beginning of August, when it

encamped about 8 miles south of Ahmednuggur, in which position it was

when negotiations were broken off and war declared with Dowlut Rao

Sindiah and the Rajah of Berar, Ragojee Bhoonslah.

On the 8th of August the advanced guard was reinforced by the

flank companies of the 74th and 78th Highlanders, and the city of

Ahmednuggur was attacked and carried by storm in three columns, of

which the advanced guard formed one, the other two being led by

battalion companies of the same regiments. “The fort of Ahmednuggur

is one of the strongest in India, built of stone and a strong Indian

cement called _chunam_. It is surrounded by a deep ditch, with large

circular bastions at short intervals, and was armed with guns in

casemated embrasures, and with loopholes for musketry. The escarp

was unusually lofty, but the casemates were too confined to admit

of their being effectively employed, and the glacis was so abrupt

that it offered good shelter to an enemy who could once succeed in

getting close to the walls. The Pettah was a large and regular Indian

town, surrounded by a wall of stone and mud 18 feet high, with small

bastions at every hundred yards, but with no rampart broad enough

for a man to stand upon. Here, both in the Pettah and the fort, the

walls were perceived to be lined by men, whose appointments glittered

in the sun. The Pettah was separated from the fort by a wide space,

in which Sindiah had a palace and many valuables, surrounded with

immense gardens, where the remains of aqueducts and many interesting

ruins of Moorish architecture show the once flourishing condition

of the Nizam’s capital in the 16th century.”[472] Having determined

on taking the Pettah by escalade, General Wellesley ordered forward

the stormers, who were led by the advanced guard. Unfortunately, on

account of the height and narrowness of the walls, and the difficulty

of obtaining footing, the men, having reached the top of the scaling

ladders, were, one after the other as they came up, either killed or

thrown down. At length, Captain Vesey, of the 1/3rd Native Infantry,

having secured a bastion, a party of his men leaped down within the

walls, and, opening a gate, admitted the remainder of the force; some

skirmishing took place in the streets, but the enemy was speedily

overcome, and though the fort continued to fire round shot, it was

with but little precision, and occasioned no damage.[473] The army

lost 140 men, the casualties of the 78th being Captains F. Mackenzie

Humberstone and Duncan Grant (a volunteer on this occasion), Lieut.

Anderson of the Grenadier Company, and 12 men killed; and Lieut.

Larkin of the Light Company, and 5 men wounded.

After the action the army encamped a long shot’s distance from the

fort, which was reconnoitred on the 9th, and a ravine having been

discovered, not 300 yards from the wall, it was occupied, and a

battery erected, which opened with four iron 12-pounders on the

morning of the 10th. During that night the battery was enlarged, and

two howitzers added to its armament, and the fire re-opened on the

11th, on the evening of which day the Killedar capitulated; and next

morning the garrison, to the number of 1400 men having marched out,

the grenadiers of the 78th and a battalion of Sepoys took possession.

The victorious troops proceeded to the plunder of Sindiah’s palace.

Its treasures can have been surpassed only by those of the Summer

Palace at Pekin. “There were found in it, besides many objects of

European manufacture and luxury, the richest stuffs of India--gold

and silver cloths, splendid armour, silks, satins, velvets, furs,

shawls, plate, cash. &c.”[474] Here, as afterwards, General Wellesley

set his face against all such demoralising practices, but it was only

after hanging a couple of Sepoys in the gateway, as a warning to the

rest, that order could be restored and the native troops restrained.

Along with the fort and city of Ahmednuggur, a province of the

same name became subject to British authority. This fortress,

long regarded as the key of the Deccan, besides covering his

communications with Poonah, afforded General Wellesley an invaluable

depôt from which to draw supplies; and from its position overawed

the surrounding population, and formed a bulwark of defence to the

western territories of the Nizam.[475]

The army remained for some days in the neighbourhood of Ahmednuggur,

and then marching down the Nimderrah Ghât, directed its route to

Toka, on the Godavery. On the 24th it crossed the river in boats. On

the 17th of September the army encamped at Goonjee, the junction of

the Godavery and Galatty, and thence moved to Golah Pangree on the

Doodna, which it reached on the 20th.

