Chapter IV

T Hilsea Barracks, Lieut.-Colonel Erskine granted the request of the regiment to return to the Highland uniform which has never since been departed from, and on May 19^th the quartermaster is desired to issue to the companies a sufficient quantity of tartan for kilts and hose.  The kilt of those days had at least the advantage of lightness and economy, but was a scant covering compared with the voluminous garment which is now worn.  The quantity ordered “as sufficient for a kilt” was 3 3/4 yards for the Grenadier Company, and 31/2 yards for the other companies; 3/4 yard for a pair of hose.

Meanwhile it would appear that the long voyage had given some officers a taste for naval costume.

R.O.—-Lieut.-Colonel Erskine begs to remind those officers who have bad memories that nankeen pantaloons and half-boots is the uniform in which they were ordered to appear on regimental parade.  He hopes he will never see a repetition of what he saw last night—an officer coming to inspect his company dressed like a sailor.

In July 1797, Lord Malmesbury had been sent for the second time to Paris to negotiate a peace, but the demands of the French Directory rendered the attempt abortive. On the 17th October treaty of peace was signed between France and Austria, and Great Britain was thus left to continue the con test single-handed against France and her allies.

In 1796 the French had already turned their eyes to Ireland—the part of the British Isles where they could most seriously harass the British Government.  Accordingly a fleet was fitted out at Brest, having on board about 14,000 troops, which sailed December 17th, and, evading the British cruisers, neared Bantry Bay on the 22nd, the plan being to land there and march to Cork, forty-five, miles distant, before the Irish Government had notice of the expedition.  Heavy gales from the east, however, scattered the fleet, an prevented a landing.  Meanwhile news of their arrival having bee received in Dublin, steps were taken to oppose them.  A council of war on board the French fleet decided that, under these circumstances, and as the inhabitants of that part of Ireland showed no disposition to revolt, they should sail towards the Shannon; but fearful storm arose on the 28th, the scattered vessels steered for France, and the danger of invasion was averted for the time.[1]  But French emissaries travelled through the country, who fanned into flame the discontent which smouldered among a large part of the [41] population, and culminated in the Irish Rebellion of “the year ninety-eight, when our troubles were great.”

In consequence of these unhappy circumstances, the Gordon Highlanders were hurriedly ordered to Ireland, and, embarking in ships of war at Southsea Beach on May 31st, they arrived at Dublin on the 15th June, and were quartered in barracks.  Here they formed part of a large garrison of regular and fencible corps.  Among the latter were such now forgotten regiments as the Angus and the Reay Fencibles, the Dumfries Dragoons, the Ancient British Dragoons, etc.  The troops were held ready to march at a moment’s notice, and all was carried on as in an enemy’s country.  Soldiers were ordered not to speak to any man in plain clothes unless buying in a shop, and only to be out of barracks before 10 a.m.  Officers are desired to pay great attention to the men being well fed, as they have so much duty.

A.G. Oflice, Dublin, June 16th, I798.—His Majesty has been pleased to appoint Colonel the Marquis of Huntly, 100th Regiment, to serve as brigadier-general on the staff of the army of this kingdom.  It is, therefore, General Lake’s orders that he be obeyed as such.

The Gordon Highlanders formed part of the brigade commanded by their colonel.

R.O., June 2oth.—On account of there being so few officers with the regiment, Lieut.-Colonel Erskine directs that Volunteers M’Pherson, MacDonald, Clark, and Cameron shall in future fall in as supernumerary officers, and are to be obeyed as such.

No officer to appear in the streets without his cross-belt and sword, except field-officers, who, for convenience in riding, may wear a waist-belt.

On June 21st, Lieut.-General Lord Lake defeated the rebels at Vinegar Hill, but they were encouraged to continue their resistance by expected aid from France.

On July 2nd, the regiment marched at a moment’s notice, being conveyed on carriages, and encamped at Gorey on the 7th.  The carriages raced on the journey so that some were upset.  One man’s firelock was bent and the country people chaffed him, asking what sort of gun he had.  “It’s made to shoot rebels round the corner when they run away” would be the answer.

