History of the Scottish Regiments in the British Army

by Archibald K. Murray

Nor France’s marshalled armies could

Break through the men of Scotland.

SIR JOHN MOORE.

In this severe fight the loss of the Forty-second exceeded 200 killed and wounded. In consequence of this victory, the British were enabled to embark without further molestation from the enemy. The regiment arrived in England in 1809. As soon as sufficiently recruited—brigaded with the Seventy-ninth and Ninety-second regiments, constituting the Highland Brigade—it was embarked with the army which attempted to gain a footing in Flanders; but failed, rather from the evil effects of the climate, inducing a malignant disease, than the sword of the enemy. Of 758 men, which comprised the battalion, 554 were stricken down or disabled in less than six weeks. Meanwhile, the second battalion, which had joined the army of Lord Wellington in Portugal, suffered severely from a similar cause whilst stationed on the banks of the Guadiana River. Commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Blantyre, this battalion was creditably present in the actions of the Peninsular War, which arrested the progress of the French under Marshal Massena, at Busaco, and finally defied their every effort at the formidable, impregnable lines of Torres Vedras. The battalion won a title to the distinction of “Fuentes d’Onor,” by gallantly resisting a charge of French cavalry thereat. It was present at the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo, and, previous to the battle of Salamanca, was joined by the first battalion from England, with whom it was consolidated. A recruiting party was sent home to enrol a now second battalion, afterwards disbanded in 1814.

It is needless here to detain the reader with a record of the military transactions of the war. These words—“Pyrenees,” “Nivelle,” “Nive,” “Orthes,” “Toulouse,” and “Peninsula”—borne upon the colours and appointments of the regiment, are sufficiently expressive of its gallantry. At the battle of Toulouse, the public despatch refers to the conduct of the Forty-second as “highly distinguished throughout the day;” whilst an officer of the regiment contributes the following account of its dauntless behaviour on the occasion. In the sixth division of our army, and in brigade with the Seventy-ninth and Ninety-first regiments, he says:—“We advanced under a heavy cannonade, and arrived in front of a redoubt, which protected the right of the enemy’s position, where we were formed in two lines—the first consisting of some Portuguese regiments, and the reserve of the Highland Brigade.

“Darkening the whole hill, flanked by clouds of cavalry, and covered by the fire of their redoubt, the enemy came down upon us like a torrent; their generals and field-officers riding in front, and waving their hats amidst shouts of the multitude, resembling the roar of an ocean! Our Highlanders, as if actuated by one instinctive impulse, took off their bonnets, and, waving them in the air, returned their greeting with three cheers.

“A death-like silence ensued for some moments, and we could observe a visible pause in the advance of the enemy. At that moment the light company of the Forty-second regiment, by a well-directed fire, brought down some of the French officers of distinction, as they rode in front of their respective corps. The enemy immediately fired a volley into our lines, and advanced upon us amidst a deafening roar of musketry and artillery. Our troops answered their fire only once, and, unappalled by their furious onset, advanced up the hill, and met them at the charge. Upon reaching the summit of the ridge of heights, the redoubt which had covered their advance fell into our possession; but they still retained four others, with their connecting lines of entrenchments, upon the level of the same heights on which we were now established, and into which they had retired.

“Major-General Pack having obtained leave from General Clinton that the Forty-second should have the honour of leading the attack, which it was hoped should drive the French from their strong position, that distinguished officer exultingly gave the word—‘The Forty-second will advance.’ We immediately began to form for the charge upon the redoubts, which were about two or three hundred yards distant, and to which we had to pass over some ploughed fields. The grenadiers of the Forty-second regiment, followed by the other companies, led the way, and began to ascend from the road; but no sooner were the feathers of their bonnets seen rising over the embankment, than such a tremendous fire was opened from the redoubts and entrenchments, as in a very short time would have annihilated them. The right wing, therefore, hastily formed into line, and, without waiting for the left, which was ascending by companies from the road, rushed upon the batteries, which vomited forth a most furious and terrific storm of fire, grape-shot, and musketry.

“The redoubts were erected along the side of a road, and defended by broad ditches filled with water. Just before our troops reached the obstruction, however, the enemy deserted them, and fled in all directions, leaving their last line of strongholds in our possession; but they still possessed two fortified houses close by, from which they kept up a galling and destructive fire. Out of about five hundred men, which the Forty-second brought into action, scarcely ninety reached the fatal redoubt from which the enemy had fled.