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Sketches of The
Character, Manners, and Present State of the Highlanders of Scotland |
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Military Annals of the Highland Regiments
Seventy-sixth Regiment
or
Macdonald's Highlanders
1778
In December 1777, Letters of Service were issued to
Lord Macdonald to raise a regiment in the Highlands and Isles, allowing
him the same military rank as the Earl of Seaforth and Lord Macleod, by
whose influence so many men had been added to the military strength of
the country. In such cases, gentlemen had been promoted to high rank in
the army, without going through the previous gradations. As Lord
Macdonald declined this rank, he recommended Major John Macdonell of
Lochgarry, who was accordingly appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant.
But although his Lordship had no military rank, his influence was
extensively and successfully exerted to complete the regiment; and,
having made a good selection of officers from the families of Macdonalds
of Glenco, Morer, Boisdale, and others of his own clan, and likewise
from those of others, as Mackinnon, Fraser of Culduthel, Cameron of
Callart, &c, 750 Highlanders were raised. The company of Captain Bruce
was principally raised in Ireland. Captains Cunningham of Craigends, and
Montgomery Cunningham, as well as Lieutenant Samuel Graham, raised their
men in the Low country. These amounted to nearly 200 men, and were kept
together in two companies; while Captain Bruce's company formed a third.
In this manner, each race was kept distinct. The whole amounted to 1086
men, including non-commissioned officers and drummers, and were
inspected, and reported complete, by Lieutenant-General Skene at
Inverness, in March 1778, and immediately afterwards removed to Fort
George, under the command of Major Donaldson.
The regiment remained twelve months in Fort George,
under the guidance of Major Donaldson, an officer admirably calculated
to command and train a body of young Highlanders. Being a native of the
country, and having served for nineteen years as adjutant and captain in
the 42d regiment, he had a full knowledge of their character and habits.
In March 1779, the corps was removed to Perth, and
reviewed there on the 10th by General Skene. Being complete in number,
and in a high state of discipline, they were marched to Burntisland,
where they embarked on the 17th of March. In this place the men evinced
an unmilitary spirit, owing to the non-payment of bounty and arrears of
pay. The particulars of this transaction will be found in the Appendix.
Lieutenant-Colonel Macdonell having been taken
prisoner on the passage home from America, where he had been serving
with Fraser's Highlanders, and Major Donaldson's state of health being
such as not to allow him to embark, the command devolved on Major Lord
Berridale, who accompanied the regiment to New York, where they landed
in August.
The regiment touched at Portsmouth. While they lay at
Spithead, the enemy made an attack on Jersey; in consequence of which,
the transports, with the 76th on board, were ordered to the relief of
that island. When they were on the passage, Lord Berridale gave orders
that the men were not to take their broadswords on shore, nor the
officers to land in the Highland dress, but directed, however, that the
orders should not be disclosed to the men till the moment at which they
were to disembark,—influenced, probably, by an apprehension of their not
wishing to part with their swords; but the officers were
verbally told of the commanding officer's wishes. During the night on
which they approached the island, the men did not sleep, but were busily
engaged in preparing for the landing. Their swords seemed the objects of
their particular attention, as they devoted most of their time to
sharpening and putting them in the best possible order. Next morning,
some of the officers appeared in the Highland dress, and all the men
with their broadswords. When they were informed of the orders, they said
that it might be so, but they hoped that, God willing, they would be
allowed to fight with the arms, and die in the dress, of their country
and of their forefathers.
But the French being repulsed before the regiment
reached Jersey, they returned to Portsmouth, and proceeded on their
voyage to America. On their arrival there, the flank companies were
attached to the battalion of that description. The battalion companies
remained between New York and Staten Island till February 1781, when
they embarked with a detachment of the army, commanded by Major-General
Phillips, for Virginia ; the Light company being in the second battalion
of Light infantry, it formed a part of the army; the Grenadiers remained
at New York.