The General Orders are stringent that the peaceful part of the inhabitants shall be well treated; that horses captured from the rebels, having generally been taken by them from the peaceful inhabitants, are not to belong to the captors, but are to be returned to the rightful owners; and the Regimental Orders desire that the people be treated with kindness, and all milk, etc., paid for; but the men are discouraged from making acquaintances.

[42] R.O.—No man to be allowed to marry a woman of the country.  Lieut.-Colonel Erskine informs the soldiers that no marriage without his consent can be lawful, and no woman will be allowed to embark with the regiment but those that came with it.

The dreadful cruelties of the rebels had given rise to reprisals on the part of the troops, and especially of the yeomanry of the country, and the peasantry were subjected to all the horrors of civil war.  The exceptional conduct of the Gordon Highlanders at this time, as witnessed by the following letter, has been a matter of honest pride to the regiment ever since.

R.O., August 19th, I798.—Lieut.-Colonel Erskine is extremely happy that the following letter from the Dean of Ferns to the Marquis of HuntIy, expressive of the good conduct of the regiment during their stay at Gorey, should be inserted in the Regimental Orderly Book :

 

My LORD,-I have the honour of enclosing to you that part of the proceedings in the last Vestry held in Gorey wherein your Lordship and your regiment are mentioned.  This mark of our respect and gratitude should have been sooner expressed and conveyed to you, had not our calamitous situation delayed the calling of a Vestry, which we conceived the most regular mode of expressing our sentiments collectively.  It may be pleasing to your Lordship to hear that, in the attendance of my parish, I have heard all the poor loud in the praise of the honesty and humanity of the privates of your regiment.  They not only did not rob them of the wretched pittance that was left by the rebels, but refused such trifling presents (of provisions, etc.) as were offered them, saying[2] their King paid them nobly,[3] and enabled them to supply every want at their own expense.

I have the honour to be,
With great respect,
your Lordship’s obedient Servant,
(Signed) PETER BROWN,
Dean of Ferns.

“We, the loyal inhabitants of the parish and vicinity of Gorey, in Vestry assembled, beg leave thus publicly to acknowledge the goodness and humanity evinced by the Marquis of Huntly during his short stay amongst us.  We are proud to add that during that short stay rapine ceased to be a system, and the confidence of the people in the honour of government began to revive.  We should be wanting in gratitude if we omitted our testimony that the humanity of the colonel was emulated by the soldiers, and we request the 100th Regiment [43] to accept our thanks for the moderation and honour which marked the conduct every individual officer and private who composed it.

(Signed) PETER BROWN, Rector.
J. JERMAN, Churchwarden.”

Further testimony to the high character of the Gordon Highlanders is given in the “History of the Rebellion.”  After describing the devastation and plundering sustained by the inhabitants, without distinction of loyalist or “croppy,” the author continues:— “On the arrival of the Marquis of Huntly, however, with his regiment of Scottish Highlanders, the scene was totally altered; its behaviour was such as, if it were universal among soldiers, would render a military government amiable.  To the astonishment of the (untiI then miserably harassed) peasantry, not the smallest trifle should any of these Highlanders accept, without payment of at least he full value.”[4]

July 29th.— The regiment marched and encamped in the Glen of Emall where fifty men were discharged.  On August 10th, the Lieut.-colonel and 300 men marched to Torbay and encamped ; on August 24th, the regiment marched to Blessington.  Sergeant D. Nicol, in his journal, relates that at Emall, Huntly invited the inhabitants to visit the camp and on Sunday afternoon it was like a fair.  The priest of Davidstown was great on these occasions, dancing jigs and taking his glass.  When a girl refused to dance with the Marquis, his reverence called her a d——d foolish jade for refusing to dance with a Lord.  Apropos of the above is the following extract from Sir John Moore’s diary:— “The good conduct of the 100^th Regiment (Highlanders) to the people and the affable manners of Lord Huntly did much towards reconciling them and bringing them back to their habitations.”

