Historical record of the 71st Regiment Highland Light Infantry /

by Henry John Thoroton Hildyard

of which 790 were Presbyterians, 67 Church of England, and 128 Roman Catholics. A draft of 130 men on its way to India is not included. The proportion of English and Irish in the regiment at this time was less than in any other Highland regiment.

1862.

The regiment remained stationed at Sealkote till the 1st of November, 1862, when, having been relieved by the Ninety-third Highlanders, it marched to Nowshera, where it arrived on the 21st of November, detaching one company to Attock.

1863.

The regiment remained at Nowshera till the 14th of October, 1863, when, in accordance with instructions received from head-quarters, it marched to Nawakilla, in the Yusufzai country, leaving all sick men and invalids behind at Nowshera. The force which was assembled at Nawakilla for service in the hill country was under the command of Brigadier-General Sir Neville Chamberlain, K.C.B. The object of the expedition was to destroy Mulka, on the Mahaban Mountain, the stronghold of certain Hindoostanee fanatics, generally known as the “Sitana” fanatics, who infested our frontiers, and were incessantly attacking the villages in our territory. Mulka is just beyond the English frontier, and in the territory of the Indoons. The force marched in two divisions; the first, entirely composed of native troops, marched on the 18th; the second, composed of European troops, marched on the 20th. The Umbeylah Pass was seized without difficulty, but, owing to the bad road, the march, although a comparatively short one, lasted nearly 24 hours, and several days passed before all the guns and baggage were brought up. On the 21st the regiment encamped near the village of Umbeylah. On the 26th of October, 150 men of the Seventy-first, under Major Parker, were engaged in repelling an attack from the enemy, on which occasion 1 private was killed and 5 were wounded. Privates William Clapperton and George Stewart were recommended for the medal for service in the field on this occasion. On the 30th the enemy made another attack on the pickets, but were repulsed. The Seventy-first had 3 privates wounded on this occasion. On the 6th November a party of the regiment was attacked by the enemy, having been sent too far to the front, and not properly supported. Ensign C. B. Murray, Lieut. Dougal, Seventy-ninth, attached, 1 sergeant, and 3 privates were killed, and 4 privates were wounded. Captain Mounsey and Lieut. Davidson, the latter of the Indian Army attached to the Seventy-first, were specially mentioned for their gallantry on this occasion. On the 18th the whole force changed position to higher ground, and was immediately attacked by the enemy, who was not repulsed before night. On this occasion Captain C. T. Smith, Lieut. Gore Jones, of the Seventy-ninth Highlanders, doing duty with the Seventy-first, and 4 privates, were killed, 1 sergeant and 4 privates were wounded. Major Parker was specially mentioned for his services. On the 19th Captain Aldridge and 1 private were killed; 1 private was wounded. On the 20th, the enemy, having succeeded in driving out the 101st Fusiliers from the “Crag Picket,” by a sudden and unexpected attack, the Seventy-first were ordered up to retake it. The “Crag Picket” was situated at the top of a very rocky hill, which rendered the operation doubly difficult. Led by Colonel W. Hope, C.B., who was severely wounded, and supported by two native corps, the Seventy-first, in spite of the natural obstacles and the determined resistance of the enemy, retook the “Crag Picket” at the point of the bayonet. The loss on this occasion was 7 privates killed, 1 field officer, 2 sergeants. 3 corporals, and 19 privates wounded. On the 27th, 1 private was killed. On the 15th of December Major-General Garvock, commanding the Peshawur division, had succeeded Sir N. Chamberlain in the command of the whole force, when the latter was wounded on the 20th of November. Having received strong reinforcements, he attacked and defeated the enemy on all points. The regiment, being on picket duty, was not engaged on this occasion. Shortly after the Boneyrs asked for and obtained terms of peace. The regiment returned to Nonshera on the 30th December.

The following was the loss sustained by the regiment in the Umbeylah Pass. 5 officers (including Lieutenants Dougal and Jones of the Seventy-ninth attached), 1 sergeant, and 17 privates killed; 1 officer, 4 sergeants, and 42 privates wounded.

1864.

On the 4th of January the regiment marched for Peshawur, where it arrived on the 5th. On the 21st of January it was inspected by His Excellency Sir Hugh Rose, K.C.B., who expressed himself in the most complimentary manner with reference to the conduct of the regiment in the late campaign. The three men whose names had appeared in General Orders, Privates William Malcolm, William Clapperton, and George Stewart, were called to the front, and were addressed by His Excellency in terms of approval of their gallant conduct in the presence of the enemy. On the 23rd of October the regiment commenced its march for Calcutta prior to embarkation for England. At Rawal Pindee it was called upon to give volunteers for the other regiments in the Bengal Presidency. 200 men volunteered, and were transferred accordingly. At Umbala, on the 14th of December, at a general parade of the garrison, medals for “gallant conduct in the field” were presented by Major-General Lord George Paget, commanding the Sirhind division, to Sergeant-Major John Blackwood, Privates William Malcolm, William Macdonald, William Clapperton, and George Stewart. Sergeant-Major J. Blackwood, who had been dangerously wounded, was also granted an annuity of £15 a year, and was shortly afterwards invalided on account of his wound. He has since been appointed one of Her Majesty’s Yeomen of the Guard and Sergeant-Major of the Second Royal Lanark Militia.

1865.

On the 4th of February the head-quarters and right wing under Colonel Hope, C.B., embarked at Calcutta; the left wing, under Major Gore, embarked on the 14th of February.