[504] “Of the 78th Highlanders Havelock had formed a very high

estimate, and in his confidential report of that corps, made before

leaving Persia, a copy of which was found among his papers, he had

said:--‘There is a fine spirit in the ranks of this regiment. I am

given to understand that it behaved remarkably well in the affair

at Kooshab, near Busheer, which took place before I reached the

army; and during the naval action on the Euphrates, and its landing

here, its steadiness, zeal, and activity, under my own observation,

were conspicuous. The men have been subjected in this service to a

good deal of exposure, to extremes of climate, and have had heavy

work to execute with their entrenching tools, in constructing

redoubts and making roads. They have been, while I have had the

opportunity of watching them, most cheerful; and have never seemed

to regret or complain of anything but that they had no further

chance of meeting the enemy. I am convinced the regiment would be

second to none in the service if its high military qualities were

drawn forth. It is proud of its colours, its tartan, and its former

achievements.’”--Marshman’s _Memoirs of Havelock_.

[505] This account of the part taken by the regiment in the

suppression of the Indian mutiny is compiled mainly from the

admirable narrative contained in the Regimental Record Book.

[506] The garrison at Cawnpoor, under the command of Sir Hugh

Wheeler, was induced to surrender, after a most heroic defence of

three weeks, on promise of a safe conduct to Allahabad, and on

condition that the force should march out under arms, with 60 rounds

of ammunition to every man; that carriages should be provided for

the conveyance of the wounded, the women, and the children; and

that boats, victualled with a sufficiency of flour, should be in

readiness, at the Suttee Chowra Ghât, or landing-place (on the

Ganges), which lay about a mile from the British entrenchment. On the

morning of the 27th of June 1857 the garrison, numbering, with women

and children, nearly 800, was marched down to the landing-place; but

before the embarkation was completed, a fire of grape and musketry

was opened upon the boats, and a fearful massacre took place. Only

125 women and children were spared from that day’s massacre, and

reserved for the more awful butchery of the 15th of July. Upwards of

a hundred persons got away in a boat, but only four made good their

escape, as within three days the boat was captured by the mutineers

and taken back to Cawnpoor, where the sixty male occupants were shot,

the women and children being put into custody with the 125 already

mentioned.

Our illustration is from a photograph, and shows the Fisherman’s

Temple. For full details of the Cawnpoor massacres, we may refer our

readers to the volume entitled _Cawnpore_, by G. O. Trevelyan.

[507] See portrait on the steel plate of the Colonels of the 78th and

79th Regiments.

[508] “A General, and, at the time of his death, the oldest officer

in the British army. He served with high distinction and without

cessation from 1779 to 1814. He became a General (_full_) in 1837. So

marked was his daring and personal valour, that he was known among

his companions in arms as ‘Fighting Jack.’ General Mackenzie married

Lilias, youngest daughter of Alexander Chisholm of Chisholm, and

died 14th June 1860, aged 96.”--Burke’s _Peerage and Baronetage_.

When the 78th Highlanders were received in Inverness with the

utmost enthusiasm, on their return from the Indian Mutiny, General

Mackenzie, verging on 100 years, appeared on his balcony to bid them

welcome, and was warmly cheered by the successors of those he had so

often led to victory.--C. M.

THE 79TH QUEEN’S OWN CAMERON HIGHLANDERS.

I.

1793-1853.

The Clan Cameron--Raising of the Regiment--Flanders--West Indies

--Holland--Ferrol and Cadiz--Egypt--Ireland--A 2nd battalion--Proposed

abolition of the kilt--Denmark--Sweden--Portugal--Corunna--Spain--The

Peninsular War--Busaco--Foz d’Arouce--Fuentes d’Onor--Death of Colonel

Philip Cameron--Lord Wellington’s opinion of the 79th--Salamanca

--Siege of Burgos--Vittoria--Pyrenees--Nivelle--Nive--Orthes--Toulouse

--Home--Quatre Bras--Waterloo--France--Home--Chichester--Portsmouth

--Jersey--Ireland--Canada--New Colours--Scotland--England--Gibraltar

--“Bailie Nicol Jarvie”--Canada--Scotland--Chobham--Portsmouth.

[Illustration:

EGMONT-OP-ZEE.

EGYPT (WITH SPHINX).

FUENTES D’ONOR.

SALAMANCA.

PYRENEES.

NIVELLE.

NIVE.

TOULOUSE.

PENINSULA.

WATERLOO.

ALMA.

SEBASTOPOL.

LUCKNOW.]

The Camerons are well known as one of the bravest and most chivalrous

of the Highland clans. They held out to the very last as steadfast

adherents to the cause of the Stuarts, and the names of Ewen Cameron,

Donald the “gentle Lochiel,” and the unfortunate Dr Cameron, must

be associated in the minds of all Scotchmen with everything that

is brave, and chivalrous, and generous, and unyieldingly loyal.

The clan itself was at one time one of the most powerful in the

Highlands; and the regiment which is now known by the clan name

has most faithfully upheld the credit of the clan for bravery and

loyalty; it has proved a practical comment on the old song, “A

Cameron never can yield.”

This regiment was raised by Alan Cameron of Erracht, to whom letters

of service were granted on the 17th of August 1793. No bounty was

allowed by Government, as was the case with other regiments raised

in this manner, the men being recruited solely at the expense of the

officers. The regiment was inspected at Stirling in January 1794, and

at the end of the same month its strength was raised to 1000 men,

Alan Cameron being appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant.[509] The

79th was at first designated the “Cameronian Volunteers,” but this

designation was subsequently changed to “Cameron Highlanders.”

The following is the original list of the officers of the 79th:--

_Major-Commandant_--Alan Cameron.

_Major_--George Rowley.

_Captains._

Neil Campbell

Patrick M’Dowall.

Donald Cameron.

George Carnegie.

_Captain-Lieutenant and Captain_--Archibald Maclean.

_Lieutenants._

Archibald Maclean.

Alexander Macdonell.

Duncan Stewart.

John Urquhart.

Colin Maclean.

Joseph Dewer.

Charles MacVicar.

_Ensigns._

Neil Campbell.

Gordon Cameron.

Archibald Macdonell.

Archibald Campbell.

Donald Maclean.

Archibald Cameron.

Alexander Grant.

William Graham.

_Chaplain_--Thomas Thompson.

_Adjutant_--Archibald Maclean.

_Quartermaster_--Duncan Stewart,

_Surgeon_--John Maclean.

After spending a short time in Ireland and the south of England, the

79th embarked in August 1794 for Flanders. During the following few

months it shared in all the disasters of the unfortunate campaign in

that country, losing 200 men from privation and the severity of the

climate.[510]

Shortly afterwards the regiment returned to England, and landed in

the Isle of Wight, in April 1795. Its strength was ordered to be

completed to 1000 men, preparatory to its embarkation for India.

While Colonel Cameron was making every exertion to fulfil this

order, he received an intimation that directions had been given

to draft the Cameron Highlanders into four other regiments. This

impolitic order naturally roused the indignation of the colonel,

who in an interview[511] with the commander-in-chief deprecated in

the strongest terms any such unfeeling and unwise proceeding. His

representations were successful, and the destination of the regiment

was changed to the West Indies, for which it embarked in the summer

of 1795. The 79th remained in Martinique till July 1797, but suffered

so much from the climate that an offer was made to such of the men

as were fit for duty to volunteer into other corps, the consequence

being that upwards of 200 entered the 42nd, while about a dozen

joined four other regiments. The officers, with the remainder of

the regiment, returned home, landing at Gravesend in August, and

taking up their quarters in Chatham barracks. Orders were issued

to fill up the ranks of the 79th, and by the exertions of Colonel

Cameron and his officers a fresh body of 780 men was raised, who

assembled at Stirling in June 1798. In the following year it was

ordered to form part of the expedition to the Helder, landing at

Helder Point, in North Holland, in August, when it was brigaded with

the 2nd battalion Royals, the 25th, 49th, and 92nd Regiments, under

the command of Major-General Moore. After various movements, the

fourth division, under the command of Sir Ralph Abercromby, came

up, on the 2nd of October, with the enemy, strongly posted near the

village of Egmont-op-Zee. Notwithstanding the unfavourable nature of

the ground, consisting of loose sand-hills, General Moore’s brigade

made such a vigorous attack with the bayonet, that the enemy were

quickly driven from their position, and pursued over the sand-hills

till night prevented further operations. In this enterprise, Captain

James Campbell, Lieutenant Stair Rose, and 13 rank and file, were

killed; and Colonel Cameron, Lieutenants Colin Macdonald, Donald

Macniel, 4 sergeants, and 54 rank and file wounded. The regiment was

specially complimented for its conduct both by the commander-in-chief

and by General Moore; the former declaring that nothing could do the

regiment more credit than its conduct that day. It embarked in the

end of October, and landed in England on the 1st of November.

In August 1800 the 79th embarked at Southampton as part of the

expedition fitted out to destroy the Spanish shipping in the harbours

of Ferrol and Cadiz. It arrived before Ferrol on the 25th, and

shortly afterwards the brigade of which the regiment formed part,

forced the enemy from their position and took possession of the

heights of Brion and Balon, which completely commanded the town and

harbour of Ferrol. Lieutenant-General Sir James Pulteney, however,

did not see meet to follow out the advantage thus gained, and

abandoned the enterprise. In this “insignificant service,” as Captain

Jameson calls it, the 79th had only Captain Fraser, 2 sergeants, and

2 rank and file wounded.

On the 6th of October the expedition landed before Cadiz, but on

account of the very unfavourable state of the weather, the enterprise

was abandoned.

In 1801 the Cameron Highlanders took part in the famous operations

in Egypt, under Sir Ralph Abercromby; but as minute details of this

campaign are given in the histories of the 42nd and 92nd Regiments,

it will be unnecessary to repeat the story here. The 79th was

brigaded with the 2nd and 50th Regiments, and took an active part in

the action of March 13th, in which it had 5 rank and file killed, and

Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick M’Dowall, Lieutenants George Sutherland

and John Stewart, Volunteer Alexander Cameron, 2 sergeants, and 56

rank and file wounded.

In the general engagement of March 21st, in which the brave

Abercromby got his death-wound, the light companies of the 79th and

the other regiments of its brigade kept the enemy’s riflemen in

check in front, while the fight was raging hotly on the right. The

regiment lost one sergeant killed, and Lieutenant Patrick Ross, 2

sergeants, and 18 rank and file wounded.

While proceeding towards Cairo with Major-General Craddock’s

brigade (to which the Cameron Highlanders had been transferred)

and a division of Turks, they had a brush on the 9th of May with a

French force, in which the 79th had Captain M’Dowall and one private

wounded. At Cairo the regiment had the honour of being selected to

take possession of the advanced gate, the “Gate of the Pyramids,”

surrendered to the British in terms of a convention with the French.

For its distinguished services during the Egyptian campaign, the

Cameron Highlanders, besides receiving the thanks of the king and

parliament, was one of the regiments which received the honour of

bearing the figure of a Sphinx, with the word “Egypt,” on its colours

and appointments.

After staying a short time at Minorca, the regiment returned to

Scotland in August 1802, whence, after filling up its thinned ranks,

it was removed to Ireland in the beginning of 1803. In 1804 a second

battalion was raised, but was never employed on active service,

being used only to fill up vacancies as they occurred in the first

battalion, until 1815, when it was reduced at Dundee.

In 1804 the question of abolishing the kilt seems to have been under

the consideration of the military authorities, and a correspondence

on the subject took place between the Horse-Guards and Colonel

Cameron, which deserves to be reproduced for the sake of the Highland

Colonel’s intensely characteristic reply. In a letter dated “Horse

Guards, 13th October 1804,” Colonel Cameron was requested to state

his “_private_ opinion as to the expediency of abolishing the

kilt in Highland regiments, and substituting in lieu thereof the

tartan trews.” To this Colonel Cameron replied in four sentences as

follows:--

“GLASGOW, _27th October 1804_.

