Read Ebook: Physiology and Hygiene for Secondary Schools by Walters Francis M Francis Marion

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Lieut.-Colonel Hastings Fraser, having arrived in India, overland from Europe, assumed the command, and Major Cuyler embarked for England.

In February, 1808, Captain John Grant obtained permission to return to England, when it was stated in general orders,--"The Honourable the Governor in Council cannot allow Captain Grant to depart, without being accompanied by this testimonial to the credit which that meritorious officer has done to the British arms, during his service in India, at the siege of Baroda, the capture of the important fortress of Baroach and Powanghur, and particularly in the arduous and successful attack of the column which Captain Grant commanded on the 20th of February, 1805, at the siege of Bhurtpore, on which occasion, he most gallantly carried the enemy's post, and captured the whole of their guns, being eleven in number, &c., &c., &c."

The position seized was held by the regiment, the guns of the captured redoubt answering the incessant fire of the enemy, until the arrival of additional troops. At four o'clock the enemy attempted to retake the redoubt, but were repulsed with the loss of their commanding officer, who was taken prisoner. About this time Lieut.-Colonel Drummond's brigade arrived, and the enemy sent out a flag of truce; Lieut.-Colonel Keating having joined, the surrender of the island of Bourbon to the British arms was concluded by him.

Colonel Fraser stated in his despatch, "I cannot conclude without requesting permission to offer my humble tribute of praise to the noble spirit which animated every individual of my detachment; from Major Edwards, who commanded the regiment, I received the greatest assistance; Captain Lanphier, Lieutenant Archibald McLean, and every officer and soldier of the corps, displayed the most ardent valour, which must have been conspicuous to the whole force off the coast, who witnessed their conduct." "To Lieutenant Creagh, my brigade-major, I was highly indebted for his unremitted exertions and attention to the duties of his station, from the beginning of the service I was sent on, to the moment when he was struck by a cannon ball, while he was in the act of encouraging our artillerymen in the redoubt, which, I fear, will deprive his Sovereign and his country of the services of a most promising officer."

The loss of the regiment on this occasion was Lieutenant John Graham Munro, of the grenadier company, killed during the charge; Major Edwards, Captain Lanphier, Lieutenants Michael Creagh, Archibald McLean, Blackhall, Webb, and White, wounded; also three serjeants, two drummers, and seventy-five rank and file killed and wounded.

The following statement appeared in regimental orders on the 9th of July:--"It affords Major Edwards great pleasure, in having received Lieut.-Colonel Fraser's directions, to confirm the appointment of Captain Lanphier to the grenadier company, a distinction to which that officer is well entitled for the gallant manner in which he led the brave grenadiers to the assault of the redoubt and batteries.

"The conduct of the light infantry under Lieutenant Archibald McLean, has on all occasions been equally distinguished, and Major Edwards sincerely laments the severe wound that gallant officer has received, but trusts he will soon be restored to the service.

"Major Edwards has great pleasure in confirming Lieutenant Blackhall's appointment to the grenadiers; he regrets the wound received by that officer, but hopes it will not prevent his joining that company which he animated by his zeal and example.

"Major Edwards cannot conclude without expressing his regret for the loss of Lieutenant Munro, of the grenadiers, and the brave men who have fallen on this occasion; their memory, however, will long survive, and be held dear in the recollection of the regiment. Most sincerely does he regret the severe wound received by Lieutenant Michael Creagh; but which, he hopes, will not deprive the service of that valuable and gallant officer; and he trusts the wounds received by Lieutenant White, will not long prevent him joining the corps.

"Corporal William Hall, who hoisted the King's colour on the redoubt, is appointed serjeant for his gallant conduct, in the room of Serjeant Millan, killed.

"Private John Moore, of the light infantry, is appointed corporal, for his gallant behaviour on the 8th instant."

The conduct of the regiment was highly commended in detachment orders by Lieut.-Colonel Keating.

Orders having been received for the return of the regiment to India, it sailed from Port Louis on the 9th of January, 1812, and landing at Madras on the 21st of February, encamped on the South Beach until the departure of the Thirty-third regiment for England, when it occupied Fort St. George where Captain Impey and sixty-eight recruits were awaiting its arrival.

In January, 1813, the regiment commenced its march from Madras for Goa, but when ascending the Pada-naig-droog Ghauts, it received orders to proceed to Vellore, where Lieutenants Jacob and Kirkland, Ensigns Munro, McLean, McQuarrie, Kennedy, and McLoughlin, with two hundred and seventeen soldiers, joined from England.

Captain Impey, and Lieutenant White, died, in May, much regretted.

At the end of August the regiment left Vellore, and marched through the Calistry country, a distance of four hundred miles, to the fort of Masulipatam. It was overtaken by the monsoon when on the march, near the Kistna river, and for several days the soldiers had to wade through the cotton-grounds, which occasioned much illness in the regiment, and the loss of several men after arriving in garrison at Masulipatam in October.

