CHAPTER XII.

ON September 3rd Sir John Hope's Division embarked on transports on the eastern Scheldt and dropped down to the Vere-Gat, where they anchored, and for some reason were detained till the 8th, fever and ague increasing so rapidly that before they reached England more than half the men were under medical treatment. To prevent it spreading, the worst cases were removed into boats placed under awnings on deck.

The first man who died was a tall handsome Grenadier, and, seeing that his death had a bad effect on the spirits of the other patients, the officers endeavoured to soothe their excited feelings by kindly and hopeful words. While one of them was so employed, an athletic Grenadier named Willie Milne, whose body was stronger than his mind, leaped deliriously from his boat bed, and was only prevented by the sentry from throwing himself overboard. Early next morning the officer went on deck expecting to find poor Willie in the last stage of the disease, but instead of finding him soliciting the grim King of Terrors for a respite, he found him. pressing his pay-sergeant for a beef and bread breakfast, which, being against the doctor's orders, the sergeant was in duty bound to refuse. Then with an appealing look which would have softened a harder heart than that of the worthy N.-C. officer, the convalescent Grenadier said, "Weel, weel, Sergeant M'Combie, an' ye think the like o' that o'er strong for my puir stamack; just gang to the cook an' gar him mak' me a drap parritch, an' gude's sake, sergeant, to mak' them gey an' thick!"* This request of a man supposed to be dying did as much good to his companions in distress by the merriment it created as the porridge no doubt did to Willie, who lived for many years on a pension which enabled him to mix his meal as thick as he liked. †

* Parliamentary Papers.

+

66

Military Memoirs."

On the 10th, they cast anchor in the Downs, where Colonel Cameron landed, in order to get permission from the first general officer he could find to land the battalion at once. They sailed next day for Harwich, where, owing to contrary winds, they did not arrive till the evening of the 13th. Here the worst cases of fever were landed and consigned to the care of the medical staff; some were taken in boats to Ipswich, and on the 14th the battalion landed at Land-Guard Fort and proceeded that day to Woodbridge Barracks. "Never did I witness," says an officer, " a spectacle more heartrending than the removal of the sick from the transports to the shore, and thence to Woodbridge. The emaciated figures and thin pale faces of the poor sufferers, the agonised groans which the jolting of the waggons drew from their death-like lips, forced tears from my eyes as I moved along."

Owing to the state of the battalion from sickness, and the men's accounts not being settled, no officer was to apply for leave of absence.

R.O.-Lieut.-Colonel Cameron strongly recommends officers of companies to provide stirabout with milk or ale for the men's breakfast, and Mr M'Intosh, acting surgeon to the battalion, is desired to be in the hospital early and late, and never to be out of barracks for more than two hours at a time, and to make constant reports to the commanding officer: "Officers commanding companies will supply each convalescent with a pint of porter daily, as Mr M'Intosh thinks it would be good for them."

For several weeks the sick list daily increased till fully 400 men were in hospital. Many died, and at first were buried with military honours; but afterwards, as the medical officers represented the depressing effect of the "Dead March" on their patients, the music at funerals was stopped, and the mournful processions passed on in silence, broken only by the lamentations of comrades or the wailing of a widow and her orphan children. As the pathetic old song has it" For the Lowlands o' Holland hae twined my love and me."

G.O., Headquarters, Colchester.-The general directs that the utmost attention be given to the troops lately returned from the Scheldt, and recommends the greatest attention to

cleanliness and moderate exercise, but no long drills or field days.

G.O., September 19th, 1809.-In consequence of the illhealth of the 92nd Regiment, they will be excused from garrison duty for a short time, officers excepted. Battalions returned from Holland to be inspected daily by the surgeon, that the first symptoms of illness may be discovered. No band to play near the hospital.

R.O., September 18th and 19th.-All fatigue clothing to be well washed. Men not to go about the barrack square in greatcoats. Convalescents ordered exercise by the surgeon to be marched out regularly by Sergeant Duncan M'Pherson of the 4th Company.

