The Glories and Traditions of the British Army
The Middlesex Regiment
Excerpt form the Navy and army Illustrated August
18th 1897 by Colonel W W Knollys
On the 1st July it was ordered that all regiments of the line were
to be organised in territorial regiments, each regiment, with one or two
exceptions, to consist of two battalions, with a varying number of Militia
and Volunteer corps added. This plan was carried out with the result that
the old regiments lost their time-honoured numbers, suffered a great
diminution of esprit de corps, and in many cases were forced into military
mariages de convenance. Through, however, the efflux of time, the feeling,
almost universal, of soreness has abated, and the two line battalions have
become homogenous.
Among the regiments thus compulsorily welded were the 57th and 77th.
There had never been any relationship between the two regiments, and their
connection with Middlesex had been little more than nominal. The 57th was
originally raised in Somersetshire and Gloucestershire. The 77th was
originally raised for the service of the Honourable East India Company,
and its recruits were probably obtained not only in London, but in any
other place where men could be induced to take a shilling. Both the 57th
and 77th, however, won their chief honours in the Peninsula and the
Crimea. Though administratively one regiment, they are never likely, in the
future, to fight side by side; while, in the past, their histories are
quite distinct. We have therefore written of them as separate battalions,
which indeed they were until 16 years ago.
Among the territorial
and trophy badges of the Middlesex Regiment is the Prince of Wales's plume
and coronet, the origin of which I have been unable to trace; but it had
been for many years borne by the 77th. In the "Records and Badges of
Every Regiment and Corps in the British Army", by Henry Manners
Chichester, late 85th Regiment, and George Burges-Short, late Major 3rd
battalion the Manchester Regiment, it is stated that the Prince of Wales's
plume is the old badge of the 77th regiment. Of the battle honours, "Albuera" commemorates the heroic conduct of the 57th
regiment at the battle of that name.
Among the distinguished
officers who have served in or been connected with either of the
battalions who make up the Middlesex Regiment the following may be
mentioned: 57th Regiment, Lord Hutchinson, who succeeded Sir Ralph
Amercrombie in the command of the British Army when that distinguished
officer was killed at the battle of Alexandria, and compelled the French
to evacuate Egypt. He was appointed Colonel of the regiment in 1806. It is
a coincidence that Lord Hutchinson was, when a Lieutenant, in the 77th or
Athol Highlanders, one of the predecessors of the Middlesex Regiment.
Another colonel of the 57th was Lord Hardinge, one of the chief actors in
the battle of Albuera. He had, in 1804, been promoted to a company of
the 57th, and served in that regiment for several years. There is a
regimental tradition that Lord Hardinge, being once offered the colonelcy
of a regiment of the Guards, declined saying "the 57th is good enough
for me". Sir W Inglis, the officer who commanded the 57th at Albuera
as Lieutenant-Colonel, was afterwards appointed Colonel of the regiment.
In the 77th, two distinguished officers are included in their list of
Colonels - Sir George Cooke, KCB, a guardsman who commanded the 57th
regiment the First Division at Waterloo, where he lost and arm; and Sir
Archibald Campbell, Bart, GCB, a veteran of the Peninsular, who is chiefly
remembered as having commanded the British Army in the first Burmese war.
The
57th was one of ten new regiments raised in 1755-56, and began its
existence in January 1756, the colonel being Colonel John Arabin of the
2nd Irish Horse. Excluding the regimental staff, the establishment was ten
companies, each of three sergeants, three corporals, and seventy privates,
besides officers. Two companies of about thirty of all ranks each were
contributed by the Buffs, and the other new corps. The regiment was
quickly completed, partly by voluntary, partly by enforced enlistment. By
an Act passed at the time, magistrates were directed to "make a
speedy and effectual levy of such able bodied men as are not younger than
seventeen nor older than forty, and not papists, not under 5ft 4 in in
height, not having a vote for Parliament men, not having support or
maintenance, to serve as soldiers." Each parish had to supply a
certain number of men, receiving 20S. for each recruit. Church wardens
were to be paid not less than 5S. nor more than 40S. if the recruit had a
wife or family. We presume that any person who fell within the above
categories, but refused to enlist, was proceeded against as a rogue and a
vagabond.
The clothing and equipment of the regiment when first
raised was as follows:- The coat, waistcoat, and breeches were red, the
facings were lemon coloured, the lace yellow, and the coats ample, loosely
fitting garments, without collars but with a waistcoat underneath. Long
white linen gaiters were worn. The Grenadiers had high conical cloth caps,
the front lemon coloured, with the King's cypher and crown embroidered on
it, and a small flap of red at the bottom. The back was red with the
number of the regiment upon it, and a lemon coloured "turn-up".
