The Adventures of Captain John Patterson: With Notices of the Officers, &c. of the 50th, or Queen's Own Regiment from 1807 to 1821Patterson, John
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The Adventures of Captain John Patterson: With Notices of the Officers, &c. of the 50th, or Queen's Own Regiment from 1807 to 1821
Patterson, John
Great Britain. Army. Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment; Peninsular War, 1807-1814 -- Personal narratives, British
From Enniskillen the Regiment marched to Londonderry, where they
remained during the winters of 1815 and 1816.--While they were
stationed in the garrison they were treated with the utmost kindness
by the people, who testified on all occasions the high respect in
which they held the military profession; and those officers now alive
who were at that period quartered there, can bear testimony to this
record of the attention and generosity displayed by the inhabitants of
that loyal and interesting city.
Several detachments from the Regiment were cantoned in various parts
of the country, where they had but miserable accommodation. The
officers thus situated led rather a solitary life, varied occasionally
by the still-hunting expeditions, a species of service attended with
much fatigue. Often have we travelled for miles over deserted tracts,
and, after long continued wanderings, come perchance upon some spot
where the illicit manufactory was in active work, and where every
scheme and stratagem was used to avoid detection. Seized upon without
resistance, the unfortunate people were paralysed with terror, and
were captured together with their whiskey. Many were the wailings and
sorrowful cries of these miserable creatures, thus dispossessed of all
they were worth in the world; and it was pitiable to hear their wives
and children in despair imploring for mercy, while the relentless hand
of law held their husbands and fathers within its grasp.
It is much to be deplored that the King's troops should be employed in
a duty of such a revolting nature, which brings them into hostile
contact with the poor inhabitants of their own country; it is
certainly no very agreeable, and it might be added, honourable
employment, for any officer to be a gauger's whipper-in, or for his
party to be the advanced guard of an excise officer, or deputy
assistant carriers of potteen whiskey. We found it a most irksome,
harassing and unpleasant service, the very recollection of which, even
at this distance of time, is enough to make one shudder.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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