This year, Major Lord Berridale having, on the
decease of his father, become Earl of Caithness, and accompanied the
army, as a volunteer, to Charlestown, was severely wounded at the
siege of that place, and soon after returned to Scotland. The command of
the regiment devolved on the Honourable Major Needham, now Earl of
Kilmorey, who had purchased Major Donaldson's commission.
The detachment landed at Portsmouth, in Virginia, in
March, and joined the troops under Brigadier-General Arnold. In May they
formed a junction with the army under Lord Cornwallis. When the soldiers
of the 76th regiment found themselves with an army which had been
actively employed against the enemy, had fought several smart actions,
and who had undergone the most incessant and fatiguing marches through
difficult and hostile countries, they appeared to look down upon
themselves as having done nothing which could signalize and enable them
to return to their country and friends with that reputation which their
countrymen, and brother soldiers, had acquired. "And they were often
heard murmuring among themselves, lamenting their lot, and expressing
the strongest desire to distinguish themselves. This was particularly
observable, and their regrets greatly heightened when visited by the men
of Fraser's Highlanders, who had been in so many actions to the
southward." However, they soon had the opportunity which they had so
much desired, and the spirit with which they availed themselves of it,
showed that no more was wanting to prove that they were good and brave
soldiers. On this occasion they were fortunate in being in the brigade
of Colonel Thomas Dun-das, whose spirited example would have animated
any soldier; but in this instance no excitement was necessary. On the
evening of the 6th of July, the Marquis de la Fayette, eager to
signalize himself in the cause of his new friends, and ignorant of the
full strength of those he was about to attack, pushed forward a strong
corps, forced the picquets, who made an admirable resistance, and drew
up in front of the British line.
[ The picquets in front of the army that
morning consisted of twenty men of the 76th, and ten of the 80th,
commanded by Lieutenant Balvaird of the Utter regiment. He was killed by
the first fire, and a report sent to Colonel Dundas. As the duty was
pressing, it being necessary to keep the enemy in check, no time was to
be lost, and without waiting to call the officer who was next on the
list for duty, Lieutenant Andrew Alston of the 80th, with the proper
spirit of a soldier, offered his services to maintain the post to the
last; and, instantly flying to the front, was mortally wounded in the
act of leading some of his men to a spot where they could fire with more
effect. Colonel Dundas, observing that the enemy persevered in the
attack, ordered Lieutenant Wemyss, with twenty-five men of the
Highlanders, to reinforce Lieutenant Alston. On marching forward, he
found the party without an officer and therefore remained and defended
the post till himself and every individual were either killed or
wounded. When Lieutenant Wemyss had been appointed Adjutant, he found
the want of the Gaelic language a great disadvantage, as
more than 500 of the Highlanders spoke no English. By frequent
communi-cation with the men, and by application on his part, he acquired
the language, and allowing for some slight peculiarities of accent,
spoke it nearly as well as a native.]
A smart engagement immediately ensued, the weight of
which was sustained by the left of Colonel Dundas's brigade, consisting
of the 76th and 80th, both young regiments; and it so happened, that
while the right of the line was covered with woods, they were drawn up
in an open field, and exposed to the attack of La Fayette with a chosen
body of troops. " They made their debut in a very gallant style:
The 76th being on the left, and Lord Cornwallis, coming up in rear of
the regiment, gave the word to charge, which was immediately repeated by
the Highlanders, who rushed forward with their usual impetuosity, and
decided the matter in an instant."
[At the moment Lord
Cornwallis was giving the orders to charge, a Highland soldier rushed
forward and placed himself in front of his officer, Lieutenant Simon
Macdonald of Morer, afterwards Major of the 93d regiment. Lieutenant
Macdonald having asked what brought him there, the soldier answered,
"You know, that when I engaged to be a soldier, I promised to be
faithful to the King and to you. The French are coming, and while I
stand here, neither bullet nor bayonet shall touch you, except through
my body."