The caps of the drummers were similar. The battalion companies had
three-cornered cocked hats laced with yellow. The uniform of the
Grenadiers was the reverse of that of the battalion companies, being lemon
coloured coats etc., faced with red. The officers' uniform was similar to
that of the men. They frequently, if not generally, wore boots instead of
gaiters. They had a cocked hat, laced with gold,, gold aiguilettes, and a
crimson silk sash over the shoulder. The coat was also laced with gold.
Sergeants had gold or silver lace, and worsted sashes; corporals were
distinguished with shoulder knots. The men carried a knapsack- a leather
bag with the hair left on- slung over one shoulder, the haversack being
slung over the other.
As to arms, the Grenadiers had musket,
bayonet, sword, and match-case, other men only musket and bayonet. There
were two unpipeclayed buff belts for pouch and side arms. The sergeants
had halberds and swords. All the officers carried swords in a frog
attached to a belt under the undercoat, and in addition, the Grenadier
officers, fusils; other officers, spontoons. In conclusion we may mention
that knapsacks, haversacks, and water bottles were generally only used in
the field.
The 57th regiment first saw active service during the
American Rebellion. In the course of the war a spontaneous change in the
uniform took place under the following circumstances. In 1777 after the
battle of Brandywine, George Washington, with a view to harassing the
British, caused several ambuscades to be arranged. One of these bodies,
under General Wayne, was caught in its own trap. Major-General Charles,
afterwards Earl, Grey gaining intelligence of General Wayne's position,
determined to attack him by surprise. General Wayne's force, it may be
mentioned, consisted of 1,500 men, with four field pieces. Parading the
42nd Highlanders, the 44th Regiment, and the 2nd Light Battalion - which
comprised the light company of the 57th Regiment - after nightfall General
Grey gave orders that not a shot was to be fired, and only the bayonet to
be used. In profound silence the brigade moved off, the Light Battalion,
with which rode the general himself, leading. Without meeting a soul, the
British troops glided through the darkness till they had reached a spot
about a mile from General Wayne's camp. All of a sudden a challenge was
heard, and the next instant a couple of shots were fired, followed by the
galloping off of two vedettes. Hastening the pace General Grey, a quarter
of a mile further on, came on a forge, and ascertained from the blacksmith
that General Wayne's camp was only a few hundred yards up the road.
Compelling the man to act as guide, the British force was received after
marching a quarter of a mile by another challenge. No reply was given, and
the American picquet poured in a volley and then made off through the
wood, firing as they went. The time of concealment had evidently passed
and the moment for rapid action had arrived; so the general shouted
"Dash on, light infantry." Without at first uttering a sound, or
firing a shot, though their muskets were loaded, the "Light
Bob's" rushed forward, guided by the fire of the bivouac fires, till
they reached the camp, when with a ringing cheer they charged. The
American, strange to say, had not been alarmed by the shots fired by the
first two vedettes, and our troops found them rushing about panic-stricken
and in the wildest confusion. The British made short work of them with the
bayonet, and after a few minutes of slaughter the camp was in our hands,
with as proof of our prowess, the four guns, 460 American corpses, 70
prisoners, the whole of the camp equipage, and 8 waggon loads of stores
and ammunition. The survivors - many no doubt wounded - fled in terror,
hotly pursued by our men till the darkness of the night and thickness of
the woods caused the chase to be abandoned. The loss of the victors in
this ably planned and well carried out enterprise was only 20 killed and
wounded. It was afterwards ascertained the General Wayne had intended to
surprise the British camp at 1 am, but the tables were thoroughly turned
on him, for about midnight he was himself attacked and routed.
The
Americans were furious at this disaster, and were so enraged that they
vowed that they would give o quarter to the Light Infantry battalion, on
whom had fallen the brunt of the fighting. Why they should have shown this
savage spirit, it is difficult to understand, for the enterprise was
a particularly legitimate operation of war and attended by no barbarities.
Be that as it may, the 2nd Light Battalion, in order to save from murder
other Light Battalions who had taken no part in the enterprise, and to
show defiance of the enemy's threats, dyed their plumes red, and continued
to wear them of that colour till a few years later all the light companies
were ordered to wear green plumes.
In 1793-4 the regiment served
in Flanders, and in 1795-6 it was occupied in capturing West Indian
islands. It did not lose many officers or men in action, but the amount of
sickness and the number of deaths from disease were appalling. From June
1796, when active operations ceased, to the end of the year, the regiment
lost, out of a strength of 1,131 privates and a proportionate number of
officers, non-commissioned officers and men,, 7 officers, 33 sergeants, 26
corporals, 19 drummers, and 474 privates. At the beginning of 1797 the
regiment was further diminished by the deaths of 1 officer, 11 sergeants,
17 corporals, 13 drummers, and 177 privates. Before the end of 1797, 2
officers and 180 men were added to the death roll. The regiment had,
however, in the latter part of 1796, received an augmentation from other
regiments of 207 men. Notwithstanding, however, this accession of
strength, the regiment was, as regards those who originally sailed from
England, practically annihilated by disease.