On the 24th of August the united armies of Sindiah and the Rajah of

Berar had entered the territories of the Nizam by the Adjunteh Ghât,

and were known to be occupying the country between that pass and

Jalnah. General Wellesley’s plan of operations now was, if possible,

to bring the enemy to a general action; but, if he failed in that

object, at least to drive them out of the Nizam’s country and secure

the passes. On the 19th of September he wrote to Colonel Stevenson,

directing that officer to march upon the Adjunteh Ghât, he himself

moving by Jafferabad upon those of Bhaudoola and Laukenwarra. On the

21st, having obtained intelligence that the enemy lay at Bokerdun,

he, after a personal interview with Colonel Stevenson at Budnapoor,

arranged that their forces should separate, marching on the 22nd, and

traversing two parallel roads about 12 miles apart. On the 22nd both

officers broke camp, the General proceeding by the eastern route,

round the hills between Budnapoor and Jalnah, and Colonel Stevenson

moving to the westward. On the 23rd General Wellesley arrived at

Naulniah, and found that, instead of being 12 or 14 miles distant

from the enemy’s camp, as he had calculated, he was within 6 miles of

it. General Wellesley found himself unable to make a reconnaissance

without employing his whole force, and to retire in the face of the

enemy’s numerous cavalry would have been a dangerous experiment;

but the hircarrahs having reported that the cavalry had already

moved off, and that the infantry were about to follow, the General

determined to attack at once, without waiting for Colonel Stevenson.

He, however, apprised Stevenson of his intention, and desired him to

move up without delay. On coming in sight of the enemy he was rudely

undeceived as to his intelligence, for, instead of the infantry

alone, the whole force of the allied Rajahs was drawn up on the

further bank of the river Kaitna, ready to receive him.

“The sight was enough to appal the stoutest heart: thirty thousand

horse, in one magnificent mass, crowded the right; a dense array of

infantry, powerfully supported by artillery, formed the centre and

left: the gunners were beside their pieces, and a hundred pieces

of cannon, in front of the line, stood ready to vomit forth death

upon the assailants. Wellington paused for a moment, impressed but

not daunted by the sight. His whole force, as Colonel Stevenson had

not come up, did not exceed 8000 men, of whom 1600 were cavalry; the

effective native British were not above 1500, and he had only 17

pieces of cannon. But feeling at once that retreat in presence of

so prodigious a force of cavalry was impossible, and that the most

audacious course was, in such circumstances, the most prudent, he

ordered an immediate attack.”[476]

Before receiving intelligence of the enemy, the ground had been

marked out for an encampment, and the cavalry had dismounted: General

Wellesley ordered them to remount, and proceeded with them to the

front. Of the infantry, the 1/2nd Native Infantry was ordered to

cover the baggage on the marked ground, and to be reinforced by the

rearguard as it came up. The 2/12th Native Infantry was ordered to

join the left, in order to equalise the two brigades, which were to

follow by the right, and the four brass light 12-pounders of the park

were sent to the head of the line.

These dispositions did not cause above ten minutes’ halt to the

column of infantry, but the cavalry, moving on with the General,

came first in sight of the enemy’s position from a rising ground

to the left of the road. This was within cannon-shot of the right

of their encampment, which lay along the further bank of the river

Kaitna, a stream of no magnitude, but with steep banks and a very

deep channel, so as not to be passable except at particular places,

chiefly near the villages. Sindiah’s irregular cavalry formed the

right; the troops of the Rajah of Berar, also irregulars, the centre;

and Sindiah’s regular infantry, the left. The latter was composed of

17 battalions, amounting to about 10,500 men, formed into 3 brigades,

to each of which a body of regular cavalry and a corps of marksmen,

called Allygoots, were attached. 102 pieces of their artillery were

afterwards accounted for, but they probably had a few more.[477] The

infantry were dressed, armed, and accoutred like British Sepoys;

they were very fine bodies of men, and though the English officers

had quitted them, they were in an admirable state of discipline, and

many French and other European officers held command among them.

