HLI Chronicle 1921 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

DIARY OF WILLIAM GAVIN.
XXIX
we came as far as Agen; so rapid was the
stream that we accomplished in two days
what requires fonrteen to work against it,
with twelve men towing with all their might.
The second day we arrived at Bordeaux.
I went to the theatre, one of the most beautiful
in France. It :.;equired nine days' march
of the army from Toulouse to Bordeaux.
Here I sold my Andalusian stallion (which I
bought in Lisbon from Quartermaster Smith,
14th Dragoons, for two hundred dollars)
for twenty dollars, and gave a new English
saddle and bridle with it.
From Bord'eaux we were ordered to Blanchfort
Camp, where after remaining some time
we embarked in transports, and went down the
Gironde and reimbarked on board His Majesty's
ship" Bellisle " (74 guns). The whole of the
Regiment was on boaI'd, and Captain Gordon's
Company of the 50th. All the officers were
crowded together in the gun-room. We
sailed with a favourable wind and arrived
in Cork in eight days-in June, 1814.
From Cork we marched to Mallow, where
we remained 'ten days, and from thence got
the route to Limerick, and remained until
January, 1815, when we received orders to
proceed to Cork and embark for America.
We were put on board four transports aIid
sailed out of the Cove four times, but were
obliged to put back each time by contrary
winds. At length news arrived of peace
being concl:uded with America,* and we were
ordered round by water to Carlingford, and
thence to Dublin. On our arrival at Carlingford,
with every expectation that our troubles
were at ail end, an order waited for us to
proceed direct to the Downs. Two of our
transports were taken from us and ordered
to bring troops from America, and the entire
regiment crowded into the remaining two,
with scarcely standing room. Here we first
learned of Bonaparte's escape from Elba.
VIII.-THE CAMPAIGN OF WATERLOO.
WE were tossed about St. George's Channel
fflr ,eight days, in the most unhappy way
I ever experienced, in the evening on the coast
of Wales, and morning that of Ireland. We
met a vessel at sea who informed us that
Napoleon had advanced as far as Lyons.
We got up Channel past Portsmouth,
when the wind changed, and we were obliged
to put into Portsmouth. During this day
"Peace of Ghent signed December 24th, 1814.
a merancholy accident happened. The ship
was so crowded that there was scarcely room
on deck to contain the men. The day being fine,
about twenty got upon some spare yards
that were lashed outside the ship, but the
cords by which they were lashed, being too
slight for such a weight, gave way, and the
whole were precipitated into the ocean. The
day was calm and the sails were immediately
backed, and hen coops and every portable
thing- that would float thrown overboard,
but unfortunately ten perished. One poor
fellow, John M'Comie, a good swimmer,
attempted to take off his trousers in the water
to save another, when he got entangled and
sunk to rise no more. We visited the dockyard
and works.' Captain James Henderson
and myself were deputed to order dinner
at the" George Inn," High Street, and among
other good things found a turtle, for which
they (the innkeepers) made us pay one guinea
per head. Before dinner Colonel Reynal
and Major L'Estrange joined us.
We sailed for Deal, and sent our heavy
baggage on shore, and embarked in fishing
smacks for Ostend. The sea ran mountains
high, so much so that the smack I was on
board of was half under water, and we put
back to Dover. Surgeon Stewart, Surgeon
Hill, and a few other officers and myself
waited on the Commanding Officer, Colonel
Dixon, who received us very kindly and kept
us for dinner, with Colonel N orcott and
family, the Colonel then commanding 2nd
Battalion Rifles, stationed then at Deal.
We remained at Deal two days; got fresh
provisions for the men and sailed for ,Ostend,
which we made in twelve hours. It was about
ten at night when we got to the harbour,
and at a certain state of the tide it is dangerous
to enter. They have signals, well known to
the English smugglers and fishermen, when to
enter or when to remain outside the bar.
We happened to arrive at the wrong time,
and were obliged to remain outside till morning,
when we landed and were ordered immediately
to Ghent. We embarked on board
boats in the evening and proceeded to Bruges,
and stopped at the English Hotel, kept by Mr.
Carpenter, formerly of Limerick.
Next day we proceeded to Ghent by the
canal. We remained here a few days and
then marched to Fresne (through Audenarde,
etc.), where we remained two days. We were
then ordered to Leuse, and were quartered
with the 2nd Battalion of the Rifles.
June 14th.-General Adam, who commanded