“SIR,--On my return hither some days ago from Stirling, I received

your letter of the 13th inst. (by General Calvert’s orders)

respecting the propriety of an alteration in the mode of clothing

Highland regiments, in reply to which I beg to state, freely and

fully, my sentiments upon _that_ subject, without a particle

of prejudice in either way, but merely founded upon _facts_ as

applicable to these corps--at least as far as I am _capable_, from

thirty years’ experience, twenty years of which I have been upon

_actual_ service in all _climates_, with the description of men in

question, which, independent of being myself a Highlander, and well

knowing all the convenience and inconvenience of our native garb in

the field and otherwise, and perhaps, also, aware of the probable

source and clashing motives from which the suggestion now under

consideration originally _arose_. I have to observe progressively,

that in the course of the late war several gentlemen proposed to

raise Highland regiments, some for general service, but chiefly

for home defence; but most of these corps were called from all

quarters, and thereby adulterated with every description of men,

that rendered them anything but real Highlanders, or even Scotchmen

(which is not strictly synonymous), and the colonels themselves being

generally unacquainted with the language and habits of Highlanders,

while prejudiced in favour of, and accustomed to wear breeches,

consequently _averse_ to that free congenial circulation of pure

wholesome air (as an exhilarating native bracer) which has hitherto

so peculiarly befitted the Highlander for _activity_, and all the

other necessary qualities of a soldier, whether for hardship upon

scanty fare, _readiness in accoutring_, or making _forced marches,

&c._, besides the exclusive advantage, when halted, of drenching his

kilt, &c., in the _next brook_, as well as washing his limbs, and

drying _both_, as it were, by constant _fanning_, without injury to

either, but, on the contrary, feeling clean and comfortable, while

the buffoon tartan pantaloon, &c., with all its fringed frippery (as

some mongrel Highlanders would have it) sticking wet and dirty to the

skin, is not very easily pulled off, and _less so_ to get on again in

case of alarm or any other hurry, and all this time absorbing both

wet and dirt, followed up by rheumatism and fevers, which ultimately

make great havoc in hot and cold climates; while it consists with

knowledge, that the Highlander in his native garb always appeared

more cleanly, and maintained better health in both climates than

those who wore even the thick cloth pantaloon. Independent of these

circumstances, I feel no hesitation in saying, that the proposed

alteration must have proceeded from a whimsical idea, more than from

the real comfort of the Highland soldier, and a wish to lay aside

that national martial garb, the very sight of which has, upon many

occasions, struck the enemy with terror and confusion,--and now

metamorphose the Highlander from his real characteristic appearance

and comfort in an odious incompatible dress, to which it will, in

my opinion, be difficult to reconcile him, as a poignant grievance

to, and a galling reflection upon, Highland corps, &c., as levelling

that martial distinction by which they have been hitherto _noticed

and respected_,--and from my own experience I feel well founded in

saying, that if anything was wanted to aid the rack-renting Highland

landlords in destroying that source, which has hitherto proved so

fruitful for keeping up Highland corps, it will be that of abolishing

their native garb, which His Royal Highness the Commander-in-chief

and the Adjutant-General may rest assured will prove a complete

death-warrant to the recruiting service in that respect. But I

sincerely hope His Royal Highness will never acquiesce in so painful

and degrading an idea (come from whatever quarter it may) as to strip

us of our native garb (admitted hitherto our regimental uniform)

and _stuff_ us into a harlequin tartan pantaloon, which, composed

of the usual quality that continues, as at present worn, useful and

becoming for twelve months, will not endure six weeks fair wear as a

pantaloon, and when patched makes a horrible appearance--besides that

the necessary quantity to serve decently throughout the year would

become extremely expensive, but, above all, take away completely the

appearance and conceit of a Highland soldier, in which case I would

rather see him _stuffed_ in breeches, and abolish the distinction at

once.--I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed) “ALAN CAMERON,

“_Colonel 79th or Cameron Highlanders_.

“To Henry Thorpe, Esq.”

The regiment remained in Ireland till November 1805, when it was

removed to England, where it did duty at various places till July

1807. In that month the 79th formed part of the expedition against

Denmark, where it remained till the following November, the only

casualties being four men wounded, during the bombardment of

Copenhagen.

After a fruitless expedition to Sweden in May 1808, under Lt.-General

Sir John Moore, the regiment was ordered, with other reinforcements,

to proceed to Portugal, where it landed August 26th, 1808, and

immediately joined the army encamped near Lisbon. After the

convention of Cintra, the 79th, as part of Major-General Fane’s

brigade, joined the army under Sir John Moore, whose object was to

drive the French out of Spain. Moore, being joined by the division

under Sir David Baird, at Mayorga, had proceeded as far as Sahagun,

when he deemed it advisable to commence the ever memorable retreat to

Corunna, details of which have already been given. At Corunna, on the

16th of January 1809, the 79th had no chance of distinguishing itself

in action, its duty being, as part of Lt.-General Fraser’s division,

to hold the heights immediately in front of the gates of Corunna;

but “they also serve who only stand and wait.” The embarkation was

effected in safety, and on the army arriving in England in February,

the 79th marched to Weeley Barracks, in Essex, about 10 miles from

Chelmsford, where many of the men were shortly afterwards attacked

with fever, though not a man died.[512]

While in Portugal, Colonel Cameron, who had been appointed

commandant of Lisbon with the rank of Brigadier-General, retired

from the personal command of the regiment, after leading it in every

engagement and sharing all its privations for fifteen years; “his

almost paternal anxiety,” as Captain Jameson says, “for his native

Highlanders had never permitted him to be absent from their head.”

He was succeeded in the command of the regiment by his eldest son,

Lt.-Colonel Philip Cameron.

After taking part in the siege of Flushing, in August 1809, the

regiment returned to England, and again took up its quarters in

Weeley Barracks, where it was attacked with fever, which carried off

a number of men, and prostrated many more, upwards of 40 having to be

left behind when the regiment embarked for Portugal in January 1810,

to join the army acting under Sir Arthur Wellesley.

Meanwhile a number of men of the 79th, who had been left behind in

Portugal on the retreat to Corunna, had, along with several officers

and men belonging to other regiments, been formed into a corps

designated the 1st battalion of detachments. The detachment of the

79th consisted of 5 officers, 4 sergeants, and 45 rank and file; and

out of this small number who were engaged at Talavera de la Reyna

on July 27th and 28th, 1809, 14 rank and file were killed, and one

sergeant and 27 rank and file wounded.

Shortly after landing at Lisbon, the regiment was ordered to proceed

to Spain to assist in the defence of Cadiz, where it remained till

the middle of August 1810, having had Lts. Patrick M’Crummen, Donald

Cameron, and 25 rank and file wounded in performing a small service

against the enemy. After its return to Lisbon, the 79th was equipped

for the field, and joined the army under Lord Wellington at Busaco on

the 25th of September. The 79th was here brigaded with the 7th and

61st Regiments, under the command of Major-General Alan Cameron.

The regiment had not long to wait before taking part in the active

operations carried on against the French by England’s great general.

Wellington had taken up a strong position along the Sierra de Busaco,

to prevent the further advance of Marshal Massena; and the division

of which the 79th formed part was posted at the extreme right of the

British line. At daybreak on the 27th of Sept. the French columns,

preceded by a swarm of skirmishers, who had nearly surrounded and

cut off the picket of the 79th, advanced against the British right,

when Captain Neil Douglas gallantly volunteered his company to its

support, and opening fire from a favourable position, checked the

enemy’s advance, and enabled the picket to retire in good order. As

the enemy’s attack was changed to the centre and left, the 79th had

no other opportunity that day of distinguishing itself in action.

It, however, lost Captain Alexander Cameron[513] and 7 rank and file

killed, Captain Neil Douglas, and 41 rank and file wounded.

After this battle, Wellington deemed it prudent to retire within the

strong lines of Torres Vedras, whither he was followed by Massena,

who remained there till the 14th of November, when he suddenly broke

up his camp and retired upon Santarem, followed by Wellington. The

French again commenced their retreat in the beginning of March

1811, closely pursued by the British army. During the pursuit

several small skirmishes took place, and in a sharp contest at Foz

d’Arouce, the light company of the 79th had 2 men killed, and 7

wounded. In this affair, Lt. Kenneth Cameron of the 79th captured the

Lieutenant-Colonel of the 39th French infantry.

On the 2nd of May, Massena, desirous of relieving Almeida, which

Wellington had invested, took up a position in front of Dos Casas and

Fuentes d’Onor. “The English position,” says Jameson, “was a line

whose left extended beyond the brook of Onoro, resting on a hill

supported by Fort Conception; the right, which was more accessible,

was at Nave d’Aver, and the centre at Villa Formosa.”

On the 3rd of May, Massena commenced his attack upon the English

position, his strongest efforts being directed against the village

of Fuentes d’Onor, which he seemed determined to get possession of.

The defence of the position was entrusted to the 79th, along with the

71st Highlanders, with the 24th regiment and several light companies

in support, the whole commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Philip Cameron

of the 79th. During the whole of the day the enemy in superior

numbers made several desperate attempts to take the village, and

indeed did manage to get temporary possession of several parts, “but

after a succession of most bloody hand to hand encounters, he was

completely driven from it at nightfall, when darkness put an end to

the conflict.”[514]

Early on the morning of the 5th of May, Massena, who in the meantime

had been making dispositions for a renewal of the contest, again

directed his strongest efforts against the position held by the 79th

and its comrades. By the force of overwhelming numbers the French

did succeed in carrying the lower portion of the village, at the

same time surrounding and taking prisoners two companies of the

79th, which had got separated from the main body. Meantime, in the

upper portion of the village a fierce and deadly contest was being

waged between the French Grenadiers and the Highlanders, the latter,

according to Captain Jameson, in numerous instances using their

muskets as clubs instead of acting with the bayonet, so close and

deadly was the strife maintained. “About this period of the action,

a French soldier was observed to slip aside into a doorway and take

deliberate aim at Colonel Cameron, who fell from his horse mortally

wounded. A cry of grief, intermingled with shouts for revenge, arose

from the rearmost Highlanders, who witnessed the fall of their

commanding officer, and was rapidly communicated to those in front.

As Colonel Cameron was being conveyed to the rear by his sorrowing

clansmen, the 88th regiment, detached to reinforce the troops at this

point, arrived in double-quick time; the men were now at the highest

pitch of excitement, and a charge being ordered by Brigadier-General

Mackinnon, the enemy was driven out of the village with great

slaughter. The post was maintained until the evening, when the battle

terminated, and the Highlanders being withdrawn, were replaced by a

brigade of the light division.”[515]

In these fierce contests, besides Lt.-Colonel Cameron, who died of

his wound, the 79th had Captain William Imlach, one sergeant, and 30

rank and file killed; Captains Malcolm Fraser and Sinclair Davidson,

Lts. James Sinclair, John Calder, Archibald Fraser, Alexander

Cameron, John Webb, and Fulton Robertson, Ensigns Charles Brown and

Duncan Cameron, 6 sergeants, and 138 rank and file wounded, besides

about 100 missing, many of whom were afterwards reported as killed.

The grief for the loss of Colonel Cameron, son of Major-General

Alan Cameron, former and first colonel of the 79th, was deep and

wide-spread. Wellington, with all his staff and a large number of

general officers, notwithstanding the critical state of matters,

attended his funeral, which was conducted with military honours.

Sir Walter Scott, in his “Vision of Don Roderick,” thus alludes to

Colonel Cameron’s death:--

“And what avails thee that, for Cameron slain,

Wild from his plaided ranks the yell was given?

Vengeance and grief gave mountain-rage the rein,

And, at the bloody spear-point headlong driven,

The despot’s giant guards fled like the rack of heaven.”[516]

Wellington,--and many other officers of high rank,--sent a special

letter of condolence to the colonel’s father, Major-General Cameron,

in which he speaks of his son in terms of the highest praise. “I

cannot conceive,” he says, “a string of circumstances more honourable

and glorious than these in which he lost his life in the cause of his

country.”

Cameron was succeeded in the command of the regiment by Major

Alexander Petrie, who, besides receiving a gold medal, had the brevet

rank of Lt.-Colonel conferred on him; and the senior captain, Andrew

Brown, was promoted to the brevet rank of Major.

How highly Lord Wellington esteemed the services performed by the

79th on these two bloody days, will be seen from the following

letter:--

“VILLA FORMOSA, _8th May, 1811_.

“SIR,--I am directed by Lord Wellington to acquaint you that he will

have great pleasure in submitting to the Commander-in-Chief for a

commission the name of any non-commissioned officer of the 79th

regiment whom you may recommend, as his lordship is anxious to mark

the sense of the conduct of the 79th during the late engagement with

the enemy.

“I have the honour to be, &c.,

(Signed) “FITZROY SOMERSET.

“Major Petrie, Commanding

“79th Highlanders,” &c.

Sergeant Donald M’Intosh was selected for this distinguished honour,

and, on the 4th of June 1811, was appointed ensign in the 88th

Regiment.

The 79th did not take part in any other engagement till the 22nd

of July 1812, when it was present as part of the reserve division

under Major-General Campbell at the great victory of Salamanca.

Its services, however, were not brought into requisition till the

close of the day, and its casualties were only two men wounded.

Still it was deemed worthy of having the honour of bearing the word

“Salamanca” on its colours and appointments, and a gold medal was

conferred upon the commanding officer, Lt.-Colonel Robert Fulton, who

had joined the regiment at Vellajes in September 1811, with a draft

of 5 sergeants, and 231 rank and file from the 2nd battalion.

In the interval between Fuentes d’Onor and Salamanca the 79th was

moved about to various places, and twice was severely attacked with

epidemic sickness.

After the battle of Salamanca, the 79th, along with the rest of the

allied army, entered Madrid about the middle of August, where it

remained till the end of that month.

On the 1st of September the 79th, along with the rest of the army,

left Madrid under Lord Wellington, to lay siege to Burgos, before

which it arrived on the 18th; and on the morning of the 19th, the

light battalion, formed by the several light companies of the 24th,

42nd, 58th, 60th, and 79th regiments, commanded by Major the Hon. E.

C. Cocks of the 79th, was selected for the purpose of driving the

enemy from their defences on the heights of St Michael’s, consisting

of a horn-work and flèches commanding the approach to the castle on

the right.