Their guns were served by Gollundaze, exactly like those of the

Bengal service, which had been disbanded some little time previously,

and were probably the same men. It was soon found that they were

extremely well trained, and their fire was both as quick and as

well-directed as could be produced by the British artillery. What the

total number of the enemy was cannot be ascertained, or even guessed

at, with any degree of accuracy; but it is certainly calculated

very low at 30,000 men, including the light troops who were out

on a plundering excursion, but returned towards the close of the

action. The two Rajahs were in the field in person, attended by their

principal ministers, and, it being the day of the Dusserah feast,

the Hindoos, of which the army was chiefly composed, had religious

prejudices to make them fight with spirit and hope for victory.

The force of General Wellesley’s army in action was nearly 4700 men,

of whom about 1500 were Europeans (including artillery), with 26

field-pieces, of which only four 12 and eight 6-pounders were fired

during the action; the rest, being the guns of the cavalry and the

battalions of the second line, could not be used.

On General Wellesley’s approaching the enemy for the purpose of

reconnoitring, they commenced a cannonade, the first gun of which

was fired at twenty minutes past one o’clock P.M., and killed one

of his escort. The General, although he found himself in front of

their right, determined to attack their left, in order to turn it,

judging that the defeat of their infantry was most likely to prove

effectual, and accordingly ordered his own infantry column to move in

that direction. Meanwhile some of the staff looked out for a ford to

enable the troops to pass the Kaitna and execute this movement, and

found one, which the enemy had fortunately left undefended, scarcely

half a mile beyond their left flank, near the old fort of Peepulgaon,

where the ground, narrowing at the confluence of the Kaitna and Juah,

would prevent them from attacking with overwhelming numbers. The

whole of this march was performed considerably within range of their

cannon, and the fire increased so fast that by the time the head of

the column had reached Peepulgaon, it was tremendously heavy, and had

already destroyed numbers.

For some time the enemy did not discover Major-General Wellesley’s

design; but as soon as they became aware of it, they threw their

left up to Assaye, a village on the Juah, near the left of their

second line, which did not change its position. Their first line was

now formed across the ground between the Kaitna and the Juah, the

right resting upon the Kaitna, where the left had been, and the left

occupying the village of Assaye, which was garrisoned with infantry

and surrounded with cannon. They also brought up many guns from their

reserve and second line to their first.

The British being obliged to cross the ford in one column by

sections, were long exposed to the cannonade. After passing the

river, their first line was formed nearly parallel to that of the

enemy, at about 500 yards distance, having marched down the alignment

to its ground. The second line rather out-flanked the first to the

right, as did the third (composed of the cavalry) the second. The

left of the first line was opposite the right of the enemy during

the formation, and their artillery fired round-shot with great

precision and rapidity, the same shot often striking all three lines.

It was answered with great spirit by the first British line, but

the number of gun-bullocks killed soon hindered the advance of the

artillery, with the exception of a few guns which were dragged by the

men themselves. The British lines were formed from right to left as

follows:--

_First Line._

The picquets, four 12-pounders, the 1/8th and 1/10th Native

Infantry, and the 78th Highlanders.

_Second Line._

The 74th Highlanders and the 2/12th and 1/4th Native Infantry.

_Third Line._

The 4th Native Cavalry, the 19th Light Dragoons, and the 5th and 7th

Native Cavalry.

Orders were now given for each battalion to attach a company to the

guns, to assist and protect them during the advance. These orders,

though immediately afterwards countermanded, reached the 78th, and,

consequently, the 8th battalion company, under Lieutenant Cameron,

was attached to the guns.

Major-General Wellesley then named the picquets as the battalion of

direction, and ordered that the line should advance as quickly as

possible consistent with order, and charge with the bayonet without

firing a shot. At a quarter to three the word was given for the line

to advance, and was received by Europeans and Natives with a cheer.

