CAPTAIN-LIEUTENANT.*

John Gordon, came from 81st Regiment; retired as major.

LIEUTENANTS.

Peter Grant, came from a Fusilier regiment; died at Keith, major half-pay, 1817.

Archibald Mac Donell, Inch, Lochaber, came from 79th Highlanders; died in Lochaber, lieutenant-colonel of Veterans, 1813.

Alexander Stewart of Achnacone, afterwards in 67th Regiment and 95th Rifles; died in Appin, 1854, lieutenant-colonel. John MacLean of Dochgarroch, promoted from 1st Royals, lieutenant-colonel 27th Regiment, 1808; died, lieutenantgeneral, K.C.B., 1825.

Peter Gordon; died 1806.

Thomas Forbes, Newe; killed at Toulouse when lieutenant-colonel 45th Regiment, 1814.

Ewan MacPherson, Ovie, Badenoch, came from 78th Highlanders ; died 1823, lieutenant-colonel retired, Governor of Sheerness. George Gordon (half-brother of Lord Huntly), came from 6th Dragoons, retired colonel; died at Glentromie, Badenoch.

ENSIGNS.

Charles Dowle; killed in Egypt, 1801.

George Davidson; killed at Quatre-Bras, when captain 42nd, 1815. Archibald MacDonald, Garvabeg, Badenoch, retired lieutenant; died in Canada.

Alexander Fraser; killed in Holland, 1799.

William Todd, son of the factor at Fochabers, retired.

James Mitchell, Auchindaul, Lochaber, lieutenant-colonel 92nd Gordon Highlanders, C.B., retired 1819; died in Lochaber, 1847.

William Gordon.

CHAPLAIN.

ADJUTANT. †

James Henderson, came from an Independent Company; died 1796.

Captain-lieutenant seems to have been senior lieutenant, and commanded the colonel's company.

+ Adjutant was a separate rank at this time. There were no regimental paymasters prior to 1798. The first in Gordon Highlanders was Archibald N.B. Several of the officers were not Campbell, appointed January 1800.

actually gazetted till later.

William Findlay; died in Egypt, 1801.

The men having received a few necessaries at Aberdeen, the regiment marched on June 27th for Fort-George, where it embarked on July 9th, and landed at Southampton on the 16th of August, after a voyage of five weeks! Longer than would now be occupied by a voyage to India. They were encamped on Netley Common, and brigaded with the 78th, 90th, and 97th Regiments. Here they were instructed in the first principles of discipline and drill, and received their arms, clothing, and appointments, which were as follows:

:

They wore the full Highland dress or "breacan anfhéilidh "—that is, plaid and kilt in one, called in Regimental Orders "the belted plaid." † The officers had twelve yards, or rather six yards double-width, of Gordon tartan, but of rather a smaller sett than was afterwards used. The rank and file had a smaller quantity. The officer's purse was badger skin, having a silver rim round the top, and six silver-mounted

* There were in Netley Camp the 7th Dragoon Guards, the 5th, 9th, 13th, 17th, and 24th Dragoons, and the 78th, 90th, 97th, 98th, and 100th Regiments of foot. The Barrack Department was instituted in 1792. At that date all the barrack accommodation in Great Britain and the Channel Islands (in forty-three fortresses and garrisons) would only house 20,847 men of artillery and infantry. The troops were constantly under canvas, even in winter, causing loud complaints, or they were billeted. When in billets, either on the march or in stationary quarters in England, the cavalry soldier paid 6d. a day to the innkeeper out of his pay of Sd. ; the infantry soldier paid 4d. out of his pay of 6d., for which the innkeeper had to supply them with food and beer. In camp, instead of beer, they had bread at reduced price, and an allowance in money was also given in camp and quarters for necessaries.— Military Journal, Vol. 1., p. 477.

+ Few people in the present day know how this ancient garb was worn. It was put on in the following manner :-The belt was laid down and the plaid over it, the centre of the plaid being over the belt; it was then neatly pleated across the belt, but leaving a part at each end unpleated; the belt was then fastened round the waist, so that the lower half of the plaid formed the feile or kilt, of which the unpleated part became the apron, and the upper half, falling over the belt, formed the breacan or plaid, which was fastened on the left shoulder, or it could be thrown round the shoulders as a cloak. By loosening the belt, the whole became a blanket or plaid. (Plaide is the Gaelic word for blanket.)

white tassels.* The purses of the rank and file were of grey goat skin, with six white tassels.† The hose of all ranks were cut out of the strong red and white tartan cloth known in the Highlands as "cathdath" or "battle colour," which was worn by all Highland corps, and by the better class of civilians when in Highland dress. The rosettes and garters were scarlet; the sash was crimson, and was worn over the left shoulder by both officers and sergeants. The officers wore a gilt gorget. All ranks had long hair, tied behind with a black ribbon, and powdered on Sundays and special occasions, and on guard. Neither moustache nor whisker was worn.