Then
came the Peninsular War, where its largest and most conspicuous crop of
laurels was reaped. The scene of this glorious harvest was Albuera. On
this occasion the 57th was the centre battalion of Major-General
Houghton's brigade, the 29th being the right, and the 1st battalion the
48th regiment the left. An extract from "Maxwell's Stories of the
Peninsula" shows how cool and gallant a chief the brigade had.
"
Major-General Houghton at this time was on horseback in front of his
brigade, in a green frock coat, which he had put on in the hurry of
turning out. Some time afterwards his servant rode up to him with his red
uniform coat. He immediately and without dismounting, stripped off the
green and put on the red one; and it may be said that this public display
of our colour, and of the British coolness, actually was done under a
salute of French artillery, as they were cannonading us at the time."
Drawn
up in line on the summit of the hill, it suffered terribly, as did also
the other two regiments of the brigade, whole sections falling under the
heavy fire of grape and musketry which, without ceasing, rent the line
into fragments. The regimental colour was pierced by 21 bullets, the
King's colour by 17, the latter also having its staff broken. Ensign
Jackson who carried the King's colour, being hit in 3 places, went to the
rear to have his hurts attended to. As soon as his wounds had been bound
up, he returned to his regiment. On his arrival he found that Ensign
Veitch, who had replaced him, had been severely wounded, but he
obstinately refused to give up his precious charge to Jackson. Many
companies had all their officers killed or wounded, and owing to the
serious losses that the regiment had suffered, the line presented the
appearances of a chain of skirmishers. A young officer, Captain Ralph
Fawcett, only 23 years of age, had been mortally wounded, but indifferent
to his own sufferings and fate, he caused himself to be placed on a
hillock whence he continued to command his company, calling out from time
to time to the men to fire low and not waste their ammunition.
Colonel
Inglis of the 57th who, on Major-General Houghton being mortally wounded,
had succeeded to the command of the brigade, was himself soon after struck
by a grape shot, which penetrated the left breast and lodged in his back.
Like the gallant Fawcett, he refused to be carried to the rear. Grievous
as was his hurt, he remained where he had fallen, in front of the colours
of his regiment, urging his men to keep up a steady fire and to "die
hard". Hence the honourable sobriquet which distinguishes the
regiment down to the present day. The General of the Division was wounded,
and the commanders of all the 3 regiments of the brigade were hors de
combat; indeed, every field officer of the brigade was killed or wounded.
To make matters worse, ammunition was running short.
The
brigade commanded by Houghton was in the centre - there were 3 in the
division - and was in open column at the foot of the hill. On Colbourne's,
the leading brigade, having been cut to pieces as it was in the act of
deploying, General Stewart brought up Houghton's brigade. Warned, however,
by Colbourne's disaster, Houghton's brigade was deployed into line before
it mounted the ascent.
As soon as
the brigade reached the crest, marching under a brisk fire from the
enemy's light infantry, to which it did not return a shot, it found large
masses of the French close in front of them, skirmishers being in the
interval, while 40 pieces of artillery played upon the British battalions.
The
3rd brigade, Abercrombie's, of Stewart's Division, and Cole's, the 4th
Division, coming up saved the 1st and 2nd brigades of Stewart's Division
from absolute annihilation. The new comers, however, had to resist
desperately, and suffered dreadful loss. Death and wounds, however, could
not stop the gallant battalions, which alternately advancing and firing,
gradually gained ground, till, at length, the French abandoned the field.
To use the words of Sir William Napier "The mighty mass gave way, and
like a loosened cliff, went headlong down the steep. The river flowed
after in streams coloured with blood, and 1,500 unwounded men, the remnant
of 6,000 unconquerable British soldiers, stood triumphant on the fatal
hill."
The 57th, on that bloody
and glorious day, did indeed die hard. Marshal Beresford, in his dispatch
about the battle, which was fought on the 16th May 1811, said that the
dead, particularly those of the 57th, "were to be seen lying as
they had fought in ranks, and every wound in front." The loss
of the regiment was appalling.
Out
of 30 officers and 570 men who had gone into action, only 10 officers and
150 men remained fit for duty. There is a tradition in the regiment that
on the morning after the battle the whole of the rations of No.2 company
were carried away by the drummer, who drew them in his hat. It is certain
that the regiment was brought out of action by Lieutenant and Adjut. Mann,
who in the morning had been only 14 in seniority.
Previously
to the action the 57th was known in the army in Spain as the "Steel
Backs" from the amount of flogging in the corps and the hardihood
with which the men bore it. Ever since Albuera, however, the only nickname
of the regiment has been "Die Hards".
