It would appear that the personal appearance of Earl James was in good keeping with his high rank. He was accounted the handsomest man in Britain, and at the coronation of George III. he attended in his robes, and by accident neglected to take off his cap when the king entered. He apologised for his negligence in the most respectful manner; but his majesty, with great complacency, entreated him to be covered, as he looked upon his presence at the solemnity as a very particular honour.
The Earl of Erroll's charter of appointment to this high office, is dated at Cambuskenneth, 12th November, anno 1316; and is still preserved in the charter room of the family seat, Slains Castle, Cruden, Aberdeenshire. The youthful inheritor of this high office is the Right Honourable William Harry, Earl of Erroll, Baron Hay of Slains, Baron Kilmarnock of Kilmarnock, in the county of Ayr, Captain in the Rifle Brigade, born in 1823, succeeded his father, seventeenth Earl, in 1846.
INVERURIENSIS.
GENERAL WOLFE.
(Vol. iv., p. 438.; Vol. v., p. 185., &c.)
Although not affording answers to the Queries in Vol. iv., p. 438. et infra, the following may not be uninteresting to your correspondent. There is much concerning Wolfe in the Historical Journal of Campaigns in North America, by Captain Knox, dedicated by permission to Sir Jeffery Amherst, who commanded that part of the expedition against Canada which, striking on the lower end of Lake Ontario, descended the St. Lawrence to Montreal, whilst Wolfe, ascending the river, operated against Quebec. Thus it appears that General and Sir Jeffery Amherst were one and the same person. The frontispiece to the 1st vol. is a portrait of General Amherst, that of vol. 2nd is a portrait of General Wolfe; both so characteristic, that I should presume they are likenesses, although no authority is given.
In 1828, I saw at Quebec the man who attended Wolfe as orderly-serjeant on the day of his death; and what may be considered a curious coincidence was, that he bore the same name as Wolfe's mother, viz. Thompson. Mr. Thompson was a very respectable and much-respected old man; and, I believe, was occasionally a guest at the Governor's table. He had a son in the Commissariat department, who is no doubt in possession of all his father knew concerning Wolfe.
According to Mr. Thompson, Wolfe always addressed his men "brother soldiers;" and their pet-name for him was, "The little red-haired corporal." Thompson was not the only remnant of Wolfe's army in 1828, as appears by the following:—
"General Orders, Head Quarters, Quebec, 7th Aug. 1828.
"1. The Commander of the Forces is pleased to authorise the payment of a pension, at the rate of 1s. per diem from 25th May last, to Robert Simpson, a veteran, now ninety-six years of age, who fought on the plains of Abraham under Gen. Wolfe," &c. &c.
On the 12th Jan. 1829, died at Kingston, U. C., John Gray of Argyleshire, N. B., aged ninety-six. He had served at Louisburg, Quebec, &c. &c. under Sir Jeffery Amherst and General Wolfe.