the barracks, but frequently in public rooms and places allotted for the purpose, which they hired. On these occasions the officers attended, as also many respectable inhabitants of the different towns in which they were at the time quartered, attracted by curiosity, and a feeling of satisfaction from seeing men conduct themselves in such a manner as to reflect credit on the profession to which they belonged. Among these men crimes which require severe punishments had no existence. "Indeed, the men would have considered it a banishment for ever from their native country, where they could not show themselves in day-light, if degraded by disgraceful punishments." Several men, however, deserted, and several received corporal punishment, during the seven years the regiment was stationed in Ireland, but these were men not originally enlisted in the corps; they were a party by themselves, and the "standard and original men of the regiment would not associate with them." Perhaps many military men will be of opinion, that in such cases the addition of numbers is attained at the expence of too great a sacrifice, and that, whether a regiment be one hundred men more or less, is an object of secondary importance, compared with the disgrace which even a few bad men bring on a corps, and the baneful influence of their example. Six or eight men, by their crimes, tarnished the good name, and brought a slur on the character of this most respectable regiment. Was the value of their service equal to the sacrifice?

It is said, that men of bad character will fight as well as men of good; but will their courage be uniform and steady? Will it not fail perhaps in the day of the greatest need; or will a man of dissolute and depraved habits be able to withstand continued fatigue? Or, can a man, without the fear of God, and without religion, be entrusted with a duty beyond the observation and unremitting control of superiors? It has been said by very able officers,

豪

*

On this subject I have had much personal experience while serv

that if they had men, they would soon model them to good soldiers, supposing the machine to be fit for work; or, in other words, the physical constitution and capability to be equal to the necessary duties. Certainly the discipline of zealous judicious officers has done much; but while men of proper habits and good feelings can be recruited in the Highlands, let the character and good name of 800 or 1,000 men not be injured by the misconduct of a few strangers, as in the case of the Reay's; who, but for such an intrusion, would have had the satisfaction of returning to their native glens without a man of their number having been disgraced. But, as it was, those degraded men were not of their country or of their kindred.

The Reay Fencibles were removed to Scotland, and reduced in 1802.

ing with, and commanding, men of the best character in the 42d and 78th regiments; and in the Royal West India Rangers, where I had charge of men who exhibited a perfect contrast to the well regulated habits of the other corps. The difference in the principles which guided the men of these regiments was striking, and afforded many remarkable traits of character, a detail of which might be both interesting and instructive. Three-fourths of the Rangers were men of reprobate habits, who had served in other regiments, and whom it was impossible to reclaim; they were in consequence sent to the West Indies, and banished there as incurables, or to avoid severer punishments.

I intended to have put together some notices on this interesting subject, (for no subject can be more interesting than comparing the conduct of men in a primitive unadulterated state, with that of men debased and void of principle,) and also on the different modes of discipline I found necessary to adopt in carrying on military duty with men of such opposite characters; as also the results, as they appeared by the conduct of the men; but I gave up the idea, from the same cause that made me suppress many anecdotes and incidents which occurred in the course of my military duties, because I was myself often a party concerned, and unwilling to introduce my name, I found that to state facts in the third person, much of the stamp of authenticity was lost.

INVERNESS-SHIRE.

1794.

GOVERNMENT having determined to raise Fencible regiments on a more extended scale of service than those embodied in 1793, Major Baillie of Dunean received letters of service to raise a Fencible corps of 600 men, with the privilege of appointing one field officer with permanent rank in the army.

