On the same day Lt.-Col. Gordon received orders to be ready to proceed to Berwick-on-Tweed early on the following morning, and on the same evening the Queen, without warning, again passed down through the lines of the 91st, the royal carriage stopping opposite the door of the hut previously visited by Her Majesty, who read the inscription which had been placed over the door.
On the morning of July 8th the companies of the 91st left Aldershot by train for Berwick, stopping at Peterborough and York, and reaching Berwick on the 10th.
On Jan. 20th, 1857, Lt.-General Sir Harry Smith inspected the dépôt companies, and addressed Lt.-Col. Gordon and the battalion in a speech which was highly complimentary, afterwards assuring Lt.-Col. Gordon in a private note, that his words of praise “were as fully merited as they were freely bestowed.”
The dépôt companies remained in Berwick till the 3rd of March, when they proceeded by train to Preston, almost the entire population of Berwick accompanying the dépôt to the railway station. The Mayor and Sheriff had previously expressed to Lt.-Col. Rawstorne the general respect with which the conduct of all ranks had inspired the citizens, and the general regret which was felt at the removal of the 91st. At Preston, on the 30th of March 1857, the remains of the dépôt companies were incorporated with the dépôt battalion at Preston, commanded by Lt.-Col. Smith, C.B., while under the command of Brevet Lt.-Col. Rawstorne.
Thus ends the somewhat chequered history of the reserve battalion of the 91st; and now we shall return to the point at which we left off the history of the 1st battalion of the regiment.
III.
1857–1874.
The first battalion—Gosport—Dover—The regiment deprived of its bagpipes—The northern district—Belfast—Excellent conduct of the regiment—Enniskillen—Dublin—Cork—Furnishes volunteers to Crimean regiments—Malta—Greece—The Piræus—Useful works of the 91st while in Greece—Major Gordon the moving spirit—Encampment at Salamis Bay and Pentelicus—Reading-room started—Works executed at the Piræus by the regiment—New system of promotion—Discovery of the old Waterloo Roll—Old Colours—Highland dress and designation restored—Home—The Queen’s attentions—Col. Gordon’s retirement—He is succeeded by Lt.-Col. Sprot—His energy and efficiency—Marriage of the Princess Louise—The 91st as her guard of honour—The presents from the officers and men—Aldershot—Inverary Castle—The Queen’s mark of approbation—The change of designation—Regimental Museum—The Tontine Snuff-Box, &c.
We left the 1st battalion at Gosport in May 1848, and on Oct. the 13th of the same year Lt.-Col. Lindsay retired from the service, when the command of the battalion devolved upon Lt.-Col. Yarborough. The regiment remained at Gosport till April 1850, during which time there is nothing remarkable to record.
The 91st proceeded to Dover in three divisions, on the 4th, 6th, and 9th of April; headquarters, under the command of Lt.-Col. Campbell, occupying the Heights’ Barracks, other companies being located in the Castle.