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The Cameron Highlanders had
had a long rest from active service since those two glorious days at
Quatre Bras and Waterloo, in the events of which it bore such a prominent
and gallant part and lost so many of its braves; now once again the
declaration of war with Russia, on the 1st of March 1854, was to afford
its untried men a chance to show what stuff they were made of. The 79th
was destined to form part of that famous "Highland Brigade,"
which, under Sir Cohn Campbell, did its duty so gallantly with the allied
army in the Crimea.
Previous to its embarkation
for the East, Lt.-General W. H. Sewell, C.B., was in March appointed
colonel in succession to the deceased Lt.-General James Hay; and on April
2 1st, new colours were, without ceremony, committed to its keeping by
Lt.-Col. Edmund James Elliot.
The 79th embarked for
active service under rather disheartening circumstances. Only a few weeks
before, while it remained uncertain whether it would form part of the
expedition, the regiment had been called upon to furnish volunteers to the
93rd regiment, which had received its orders, and was short of its
complement. That strange feeling of restlessness which at all times
characterises soldiers, added to the natural and praiseworthy wish to be
where hot work was expected, had its result in depriving the 79th of some
of its best soldiers. Many of the finest flank-company men took the
opportunity of changing their tartan, and the officers of the grenadiers
and light company were to be seen one fine morning, like Achilles,
"arming, weeping, cursing," to attend the parade which was to
see their "best and bravest" handed over to a rival corps. Then
speedily came similar orders for the 79th, and volunteers for it were
hastily summoned. In obedience to the above natural laws forth they came
as fast as they were wanted, but not exactly the sort of men to replace
those who had gone. However, they did their duty well and bravely
throughout the hard days that were in store for them, and it would be
wronging them deeply to say a slighting word.
The regiment embarked at
Portsmouth in H.M. ship "Simoom" on the 4th of May, and arrived
at Scutari on the 20th. Here it was encamped on the plain of Scutari, and
was brigaded with the 93rd regiment, the two being joined on June 7th by
the 42nd Royal Highlanders; the three regiments, as we have indicated,
forming the Highland Brigade under Brigadier General Sir Cohn Campbell,
and along with the brigade of Guards the 1st division of our army in the
East. The regiment remained at Scutari till June 13th, when along with the
other regiments of the division it was removed to Varna, where it encamped
on the plain overlooking Lake Devnos, about a mile south of the town.
While stationed here, it had the misfortune to lose its two senior
field-officers, Lt.-Col. E. J. Elliot, and Brevet Lt.-Col. James Ferguson,
from fever. About the same time also died Colonel the Hon. L. Maule, who
for many years commanded the regiment, and who was now Assistant Adjutant
- General to the second division.
 Lt.-Col.
Elliot was on August 13th succeeded by Major John Douglas. The regiment
remained in the district about Varna till the end of August. the strength
of many of the men being very much reduced by fever.
On the 29th of August the
79th embarked at Varna, and along with the rest of the allied army arrived
at Kalamita Bay on Sept. 14th, disembarking on the same day. Along with
the other regiments of its division it marched four miles inland, and
bivouacked for the night near Lake Tuzla.
On the 19th, the army was
put in motion along the coast towards Sebastopol. For details as to the
order of march and incidents by the way, including the slight skirmish
near the Bulganak River, we must refer the reader to our account of the
42nd. This regiment, along with the rest of the army, bivouacked near the
Bulganak on the night of the 19th, and on the morning of the 20th advanced
towards the River Alma, on the heights forming the left bank of which the
Russians had taken up what they thought an impregnable position, and were
awaiting the arrival of the invading army, never doubting but that, ere
night, it should be utterly routed, if not extinguished.
About half-past one o’clock
the action commenced by the Russians opening fire from the redoubt on the
left upon the French, who were attempting to assail their position in that
direction. The British forces then formed in line, and proceeded to cross
the river about the village of Burliuk. The light and second divisions led
the way preceded by the skirmishers of the Rifle Brigade, who advanced
through the vineyards beyond the village, and spreading themselves along
the margin of the river, engaged the Russian riflemen on the opposite
bank.
The first division, which
formed the left of the allied army, advancing in support, traversed the
vineyard and crossed the river, protected by its overhanging banks. On
reaching the slope of the hill, the three Highland regiments formed line
in échélon, and, "with the precision of a field-day advanced to the
attack, the 42nd Royal Highlanders on the right, and the 79th Cameron
Highlanders on the left, the extreme left of the allied army."
"The magnificent mile of line," says Captain Jameson,
"displayed by the Guards and Highlanders, the prominent bear-skin,
the undulating waves of the clan-tartans, the stalwart frames, steady and
confident bearing of these young and eager soldiers advancing under fire,
can never be forgotten by those who witnessed it, whilst it contributed
materially to the discouragement of the enemy, whose columns perceptibly
wavered as they approached. His masses of four - and - twenty deep,
absolutely reeled and staggered to and fro under the murderous fire of the
Scottish line, which was delivered with great effect at a distance of 200
yards."]
