HLI Chronicle 1914 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY CHRONICLE.Siege of Gibraltar.Ill.By WaIter, Gordon, late ~oldier in the 73rdRegiment, or Lord Macleod's Highlanders.(Oontinued from Oct., 1913, Number.)MEMOIRS OF THE LIFE AND MILITARY SERVICESOF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL ELLIOT.GEORGE AUGUSTUS ELLIOT, the brave andgallant defender of Gibraltar, is the son ofthe late Sir Gilbert Elliot of Stobbs, Baronetin Roxburghshire, Scotland. The ancient andhonourable family of Elliot of Stobbs, as wellas the collateral branch of Elliot of Minto, inthe same county, and of Elliot of Port Elliot,in Cornwall, are originally from Normandy.Their ancestor, M. Alliot, came over withWilliam the Conqueror, and held a distinguishedrank in his army. There is a traditionaryanecdote in the family relating to anhonourable distinction in their coat-of-armswhich, as it corresponds with history, bears theappearance of truth. When William set footon the English land he slipped and fell onthe earth; he sprang up again and explainedthat it was a happy omen, as he had embracedthe country of which he was to become thelord. Upon this Alliot drew his sword andswore by the honour of a soldier that he wouldmaintain at the hazard of his blood the rightof his lord to the sovereignty of the earthwhich he had embraced. On the event ofconquest, King William added to the arms ofAlliot, which was a baton or on a field azure,the arms and sword as a crest, with the motto"Per ignes fortiter et recte." We mention thisas a curious fact delivered down and recordedas a memorial of their antiquity.Sir Gilbert Elliot of Stobbs had nine sonsand two daughters. The present GeneralElliot was the youngest son, and he is now(1784) the only surviving one. His eldestbrother, Sir John Elliot, left the title andestate to his son, the present Sir Francis Elliot,who is therefore nephew to the General.George Augustus Elliotwas born about theyear 1718, and received the first rudiments ofhis education under a private tutor retainedat the family seat. At an early age he wassent to the University of Leyden, where hemade rapid progress in classical learning, andspoke with elegance and fluency the Germanand French languages. Being designed fora military life, he was sent from thence to thecelebrated Ecole Royale du Genie Militaire atLa Ere in Picardy. This school was renderedthe most famous in Europe by means of thegreat Vauban, under whom it was conducted.It is now under the management and care ofthe Comte d'Houroville. Here it was that thefoundation was laid of that knowledge oftactics in all its branches, and particularly inthe arts of engineering and fortification, whichhas distinguished this officer since. He completedhis military course' on the Continent bya tour for the purpose of seeing in practicewhat he had been studying in theory. Prussiawas the model for discipline, and he continuedfor some time as a volunteer in that service.Such were the steps taken by the young menof fashion in that day to accomplish themselvesfor the service of their country. Manyof his contemporaries were then firInly engaged,nobly abandoning the enjoyments ofease and luxury at home for the opportunityof seeing actual service. Mr. Elliot returnedin his 17th year to his native country of Scotland,and was in the same year, 1735, introducedby his father, Sir Gilbert, to LieutenantColonel Peers, of the 23rd Regiment of Foot,or Royal Welsh Fusiliers, then lying in Edinburgh.Sir Gilbert presented him as a youthanxious to bear arms for his King and country.He was accordingly entered as a volunteer inthat regiment, and continued for a year ormore. At this time he gave promise of hisfuture military talents, and showed that hewas at least a soldier au calur. From the23rd he went into the Engineer Corps atW oolwich, and made great progress in thatstudy, until his uncle, Colonel ElIiot, broughthim in as Adjutant of the second troop of HorseGrenadiers. In this situation he conductedhimself with the most y attention andlaid the foundation of that scipline which has.rendered these two troops the finest corps ofheavy cavalry in Europe, the HanoverianBody Guards and the Musketeers of Francenot excepted. With these troops he wentupon service to Germany in the war beforelast, and was with them in a variety of actions.At the battle of Dettingen (16th June, 174:3)he was wounded. In this corps he firstbought the rank of Captain and Maj,or, andafterwards purchased the Lieutenant-Colonelcyfrom Colonel Brewerton, who succeeded tohis uncle. On arriving at this rank he resignedhis commission as an engineer, which he had