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FORDYCE, COLONEL JOHN.—A
brave and pious officer, who fell in the Caffre war in 1851, was the eldest
son of Thomas J. Fordyce, Esq., of Ayton, Berwickshire, an extensive landed
proprietor, of great worth and intelligence. Under the parental roof he was
trained from his earliest years in the best lessons of a religious
education. His accomplished and truly Christian mother, who "had no greater
joy than to see her children walking in the truth," was her son’s faithful
instructress in that knowledge which maketh wise unto salvation. A portion
of the Sacred Volume was committed each morning to memory, and around the
family altar prayer was offered daily to the Lord. At the age of twelve, the
subject of this memoir had mastered several of the higher Latin classics,
and acquired a tolerable knowledge of Greek. For the acquisition of
languages he discovered peculiar aptitude, analyzing with much facility the
passages of his favourite authors. It was manifest, from the enthusiasm with
which he followed Caesar and Hannibal, and other heroes of antiquity,
through their respective fields of conflict, that he was destined, with
Providence as his director, for a military life. The writer of these
observations has a vivid recollection of the graphic skill with which, after
rising from the pages of Livy or Tacitus, he described the successes or
discomfitures of the combatants, and pronounced on the equity or injustice
of the causes of warfare. Before leaving home for a private seminary in
England, he was thoroughly conversant with the works of our best modern
historians, travellers, and poets. After his return, he completed his
literary curriculum in Edinburgh, and was resident for some time with Doctor
(now Bishop) Terrot, enjoying under his able superintendence advantages
equivalent to those of an English university.
His first commission as an
ensign in the 34th regiment was dated in 1828. He served with that corps
(then in Nova Scotia) until 1832, when he obtained an unattached
lieutenancy. The same year, however, he returned to full pay, first in the
94th, and soon after in the 21st. He served with the 21st North-British
Fusiliers until 1836, when he obtained his company in the 35th regiment,
from which he exchanged into the 11th Foot in 1839. Having in 1844 obtained
his step as major in the latter regiment, he exchanged the same year into
the 74th Highlanders. In 1846 he became lieutenant-colonel and commanding
officer of this regiment, in which important position he gained the esteem
of the military authorities and the affection of all who served under him.
Though possessed of a good private fortune, so strong was the esprit de
corps of this noble officer, that in March, 1851, he embarked with his
regiment for the Cape of Good Hope, where, after months of severe and
harassing warfare, he fell at the head of his gallant and beloved
Highlanders, in the prime of manhood, and with a name already one of renown.
Endowed with a masculine
understanding, a capacious and retentive memory, an indomitable perseverence,
ample promise was afforded of literary distinction. Highly gifted as was his
intellect, which, as if by intuition, separated the accessories from the
essentials of any subject, his moral qualities commanded still higher
admiration. His bosom was the very soul of honour and generosity. "Truth in
the inward parts," manly independence in forming his opinions, and
unflinching courage in expressing them, were united with the meekness of
wisdom, and an unaffected modesty of demeanour which shrank with sensitive
aversion from all ostentatious display. In personal appearance Colonel
Fordyce was considerably above the ordinary height, with a high massive
forehead, and a countenance which revealed profound thought, calm decision
of purpose, and delicate sensibility. There was frequently also a look of
pensive reflection, which indicated that he had been no stranger to the
afflictions and sorrows of life. By a stranger, indeed, he might sometimes
appear chargeable with a degree of reserve, bordering even on hauteur;
but those who knew him thoroughly could best appreciate the depth and
constancy of his friendships, and his warmhearted sympathy with his
fellow-men both "of high and of low degree."
Deprived in youth of his
excellent parents, to whom he was ever a dutiful and loving son, he
fulfilled with unwearied fidelity and tenderness the part of an elder
brother towards all the other members of the family.
In no feature of character
was Colonel Fordyce more remarkable than in his strict conscientiousness.
Every transaction, private or public, was conducted with a sacred regard to
the authority and the glory of God. This profound sense of responsibility
for his stewardship distinguished him not only in the more prominent
departments of duty, but in the most minute details of everyday life. As an
officer who had been called to occupy a high position in the British army,
he was ardently and indefatigably devoted to his professional avocations;
cheerfully expending time and strength and pecuniary resources in promoting
the temporal and spiritual welfare of the regiment which he commanded.