From its position, the 79th
was the last of the Highland regiments to mount the slope on the Russian
side of the river, and its appearance on the crest of the slope was
opportune; it came in time to relieve the mind of Sir Colin, who trembled
for the left flank of the 93rd, down upon which was bearing a heavy column
of the enemy—the left Sousdal column. "Above the crest or swell of
the ground," Kinglake tells, "on the left rear of the 93rd, yet
another array of the tall bending plumes began to rise up in a long
ceaseless line, stretching far into the east, and presently, with all the
grace and beauty that marks a Highland regiment when it springs up the
side of a hill, the 79th came bounding forward. Without a halt, or with
only the halt that was needed for dressing the ranks, it sprang at the
flank of the right Sousdal column, and caught it in its sin—caught it
daring to march across the front of a battalion advancing in line. Wrapped
in the fire thus poured upon its flank, the hapless column could not
march, could not live. It broke, and began to fall back in great
confusion; and the left Sousdal column being almost at the same time
overthrown by the 93rd, and the two columns which had engaged the Black
Watch being now in full retreat, the spurs of the hill and the winding
dale beyond became thronged with the enemy’s disordered masses."
The three Highland
regiments were now once more abreast, and as Kinglake eloquently puts it,
the men "could not but see that this, the revoir of the Highlanders,
had chanced in a moment of glory. A cheer burst from the reunited
Highlanders, and the "hillsides were made to resound with that
joyous, assuring cry, which is the natural utterance of a northern people
so long as it is warlike and free."
There were still a few
battalions of the enemy, about 3000 men, on the rise of a hill separated
from the Highland regiments by a hollow; on these the Highland Brigade
opened fire, and the Ouglitz column, as it was called, was forced to turn.
The loss in the battle of
the Alma of the Cameron Highlanders, who, although they performed most
important and trying service, had no chance of being in the thick of the
fray, was 2 men killed and 7 wounded.
On account of the conduct
of the regiment, a Companionship of the Bath was conferred upon Lt.-Col.
John Douglas, and Captain Andrew Hunt was promoted by brevet to be major
in the army.
After clearing the Russians
out of the way the allied army marched onwards, and on the 26th took up
its position before Sebastopol, Balaklava being taken possession of as a
base of operations. On the 1st of October the first division encamped on
the right of the light division to assist in the duties of the siege; and
the 79th afterwards furnished a number of volunteers, to act as
sharpshooters in picking off the enemy’s gunners and engage his
riflemen. On the 8th of October, Sir Cohn Campbell was appointed to the
command of the troops and position of Balaklava, and was succeeded in
command of the Highland Brigade by Colonel Sir D. A. Cameron, K.C.B., of
the 4 2nd, whose portrait we have given on the steel-plate of
colonels of that regiment.
After the battle of
Balaklava, on October 25th, the 79th along with the 42nd, was moved to a
new position on the heights of the north side of the valley of Balaklava,
where it continued till May 1855. "Although the Highland
Brigade," says Captain Jameson, "was thus at an early period of
the campaign unavoidably withdrawn from the siege operations before
Sebastopol, it had all-important duties to perform besides those
inseparable from the unremitting vigilance imperatively called for in the
defence of the base of operations of the army; for in the months of
December 1854, and January and February 1855, all the available duty men
of the Highland brigade were usually employed at daylight every morning in
the severe fatigue of conveying to the army before Sebastopol round shot,
shell, and provisions, the load assigned to each man being generally a 32
lb. shot, carried in a sack, or 56 lbs. of biscuit. The preparation of
gabions and fascines for the work of the siege, numerous public fatigue
duties in the harbour of Balaklava and elsewhere, as well as the labour
required for strengthening the entrenchments, likewise devolved upon the
brigade."
During the first four
months of 1855, low fever and dysentery prevailed in the regiment to such
an extent that it was found necessary to put the 79th under canvass in a
position about 300 yards higher up the slope, exposed to the sea breezes
from the south-west. Very soon after this move the health of the regiment
underwent much improvement.
In connection with what we
have just stated, we shall introduce here a striking and intensely
pathetic reminiscence of the campaign, which has been furnished us by
Lt.-Col. Clephane. It shows how these comparatively raw soldiers of the
Cameron Highlanders displayed a gallant devotion to their duty under the
most trying circumstances which would have reflected credit upon veterans
of a dozen campaigns.
"Shortly after the
opening of the bombardment of Sebastopol, the 79th Highlanders furnished a
party for trench duty, consisting of about 150 men, under command of a
field officer, and accompanied by a similar number detailed from the
brigade of Guards. They marched for the post of duty shortly before
daybreak, taking the well-known route through the "Valley of
Death," as it was called. At that time a foe more dreaded than the
Russians had persistently dogged the footsteps of the army, never
attacking in force, but picking out a victim here and there, with such
unerring certainty that to be sensible of his approach was to feel doomed.