“The attack was made by a simultaneous movement on the two advanced

flèches, which were carried in the most gallant manner by the light

companies of the 42nd and 79th; but a small post, close to and on

the left of the horn-work, was still occupied by the enemy, from

which he opened a fire upon the attacking party. Lieut. Hugh Grant,

with a detachment of the 79th light company, was sent forward to

dislodge him, but finding himself opposed to continually increasing

numbers, he found it impossible to advance; but being equally

resolved not to retire, he drew up his small party under cover of

an embankment, and, possessing himself of the musket of a wounded

soldier, he fired together with his men and gallantly maintained

himself. The remainder of the company now coming up, the enemy

was driven within the works; but this brave young officer was

unfortunately mortally wounded, and died a few days afterwards,

sincerely and deeply regretted.

“The two light companies maintained the position until nightfall,

when the light battalion was assembled at this point, and orders

were issued to storm the horn-work at 11 P.M. A detachment of the

42nd and a Portuguese regiment were directed to enter the ditch

on the left of the work, and to attempt the escalade of both

demi-bastions, the fire from which was to be kept in check by a

direct attack in front by the remainder of the 42nd. The light

battalion was to advance along the slope of the hill, parallel to

the left flank of the work, which it was to endeavour to enter by

its gorge. The attack by the 42nd was to be the signal for the

advance of the light battalion, the command of the whole being

entrusted to Major-General Sir Denis Pack.[517]

“In execution of these arrangements, the troops at the appointed

hour proceeded to the assault. The light companies, on arriving

at the gorge of the work, were received with a brisk fire of

musketry through the opening in the palisades, causing severe loss;

they, however, continued to advance, and, without waiting for the

application of the felling-axes and ladders, with which they were

provided, the foremost in the attack were actually lifted over the

palisades on each other’s shoulders. In this manner, the first man

who entered the work was Sergeant John Mackenzie of the 79th; Major

Cocks, the brave leader of the storming party, next followed, and

several others in succession.

“In this manner, and by means of the scaling-ladders, the light

battalion was, in a few minutes, formed within the work; and a

guard, consisting of Sergeant Donald Mackenzie and twelve men of

the 79th, having been placed at the gate leading to the castle, a

charge was made on the garrison, which, numbering between 400 and

500 men, having by this time formed itself into a solid mass, defied

every attempt to compel a surrender; in this manner the French

troops rushed towards the gate, where, meeting with the small guard

of the 79th, they were enabled, from their overwhelming numbers to

overcome every opposition, and to effect their escape to the castle.

“Sergeant Mackenzie, who was severely wounded in this affair,[518]

and his small party behaved with the greatest bravery in their

endeavours to prevent the escape of the French garrison; and bugler

Charles Bogle of the 79th, a man of colour, was afterwards found

dead at the gate, near a French soldier, the sword of the former and

bayonet of the latter through each other’s bodies.

“The front attack had in the meantime completely failed, and a

severe loss was sustained.”[519]

The enemy having opened a destructive fire from the castle on the

horn-work, the light battalion was withdrawn to the ditch of the

curtain; and strong parties were employed during the night in forming

a parapet in the gorge.

Afterwards a series of assaults was made against the castle, with but

little success. In one of these Major Andrew Lawrie of the 79th was

killed while entering a ditch, and encouraging on the party he led

by escalade; and the Hon. Major Cocks met with a similar fate while

rallying his picket during a night sortie of the French. The death

of this officer was very much regretted by Wellington, who in his

despatch of October 11, 1812, said he considered “his loss as one of

the greatest importance to this army and to His Majesty’s service.”

The army continued before Burgos till Oct. 21, when, being threatened

by the advance of strong reinforcements of the enemy, it was deemed

advisable to retreat towards the frontiers of Portugal.

At the siege of Burgos, besides the two officers just mentioned, the

79th had one sergeant and 27 rank and file killed; Captain William

Marshall, Lt. Hugh Grant, Kewan J. Leslie, and Angus Macdonald, 5

sergeants, 1 drummer, and 79 rank and file wounded.

The regiment, with the rest of the army, remained in cantonments till

the middle of May 1813; and in February of that year Lt.-Colonel

Fulton retired from the command of the regiment, which was assumed by

Lt.-Colonel Neil Douglas,[520] from the 2nd battalion.

Breaking up from winter-quarters about the middle of May, the army

advanced against the enemy, who occupied various strong positions on

the north of the Douro, which, however, were precipitately evacuated

during the advance of the British army. The enemy retired towards the

north-east, in the direction of Burgos, which the British found had

been completely destroyed by the French. In the action at Vittoria,

in which the enemy was completely routed on the 21st of June, the

79th had not a chance of distinguishing itself in action, as it

formed part of Major-General Pakenham’s division, whose duty it was

to cover the march of the magazines and stores at Medina de Pomar.

At the battle of the “Pyrenees,” on the 28th of July, the 6th

division, to which the 79th belonged, was assigned a position across

the valley of the Lanz, which it had scarcely assumed when it was

attacked by a superior French force, which it gallantly repulsed

with severe loss; a similar result occurred at all points, nearly

every regiment charging with the bayonet. The loss of the 79th was

1 sergeant and 16 rank and file killed; Lieutenant J. Kynock, 2

sergeants, and 38 rank and file wounded. Lt.-Colonel Neil Douglas

had a horse shot under him, and in consequence of his services he

was awarded a gold medal; and Major Andrew Brown was promoted to the

brevet rank of Lt.-Colonel for his gallantry.

Along with the rest of the army, the 79th followed the enemy towards

the French frontier, the next action in which it took part being

that of Nivelle, November 19, 1813, fully described elsewhere.

Here the steadiness of its line in advancing up a hill to meet the

enemy excited the admiration of Sir Rowland Hill, and although its

casualties were few, the part it took in the action gained for the

regiment the distinction of inscribing “Nivelle” on its colours and

appointments. Its loss was 1 man killed, and Ensign John Thomson and

5 men wounded.

Continuing to advance with its division, the 79th shared, on the 10th

of December, in the successful attack on the enemy’s entrenchments on

the banks of the Nive, when it had 5 men killed, and Lt. Alexander

Robertson, 2 sergeants, and 24 rank and file wounded.[521]

The enemy having retired to the Gave d’Oléron, and the severity

of the weather preventing further operations, the 79th went into

quarters at St Pierre d’Yurbe, and while here, in Feb. 1814, it

marched over to the seaport town of St Jean de Luz to get a new

supply of clothing, of which it stood very much in need.

In the battle of Orthes, on February 25th, the 79th had no

opportunity of taking part, but took an active share, and suffered

severely, in the final engagement at Toulouse.

Early on the morning of the 10th, the 6th division, of which the

79th, under the command of Sir Henry Clinton, formed part, along

with the 42nd and 91st regiments, constituting the Highland Brigade

of Sir Denis Pack, crossed the Garonne and the Ers at Croix d’Orade,

following the 4th division, and halted near the northern extremity of

the height (between and running parallel with the canal of Languedoc,

and the river Ers) on which the enemy was posted, strongly fortified

by entrenchments and redoubts. Arrangements were here made for a

combined attack, the 6th division, continuing its march along the

left bank of the Ers, filed by threes in double-quick time, close

under the enemy’s guns, from which a heavy cannonade of round and

grape-shot was opened, occasioning considerable loss. “The Highland

Brigade of Sir Denis Pack,” Captain Jameson says, “halted about

midway to the position, formed line to the right, and proceeded

to ascend the hill. The light companies were now ordered out, and

directed to conform to the movements of the brigade, General Pack

having mingled with the former, and cheering them on.” The grenadier

company of the 79th was brought up as a reinforcement to the light

troops; and after a vigorous resistance, the enemy was driven to

a considerable distance down the opposite slope of the ridge. The

pursuit was then discontinued, and a slackened and desultory fire of

advanced posts succeeded.

The brigade had, in the meantime, formed on the Balma road across the

height, the light companies were recalled, and final arrangements

completed for an attack on the two centre redoubts of the enemy’s

position, designated respectively La Colombette and Le Tour des

Augustins. The attack of the former or most advanced redoubt was

assigned to the 42nd, and the latter to the 79th, the 91st and 12th

Portuguese being in reserve. Both these redoubts were carried at a

run, in the most gallant style, in the face of a terrific fire of

round shot, grape, and musketry, by which a very severe loss was

sustained. About 100 men of the 79th, headed by several officers,

now left the captured work to encounter the enemy on the ridge of

the plateau; but, suddenly perceiving a discharge of musketry in

the redoubt captured by the 42nd in their rear, and also seeing it

again in possession of the enemy, they immediately fell back on the

Redoubt des Augustins. The Colombette had been suddenly attacked

and entered by a fresh and numerous column of the enemy, when the

42nd was compelled to give way and, continuing to retire by a narrow

and deep road leading through the redoubt occupied by the 79th

(closely pursued by an overwhelming force of the enemy), the alarm

communicated itself from one regiment to the other, and both, for a

moment, quitted the works.[522]

At this critical juncture, Lt.-Colonel Douglas having succeeded

in rallying the 79th, the regiment again advanced, and in a few

minutes succeeded in retaking, not only its own former position,

but also the redoubt from which the 42nd had been driven. For this

service, Lt.-Colonel Douglas received on the field the thanks of

Generals Clinton and Pack, commanding the division and brigade; and

the regiments in reserve having by this time come up, the brigade

was moved to the right, for the purpose of carrying, in conjunction

with the Spaniards, the two remaining redoubts on the left of the

position. While, however, the necessary preparations were making for

this attack, the enemy was observed to be in the act of abandoning

them, thus leaving the British army in complete possession of the

plateau and its works. The 79th occupied the Redoubt Colombette

during the night of the 10th of April 1814.[523]

The importance of the positions captured by the 42nd and the 79th

was so great, and the behaviour of these regiments so intrepid and

gallant, that they won special commendation from Wellington, being

two of the four regiments particularly mentioned in his despatch of

the 12th of April 1814.

The 79th lost Captains Patrick Purves and John Cameron, Lt. Duncan

Cameron, and 16 rank and file killed; the wounded were Captains

Thomas Mylne, Peter Innes, James Campbell, and William Marshall;

Lts. William M’Barnet, Donald Cameron, James Fraser, Ewen Cameron

(1st), John Kynock, Ewen Cameron (2nd), Duncan Macpherson, Charles

M’Arthur, and Allan Macdonald; Ensign Allan Maclean, Adjutant and

Lt. Kenneth Cameron, 12 sergeants, 2 drummers, and 182 rank and

file. Of those wounded, Lts. M’Barnet, Ewen Cameron (2nd), and 23

men died of their wounds. Of the 494 officers and men of the 79th

who went into action at Toulouse, only 263 came out unwounded.

Lt.-Colonel Neil Douglas received the decoration of a gold cross

for this action, in substitution of all his former distinctions;

Major Duncan Cameron received the brevet rank of Lt.-Colonel in the

army; and the 79th was permitted by royal authority to bear on its

colours and appointments the word TOULOUSE, in addition to its other

inscriptions. As a proof, likewise, of the distinction earned by it

during the successive campaigns in the Peninsula, it was subsequently

authorised to have the word PENINSULA inscribed on its colours and

appointments.

Napoleon Buonaparte’s abdication having put an end to further

hostilities, the regiment, after remaining a few weeks in the south

of France, embarked in July 1814, arriving at Cork on the 26th,

and taking up its quarters in the barracks there. While here, in

December, its ranks were filled up by a large draft from the 2nd

battalion, and in the beginning of Feb. 1815, it set sail, along with

several other regiments, for North America, but was driven back by

contrary winds; the same happened to the expedition when attempting

to sail again on the 1st of March. On the 3rd, the expedition was

countermanded; and on the 17th the 79th sailed for the north of

Ireland, to take up its quarters at Belfast, where it remained till

May, when, with all the other available forces of Britain, it was

called upon to take part in that final and fierce struggle with the

great disturber of the peace of Europe, and assist in putting an end

to his bloody machinations against the peace of civilised nations.

The 79th, having joined Wellington’s army at Brussels, was brigaded

with the 28th, 32nd, and 95th Regiments, under the command of

Major-General Sir James Kempt, the three regiments forming the first

brigade of the fifth, or Sir Thomas Picton’s division, the Royal

Scots, 42nd, 44th, and 92nd regiments forming the other brigade under

Major-General Pack.

The events from the night of the 15th to the 18th of June 1815 are so

well known, and so many details are given in connection with the 42nd

and 92nd Regiments, that it will be sufficient here to indicate the

part taken in them by the 79th. The alarm having been rapidly spread

of the approach of the French on the night of the 15th--the night of

the famous ball well known to all readers of Byron,--preparations

were immediately made for marching out, and by four o’clock on the

morning of the 16th, the regiment, with its division, provisioned for

three days, was on the road to Charleroi. In the passage of _Childe

Harold_ where Byron’s famous description of the episode preceding

Quatre Bras occurs, the poet thus refers to the Cameron Highlanders:--

“And wild and high the ‘Cameron’s Gathering’ rose,

The war-note of Lochiel, which Albyn’s hills

Have heard, and heard, too, have her Saxon foes:--

How in the noon of night that pibroch thrills

Savage and shrill! But with the breath which fills

Their mountain-pipe, so fill the mountaineers

With the fierce native daring which instils

The stirring memory of a thousand years,

And Evan’s,[524] Donald’s fame rings in each clansman’s ears!”

