“The following account of General Law’s services in the 71st will sufficiently inform the regiment how much he is entitled to their respect.”
Lieutenant-General Law served with the 71st Light Infantry on Sir John Moore’s retreat at the action of Lago and the battle of Corunna; the expedition to Walcheren, Liége, Ter Verre, and Flushing; subsequently in Portugal, Spain, and the south of France, from 1810 to 1814; the action of Sobraon; the entering of the lines of Torres Vedras; the pursuit of Massena through Portugal; the battle of Fuentes d’Onor, on the 3rd and 5th of May 1811 (where he was wounded in two places); the covering the two last sieges of Badajos; the surprise and defeat of Girard’s corps at Arroyo del Molino; the storming and destruction of the enemy’s tête-du-pont and other works at Almarez; the defence of the Alba-de-Tormes; the battles in the Pyrenees, in July 1813, where, on the 30th, the command of an important post devolved upon him; the attack on Sorauren; the capture at Elizondo of the convoy of supplies destined for the relief of Pamplona; the battles of the Nivelle and the Nive; the action at the Bridge of Cambo; the affair at Hellette, St Palais, Arrizarelle, and Garris; and the action at Aire. He was employed in command of an armed boat on night duties; in the affair with picquets on the river Adour; at the battle of St Pierre near Bayonne, on the 13th of December 1813; at the battle of Orthes; and the action at Tarbes, where he was wounded.
In the foregoing services he was long Adjutant of his regiment, and latterly acted as such to the light battalion of his brigade. He served also in the campaign of 1815, including the battle of Waterloo, where he was severely wounded by a cannon shot, which also killed his horse; he served also three years in the Army of Occupation in France, and received the war-medal with six clasps, and was made a K.H.
On the 1st of April the strength of the regiment was reduced to 10 companies (including 2 depot companies), consisting of 34 officers, 49 sergeants, 26 buglers and pipers, and 600 rank and file.
On the 5th of November 1869, the depot moved from Aberdeen to Fort-George; and on the 1st of April 1870, an order having been issued for the abolition of depot battalions, they proceeded to join the head-quarters of the 72d Highlanders at Buttevant, to which regiment they were attached and joined on the 7th of April 1870. On the 15th of August the establishment of the rank and file of the regiment was increased to 650, the other ranks remaining unaltered.
On the 24th of April 1873, the regiment embarked at Gibraltar for Malta. Previous to embarking, it was inspected by General Sir W. F. Williams, Bart., G.C.B., who, in his address, after his inspection, spoke of the appreciation in which the regiment was held by himself, and by the whole garrison and inhabitants of Gibraltar, for their soldier-like qualities, their smartness, and steadiness on duty, and their general good conduct, and added, “I myself personally regret your approaching departure, and I am certain that feeling is shared by every one in the place, but I also feel convinced that you will equally keep up the same good character in your new quarters. I wish you all health and happiness, and a good passage to your destination.”
Under the new system the 71st Highland Light Infantry has been linked with the 78th (Ross-shire) Highlanders, forming the 55th Brigade, head-quarters at Fort-George.
We have much pleasure in being able to present our readers with authentic steel portraits of two of the most eminent Colonels of the 71st Highland Light Infantry. That of the first Colonel, John Lord Macleod, is from the original painting in the possession of the Duchess of Sutherland, at Tarbat House, Ross-shire; and that of Sir Thomas Reynell, Bart., from a painting in the possession of Mrs Reynell Pack, at Avisford House, Arundel, Sussex.
FOOTNOTES:
[392] Life of Sir David Baird, vol. i. p. 44.