The head-dress consisted of the round bonnet then commonly worn in Scotland, but cocked and ornamented with ostrich feathers, and having a diced border of red, white, and green, said to represent the "fess chequé" in the arms of the Stuart kings. It had a hackle fastened over the left ear by a black cockade, with regimental button on it. This hackle was white for the Grenadier Company, green for the Light Company, and for the battalion companies the lower half was red and the upper white.

The jacket was scarlet for officers and sergeants, and red for the rank and file, with lapels turned back with yellow, showing the waistcoat, and laced two and two; lace silver with blue thread in the centre; silver or plated buttons, with the number of the regiment in the centre. Epaulets-two for all ranks of officers, of silver bullion, having two stripes of yellow silk in the centre of the strap, with a gold-embroidered thistle and a binding of blue round the edge. The N.-C. officers and men had white tufts for battalion companies and wings for flank companies. The officers' waistcoat was scarlet, laced with silver, the N.-C. officers' and men's white, these being the origin of the mess-waistcoat and white jacket worn now by officers and men respectively. §

* Cannon's "Records."

+ Described to me in 1852 as "speckled" by Pensioner Corporal John Innes, Tom a Mhulin, Glenlivat, one of the recruits of 1794. Cloth hose were worn in the regiment till 1849-50, when the material, but not the colour, was altered.

Except in Highland regiments, only field officers wore two epaulets. § I have no evidence of the dress of the drummers and band in 1794, but

The officers were armed with the Highland claymore, worn at the back, in a buff belt, fastened by an oval breast-plate of silver, having a crown and thistle, surrounded by the words "Gordon Highlanders"; they had also a silver-mounted dirk. The sergeants with claymore and pike. The rank and file carried flint-lock muskets, the barrels brightly polished, and bayonets. All musicians were armed with the claymore. The knapsacks were of goat-skin.

Perhaps some extracts from Garrison and Regimental Orders may show better than words of mine the condition and development of the corps.

The first Regimental Orders I find are dated August 17th, 1794. They are about a captain and subaltern of the day being appointed in future, and as to their duties, and that each officer is to supply himself with a book, in which he is to insert in his own handwriting all Regimental Orders, and so not plead the neglect of the orderly sergeant for being ignorant of them. These books to be inspected by the commanding officer every Sunday.

The men to dine at one o'clock, till the regiment gets into a regular way of messing. An officer of a company to attend

to see the dinners are well cooked.

Lord Huntly is sorry that the present undisciplined state of the regiment makes it necessary for him to order the officers to attend strictly to everything concerning their companies, but hopes that by their own attention he will soon be able to relieve them of a great part of their trouble.

Minute directions as to telling off and sizing a company," * "as some officers may be unacquainted with the method of sizing them."

Officers commanding companies to let the quartermaster know how much hose tartan they require to complete every man to three pairs.

At this time they were numbered the Hundredth Regiment.

they probably wore then, as they certainly did a few years later, yellow jackets turned up with red for drummers, and white with yellow facings for the band. Pipers wore then, and till about 1860, the same uniform as the rank and file.

* There were ten companies at this period. The colonel, lieut. -colonel, and senior major of a regiment each had a company.

The title "Gordon Highlanders" was continued along with the number in all Regimental Orders and Returns, but in Horse Guards or General Orders and in the Army List it was not used-simply 100th Regiment. The first use of the number was in G.O., August 20th, 1794-" The 100th Regiment gives the guards and orderlies to-morrow." No doubt a certain number of N.-C. officers and men who had served before were capable of this duty.

All the officers were drilled every day by the adjutant, and they are recommended to get some person to instruct them in marching and giving the word of command.

A sickness among the men is attributed to want of salt, and "companies that have already cleared with the paymaster are to supply themselves with that article," while officers of companies in a less solvent position are "to advance 6d. each to their men, which they will stop when their settlement takes place."

Orders as to squad drills and sergeants' duties explained. The cost of the men's rations was-meat (4 lb.), 1/9 aweek; bread, 8d.; meal or vegetables, 4d.; and 84d. for washing, hair-powder, etc.

G.O., August 23rd, 1794.—“ Officers commanding corps will see that divine worship is not omitted to-morrow. Infantry to wear powder on Sundays. Recruits unclothed not excepted."

R.O. of same date, as to officers being properly dressed by the 31st, and their "hair cut agreeable to Lord Huntly's order." Officers commanding companies to supply immediately men that want them with regimental kilt and hose. "Those who have at present breeches or trousers to be first provided " -evidently most of the men had their own kilts.

At this time the first court-martial sat, a Sergeant Munro being reduced to the rank and pay of a private sentinel.

On the 24th they were supplied with "nabsacks” (sic) and leather stocks. "No velvet stocks nor any that are tied in front are to be allowed."

They had "small horses" placed by commanders of companies for the men to dry their belts on," and they are not to hang belts on the horses for the arms."