The division halted near the village of Waterloo to cook its

provisions; but before this could be accomplished it was ordered

forward towards Quatre Bras, where it halted on the road, at the

distance of about half a mile from the enemy, from whom the column

was separated by a rising ground. After the two brigade companies had

halted for a very short time on this road the division broke off to

the left, lining the Namur Road, the banks of which were from ten

to fifteen feet high on each side. The Cameron Highlanders formed

the extreme left of the British army, and the 92nd the right of the

division, being posted immediately in front of Quatre Bras.

Scarcely had this position been taken up, when the enemy advanced in

great force, sending out “a cloud of sharpshooters,” who were met by

the light companies of the first brigade, along with the 8th company

and marksmen of the 79th. These maintained their ground bravely,

despite the fearful execution done upon them by the overwhelming

numbers of the enemy’s sharpshooters, who picked out the officers

especially, and the artillerymen serving the only two guns yet

brought into action. At about four o’clock in the afternoon, the

Cameron Highlanders had the honour of being ordered forward to

cover the guns and drive the enemy from his advanced position, and

gallantly did the regiment perform the service.

“The regiment,” says Captain Jameson,[525] “cleared the bank in its

front, fired a volley, and, charging with the bayonet, drove the

French advanced troops with great precipitation and in disorder to a

hedge about a hundred yards in their rear, where they attempted to

re-form, but were followed up with such alacrity that they again gave

way, pursued to another hedge about the same distance, from which

they were a second time driven in confusion upon their main column,

which was formed in great strength upon the opposite rising ground.

The regiment, now joined by its detached companies, commenced firing

volleys upon the enemy from behind the last-mentioned hedge, and in

the course of fifteen minutes expended nearly all its ammunition.

Whilst in this exposed situation, it was ordered to retire, which

it accomplished without confusion, although it had a broad ditch to

leap, and the first hedge to repass, when it formed line about fifty

yards in front of its original position. Being here much exposed

to the fire of the enemy’s guns, it was ordered to lie down, and

it continued thus for nearly an hour, when it was again directed

to resume its first position on the road, and form in column as

circumstances might require. Being afterwards repeatedly threatened

by cavalry, it formed and moved forward in square, but without being

attacked.”

Meantime all the other regiments of the division were engaged;

indeed, each battalion of the British army had to sustain, in several

instances separately and independently, the whole weight of the

superior French masses which bore down upon it. The enemy, however,

notwithstanding the many advantages he had, seems to have failed in

almost every attack, and the contest for that day ended about dusk

decidedly in favour of the British.

The loss of the 79th was Captain John Sinclair, Lt. and Adjutant

John Kynock, and 28 rank and file killed; Lt.-Colonel Neil Douglas,

Brevet Lt.-Colonels Andrew Brown and Duncan Cameron; Captains Thomas

Mylne, Neil Campbell, William Marshall, Malcolm Fraser, William

Bruce, and Robert Mackay; Lieuts. Thomas Brown, William Maddock,

William Leaper, James Fraser, Donald MacPhee, and William A. Riach;

Ensign James Robertson, Volunteer Alexander Cameron, 10 sergeants,

and 248 rank and file wounded. All the field officers, according to

Captain Jameson, in addition to severe wounds, had their horses shot

under them.

At dusk on the 17th the division took up its position among some

corn-fields near the farm La Haye Sainte, under cover of a rising

ground, the ridge opposite to which was lined by the enemy’s columns.

The 28th and 79th formed the centre of Picton’s division, the left

of the division extending towards Ohain, its right resting on the

Brussels road.

About half-past ten on the morning of the 18th of June, the French

began to move forward to the attack, under cover of a tremendous

cannonade, spiritedly answered by the British artillery, posted in

advance of a road which ran along the crest of the rising ground

in front of the division, and on each side of which was a hedge.

Kempt’s brigade, deploying into line, advanced to this road, the

light companies and the rifles descending into the valley, and

maintaining a severe contest against overwhelming numbers. Meantime

a heavy column of the enemy’s infantry, advancing towards the right

of the division, was warmly received by the 28th; and the 32nd and

79th, following up the advantage, each attacking the column opposed

to it, a close and obstinate engagement followed, “shedding lasting

honour on Kempt’s brigade,” till at length the enemy gave way in the

greatest confusion. It was during this contest that General Picton

was killed and General Kempt severely wounded; but although unable,

from the severity of the wound, to sit on horseback, the latter would

not allow himself to be carried off the field. The column of the

enemy thus routed was shortly afterwards surrounded and taken captive

by Ponsonby’s brigade of cavalry.

Shortly after this the first brigade, being threatened by a body

of the enemy’s cavalry, formed into squares, and soon afterwards

returned to its former position on the road,[526] lining the hedge

nearest the enemy, where it was exposed to a galling and destructive

fire, both from the guns and sharpshooters, against whom the light

companies of Kempt’s brigade and the division rifles were several

times sent.

After falling back for a supply of ammunition, the first brigade

again moved forward, and a general charge having been made along the

whole line about seven o’clock, the enemy gave way in all directions,

pursued by the Prussians and the English cavalry. The fifth division

rested for the night near the farm of _La Belle Alliance_.

The loss of the 79th was Captain John Cameron, Lts. Duncan

Macpherson, Donald Cameron, and Ewen Kennedy, 2 sergeants, and

27 rank and file killed; Captains James Campbell, senior, Neil

Campbell; Lts. Alexander Cameron, Ewen Cameron, Alexander Forbes,

Charles Macarthur, and John Powling; Ensigns A. J. Crawford and

J. Nash, 7 sergeants, 4 drummers, and 121 rank and file wounded.

Captain Neil Campbell, Lts. Donald Cameron, John Powling, and 48

men died soon afterwards. The total number of officers and men who

entered the engagement on the 16th was 776, and out of that only 297

came out on the 18th unwounded; the loss of the 79th exceeded by one

that of any other regiment in the army, except the 3rd battalion of

the 1st Foot Guards, which was almost annihilated.

Wellington, in his despatch of the 19th, mentions the regiment

in terms of high praise; and, as in the case of Toulouse, it was

one of the only four British regiments--the 28th, 42nd, 79th, and

92nd--specially mentioned in the despatch. The distinction of a

Companionship of the Bath was conferred upon Lt.-Colonel Neil

Douglas, and upon Brevet Lt.-Colonels Andrew Brown and Duncan

Cameron; Capt. Thomas Mylne was promoted by brevet to be major

in the army; and Lt. Alexander Cameron, upon whom, from the great

loss sustained in superior officers, the command of the regiment

ultimately devolved, was promoted to the brevet rank of major for his

distinguished conduct. Each surviving officer and soldier received

the decoration of the “Waterloo” silver medal, and was allowed to

reckon two additional years’ service.

The regiment, along with the rest of the army, proceeded on the

19th in pursuit of the enemy, arriving on July 8th at Paris, near

which it was encamped till the beginning of December. While here,

on the 17th of August, at the special request of the Emperor of

Russia, Sergeant Thomas Campbell of the grenadiers, a man of gigantic

stature, with Private John Fraser and Piper Kenneth Mackay, all of

the 79th, accompanied by a like number of each rank from the 42nd

and 92nd Highlanders, proceeded to the Palais Elysée in Paris, to

gratify the Emperor’s desire of examining the dress and equipments

of the Highland regiments. Sergeant Campbell especially was most

minutely inspected by the Emperor, who, says Campbell, “examined my

hose, gaiters, legs, and pinched my skin, thinking I wore something

under my kilt, and had the curiosity to lift my kilt to my navel, so

that he might not be deceived.” After asking Campbell many questions,

the Emperor “requested Lord Cathcart to order me to put John Fraser

through the ‘manual and platoon’ exercise, at which performance he

was highly pleased. He then requested the pipers to play up, and Lord

Cathcart desired them to play the Highland tune ‘_Cògaidh nà Sith_’

(‘war or peace’), which he explained to the Emperor, who seemed

highly delighted with the music. After the Emperor had done with me,

the veteran Count Plutoff came up to me, and, taking me by the hand,

told me in broken English that I was a good and brave soldier, and

all my countrymen were. He then pressed my hand to his breast, and

gave me his to press to mine.”

In the beginning of December 1815, the 79th, as part of the Army of

Occupation, went into cantonments in Pas de Calais, where it remained

till the end of October 1818, when it embarked for England, taking up

its quarters at Chichester on the 8th of November.

After moving from Chichester to Portsmouth, and Portsmouth to Jersey,

the regiment, in May 1820, embarked at Plymouth for Ireland, where it

took part in the critical and not very agreeable duty necessitated by

the disturbed state of the country, details of which will be found in

our account of the 42nd Royal Highlanders, who were in Ireland at the

same time.

On quitting Jersey, the “States of the Island” transmitted to the

commanding officer of the 79th an address, praising the regiment in

the highest terms for its exemplary conduct while stationed in the

island.

The 79th remained in Ireland till August 1825, being quartered

successively at Fermoy, Limerick, Templemore, Naas, Dublin, and

Kilkenny, furnishing detachments at each of these places to the

district and towns in the neighbourhood. The regiment seems to have

discharged its unpleasant duties as delicately and satisfactorily as

did the 42nd Highlanders, and to have merited the esteem and respect

of the people among whom it was stationed. On leaving Limerick, where

it was quartered for nearly two years, the magistrates and council

presented an address to the commanding officer, Lt.-Colonel Douglas,

in which they say,--

“The mild manners and military deportment of the officers, as well

as the excellent discipline and moral order of the brave men whom

you so well command, are happily evinced in the general order which

their uniform good conduct has excited in this city; and we beg of

you to convey to them the expression of our highest approbation.”

In April 1825, the regiment was augmented from eight to ten

companies, of 740 rank and file, and in August, the six service

companies embarked at Cork for Canada, under the command of Colonel

Sir Neil Douglas, arriving at Quebec in the month of October, where

they remained till June 1828. During this time, with the exception

of a few months in Glasgow, the dépôt companies were stationed at

various places in Ireland.

On the 24th of March 1828, Lt.-General Sir R. C. Ferguson,

G.C.B.,[527] was appointed colonel of the regiment, in succession

to Lt.-General Sir Alan Cameron, K.C.B., who had died at Fulham,

Middlesex, on the 9th, after being connected with the regiment for

about thirty-five years.

On the 18th of June 1828, the anniversary of Waterloo, the 79th,

which in that month had removed to Montreal, was presented with new

colours, the gift of its new Colonel, Lt.-General Ferguson. The

presentation, which was performed by Lady Douglas, took place on the

Champs de Mars, in presence of a very numerous assemblage of the

élite of the inhabitants of Montreal.

The regiment returned to Quebec in 1833, where it remained till its

embarkation for England in 1836. In the October of that year, the

service companies were joined at Glasgow by the dépôt companies,

which had in the meantime been moving about from place to place in

Ireland, England, and Scotland, being stationed for most of the time

at various towns in the last mentioned country.

In September 1833, by the retirement of Sir Neil Douglas on half-pay,

Brevet Lt.-Colonel Duncan Macdougal succeeded to the command of

the regiment; and on the latter’s retirement in March 1835, he was

succeeded by Major Robert Ferguson.

The regiment remained in Glasgow till June 1837, removing thence

to Edinburgh, where it was stationed till the following June, when

it proceeded to Dublin. On account of the disturbed state of the

manufacturing districts in the north of England in 1839, the regiment

was ordered to proceed thither, being quartered at various places.

Here it remained till about the end of 1840, when it was again

ordered on foreign service, embarking at Deptford for Gibraltar,

where it arrived in January 1841, and where it remained performing

garrison duty till June 1848.

In April 1841, on the death of Sir R. C. Ferguson, Major-General

the Honourable John Ramsay was appointed Colonel of the 79th, and

was succeeded, on his death in July 1842, by Lt.-General Sir James

Macdonell, G.C.B., whose portrait will be found on the plate of

Colonels of the 78th and 79th Regiments. Meantime, on the retirement,

in June 1841, of Lt.-Colonel Robert Ferguson, Major Andrew Brown

succeeded to the command of the regiment, but exchanged in October

following with Colonel John Carter, K.H., from the 1st Royals, who

retired in June 1842, and was succeeded by Major the Hon. Lauderdale

Maule.

“The monotony of a regiment’s life at Gibraltar is well known to

every corps that has had to perform garrison duty on the Rock. This

monotony falls much more heavily on the men than on the officers of

a regiment; the former, although they may leave the garrison gate

under certain restrictions, cannot pass the lines which separate the

neutral ground from Spanish territory.

“A few of the more gifted, therefore, of the 79th, during its seven

years’ sojourn at Gibraltar, tried from time to time to enliven

the community by such means as were at their command, which were

slender enough, but went a long way when properly utilised and

duly encouraged. Among these, the most popular, perhaps, was the

performance of private theatricals by a small company selected

from more or less qualified volunteers; and in truth the way in

which they contrived to put small pieces of a broad farcical nature

on their improvised stage, did no small credit to their natural

histrionic abilities. These performances at first took place in the

schoolroom, or such other well-sized apartments as could be made

available, and “the house” was at all times crammed with a most

appreciative audience, comprising all ranks, and representing every

corps in the garrison.[528]

“At a later period the amateurs of the 79th having discovered

their strength, and the real merits of one or two stars (of whom

more presently), engaged the town theatre, and gave one or two

performances of the national drama ‘Rob Roy,’ in a manner which

would not have disgraced the boards of many a provincial theatre at

home. The one ‘bright particular star’ of the company undoubtedly

was a bandsman of the regiment, named C----. His rôle was broad

comedy, and the Liston-like gravity of his immovable features gave

irresistible point to the humour of such parts as he was accustomed

to fill. But the one special character with which he became

identified in his limited circle, nearly as completely as the late

Mr Mackay was with the Edinburgh public, was ‘Bailie Nicol Jarvie.’