R.O., Blessington, August 24th, I798.—The long roll will beat to-morrow morning at three o’ dock, when the tents will be immediate1y struck and the carts loaded.  At half-past three the pipes will go along the line, when the battalion will fall in.

The French Directory having undertaken to support the Rebellion with men and arms, General Humbert with about 1200 troops, all experienced soldiers, landed at Killala, bringing arms and uniforms for the rebels, whom they expected to join them.  They behaved with great moderation and civility to the loyal, inhabitants, but were disappointed in the number and quality of the Irish volunteers.  Comparatively few joined their standard, but with them they marched to Castlebar, where they defeated the British troops opposed to them.

[44] The Gordon Highlanders were kept constantly on the move, every precaution being taken on the march to preserve discipline and to keep the men in condition.  On one occasion the regiment marched ninety-six Irish miles in three successive days, with arms, ammunition, and knapsacks.[5]  The officers of companies were never to be all out of camp together, soldiers without a pass not after 10 a.m.  The Orders are dated at Ballinamoin, Ballinahinn, Carrick-on-Shannon, Crophill, etc., moving every day till September 16th, when they camped at Moat.  The men’s shoes being worn out, Huntly presented each man with two pairs.

Meanwhile, the united French and rebel forces, after routing the British troops under General Hutchinson at Castlebar, had been defeated by Lieut.-General Lord Lake on the 8th September at Ballinamuck, where the French troops surrendered as prisoners of war.  The regiment on 5th September passed the troops defeated by the French at Castlebar.  These consisted of the 6th Dragoon Guards, Lord Jocelyn’s Light Horse (Fox Hunters), and Fraser’s Fencibles, who had behaved well but lost a colour.  They all appeared rather downcast.  A week later the Hoche, ship of the Line, with eight frigates and 3000 troops sailed from Brest, but was intercepted off Lough Swilly, and all but two frigates were taken by the British.  A third French expedition succeeded in reaching Ireland, but, learning the fate of its predecessors, returned without landing its troops, and the famous Irish Rebellion was practically at an end.

The regiment was not engaged against the French at Castlebar or Ballinamuck, and their different affairs in pursuit of the rebels are too various to be given in detail; but their conduct and discipline were so remarkable that Major-General John Moore, in Orders of September 25th, 1798, after rebuking the irregularities committed by the troops generally, added:— “The major-general must, in justice to the 100th Regiment, state that hitherto he has had no complaint of any one of them, nor has he ever met them in town after the retreat beating.”[6]

The thanks of both Houses of Parliament were given to the troops “for their meritorious exertions on the present important crisis.”

A.G. Office, Dublin, September 21st, 1798.— Ensign Dugald [45] Campbell,[7] of the North Fencibles, is appointed to do duty as adjutant of the 100th Regiment till His Majesty’s pleasure is known, and to be obeyed as such.

In the Orders of October 11th, the coats were ordered to be buttoned down to the waist; till this period they had been open, showing the waistcoat.  The men’s white waistcoats seem after this to have been used with sleeves as fatigue jackets, though still worn under the coat in cold weather.

While the regiment was at Moat, the then 9lst, 92nd, 93rd, 94th, 95th, 96th, 97th, and 99th Regiments were disbanded, the 98th or Argyllshire Highlanders became the 9lst, and the Gordon Highlanders became the 92nd, “under which number they have often distinguished themselves, and on twenty-six occasions on which they met the enemy, from 1799 to 1815, the latter invariably gave way before them.  This fact has, in a very particular manner, attracted me notice of the brave and experienced enemy to whom this country was so long opposed.”[8]

In honour of the occasion, Huntly gave each man a gill of whisky to drink success to the new number, and promised to do all he could to prevent them being drafted.

