The Cavaliers of Fortune; Or, British Heroes in Foreign WarsGrant, James
History
The Cavaliers of Fortune; Or, British Heroes in Foreign Wars
Grant, James
British -- Foreign countries; Great Britain -- History, Military
"MY DEAR NAPIER,--I have been for some days on leave in London,
and received your letters there. I am here with my mother for a
day, and return this night to Sandgate. My reason for troubling you
for a drawing is, that, as a Knight of the Bath, I am entitled to
supporters. I have chosen a light-infantry soldier for one, being
colonel of the 1st Light Infantry regiment; and a Highland soldier
for the other, in gratitude to, and in commemoration of, two soldiers
of the 92nd, who, in the action of the 2nd October, raised me from
the ground, when I was lying on my face, wounded and stunned (they
must have thought me _dead_), and helped me out of the field. As my
senses were returning, I heard one of them say, '_Here is the general;
let us take him away_,' upon which they stooped and raised me by the
arm. I never could discover who they were, and therefore concluded
they must have been _killed_. I hope the 92nd will not have any
objection (as I have commanded them, and as they rendered me such a
service) to my taking one of the corps as a supporter. I do not care
for the drawing being elegant; all I want is the correct uniform and
appointments. Any person who can draw a figure tolerably, but will
dress him correctly, with arms, accoutrements, and in parade order,
will answer every purpose, as I want it for a model only, from which
a painter may draw another. If you are at a loss for a person to do
this, I dare say Lieutenant-Colonel Birch would do it, or get one of
the officers of the department to do so, if you sent a man properly
dressed to Colchester; but I think your own quarters will produce some
one sufficiently expert. I received your letter by Captain (Peter)
Grant, before I left Sandgate: he seems a very gentlemanly young man.
I do not think I can recommend a proper adjutant to you at present.
Remember me kindly to my friends of the 92nd, and believe me, my dear
Napier, sincerely, &c.,
"John Moore.[4]
"Lieut.-Col. Napier, of Blackstone."
After the convention at Alkmaar, and the cessation of hostilities, the
regiment embarked near the Helder, and landed at Yarmouth on the 29th
October. Though still suffering from his wound, Cameron obtained the
temporary command of a light infantry corps under Lord Hopeton. This
provisional battalion was exercised on Barham Downs, where he won the
reputation of a zealous and able officer. He came home on leave to his
native glen, kindly bringing with him Ewen M'Millan, who had a craving
to visit his old mother by the shore of Locharkaig.
They rejoined the Highlanders soon after, and the next scene of
Cameron's service was in Egypt. Before embarking, his regiment was
supplied with _yellow_ knapsacks, having a red thistle painted on the
backs of them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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