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 — John Shaqi
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)
Thus did the mighty efforts of France and Spain end in defeat
and destruction, and the gallant efforts of the brave soldiers
who defended Gibraltar elicited the admiration of the nations in
Europe. In England the most enthusiastic applause was universal;
illuminations and other modes of testifying the joy of the people
followed the receipt of the news of the destruction of the boasted
invincible battering ships, and every family which could claim
a defender of Gibraltar belonging to it was proud of the honor.
The loss of the garrison, on the 13th and 14th of September, was
limited to one officer, two serjeants, and thirteen rank and file
killed; five officers and sixty-three rank and file wounded; that
of the enemy exceeded two thousand officers and soldiers. Captain
Alexander Mackenzie, of the second battalion, was one of the
officers wounded.
Although the enemy gave up all hopes of reducing Gibraltar by
force of arms, yet some expectation was entertained, that, if the
blockade was continued, the garrison might be forced to surrender
from the want of provisions; the combined fleet therefore remained
in the bay, the besieging army continued in the lines, and about
a thousand shots were fired every day from the Spanish batteries.
The garrison was encouraged to continue resolute in the defence of
the fortress by assurances of their Sovereign’s favour and high
approbation. The principal Secretary of State, writing to General
Eliott, stated,--“I am honored with His Majesty’s commands to
assure you, in the strongest terms, that no encouragement shall be
wanting to the brave officers and soldiers under your command. His
royal approbation of the past will no doubt be a powerful incentive
to future exertions, and I have the King’s authority to assure
you, that every distinguished act of emulation and gallantry,
which shall be performed in the course of the siege by any, even
of the lowest rank, will meet with ample reward from his gracious
protection and favour.”
On the 4th of October Lieutenant Kenneth Mackenzie, of the second
battalion, was wounded in the communication from the King’s to the
Queen’s lines.
In October the combined fleet was much damaged by a storm, and
soon afterwards a British naval force arrived, and the garrison
was again relieved, when two regiments, the Twenty-fifth and
Fifty-ninth, landed to take part in the defence of the fortress.
On the 23d of November Lieutenant John Mackenzie, of the second
battalion, was dangerously wounded by the enemy’s cannonade.
[Sidenote: 1783.]
[Sidenote: 1st bat.]
At the opening of the campaign of 1783, Tippoo Saib encamped his
army upon the plains of Arnee, where he was joined by a strong
detachment of French auxiliaries from Cuddalore.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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