Almost immediately, however, it was discovered that the picquets

were not moving forward as directed, and the first line received the

word to halt. This was a critical moment, for the troops had got to

the ridge of a small swell in the ground that had somewhat sheltered

them, particularly on the left; and the enemy, supposing them to

be staggered by the fire, redoubled their efforts, discharging

chain-shot and missiles of every kind. General Wellesley, dreading

the consequences of this check in damping the ardour of the troops,

rode up to one of the native corps of the first line, and, taking

of his hat, cheered them on in their own language, and repeated the

word “March!” Again the troops received the order with loud cheers,

and the three battalions of the first line, followed by the 1/4th,

advanced in quick time upon the enemy with the greatest coolness,

order, and determination.

The 78th, on coming within 150 yards of the enemy’s line, withdrew

its advanced centre sergeant, and the men were cautioned to be ready

to charge. Soon after the battalion opposed to them fired a volley,

and about the same time some European officers in the enemy’s service

were observed to mount their horses and ride off. The 78th instantly

ported arms, cheered, and redoubled its pace, and the enemy’s

infantry, deserted by its officers, broke and ran. The 78th pushed

on and fired, and coming to the charge, overtook and bayonetted a

few individuals. The gunners, however, held firm to their guns, many

being killed in the acts of loading, priming, or pointing; and none

quitted their posts until the bayonets were at their breasts. Almost

at the same moment the 1/10th Native Infantry closed with the enemy

in the most gallant style; but the smoke and dust (which, aided by a

high wind, was very great) prevented the troops from seeing further

to the right.

The 78th now halted for an instant to complete their files and

restore exact order, and then moved forward on the enemy’s second

line, making a complete wheel to the right, the pivot being the right

of the army, near the village of Assaye. The picquets having failed

to advance, the 74th pushed up, in doing which they were very much

cut up by grape, and were charged by the Mahratta cavalry, led by

Sindiah in person. They suffered dreadfully, as did also the picquets

and 2/12th; and they were only saved by a brilliant charge, headed

by Lieut.-Colonel Maxwell. This part of the British line, though it

broke the enemy’s first line, did not gain much ground; and the enemy

still continued in possession of several guns about the village of

Assaye, from which they flanked the British line when it arrived

opposite their second line.

[Illustration: A, the ford from Peepulgaon to Waroor; 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.]

Several of the enemy also coming up from the bed of the river

and other ways, attacked and killed a good many of the British

artillerymen. A considerable number also who, after the fashion

of Eastern warfare, had thrown themselves on the ground as dead,

regained possession of the guns of their first line, which had been

taken and passed, and from them opened a fire of grape upon the

British rear. The guns of the 78th, with the escort under Lieutenant

Cameron, escaped, and joined the regiment as it halted opposite to

the enemy’s second line.

The British infantry was now in one line, the 78th on the left of

the whole; and as it had the longest sweep to make in the wheel,

it came up last. When the dust cleared a body of the enemy’s best

cavalry was seen a little in advance of the left flank, purposing

to turn it, on which the left wing of the 78th was thrown back at a

small angle, and preparations were made for opening the two guns,

which at that moment came up. It is impossible to say too much for

the behaviour of the infantry at this awful crisis. Deprived of the

assistance of their own artillery, having the enemy’s second line,

untouched and perfectly fresh, firing steadily upon them, flanked by

round-shot from the right, grape pouring upon their rear, and cavalry

threatening their left, not a word was heard or a shot fired; all

waited the orders of the General with the composure of a field-day,

amidst a scene of slaughter scarcely ever equalled. This, however,

was not of long duration; for the British cavalry came up and drove

off the body of horse which threatened the left, and which did not

wait to be charged, and General Wellesley ordered the principal part

of the line to attack the enemy in front, while the 78th and 7th

Native Cavalry moved to the rear and charged the guns which were

firing thence. The enemy’s second line immediately retired, one

brigade in perfect order--so much so, that it repulsed an attack of

the 19th Light Dragoons, at the head of which Colonel Maxwell was

killed.