The glimmering light was at first insufficient for making out aught more
than the dark body of men that moved silently along the above gloomy
locality in column of march four deep ; but as the sun approached nearer
the horizon, and the eye became accustomed to the glimmer, it was seen
that one man was suffering under pain of no ordinary nature, and was far
from being fit to go on duty that morning. Indeed, on being closely
inspected, it became evident that the destroyer had set his seal on the
unfortunate fellow’s brow, and how he had mustered the determination to
equip himself and march out with the rest was almost inconceivable. Upon
being questioned, however, he persisted that there was not much the
matter, though he owned to spasms in his inside and cramps in his legs,
and he steadily refused to return to camp without positive orders to that
effect, maintaining that he would be better as soon as he could get time
to "lie down a bit." All this time the colour of the poor fellow’s
face was positively and intensely blue, and the damps of death were
standing unmistakeably on his forehead. He staggered as he walked,
groaning with clenched teeth but keeping step, and shifting his rifle with
the rest in obedience to each word of command. He ought probably to have
been at once despatched to the rear, but the party was now close to the
scene of action (Gordon’s battery), the firing would immediately
commence, and somehow he was for the moment forgotten. The men took their
places lining the breastwork, the troops whom they relieved marched off,
and the firing began, and was kept up with great fury on both sides. All
at once a figure staggered out from the hollow beneath the earthen rampart
where the men were lying, and fell groaning upon the earth a few paces to
the rear. It was the unfortunate man whose case we have just noticed. He
was now in the last extremity, and there was not the ghost of a chance for
him in this world; but three or four of his comrades instantly left their
place of comparative safety, and surrounded him with a view of doing what
they could to alleviate his sufferings. It was not much; they raised him
up and rubbed his legs, which were knotted with cramps, and brandy from an
officer’s flask was administered without stint. All in vain, of course;
but, curiously enough, even then the dying man did not lose heart, or show
any weakness under sufferings which must have been frightful. He was
grateful to the men who were busy rubbing his agonised limbs, and
expressed satisfaction with their efforts, after a fashion that had even
some show of piteous humour about it. "Aye." groaned he, as they
came upon a knot of sinews as large as a pigeon’s egg, "that’s
the vaygabone !" It became evident now that the best thing
that could be done would be to get him home to camp, so that he might at
least die beyond the reach of shot and shell. The open ground to the rear
of the battery was swept by a perfect storm of these misiles; but
volunteers at once came forward, and placed upon one of the bloodstained
litters the dying man, who, now nearly insensible, was carried back to his
tent. This was effected without casualty to the bearers, who forthwith
returned to their post, leaving their unfortunate comrade at the point of
breathing his last."
Such were the men who
upheld the honour of the Scottish name in those days, and such, alas were
those who furnished a royal banquet to the destroyer, Death, throughout
that melancholy campaign.
The 79th, in the end of May
and beginning of June, formed part of the expedition to Kertch, described
in the history of the 42nd. This expedition came quite as a little
pleasant pic-nic to those regiments who were lucky enough to be told off
as part of the force, and the 79th, along with the other regiments of the
Highland brigade, had the good fortune to be so. Yenikali had been very
hastily evacuated, all its guns being left in perfect order, and signs
everywhere of little domestic establishments broken up in what must have
been excessive dismay—expensive articles of furniture, ladies’
dresses, little articles of the same sort appertaining to children, all
left standing as the owners had left them, fleeing, as they imagined, for
their lives. Truth to tell, they would not have been far wrong, but for
the presence of the British.
On its return in the middle
of June, the Highland brigade took up its old position beside the Guards
before Sebastopel, the command of the re-united division being assumed by
Sir Cohn Campbell. After this the division was regularly employed in the
siege operations, it having been drawn up in reserve during the
unsuccessful attack on the Malakoff and Redan on the 18th of June.
In August, on account of
the formation of an additional division to the army, the old Highland
Brigade was separated from the Guards, and joined to the 1st and 2nd
battalion Royals, and the 72nd Highlanders, these now forming the Highland
division under Sir Colin Campbell.
On the 8th of September,
the 79th, along with the other regiments of the brigade, was marched down
to the front to take part in the contemplated assault upon the enemy’s
fortifications. About four in the afternoon, the 79th, under command of
Lt.-Col. C. H. Taylor, reached the fifth or most advanced parallel, in
front of the great Redan, the 72nd being in line on its left. Before this,
however, the Redan had been attacked by the right and second divisions,
who, "after exhibiting a devotion and courage yet to be
surpassed," were compelled to retire with severe loss; the French
attack on the Malakoff had at the same time been successful.
The brigade continued to
occupy its advanced position during the remainder of the day exposed to a
heavy fire, it being appointed to make another assault on the Redan next
morning. Such a deadly enterprise, however, fortunately proved
unnecessary, as early next morning it was ascertained that the enemy,
after having blown up their magazines and other works, were in full
retreat across the harbour by the bridge of boats. The only duty devolving
upon the 79th was to send two companies to take possession of the Redan
and its works.
The loss of the regiment on
the day of the assault, and in the various operations during the siege,
was 17 rank and file killed, Lt. P. H. M’Barnet, Assistant-Surgeon
Edward Louis Lundy, 3 sergeants, 1 drummer, and 39 rank and file wounded.