A.G. Office, Dublin, October 16th, 1798.— It is His Majesty’s pleasure that the 100th Regiment shall in future be numbered the 92nd and that it be placed on the same establishment with regard field-officers as other regiments of the line.

(Signed) G. HEWITT, Adjutant-General.

Three field-officers had companies, as appears from—

R.O., October 21st— Corporal Stronach of the colonel’s to be sergeant in the same company.  Corporal Cameron of the major’s company to be sergeant in Captain Cameron’s company.  Corporal M’Kinnon of the lieut.-colonel’s to be attached to the major’s.

On October 30th, me 92nd marched to Athlone, and were quartered partly in barracks and partly in billets, the pipes being ordered to play round the town half an hour before parade.  General Moore was in command of the garrison.

October 24th. —Volunteer Charles Cameron, 92nd Foot, is appointed adjutant of the 4th Light Infantry Battalion.

At Athlone there was what Lieut.-Colonel Erskine calls “an [46] amazing sick list,” which he believes proceeds from drinking, particularly whisky, and cautions the men against excess.

Gazette of October 11th.—Brevet Lieut.-Colonel James Robertson, from the 72nd Foot, to be lieut.-colonel in the 92nd Foot.[9]  The officers apparently still mount guard in the belted plaid, and one is ordered to fall in every day “till he knows how to march off a guard like an officer.”

R.O. —The men’s clothing being much worn by exposure in the late severe duty, officers are to get cloth to patch it, till the new coats and kilts are taken into wear.

Gazette, November 22nd. —Adjutant Donald MacDonald, from half-pay of the late 100th Regiment, to be adjutant 92nd Foot, vice Thomson, who exchanges.

December 10th. —Ensign Dugald Campbell to be adjutant in 92nd Regiment, vice MacDonald, whose appointment does not take place.

The Perthshire Highland Regiment (Fencibles) being disbanded at Limerick in February, but allowed to enlist in any other regiment with a bounty as for recruits, Captain MacLean[10] and a party were sent to enlist such as should volunteer for the 92nd, and returned with 64 men.

R.O., January 14th, 1799. —Lieut.-Colonel Erskine particularly desires that officers and n.c. officers will pay the greatest attention to pointing out to those men of the Perthshire Fencibles who have just joined the duties that will be required of them, and that, until such time as they are perfectly acquainted with their characters, they will treat them with that kindness and lenity which every recruit and every man not acquainted with the system of the regiment is entitled to.  They are all to receive enough of plaid tartan for a kilt, and of hose tartan for two pairs of hose.  They, or the recruits lately joined from Scotland,[11] are not to be charged with the kilts and hose served out to them.  They are also to be supplied with false tails, and have their hair cut in the regimental form.  Men were also received from the Reay Fencibles.

A number of men were at this time discharged unfit for service, being sent to Chatham; the commanding officer desires officers to see they have good coats to go away in.

[47] Gazette—George Cumming,[12] of the Grenadier Company, was, on February 1st, 1799, promoted ensign in the North Fencible Highlanders.

The dislike entertained by Colonel Erskine and his officers to the infliction of corporal punishment is again evident.  At Athlone several soldiers are sentenced to it by regimental court-martial, but it generally happened that, on “the strong application of his captain,” or “on account of many recommendations in his favour,” the corporal punishment was remitted.  The lieut.-colonel, at the same time, took these opportunities to request officers not to induce him to refuse their requests, by applying in favour of any of their men who have been guilty of a serious breach of military discipline, and he generally ended with good advice to the men.  One of the kind colonel’s reasons for not flogging a man seems rather original: —

R.O., May 19th, 1799. —Corporal Buchanan of the Light Company is reduced by court-martial for allowing sentries to relieve each other.  For particular reasons which appeared, the court did not sentence him to corporal punishment, which the commission of such an unmilitary crime would certainly have merited.  The lieut.-colonel is sorry that a corporal, of whom he entertained so good an opinion, should have so far forgot himse1f, and hopes it will be a warning to him in future.  At the same court-martial was tried Donald M’Kinnon, for allowing himself to be relieved without the corporal, and he was sentenced to one hundred lashes.  The punishment awarded is so trifling[13] for an offence attended with so bad consequences, that the commanding officer remits it entirely.

