Scots Guards

“ To meet this emergency, King James had drawn together to London and its neighbourhood the whole reliable forces of his kingdom. Amongst these were the troops of Scottish Life Guards; Claverhouse’s regiment of horse; Dunmore’s regiment of Royal Scots Dragoons; the regiment of Scottish Foot Guards; and two regiments of Scottish Foot—in all, 3,765 men from Scotland. After a seeming show of resistance, and much manœuvring in the vicinity of Salisbury, the monarch, dreading the wrath of an outraged people, fled to France.
“Conscience makes cowards of us all.” ”

“ The Scots Fusilier Guards were placed on the roll of the English army, and first shared the duties and privileges of the Household Troops, shortly after the union had been effected between England and Scotland, in 1707, and it was found unnecessary to retain them any longer in Edinburgh, where, in conjunction with the Scots Life Guards, they had acted as a guard of honour to the Lord High Commissioner and the Scottish Parliament, besides rendering efficient service in the various continental wars in which England had been involved during the latter part of the seventeenth century. ”

“ In the first action of the campaign, fought at Walcourt, our Guards were present, but occupied no very important post, the brunt of the battle having been sustained by the Coldstreams, under Colonel Talmash, the Sixteenth Regiment of Foot and the First Regiment of Royal Scots, under Colonel Hodges. Although forming a part of the Scottish brigade, the regiment, indeed the army, achieved nothing of importance until 1692, when King William, having effectually secured peace at home, placed himself at the head of his forces, infusing by his presence new energy and life into the war. ”

“ This company has the right to carry on parade on state and ceremonial occasions a colour of crimson silk, the gift of the Sovereign, [Pg xviii] being the only company in the Army so privileged. The First Company of the Welsh Guards, formed in 1915, is known as The Prince of Wales's Company, and is also composed of picked men. The Scots Guards is the only regular Scottish regiment to have drum and fife bands. ”

“ In 1743 the war of the Austrian Succession once more stirred up the wrathful passions of man, and plunged the European continent into all the horrors of war. The combatants were much the same as on previous occasions—France and Bavaria pitted against Austria and Britain. The Scots Greys, the Third or Scots Foot Guards, (first battalion,) the First or Royal Scots, (first battalion,) the Twenty-first or Royal North British Fusiliers, the Twenty-fifth or King’s Own Borderers, and the Forty-second or Royal Highlanders, formed the Scottish regiments embraced in the British army. ”

“ Our armies were accordingly recalled in 1775 to the American continent, whilst the colonists, preparing for a vigorous defence, allied themselves with their late enemies, the French. The Scots Fusilier Guards formed a part of the British expedition, and under Clinton, Howe, and Cornwallis, upheld their ancient reputation for discipline and valour in the fresh and difficult warfare to which, in the desolate wilds of the New World, they were called. ”

“ These helped to break the yoke of England upon the Continent, and specially distinguished themselves at the battles of Baugé, 1421, Crevan, 1423, and Verneuille, 1424: so much so, that Charles, appreciating their worth, selected from their ranks, first in 1422, a corps of Scots Gendarmes, and thereafter, in 1440, a corps of Scots Guards. ”

“ The story of their fidelity and devotion is written in their blood, and illustrated in the fatal defeat of Pavia, 1524, where, in defence of their master, the chivalric Sovereign of France, whose exclamation of, “We have lost all, save honour,” has become a household word,—they nearly all perished, and honourably rest in “a soldier’s grave.” The relics of this old Scots Guard returning to France, remained the nucleus, 82the root, upon which was formed and ingrafted a new corps of Scots Guardsmen, whose character and history have been aptly described by Sir Walter Scott in “Quentin Durward;” ”

“ A battalion of Scots' Foot Guards next revolted under a corporal named Kempt, and then every regiment went over in succession under their several standards, save a troop of Dundee's Guards, a corps of dragoons, and the Scots' Royals, fifteen hundred strong, which yet remained loyal and true.
These repaired to Reading, where the gallant nobles, Dunbarton and Dundee, by exerting all their energies, re-mustered ten thousand men in ten days. ”