Whilst stationed in Glasgow, a few years ago, opportunities were
incidentally afforded for marking the solicitude which he evinced in regard
to the intellectual and moral improvement of soldiers’ children; using all
practicable means, by week-day and Sabbath-schools, that they might be
taught the good ways of the Lord.
The 74th, with their gallant
Colonel, were ordered from Glasgow to Clonmel, Ireland. The following notice
from the Rev. Mr. Dill testifies to the estimation in which he was held in
that place: —
"SIR,—The death of
Lieutenant-Colonel Fordyce, 74th Highlanders, has been felt as a personal
bereavement by all who knew him. Clonmel was the last home-station of the
74th, where, after eight months’ residence, they received orders for foreign
service in November, 1850. To those even slightly acquainted with the army,
it will not sound strange to hear, in the published accounts from the Cape,
‘that the whole colony deplores the loss of this noble officer. Both men and
officers feel his loss severely, and at this juncture the loss the service
has sustained is incalculable.’ But those who knew Colonel Fordyce, not only
as a soldier, but as a man and a Christian, can truly estimate his loss to
his regiment and his country. As chaplain to the 74th Highlanders, I had
frequent opportunity of meeting and observing him. I can truly say that,
under God, he devoted himself to his regiment and the service. Though not a
member of the Presbyterian Church, he was never absent from his pew on the
Lord’s-day. I continually found him superintending the regimental Sabbath
and week-day schools, and could trace his kind advice and charity everywhere
among the sick in hospital, the families and recruits of his regiment. On
the evening before the 74th Highlanders left Clonmel for the Cape of Good
Hope, he called and handed me £10 for charitable purposes, requesting that I
should not give his name as the donor. Besides this, he had given, through
my name, within the three preceding months, £15 to other charities. What his
other donations were I know not. From what I have heard, they must have been
numerous, as I am sure they were unostentatious. The lamentable death of
Colonel Fordyce affords me the sad pleasure of acknowledging the benevolence
and worth which he would not permit to be made known while he was alive. I
feel his death as if it were a personal bereavement, and I pray that our
army may be blessed by many such officers.—I remain, yours truly,
"Manse, Clonmel, 10th
January, 1852. "JOHN DILL."
As evincing the Christian and
philanthropic spirit by which Colonel Fordyce was animated, one or two
extracts from letters to the writer of these lines may be given. The
following was received after a domestic bereavement:--
"MY DEAR—,—My having been
sent from Dublin with a flying column in pursuit of Smith O’Brien and other
rebels, must be my apology for not having written to acknowledge the receipt
of the announcement of the deprivation you have sustained, and to assure you
of my unfeigned sympathy. I may express my hope that, sustained by the same
consolations which you have been so long the honoured instrument of
imparting to others, your own bodily health and ability for active exertion
may remain unimpaired.
"I need not trespass upon you
at this time with any notice of the treasonable proceedings here. The
newspapers have given a full account of everything that has occurred; and so
far as we (the column of troops) are concerned, we have seen no enemy
excepting the continual rain, which is, of course, a very disagreeable one,
as we have been marching about and encamped since the 28th July. O’Brien is,
as you know, captured, and quietly lodged in jail, and I have no doubt that
all thought of open armed rebellion is at an end for the present.
"However it may fare with this
unfortunate country, any one of common observation must see that the whole
European world is in an unprecedented state; and that whatever may be our
exact place in the series of predicted events, some great overwhelming
change in the whole structure of human society is impending. My reading of
"Elliot’s Home Apocalypticae" has been interrupted by my present
occupations, before I could get beyond the first volume, or form any opinion
as to his system of interpretation of unfulfilled prophecy. Amidst all the
changes, present and coming, upon this world, we have individually many
warnings to place our hopes on a world where change and cares are alike
unknown,—considerations which it is superfluous in me to suggest to your
matured and practised mind, but which rise naturally as the great
subjects of the day and hour. A tent does not afford a good
writing-table, and damp paper renders my writing more than usually
illegible. I trust that Mrs.— is well; and again assuring you of my good
wishes, beg you to believe me, ever faithfully and sincerely yours,
"Tipperary, 11th August,
1848. "Tipperary, 11th August, 1848. "J. FORDYCE."
The next extract is from a
communication sent after the death of General Sir John Buchan, Colonel
Fordyce’s uncle, and brother of the venerable Mr. Buchan of Kelloe:--
"Although I take a Glasgow
newspaper, ‘The Scottish Guardian,’ in which there is a full account of the
debates in your General Assembly, I have been too much occupied with other
matters to look at them since my return, but I glanced at one speech of Dr.
