Sergeant MacIntosh, and their charges were fixed "as in the 42nd and other Highland regiments."

R.O., February 1st, 1796.-As to-morrow is Lord Huntly's birthday, all the stopt wine will be issued to the men to drink his Lordship's health.*

It appears from the Regimental Return, February 1st, that there were over 100 men sick.

The

Hairdressing must have been a serious business in those days. Each company had a barber, who found soap and hairpowder, and was paid 3d. a-week by each man. The hair was well greased, combed out, powdered, and tied behind. soldiers sat on a bench one behind the other, and tied each other's tails, taking it in turn to be powdered. So the junior had to be up betimes, the senior being left to the last. "Hair to be just long enough at the sides to friz a little, and behind an inch below the rosette."

shaved.

Both officers and men were clean

R.O., May 21st.-The companies to parade every afternoon at four, in any dress they please, that their hair may be inspected by an officer. Lord Huntly's company is excepted from this parade, on account of having paid more attention to their hair than others.

On the 3rd May 1796, Lieut.-Colonel the Marquis of Huntly was promoted colonel of the regiment, and Major Erskine, lieut.-colonel commandant. On the 15th, the greater part of the regiment marched to Corte to suppress a rebellion which had broken out there. They had much severe marching in a difficult mountainous country, and were thanked in General Orders for their exertions and good conduct during the above service.

At this time there was an opinion prevalent with the military authorities that the Highland dress was unhealthy for soldiers in a hot climate, and Lieut.-Colonel Erskine appears to have shared this prejudice. While at Bastia, the men's belted plaids were made into tartan trousers, to be worn with buckled shoes on guard, and into tartan jackets for fatigue. They had also grey trousers, or white in the hot weather. It appears

A common minor punishment was to stop a man's daily allowance of liquor, which, according to the station, consisted of wine, beer, or rum.

that the change of dress did not conduce to the health of the men, but, according to General David Stewart, had the contrary effect. It was certainly disliked by the men, who, after a time, made known to the colonel their wish to return to the kilt, and it was resumed.

A draft of recruits joined at Bastia, under Captain M'Donald. In July Lieut.-Colonel Erskine obtained leave of absence.

R.O., Bastia, July 28th, 1796.-Lieut.-Colonel Erskine having made a most favourable report to Lord Huntly of the great attention of the officers, and of the general good conduct of the N.-C. officers and soldiers during his absence, he takes this opportunity of returning them his best thanks, and trusts the reports which he shall from time to time receive from Major Napier will be equally good.

Major Napier accordingly took command, and in Orders of July 29th, he “hopes that whenever Lord Huntly or Colonel Erskine meet the regiment again, they may find it in the same good order as when they left it. The regiment is so much. obliged to Lord Huntly for his great exertions for them, that Major Napier hopes they will take a particular pride in behaving in such a manner as they are certain will always give him great pleasure."

On the 14th August, a detachment of 1 field officer, 2 captains, 4 subalterns, 7 sergeants, and 208 rank and file, was held in readiness to embark on a secret expedition. In consequence of the unanimous wish of the officers and men, Major Napier requested the Commander-in-Chief to permit the whole regiment to take part in this service, to which he received the following reply:-"The Commander-in-Chief is sensible of the zeal and laudable motives which have induced the officers and men of the 100th Regiment to offer their services on the present occasion, and he desires Major Napier to express his best thanks to them, as well as his assurance that he will be ready at all times to testify his satisfaction at their general good conduct and appearance, although circumstances will not, at this time, allow him to avail himself of their services to the extent they offer them."

The expedition proved to be against Porto Ferraio in the

Isle of Elba. It was completely successful, and without loss to the troops engaged, the Island of Elba remaining in possession of Great Britain till given up at the Treaty of Amiens, 1802.

R.O., August 21st.-The major having found the barrackrooms, without exception, in the most infamous condition, he directs the orderly officer to be particularly attentive to their being perfectly clean and swept, and not to allow old hose, shoes, etc. to be under the beds. Orderly N.-C. officers of dirty rooms to attend drill till further orders.

R.O., August 25th. As the regiment is to embark immediately for Gibraltar, officers commanding companies will be pleased to provide anything they think will be wanted for the men during the voyage.

The success of the revolutionary party in France, and the brilliant career of their countryman, Napoleon Bonaparte, had encouraged the French partisans among the Corsicans, and the inhabitants began to repent their union with Britain. The British Government, therefore, seeing that the advantage of possessing the island was small, while the cost of keeping it would be great, decided to sever the connection, and gradually to withdraw the troops.