Dignity of position, bluntness of perception, dyspepsia itself,

were not proof against his quaint delineation of this well-known

character.

“In 1849 or ’50 the dramatic corps had been playing ‘Rob Roy’

with much acceptance in an improvised theatre at Quebec, being a

large room used for public meetings and so forth in the principal

hotel there. The city is, or was, full of Scotchmen, most of them

enthusiastically national, and the performances had been a great

success. Unfortunately certain festivities, which were scarcely

included in the programme submitted to the commanding officer,

followed in connection with these entertainments, and poor C----,

among others, was not entirely proof against their seductions. The

members of the dramatic corps showed symptoms of falling into habits

which could not but be detrimental both to their own welfare and the

discipline of the regiment; and the performances after a while had

to be stopped.

“Shortly after this, one fine morning, as the commanding officer,

accompanied by the adjutant and one or two other officers, was

crossing the barrack square on his way from the orderly-room, the

party encountered the unfortunate quondam Thespian in a state of

considerable elevation, between two men of the guard, who were

conveying him to durance vile. As his dim eye fell on the form

of the commanding officer, a gleam of tipsy humour for a moment

lighted up his somewhat grotesque lineaments; John Barleycorn had,

for the time, extinguished all terrors of the august presence. ‘Hang

a bailie!’ hiccuped poor C---- as he passed the group, who were

carefully ignoring his vicinity: ‘Hang a bailie! ma conscience!’ It

is scarcely necessary to say that, when brought up for judgment some

four-and-twenty hours afterwards, the unfortunate magistrate was

dealt with as lightly as the code of military discipline permitted.

C---- was discharged soon afterwards, having served his time; and

his subsequent career was never, we believe, traced by his former

comrades of the 79th.”

On leaving Gibraltar, in June 1848, the regiment proceeded to Canada,

but before embarking, the officers and men erected by voluntary

subscription a handsome marble tablet, in the Wesleyan Chapel at

Gibraltar (where divine service was held for the Presbyterian

soldiers of the garrison), to the memory of those non-commissioned

officers and soldiers who died during their period of service on the

Rock. The regiment arrived at Quebec on the 27th of July 1848, and

remained in Canada till August 1851, when it embarked for England,

arriving in Leith Roads at the end of the month. On disembarking the

headquarters proceeded to Stirling Castle and formed a junction with

the dépôt, while three companies were detached to Perth and three to

Dundee.

Previous to embarking for England, a highly complimentary letter was

addressed to Lieutenant-Colonel the Honourable Lauderdale Maule, by

the magistrates and council of Quebec. “It is,” says this letter,

“with great pleasure that the magistrates bear testimony to the

excellent conduct of the men of your regiment during their sojourn

in Quebec, where they will be long and favourably remembered.” Here

also did the officers and men of the 79th erect, in the Scotch

Presbyterian Church of St Andrew’s, a handsome marble tablet to the

memory of the non-commissioned officers and soldiers who died during

the period of service in Canada.

In February 1849, Major-General James Hay, C.B., was appointed

Colonel in succession to Lt.-General Sir James Macdonell, appointed

to the Colonelcy of the 71st Regiment; and in December 1852, Major

Edmund James Elliot succeeded to the command of the regiment as

Lt.-Colonel by the retirement of the Hon. Lauderdale Maule on

half-pay.

In February 1852 the regiment removed to Edinburgh Castle, where it

remained till April 1853, and after spending some time at Bury,

Preston, and Weedon, it joined the encampment at Chobham in July,

where it was brigaded with the 19th and 97th regiments, under the

command of Colonel Lockyer, K.H. Here the regiment remained till

the 20th of August, when the encampment was broken up, and the 79th

proceeded to Portsmouth.

II.

1853-1874.

War with Russia--New Colours--the 79th parts with some of its

best men to the 93rd--ordered to the Crimea--the Highland Brigade

--The Alma--Sebastopol--Balaklava--Valley of Death--Kertch

--Yenikali--Sir Colin Campbell--Dr Mackenzie--Home--Madras

--Allahabad--Lucknow--Boodaoon--End of the Indian Mutiny

--Meeanmeer--Peshawur--Rawul Pindee--Earl of Mayo--Jubbulpoor--the

93rd Highlanders--Nagpoor--Kamptee--Bombay--Home--Isle of Wight--the

Queen’s attentions and honours--Colonel Hodgson--Colonel Miller

--Ashantee--Coomassie.

The Cameron Highlanders had had a long rest from active service since

those two glorious days at Quatre Bras and Waterloo, in the events

of which it bore such a prominent and gallant part and lost so many

of its braves; now once again the declaration of war with Russia, on

the 1st of March 1854, was to afford its untried men a chance to show

what stuff they were made of. The 79th was destined to form part of

that famous “Highland Brigade,” which, under Sir Colin Campbell, did

its duty so gallantly with the allied army in the Crimea.

Previous to its embarkation for the East, Lt. General W. H. Sewell,

C.B., was in March appointed colonel in succession to the deceased

Lt.-General James Hay; and on April 21st, new colours were, without

ceremony, committed to its keeping by Lt.-Col. Edmund James Elliot.

The 79th embarked for active service under rather disheartening

circumstances. Only a few weeks before, while it remained uncertain

whether it would form part of the expedition, the regiment had been

called upon to furnish volunteers to the 93rd regiment, which had

received its orders, and was short of its complement. That strange

feeling of restlessness which at all times characterises soldiers,

added to the natural and praiseworthy wish to be where hot work was

expected, had its result in depriving the 79th of some of its best

soldiers. Many of the finest flank-company men took the opportunity

of changing their tartan, and the officers of the grenadiers and

light company were to be seen one fine morning, like Achilles,

“arming, weeping, cursing,” to attend the parade which was to see

their “best and bravest” handed over to a rival corps. Then speedily

came similar orders for the 79th, and volunteers for _it_ were

hastily summoned. In obedience to the above natural laws forth they

came as fast as they were wanted, but not exactly the sort of men to

replace those who had gone. However, they did their duty well and

bravely throughout the hard days that were in store for them, and it

would be wronging them deeply to say a slighting word.

The regiment embarked at Portsmouth in H.M. ship “Simoom” on the 4th

of May, and arrived at Scutari on the 20th. Here it was encamped on

the plain of Scutari, and was brigaded with the 93rd regiment, the

two being joined on June 7th by the 42nd Royal Highlanders; the three

regiments, as we have indicated, forming the Highland Brigade under

Brigadier General Sir Colin Campbell, and along with the brigade

of Guards the 1st division of our army in the East. The regiment

remained at Scutari till June 13th, when along with the other

regiments of the division it was removed to Varna, where it encamped

on the plain overlooking Lake Devnos, about a mile south of the town.

While stationed here, it had the misfortune to lose its two senior

field-officers, Lt.-Col. E. J. Elliot, and Brevet Lt.-Col. James

Ferguson, from fever. About the same time also died Colonel the Hon.

L. Maule, who for many years commanded the regiment, and who was now

Assistant Adjutant-General to the second division.

Lt.-Col. Elliot was on August 13th succeeded by Major John Douglas.

The regiment remained in the district about Varna till the end of

August, the strength of many of the men being very much reduced by

fever.

On the 29th of August the 79th embarked at Varna, and along with

the rest of the allied army arrived at Kalamita Bay on Sept. 14th,

disembarking on the same day. Along with the other regiments of its

division it marched four miles inland, and bivouacked for the night

near Lake Tuzla.

On the 19th, the army was put in motion along the coast towards

Sebastopol. For details as to the order of march and incidents by

the way, including the slight skirmish near the Bulganak River, we

must refer the reader to our account of the 42nd. This regiment,

along with the rest of the army, bivouacked near the Bulganak on the

night of the 19th, and on the morning of the 20th advanced towards

the River Alma, on the heights forming the left bank of which the

Russians had taken up what they thought an impregnable position, and

were awaiting the arrival of the invading army, never doubting but

that, ere night, it should be utterly routed, if not extinguished.

[Illustration: Major-General Sir John Douglas, K.C.B.

From a photograph.]

About half-past one o’clock the action commenced by the Russians

opening fire from the redoubt on the left upon the French, who were

attempting to assail their position in that direction. The British

forces then formed in line, and proceeded to cross the river about

the village of Burliuk. The light and second divisions led the way

preceded by the skirmishers of the Rifle Brigade, who advanced

through the vineyards beyond the village, and spreading themselves

along the margin of the river, engaged the Russian riflemen on the

opposite bank.

The first division, which formed the left of the allied army,

advancing in support, traversed the vineyard and crossed the river,

protected by its overhanging banks. On reaching the slope of the

hill, the three Highland regiments formed line in échelon, and, “with

the precision of a field-day advanced to the attack, the 42nd Royal

Highlanders on the right, and the 79th Cameron Highlanders on the

left, the extreme left of the allied army.”[529]

From its position, the 79th was the last of the Highland regiments to

mount the slope on the Russian side of the river, and its appearance

on the crest of the slope was opportune; it came in time to relieve

the mind of Sir Colin, who trembled for the left flank of the 93rd,

down upon which was bearing a heavy column of the enemy--the left

Sousdal column. “Above the crest or swell of the ground,” Kinglake

tells, “on the left rear of the 93rd, yet another array of the tall

bending plumes began to rise up in a long ceaseless line, stretching

far into the east, and presently, with all the grace and beauty that

marks a Highland regiment when it springs up the side of a hill,

the 79th came bounding forward. Without a halt, or with only the

halt that was needed for dressing the ranks, it sprang at the flank

of the right Sousdal column, and caught it in its sin--caught it

daring to march across the front of a battalion advancing in line.

Wrapped in the fire thus poured upon its flank, the hapless column

could not march, could not live. It broke, and began to fall back in

great confusion; and the left Sousdal column being almost at the same

time overthrown by the 93rd, and the two columns which had engaged

the Black Watch being now in full retreat, the spurs of the hill and

the winding dale beyond became thronged with the enemy’s disordered

masses.”[530]

The three Highland regiments were now once more abreast, and as

Kinglake eloquently puts it, the men “could not but see that this,

the revoir of the Highlanders, had chanced in a moment of glory. A

cheer burst from the reunited Highlanders, and the hillsides were

made to resound with that joyous, assuring cry, which is the natural

utterance of a northern people so long as it is warlike and free.”

There were still a few battalions of the enemy, about 3000 men, on

the rise of a hill separated from the Highland regiments by a hollow;

on these the Highland Brigade opened fire, and the Ouglitz column, as

it was called, was forced to turn.

The loss in the battle of the Alma of the Cameron Highlanders, who,

although they performed most important and trying service, had no

chance of being in the thick of the fray, was 2 men killed and 7

wounded.

On account of the conduct of the regiment, a Companionship of the

Bath was conferred upon Lt.-Col. John Douglas, and Captain Andrew

Hunt was promoted by brevet to be major in the army.[531]

After clearing the Russians out of the way the allied army marched

onwards, and on the 26th took up its position before Sebastopol,

Balaklava being taken possession of as a base of operations. On

the 1st of October the first division encamped on the right of the

light division to assist in the duties of the siege; and the 79th

afterwards furnished a number of volunteers, to act as sharpshooters

in picking off the enemy’s gunners and engage his riflemen. On the

8th of October, Sir Colin Campbell was appointed to the command of

the troops and position of Balaklava, and was succeeded in command

of the Highland Brigade by Colonel Sir D. A. Cameron, K.C.B., of the

42nd,--whose portrait we have given on the steel-plate of colonels of

that regiment.

After the battle of Balaklava, on October 25th, the 79th along with

the 42nd, was moved to a new position on the heights of the north

side of the valley of Balaklava, where it continued till May 1855.

“Although the Highland Brigade,” says Captain Jameson,[532] “was

thus at an early period of the campaign unavoidably withdrawn from

the siege operations before Sebastopol, it had all-important duties

to perform besides those inseparable from the unremitting vigilance

imperatively called for in the defence of the base of operations

of the army; for in the months of December 1854, and January and

February 1855, all the available duty men of the Highland brigade

were usually employed at daylight every morning in the severe fatigue

of conveying to the army before Sebastopol round shot, shell, and

provisions, the load assigned to each man being generally a 32 lb.

shot, carried in a sack, or 56 lbs. of biscuit. The preparation of

gabions and fascines for the work of the siege, numerous public

fatigue duties in the harbour of Balaklava and elsewhere, as well as

the labour required for strengthening the entrenchments, likewise

devolved upon the brigade.”

During the first four months of 1855, low fever and dysentery

prevailed in the regiment to such an extent that it was found

necessary to put the 79th under canvass in a position about 300 yards

higher up the slope, exposed to the sea breezes from the south-west.

Very soon after this move the health of the regiment underwent much

improvement.