The 78th had great difficulty in clearing the field towards the rear

and recovering the guns. The enemy strongly resisted, and three times

forced them to change their front and attack each party separately,

as none would give way until they were so attacked. Meanwhile, as the

regiment marched against the one, the remainder kept up a galling

fire of grape, till they were all driven off the field. The enemy’s

light troops, who had been out plundering, now appeared upon the

ground, and the Mysore horse were ordered to attack them; however,

they did not wait for this, but made off as fast as possible. About

half-past four the firing entirely ceased, and the enemy set fire to

his tumbrils, which blew up in succession, many of them some time

later. The corps which retired at first in such good order soon lost

it, and threw its guns into the river, four of which were afterwards

found, exclusive of ninety-eight taken on the field of battle.

Seven stand of colours were taken from the enemy. After plundering

their dead, their camp, and bazaar, they retreated along the Juah

for about ten miles and made a halt, but on moving again the flight

became general. Then casting away their material of every kind, they

descended the Adjunteh Ghât into Candeish, and made for the city of

Burhanpoor, when they were described as having no artillery, nor

any body of men that looked like a battalion, while the roads were

strewed with their wounded and their dying.

The loss of the British was most severe. No part of the Mysore or

Mahratta allies was actually engaged. Their infantry was with the

baggage, and their cavalry not being in uniform, the General was

apprehensive of mistakes should any part of them come into action.

Between one-half and one-third of the British actually in the field

were either killed or wounded. The 78th was fortunate in having but a

small proportion of the loss to bear. Lieutenant Douglas and 27 men

were killed, and 4 officers, 4 sergeants, and 73 men were wounded.

The officers wounded were Captain Alexander Mackenzie, Lieutenant

Kinloch, Lieutenant Larkin, and Ensign Bethune (Acting Adjutant).

Besides those mentioned, Colonel Adams received a contusion of the

collar-bone which knocked him off his horse; Lieutenant J. Fraser a

contusion of the leg; and all the other officers were more or less

touched in their persons or their clothes. The sergeant-major was

very badly wounded, and died a few days afterwards.

General Wellesley had two horses killed under him; and nearly all the

mounted officers lost horses, some as many as three.

The loss of the enemy must have been terrible. The bodies of 1200

were found on the field, and it was said that 3000 were wounded.

Owing to the part they played in the action, the cavalry were unable

to pursue, and the enemy suffered much less in their retreat than

they should otherwise have done. This fact, too, enabled many of

their wounded to creep into the jungle, whence very few returned; but

it is impossible to conjecture the total loss, and all computations

probably fall short of the actual amount. Jadoon Rao, Sindiah’s first

minister, and the chief instigator of the war, was severely wounded,

and died a few days afterwards; and Colonel Dorsan, the principal

French officer, was also killed.

Such was the battle of Assaye, one of the most decisive as well as

the most desperate ever fought in India.

Major-General Wellesley and the troops under his command received

the thanks of the Governor-general in Council for their important

services. His Majesty was pleased to order that the corps engaged

should bear upon their colours and appointments an elephant,

superscribed “Assaye,” in commemoration of the victory; and honorary

colours were granted to the 19th Light Dragoons, and the 74th

and 78th Highlanders, by the government of India in a general

order.[478] For some unknown reason the 78th ceased to use these

special colours after leaving India, the 74th being the only one of

the three regiments still possessing them.

After various independent movements, Colonel Stevenson, on the 29th

of November, formed a junction with General Wellesley at Parterly,

on which day the whole of the enemy’s force was discovered drawn up

on the plains of Argaum about six miles distant. Their line extended

five miles, having in its rear the gardens and enclosures of Argaum,

while in its front was the uncultivated plain, which was much cut

up by watercourses. The Berar cavalry occupied the left, and the

artillery and infantry the left centre. Sindiah’s force, which

occupied the right, consisted of one very heavy body of cavalry, with

a number of pindarries or light troops on its right again.