Garrison Orders, Bastia, September 5th, 1796.—The 100th Regiment being to depart for Gibraltar, Lieut.-General de Burg cannot suffer them to leave Corsica without testifying his approbation and satisfaction of their general good conduct and soldier-like behaviour since he has had the honour to command them. At the same time, he desires they will accept his best wishes for their success and welfare on all occasions. Lieut.General De Burg pledges himself to those men of the 100th Regiment who are detained as artificers, that he has no intention of placing them in any other corps whatever, and that he will forward them to their regiment the moment they can be spared from the public works they are now employed in.*

On September 6th they embarked-1 field officer, 5 captains, 7 lieutenants, 5 ensigns, 3 staff, 37 sergeants, 21 drummers, and 706 rank and file-on the transports Granby,

This refers to a number of tradesmen-smiths, carpenters, masons, etc. -who were employed, and who had evidently been afraid they might be drafted to another corps if once separated from their own.

Esther, Elizabeth, and Borus, protected by seven men-of-war under Admiral Mann. In those days of slow post and no telegraph, the Admiral was unaware that war had been declared by Spain against Great Britain,* till he was fired upon by the Spanish fleet, which was greatly superior in force. Our Admiral made all sail for Gibraltar, but the Granby was taken, having on board 2 staff officers, 3 sergeants, and 48 rank and file of the regiment, † who were made prisoners of war. Thus the first loss sustained by the Gordon Highlanders was in a naval engagement.

The following account of this affair is given by Captain Vivian of the 28th Regiment, then at Gibraltar, in a letter dated October 22nd, 1796

The Spanish fleet had passed by this a fortnight since. At that time war was not declared, and they pretended to say it was not about to be; but in a few days they met Admiral Mann and immediately gave chase to him, but he happened to be nearer the Rock than they were, and owing to their prime sailers being afraid to engage without the whole fleet, he got off. An 80-gun ship, an uncommon sailer, was ahead of her fleet and coming up fast with a transport, when Admiral Mann made a signal to the Hector to put about and take her in tow. Though the Hector was a league astern of the fleet, as soon as the 80-gun ship saw her put about, she did the same, and ran for the Spanish fleet. They had fifteen sail to the British seven. The only thing they took was an hospital ship belonging to the 100th Regiment. ‡

After this adventurous voyage, the regiment landed at Gibraltar on the 4th October.

R.O., October 5th.-Each company to have a set of types to mark their clothing.

* In 1795, Prussia had concluded a peace with the French Republic, and in consequence of the United Provinces of Holland having leagued with France, Great Britain had taken possession of the Cape of Good Hope and Ceylon (then Dutch colonies). The former allies of Great Britain had now been converted into enemies. War was declared by Holland, which had been constituted the Batavian Republic, against Great Britain in May, and Spain followed the example in October. -Cannon's "Historical Records.

+ In the Orders at Bastia, August 31st, for the distribution of companies to ships, is-Granby-The Marquis' and Captain M'Donald's, 154 men. This may, however, have been changed, the above being the number given in Cannon's "Historical Record" as being taken prisoners.

"Lord Vivian." A Memoir. By the Hon. Claude Vivian.

October 7th.-Officers will be pleased to complete all their men's bonnets with black ribbon of the same kind they formerly had, that they may be enabled to wear their bonnets properly, and not down on their heads like a night-cap.

As it is uncertain if the men are to be charged for their provisions on board ship, officers of companies are to charge them 3d. for each day, which will be repaid if the provisions. are not charged for.

October 20th. The men's hair not to be powdered, but well greased, and tied the same as if they were powdered. The scarcity of flour, which was often used by the men as hair powder, seems to account for this order.

The regiment was under canvas. A marquee was allowed for each field-officer and captain, to 3 lieutenants, and to 4 ensigns or surgeon's mate. One tent to a N.-C. officer and 9 men, or 3 married couples. Vivian writes-"The troops are encamped on the south front for fear of the town being set on fire by the Spaniards." Many men were employed on the works and in other ways, receiving extra pay, which must have made the duty heavy on others.

R.O., October 18th.-All constant workmen and servants not with officers of the regiment to pay two reals a-week pistreen money.*

R.O., October 27th.-In consequence of the hard work the men have had in cleaning their encamping ground, and also of their good behaviour since they landed, the major desires that the quartermaster will be pleased to buy wine, to be paid for out of the pistreen fund. Each man of the fatigue party to get a pint.

The pipers are to attend all fatigue parties. This is the first mention of pipers in orders. At this time, though the pipers were a most important part of a Highland regiment, and were held in the highest esteem by officers and men, they were not recognised by the authorities, and had no separate rank as the drummers had. They were purely a regimental, not an army, institution.†

* What was pistreen money? Probably from "pistrina,” a bake-house. It was probably used for the benefit of the men, in bread or otherwise, and seems to have been peculiar to Gibraltar. "Pistareen" is mentioned as the name of a coin in "Mexico of To-Day," by C. F. Lummis.

+ Pipers received rank and pay the same as drummers only about 1853.