In connection with what we have just stated, we shall introduce here

a striking and intensely pathetic reminiscence of the campaign,

which has been furnished us by Lt.-Col. Clephane. It shows how these

comparatively raw soldiers of the Cameron Highlanders displayed a

gallant devotion to their duty under the most trying circumstances

which would have reflected credit upon veterans of a dozen campaigns.

“Shortly after the opening of the bombardment of Sebastopol, the

79th Highlanders furnished a party for trench duty, consisting of

about 150 men, under command of a field officer, and accompanied by

a similar number detailed from the brigade of Guards. They marched

for the post of duty shortly before daybreak, taking the well-known

route through the ‘Valley of Death,’ as it was called. At that time

a foe more dreaded than the Russians had persistently dogged the

footsteps of the army, never attacking in force, but picking out

a victim here and there, with such unerring certainty that to be

sensible of his approach was to feel doomed. The glimmering light

was at first insufficient for making out aught more than the dark

body of men that moved silently along the above gloomy locality in

column of march four deep; but as the sun approached nearer the

horizon, and the eye became accustomed to the glimmer, it was seen

that one man was suffering under pain of no ordinary nature, and

was far from being fit to go on duty that morning. Indeed, on being

closely inspected, it became evident that the destroyer had set

his seal on the unfortunate fellow’s brow, and how he had mustered

the determination to equip himself and march out with the rest was

almost inconceivable. Upon being questioned, however, he persisted

that there was not much the matter, though he owned to spasms in

his inside and cramps in his legs, and he steadily refused to

return to camp without positive orders to that effect, maintaining

that he would be better as soon as he could get time to ‘lie down

a bit.’ All this time the colour of the poor fellow’s face was

positively and intensely blue, and the damps of death were standing

unmistakeably on his forehead. He staggered as he walked, groaning

with clenched teeth, but keeping step, and shifting his rifle with

the rest in obedience to each word of command. He ought probably

to have been at once despatched to the rear, but the party was now

close to the scene of action (Gordon’s battery), the firing would

immediately commence, and somehow he was for the moment forgotten.

The men took their places lining the breastwork, the troops whom

they relieved marched off, and the firing began, and was kept up

with great fury on both sides. All at once a figure staggered out

from the hollow beneath the earthen rampart where the men were

lying, and fell groaning upon the earth a few paces to the rear. It

was the unfortunate man whose case we have just noticed. He was now

in the last extremity, and there was not the ghost of a chance for

him in this world; but three or four of his comrades instantly left

their place of comparative safety, and surrounded him with a view of

doing what they could to alleviate his sufferings. It was not much;

they raised him up and rubbed his legs, which were knotted with

cramps, and brandy from an officer’s flask was administered without

stint. All in vain, of course; but, curiously enough, even then the

dying man did not lose heart, or show any weakness under sufferings

which must have been frightful. He was grateful to the men who were

busy rubbing his agonised limbs, and expressed satisfaction with

their efforts, after a fashion that had even some show of piteous

humour about it. ‘Aye,’ groaned he, as they came upon a knot of

sinews as large as a pigeon’s egg, ‘that’s the _vaygabone_!’ It

became evident now that the best thing that could be done would be

to get him home to camp, so that he might at least die beyond the

reach of shot and shell. The open ground to the rear of the battery

was swept by a perfect storm of these missles; but volunteers at

once came forward, and placed upon one of the bloodstained litters

the dying man, who, now nearly insensible, was carried back to

his tent. This was effected without casualty to the bearers, who

forthwith returned to their post, leaving their unfortunate comrade

at the point of breathing his last.”

Such were the men who upheld the honour of the Scottish name in those

days, and such, alas! were those who furnished a royal banquet to the

destroyer, Death, throughout that melancholy campaign.

The 79th, in the end of May and beginning of June, formed part of

the expedition to Kertch, described in the history of the 42nd. This

expedition came quite as a little pleasant pic-nic to those regiments

who were lucky enough to be told off as part of the force, and the

79th, along with the other regiments of the Highland brigade, had the

good fortune to be so. Yenikali had been very hastily evacuated, all

its guns being left in perfect order, and signs everywhere of little

domestic establishments broken up in what must have been excessive

dismay--expensive articles of furniture, ladies’ dresses, little

articles of the same sort appertaining to children, all left standing

as the owners had left them, fleeing, as they imagined, for their

lives. Truth to tell, they would not have been far wrong, but for the

presence of the British.[533]

On its return in the middle of June, the Highland brigade took up

its old position beside the Guards before Sebastopol, the command of

the re-united division being assumed by Sir Colin Campbell. After

this the division was regularly employed in the siege operations, it

having been drawn up in reserve during the unsuccessful attack on

the Malakoff and Redan on the 18th of June.

In August, on account of the formation of an additional division to

the army, the old Highland Brigade was separated from the Guards, and

joined to the 1st and 2nd battalion Royals, and the 72nd Highlanders,

these now forming the Highland division under Sir Colin Campbell.

On the 8th of September, the 79th, along with the other regiments

of the brigade, was marched down to the front to take part in the

contemplated assault upon the enemy’s fortifications. About four in

the afternoon, the 79th, under command of Lt.-Col. C. H. Taylor,

reached the fifth or most advanced parallel, in front of the great

Redan, the 72nd being in line on its left. Before this, however,

the Redan had been attacked by the right and second divisions, who,

“after exhibiting a devotion and courage yet to be surpassed,” were

compelled to retire with severe loss; the French attack on the

Malakoff had at the same time been successful.

The brigade continued to occupy its advanced position during the

remainder of the day exposed to a heavy fire, it being appointed

to make another assault on the Redan next morning. Such a deadly

enterprise, however, fortunately proved unnecessary, as early next

morning it was ascertained that the enemy, after having blown up

their magazines and other works, were in full retreat across the

harbour by the bridge of boats. The only duty devolving upon the 79th

was to send two companies to take possession of the Redan and its

works.

The loss of the regiment on the day of the assault, and in the

various operations during the siege, was 17 rank and file killed, Lt.

D. H. M’Barnet, Assistant-Surgeon Edward Louis Lundy, 3 sergeants, 1

drummer, and 39 rank and file wounded. While recording the losses of

the regiment, honourable mention ought to be made of Dr Richard James

Mackenzie, who gave up a lucrative practice in Edinburgh in order to

join the British army in the east. He was appointed to the 79th while

the regiment was stationed at Varna, and until his death on September

25th 1854, shortly after “Alma,” he rendered to the regiment and

the army generally services of the highest importance. He followed

the army on foot, undergoing much fatigue and many privations,

which, with the arduous labours he took upon himself after the

battle, no doubt hastened his much lamented death. After the battle

of the Alma, it is said, he performed no fewer than twenty-seven

capital operations with his own hand. “So highly were his services

appreciated by the 79th, that, after the battle of the Alma, on his

coming up to the regiment from attendance on the wounded, several

of the men called out, ‘Three cheers for Dr Mackenzie!’ which was

promptly and warmly responded to.”

The regiment, after the notification of peace, erected to his memory

a neat tombstone, with an appropriate inscription, fenced in by a

stone wall, on the heights of Belbek, near his resting-place.

His heroic and humane deeds on the battle-field of the Alma were

thoroughly appreciated by the 79th, and have been recorded by others.

We may, however, faintly gather something of them from his letter

to his brother Kenneth--the last he ever wrote. It was written on

the day after the battle. In this letter he says: “We” (Dr Scott and

himself) “were shaking hands with all our friends, when, to my no

small surprise and gratification, as you may believe, a voice shouted

out from the column as they stood in the ranks--‘_Three cheers for

Mr Mackenzie_,’ and though I say it who shouldn’t, I never heard

three better cheers. You will _laugh_, my dear fellow, when you read

this, but I can tell you I could scarcely refrain from doing t’other

thing. All I could do was to wave my Glengarry in thanks.” As to Dr

Mackenzie’s coolness under fire, the quartermaster of the 79th wrote:

“During the height of the action I was in conversation with him when

a round shot struck the ground, and rebounding over our regiment,

flew over our heads and killed an artillery horse a few yards in our

rear.” Mackenzie quietly remarked, “That is a narrow escape.”

The regiment continued in the Crimea till June 1856, on the 15th of

which month it embarked at Balaklava, and disembarked at Portsmouth

on the 5th of July, proceeding immediately by rail to the camp at

Aldershot.[534]

[Illustration: Dr Richard James Mackenzie, M.D., F.R.C.S. From

photograph in 1854, in possession of Kenneth Mackenzie, Esq.]

After being stationed for a short time at Shorncliffe, and for some

months at Canterbury, and having been present at the distribution of

the Victoria Cross by Her Majesty in Hyde Park on June 26th 1857, the

79th proceeded to Dublin, where it landed on the 28th. Here, however,

it remained but a short time, as on account of the Sepoy revolt

in India, it was again ordered to prepare for active service. The

regiment was rapidly completed to 1000 rank and file, and set sail in

the beginning of August, arriving at Madras Roads early in November,

when it received orders to proceed to Calcutta, where it disembarked

on the 28th of November and occupied Fort-William. After remaining

there for a few days, the 79th, on Dec. 2nd, proceeded by rail to

Raneegunge, under the command of Lt.-Colonel John Douglas. Towards

the end of the month the regiment left Raneegunge for Allahabad,

where it halted till the 5th of Jan. 1858, a day memorable in the

history of the 79th for its having marched upwards of 48 miles, and

gained its first victory in the East, viz., that of Secundragunge, in

which happily it had no casualties.

The regiment left Allahabad for Lucknow on the 18th of Jan., and on

the 28th of Feb. it joined the force under Sir Colin Campbell at Camp

Bunterah. The regiment was then commanded by Lt.-Colonel Taylor,

Lt.-Colonel Douglas having been appointed to the command of the 5th

Infantry Brigade. After passing the Goomtee, the 79th joined the

force under Sir James Outram, and was brigaded with the 1st battalion

of the 23rd Fusiliers and the 1st Bengal Fusiliers, under the command

of Brigadier General Douglas. The regiment was present, and performed

its part bravely during the siege and capture of Lucknow, from the

2nd to the 16th of March 1858, its loss being 7 non-commissioned

officers and privates killed, and 2 officers, Brevet-Major Miller

and Ensign Haine, and 21 non-commissioned officers and privates

wounded.[535]

After the capture of Lucknow the 79th joined the division under the

command of Major-General Walpole, in the advance towards Allahgunge,

Shahjehanpoor, and Bareilly. Its next engagement was the action of

Boodaoon, where the regiment had only 1 man wounded, who afterwards

died of his wounds. On the 22nd of April the 79th was present at the

action of Allahgunge, where it had no casualties. On the 27th, Sir

Colin Campbell assumed command of the force and marched on Bareilly,

the 79th, along with the 42nd and 93rd, forming the Highland brigade.

On the 5th of May the 79th was formed in line of battle before

Bareilly, when it helped to gain another glorious victory, with a

loss of only 2 men killed and 2 wounded. The regiment received the

special thanks of Sir Colin Campbell.

The 79th next made a forced march to the relief of Shahjehanpoor,

under the command of Brigadier-General John Jones, and on the 21st of

May was again under fire at the attack of that place. Thence it went

to Mohoomdee, in the attack on which it took part on the 24th and

25th; here it had 2 men wounded, and, according to the Record-Book,

upwards of 100 men suffered from sunstroke.

After this last action the regiment once more found itself in

quarters at Futtehgurh and Cawnpoor, one wing being detached to

Allahabad; this, however, was only for a short time, as on the 21st

of October an order was received for the 79th to join the brigade in

Oudh, under Brigadier-General Wetherall, C.B. On the 3rd of November

the 79th was present at the storm and capture of Rampoor Kosilab,

the regiment losing only 2 men killed, and 1 sergeant and 6 privates

wounded. For its conduct on this occasion the 79th was complimented

in General Orders by His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief.

Brig.-Gen. Wetherall having left the force, was succeeded in command

by Sir Hope Grant, K.C.B., who appointed Lt.-Col. Taylor, 79th, to

command the brigade, Major Butt succeeding the latter in command of

the 79th.

The 79th proceeded by forced marches to Fyzabad to commence the

trans-Ghogra operations, and was present at the action of the passage

of the Ghogra on the 25th of November, the skirmish at Muchligan on

the 6th of Dec., and the skirmish at Bundwa Kotee on the 3rd of Jan.

1859. After the last-mentioned engagement the 79th received orders to

proceed to Meean Meer in the Punjab, under the command of Lt.-Col.

Taylor.

Thus ended the Indian Mutiny, during which the casualties to the 79th

Highlanders amounted to 2 officers wounded, and 158[536] of all ranks

killed. For its gallant conduct during the Indian campaign the 79th

received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament, and was authorised

to bear on its colours the inscription “Capture of Lucknow.” Lt.-Col.

Douglas was appointed a K.C.B., and Lt.-Col. Taylor a C.B.

The regiment arrived at Meean Meer on the 8th of April 1859, and on

the 15th the command passed into the hands of Lt.-Col. Butt, Colonel

Taylor having proceeded to Europe on leave. Lt.-Col. Butt continued

in command till the 2nd of April 1860, when he was appointed Chief

Inspector of Musketry for Bengal, and was succeeded in command of the

regiment by Lt.-Col. Hodgson. On the 16th of March, Lt.-Col. Douglas

had retired on half-pay, and Lt.-Col. Taylor did the same on the 10th

of May following.