While recording the losses of the regiment, honourable mention ought to be
made of Dr Richard James Mackenzie, who gave up a lucrative practice in
Edinburgh in order to join the British army in the east. He was appointed
to the 79th while the regiment was stationed at Yarna, and until his death
on September 25th 1854, shortly after Alma," he rendered to the
regiment and the army generally services of the highest importance. He
followed the army on foot, undergoing much fatigue and many privations,
which, with the arduous labours he took upon himself after the battle, no
doubt hastened his much lamented death. After the battle of the Alma, it
is said, he performed no fewer than twenty-seven capital operations with
his own hand. "So highly were his services appreciated by the 79th,
that, after the battle of the Alma, on his coming up to the regiment from
attendance on the wounded, several of the men called out, Three cheers for
Dr Mackenzie !’ which was promptly and warmly responded to," The
regiment, after the notification of peace, erected to his memory a neat
tombstone, with an appropriate inscription, fenced in by a stone wall, on
the heights of Belbek, near his resting-place.
 His
heroic and humane deeds on the battle-field of the Alma were thoroughly
appreciated by the 79th, and have been recorded by others. We may,
however, faintly gather something of them from his letter to his brother
Kenneth - the last he ever wrote. It was written on the day after the
battle. In this letter he says " We (Dr Scott and himself) were
shaking hands with all our friends, when, to my no small surprise end
gratification, as you may believe, a voice shouted out from the column as
they stood in the ranks— 'Three cheers for Mr Mackenzie,’ and
enough I say it who shouldn’t I never heard three better cheers. You
will laugh, my dear fellow, when you read this, but I can tell you
I could scarcely refrain from doing t’other thing. All I could do was to
wave my Glengarry in thanks." As to Dr Mackenzie’s coolness under
fire, the quartermaster of the 79th wrote: "During the height of the
action I was in conversation with him when a round shot struck the ground,
and rebounding over our regiment, flew over our heads and killed an
artillery horse a few yards in our rear." Mackenzie quietly remarked,
"That is a narrow escape."
The regiment continued in
the Crimea till June 1856, on the 15th of which month it embarked at
Balaklava, and disembarked at Portsmouth on the 5th of July, proceeding
immediately by rail to the camp at AIdershot.
After being stationed for a
short time at Shorncliffe and for some months at Canterbury, and having
been present at the distribution of the Victoria Cross by her Majesty in
Hide Park on Tune 26th 1857, the 79th proceeded to Dublin, where it landed
on the 28th. Here, however, it remained but a short time, as on account of
the Sepoy revolt in India, it was again ordered to prepare for active
service. The regiment was rapidly completed to 1000 rank and file, and set
sail in the beginning of August, arriving at Madras Roads early in
November, when it received orders to proceed to Calcutta, where it
disembarked on the 28th of November and occupied Fort-William. After
remaining there for a few days, the 79th, on Dec. 2nd, proceeded by rail
to Raneegunge, under the command of Lt.-Colonel John Douglas. ‘I’owards
the end of the month the regiment left Raneegunge for Allahabad, where it
halted till the 5th of Jan. 1858, a day memorable in the history of the
79th for its having marched upwards of 48 miles, and gained its first
victory in the East, viz., that of Secunclragunge, in which happily it had
no casualties.
The regiment left Allahabad
for Lucknow on the 18th of Jan., and on the 28th of Feb. it joined the
force under Sir Cohn Campbell at Camp Bunterah. The regiment was then
commanded by Lt.-Colonel Taylor, Lt.-Colonel Douglas having been appointed
to the command of the 5th Infantry Brigade. After passing the Goomtee, the
79th joined the force under Sir James Outram, and was brigaded with the
1st battalion of the 23rd Fusiliers and the 1st Bengal Fusiliers, under
the command of Brigadier General Douglas. The regiment was present, and
performed its part bravely during the siege and capture of Lucknow, from
the 2nd to the 16th of March 1858, its loss being 7 non-commissioned
officers and privates killed, and 2 officers, Brevet-Major Miller and
Ensign Haine, and 21 non-commissioned officers and privates wounded.
After the capture of
Lucknow the 79th joined the division under the command of Major-General
Walpole, in the advance towards Allahgunge, Shahjehanpoor, and Bareilly.
Its next engagement was the action of Boodaoon, where the regiment had
only 1 man wounded, who afterwards died of his wounds. On the 22nd of
April the 79th was present at the action of Allahgunge, where it had no
casualties. On the 27th, Sir Colin Campbell assumed command of the force
and marched on Bareihly, the 79th, along with the 42nd and 93rd, forming
the Highland brigade. On the 5th of May the 79th was formed in line of
battle before Bareihly, when it helped to gain another glorious victory,
with a loss of only 2 men killed and 2 wounded. The regiment received the
special thanks of Sir Colin Campbell.
The 79th next made a forced
march to the relief of Shahjehanpoor, under the command of
Brigadier-General John Jones, and on the 21st of May was again under fire
at the attack of that place. Thence it went to Mohoomdee, in the attack on
which it took part on the 24th and 25th; here it had 2 men wounded, and,
according to the Record-Book, upwards of 100 men suffered from sunstroke.
