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A History of the Scottish Highlands

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A History of the Scottish Highlands Ill I a — STIRLING AND FRAN CINE CLAR1C ART INSTITUTE L1BRART KfHT'B-gH-'S' Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Library http://archive.org/details/historyofs.cottis007kelt — :/ ,. <r < jm^mh\.mm*mmm^'>m*miih I H MEMORY OF THE OFFICERS. NON COM MISSIONED OFFICERS AND PRIVATE SOLDIERS ORTHES UCONQERCG». OF THE 42*.°R0YAL HIGHLANDERS THE BLACK WATCH WHO FELL IN WAR TOULOUSE MARTINIQUE FROM THE CREATION OF THE REGIMENT TD THE CLOSE OF THE INDIAN MUTINY IS59 GAUOELOUPE PENINSULA THE 10 IKOEPENOENT COMPANIES OF THE FREACnOANOUBH, OR BLACK WATCH WERE FORMED INTO A REGIMENT ON THE WATERLOO 25'." OCTOBER 1739 AND THE FIRST MUS1ER TOOK PLACE IN MAY 1740 IN A FIELD BETWEEN TAYBRIDGE ANO ABERFELOY CORUNNA HERE 'MONO THE HILLS THAT MLIRSEO EACH HARDY GAEL. OUR VOTIVE MARBLE TELLS THE SOLDIER'S TALE. CATHEDRAL WALLS FUENTES D'ON ARTS MJGIC POWER EACH PERISHEO FRIEND RECALLS. AND HEROES HAUHT THESE OLO PYRENEES ERECTED BY OFFICERS OF THE CORPS 1872. A- — "•- - " •--- - - ' ——————— H----I-- 'TKWf- —:—— 5 MONUMENT IN DUNKELD CATHEDRAL. MACKINTOSH. COLONELS OF THE 4,2*? ROYAL HIGHLANDER E A R L • MACLEOD AND MACKENZI E,7I !T AND 78™ MACINTYRE, BATTLE OF VITTOETA. 385 Hill pushed forward from Alava to attack the directed to the movements of Marshal Soult, left. The enemy dreading the consequences who was advancing with a large army, the of an attack on his centre, which he had siege of St Sebastian was suspended for a weakened to strengthen his posts on the time. heights, abandoned his position, and commenced At this time the allied army occupied a range a rapid retreat to Vittoria of mountain passes between the valley of Whilst these combined movements of the lioncesvalles, celebrated as the field of Charle- right and centre were in progress, the left magne's defeat, and St Sebastian, but as the wing, under Sir Thomas Graham, drove the distance between these stations was sixty miles, enemy's right from the hills above Abechuco it was found impossible so to guard all these and Gamarra. To preserve their communi- passes as .to prevent the entrance of an army. cation with Bayonne, which was nearly cut off The passes occupied by the allies were defended by this movement, the enemy had occupied the by the following troops : —Major General Byng's villages of Gamarra, Mayor, and Menor, near brigade and a division of Spanish infantry held which the great road touches the banks of the the valley of Roneesvalles, to support which Zadorra. They were, however, driven from General Cole's division was posted at Piscarret, these positions by a Spanish division under with General Picton's in reserve at Olaque; the Colonel Longa, and another of Portuguese valley of Bastan and the pass of Maya was under General Pack, supported by General occupied by Sir Rowland Hill, with Lieutenant- Anson's cavalry brigade and the fifth division general William Stewart's and Silviera's Portu- of infantry under General Oswald. General guese divisions, and the Spanish corps under Graham, at the same time, attacked and ob- the Conde de Amaran ; the Portuguese brigade tained possession of the village of Abechuco. of Brigadier-general Archibald Campbell was Thus cut off from retreat by the great road detached to Los Alduidos ; the heights of St to France, the enemy, as soon as the centre of Barbara, the town of Pera, and the Puerto de the allies had penetrated to Vittoria, retreated Echelar, were protected by Lord Dalhousie with great precipitation towards Pampluna, the and Baron Alten's light division, Brigadier- only other road left open, and on which they general Pack's being in reserve at Estevan. had no fortified positions to cover their retro- The communication between Lord Dalhousie grade movement. The enemy left behind them and General Graham was kept up by General all their stores and baggage, and out of 152 pieces Longa's Spanish division ; and the Conde de of cannon, they carried off only one howitzer. Abisbal blockaded Pampluna. General Hill, with his division, continued to Such were the positions of the allied army pursue the panic-stricken French from one when Marshal Soult, who had been lately ap- position to another till the 7th of Jul}', when pointed to the command of a numerous French he took post on the summit of the pass of army, recently collected, having formed a plan Maya, beyond the Pyrenees, " those lofty of operations for a general attack on the allied heights which," as Marshal Soult lamented, in army, advanced on the 25th of July at the a proclamation he issued, "enabled him proudly head of a division of 36,000 men against to survey our