The 79th remained in India till Sept. 1871. On the 5th of Nov. 1860,

the right wing, consisting of 287 of all ranks, proceeded to Amritzir

under the command of Major M’Barnet. Headquarters left Meean Meer on

the 19th of Jan. 1861 for Ferozepoor, where it was joined by the wing

from Amritzir in April.

The 79th left Ferozepoor in Feb. 1862 for Nowshera, where it remained

till the following November, on the 23rd of which the regiment

proceeded to Peshawur, on the frontiers of Afghanistan. In the

previous March the regiment lost by death its colonel, General W. A.

Sewell, who was succeeded by General the Honourable Hugh Arbuthnott,

C.B.

During the stay of the regiment in Peshawur it lost two of its

officers. A frontier war having broken out, Lts. Dougal and Jones

volunteered their services, and were permitted to proceed with

the expedition against the Sitana fanatics, under the command of

Brigadier-General Sir M. Chamberlain, K.C.B.; the former was killed

when on picquet duty on the 6th of Nov. 1863, and the latter in

action on the 18th of the same month.

The 79th remained in Peshawur till Jan. 1864, when it removed to

Rawul Pindee, where it remained till 1866. During its stay it

furnished a volunteer working party on the Murree and Abbattabad

road, and also during 1864 a detachment of 300 of all ranks, under

the command of Captain C. Gordon, to the Camp Durrgaw Gully.

In October 1864 the 79th lost by exchange its senior Lt.-Colonel,

Colonel Butt having exchanged with Colonel Best of H.M.’s 86th

Regiment. By this exchange Lt.-Colonel Hodgson became senior

Lt.-Colonel.

For some time after its arrival at Rawul Pindee the regiment

continued to suffer from Peshawur fever, a considerable number of men

having had to be invalided to England. On the 8th of May 1865 the

headquarters and 650 of all ranks proceeded as a working party to the

Murree Hills, where the regiment remained till October, much to the

benefit of the men’s health, as in a fortnight after its arrival all

traces of Peshawur fever had disappeared. A similar working party,

but not so large, was sent to the Murree Hills at the same time in

the following year.

On the 10th of July of this year (1865) Lt.-Colonel Hodgson received

his promotion by brevet to full Colonel in the army.

On the 1st of November 1866, the headquarters and left wing marched

from Rawul Pindee for Roorkee, and the right wing under command of

Major Maitland for Delhi, the former reaching Roorkee on the 15th

and the latter Delhi on Dec. 27th. During the regiment’s stay at

these places the two wings exchanged and re-exchanged quarters, both

suffering considerably from fever during the spring of 1867. Both

wings in the end of March proceeded to Umballah, to take part in the

ceremonial attending the meeting between Earl Mayo, Governor-General

of India, and Shere Ali Khan, the Ameer of Cabul; the Cameron

Highlanders had been appointed part of His Excellency’s personal

escort.

On Dec. 7th the headquarters, under the command of Colonel W. C.

Hodgson, left Roorkee _en route_ to Kamptee, and on the 15th it

was joined by the right wing from Delhi, at Camp Jubbulpoor. Here

the regiment remained until the 24th, when it commenced to move by

companies towards Kamptee, at which station the headquarters arrived

on the 1st of January 1870. Shortly before leaving Roorkee a highly

complimentary farewell letter was sent to Colonel Hodgson from

Major-General Colin Troup, C.B., commanding the Meerut Division.

During January 1870 the 93d Sutherland Highlanders passed through

Kamptee _en route_ for home, when a very pleasing exchange of

civilities took place between that distinguished regiment and their

old comrades of the 79th. At a mess meeting held at Nagpoor on

the 30th by the officers of the 93d, it was proposed and carried

unanimously that a letter be written to the officers of the 79th,

proposing that, in consideration of the friendship and cordiality

which had so long existed between the two regiments, the officers

of the two corps be perpetual honorary members of their respective

messes. The compliment was, of course, willingly returned by the

79th, and the officers of the 93rd Highlanders were constituted

thenceforth perpetual honorary members of the 79th mess.

The regiment remained at Kamptee for nearly two years, furnishing a

detachment to the fort at Nagpoor. A very sad event occurred in the

regiment during its stay at Kamptee: on Aug. 28th, 1871, Captain

Donald Macdonald when at great gun drill at the artillery barracks,

dropped down on parade, died instantaneously, and was buried the same

evening. Captain Macdonald was by birth and habit a Highlander, and

was most warmly attached to his regiment, in which he had served for

seventeen years. Great regret was felt by all ranks in the regiment

on account of his premature and unexpected death. He was only 34

years of age, and a monument was erected by his brother officers over

his grave at Kamptee.

On the 2nd of August 1871 Colonel Best was appointed to the command

of the Nagpoor field force, with the rank of brigadier-general.

In the same month the 79th received orders to be in readiness to

proceed to England, and the non-commissioned officers and men were

permitted to volunteer into regiments remaining in India. About

177 of all ranks availed themselves of this offer, a considerable

number of whom were married men. The regiment left Kamptee in

two detachments on Sept. 22nd and 23rd, and proceeded by Nagpoor

and Deolallee to Bombay, where it embarked on board H.M.’s India

troop-ship “Jumna” on the 29th and 30th. The “Jumna” sailed for

England on the 1st of October, and after a prosperous voyage by way

of the Suez Canal arrived at Spithead on the evening of the 6th of

November. Next day the regiment was transferred to three ships, and

conveyed to West Cowes, Isle of Wight, where it disembarked the same

evening, and marched to the Albany Barracks, Parkhurst.

During the fourteen years that the 79th was stationed in India it

was inspected by many distinguished general officers, including Sir

Colin Campbell (Lord Clyde), Sir William Mansfield (Lord Sandhurst),

Sir Hugh Rose, (Lord Strathnairn), Sir Hope Grant, &c., all of whom

expressed themselves highly satisfied with the appearance, conduct,

and discipline of the regiment.

During its sojourn in the Isle of Wight the 79th was highly honoured

on more than one occasion by the very particular notice of Her

Majesty Queen Victoria. In Feb. 1872, Her Majesty being at Osborne,

was pleased to express her desire to see the 79th Highlanders in

marching order. The regiment accordingly paraded at 10 o’clock on

the morning of the 16th, and proceeded towards Osborne. When the

79th was within a short distance of the approach to the house, Her

Majesty, with several members of the Royal Family, appeared at an

angle of the road, and watched the marching past of the regiment with

great interest. The regiment, after making a detour towards East

Cowes, was returning to Parkhurst by way of Newport, when Her Majesty

re-appeared, paying particular attention to the dress and appearance

of the men as they marched past her for the second time.

This was the last occasion on which Colonel Hodgson was destined

to command the 79th. On the 1st of March the regiment sustained an

irreparable loss in his death, which took place, after a very short

illness. Colonel Hodgson was 49 years of age, had served in the

79th for 32 years, and commanded it for 12, and by his invariable

kindness and urbanity had endeared himself to all ranks. His sad and

unexpected death spread a deep gloom over the whole regiment. Colonel

Maitland, in announcing Colonel Hodgson’s death in regimental orders

said,--

“The officers have to lament the loss of one who was always to them

a kind and considerate commanding officer; and the non-commissioned

officers and men have been deprived of a true friend, who was ever

zealous in guarding their interests and promoting their welfare.”

Colonel Hodgson was buried in Carisbrooke Cemetery, and over his

grave a handsome monument of Aberdeen granite has been erected by his

brother officers and friends.

By Colonel Hodgson’s death Colonel Maitland succeeded to the command

of the regiment; he, however, retired on half-pay on the 19th of

October following, and Lt.-Colonel Miller was selected to succeed him.

On the 17th of Sept, the 79th had the honour of being reviewed by the

late ex-Emperor of the French, Napoleon III., and his son, the Prince

Imperial, who lunched with the officers. The Emperor made a minute

inspection of the men, and watched the various manœuvres with evident

interest, expressing at the conclusion his admiration of the splendid

appearance and physique of the men, the high state of discipline

of the corps, and the magnificent manner in which the drill was

performed.

During Her Majesty’s stay at Osborne the 79th always furnished a

guard of honour at East Cowes at each of her visits. On the 17th of

April 1873 Her Majesty bestowed one of the highest honours in her

power on the regiment, when on that day she attended at Parkhurst

Barracks to present it with new colours. The presentation took

place in the drill-field, and was witnessed by a large number of

spectators, who were favoured with a bright sky.

At 11 o’clock A.M. the 79th marched into the field under command of

Colonel Miller. The ground was kept by the 102nd Fusiliers, the same

regiment also furnishing a guard of honour to Her Majesty. General

Viscount Templetown, K.C.B., commanding the district, was present,

and also Sir John Douglas, K.C.B., commanding in North Britain, with

his A.D.C., Lieutenant Boswell Gordon, of the 79th. The Mayor and

Corporation of Newport attended officially, wearing their robes of

office. At a quarter to 12 o’clock Her Majesty arrived, attended

by their Royal Highnesses Prince Leopold and Princess Beatrice,

the Countess of Errol and other ladies, besides the Equerries in

Waiting. The royal party having driven along the line, the band and

pipers playing, the usual order of presentation was proceeded with.

[Illustration: Lieutenant-Colonel W. C. Hodgson.]

The old colours were in front of the left of the line, in charge of

a colour party and double sentries. The new colours, cased, were in

the rear of the centre, in charge of the two senior colour-sergeants,

Taylor and Mackie. The old colours having been trooped, these

honoured and cherished standards, around which the Cameron

Highlanders had so often victoriously rallied, were borne to the

rear by Lts. Annesley and Money to the strains of “Auld Lang Syne.”

The regiment was then formed into three sides of a square, the drums

were piled in the centre, the new colours were brought from the rear,

and having been uncased by the Majors, were placed against the pile.

After this a most impressive consecration prayer was offered up by

the Rev. Charles Morrison, formerly Presbyterian chaplain to the 79th

in India, who had come from Aberdeen expressly to perform this duty.

When this was concluded, Major Cumming handed the Queen’s colour and

Major Percival the regimental colour to Her Majesty, who presented

the former to Lt. Campbell and the latter to Lt. Methven, at the same

time addressing them thus:--“It gives me great pleasure to present

these new colours to you. In thus entrusting you with this honourable

charge, I have the fullest confidence that you will, with the true

loyalty and well-known devotion of Highlanders, preserve the honour

and reputation of your regiment, which have been so brilliantly

earned and so nobly maintained by the 79th Cameron Highlanders.”

Colonel Miller then replied as follows:--

“I beg permission, in the name of all ranks of the 79th Cameron

Highlanders, to present our loyal and most grateful acknowledgments

of the very high honour it has pleased your Majesty this day to

confer on the regiment. The incident will ever remain fresh in the

memories of all on parade, and of those also who are unable to have

the honour of being present on this occasion, and of others who have

formerly served with the 79th; and I beg to assure your Majesty

that, wherever the course of events may require these colours to be

borne, the remembrance that they were received from the hands of our

Most Gracious Queen, will render them doubly precious, and that in

future years, as at present, the circumstance of this presentation

will be regarded as one of the proudest episodes in the records of

the Cameron Highlanders.”

After Colonel Miller’s address the regiment re-formed line, and the

colours were received with a general salute, after which they were

marched to their place in the line in slow time, the band playing

“God save the Queen.” The ranks having been closed, the regiment

broke into column, and marched past Her Majesty in quick and double

time. Line was then re-formed, and Lt.-Gen. Viscount Templetown,

K.C.B., called for three cheers for Her Majesty, a request which was

responded to by the regiment in true Highland style. The ranks having

been opened, the line advanced in review order, and gave a royal

salute, after which the royal carriage withdrew.

After the parade was dismissed, the old colours, carried by Lts.

Annesley and Money, escorted by all the sergeants, were played round

the barracks, and afterwards taken to the officers’ mess. On the 30th

of the month the officers gave a splendid ball at the Town-hall,

Ryde, at which about 500 guests were present, the new colours being

placed in the centre of the ball-room, guarded on each side by a

Highlander in full uniform. To mark the occasion also, Colonel Miller

remitted all punishments awarded to the men, and the sergeants

entertained their friends at a luncheon and a dance in the drill

field.

At the unanimous request of the officers, Colonel Miller offered the

old colours to Her Majesty, and she having been graciously pleased

to accept them, they were taken to Osborne on the 22nd of April. At

12 o’clock noon of that day the regiment paraded in review order

and formed a line along the barracks for the colours to pass, each

man presenting arms as they passed him, the band playing “Auld Lang

Syne.” The colours were then taken by train from Newport to Cowes.

At Osborne the East Cowes guard of honour, under command of Captain

Allen, with Lts. Bucknell and Smith, was drawn up at each side of

the hall door. The old colours, carried by Lts. Annesley and Money,

escorted by Quarter-master-Sergeant Knight, Colour-Sergeant Clark,

two other sergeants, and four privates, preceded by the pipers, were

marched to the door by Colonel Miller, the guard of honour presenting

arms. The officers then advanced, and, kneeling, placed the colours

at Her Majesty’s feet, when Colonel Miller read a statement, giving

a history of the old colours from the time of their presentation at

Portsmouth, in the month of April 1854, by Mrs Elliot (the wife of

the officer at that time colonel of the regiment), a few days before

the regiment embarked for the Crimea.