The enemy, though nearly as numerous as at Assaye, were neither so

well disciplined nor so well appointed, and they had besides only

thirty-eight pieces of cannon. The British army, on the other hand,

was more numerous than in the late engagement, having been reinforced

by Colonel Stevenson’s division. The British moved forward in one

column to the edge of the plain. A small village lay between the

head of the British columns and the line. The cavalry formed in

close column behind this village; and the right brigade formed line

in its front, the other corps following and forming in succession.

The moment the leading picquet passed the village, the enemy, who

was about 1200 yards distant, discharged 21 pieces of cannon in one

volley. The native picquets and two battalions, alarmed by this noisy

demonstration, which was attended with no injurious consequences,

recoiled and took refuge behind the village, leaving the picquets of

the 78th and the artillery alone in the field. By the exertions of

the officers these battalions were again brought up into line,--not,

however, till the 78th had joined and formed into line with the

picquets and artillery.

The army was drawn up in one line of fifteen battalions, with the

78th on the right, having the 74th on its immediate left, and the

94th on the left of the line, supported by the Mysore horse. The

cavalry formed a reserve or second line. In the advance, the 78th

directed its march against a battery of nine guns, which supported

the enemy’s left. In the approach, a body of 800 infantry darted from

behind the battery, and rushed forward with the apparent intention of

passing through the interval between the 74th and 78th. To close the

interval, and prevent the intended movement, the regiments obliqued

their march, and with ported arms moved forward to meet the enemy;

but they were prevented by a deep muddy ditch from coming into

collision with the bayonet. The enemy, however, drew up alongside the

ditch, and kept up the fire until his last man fell. Next morning

upwards of 500 dead bodies were found lying by the ditch. Religious

fanaticism had impelled these men to fight.

With the exception of an attack made by Sindiah’s cavalry on the left

of Colonel Stevenson’s division, in which they were repulsed by the

6th Native Infantry, no other attempt of any moment was made by the

enemy. After this attack the whole of the enemy’s line instantly gave

way, leaving all their artillery on the field. They were pursued by

the cavalry by moonlight till nine o’clock.

The loss of the British was trifling; no European officer was killed,

and only nine wounded, one of whom had his thigh broken. The number

of killed and wounded was small, and fell principally upon the

78th, which had eight men killed and about forty wounded; but no

officer among the number. In the orders thanking the army for its

exertions on this day, General Wellesley particularised the 74th and

78th:--“The 74th and 78th regiments had a particular opportunity of

distinguishing themselves, and have deserved and received my thanks.”

Colonel Harness being extremely ill, Lieut.-Colonel Adams of the

78th commanded the right brigade in the action; and Major Hercules

Scott being in command of the picquets as field-officer of the day,

the command of the 78th fell to Captain Fraser. In this action, as

at the battle of Assaye, a scarcity of officers caused the colours

of the 78th to be carried by sergeants; and it is noticeable that

not a shot penetrated the colours in either action, probably owing

to the high wind which prevailed and caused them to be carried

wrapped closely round the poles. The names of the sergeants who

carried the colours at Assaye were Sergeant Leavoch, paymaster’s

clerk, afterwards quarter-master; and Sergeant John Mackenzie, senior

sergeant of the regiment, and immediately afterwards quarter-master’s

sergeant. At Argaum, Sergeant Leavoch, and Sergeant Grant, regimental

clerk, afterwards an ensign, and now (1815, says the Record), a

lieutenant in the regiment.

“At the battle of Assaye,” General Stewart tells us, “the musicians

were ordered to attend to the wounded, and carry them to the surgeons

in the rear. One of the pipers, believing himself included in this

order, laid aside his instrument and assisted the wounded. For this

he was afterwards reproached by his comrades. Flutes and hautboys

they thought could be well spared; but for the piper, who should

always be in the heat of the battle, to go to the rear with the

_whistlers_ was a thing altogether unheard of. The unfortunate piper

was quite humbled. However, he soon had an opportunity of playing off

this stigma; for in the advance at Argaum, he played up with such

animation, and influenced the men to such a degree, that they could

hardly be restrained from rushing on to the charge too soon, and

breaking the line. Colonel Adams was indeed obliged to silence the

musician, who now in some manner regained his lost fame.”