“ The Scots Life Guards were established in Edinburgh in 1661, a single troop having been enrolled in that year, to which a second was added about two years after, to assist in the maintenance of order and the enforcement of the Episcopalian form of worship, which the covenanting Scotch, especially the Lowlanders, cordially hated. ”

“ These are amongst the earliest ideas we have of a regiment. At an earlier age, we find many of the monarchs of Europe retaining in their service a body of foreign guards, specially entrusted with the defence of the royal person, so often threatened through the ambition of the nobles and the turbulence of the people. In nearly every instance these were composed of Scottish emigrants, driven from their country by the cruel and desolating wars which then disturbed her peace, and had proscribed many of the honourable and brave. ”

“ Early in April 1853, the regiment was ordered to be in readiness to proceed to England. On the 22d headquarters left Stirling, and proceeded to Weedon, detaching two companies to Northampton. On the 14th of June left Weedon for Chobham. It was there encamped with the 1st Life Guards; 6th Dragoon Guards; 13th Light Dragoons; 17th Lancers; 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards; 1st Battalion Scots Fusiliers; 1st Battalion Coldstreams; 38th, 50th, 93d, and 95th regiments; and 2d Battalion Rifle Brigade, &c., &c. ”

“ The true Scottish Guard enjoyed an independent existence till the Revolution, and to claim its privileges for Hepburn's regiment is as absurd as though a corps raised to-morrow, and officered by half a dozen gentlemen of the Grenadier Guards, should claim precedence of all British infantry. ”

“ Nowhere is there a more perfect representative of our exiles 80who have been soldiers, amongst “the bravest of the brave,” in many lands, than is afforded us in our present sketch of the First or Royal Scots Regiment of Foot. Many and conflicting have been the accounts given of their early history. Some have imagined the present regiment to be the representative of the Archers of the Scottish Guard, which, in the days of Bruce, had been associated with Royalty and the defence of the Scottish throne ”

“ In 1743 the Highlanders joined the British army in Flanders, where their conduct was so exemplary that the Elector Palatine specially thanked our King “for the excellent behaviour of the regiment while in his territories, and for whose sake,” he added, “I will always pay a respect and regard to a Scotsman in future.” Of their valour, no higher tribute can be paid than to say that at the battle of Fontenoy, where the regiment made its first essay in arms, our Highlanders were placed in brigade with the veterans of the 254British Guards. ”

“ Scarcely in a single instance was the regiment broken or necessitated to retreat for its own sake; only once did a standard fall into the hands of the enemy, although in its several campaigns the regiment has been always actively engaged. The reader must feel that we have great reason to be proud of our countrymen—and that it is an honest pride we indulge in—when sustained by such an unprecedented series of triumphs as it has been our pleasure to record. There is not a heart in Scotland which does not beat with affectionate sympathy and respect for the “Scots Greys;” ”

“ The martial qualities and gallant bearing of our countrymen had attracted the notice of Gustavus Adolphus, the warlike King of Sweden, and induced him to invite to his standard our adventurous soldiers, who, under so renowned a leader, were destined to add new lustre to our military annals. On no occasion did the Scots respond more heartily, or muster so strongly in the foreign service of any country, as in the present instance. The army of this “Lion of the North” at one time comprised eighteen British regiments, of whom thirteen were Scottish; moreover, his principal officers were Scotsmen. ”

“ Almost the sole representative we have of our Scottish Cavalry, 8is the Second Regiment of Royal North British Dragoons, or Scots Greys—a most worthy representative. The wars of the Interregnum in Scotland—the times of Wallace and Bruce—when the feudal lords had nearly all either deserted or betrayed her, introduce us to a new force, more suited to the independent character and patriotism of the Scottish people—the formation of corps of infantry, or armed bands of free burghers. ”