After this last action the
regiment once more found itself in quarters at Futtehgurh and Cawnpoor,
one wing being detached to Ahlahabad; this, however, was only for a short
time, as on the 21st of October an order was received for the 79th to join
the brigade in Oudh, under Brigadier-General Wetherall, C. B. On the 3rd
of November the 79th was present at the storm and capture of Rampoor
Kosilab, the regiment losing only 2 men killed, and 1 sergeant and 6
privates wounded. For its conduct on this occasion the 79th was
complimented in General Orders by His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief.
Brig.-Gen. Wetherall having left the force, was succeeded in command by
Sir Hope Grant, K.C.B., who appointed Lt.-Col. Taylor, 79th, to command
the brigade, Major Butt succeeding the latter in command of the 79th.
The 79th proceeded by
forced marches to Fyzabad to commence the trans-Ghogra operations, and was
present at the action of the passage of the Ghogra on the 25th of
November, the skirmish at Muchllgan on the 6th of Dec., and the skirmish
at Bundwa Kotee on the 3rd of Jan. 1859. After the last-mentioned
engagement the 79th received orders to proceed to Meean Meer in the
Punjab, under the command of Lt.-Col. Taylor.
Thus ended the Indian
Mutiny, during which the casualties to the 79th Highlanders amounted to 2
officers wounded, and 158 of all ranks killed. For its gallant conduct
during the Indian campaign the 79th received the thanks of both Houses of
Parliament, and was authorised to bear on its colours the inscription
"Capture of Lucknow." Lt.-Col. Douglas was appointed a K.C.B.,
and Lt.-Col. Taylor a C.B.
The regiment arrived at
Meean Meer on the 8th of April 1859, and on the 15th the command passed
into the hands of Lt.-Col. Butt, Colonel Taylor having proceeded to Europe
on leave. Lt.-Col. Butt continued in command till the 2nd of April 1860,
when he was appointed Chief Inspector of Musketry for Bengal, and was
succeeded in command of the regiment by Lt.-Col. Hodgson. On the 16th of
March, Lt.-Col. Douglas had retired on half-pay, and Lt.-Col. Taylor did
the same on the 10th of May following.
The 79th remained in India
till Sept. 1871. On the 5th of Nov. 1860, the right wing, consisting of
287 of all ranks, proceeded to Amritzir under the command of Major M’Barnet.
Headquarters left Meean Meer on the 19th of Jan. 1861 for Ferozepoor,
where it was joined by the wing from Amritzir in April.
The 79th left Ferozepoor in
Feb. 1862 for Nowshera, where it remained till the following November, on
the 23rd of which the regiment proceeded to Peshawur, on the frontiers of
Afghanistan. In the previous March the regiment lost by death its colonel,
General W. A. Sewell, who was succeeded by General the Honourable Hugh
Arbuthnott, C.B.
During the stay of the
regiment in Peshawur it lost two of its officers. A frontier war having
broken out, Lts. Dougal and Jones volunteered their services, and were
permitted to proceed with the expedition against the Sitana fanatics,
under the command of Brigadier-General Sir M. Chamberlain, K.C.B. the
former was killed when on picquet duty on the 6th of Nov. 1863, and the
latter in action on the 18th of the same month.
The 79th remained in
Peshawur till Jan. 1864, when it removed to Rawul Pindee, where it
remained till 1866. During its stay it furnished a volunteer working party
on the Murree and Abbattabad road, and also during 1864 a detachment of
300 of all ranks, under the command of Captain C. Gordon, to the Camp
Durrgaw Gully.
In October 1864 the 79th
lost by exchange its senior Lt.-Colonel, Colonel Butt having exchanged
with Colonel Best of H.M.’s 86th Regiment. By this exchange Lt.-Colonel
Hodgson became senior Lt.-Colonel.
For some time after its
arrival at Rawul Pindee the regiment continued to suffer from Peshawur
fever, a considerable number of men having had to be invalided to England.
On the 8th of May 1865 the headquarters and 650 of all ranks proceeded as
a working party to the Murree Hills, where the regiment remained till
October, much to the benefit of the men’s health, as in a fortnight
after its arrival all traces of Peshawur fever had disappeared. A similar
working party, but not so large, was sent to the Murree Hjlls at the same
time in the following year.
On the 10th of July of this
year (1865) Lt.-Colonel Hodgson received his promotion by brevet to full
Colonel in the army.
On the 1st of November
1866, the headquarters and left wing marched from Rawul Pindee for Roorkee,
and the right wing under command of Major Maitland for Delhi, the former
reaching Roorkee on the 15th and the latter Delhi on Dec. 27th. During the
regiment’s stay at these places the two wings exchanged and re-exchanged
quarters, both suffering considerably from fever during the spring of
1867. Both wings in the end of March proceeded to Umballah, to take part
in the ceremonial attending the meeting between Earl Mayo,
Governor-General of India, and Shere Ali Khan, - the Ameer of Cabul; the
Cameron Highlanders had been appointed part of His Excellency’s personal
escort.
