economy which, in the words of General Shadwell, had produced in the
regiments serving under his command an excellence that had borne the
test of trial in the varied phases of the great Peninsular struggle,
and had left a permanent mark on the service at large. Campbell's
anxious and successful endeavour was to make the Ninety-Eighth a
well disciplined, thoroughly instructed and trustworthy regiment.
The material to his hand was good. He found the depôt in fine order;
the service companies brought home by Major Gregory required merely
the weeding out of some hard drinkers whose example was prejudicial
to the younger soldiers and whom the colonel was able to obtain
permission to discharge.
Colin Campbell had a genuine liking for and a thorough knowledge of
the private soldier. Throughout life he was by no means slow to wrath
when occasion stirred it, and sometimes, indeed, when the incentive
was inadequate, for hot Highland blood ran in his veins; and when
his face flushed and his gray eyes scintillated with passion, he was
not a man with whom it were wise to argue. The slack officer and the
bad soldier found no sympathy from a chief whose rebukes were strong
and whose punishments were stern; but he had a true comradeship with
those in whom he recognised some of that zeal of which he himself
had perhaps an excess. Himself ever sedulous in the fulfilment of
duty and sparing himself in nothing, he required of his officers a
scrupulous attention to their duties in everything regarding the
instruction, well-being, and conduct of their men. General Shadwell
writes: "Frugal in his habits by nature and force of circumstances,
Colonel Campbell laid stress on the observance of economy in the
officers' mess, believing a well-ordered establishment of this
kind to be the best index of a good regiment. Regarding the mess
as one of the principal levers of discipline, he made a rule of
attending it even when the frequent return of his fever and ague
rendered late dinners a physical discomfort. Cramped in his means,
he denied himself many little comforts in order that he might
have the wherewithal to return hospitality and be able to set an
example to his brother officers in the punctual discharge of his
mess liabilities. His intercourse with his officers off duty was
unrestrained and of the most friendly character. He sympathised with
them in their occupations and sports, and though the instruction and
discipline of the regiment was carried on with great strictness, the
best feeling pervaded all ranks."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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