The rest of the
brigade likewise suffered severely. General Houghton was killed; the 1st
battalion 48th lost its colonel and many officers and men; in the 29th the
colonel was mortally wounded, and its casualty list was 7 officers and 77
men killed, and 13 officers and 232 men wounded.
The 57th have on
several occasions paid heavy tribute to the god of battles. In the Crimea,
the regiment lost: - killed in action, 3 officers and 60 men; died of
their wounds, 5 officers and 21 men, died of disease, 2 officers and 188
men.
Forty-three years later, in the stress
in the battle of Inkerman, the remnants of the 57th were lying down on the
Home Ridge, and a fresh Russian column was advancing with the intention of
pushing back the wearied infantry and capturing some guns in the rear.
Captain Stanley, who was in command, saw that energetic action was needed,
and rising up, he turned towards his men shouting "Die Hards!
Remember Albuera". The effect was electrical - the men sprung to
their feet and with a cheer followed their brave leader as he dashed
against the mass of foemen. A desperate hand to hand fight ensued, but in
the end the Russians were worsted and driven back. The Die Hards, however,
lost many men in the savage scuffle, and amongst them their gallant
leader, who was said to have slain ten men with his sword before he was
himself killed.
Captain Stanley was
succeeded in command by Captain Inglis, son of the commander of the
"Die Hards" at Albuera. In the hand to hand contest Captain
Bland received three terrible wounds in the head, which proved mortal. An
officer who witnessed the charge, wrote of Bland, "Like an avenging
angel he dealt death to every Russian within reach of his weapon. They
appear to have marked him for their vengeance, for he certainly sent some
10 fellows to their account." Captain Stanley is mentioned by
Kinglake as "Young Stanley", which is scarcely a correct
description, seeing as he had held a commission in the 57th for nineteen
years, and had previously served with distinction in the army of the Queen
of Portugal during the civil war in that country. Returning to England in
1835, he obtained his commission in the British service under somewhat
romantic circumstances. Many years previously, Prince William Henry -
afterwards William 4th- when serving as a midshipman on the North American
station, was present at a ball at Halifax. He was much struck with the
charms of a young lady who was his partner in a country dance. On wishing
her goodbye HRH promised her that if at any time she sent him a request,
accompanied by the music of the dance, he would if possible grant it. Many
years had passed away, the young midshipman had become an elderly king,
the blooming girl had developed into a grey haired grandmother, and her
grandson was Stanley. He on telling the old lady of his desire to become a
British officer, touched a spring of memory. His grandmother resolved to
see if the king considered the midshipman's promise sacred, and wrote to
her former admirer, reminding him of his pledge and enclosing a copy of
the music. The king wrote back that he remembered the matter well, and at
once procured him an ensigncy without purchase in the 57th. We have
mentioned that Captain Inglis, who succeeded Stanley in the command of the
regiment, was the son of the former colonel of the regiment at Albuera.
There was in the ranks another Albuera man's son, Sergeant Grace, who,
when in reward for Inkerman, a sergeant in each regiment was given a
commission, was the sergeant recommended by the 57th. Only a portion of
the regiment went into action in the morning under Captain Stanley, and
that portion numbered 8 officers and 189 men. Later in the day 150 more
men sent from the trenches were marched to the field of battle, but they
were not actually engaged, and suffered hardly any casualties. The loss
therefore fell almost entirely on Stanley's party, and was 4 officers and
90 men killed, wounded and missing out of 197 of all ranks.
In
the attack on the Redan on the 18th June, the 57th furnished the 400 men
who constituted the storming party of the left column. On receiving the
order to advance they were much delayed by crowds of soldiers of other
regiments looking on. The regiment got within 20 or 30 yards of the
Artakoff battery on the proper right of the Redan, its colonel, Shadforth,
being slain close up to the ditch. Being unsupported and having lost
heavily, the 57th could do no more; they stood their ground, however,
until ordered to retire, when they fell back in skirmishing order,
bringing with them their wounded. Their loss in 20 minutes was 5 officers
and 105 men.
Not only at Inkerman did the "Die Hards"
justify their name, for they fought bravely and suffered heavily in the
hopeless and unsuccessful attack on the Redan on the 18th June 1855. On
that occasion Colour-Sergeant Gardner performed the 2nd of the exploits
which obtained for him the Victoria Cross. After the failure of the
assault Sergeant Gardner, instead of returning at once to the shelter of
the trenches, persuaded several of his comrades to stay out in the open
and fire at the Redan. The brave little band obtained imperfect cover from
the furious fire of the Russians by kneeling in shell craters, making use
of some of the many corpses lying about as parapets. In these ghastly
improvised breastworks they remained till all their cartridges were
expended. Gardner's previous exploit was performed on the night of the
22nd March 1855. Between 11 and 12 at night three Russian columns crept
silently out of Sebastopol, and under cover of darkness had arrived within
a short distance of our right trenches before they were perceived. When
challenged by our sentries, they replied "Bono Johnny," and were
though to be French. In another minute the deception was at an end.