On Dec. 7th the
headquarters, under the command of Colonel W. C. Hodgson, left Roorkee en
route to Kamptee, and on the 15th it was joined by the right wing from
Delhi, at Camp Jubbulpoor. Here the regiment remained until the 24th, when
it commenced to move by companies towards Kamptee, at which station the
headquarters arrived on the 1st of January 1870. Shortly before leaving
Roorkee a highly complimentary farewell letter was sent to Colonel Hodgson
from Major-General Colin Troup, C.B., commanding the Meerut Division.
During January 1870 the 93d
Sutherland Highlanders passed through Kamptee en route for home,
when a very pleasing exchange of civilities took place between that
distinguished regiment and their old comrades of the 79th. At a mess
meeting held at Nagpoor on the 30th by the officers of the 93d, it was
proposed and carried unanimously that a letter be written to the officers
of the 79th, proposing that, in consideration of the friendship and
cordiality which had so long existed between the two regiments, the
officers of the two corps be perpetual honorary members of their
respective messes. The compliment was, of course, willingly returned by
the 79th, and the officers of the 93rd Highlanders were constituted
thenceforth perpetual honorary members of the 79th mess.
The regiment remained at
Kamptee for nearly two years, furnishing a detachment to the fort at
Nagpoor. A very sad event occurred in the regiment during its stay at
Kamptee: on Aug. 28th, 1871, Captain Donald Macdonald when at great gun
drill at the artillery barracks, dropped down on parade, died
instantaneously, and was buried the same evening. Captain Macdonald was by
birth and habit a Highlander, and was most warmly attached to his
regiment, in which he had served for seventeen years. Great regret was
felt by all ranks in the regiment on account of his premature and
unexpected death. He was only 34 years of age, and a monument was erected
by his brother officers over his grave at Kamptee.
On the 2nd of August 1871
Colonel Best was appointed to the command of the Nagpoor field force, with
the rank of brigadier-general.
In the same month the 79th
received orders to be in readiness to proceed to England, and the
non-commissioned officers and men were permitted to volunteer into
regiments remaining in India. About 177 of all ranks availed themselves of
this offer, a considerable number of whom were married men. The regiment
left Kamptee in two detachments on Sept. 22nd and 23rd, and proceeded by
Nagpoor and Deolahlee to Bombay, where it embarked on board H.M.’s India
troop-ship "Jumna" on the 29th and 30th. The "Jumna"
sailed for England on the 1st of October, and after a prosperous voyage by
way of the Suez Canal arrived at Spithead on the evening of the 6th of
November. Next day the regiment was transferred to three ships, and
conveyed to West Cowes, Isle of ‘vVight, where it disembarked the same
evening, and marched to the Albany Barracks, Parkhurst.
During the fourteen years
that the 79th was stationed in India it was inspected by many
distinguished general officers, including Sir Colin Campbell (Lord Clyde),
Sir William Mansfield (Lord Sandhurst), Sir Hugh Rose (Lord Strathnairn),
Sir Hope Grant, &c., all of whom expressed themselves highly satisfied
with the appearance, conduct, and discipline of the regiment.
During its sojourn in the
Isle of Wight the 79th was highly honoured on more than one occasion by
the very particular notice of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. In Feb. 1872,
Her Majesty being at Osborne, was pleased to express her desire to see the
79th Highlanders in marching order. The regiment accordingly paraded at 10
o’clock on the morning of the 16th, and proceeded towards Osborne. When
the 79th was within a short distance of the approach to the house, Her
Majesty, with several members of the Royal Family, appeared at an angle of
the road, and watched the marching past of the regiment with great
interest. The regiment, after making a detour towards East Cowes, was
returning to Parkhurst by way of Newport, when Her Majesty reappeared,
paying particular attention to the dress and appearance of the men as they
marched past her for the second time.
 This was the last
occasion on which Colonel Hodgson was destined to command the 79th. On
the 1st of March the regiment sustained an irreparable loss in his
death, which took place, after a very short illness. Colonel Hodgson
was 49 years of age, had served in the 79th for 32 years, and commanded
it for 12, and by his invariable kindness and urbanity had endeared
himself to all ranks. His sad and unexpected death spread a deep gloom
over the whole regiment. Colonel Maitland, in announcing Colonel Hodgson’s
death in regimental orders said,— "The officers have to lament
the loss of one who was always to them a
kind and considerate commanding officer; and the non-commissioned officers
and men have been deprived of a true friend, who was ever zealous in
guarding their interests and promoting their welfare."
Colonel Hodgson was buried
in Carisbrooke Cemetery, and over his grave a handsome monument of
Aberdeen granite has been erected by his brother officers and friends.
By Colonel Hodgson’s
death Colonel Maitland succeeded to the command of the regiment; he,
however, retired on half-pay on the 19th of October following, and
Lt.-Colonel Miller was selected to succeed him.
On the 17th of Sept. the
79th had the honour of being reviewed by the late ex-Emperor of the
French, Napoleon III., and his son, the Prince Imperial, who lunched with
the officers. The Emperor made a minute inspection of the men, and watched
the various manoeuvres with evident interest, expressing at the conclusion
his admiration of the splendid appearance and physique of the men, the
high state of discipline of the corps, and the magnificent manner in which
the drill was performed.