The service of the men was to extend to England, Ireland, and the British Isles. Major Gordon Cumming of Pitlurg was appointed to the permanent step of lieutenantcolonel. The letters of service were dated the 21st of November 1794, but the corps was not completed till October 1795, when the whole was embodied at Inverness, under the name of the Loyal Inverness Fencible Highlanders. Though the uniform was the full Highland garb, there were not more than 350 Highlanders in the regiment. A considerable proportion of the men was from the Lowlands of Aberdeenshire; a few from the South Lowlands; and some from England; with about forty Welshmen, who appeared more partial to the plaid than some of the Highlanders. To the Lowlanders of Aberdeen, as well as Perthshire, it was more objectionable than to either the English or Irish. When dislikes and jealousies subsist between neighbouring countries or districts, the nearer they are, the more bitter their animosities. The Spaniards and Portuguese hate one another more cordially than they do any other people on earth. Not seventy years ago, antipathies of this nature were very prevalent among this now united people of the Lowland and Highland borders of Angus, Perth, and Stirling; nor was there a town in Scotland where prejudices ran stronger against the Mountaineers than in Perth. Any anecdote favourable to character or conduct was received with a

kind of credulous contempt, or ascribed to that species of virtue sometimes seen among savages. In no town in England, or in any other country wholly strangers, could they be more ridiculed for their poverty, their dress, and all their real or supposed characteristics of ferocity, ignorance, indolence, and superstition, than by the people of that city, in the daily view of the Grampians, and in constant communication with the inhabitants. I know not if it was any remnant of this feeling that made some of the Lowlanders assume the garb with some degree of sulky dislike, while the young men of Wales wore it with great cheerfulness, and seemed to be quite pleased with their own appearance when they put it on.

Immediately after the final inspection, the corps was ordered for Ireland, without waiting for clothing or arms, which were delivered to them at Glasgow, as they marched through to embark. Kilkenny was their first quarters in Ireland; but, in the course of a few years, they traversed the greatest part of that country. Colonel Baillie died in 1797, and Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon Cumming was appointed colonel. *

The recital of the intestine commotions of distant ages, with their characteristic incidents, and the chivalrous fidelity of each party to the cause in which it had embarked, seldom fails to command fixed attention, and to inspire a deep interest. Their remoteness softens down the more unpleasant sensations ready to be awakened at the idea of the misery of a country in such a state, where perhaps brother was arrayed against brother, and friend against friend : And when we read of the battles between the houses of York and Lancaster, of the feuds between the borderers of England and Scotland, of those of the Clans, and of the chivalrous exploits of Montrose and others, in the different intestine commotions and feuds down to that of 1745; the interest with which the imagination views the heroism displayed outweighs the painful consideration of individual

* Colonel Gordon offered to raise a regiment at the same time as Colonel Baillie, but lest their recruiting should interfere with each other, they united, and formed one corps.

suffering, and mitigates the regret, that talents and courage, which ought only to be exerted against an enemy, and in support of the honour, liberty, and independence, of the country, should be wasted by intestine conflict.

The Rebellion in Ireland is too recent to be read with any feeling but that of regret; nor does the recital of the battles in America, however successful, cause any very agreeable emotions. But on those occasions when the Americans behaved with more than usual bravery, it affords a satisfaction to perceive, that the descendants of our forefathers retain a part of their ancient character, although transplanted to a distant region. The well known anecdote of James II. at the battle of La Hogue, shows, that, however blinded by religious bigotry, he felt strongly for the honour of his country's arms; and although so much depended on the success of that battle, and in overpowering or scattering the English fleet; yet, when he was informed that one of the English line of battle had fled,he exclaimed, in a rage, that it was false, as an English man of war never ran away.

The Inverness-shire Fencibles were actively employed during the Rebellion, and on every occasion behaved with spirit. But, actuated by the considerations I have just noticed, and from the unpleasant feelings which many of the events of the late unhappy insurrection creates, with so few circumstances to relieve them, I wish to abstain from all the details of the particular duties of the different corps employed on that occasion, and following the same rule in this instance, I shall only add, that, when placed in what was called free quarters, as in an enemy's country, the soldiers composing this corps conducted themselves throughout with great and conciliating moderation towards the misguided and unfortunate inhabitants.

After the suppression of the Rebellion, in compliment to their good behaviour, the designation of the corps was changed to "the Duke of York's Royal Inverness-shire Highlanders." The establishment was increased, and blue facings were substituted for the former, which were yellow.