The next, and, as it turned out, the last exploit of General

Wellesley’s army, was against the strong fort of Gawilghur, which

was taken by assault on the 13th of December. It, however, continued

in the field, marching and counter-marching, till the 20th of July,

1804, when the 78th reached Bombay.

The regiment remained in quarters at Bombay till May, 1805, when five

companies were ordered to Baroda in the Goojerat. The strength of the

regiment was kept up by recruits, chiefly from the Scotch militia,

and latterly by reinforcements from the second battalion, 800 strong,

added to the regiment in 1804. In July, 1805, a detachment of 100

recruits arrived from Scotland. The regiment removed to Goa in 1807,

whence it embarked for Madras in March, 1811.

“The numerical strength of this fine body of men was less to be

estimated than their character, personal appearance, efficiency,

and health. Upwards of 336 were volunteers from the Perthshire and

other Scotch militia regiments, and 400 were drafts from the second

battalion, which had been seasoned by a service of three years in the

Mediterranean. Such was the stature of many of the men that, after

the grenadier company was completed from the tallest men, the hundred

next in height were found too tall and beyond the usual size of the

light infantry. The harmony which so frequently subsisted between

Highland corps and the inhabitants of the countries where they have

been stationed, has been frequently observed. In Goa it appears to

have been the same as elsewhere. The Condè de Surzeela, Viceroy

of Portuguese India, on the departure of the regiment from under

his command, embraced that opportunity ‘to express his sentiments

of praise and admiration of the regular, orderly, and honourable

conduct of His Britannic Majesty’s 78th Highland regiment during the

four years they have been under his authority, equally and highly

creditable to the exemplary discipline of the corps, and to the skill

of the excellent commander; and his Excellency can never forget the

inviolable harmony and friendship which has always subsisted between

the subjects of the regent of Portugal and all classes of this

honourable corps.’”[479]

On the 14th of March, 1811, the regiment embarked, and sailed in

three transports for Madras. Very few men were left behind sick.

The strength embarked was 1027, of whom 835 were Highlanders, 184

Lowlanders, and 8 English and Irish.

The transports arrived at Madras on the 10th of April, but the

regiment was not landed, and sailed on the 30th with the last

division of troops detailed for the expedition under the command of

Lieut.-General Sir Samuel Auchmuty, destined for the capture of Java.

On the 5th of June the last division of the troops arrived at

Malacca, when the army was formed into four brigades as follows:--The

first or advanced brigade, under Colonel Gillespie, was composed of

the flank battalions (formed by the rifle and light companies of the

army), a wing of the 89th, a battalion of marines, of Bengal Light

Infantry, and of volunteers, three squadrons of the 22nd Dragoons,

and some Madras Horse Artillery. The left flank battalion was formed

by the rifle and light companies of the 78th, the light company of

the 69th, and a grenadier company of Bengal Native Infantry, and was

commanded by Major Fraser of the 78th. The second brigade, commanded

by Colonel Gibbs of the 59th, consisted of the 14th and 59th, and a

battalion of Bengal Native Infantry. The third brigade, commanded by

Colonel Adams of the 78th, was composed of the 69th and 78th, and a

battalion of Bengal Native Infantry. The 78th was commanded by Brevet

Lieut.-Colonel Campbell, and the light battalion by Major Forbes of

the 78th. At Goa, a company of marksmen had been formed in the 78th,

under the command of Captain T. Cameron, and at Madras they had

received a rifle equipment and clothing. The reserve, under Colonel

Wood, was composed entirely of Native Infantry. Attached to the army

were detachments of Bengal and Madras Artillery and Engineers; and

the whole force amounted to about 12,000 men, of whom about half were

Europeans.

Early in June the fleet sailed from Malacca, and on the 4th of August

came to anchor off the village of Chillingching, about twelve miles

to the eastward of Batavia, and the troops landed without opposition.