Swarming over the parapet and into the trenches our men, taken by surprise
and half asleep, were bayoneted right and left, some ven being thrust
through as they lay sleeping in their blankets on the ground. The
survivors were driven back after making what resistance they could with
their hastily snatched up arms. Soon, however, they were rallied and made
a counter attack. A fierce melee ensued, in the course of which Captain
Headley Vicars of the 95th Regiment was killed, and at length the Russians
were driven back to their own works. On this occasion Colour-Sergeant
Gardner was orderly sergeant to the field officer of the trenches, and
when our men were hurled back in confusion, he rallied a body and at their
head charged the Russians.
Another "Die Hard" earned
the second cross won by the regiment during the Crimean campaign by a
conspicuous act of gallantry on the night of 23rd June 1855. Private
Charles M'Corrie was in the trenches when a shell fell into the midst of
the party to which he belonged. In another instant the burning fuse would
have reached the powder and the charge, and the explosion in a narrow and
crowded place would have caused fearful destruction. Not a moment was to
be lost, and not a moment was lost. Regardless of the great probability
that the shell might burst in his hands and blow him literally into
fragments, M'Corrie, without a moment's hesitation, lifted up the missile
and cast it over the parapet, where it immediately burst without causing
injury. Here was shown quickness of perception, promptness of action, and
indifference to peril in the highest degree.
The 57th shared in
the unsuccessful assault on the Redan on the 8th September, 1855 but of
that mismanaged affair the less said the better. The 57th played a small
part in the suppression of the Indian Mutiny, having arrived late on the
scene. In the New Zealand war of 1860-66 the regiment was actively engaged
and won honour for themselves as usual. Drummer Stagpool in 1863 won the
distinguished service medal for having in a sharp action with the Maories
brought in several wounded men though himself wounded in the head. A few
weeks later the same brave fellow, in a fight near New Plymouth, together
with Ensign Don, earned and were recommended for the Victoria Cross for
having repeatedly under a heavy fire removed wounded men to places of
safety. It is sad to have to chronicle that the ensign died of disease
before he could receive the decoration. In the Zulu war of 1879,
the 57th were again employed, but there is nothing special to chronicle in
connection with that campaign. It is noteworthy that Lord Hardinge, whose name will always be associated with
Albuera, was full
colonel of 57th from 1843 till his death in 1856.
The 77th
regiment is the 3rd corps which has borne that number, the two first being
Highland regiments which only enjoyed a brief existence. The third 77th
regiment became in 1881 the 2nd battalion of the Middlesex Regiment. It
was raised in 1787, being one of four regiments formed at the expense of
the East India Company. Embarking for Bombay in March 1788, it did not
return to England till 1807. In the interval it saw much active service,
taking part with Lord Cornwallis's war with Tippoo Sultan in 1790-91, in
the reduction of Ceylon, and in the campaign of 1799, which resulted in
the capture of Seringapatam. In the latter war it belonged to General
Stewart's army from Bombay, and with the 75th and the Bombay Europeans
constituted the centre brigade commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Dunlop of
the 77th. On 6th March the regiment was engaged in a sharp action at
Sedaseer, Tippoo Sultan having attacked a portion of Stewart's army with
some of his best troops. This action would perhaps not have been worthy of
notice here but for the fact that commanding a company in the 77th on that
day was Lieutenant Alexander Lawrence, the father of Sir Henry and Lord
Lawrence. On the 16th April General Stewart arrived before Seringapatam
and effected a junction with the main army, under General Harris.
Lieutenant Lawrence on the 22nd of April commanded two companies, with
which he repulsed a sortie of the enemy, inflicting great loss on the
latter.
On the 4th May Seringapatam was
carried by assault after a desperate resistance, which cost the victors
many lives. The arrangements for the assault were as follows. The command
was entrusted to General Baird, a brave and distinguished officer, but of
so bad a temper that when his mother learnt that in the previous war with
Mysore her son had been taken prisoner and chained to a companion in
misfortune, she exclaimed, in her broad scotch, "I pity the mon who
is chained to oor Davie."
The
attacking force was divided into two columns. The left column consisted of
the flank companies of the three British regiments, ten flank companies of
Bengal sepoys, and 50 artillerymen. The "forlorn hope" consisted
of 12 men under Sergeant Graham. In support of this were two subalterns'
parties of Europeans, one of which was under Lieutenant Lawrence. When the
hour appointed had arrived, General Baird took out his watch, and
remarking "The time has expired", jumped on to the parapet of
the trench, and exclaimed, "Come my brave fellows, follow me and
prove yourselves worthy of the name of British soldiers."
