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The first of these regiments consisted of three companies of
105 men each. A relation of the celebrated Field-Marshall
Keith, Major Robert Murray Keith, who had served in the Scotch Brigade in Holland, was
appointed to the command. About the end of the year 1759 this regiment joined the allied
army in Germany under Prince Frederick of Brunswick.
The Highlanders were not long in the allied camp when they were brought into action. On
the 3d of January 1760 the Marquis de Vogue attacked and carried the town of Herborn, and
made a small detachment of the allies who were posted there prisoners. At the same time
the Marquis Dauvet made himself master of Dillenburg, the garrison of the allied troops
retiring into the castle, where they were closely besieged. Prince Ferdinand no sooner
understood their situation than he began to march with a strong detachment for their
relief on the 7th of January, when he attacked and defeated the besiegers. On the same day
"the Highlanders under Major Keith, supported by the hussars of Luckner, who
commanded the whole detachment, attacked the village of Eybach, where Beau Fremonte's
regiment of dragoons was posted, and routed them with great slaughter. The greater part of
the regiment was killed, and many prisoners were taken, together with two hundred horses
and all their baggage. The Highlanders distinguished themselves on this occasion by their
intrepidity, which was the more remarkable, as they were no other than raw recruits, just
arrived from their own country, and altogether unacquainted with discipline". The
Highlanders had 4 men killed and 7 wounded.
Prince Ferdinand was so well satisfied with the conduct of this body, that he recommended
to the governor not only to increase it to 800 men, but to raise another regiment of equal
strength, to be placed under his serene highness. This recommendation was instantly
attended to, and, in a few weeks, the requisite number of men was raised in the counties
of Argyle, Perth, Inverness, Ross, and Sutherland. The command of the new regiment was
conferred on John Campbell of Dunoon; but power was reserved to the Earls of Sutherland
and Breadalbane, the lairds of Macleod and Innes, and other gentlemen in the north, to
appoint captains and subalterns to companies raised on their respective estates. Major
Macnab, son of the laird of Macnab; Captain Archibald Campbell, brother of Achallader;
John Campbell of Auch, and other officers, were recommended by Lord Breadalbane; and
Macleod, who raised a company in Skye, appointed his nephew, Captain Fothringham of Powrie
to it. Sir James Innes, chief of that name, who succeeded to the estates and Dukedom of
Roxburgh in the year 1810, was also appointed to a company.
Keith's regiment was embodied at Perth and Campbell's at Stirling, and being embodied at
the same time, and ordered on the same service, an interchange of officers took place.
Embarking for Germany they joined the allied army, under Prince Ferdinand, in 1760, and
were distinguished by being placed in the grenadier brigade.
The allied army moved from Kalle on the 30th of July 1760, in consequence of the advance
of the French, who took up a position on the river Dymel. The hereditary prince of
Brunswick, who had passed that river the preceding day, was directed by Prince Ferdinand
to turn the left of the enemy, who were posted between Warburg and Ochsendorff, whilst he
himself advanced in front with the main body of the army. The French were attacked almost
at the same moment both in flank and rear, and defeated with considerable loss. In an
account of the battle written by Prince Ferdinand to George II, he says, "that the
loss of the allies, which was moderate, fell chiefly upon Maxwell's brave battalion of
English grenadiers and the two regiments of Scots Highlanders, which did wonders. Colonel
Beckwith, who commanded the whole brigade formed of English grenadiers and Scots
Highlanders, distinguished himself greatly". None of the Highlanders were killed, but
Lieutenant Walter Ogilvie, and two privates were wounded.
Another affair soon occurred in which the Highlanders also distinguished themselves.
Prince Ferdinand, having determined to beat up the quarters of a large French detachment
stationed at Zierenburg, pitched upon five battalions, with a detachment of the
Highlanders and eight regiments of dragoons, for this service. This body began their march
on the night of the 5th of August, and when within two miles of the town the corps
proceeded by three different roads - Maxwell's brigade of grenadiers, the regiment of
Kingsby, and the Highlanders, keeping together. They marched in profound silence, and
though their tramp was at last heard by the French, the surprise was too sudden for
effectual resistance. "The Scots Highlanders mounted the breaches sword in hand,
supported by the Chasseurs. The column of English grenadiers advanced in good order and
with the greatest silence. In short, the service was complete, and the troops displayed
equal courage, soldier-like conduct, and activity". The loss of the Highlanders in
this affair was 3 privates killed and 6 wounded.
The hereditary prince being hard pressed by Marshal de Castries, was reinforced from the
camp at Warburg. The Highlanders joined him on the 14th of October shortly after he had
been attacked by the Marshal, who had compelled him to retire. The prince now attacked the
French commander in his turn, but was unsuccessful, being obliged again to retire after a
warm contest, which lasted from five till nine in the morning. The Highlanders, who
"were in the first column of attack, were the last to retreat, and kept their ground
in the face of every disadvantage, even after the troops on their right and left had
retired. The Highlanders were so exasperated with the loss they sustained that it was with
difficulty they could be withdrawn, when Colonel Campbell received orders from an aide
de-camp sent by the prince, desiring him to retreat as to persist in maintaining his
position longer would be a useless waste of human life". In this action Lieutenants
William Ogilvie and Alexander Macleod of the Highlanders, 4 sergeant, and 37 rank and file
were killed, and Captain Archibald Campbell of Achallader, Lieutenants Gordon Clunes,
Archibald Stewart, Angus Mackintosh of Killachy, and Walter Barland, and 10 rank and file
wounded.
