Historical Record of the Seventy-first Regiment, Highland Light Infantry: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1777, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1852Cannon, Richard
History
Historical Record of the Seventy-first Regiment, Highland Light Infantry: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1777, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1852
Cannon, Richard
Great Britain. Army -- History; Great Britain. Army. Regiment of Foot, 71st (Highland Light Infantry)
“Lieut.-Colonel Baillie could but make a feeble resistance
against so superior a force; but his little band yet gallantly
supported a very unequal fire, until their whole ammunition had
either been blown up or expended, which of course silenced the
British artillery. Hyder’s guns upon this drew nearer and nearer
at every discharge, while each shot was attended with certain and
deadly effect. Lieut.-Colonel Baillie’s detachment, seeing their
artillery silenced and remaining inactive while exposed to certain
destruction, very naturally became dismayed; which the enemy no
sooner perceived than they made a movement for a general charge
and advanced on all quarters to a close attack. At this dangerous
and trying juncture, sufficient to damp the spirits of the most
intrepid, all the camp-followers rushed in confusion through the
ranks of every battalion, and in an instant threw the whole into
disorder. The black troops, finding themselves in this calamitous
situation, relinquished every hope of success; and, notwithstanding
the extraordinary exertions of their European officers, were no
more to be rallied. But such of the Europeans as had fallen into
disorder by this irregularity, quickly united again in compact
order, headed by their gallant commander, who was at this time
much wounded; and, being joined by all the Sepoy officers, planted
themselves upon a rising bank of sand in their vicinity, where they
valiantly resolved to defend themselves to the last extremity.
“History cannot produce an instance, for fortitude, cool
intrepidity, and desperate resolution, to equal the exploits
of this heroic band. In numbers, now reduced to five hundred,
they were opposed by no less than one hundred thousand enraged
barbarians, who seldom grant quarter. The mind, in the
contemplation of such a scene, and such a situation as theirs was,
is filled at once with admiration, with astonishment, with horror,
and with awe. To behold formidable and impenetrable bodies of
horse, of infantry, and of artillery, advancing from all quarters,
flashing savage fury, levelling the numberless instruments of
slaughter, and darting destruction around, was a scene to appal
even something more than the strongest human resolution; but it was
beheld by this little band with the most undaunted and immovable
firmness. Distinct bodies of horse came on successively to the
charge, with strong parties of infantry placed in the intervals,
whose fire was discharged in showers; but the deliberate and
well-leveled platoons of the British musketry had such a powerful
effect as to repulse several different attacks. Like the swelling
waves of the ocean, however, when agitated by a storm, fresh
columns incessantly poured in upon them with redoubled fury, which
at length brought so many to the ground, and weakened their fire
so considerably, that they were unable longer to withstand the
dreadful and tremendous shock; and the field soon presented a
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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