One of the kind colonel's reasons for not flogging a man seems rather original:

R.O., May 19th, 1799.-Corporal Buchanan of the Light Company is reduced by court-martial for allowing sentries to relieve each other. For particular reasons which appeared, the court did not sentence him to corporal punishment, which the commission of such an unmilitary crime would certainly have merited. The lieut.-colonel is sorry that a corporal, of whom he entertained so good an opinion, should have so far forgot himself, and hopes it will be a warning to him in future. At the same court-martial was tried Donald M'Kinnon, for allowing himself to be relieved without the corporal, and he was sentenced to one hundred lashes. The punishment awarded is so trifling for an offence attended with so bad consequences, that the commanding officer remits it entirely.

He then goes on to explain what might be the consequences of such conduct. Lieut.-Colonel Erskine seems to have been quite as attentive to the health and comfort of his men as he was to their discipline and appearance.

Dinner was then the only regular meal; the men just took a snack as they chose in the morning and evening; and it was only in the spring of 1799 that all the companies are to be provided with knives and forks as the Grenadiers have."

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At this time Volunteer Charles Cameron,† who had been primarily made adjutant of a light battalion, was appointed ensign in the 92nd, vice Dowd. Volunteer Alexander Clark to be ensign 92nd, vice William MacPherson. Volunteer John MacPherson to be ensign 92nd, vice John MacPherson.

The nationality of officers of the regiment is given in a General Return of the name, country, age, and service of the

One hundred lashes would hardly be considered a trifling punishment in modern days!

+ Charles Cameron became a most distinguished officer in the 3rd Regiment. He belonged to Kilmallie, Inverness-shire. (Note on Description Roll signed by Col. J. MacDonald.) Alexander Clark belonged to Kingussie, Inverness; John MacPherson to Laggan, Inverness. There is also a man named Ronald M'Donald, from South Uist, Inverness, opposite whose name in the Description Roll is "to ensign," but no date or regiment given. He enlisted May 1794. These men seem originally to have enlisted as ordinary recruits.

officers of His Majesty's 92nd Regiment or Gordon Highlanders, reviewed at Athlone, April 14th, 1799:

And of N.-C. officers and soldiers at the same date :

R.O., March 7th, 1799.-Lieut.-Colonel Erskine is extremely sorry that the charges to be made against the men on the 24th inst. shall be so heavy, but as he knows every good soldier prides himself on the neatness of his head-dress, and particularly every Highlander on the smartness of his bonnet, he is confident they would wish that their money should be disposed in that way, rather than in many others, in which neither their own pride nor the credit of their regiment is concerned. He is the more convinced of this from the expense of the * The "foreigners" seem to be Colin M'Kenzie, Alexander M'Arthur, and John M'Pherson, entered as from the parish of Minorca, Spain, labourers, but had served in the 73rd, 44th, and 66th Regiments, and been transferred from them.

bonnets not being nearly so great as in any other Highland regiment that he has heard of, which will show that he has attended as much as possible to their cheapness. The following is the expense of the bonnets, with different articles that are charged:

Officers to be careful that deductions are made for any feathers a man has supplied himself with. Forage caps, 2s. 6d. each; rosettes, 2d.; all in British currency.

*

R.O., March 21st.-The captain of the day reported the barrack-room of the Light Infantry Company to be especially dirty. The orderly-sergeant of that company was tried by court-martial and sentenced to be suspended for two months. To be read in the presence of all the N.-C. officers.

R.O.-Lieut.-Colonel Erskine will go round barracks to see the different messes sit down to dinner. All officers to be with their companies.

R.O., March.-Extra shoes to be kept for the men, in case of the regiment being suddenly ordered to take the field.

R.O.-Knapsacks not to be put on too low, that the men may more easily get at their powder in priming and loading.

R.O., April 1st.-Number of flints to be specified to complete the battalion to two flints a man.

On April 1st the regiment wanted to complete 172 rank and file.

R.O., April 7th.-The regiment will parade to-morrow to fire ball, twelve rounds a man.†

On the 6th May, His Majesty signified his pleasure that

* At this period, and until 1825, Irish coinage was depreciated to the extent of 8 per cent.

This is the first notice of firing ball, though blank cartridge is previously mentioned.

the establishment of the 92nd Regiment should be forthwith augmented to 1000 rank and file.

R.O.-Men are to be subsisted at the rate of 5s. 5d. Irish per week; no man to be subsisted at less than 5s. Irish.

Those officers who wish to have the new regulation Highland sword will be pleased to send in their names to the Orderly Room.

In May 1798, General Bonaparte had been sent by the French Directory on an expedition to Egypt. On the way, Malta, then governed by the Grand Master and Knights of the Order of St John, was surprised and seized, and thus one of the strongest fortresses in Europe, so essential to his communications from Egypt to France, was placed in his hands. He took Alexandria after slight resistance, and the victory of the Pyramids opened to him the gates of Cairo. Egypt belonged to Turkey, and the Sublime Porte, incensed by the unprovoked invasion, declared war against France, and formed an alliance with Russia. The fleet which had conveyed the French troops to Egypt was destroyed by Admiral Nelson at Aboukir on the 1st August, so that a large portion of the army of France was cut off from Europe, and confined to the territory it had conquered on the Nile.

In November 1798, the Island of Minorca surrendered to the British arms.†

In March 1799, the French declared war against Austria, and the Russians, under Suwarrow, rapidly recovered all the conquests made by Bonaparte in Italy, except Genoa. The Irish Rebellion having been put down, and it being unlikely that the French would again risk an invasion of Ireland, the British Government felt secure in that quarter, and was enabled to continue the contest elsewhere. In December 1798, Great Britain secured the co-operation of Russia for the prosecution of a Continental expedition.

In the unfortunate campaign in Holland of 1794, the Prince of Orange and the Duke of York had been compelled to retire before the overwhelming armies of France, and,

Probably brass-mounted, instead of steel.

+ Minorca had been in possession of the British at various periods, but was at this time part of the Spanish dominions.

though the Dutch at first tried to defend themselves, a large portion of the nation was willing to fraternise with the French. The Stadtholder and a great number of the better class fled to England, and Holland submitted to the dominion of France almost without resistance.

Of all the military undertakings calculated to cripple the Republic of France, and to turn the fortune of war in favour of Great Britain, none appeared more attractive to the Cabinet of St James's than the restoration of the Stadtholder. This measure was not only directed against every remaining succour and resource that France could draw from Holland, but would force her to employ a considerable body of troops intended to augment the army of the Rhine, would make an important diversion by opening the campaign in the Low Countries with a force attached to the Orange interest, and, if successful, a political separation between France and Holland must take place, and England once more secure the guarantee of her influence on the Continent.*

A joint expedition against Holland was accordingly prepared, and it was agreed that Great Britain should furnish 13,000 troops and a fleet, and Russia 17,000 men. The Gordon Highlanders were selected to take part in this important service; and the young regiment, which had gained such golden opinions for its honourable conduct from the population among whom it had been sent to keep order, was for the first time to have the opportunity of showing that it could be equally trusted to uphold the honour of its country before a foreign foe.

G.O., Athlone, 12th June 1799.-The 92nd Regiment to march agreeable to route to Cork. 1st Division to-morrow morning at whatever hour Lieut.-Colonel Erskine will appoint.

The regiment marched in two divisions, and encamped at Monkstown on the 24th and 25th of June. They were relieved at Athlone by the Glengarry Fencibles.

The following address and answer were published in Orders at Monkstown :

"At a meeting of the inhabitants of Athlone and vicinity,

*The analysis of military events relative to the late expedition to Holland. "Ann. Journal, Vol. II."