“ Accomplishing a successful landing despite the assaults of a powerful enemy, whose artillery from the heights above swept the bay of Aboukir, the Ninety-second, placed in brigade with the First Royal Scots and the two battalions of the Fifty-fourth Foot, advanced with the army towards Alexandria. On the 13th of March the French were encountered at Mandora, where, forming the advanced guard of the left column, the Gordon Highlanders shared the glory of the action with the Ninetieth Perthshire Volunteers. ”

“ Led by a native ardour for military fame, many Scotsmen have quitted their own country, and, like the daring adventurers of the remote ages, they have sought renown in foreign lands, where they have acquired celebrity for martial achievements, long before the practice of forming military bodies into regiments existed. It is recorded in history, that as early as the year 882, Charles III., King of France, had twenty-four armed Scots, in whose fidelity and valour he reposed confidence, to attend his person as a guard. ”

“ We learn that the naval gunnery expert, Sir Percy Scott, has raised a regiment known as Scott's Guards.
It illustrates the difficulty which the British have in raising recruits, that the Government, now that it has acquired the railways, is ruthlessly compelling even the older servants to join the army. One section of these men, who hitherto have been occupied with flag and whistle, and have never been mounted in their lives, are being enlisted in a special battalion known as the Horse Guards, while, as the authorities themselves admit, the railways furnish whole regiments of the line. ”

“ Moreover, the peculiarity of the warfare in “the bush” served somewhat to advantage the foe, and negative the superiority we might otherwise enjoy, from troops better armed and disciplined. The assembled British, augmented by reinforcements from home, comprised, besides Royal Artillery and Engineers, the Seventh Dragoon Guards, the Sixth, Twenty-seventh, Forty-fifth, Seventy-third, Ninetieth, and Ninety-first regiments, the first battalion of the Rifle Brigade, and the Cape Mounted Riflemen. ”

“ At length the Greys, charging a second time—but with sadly diminished numbers—came to the assistance of their countrymen, and, together, nearly annihilated the French. At the grand charge, where the famous and hitherto invincible Guards of Napoleon were brought forward for a last effort, the remnant of the Greys, kept in reserve, awaited the repulse of that dread column, when, a third time charging, they completed the ruin of their brave foemen. The loss to the regiment was upwards of 200 men. After the battle, they continued the pursuit of the enemy to the very gates of Paris ”

“ The Scottish Foot Guards, raised in November, 1660, were commanded by George, Earl of Linlithgow, and were, as they are still, named Fusiliers, being armed with the fusil, a light French musket; and by the Scottish Privy Council, in their orders to the army in 1667, it was ordained that the field officers of this corps should command in chief, and give orders in field and garrison, to all troops whatsoever. In 1707 these Guards were placed upon the united British establishment ”

“ From the earliest days, when I commenced my military life, it was always my utmost aim to arrive at the command of a Scots regiment, and to bring that regiment into action would have been the greatest glory I could have attained, as I am well convinced the officers and men would have justified my most sanguine expectations; their courage, perseverance, and activity, being undoubtedly such as may always be relied on; and they are always able and willing to do their duty, if not more than their duty.’ His Royal Highness took great interest in the welfare of the regiment ”

“ At the battle of Landen in 1693, brigaded with the Twenty-fifth, the Twenty-sixth, and the regiments of the Old Scots Brigade, separated from the army by the prevailing efforts of the French, they most heroically maintained themselves, until overwhelming numbers compelled them to retire. ”

“ Bodies of armed men were seen marching towards the Highlands, and a party of Highlanders appeared in arms near Inverlochy, which was, however, soon dispersed by a detachment from the garrison. In this situation of matters, the lords justices sent down to Scotland a considerable number of half-pay officers, chiefly of the Scots regiments, to officer the militia of the country, under the direction of Major-general Whitham, then commander-in-chief in Scotland. ”