Fording
the river, which was only knee deep, the column ascended the glacis.
Arrived at the edge of the counterscarp the stormers found that they were
separated from the breach by a deep ditch. Fortunately there were some
rough steps which enabled them to descend. On arriving at the foot of the
wall the "forlorn hope" stopped to fire. Lieutenant Lawrence,
who on reaching the edge of the glacis had received a bullet in his left
arm, but had nevertheless succeeded in crossing the ditch, saw the check.
Rushing forward he hurrahed them on. Finding that he could not get them to
advance, he pushed through the ranks shouting "Now is the time for
the breach." Inspired by his example the men followed him, but at
that moment he was struck by a second bullet, which carried off one finger
of his right hand and shattered another. Even this did not quench the
ardour of the brave Lieutenant, who kept his feet till the survivors of
the forlorn hope were actually in the breach, when he sank to the ground
insensible. After the capture of the place a soldier of the 77th passed
by, and seeing an officer apparently dead, knew by the facings that he
belonged to the 77th. Muttering to himself "One of ours", he
looked closely, recognised Lawrence, and perceived that there was still
life in him. By a prodigious effort - for Lawrence was 6 ft 2 in in height
and stout in proportion- the soldier lifted him up and carried him to the
rear, swearing that he "would not do as much for any other man of
them." Of the four subalterns who volunteered for the storming
parties, Lawrence was the only one who escaped with his life, and as we
have seen was desperately wounded. The loss of the 77th during the siege
was Lieutenant-Colonel Dunlop, who was disabled in an encounter with a
chief on the summit of the breach, Captain Owen, and Lieutenant Lawrence
wounded, and including the above mentioned, 10 of all ranks killed, 51
wounded and 1 missing. Probably the man returned as missing was one of 13
British soldiers who were made prisoners during sorties and were
barbarously murdered on Tippoo's orders. These unfortunate men were taken
out of their place of captivity in batches and slain by their necks being
twisted by professional athletes.
In 1807 the
77th returned to England, where they remained till 1809, when they took
part in the abortive Walcheren expedition, which is commemorated by the
following doggerel verse relating to the absence of concerted action
between the General, the Earl of Chatham, and the Admiral, Sir Richard
Strahan:-
"The
Earl of Chatham, with his sword drawn, Stood
waiting for Sir Richard Strahan; Sir
Richard, longing to be at 'em, stood waiting for the Earl of
Chatham."
Early in 1811 the regiment
embarked for the Peninsular, and before the year was out had covered
itself with glory at the action of El Bodon. In September, Marmot
determined to introduce provisions into Cuidad Rodrigo, which had been
blockaded by Wellington for some weeks. One of the results of this was the
"Combat of El Bodon", as Napier calls it. In those days the term
battle was reserved for great occasions. On the morning of 25th September
General Colville, with the 5th and 77th, and the 21st Portuguese, with two
batteries of Portuguese artillery and three squadrons of cavalry - two
squadrons 11th Light Dragoons and one squadron 1st German Hussars - under
Major-General Baron Alten, were attacked by overwhelming numbers. The
assailants consisted of between 30 and 40 squadrons of French cavalry with
12 guns, followed by 14,000 infantry with a due proportion of artillery.
The British occupied a height convex towards the enemy, and covered in
front and on both flanks by bushes. It was, however, too large to be
occupied properly by the small force at General Colville's disposal.
Montbrun,
at the head of over 30 squadrons of cavalry, advanced by the road through
El Bodon direct on Fuente Guinaldo, which was held by the English and
Portuguese. This distinguished cavalry commander, noting his opponents'
weakness, determined to attack before the supporting French infantry could
come up. The Portuguese guns plied the French horsemen well with shot,
but, nothing daunted, the gallant Frenchmen persisted. Crossing a ravine
they rode up the height on three sides and arrived at the top only to be
saluted with the fire of the defender's infantry and artillery and the
heroic dash of the cavalry, who charged again and again the heads of the
French columns and drove them back. Napier says the the British and German
Hussars charged them no less than 20 times. That may be a loose
expression, but it is certain that our horsemen charged the heavy masses
of the French cavalry repeatedly, each time forcing them back. Not less
gallant, however, than their opponents, the French each time rallied, and
failure was followed by a fresh effort to crown the crest of the hill.
At
length Montbrun brought up his guns. A squadron of the 11th Hussars,
charging too far, became entangled in the intricacies of a ravine. The
French profited by the opportunity, and charging the Portuguese artillery,
captured two of their guns, cutting down the gunners who stuck to their
pieces manfully.