fertile valleys." Eoncesvalles, whilst General Count d'Erlon, With the exception of Pampluna and St with another division of 13,000 men, moved Sebastian, the whole of this part of the north towards the pass of Maya. Pressed by this of Spain waa now cleared of the enemy. To overwhelming force, General Byng was obliged, reduce these places was the next object. It though supported by part of Sir Lowry Cole's was resolved to blockade the former and lay division, to descend from the heights that siege to the latter, which last-mentioned service commanded the pass, in order to preserve his was intrusted to General Graham. This was a communication, in which situation he was most arduous task, as St Sebastian was, in attacked by Soult and driven back to the top point of strength, next to Gibraltar. of the mountain, whilst the troops on the ridge After an unsuccessful assault, however, the of Arola, part of Cole's division, were forced attention of the commander-in-chief being to retire with considerable loss, and to take up 3c 386 HISTOEY OF THE HIGHLAND REGIMENTS. a position in the rear. General Cole was heights occupied by the fourth division, but again obliged to retire, and fell back on they were repulsed at all points, except one Lizoain. Next day General Pieton moved occupied by a Portuguese battalion, which was forward to support General Cole, but botli overpowered and obliged to give way. The were obliged to retire in consequence of Soult's occupation of this post by the enemy exposed advance. the flank of Major-General Boss's brigade, Meanwhile Count d'Erlon forced the bat- immediately on the right, to a destructive fire, talions occupying the narrow ridges near the which forced him to retire. The enemy were, pass of Maya to give way ; but these being however, soon dispossessed of this post hy quickly supported by Brigadier-general Barnes's Colonel John Maclean, who, advancing with brigade, a series of spirited actions ensued, and the 27th and 48th regiments, charged and the advance of the enemy was arrested. General drove them from it, and immediately after- Hill hearing of the retrograde movement from wards attacked and charged another body of Eoncesvalles, retired behind the lrurita, and the enemy who were advancing from the left. took up a strong position. On the 27th Sir The enemy persevered in his attacks several Thomas Pieton resumed his retreat. The times, but was as often repulsed, principally by troops wrere greatly dejected at this temporary the bayonet. Several regiments charged four reverse ; but the arrival of Lord Wellington, different times. who had been with the army before St Sebas- After various successful attacks, the enemy, tian, revived their drooping spirits. Imme- on the 30th, to use the words of Lord Wel- diately on his arrival he directed the troops in lington, ".abandoned a position which is one reserve to move forward to support the divi- of the strongest and most difficult of access sion opposed to the enemy; formed General that I have yet seen occupied by troops." The Picton's division on a ridge on the left bank enemy were now pursued beyond Olaque, in of the Argua, and General Cole's on the high the vicinity of which General Hill, who had grounds between that river and the Lanz. To been engaged the whole day, had repulsed all support the positions in front, General Hill the attacks of Count d'Erlon. was posted behind the Lizasso; but, on the The enemy endeavoured to rally in their arrival of General Pakenham on the 28th, he retreat, but were driven from one position to took post on the left of General Cole, facing another till the 2d of August, when the allies the village of Sourarom ; but before the British had regained all the posts they had occupied divisions had fully occupied the ground, they on the 25th of July, when Soult made his first were vigorously attacked by the enemy from attack. As the 9 2d or Gordon Highlanders the village. The enemy were, however, driven was the Highland . regiment which had the back with great loss. good fortune to be engaged in these brilliant Soult next brought forward a strong column, attacks, in which they particularly distinguished and advancing up the hill against the centre themselves, ' the account of these operations of the allies, on the left of General Cole's line, might have been deferred till we come to give obtained possession of that post, but he was an account of the services of that excellent almost immediately driven back at the point regiment ; but as the omission of these details of the bayonet by the Fusiliers. The French in this place would have broken the continuity renewed the attack, but were again quickly of the narrative, it was deemed proper to insert repulsed.
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