History of the Scottish Regiments in the British Army

by Archibald K. Murray

They soon make lightsome room.”

GIBRALTAR—CAPE OF GOOD HOPE—BUENOS AYRES—PENINSULA—FLANDERS—WATERLOO—CANADA—WEST INDIES—1778–1862.

Whilst the first battalion was gallantly combating its country’s foes on the plains of India, a second battalion, raised in 1778, had, in 1780, embarked for Gibraltar. On the voyage, the fleet fell in with a valuable Spanish convoy of Carracca merchantmen, guarded by several ships of war. Sir George Rodney, the British admiral, having impressed the Seventy-first as marines, assailed the enemy, and soon compelled them to surrender. Arrived off Cape St Vincent, a new and more formidable antagonist awaited the coming of the British. A powerful Spanish fleet, under Admiral Don Juan de Langara, appeared in sight, charged with their destruction. But a very different result was the issue of the collision: out of eleven line-of-battle ships, comprising the enemy, nearly all either perished or were captured. Arrived at Gibraltar, the battalion was engaged in the defence of that important fortress, contributing by its gallantry to beat off the most stupendous efforts of Spain and France combined to reduce it. Successively it witnessed the failure of the tremendous cannonade with which the Spaniards assailed the fortifications, hoping therewith to render these splendid works a heap of ruins, no longer defensible even by British valour. In 1781, the flank companies of the battalion participated in the glory of the sortie which accomplished the destruction of the numerous and powerful batteries and immense magazines of the enemy; and finally, in the following year, it beheld the might of France and Spain discomfited, and itself, surviving the iron tempest of shot and shell with which the enemy proposed to exterminate the garrison, was glorified along with the British troops who dauntlessly maintained the fortress. Ten ponderous battering ships had been prepared and were supposed to achieve marvels in the tremendous artillery of the assault. But alas! how oft is the counsel of the wise mocked and the loftiest designs of man humbled by the God of battles! Instead of victory, which it was fondly imagined should crown such gigantic efforts of skill, these floating batteries were nearly all utterly destroyed by the red-hot shot used for the purpose by the British. Thus triumphing over the vast efforts of two of the mightiest military powers of the age, our brave garrison received the royal thanks, expressive of the people’s gratitude, conveyed through the Secretary of State for War, in these flattering terms:—“I am honoured with His Majesty’s commands to assure you, in the strongest terms, that no encouragement shall be wanting to the brave officers and soldiers under your command. His royal approbation of the past will no doubt be a powerful incentive to future exertions; and I have the King’s authority to assure you, that every distinguished act of emulation and gallantry, which shall be performed in the course of the siege by any, even of the lowest rank, will meet with ample reward from his gracious protection and favour.” Peace at length dawned, and the blockade was in consequence raised in February, 1783. The second battalion, returning home, was disbanded at Stirling in the autumn of the same year.

THE SEVENTY-FIRST, OR GLASGOW HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY.

The first battalion, which had returned from India, had proceeded to Scotland to recruit, but, being unsuccessful, passed over to Ireland in 1800, where it received 600 volunteers from the Scots Fencibles. Afterward, when the peace of Amiens had been transgressed, and a French invasion seemed imminent, the “Army Reserve Act” occasioned the formation of a second battalion at Dumbarton in 1804. Enrolled for a limited time, and restricted to home duty, it was employed in various garrisons in Scotland, Ireland, and South Britain, and was disbanded at Glasgow in December, 1815, on the termination of the war. Meanwhile, the alarm of invasion having passed away, the first battalion, with the Seventy-second and Ninety-third regiments, formed the second or Highland brigade, under Brigadier-General Ronald Crawfurd Ferguson, engrossed in the army of Major-General Sir David Baird, destined to operate against the Dutch colony at the Cape of Good Hope. Having successfully accomplished a landing in Saldanha Bay, conquered at the battle of Bleuberg, driven the Dutch army of Lieutenant-General Janssens into the interior, and advanced upon Cape Town, the fruitlessness of further resistance becoming evident, the entire colony was surrendered in 1806. In token of the honour acquired by the regiment in this enterprise, the words “Cape of Good Hope” have been since borne by permission upon its regimental colour. No sooner had this conquest been completed than the Seventy-first was detached, with 200 men of the St Helena regiment—making a total of 1087 rank and file, in an expedition against Buenos Ayres, in South America. Commanded by Brigadier-General William Carr (afterwards Viscount) Beresford, this ill-advised and ill-fated expedition at first met with considerable success—a bloodless landing being effected, and the enemy easily broken and dispersed, all promised to go well. Recovering from their first alarm, and ashamed that such a handful of British should have so easily assumed to be their masters, the citizens, gradually drawing together into a formidable phalanx, resolved to wipe away the disgrace, and achieve their liberty by the expulsion of the invaders. Driven into the citadel, without hope of relief, and unable to contend against the hourly increasing enemies that surrounded them and threatened vengeance upon them, the besieged felt themselves compelled to surrender. Removed as prisoners into the interior of the country, the battalion was treated leniently, but the landing of a second expedition at Monte Video, fated to an issue as unfortunate, occasioned a more rigorous treatment. Negotiations having brought about an amicable arrangement, the entire British, released, agreed to relinquish all hostilities against South America. Unarmed and ununiformed, the battalion reached Cork in 1807, and was immediately re-equipped, and presented with new colours by Lieutenant-General Floyd, who thus addressed it:—“Brave Seventy-first, the world is well acquainted with your gallant conduct at the capture of Buenos Ayres, in South America, under one of His Majesty’s bravest generals.

“It is well known that you defended your conquest with the utmost courage, good conduct, and discipline to the last extremity. When diminished to a handful, hopeless of succour, and destitute of provisions, you were overwhelmed by multitudes, and reduced by the fortune of war to lose your liberty and your well-defended colours, but not your honour. Your honour, Seventy-first regiment, remains unsullied. Your last act in the field covered you with glory. Your generous despair, calling upon your General to suffer you to die with arms in your hands, proceeded from the genuine spirit of British soldiers. Your behaviour in prosperity—your sufferings in captivity—and your faithful discharge of your duty to your King and country, are appreciated by all.

“You who now stand on this parade, in defiance of the allurements held out to base desertion, are endeared to the army and to the country, and your conduct will ensure you the esteem of all true soldiers—of all worthy men—and fill every one of you with honest martial pride.

“It has been my good fortune to have witnessed, in a remote part of the world, the early glories and gallant conduct of the Seventy-first regiment in the field; and it is with great satisfaction I meet you again, with replenished ranks, with good arms in your hands, and with stout hearts in your bosoms.

“Look forward, officers and soldiers, to the achievement of new honours and the acquirement of fresh fame!