During Her Majesty’s stay
at Osborne the 79th always furnished a guard of honour at East Cowes at
each of her visits. On the 17th of April 1873 Her Majesty bestowed one of
the highest honours in her power on the regiment, when on that day she
attended at Parkhurst Barracks to present it with new colours. The
presentation took place in the drill-field, and was witnessed by a large
number of spectators, who were favoured with a bright sky.
At 11 o’clock A.M. the
79th marched into the field under command of Colonel Miller. The ground
was kept by the 102nd Fusiliers, the same regiment also furnishing a guard
of honour to Her Majesty. General Viscount Templeton, K.C.B., commanding
the district, was present, and also Sir John Douglas, K.C.B., commanding
in North Britain, with his A.D.C., Lieutenant Boswell Gordon, of the 79th.
The Mayor and Corporation of Newport attended officially, in their robes
of office. At 11.45 A.M. Her Majesty arrived, attended by their Royal
Highnesses Prince Leopold and Princess Beatrice, the Countess of Errol and
other ladies, besides the Equerries in Waiting. The royal party having
driven along the line, the band and pipers playing, the usual order of
presentation was proceeded with.
The old colours were in
front of the left of the line, in charge of a colour party and double
sentries. The new colours, cased, were in the rear of the centre, in
charge of the two senior colour-sergeants, Taylor and Mackie. The old
colours having been trooped, these honoured and cherished standards,
around which the Cameron Highlanders had so often victoriously rallied,
were borne to the rear by Lts. Annesley and Money to the strains of
"Auld Lang Syne." The regiment was then formed into three sides
of a square, the drums were piled in the centre, the new colours were
brought from the rear, and having been uncased by the Majors, were placed
against the pile. Then prayer was offered by the Rev. Charles Morrison,
formerly chaplain to the 79th in India, who had come from Aberdeen
expressly to perform this duty. This being concluded, Major Cumming handed
the Queen’s colour and Major Percival the regimental colour to Her
Majesty, who presented the former to Lt. Campbell and the latter to Lt.
Methven, at the same time addressing them thus:—" It gives me great
pleasure to present these new colours to you. In thus entrusting you with
this honourable charge, I have the fullest confidence that you will, with
the true loyalty and well-known devotion of Highlanders, preserve the
honour and reputation of your regiment, which have been so brilliantly
earned and so nobly maintained by the 79th Cameron Highlanders."
Colonel Miller then replied
as follows:-
"I beg permission, in
the name of all ranks of the 79th Cameron IHghlanders, to present our
loyal and most grateful acknowledgments of the very high honour it has
pleased your Majesty this day to confer on the regiment. The incident will
ever remain fresh in the memories of all on parade, and of those also who
are unable to have the honour of being present on this occasion, and of
others who have formerly served with the 79th; and I beg to assure your
Majesty that, wherever the course of events may require these colours to
be borne, the remembrance that they were received from the hands of our
Most Gracious Queen, will render them doubly precious, and that in future
years, as at present, the circumstance of this presentation will be
regarded as one of the proudest episodes in the records of the Cameron
Highlanders."
After Colonel Miller’s
address the regiment re-formed line, and the colours were received with a
general salute, after which they were marched to their place in the line
in slow time, the band playing "God save the Queen." The ranks
having been closed, the regiment broke into column, and marched past Her
Majesty in quick and double time, line was then re-formed, and Lt.-Gen.
Viscount Templetown, K.C.B., called for three cheers for Her Majesty, a
request which was responded to by the regiment in true Highland style. The
ranks having been opened, the line advanced in review order, and gave a
royal salute, after which the royal carriage withdrew.
After the parade was
dismissed, the old colours, carried by Lts. Annesley and Money, escorted
by all the sergeants, were played round the barracks, and afterwards taken
to the officers’ mess. On the 30th of the month the officers gave a
splendid ball at the Town-hall, Ryde, at which about 500 guests were
present, the new colours being placed in the centre of the ball-room,
guarded on each side by a Highlander in full uniform. To mark the occasion
also, Colonel Miller remitted all punishments awarded to the men, and the
sergeants entertained their friends at a luncheon and a dance in the drill
field.
At the unanimous request of
the officers, Colonel Miller offered the old colours to Her Majesty, and
she having been graciously pleased to accept them, they were taken to
Osborne on the 22nd of April. At 12 o’clock noon of that day the
regiment paraded in review order and formed a line along the barracks for
the colours to pass, each man presenting arms as they passed him, the band
playing "Auld Lang Syne." The colours were then taken by train
from Newport to Cowes. At Osborne the East Cowes guard of honour, under
command of Captain Allen, with Lts. Bucknell and Smith, was drawn up at
each side of the hall door. The old colours, carried by Lts. Annesley and
Money, escorted by Quartermaster-Sergeant Knight, Colour-Sergeant Clark,
two other sergeants, and four privates, preceded by the pipers, were
marched to the door by Colonel Miller, the guard of honour presenting
arms. The officers then advanced, and, kneeling, placed the colours at Her
Majesty’s feet, when Colonel Miller read a statement, giving a history
of the old colours from the time of their presentation at Portsmouth, in
the month of April 1854, by Mrs Elliot (the wife of the officer at that
time colonel of the regiment), a few days before the regiment embarked for
the Crimea.