The second battalion was formed at Hythe, under the superintendence of Major Baird; it consisted of four companies of fine soldiers, and in March they proceeded to Colchester, under orders to embark for Holland; but the abdication of Bonaparte, and the restoration of peace, precluded the necessity of their quitting England. The battalion returned to Hythe in October, and afterwards proceeded to Deal, where it was disbanded, two hundred and sixty officers and soldiers embarking for India to join the first battalion.

Previous to this date, a detachment consisting of Captain Michael Creagh, Lieutenants Home and Perry, Ensigns Goold, Bradford, Caddell, Henry, and Moreton, had joined at Masulipatam, bringing the new regimental colours.

In January, 1815, the left wing marched, under the command of Captain Williams, for Hyderabad, to join the force subsidized by His Highness the Nizam, and arrived on the 2nd of February at the cantonment of Secunderabad.

On the 11th of September, Major Baird, Captain Edwards, Lieutenants McLaurin, Webb, Leche, and Hodson, Ensigns Stuart, Law, Russell, Holland and Home, with sixteen serjeants and two hundred and thirty rank and file, arrived at Masulipatam.

In January, 1816, the head-quarters were removed to Hyderabad, where they remained nine mouths, and afterwards returned to Masulipatam, where Captain Chadwick had arrived, with forty-six recruits, from England, in the preceding August.

The left wing marched for Masulipatam during the hot season, which occasioned several deaths. On one occasion, Lieutenant Taylor and two soldiers were interred with difficulty, from the decomposed state of their bodies, although they had been dead only a few hours. On another occasion the guides led the column by a wrong road, occasioning a long and harassing march, which proved fatal to several men.

The flank companies marched from Masulipatam in January, 1818, under Captain Michael Creagh, and with two troops of native cavalry and a company of sepoy grenadiers, proceeded to Datchapilly, on the borders of the Nizam's dominions, to protect the frontiers from the depredations of the Pindarees.

Orders for the return of the regiment to England were issued in 1816, but countermanded in consequence of the hostile conduct of the Pindarees: they were repeated in April, 1818, when the regiment commenced its march for Madras, and when within one stage of that place, the route was changed to Wallaghabad. Previous to embarking the regiment was inspected by Major-General Brown, commanding the centre division, who expressed in orders,--"To Colonel Hastings Fraser, his greatest approbation of the good conduct and discipline of the regiment since it had been under his command in the centre division, in the attainment of which he had been so ably supported by the officers of the corps."

On the 25th of September, the flank companies of the regiment again embarked in open boats, and proceeding during the night up the lake, landed on the following day at Mandoor, from whence they marched through thick jungle, thirteen miles up a gradual ascent, exposed to heavy rain, to the Mangalar river. On the 29th they traversed twelve miles of uncultivated ground, fording several streams, to the post of Chinna Kandy, commanded by Lieutenant Robinson, of the Nineteenth Regiment, whose detachment was suffering severely from ague and fever.

The march was resumed on the 3rd of October, through a wild region, where elephants, buffaloes, hogs, and deer were seen in abundance, also pea and jungle fowl, but no human beings, and on the 6th the two companies arrived at Palwatee, together with Lieutenant Stuart, of the Ceylon corps, and a chieftain and his followers, who had joined on the preceding day.

The health of the soldiers suffered from excessive fatigue, bad provisions, constant exposure to the sun, rain, and heavy dews, and their legs and feet were ulcerated with leech-bites,--every pool, stream, bush, and blade of grass being infested with leeches, which obliged the officers and soldiers to march barefoot, with their trousers cut off at the knee, that they might detect the leeches. Sickness increasing rapidly, and all the Coolies,--natives of India who accompanied the troops to carry provision, ammunition, &c.,--being attacked, Captain Creagh marched his men from the low country, to the hilly districts, taking post at Hotpeira, where Lieutenant Goold, with a small detachment, had erected a shed, and collected a supply of grain and cattle.

Lieutenant Goold proceeded with as many sick as means of conveyance could be procured for, to Badula, where the camp was frequently attacked in the night by the wild elephants, the tents, huts, and sheds destroyed, and several natives and followers killed; but the soldiers all escaped unhurt.

Detachments were constantly employed day and night searching out the haunts of the insurgent chiefs, and making many captures, including the crown, jewels, horse, and favourite elephant of the Kandian king.

Overthrown in every rencounter, and chased from place to place with diminished numbers, the Kandians lost all hope of success; the leaders in the insurrection tendered their submission, the lower orders followed their example, and tranquillity was at last restored.

In the mean time the eight battalion companies of the regiment had arrived at the island of Ceylon, but their services not being required, they returned to Madras, leaving one company at Trincomalee.

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