Duff’s regarding the Indian missions, which appeared to be one of remarkable
eloquence and power. He must be indeed gifted with no common energy of
character, in addition to genius, eloquence, and many acquirements, to be
able to resist the depressing lassitude of an Oriental climate for so many
years,—and now to electrify and command a critical audience, as he appears
to have done for hours during the late meeting of the Assembly."
A subsequent letter, of date
Nov. 8, 1850, inclosing a generous donation for the benefit of certain Free
Church students, who were scantily provided with this world’s goods,
contains the following remarks :—"I have read Dr. Buchanan’s book (the ‘Ten
Years’ Conflict’) with great interest; and although I may confess to you
that, as to my personal taste, I prefer the Liturgy and forms of the Church
of England, and cannot quite see that principle required such a sacrifice as
the disruption of the Church of Scotland, I sincerely believe now that the
cause of the Free Church is in Scotland the cause of Christianity, and that
even persons who have not the strong personal motives which I have to look
favourably upon its exertions, should, with a cardinal at Westminster, sink
all minor differences in their support of Protestant Christianity."
"No one," writes his
excellent brother, Major Fordyce, who had shared along with him the toils
and the perils of the disastrous struggle, "knew my brother’s state of mind
better than I did; for I had for a long time been constantly with him, and I
knew that he was a faithful follower of Christ, and he is now where there is
no more sorrow—no more pain. What a great thing it is to have such
consolation! How much more dreadful would have been the sad bereavement if
we could not have felt the confidence we do that he died a Christian, and
that his removal from this world was the end of all trial to him, and the
commencement of an eternity of joy!"
The following particulars of
the death of this brave officer, who fell whilst fighting against the
Kaffirs at the Cape, are gleaned from letters which appear in the "Graham’s
Town Journal" of 15th November:--
"FORT BEAUFORT, Tuesday.—
After the publication of our extra, the following came to hand, and contains
an account of the melancholy fate of the gallant Colonel Fordyce:—
"November 6.—This being the
promised day, all eyes were directed to the hills, which we knew to have
been planted with the instruments of thunder. The clouds, however, lay piled
in heaps long after sunrise; but no sooner had the rays of his refulgence
escaped from the clouds which intercepted them, than the curtain gradually
rose, and by seven o’clock the frequent report announced that another act of
the dull tragedy had commenced. Peal after peal continued to reverberate
among the steep acclivities of the rocky eminences which rise above the dark
bush that conceals the enemy. Towards mid-day the wind changed to the
south-east, which wafted the sounds from this direction. All were anxiously
awaiting the arrival of intelligence from the scene of strife, as we had
reason to believe that, from the rapid reports, the conflict was maintained
with obstinacy and resolution. Hour succeeded hour, until long after, when
in broken accents it was revealed that Colonel Fordyce had fallen. But as
this report rested upon the authority of a private letter, brought in by two
mounted Fingoes, hopes were entertained that, in the heat and bustle of the
moment, some mistake might have occurred. About nine at night, however, the
event was confirmed by an eye-witness to the melancholy fact, from whom it
appears that the Colonel was leading his men into Waterkloof in column, when
suddenly his march was arrested by a rocky precipice, which flanked him in
the form of a semicircle; here he found the rebels in considerable force,
who knew too well the rules of military tactics to let so favourable an
opportunity escape for inflicting a penalty. The bayonets of our brave
countrymen in such a position were powerless; they had therefore to contend
against an enemy concealed among inaccessible rocks, whom they could not
assail; and thus fell, while showing to his men, by example, the first
duties of a soldier, the good and the gallant Fordyce. Thus fell the father
of his distinguished regiment, to the honour of which all his impulses were
directed. The soldier, the women, and children, to whose comforts he devoted
himself with parental solicitude, will long cherish his remembrance. It is
to be regretted that so valuable a life should have been sacrificed in so
ignoble a strife."
Extract from the leading
article of the "Naval and Military Gazette," February, 1852.— . . . "And
here we may observe that there must have been something singularly
attractive in the noble soldier who fell at the head of the 74th
Highlanders, which, in the short time (six months) he had been in the
colony, and in Graham’s Town in particular, should have so impressed and so
endeared him to the inhabitants that the journals of that town announcing
his death should be margined with black, and the bell of their distant
church has tolled his funeral knell; while the colours, half-mast high,
floated languidly in the air, in token of a hero’s fall!" |