Colonel Miller then said:—
"It having
graciously pleased your Majesty to accept these colours from
the Cameron Highlanders, I beg permission to express the gratification
which all ranks of the 79th feel in consequence, and to convey most
respectfully our highest appreciation of this kind act of condescension on
the part of your Majesty."
The Queen replied:—
"I accept these
colours with much pleasure, and shall ever value them
in remembrance of the gallant services of the 79th Cameron Highlanders I
will take them to Scotland, and place them in my dear Highland home at
Balmoral."
The guard then presented
arms, and the colour party withdrew. Her Majesty afterwards addressed a
few words to each of the colour-sergeants.
On the 24th of April,
Colonel Miller received orders for the troops of the Parkhurst garrison to
march towards Osborne on the following day, for Her Majesty’s
inspection, and the troops accordingly paraded at 10 o’clock AM. in
review order. On arriving near Osborne the brigade was drawn up in line on
the road, the 79th on the right, and the 102nd on the left. Her Majesty
was received with a royal salute, and having driven down the line, the
royal carriage took up its position at the crossroads, and the regiments
passed in fours; the royal carriage then drove round by a bye-road, and
the regiment again passed in fours, after which the troops returned to
Parkhurst.
We may state here that on
the day on which Her Majesty presented the new colours to the regiment,
Colonel Ponsonby, by Her Majesty’s desire, wrote to the Field-Marshal
Commanding in Chief that "Her Majesty was extremely pleased with the
appearance of the men and with the manner in which they moved," and
hoped that His Royal Highness might think it right to communicate the
Queen’s opinion to Lt.-Colonel Miller. The letter was sent to Colonel
Miller.
The Queen still further
showed her regard for the 79th by presenting to the regiment four copies
of her book, "Leaves from our Journal in the Highlands,"—one
to Colonel Miller, one for the officers, one for the noncommissioned
officers, and one for the privates.
To crown all these
signal marks of Her Majesty’s attachment to the Cameron
Highlanders,
she was graciously pleased to let them bear her own name as part
of the style and title of the regiment, as will be seen by the
following letter, dated—
"Horseguards,
10th July
1873.
Sir, —By direction of
the Field-Marshal Commanding in Chief, I have the honour to acquaint you
that Her Majesty has been pleased to command that the 79th Regiment be in
future styled "the 79th Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders," that
the facings be accordingly changed from green to bide, and that the
regiment be also permitted to bear in the centre of the second colour, as
a regimental badge, the Thistle ensigned with the Imperial Crown, being
the badge of Scotland as sanctioned by Queen Anne in 1707, after the
confirmation of the Act of Union of the kingdoms—I have, &c. &c.
(Signed) " J. W. ARMSTRONO
"Deputy
Adjutant-General.
Lieutenant-Colonel
Miller,
"Commanding 79th
Regiment."
In acknowledgment
of this gracious mark of Her Majesty’s regard,
Colonel Miller despatched a letter to Major-General Ponsonby, at Osborne,
on the 12th of July, in which he requests that officer
"To convey to the
Queen, in the name of all ranks of the 79th, our most respectful and
grateful acknowledgments for so distinguished a mark of royal
condescension, and I beg that you will assure Her Majesty of the
gratification felt throughout the regiment in consequence of the above
announcement."
Finally, on the 13th of
August Colonel Miller received a notification that Her Majesty had
expressed a wish that the regiment should be drawn up at East Cowes to
form a guard of honour on her departure from the island on the following
day. The regiment accordingly marched to East Cowes on the following
afternoon, and presented arms as Her Majesty embarked on her way to
Balmoral.
On 18th of September of the
same year the 79th left Parkhurst for Aldershot, where it arrived on the
same afternoon, and was quartered in A and B lines, South Camp, being
attached to the 1st or Major-General Parkes’ brigade.
The Black Watch has
received great and well-merited praise for its conduct during the Ashantee
War, in the march from the Gold Coast to Coomassie. It ought, however, to
be borne in mind that a fair share of the glory which the 42nd gained on
that dangerous coast, under the able command of Major-General Sir Garnet
J. Wolseley, really belongs to the Cameron Highlanders. When the 42nd, at
the end of December 1873, was ordered to embark for the Gold Coast, 135
volunteers were asked for from the 79th, to make up its strength, when
there at once stepped out 170 fine fellows, most of them over ten years’
service, from whom the requisite number was taken. Lieutenants R. C.
Annesley and James M’Callum accompanied these volunteers. Although they
wore the badge and uniform of the glorious Black Watch, as much credit is
due to the 79th on account of their conduct as if they had fought under
the name of the famous Cameron Highlanders, in which regiment they
received all that training without which personal bravery is of little
avail.
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