Then occurred an
incident almost without example in war. The 5th Regiment actually charged
the French cavalry and recovered the guns, and the 77th on their left,
under Lieutenant-Colonel Bromhead, at the same moment charged and drove
back the French horsemen in their immediate front. By this time the French
infantry were close at hand, and Lord Wellington sent word to Colville to
retire. Then was accomplished another feat which reflects the highest
credit on the 5th and 77th regiments. These two weak battalions were
formed in one square. The 21st Portuguese formed another square, which was
also joined by the Portuguese artillery, and the three squadrons who
feared to be cut off as the French had turned our right. Thus the retreat
was effected in two echelons, the 5th and the 77th being the nearest to
the enemy. The movement to the rear had scarcely commenced when, to quote the
eloquent words of Napier, " In an instant the whole of the French
cavalry came thundering down upon them. But how vain, how fruitless, to
match the sword with the musket; to send the charging horseman against the
steadfast veteran. The multitudinous squadrons, rending the skies with
their shouts, and closing upon the glowing squares, like the falling edges
of a burning crater, were as instantaneously rejected, scorched and
scattered abroad; and the rolling peal of musketry had scarcely ceased to
echo in the hills, when bayonets glittered at the edge, and with firm and
even step, the British regiments came forth like the holy men from the
Assyrian's furnace."
The French
cavalry made no more attempts to break the steadfast British square, and
though they threatened the Portuguese square, they, probably deterred by
the fact that it was supported by the Portuguese guns and our three
squadrons, made no actual charge. During the remaining portion of the day
the French contented themselves with following Colville, who had been
reinforced, with mere artillery fire.
The loss of the 77th
on this eventful day was 4 rank and file killed, 14 rank and file wounded,
and 5 rank and file missing - a small list of casualties, but relatively
large if we take into consideration the fact that according to one of the
Duke of Wellington's letters, written a week later, the 77th did not
number on the day of the action more than 250 rank and file. We may here
take the opportunity of mentioning that the 11th Light Dragoons, of whom
only 2 squadrons were present, lost 1 sergeant, 8 rank and file, and 9
horses killed; 1 lieutenant-colonel, 1 lieutenant, 1 quartermaster, 1
sergeant, 17 rank and file, and 26 horses wounded. On the other side of
the account it may be related that they captured 20 French dragoons. The
Duke of Wellington was not lavish in praise, a fact which renders all the
more valuable a highly commendatory general order on the subject which he
issued on the 2nd October 1811, and from which we extract some of the most
important passages. "The commander of the forces has been particular
in stating the details of this action in the general orders, as, in his
opinion, it affords a memorable example of what can be effected by
steadiness, discipline, and confidence... It is impossible that any troops
can, can at any time, be exposed to the attack of numbers relatively
greater than those which attacked the troops under Major-General Colville
and Major-General Alten on the 25th September; and the commander of the
forces recommends the conduct of these troops to the particular attention
of the officers and soldiers of the Army, as an example to be followed in
all such circumstances."
At the
capture of Cuidad Rodrigo by assault on the 12th January 1812, the 77th
played a conspicuous part. The 3rd - Picton's - Division, to which the
regiment belonged, was told off to attack the great breach. The left
breach was stormed by the Light Division, and false attacks were made
elsewhere. The Light division showed the most astounding intrepidity under
the most desperate circumstances, and after suffering losses that may be
called, without exaggeration, appalling, eventually succeeded. The task of
the 3rd division, though arduous enough, not quite so arduous as that
of the Light Division. Picton - who as Charles Lever says in "Charles
O'Malley" was always in a heavenly humour when somebody was going to
be killed- was a general to get the utmost out of his men, and on this
occasion they fought splendidly, the 77th being among the leading
regiments. Having escaladed the Fausse Braye, the 3rd division cleared it
till they came to the foot of the great breach. This they mounted in the
face of a most destructive fire, which every second stretched an officer
or man among the ruins. The French from their entrenchments poured forth a
constant stream of bullets, and were aided by the fire of their comrades
occupying the houses in the rear of and overlooking the ramparts. Our men
had forced their way up to nearly the top of the breach, but could not
advance further in the teeth of the two guns which at only a few yards
swept the narrow passage with grape. Die, Picton's men could; go back they
would not. At length the other breach was carried, and the 43rd and the
stormers of the Light Division came down on the flank of the defenders of
the great breach. Three small expense magazines exploded about this time,
and the defence weakening, the 3rd division, by a great effort, carried
the retrenchments. The total loss of the allies in this siege was about
1,200 soldiers and 90 officers. Of these some 650 men and 60 officers were
the casualties due to the assault.
