HLI Chronicle 1909 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

HIGHLAND LIGH'llNFL'\l'RY .CHRONLCLE. 79with the result that four ot them went 8shoreunder the French guns, and the men on boardwere with difficulty reseued and taken onboard other ships of the fleet. The mast·er of .'one of the vessels, upon which was parti)f .theRegiment, was one of those seized with cdrr­.sternatiOfl (a shell having burst in the stern,filling the whole ship with smoke), and washastening to cnt his cable when the men tookit upon t,hemselves to prevent him. One-officer of the 38th Regiment, who seemed tohave some nautical skill, then took command,·ordering the sails to be all set first, and afterwardsthat the cables should be cut. Althoughballs were whizzing through the rigging nowand then, the officer's orders were obeyedwith great promptitude and coolness, and theywere soon running out to sea, not, however,without having the satisfaction ()f seeing _aBritish man-of-war come in and silence,with a single broadside, the batteries whichhad annoyed them."As the fleet weighed anchor, the Spanish. women were seen waving their handkerchiefsin farewell from the rocks, while the menmanned the batteries against the French.Unmindful of themselves,' they braved a;superior enemy to assist a friend, who wasunable to afford them further relief, andwhom they had no prosp }ct of ever seeingagain."·The Regiment was distributed throughoutmany vessels of the fleet, which, meeting badweather, was dispersed, and after some tendays at sea arrived at Portsmouth, Plymouth,Falmouth, and other ports. They were notpermitted to land, but ordered to concentrateat Portsmouth, whence, after being re-clothed,they moved round to Ramsgate, where they-disembarked, and marched to Ashford, inKent, where they were to be quartered.SI BERKOVITOH &&ON&, IMPORTERS AND BONDERS OFFINEST TURKISH TOBACCOAND CIGARETTE MANUll'ACTURERS,89 GLASSHOUSE STREET, REGENT STREET,~ LONDON, w. ~Supply Offtcel's' Mess Depot Scottish Riflesand H.L.I.* "Journal of a Soldier."