The History of the 2nd Dragoons: "Royal Scots Greys"Almack, Edward
History
The History of the 2nd Dragoons: "Royal Scots Greys"
Almack, Edward
Great Britain. Army. Dragoons, 2nd (Royal Scots Greys)
Cornet in the Lieutenant-Colonel's troop, in the Muster signed at
Kelso, 13 August, 1763. In Muster Roll ending 26 December, 1768,
promoted to be a Lieutenant in the 70th Regiment. Born in 1744,
his father being James Ferguson of Pitfours, Aberdeenshire. He
was taught fortification, gunnery, &c., in a military academy in
London, and in 1759, before he was 15, was appointed a Cornet
in the Greys. On 2nd December, 1776, he obtained a patent for
improvements in Fire-arms. The patent covers several forms of
breech action, the use of sliding back sights, and also a peculiar
mode of rifling. After some successful public experiments at
Woolwich, and before the King at Windsor, the inventor returned
to his regiment, then quartered at Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was
allowed to form a corps of riflemen with volunteers from regiments
in America. The men were armed with breech-loading rifled carbines.
This corps of riflemen, extended in front and supported by a corps
of rangers, did good service in covering General Knyphausen's
advance at the Battle of Brandywine, 11 September, 1777, when
Ferguson received a severe wound. 26 October, 1779, he was made
Major in the old 71st Highlanders, then in America. In Carolina
under Lord Cornwallis, he was again wounded severely. At the fight
of King's Mountain, on 9 October, 1780, he was surprised and
killed. The D. N. B. concludes: "Ferguson is allowed by all to have
been a generous, chivalrous soldier, but the partisan warfare in
which he was engaged gave rise to rancorous feelings on both sides.
It is alleged that indignities were offered to his mangled corpse
and great barbarities practised on the wretched militiamen under
him who were taken prisoners. Unable to show other marks of respect
to his memory, Ferguson's brother officers published a notice of
him in the form of a monumental epitaph in the _New York Gazette_,
14 February, 1781."
PETER FERGUISON.
Cornet in November, 1760.
TOWNLEY PATTEN HUME MACARTNEY FILGATE.
Captain, 28 April, 1863, by exchange from 8th Hussars. Retired, 14
February, 1865.
CONRAD WILLIAM CURLING FINZELL.
Cornet by purchase, 14 February, 1864. Retired, 22 August, 1868.
WILLIAM FRANCIS FIRMSTONE.
Cornet, 28 October, 1871. Sub-Lieutenant, 1 November, 1871.
Lieutenant, 17 March, 1874. Resigned, 18 March, 1874.
RALPH BROMFIELD WILLINGTON FISHER.
From unattached list. Sub-Lieutenant, 27 June, 1874. To 10th
Hussars, 27 August.
Fisher, R. B. W. (Lieut.-Col., 10th Hussars.) Afghan War,
1878-9-80. Attack and capture of the Peiwar, Kotal, actions of
Matun and Futtehabad. Operations in the Shutargardan. Affairs
around Kabul and Sherpur; and march from Kabul to relief of
Kandahar, and battle of 1 September. Despatches, _London Gazette_,
4 May, and 3 December, 1880. Medal with 3 clasps: bronze star.
Mahsood Wuzeeree Expedition, 1881. Transport Officer. Mentioned in
Despatches.
PETER FRASER FLEMING.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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