This bloody drama was quickly
followed by another of the same character at Badajos. After a short siege,
on 6th April 1812, the Light and 4th Divisions were sent against the
breach, while Picton, with the 3rd Division, in which was the 77th, was ordered to
escalade the castle and the ramparts adjoining. It was about 10pm when the
actual assault was delivered. After terrible loss, resulting from stones,
logs, shells rolled down, a constant fire of musketry, and the breaking of
ladder after ladder, the 3rd Division were repulsed. Nobly led, however,
and with heroic courage they placed fresh ladders against the walls, and
this time were successful. It was they, in fact, who captured the town,
for the garrison had repulsed with gruesome slaughter the assault on the
other breach; but the capture of the castle brought about the abandonment
of that breach by the French. The grand total of the casualties in the
assault was 3,022 of all ranks, including 5 general officers wounded. The
loss of the 77th - a weak battalion it must be remembered - was only three officers and ten men wounded.
The
Middlesex Regiment bears on its colours, in honour of these events, the
words "Seringapatam" and "Badajos".
The 77th,
reduced to a skeleton after their heavy losses, were soon after sent to
Lisbon. There they remained until October 1813, when they embarked for
Passages, and marching thence to Bayonne, took part in the investment of
that town.
The 77th formed part of the Light Division in the
Crimea. At the Alma it was not heavily engaged. At Inkerman it was in the
thick of the fight and did splendid service under Colonel Egerton. Almost
at the beginning of the action, when deployed in the mist and smoke,
Lieutenant Clifford, ADC to Major-General Buller, commanding the brigade,
saw a column of Russians coming up on the left rear of the regiment by a
ravine. Clifford called out cheerily to the nearest men "Who will
come and charge with me?" Comparatively few could hear, but of those
who did a score or two followed him. Without waiting for them Clifford
dashed on ahead and drove his way into the Russian column. The Russians,
taken by surprise, were partially paralysed. A few, however, fired and
used their bayonets, but Clifford killed one Russian, disabled another,
and his handful of men coming up, a fierce melee ensued. Soon those of the
enemy immediately opposed the the daring band fled down the ravine,
throwing their comrades, already vexed by the fire of Prince Edward of
Saxe-Weimar's company of the Grenadier Guards on the opposite bank - into
disorder and bringing about their retreat. As to the head of the column,
which had been, so to speak, amputated by the daring rush of Clifford and
his followers, they threw down their arms and surrendered.
About
the same time a body of about 1,500 Russians bore down upon Egerton, who
had but 260 men with him.. He gave the word "Fire a volley and
charge," and nobly his men responded. Delivering their fire with
deadly effect, They sprang at the Russians, and plunging into the mist,
the smoke, and brushwood, penetrated into the crowd, and plying the
bayonet and butt end vigorously, in a few minutes broke up and pressed
back their adversaries. These they followed up to the foot of Shell Hill,
where they maintained themselves till late in the fight, when Egerton was
sent to another part of the field.
Late in the evening of 19th April
1855, Colonel Egerton, with a portion of the regiment, supported by a wing
of the 33rd, in all about 600 bayonets, attacked certain Russian lodgments
- afterwards called, in honour of the feat, "Egerton's Rifle
Pits". These were carried by our men with the bayonet, scarcely a
shot being fired by our people, though they were received with a shower of
musket bullets. Our engineers resolved only to retain one , which they
placed in a state of defence and connected with our nearest approach. It
took some three hours to accomplish this task, performed under a heavy
fire of artillery and small arms. It was at this time that Captain
Lempriere, a very young officer who had fought manfully at Inkerman, was
mortally wounded, being shot through the lungs as he stood by the side of
Colonel Egerton. Egerton was very fond of the lad, whom he was wont to
call his child, and lifting him in his arms, carried him to a place of
shelter in the trenches, immediately after returning to his post.
Immediately after Sergeant McDonald, a gallant sapper who won the Victoria
Cross by his conduct on the occasion, fell badly wounded by a grape shot
in the right side. Colonel Egerton, ever as mindful of others as he was
careless about himself, strove to keep up the sergeant's strength by
giving him brandy out of his flask. His deed of mercy had scarcely been
done than the enemy made a vigorous effort to recapture the lodgment, and
in assisting to repulse them Egerton was slain. Lord Raglan described the
conduct of the troops as "admirable", and in his despatch
declared the army could not have suffered a more severe loss than that of
Egerton, "who was one of the best officers in the army".
On
this occasion Sergeant John ark and Private Alexander Wright of the 77th
won the Victoria Cross. Both had on previous occasions shown great
courage.
Since the Crimea, the 77th has had little opportunity of
distinguishing itself, for it only arrived in India in time to take part
in the closing scenes of the Mutiny. It, however, has always maintained
its high character, and for several years, while under the command of
Colonel, now General, Kent, it was at the top of the list in musketry.
Indeed, much was sacrificed for good shooting, and no soldier who was not
at all events a fair shot could expect any indulgences or privileges.
