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
When Pack's brigade was under arms in the Park of Brussels, the Duchess
of Richmond, who had been Lady Charlotte Gordon, passed in an open
carriage along the line. Colonel MacQuarrie, of the 42nd, gallantly
made his Highlanders _present arms_ to her, as the Duke of Gordon's
daughter, while the pipes played a salute; but on her approaching the
92nd, Cameron, still true to his old feud with her brother the marquis,
gave the order--"Gordon Highlanders, order arms--stand at ease!" and
thus coldly was the fair duchess received by the clan regiment of her
father.
On the 12th June, Napoleon left Paris at the head of his brave
army, and the British poured from Brussels. "The 42nd and 92nd
Highlanders marched through the Place Royale and the Parc," says
the "Circumstantial Detail;" "one could not but admire their fine
appearance, their steady, military demeanour, with their pipes playing
before them, and the beams of the rising sun shining upon their
glittering arms. On many a highland hill and in many a lowland valley
will the deeds of these brave men be remembered. It was impossible to
witness such a scene unmoved."
It was at four o'clock, on a bright midsummer morning, when the
Highlanders of Pack's brigade marched through the Namur gate, and,
mounted on a black Spanish horse, Fassifern was at the head of the
92nd. Gallant MacQuarrie led the Royal Highlanders. They were in the
division of Sir Thomas Picton, and, about two o'clock in the day,
came within range of the French artillery in front of Gemappe, near a
farm-house, now immortalised as _Les Quatre Bras_, where the main road
from Charleroi to Brussels is crossed by that which leads from Nivelle
to Namur. This was doomed to be, as his friend Mor'ar had, perhaps, too
surely foreseen, the scene of Cameron's last achievement.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account