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Footsoldiers of Empire: The Highland Regiments |
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Soldiers from the Black Watch
© Scran |
From the beginning of the service of the Highland Regiments in the British army, the high command did not always treat them in a manner befitting the bravery shown on the field of battle by the ordinary soldiers.
Perhaps the first example of this comes only three years after the formation of the Black Watch when, under the illusion that they would only be posted in the Highlands, they were instead ordered down to London with the obvious intention of being posted abroad. The rumour spread among the men that their destination was the West Indies – where most soldiers could expect to fall victim to disease – and mutiny broke out. Over a hundred reached Northamptonshire before being surrounded at brought back to London. Three of their leaders were shot in the Tower of London, while the rest of the regiment were sent to Flanders.
Another serious incident occurred at Leith in April 1779. The 83rd Regiment, a Lowland formation due to sail to America, was brought up to strength by drafting in men from Highland regiments. Around fifty of them refused to embark, on the grounds that, were they to become part of a lowland regiment, they would be forced to give up the kilt. After a brief skirmish with 200 government troops thirty of the mutineers were killed or wounded and the rest imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle.
The disregard of the General staff was masked in a fashion by the tales of stoicism and extraordinary bravery which grew up around the Highlanders when, more often than not, their officers were simply foolhardy with the lives of their men. The classic example of this occurs during the Crimean War with the incident celebrated as the Thin Red Line. After taking part in the storming of the Alma heights, the 93rd Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were positioned at the vital port of Balaclava, where the British were based. On 24 October, a huge force of Russian cavalry charged down the passes towards Balaclava, all that the British commander, Sir Colin Campbell could field were the Argylls. Positioning them in a line two deep across the pass, Campbell told them “ There is no retreat from here, men, you must die where you stand.” To which infantryman John Scott replied: “Ay, Sir Colin. An needs be, we'll do that.” After firing two volleys into the Russian charge, the attack broke and the line was held. Campbell was hailed a hero but he had played fast and loose with the lives of his men. The proper position for infantry to take up when facing a cavalry charge was to form a square. Had casualties forced a breach in the line nothing would have prevented the Russian cavalry from taking the main British base, and victory can only be put down to the individual bravery and resolve of the soldiers of the 93rd.
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