On the 1st October there were sick in the regimental hospital-4 sergeants, 1 drummer, 4 corporals, and 87 privates; convalescent in barrack rooms--9 sergeants, 7 drummers, 17 corporals, and 277 privates, and a large number of sick N.-C. officers and privates were sent for their health to Ramsgate, Deal, Dover, etc. A memo. on the state of October 1st says:

Of the number in hospital, there are about fifty approaching a state of convalescence; the remainder in hospital are in the acute state of the disease. The new cases are but few, and generally slight; the number of deaths have been twenty-one of the sick present. As the disease generally terminates in ague, the recovery is likely to be tedious with approaching season of the year. I am of opinion the greater number of the convalescents will not be fit for active service for six months at least, and even for common duty for some considerable time. There is no doubt that the disease has made more progress in consequence of the men not having been completely reinstated in their health from the effects of the fever subsequent to the campaign in Spain.

The battalion continued sickly throughout the autumn, and Colonel Cameron, who had received leave of absence to the Highlands, writes to his parents that the sickness among his men is so distressing that they must excuse him. so wedded to these poor fellows that I cannot leave them in

'I am

*

their present state." He also mentions some of the soldiers belonging to the parts about Locheil where his father lived at Fassiefern, for the information of their families. "The little Bo-man's son is alive and doing well-he is our quartermaster-sergeant-and Kenedy's son from Moy, Peter More's friend, is our sergeant-major. The Bo-man's son has begged me to forward you (enclosed) one-half of a £10 note to assist his father's family, the other half he will forward to his brother by next post. He is a very siccar lad." "Poor MacKenzie from Ballachulish, or rather from Ounich, was taken prisoner in the retreat from Spain, and has not since been heard of." † The colonel also mentions with pleasure that no one of the men who joined along with him had behaved ill or "is even a questionable character."

But though the commanding officer felt for the sick, he had no idea of allowing any want of smartness or inattention to duty among the healthy, whether officers, N.-C. officers, or private soldiers.

The Jubilee of King George III. was celebrated on the 25th October. One hundred men with a proportion of officers from each corps in garrison attended a thanksgiving service at church in the town of Woodbridge. The garrison paraded at one o'clock, Royal Artillery on the right, 92nd next, Volunteers on their left, the Berwick Regiment and 2nd Hussars (German) on the left of the line. The artillery fired fifty rounds, the other troops firing a feu-de-joie, "the men will give three 'loud huzzas."" "The Grenadier Company of the 92nd, with the King's colour, will then take post in front a little to the right of the main guard, open ranks and present arms as the head of the column comes up to them; the line will then march past in open column of troops and companies, officers and colours saluting the King's colour of the 92nd."

The joyful occasion was marked by the release from confinement of all delinquents imprisoned for offences of a military nature.

Dense masses of the population came to see the review,

* Cattleman.

This man, according to his relations still at Ounich, seems to have rejoined afterwards, was at Waterloo, and retired on a pension.

and by re-echoing the cheers of the soldiery, proclaimed the popularity of George III.—the father of his people—who had completed the fiftieth year of his eventful reign; and no doubt soldiers and farmers afterwards joined in drinking his health with equal heartiness and cordiality. The officers of the whole garrison dined together at five o'clock, and a grand ball finished the rejoicings.

The kilt was not then recognised in England as an evening costume. Sir Walter Scott had not yet thrown over it the glamour of romance, nor had George IV. made it the fashion by appearing in it at Court, as he did at Holyrood in 1822. R.O., October 24th.-Officers parade to-morrow in the Highland dress. Staff officers to be present dressed in white pantaloons and half-boots. Officers will appear in white pantaloons and half-boots at the ball on Thursday evening.

Colonel Cameron, though a very strict disciplinarian when he saw occasion for it, took all ranks into his confidence. R.O., Woodbridge, November 2nd, 1809.-Lieut.-Colonel Cameron thinks it necessary to inform the battalion that upon the promotion of Corporal Christie, he was not aware of some part of his conduct, which reflects little to his credit as a soldier, when on the expedition to Portugal, or he would not have promoted him upon any condition.

Some months after-R.O.-Private Alexander Cameron 2nd, of the Grenadier Company, to do duty as corporal, in the 1st Company. In making Private Cameron a corporal, the commanding officer thinks it proper to acquaint the regiment that although he has had several very strong recommendations in his favour, yet from his former conduct he could not have been induced to appoint him had not Captain M'Donald, commanding officer of his company, assured him that for some time past his conduct had been most exemplary.

Again, from the long and faithful service of Private John Davie,* the commanding officer is induced to give him another trial as sergeant, and hopes that his future conduct will be such as to show him sensible of such indulgence; and the Order goes on to say how much the good or bad conduct of N.-C. officers may influence that of the men who witness it.

* John Davie had been one of the original sergeants in 1794.