Major Macdonald had no particular claim to the
generous devotion of this trusty follower, further than that which never
failed to be binding on the true Highlander—he was born on his officer's
estate, where he and his forefathers had been treated with kindness—he
was descended of the same family, (Clanranald), and when he enlisted he
promised to be a faithful soldier. He was of the branch of the
Clanranald family, whose patronymic is Maceachan, or the Sons of Hector;
the same branch of which Marshal Macdonald, Duke of Tarentum, is
descended. ]
The enemy were completely routed, leaving their
cannon, and three hundred men killed and wounded, behind them, The
conduct of Colonel Dundas and his brigade was noticed with great
approbation, and it was also remarked that the Americans, on this
occasion, exhibited more than usual bravery and skill under their
gallant French commander.
Soon after this affair, Lord Cornwallis, wishing to
throw forward an effective body of infantry to act with the cavalry,
ordered a detachment of 400 chosen men, from the 76th, to be mounted on
such horses as could be procured-Horses were soon found, but saddles and
bridles were more difficult to be got. The whole were, however, mounted
(although four-fifths of the men had never been on horseback before) and
marched forward with Tarleton's Legion. As the horses were intended only
for expedition, the Highland dragoons were to dismount when in presence
of the enemy. After several forced marches, far more fatiguing to these
men than any they ever performed on foot, they returned to the army
heartily tired of their new mode of travelling. No other service was
destined for the 76th until the siege and surrender of Yorktown in 1781,
which has already been shortly noticed in the article on Fraser's
Highlanders.
[While the officers of
the 76th were sitting at dinner during the siege, the enemy opened a new
battery, the first shot from which entering the mess-room, killed
Lieutenant Robertson on the spot, and wounded Lieutenant Shaw and
Quartermaster Barclay. It also struck Assistant Commissary-General
Parkins, who happened to dine there that day. He requested that his
Will, which was in his quarters, but not signed, should be instantly
sent for. This was accordingly done; and when it was brought to him, he
had sufficient strength to put his hand to it, and to request some of
the officers present to sign as witnesses, when he expired.]
After the surrender of Lord Cornwallis's army, the
kindness and attention of the French officers were most honourable.
"Their delicate sensibility of our situation, and their generous and
pressing offers of money, both public and private, to any amount, have
really gone beyond what I can possibly describe, and will, I hope, make
an impression on the breast of every British officer, whenever the
fortune of war shall put any of them into our power." [Lord
Cornwallis's Dispatch.]
After this unhappy surrender, the 76th was marched in
detachments, as prisoners, to different parts of Virginia, where they
met with many of their emigrant countrymen, by whom, as well as by the
Americans, every endeavour was used, and many tempting offers made, to
prevail on the soldiers to violate their allegiance, and become subjects
of the American government. Yet not a single Highlander allowed himself
to be seduced by these offers, from the duty which he had engaged to
discharge to his King and country. [This is
certified by officers who were also prisoners, and eyewitnesses of this
honourable regard to principle.]
They were afterwards embarked for New York, sailed
thence for Scotland, and were disbanded in March 1784 at Stirling
Castle.
If, owing to accidental circumstances, the services
of this respectable regiment were not so brilliant as those of others
who had more frequent rencounters with the enemy, yet, from their
physical strength, character, and general conduct, the men certainly
exhibited the necessary qualifications for any military service. Their
courage in the field was only once put to the proof, and we have seen
how it was displayed. Their conduct in quarters stood a trial of six
years, and during that period, there were only four instances of
corporal punishments inflicted on the Highlanders of the regiment,
amounting to more than 750 men; and perhaps it may be a matter of
extenuation, in a moral point of view, to add, that these were for
military offences. Thefts and other crimes, implying moral turpitude,
were totally unknown.
It is grateful to the feelings thus to find a
numerous body of men preserving their virtuous principles entire, and
that, too, in a profession supposed to be destructive of such habits,
and in which, indeed, depravity and dissipation sometimes prevail to
such a degree, that the severest punishments alone can curb them. Among
these honourable soldiers, any restrictions or coercion of a more severe
nature were seldom called for, beyond that which a father would exercise
towards his children; such as a temporary privation of some comfort, the
prohibition of some favourite amusement, or the mention of the shame
their misconduct would bring on themselves, as well as on their country,
their relations, and friends. |
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