On the preceding night an attempt was made by Major Pollock, with 100 grenadiers and the
same number of Keith's Highlanders, to surprise the convent of Closter Camp, where a
detachment of the enemy was posted, and where, it was supposed, the French commander and
some of his officers were to pass the night; but this attempt miscarried. On reaching the
sentinel of the main-guard Major Pollock rushed upon him and ran him through the body with
his sword. The wounded man, before falling, turned round upon his antagonist and shot him
with a pistol, upon which they both fell dead.
The next affair in which the Highlanders were engaged was the battle of Fellinghausen, in
July 1762. The commander in chief, in a general order, thus expressed his approbation of
the conduct of the corps in this action: "His serene highness, Duke Ferdinand of
Brunswick, had been graciously pleased to order Colonel Beckwith to signify to the brigade
he has the honor to command his entire approbation of their conduct on the 15th and 16th
of July. The soldier-like perseverance of the Highland regiments in resisting and
repulsing the repeated attacks of the chosen troops of France, has deservedly gained them
the highest honor. The ardor and activity with which the grenadiers pushed and pursued the
enemy, and the trophies they have taken, justly entitle them to the highest encomiums. The
intrepidity of the little band of Highlanders merits the greatest praise". Colonel
Beckwith, in making his communication, added, that "the humanity and generosity with
which the soldiers treated the great flock of prisoners they took, did them as much honor
as their subduing the enemy". In this action Major Archibald Campbell of Achallader,
who had been promoted only a week before, and Lieutenants William Ross and John Grant, and
31 rank and file, were killed; and Major Archibald Macnab, Captain James Fraser,
Lieutenants Archibald Macarthur, Patrick Campbell, and John Mackintosh, brother of
Killachy and father of Sir James Mackintosh, 2 sergeants, and 70 privates, were wounded.
No enterprise of any moment was attempted till the 28th of June 1762, when Prince
Ferdinand attacked the French army at Graibenstein, and defeated them. The French lost
upwards of 4000 men in killed, wounded, and prisoners, including 200 officers, whilst that
sustained by the allies did not exceed 700 men. The British troops, who were under the
command of the Marquis of Granby, "behaved with a bravery not to be paralleled,
especially our grenadiers and Highlanders".
The Highlanders, from the distinction they had earned in these different encounters, now
began to attract the especial notice of the Germans. At a time when an entire ignorance
prevailed among the people of England respecting the Highlanders, it is not to be wondered
at that the Germans should have formed the most extraordinary notions of these
mountaineers. In common with the English they looked upon the Highlanders as savages; but
their ignorance went farther, for the people of Germany actually believed that the
Highlanders were still strangers to Christianity. "The Scotch Highlanders", says
an article which appeared in the Vienna Gazette of 1762, "are a people totally
different in their dress, manners, and temper from the other inhabitants of Britain. They
are caught in the mountains when young, and still run with a surprising degree of
swiftness. As they are strangers to fear, they make very good soldiers when disciplined.
The men are of low stature, and the most of them old or very young. They discover an
extraordinary submission and love of their officers, who are all young and handsome. From
the goodness of their dispositions in every thing - for the boors are better treated by
these savages than by the polished French and English; from the goodness of their
disposition, which, by the by, shows the rectitude of human nature before it is vitiated
by example of prejudice, it is to be hoped that their king's laudable, though late,
endeavors to civilize and instruct them in the principles of Christianity will meet with
success!". The article adds, that the "French held them at first in great
contempt, but they have met with them so often of late, and seen them in the front of so
many battles, that they firmly believe that there are twelve battalions of them in the
army instead of two. Broglio himself has lately said that he once wished that he was a man
of six feet high, but that now he is reconciled to his size since he has seen the wonders
performed by the little mountaineers". An acquaintance with the Highlanders soon
dissipated the illusions under which the Germans labored.
The Highlanders were not engaged in the battle of Johannisberg, in which the allies were
worsted; but on the 21st of September, in the subsequent action at Brucher Muhl, they took
a part. The French occupied a mill on one side of the road, and the allies a redoubt on
the other, and the great object of both parties was to obtain possession of a small post
which defended the bridge at Brucher Muhl. At first a slight cannonade was opened from a
few guns, but these were speedily augmented to twenty-five heavy pieces on each side. In
the post occupied by the allies there was only at first 100, but during the action, which
lasted without intermission for fifteen hours, no less than seventeen regiments were
successively brought forward, replacing one another after they had spent their ammunition.
Both sides remained in their respective positions, and although the contest was long and
severe the allies lost only 600 in killed and wounded. The Highland corps had Major
Alexander Maclean and 21 rank and file killed, and Captain Patrick Campbell and Lieutenant
Walker Barland, 3 sergeants, and 58 rank and file wounded.
On the conclusion of hostilities in November 1762 the Highlanders were ordered home. In
the three campaigns in which they had served they had established a well-earned reputation
for bravery; and so great was the estimation in which they were held by the Dutch, that,
on their march through Holland, they were welcomed with acclamations, particularly by the
women, who presented them with laurel leaves; a feeling which, it is said, was in some
measure owing to the friendly intercourse which had previously existed between the
inhabitants and the Scotch brigade.
After landing at Tilbury Fort, the regiments marched for Scotland, and were received
everywhere on their route with the most marked attention, particularly at Derby, the
inhabitants of which town presented the men with gratuities in money. Among various
reasons assigned for the remarkable predilection shown by the people of Derby, the most
probable is, a feeling of gratitude for the respect shown by the Highlanders to the
persons and properties of the inhabitants when visited by them in the year 1745.
Keith's regiment was marched to Perth and Campbell's to Linlithgow, and they were reduced
in July 1763.
The total loss of these corps was 150 men besides 7 officers killed; and 170 men, 13
officers, wounded. |
