GIBRALTAR—SICILY—MAIDA—EGYPT—WALCHEREN—FLANDERS—1804–1817.

Although borrowing a good idea in pursuing a similar plan, we esteem ourselves excused, and not guilty of too slavish an imitation of General Stewart’s account of the Seventy-eighth, in his excellent memoirs of the Highland regiments. Thus, having followed so far the history of the first battalion, we now devote a chapter to the annals of the second battalion, in which the distinguished officer above-named served with honour, exceedingly beloved by the soldiers; and to whom, as an author, we are largely indebted, having, by the vigour of his pen, rescued from the shades of oblivion and the crumbling ravages of time the history of our regiments and the peculiar characteristics of our clans, and so preserved ever fresh these endeared records of our brave clansmen and soldiers. Scotland had already largely contributed to the noble army of defenders which in 1804, during the momentous crisis in our national history of which that year was the scene, had gathered round the constitution and challenged the would-be invader. Of the genuine Highlanders enlisted at this period, the following is a correct record:—

For the army of reserve,1651
Militia—Inverness, Ross, Argyle, Perth, &c., &c.,2599
Supplementary Ditto,870
Canadian Fencibles,850
Second Battalion of the Seventy-eighth Regiment,714
Second Battalion of the Seventy-ninth Regiment,618
Highlanders as substitutes in Militia regiments,963
Recruits enlisted by the parties of the line, not exactly known, but estimated at,350
———
Total,8,615

The present battalion was the fourth raised by the family of Seaforth within twenty-five years. It contained many Islesmen, especially from the island of Lewis. Although to all appearance little else than a regiment of boys of very tender years, still they had within them the soul of the man, as after events abundantly proved. Embodied at Fort George in the winter of 1804–5 with a strength of 850, it was by request of Major-General Moore placed under his command for purposes of instruction in the new system of light infantry drill. This was a fortunate circumstance, and no doubt helped the battalion, not merely in the acquirement of a thorough military knowledge, but more especially served to instil a due confidence, which gave it that steadiness in action for which it was afterwards remarkable. The urgent requirements of the service having occasioned the removal of the battalion to reinforce the garrison of Gibraltar, it was early deprived of the benefits flowing from such an excellent course of training under so able a master of the science of war. Nevertheless, it had so improved the advantage which for a brief period it enjoyed, as made it a valuable addition to the garrison.

From Gibraltar it proceeded to Sicily, to join the armament, under Sir John Stuart, destined for a descent upon the mainland of Calabria, in favour of the exiled monarch of Naples and the patriots of Italy. The expedition, which sailed from Melazzo in June, 1805, included the Twenty-seventh, Fifty-eighth, Seventy-eighth, Eighty-first, and Watteville’s Swiss Regiment, afterwards reinforced by the Twentieth Regiment. Landing successfully in the bay of St Euphemia, the British General strove to anticipate the attack of the French under General Regnier, who, with a force lately augmented to nearly 8000, stood opposed to the British, who could scarce muster 4000 men, unsustained, moreover, by cavalry. The enemy occupied a very strong position in the vicinity of the village of Maida. Affecting to despise the handful of British who had ventured to challenge the assault, Regnier, forsaking his strong position, descended to the plains, boasting he should drive the British into the sea. The two armies advanced in hostile array in parallel lines across the plain, halting when within a few hundred yards, and pouring in a deadly volley upon each other. The precision of the British fire so shattered the first line of the enemy, that, broken, it retired in confusion upon the second line, and there struggled to maintain itself against the attack of our first brigade, comprising the Seventy-eighth and Eighty-first regiments under Brigadier-General Acland. A Swiss regiment bearing the name of its commanding officer, Watteville, at this crisis of the fight advanced against the Seventy-eighth, and mistaken, from its similarity of uniform, for the corps of the same name, family, and nation in the British service, which held post in reserve, our Highlanders ceased firing, lest they should injure their supposed friends. When undeceived, a vigorous fire warmly hailed the enemy, and drove back the Swiss with great slaughter. Beaten thus in every quarter, General Regnier proposed, as a last resource, to try the effect of a flank attack upon the Twenty-seventh regiment. Providentially, the Twentieth regiment arriving on the field at this moment, hastened to sustain their comrades, and by their unexpected appearance so discouraged the foe, that the attack, languidly undertaken, was speedily given over. The French now gave way at all points, and retreated precipitately, so swiftly, that without cavalry they could not be overtaken—General Regnier falling a prisoner into our hands.

General Stuart had at first been grievously disappointed in the boyish appearance of the Seventy-eighth, 600 of whom were under twenty-one years of age; but now felt constrained to confess their gallant conduct unsurpassed; having vanquished the veteran troops of France, although fighting under great disadvantages in the front line of this their maiden engagement. Unfortunately, the British, unsupported, were unable to do more than destroy the enemy’s arsenals and magazines at Monte Leon, ere prudence counselled their return to Sicily.

