HLI Chronicle 1914 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

46 HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY CHRONICl.E.-~.--.--.-..-------..---.-------- ~-----------------'tlDjoyed along with his other rank, and inwhich service he had been actively employedvery much to the advantage of his country.He had received instruction of the famousengineer Bellidor, and made himself completelymaster of the science of gunnery. Hadhe not disinterestedly resigned his rank in theengineer department he would now, byregular profession, have been at the headof that corps. Soon after this he was appointedaide de camp to King George n., andwas already distineuished for his militaryskill and discipline. In the year 1759 hequitted the second troop of Horse GrenadierGuards, being selected to raise, form, anddiscipline the first Regiment of Light Horse,called after him" Elliot's." As soon as theywere raised and formed he was appointed tothe command of the cavalry in the expedition{)n the coast of France, with the rank ofBrigadier-General. After this he passed intoGermany, when he was employed on the staff,and greatly distinguished himself in a varietycl movements, while his regiment displayeda strictness of discipline and an activity andenterprise which gained them signal honour;and, indeed, they have been the patternregiment, both in regard to discipline andappointment, to the many light dragoon troopsthat have since that period been raised in ourService. From Germany he was recalled forthe purpose of being employed as second incommand in the memorable expedition againstthe Havannah. It was possible to find anofficer in the sunshine of the Court to whom,under the patronage of a prince, the trappingsof the chief command might be given; butan Elliot was wanted to act as well as anAlbemarle to shine, and for him they wereforced to go to the dusty plains of Germany.The circumst-ances of that conquest are wellknown. Our readers will pardon us for therecital of a short anecdote which occurredimmediately after the reduction, as it shows.that in the very heart and outrages of war theGeneral was not unmindful of the rights ofhumanity.He (General Elliot) was particularly eminentamong the conquerors of the Havannah forhis disinterested procedure in checking thehorrors of indiscriminate plunder. To him,therefore, appeals were most frequently made.A Frenchman, who had suffered greatly bythe depredati.ons of the soldiery, made applicationto him and begged in bad English thathe would interfere to have his propertyrestored. The petitioner's wife, who waspresent, a woma·n of great :'lpirit, was angryat her husband for hi.,; intercession, and said" How can you ask or expect a favour from aman who comes designedJy to plunder you? "The husband persisting in his application, ~iswife grew more loud in her· censure, and saIdhe was not a true Frenchman. The General,who was busy writing at the time, turned tothe woman and said, smiling, "Do not upbraid,madam. What vour husband demands will begranted." The' General was so very muchpleased with the woman's spirit that he notonly procured them 'their property again butalso took pains to accommodate them in everyrespect. This has been through life themanlv characteristic of the General: if hewould not suffer his troops to extend, for thesake of plunder, the ravages of war, he neverimpoverished them by unjust exactions.He never would consent that his Quartermaster'splace should be sold, not only, saidhe, " because I think it the reward of an honestveteran soldier, but also because I could notso directly exercise my authority in his dismissionshould he behave ill." On the peace(10th February, 1763) his gallant regimentwas reviewed by His Majesty in Hyde Park,when they presented to the King the standardswhich they had taken from the enemy. TheKing, gratified with their high character,asked General Elliot what mark of his favourhe could bestow on his regiment equal to theirmerits. He answered that his regiment wouldbe proud if His Majesty should think that ?ytheir services they were entitled to the dIStinctionof " Royals." It was accordingly madea Royal Regiment with the flattering title" The15th or King's Royal Regiment of LightDragoons." At the same time the King expresseda desire to confer a mark of his favouron the brave General, but he declared thatthe honour and satisfaction of His Majesty'sapprobation of his services was his best reward.During the peace he was not idle.. His greattalents in the various branches of the militaryart gave him ample employment; and hewas made Commander-in-Chief of the Forcesin Ireland. But he did not continue long onthis station-not even long enough to unpackall his trunks-for, finding that interferenceswere made by petty authority derogatory ofhis own, he resi8ted the practice with becomingspirit, and, not choosing to disturb the Governmentof the sister kingdom on a matterpersonal to himself, he solicited to be recalled,and accordingly was so, when he wa.sappointed to the command of Gibraltar, in a