On the 7th the advance took up a position within two miles of

Batavia, and on the 8th the magistrates surrendered the city at

discretion.

It was understood that General Jumelle, with 3000 men, held the

cantonment of Weltevreeden, about three miles from the city; and that

about the same distance further on lay the strongly entrenched camp

of Cornelis, where the greater portion of the French force, about

10,000 men, were posted under command of General Jansen, the governor.

Before daybreak, on the morning of the 10th, the advance marched

against Weltevreeden, and the enemy was discovered strongly posted

in the woods and villages. His right was defended by the canal

called the Slokan; his left was exposed, but the approach in front

and flank was defended by a marsh and pepper plantations, and the

road rendered impassable by a strong abbatis of felled trees. The

enemy’s infantry, enforced by four field-pieces served with grape,

was drawn up behind this barrier, and commenced a destructive fire

upon the head of the column as it advanced. Captain Cameron, who

was in advance with his rifle company, was severely wounded, and a

number of his men killed or disabled while entangled in the abbatis.

Captain Forbes, with the aid of the light company, was then ordered

to charge the obstacle; but he met with such resistance, that, after

losing 15 out of 37 men, Colonel Gillespie directed him to retire and

cross the ditch to the enemy’s left. Lieutenant Munro was killed here

while in command of a party detailed to cover the British guns. An

order was now given to turn the enemy’s left, which after a little

delay succeeded,--“the grenadier company of the 78th, as in every

Eastern field of fame, heading the attack.”[480] The grenadiers, in

company with a detachment of the 89th, under Major Butler, carried

the enemy’s guns after a most obstinate resistance, the gunners being

cut down or bayoneted almost to a man. The general wrote--“The flank

companies of the 78th (commanded by Captains David Forbes and Thomas

Cameron) and the detachment of the 89th, particularly distinguished

themselves.” The main body of the force shortly after came up, and

the villages having been fired, the camp was occupied, and its war

material, consisting of 300 guns, and a vast quantity of stores,

taken possession of. The enemy’s loss was said to be very heavy, and

the Brigadier-General Alberti was dangerously wounded. The British

loss fell principally upon the 78th and 89th, the former having

33 men killed and wounded, besides the officers mentioned. By the

occupation of Weltevreeden, the army obtained a good communication

with Batavia and the fleet, a healthy situation, the command of

the country and supplies, and a base of operations against the main

position of Cornelis.

On the night of the 21st, when in company with the 69th, the 78th

relieved Colonel Gillespie’s brigade in the advance. Early on the

morning of the 22nd, three English batteries being nearly completed,

the enemy made a sortie from Cornelis, and obtained possession of

two of them, whence they were driven by a party of the 78th, which

happened, fortunately, to be in the trenches at the time, under

Major Lindsay and Captain Macleod. The battery on the right was

energetically defended by Lieutenant Hart and a company of the 78th,

who repulsed the enemy’s attack with considerable loss.

The camp of Cornelis was an oblong of 1600 by 900 yards. It was

strongly entrenched: the river Jacatra or Liwong flowed along its

west side, and the canal, called the Slokan, washed the east. Neither

was fordable, and the banks of the river were steep and covered with

jungle, while on the canal and beyond it powerful batteries were

raised. The north and south faces were defended by deep ditches,

which could be inundated at pleasure, and were strengthened with

palisades, fraises, and chevaux de frise. These faces between

the river and canal were further protected by seven formidable

redoubts, constructed by General Daendels, and numerous batteries

and entrenchments. A strong work also covered and protected the only

bridge which communicated with the position, and which was thrown

across the Slokan. The entire circumference of the works was about

five miles; they were mounted with 280 pieces of cannon, and were

garrisoned by over 10,000 men, of whom about 5000 were Europeans, and

the remainder disciplined native regiments, commanded by French and

Dutch officers.

The Scottish Highlands, Highland Clans and Highland Regiments, Volume 2 (of 2) · 第 23 / 31 章

During this period some important changes took place among the