He then goes on to explain what might be the consequences of such conduct.  Lieut.-Colonel Erskine seems to have been quite as attentive to the health and comfort of his men as he was to their discipline and appearance.

Dinner was then the only regular meal; the men just took a snack as they chose in the morning and evening; and it was only in the spring of 1799 that all the companies are “to be provided with-knives and forks as the Grenadiers have.”

Sergeant D. Nicol in his journal mentions that Lieut.-Colonel Erskine refused his men permission to marry, unless the girl produced a good character and a fortune of at least £20.

At this time Volunteer Charles Cameron,[14] who had been [48] primarily made adjutant of a light battalion, was appointed ensign of the 92nd, vice Dowd.  Volunteer Alexander Clark to be ensign 92nd, vice William MacPherson.  Volunteer John MacPherson to be ensign 92nd, vice John MacPherson.

The nationality of officers of the regiment is given in a General Return of the name, country, age, and service of the officers of His Majesty’s 92nd Regiment or Gordon Highlanders, reviewed at Athlone, April 14th, 1799:—

 

And of n,c. officers and soldiers at the same date :

 

R.O., March 7th, I799.—Lieut.-Colonel Erskine is extremely sorry that the charges to be made against the men on the 24th ins. shall be so heavy, but as he knows every good soldier prides himself on the neatness of his head-dress, and particularly every Highlander the smartness of his bonnet, he is confident they would wish that their money should be disposed in that way, rather than in many [49] others, in which neither their own pride nor the credit of their regiment is concerned.  He is the more convinced of this from the expense of the bonnets not being nearly so great as in any other Highland regiment that he has heard of, which will show that he has attended as much as possible to their cheapness.  The following is the expense of the bonnets, with different articles that are charged:—

 

 

Officers to be careful that deductions are made for any feathers a man has supplied himself with.  Forage caps, 2s. 6d. each; rosettes, 2d.; all in British currency.

R.O., March 21^st.—The captain of the day reported the barrack-room of the Light Infantry Company to be especially dirty.  The orderly-sergeant of that company was tried by court-martial and sentenced to be suspended for two months.  To be read in the presence of all the n.c. officers.

R.O. —Lieut.-Colonel Erskine will go round barracks to see the different messes sit down to dinner.  All officers to be with their companies.

R.O., March. — Extra shoes to be kept for the men, in case of being suddenly ordered to take the field.

R.O. —Knapsacks not to be put too low, that the men may more easily get to their powder in priming and loading.

R.O., April 1^st.—Number of flints to be specified to complete the battalion to two flints a man.[16]  On April 1st the regiment wanted to complete, 172 rank and file.

R.O., April 7th.—The regiment will parade to-morrow to fire ball, 12 rounds a man.[17]

On the 6th May, His Majesty signified his pleasure that the establishment of the 92nd Regiment should be forthwith augmented to 1000 rank and file.

R.O. —Men are to be subsisted at the rate of 5s. 5d. Irish per week; no man to be subsisted at less than 5s. Irish.

Those officers who wish to have the new regulation Highland sword[18] will be pleased to send in their names to the Orderly Room.

In May 1798, General Bonaparte had been sent by the French Directory on an expedition to Egypt.  On the way, Malta, then [50] governed by the Grand Master and Knights of the Order of St John, was surprised and seized, and thus one of the strongest fortresses in Europe, so essential to his communications from Egypt to France, was placed in his hands.  He took Alexandria after slight resistance, and the victory of the Pyramids opened to him the gates of Cairo.  Egypt belonged to Turkey, and the Sublime Porte, incensed by the unprovoked invasion, declared war against France, and formed an alliance with Russia. The fleet which had conveyed the French troops to Egypt was destroyed by Admiral Nelson at Aboukir on the 1st August, so that a large portion of the army of France was cut off from Europe, and confined to the territory it had conquered on the Nile.