Colonel Miller then said,--

“It having graciously pleased your Majesty to accept these colours

from the Cameron Highlanders, I beg permission to express the

gratification which all ranks of the 79th feel in consequence, and

to convey most respectfully our highest appreciation of this kind

act of condescension on the part of your Majesty.”

The Queen replied,--

“I accept these colours with much pleasure, and shall ever value

them in remembrance of the gallant services of the 79th Cameron

Highlanders. I will take them to Scotland, and place them in my dear

Highland home at Balmoral.”

The guard then presented arms, and the colour party withdrew.

Her Majesty afterwards addressed a few words to each of the

colour-sergeants.

On the 24th of April, Colonel Miller received orders for the troops

of the Parkhurst garrison to march towards Osborne on the following

day, for Her Majesty’s inspection, and the troops accordingly paraded

at 10 o’clock A.M. in review order. On arriving near Osborne the

brigade was drawn up in line on the road, the 79th on the right, and

the 102nd on the left. Her Majesty was received with a royal salute,

and having driven down the line, the royal carriage took up its

position at the crossroads, and the regiments passed in fours; the

royal carriage then drove round by a bye-road, and the regiment again

passed in fours, after which the troops returned to Parkhurst.

We may state here that on the day on which Her Majesty presented

the new colours to the regiment, Colonel Ponsonby, by Her Majesty’s

desire, wrote to the Field-Marshal Commanding in Chief that “Her

Majesty was extremely pleased with the appearance of the men and

with the manner in which they moved,” and hoped that His Royal

Highness might think it right to communicate the Queen’s opinion to

Lt.-Colonel Miller. The letter was sent to Colonel Miller.

The Queen still further showed her regard for the 79th by presenting

to the regiment four copies of her book, “Leaves from our Journal in

the Highlands,”--one to Colonel Miller, one for the officers, one for

the non-commissioned officers, and one for the privates.

To crown all these signal marks of Her Majesty’s attachment to the

Cameron Highlanders, she was graciously pleased to let them bear her

own name as part of the style and title of the regiment, as will be

seen by the following letter, dated--

“_Horseguards, 10th July 1873._

“SIR,--By direction of the Field-Marshal Commanding in Chief, I

have the honour to acquaint you that Her Majesty has been pleased

to command that the 79th Regiment be in future styled “the 79th

Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders,” that the facings be accordingly

changed from green to blue, and that the regiment be also permitted

to bear in the centre of the second colour, as a regimental badge,

_the Thistle ensigned with the Imperial Crown_, being the badge of

Scotland as sanctioned by Queen Anne in 1707, after the confirmation

of the Act of Union of the kingdoms.--I have, &c. &c.

(Signed) “J. W. ARMSTRONG,

“_Deputy Adjutant-General_.

“Lieutenant-Colonel Miller,

“Commanding 79th Regiment.”

In acknowledgment of this gracious mark of Her Majesty’s regard,

Colonel Miller despatched a letter to Major-General Ponsonby, at

Osborne, on the 12th of July, in which he requests that officer

“To convey to the Queen, in the name of all ranks of the 79th, our

most respectful and grateful acknowledgments for so distinguished

a mark of royal condescension, and I beg that you will assure

Her Majesty of the gratification felt throughout the regiment in

consequence of the above announcement.”

Finally, on the 13th of August Colonel Miller received a notification

that Her Majesty had expressed a wish that the regiment should be

drawn up at East Cowes to form a guard of honour on her departure

from the island on the following day. The regiment accordingly

marched to East Cowes on the following afternoon, and presented arms

as Her Majesty embarked on her way to Balmoral.

On 18th of September of the same year the 79th left Parkhurst

for Aldershot, where it arrived on the same afternoon, and was

quartered in A and B lines, South Camp, being attached to the 1st or

Major-General Parkes’ brigade.

The Black Watch has received great and well-merited praise for its

conduct during the Ashantee War, in the march from the Gold Coast to

Coomassie. It ought, however, to be borne in mind that a fair share

of the glory which the 42nd gained on that dangerous coast, under the

able command of Major-General Sir Garnet J. Wolseley, really belongs

to the Cameron Highlanders. When the 42nd, at the end of December

1873, was ordered to embark for the Gold Coast, 135 volunteers were

asked for from the 79th, to make up its strength, when there at once

stepped out 170 fine fellows, most of them over ten years’ service,

from whom the requisite number was taken. Lieutenants E. C. Annesley

and James M’Callum accompanied these volunteers. Although they wore

the badge and uniform of the glorious Black Watch, as much credit is

due to the 79th on account of their conduct as if they had fought

under the name of the famous Cameron Highlanders, in which regiment

they received all that training without which personal bravery is of

little avail.

[Illustration:

Monument in the Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh, erected in 1857.

The monument is of sandstone, but the inscription is cut in a block

of granite inserted below the shaft.

In Memory of

Colonel the Honourable Lauderdale Maule;

Lieut.-Colonel E. J. Elliot, Lieut.-Colonel James Ferguson;

Captain Adam Maitland;

Lieutenant F. A. Grant, Lieutenant F. J. Harrison;

and

Dr R. J. Mackenzie.

also

369 Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of the 79th Highlanders,

who died in Bulgaria and the Crimea, or fell in action during

the Campaign of 1854-55.]

Lieut. Colonel Clephane, who for many years was connected with the

Cameron Highlanders, has been good enough to furnish us with a

number of anecdotes illustrative of the inner life of the regiment

and of the characteristics of the men in his time. Some of these we

have already given in their chronological place in the text, and we

propose to conclude our narrative with one or two others, regretting

that space does not permit our making use of all the material Colonel

Clephane has been so obliging as to put into our hands.

It may probably be affirmed, as a rule, that there exists in the

regiments of the British army an amount of harmony and cordial

reciprocation of interest in individual concerns, which cannot be

looked for in other professional bodies. From the nature of the

circumstances under which soldiers spend the best years of their

lives, thrown almost entirely together, sometimes exclusively so,

and moving, as fate and the War Office may determine, from one

point to another of Her Majesty’s dominions on their country’s

concerns, it naturally arises that an amount of familiar knowledge

of each other’s characteristics is arrived at which in the world at

large is rarely attainable. We should state that the period of the

following reminiscences is comprehended between the year 1835 and the

suppression of the Indian mutiny.

In the 79th Highlanders the harmony that existed among the officers,

and the completeness of the chain of fellow-feeling which bound

together all ranks from highest to lowest, was very remarkable. It

used to be said among the officers themselves that, no matter how

often petty bickerings might arise in the fraternity, anything like a

serious quarrel was impossible; and this from the very reason that it

_was a fraternity_, in the best and fullest sense of the word.

And now a temptation arises to notice one or two of those individual

members of the regiment whose demeanour and eccentricities of

expression furnished a daily supply of amusement:--There was a

non-commissioned officer, occupying the position of drill-sergeant

about five-and-thirty or forty years ago, whose contributions in this

way were much appreciated. “I think I see him now,” writes Colonel

Clephane, “sternly surveying with one grey eye, the other being

firmly closed for the time being, some unlucky batch of recruits

which had unfavourably attracted his attention; his smooth-shaven

lip and chin, a brown curl brought forward over each cheek-bone,

and the whole surmounted by the high white-banded sergeant’s forage

cap of that day set at the regulation military angle over the right

ear. He was a Waterloo man, and must have been verging on middle age

at the time of which I write, but there was no sign of any falling

off in the attributes of youth, if we except the slight rotundity

beneath the waistbelt.” No one could be more punctiliously respectful

to his superior officers than the sergeant, but when he had young

gentlemen newly joined under his charge at recruit drill, he would

display an assumption of authority as occasion offered which was

sometimes ludicrous enough. On one of these occasions, when a squad

of recruits, comprising two newly-fledged ensigns, was at drill in

the barrack square, the sound of voices (a heinous offence as we

all know) was heard in the ranks. The sergeant stopped opposite the

offending squad. There was “silence deep as death”--“Ah--m--m!”

said he, clearing his throat after a well-known fashion of his, and

tapping the ground with the end of his cane--“Ah--m--m! if I hear any

man talkin’ in the ranks, I’ll put him in the guard ’ouse” (here he

looked with stern significance at each of the officers in turn)--“_I

don’t care who he is!_” Having thus, as he thought, impressed all

present with a due sense of the respect due to his great place, he

gave a parting “Ah--m--m!” tapped the ground once or twice more,

keeping his eye firmly fixed to the last on the more suspected of the

two ensigns, and moved stiffly off to the next batch of recruits.

No one ever dreamed of being offended with old “Squid,” as he was

called, after his pronunciation of the word squad, and those who had,

as he expressed it, “passed through his hands” would never consider

themselves as unduly unbending in holding serious or mirthful

colloquy with their veteran preceptor. Thus, on another occasion of

considerably later date than the above, some slight practical joking

had been going on at the officers’ mess, a practice which would have

been dangerous but for the real cordiality which existed among its

members, and a group of these conversed gleefully on the subject next

morning after the dismissal of parade. The peculiar form assumed by

their jocularity had been that of placing half a newspaper or so

upon the boot of a slumbering comrade, and setting it on fire, as a

gentle hint that slumber at the mess-table was objectionable. One

officer was inclined to deprecate the practice. “If he had not awoke

at once,” said he, “he might have found it no joke.” “Ah--m--m!”

uttered the well-known voice close behind the group, where the

sergeant, now dépôt sergeant-major, had, unnoticed, been a listener

to the colloquy, “I always grease the paper.” This was literally

throwing a new light on the subject, and was the worthy man’s method

of testifying contempt for all undue squeamishness on occasions of

broken etiquette.

One or two subordinates in the same department were not without their

own distinguishing characteristics. Colonel Clephane writes--“I

remember one of our drill corporals, whose crude ideas of humour

were not unamusing when all were in the vein, which we generally

were in those days. He was quite a young man, and his sallies

came, as it were, in spite of himself, and with a certain grimness

of delivery which was meant to obviate any tendency therein to

relaxation of discipline. I can relate a slight episode connected

with this personage, showing how the memory of small things lingers

in the hearts of such men in a way we would little expect from the

multifarious nature of their occupations, and the constant change to

them of scenes and features. A young officer was being drilled by a

lance-corporal after the usual recruit fashion, and being a tall slip

of a youth he was placed on the flank of his squad. They were being

marched to a flank in what was called Indian or single file, the said

officer being in front as right hand man. When the word ‘halt’ was

given by the instructor from a great distance off--a favourite plan

of his, as testing the power of his word of command--the officer

did not hear it, and, while the rest of the squad came to a stand

still, he went marching on. He was aroused from a partial reverie by

the sound of the well-known broad accent close at his ear, ‘Hae ye

far to gang the nicht?’ and, wheeling about in some discomforture,

had to rejoin the squad amid the unconcealed mirth of its members.

Well, nearly thirty years afterwards, when probably not one of them,

officer, corporal, or recruits, continued to wear the uniform of

the regiment, the former, in passing through one of the streets

of Edinburgh, came upon his old instructor in the uniform of a

conducting sergeant (one whose duty it was to accompany recruits from

their place of enlistment to the head-quarters of their regiments).

There was an immediate cordial recognition, and, after a few

inquiries and reminiscences on both sides, the quondam officer said

jestingly, ‘You must acknowledge I was the best recruit you had in

those days.’ The sergeant hesitated, smiled grimly, and then replied,

‘Yes, you were a good enough recruit; but you were a bad richt hand

man!’”

The sequel of the poor sergeant’s career furnishes an apt

illustration of the cordiality of feeling wherewith his officer is

almost invariably regarded by the fairly dealt with and courteously

treated British soldier. A few years subsequent to the period of the

above episode, Colonel Clephane received a visit at his house, quite

unexpectedly, from his old instructor. The latter had been forced

by this time, through failure of health, to retire from the active

duties of his profession, and it was, indeed, evident at once, from

his haggard lineaments and the irrepressible wearing cough, which

from time to time shook his frame, that he had “received the route”

for a better world. He had no request to make, craved no assistance,

and could with difficulty be persuaded to accept some refreshment.

The conversation flowed in the usual channel of reminiscences, in

the course of which the officer learned that matters which he had

imagined quite private, at least to his own circle, were no secret to

the rank and file. The sergeant also adverted to an offer which had

been made to him, on his retirement from the 79th, of an appointment

in the police force. “A policeman!” said he, describing his interview

with the patron who proposed the scheme; “for Godsake, afore ye mak a

policeman o’ me, just tie a stane round my neck and fling me into the

sea!” After some time, he got up to retire, and was followed to the

door by his quondam pupil, who, himself almost a cripple, was much

affected by the still more distressing infirmity of his old comrade.

The officer, after shaking hands, expressed a hope, by way of saying

something cheering at parting, that he should yet see the veteran

restored to comparative health. The latter made no reply, but after

taking a step on his way, turned round, and said, in a tone which the

other has not forgotten, “I’ve seen _you_ once again any way” and so

they parted, never to meet again in this world.

These are small matters, but they furnish traits of a class, the free

expenditure of whose blood has made Great Britain what she is.