Insignificant in itself, the result of the battle of Maida exerted an important influence over Europe. Although the numbers respectively engaged were small, still—occurring at a time and in circumstances when European liberty groaned in chains, and all the blessings which belonged to it seemed to be eclipsed in the dark night of tyranny, and when the sovereigns of the Continent had submitted to the imperious yoke of Bounaparte, when the friendly light of hope, flickering, seemed to die out—the battle and the victory of Maida revived the drooping spirit of Freedom, restored to new life the palsied pulse of Europe, and bade her many peoples awake from the stupor of terror which the shackles of an iron despotism and the cruel spoilings of rapacious might had imposed! It required years of sore suffering and desperate struggling ere the monster which so preyed upon the vitals of liberty could be shaken off; and, emancipated from the oppressor’s grasp, the nations one by one once more breathed somewhat of the blessed air of freedom.

Against their better feelings and judgment the Turks had been cajoled into an alliance with France, and unwillingly as our enemies, their territory in Egypt became the theatre of strife, whereon a British army should again act. Accordingly, in 1807, Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore arrived in Sicily from England, and assumed the command of the enterprise. In the army which set sail from Sicily for Egypt, the second battalion of the Seventy-eighth Highlanders was included. Landed, the expedition, flattered by various successes, continued to advance towards Alexandria; but the Turks, in their peculiar mode of warfare, and their aptness in taking advantage of every favourable circumstance in defence, proved more terrible enemies than even the French, inflicting severe and heavy losses upon the British. In an attempt to gain possession of the town of Rosetta, the Thirty-first Regiment was nearly annihilated by the fire of the enemy from loop-holed houses in the narrow streets, who could not be dislodged. This attack in consequence failed; and the troops had to mourn the loss of its leader, Major-General Wauchope, whilst his second in command, Brigadier-General Meade, was wounded.

With hopes of facilitating and securing the friendly and promised aid of the Mamelukes, a detachment of 720 men, under Lieutenant-Colonel Macleod, was advanced on the 20th of April to an important outpost of the army at El Hamet, on the Nile. The detachment, consisting of a party from De Rolle’s Regiment, two companies of the Thirty-fifth, and five companies of the Seventy-eighth, was divided into three divisions, and stationed accordingly. On the morning of the 21st, about seventy large boats filled with armed men were seen descending the Nile, whilst several corps of horsemen gathered around the detachment, and at once assailed the right of the three divisions, at the same time so surrounding the others as to prevent them rendering any assistance to one another, or drawing together into one. The right division, comprising the Highland Grenadiers and a company of the Thirty-fifth, fought with the fury of lions at bay, and was utterly cut to pieces, along with its gallant commander, who, whenever he had perceived the peril of the post, hastened to rescue it or die with the brave. The little phalanx of heroes, reduced to eleven, attempted to break through the host of foes which beleaguered them, and so join their comrades in the centre division. Unfortunately, most of them perished in the attempt. Captain Mackay, the only surviving officer, was struck to the ground by a blow on the neck from the scimitar of an Arab horseman in pursuit. The blow failing to kill, by a miracle of mercy he was saved, and carried in by his serjeant. The remaining divisions, conscious how unavailing any resistance would be, surrendered, and after being brutally plundered, were conducted in triumph prisoners to Cairo, where the vanity and the hatred of the people were gratified in the parade of the captives through the principal streets of the city for seven hours; exposed, moreover, to indignities of the grossest kind—“These,” said they, “are our British friends, who came from their ships to kill us and our children.” The Pacha, however, sincerely sympathising, behaved with great kindness, and did his utmost to screen the prisoners from the blind wrath of the public, expressing his deep regret that Britain should have become so involved in war with his Government, which had been long accustomed to regard the British as friends and allies—never as foes.

In consequence of the disaster at El Hamet, the siege of Rosetta was abandoned, and our army, retreating to Alexandria, thence negotiated for the release of the prisoners, and agreeing to evacuate Egypt, returned to Sicily. Of the captives thus released, a drummer of the Seventy-eighth, by name Macleod, who had occasionally assisted the surgeon of the regiment in applying poultices, etc., choosing to remain behind in Cairo, by a somewhat extraordinary metamorphosis, set up for a physician, and by consummate assurance attained a large practice and acquired a larger fortune. From Sicily the battalion was removed to Lisbon, and thereafter ordered home to England, where it arrived in 1808. Subsequently transferred to Scotland to recruit, it forwarded large detachments of very superior volunteers from its ranks to the first battalion, then fighting in India.