In November 1798, the Island of Minorca surrendered to the British arms.[19]

In March 1799, the French declared war against Austria, and the Russians, under Suwarrow, rapidly recovered all the conquests made by Bonaparte in Italy, except Genoa.  The Irish Rebellion having been put down, and it being unlikely that the French would again risk an invasion of Ireland, the British Government felt secure in that quarter, and was enabled to continue the contest elsewhere.  In December 1798, Great Britain secured the co-operation of Russia for the prosecution of a Continental expedition.

In the unfortunate campaign in Holland of 1794, the Prince of Orange and the Duke of York had been compelled to retire before the overwhelming armies of France, and, though the Dutch at t1rst tried to defend themselves, a large portion of the nation was willing to fraternise with the French.  The Stadtholder and a great number of the better class fled to England, and Holland submitted to the dominion of France almost without resistance.

Of all the military undertakings calculated to cripple the Republic of France, and to turn the fortune of war in favour of Great Britain, none appeared more attractive to the Cabinet of St James’s than the restoration of the Stadtholder.  This measure was not only directed against every remaining succour and resource that France could draw from Holland, but would force her to employ a considerable body of troops in tended to augment the army of the Rhine, would make an important diversion by opening the campaign in the Low Countries with a force attached to the Orange interest; and, if successful, a political separation between France and Holland must take place, and Britain once more secure the guarantee of her influence on the Continent.[20]

A joint expedition against Holland was accordingly prepared, and it was agreed that Great Britain should furnish 13,000 troops [51] and a fleet, and Russia 17,000 men.  The Gordon Highlanders were selected to take part in this important service; and the “young regiment, which had gained such golden opinions for its honourable conduct from the population among whom it had been sent to keep order, was for the first time to have the opportunity of showing that it could be equally trusted to uphold the honour of its country before a foreign foe.

G.O., Athlone, 12th June 1799.—The 92nd Regiment to march agreeable to route to Cork.  1st Division to-morrow morning at whatever hour Lieut.-Colonel Erskine will appoint.

The regiment marched in two divisions, and encamped at Monkstown on the 24th and 25th of June.  It was relieved at Athlone by the Glengarry Fencibles.

The following address and answer were published in Orders at Monkstown: —

“At a meeting of the inhabitants of Athlone and vicinity, on the 15^th June 1799, Thomas Mitchell, Esq., in the chair, the following address to Lieut.-Colonel Erskine, commanding His Majesty’s 92^nd Regiment in this garrison, was unanimously agreed to.

Sir, —We heard with concern that His Majesty’s 92nd Regiment, which you have commanded in this garrison, has been ordered to march for the purpose of joining those troops intended for a foreign expedition, but however we may regret your departure, we are not surprised that a regiment so eminently conspicuous for its steadiness and discipline should be selected for an arduous enterprise.  We have during your continuance amongst us experienced a polite attention from the officers of your regiment; and the uninterrupted peace and tranquillity which have prevailed in this town and neighbourhood envince the attention of the soldiers under your command.

Permit us, therefore, to return you our thanks, and to reuest that you will convey the same to the officers, n.c. officers, and soldiers of your regiment.

By order of the meeting,
(Signed) Thomas Mitchell

 

Sir, —I have the honour of receiving the address of the inhabitants of Athlone and its vicinity.  I shall not fail to communicate to the officers, n.c. officers, and soldiers of the 92nd Regiment the approbation which their conduct has met with, and which must be most flattering and pleasing to them, , as it is to me, who has the honour to command them.

Thos. Mitchell,
Vice-Sovereign,
Athlone.

I have the honour to be, with respect, Sir, your most obedient humble Servant,
(Signed) Charles Erskine,
Lieut.-Colonel, 92nd Regt.