NOW
THE SEVENTY-SECOND REGIMENT,
OR DUKE OF ALBANY’S OWN HIGHLANDERS.
I.
1778–1858.
Raising the Regiment—First Officers—Disaffection at Leith—“The affair of the Macraes”—Embarkation for India—Death of Lord Seaforth—Effects of scurvy—Joining Sir Eyre Coote’s army—Joining Major-General James Stuart’s army—Led by Colonel Fullarton against Tippoo Sahib—Palghatcherri—Number of the Regiment changed to 72nd—Recruiting—War with Tippoo Sahib—Stuart’s dilemma—Palghatcheri—Ordered home—Fort Dindigal—Stuart takes Palghatcheri—Lord Cornwallis—Bangalore—Ootradroog—Forlorn hope of Sergeant Williams—Valour of the 72nd—Siege of Seringapatam—Storming of Savendroog—Ootradroog—Sailing for India—The Mauritius—Landing at the Cape of Good Hope—Arrival at Calcutta—Lands again at Cape Town—Captain Gethin’s death—Return home—Permitted to assume the name of the Duke of Albany’s Own Highlanders—The Cape of Good Hope again—Graham’s Town—The Kaffir War in 1835—The Governor-General at the camp—The Kaffirs attack the Fingoes—End of the Kaffir War—Permitted to add “Cape of Good Hope” to the colours—At Graham’s Town—At Cape Town—Home.
The late Duke of York’s Cipher and Coronet.
Hindoostan.
Cape of Good Hope.
Sevastopol.
Central India.
Kenneth Mackenzie, grandson of the Earl of Seaforth, whose estate and title were forfeited in consequence of his concern in the rebellion of 1715, having purchased the family property from the Crown, was created an Irish peer, by the title of Lord Viscount Fortrose. In the year 1771, Government restored to him the family title of Earl of Seaforth. To evince his gratitude for this magnanimous act, the Earl, in the year 1778, offered to raise a regiment on his estate for general service. This offer being accepted by his Majesty, a corps of 1130 men was speedily raised, principally by gentlemen of the name of Mackenzie, his lordship’s clan.
Of these about 900 were Highlanders, 500 of whom were raised upon Lord Seaforth’s own estate, and the remainder upon the estates of the Mackenzies of Scatwell, Kilcoy, Applecross, and Redcastle, all of whom had sons or brothers in the regiment. The remainder were raised in the Lowlands, of whom 43 were English and Irish.
The following is the first list of officers:—