history of the mackenzies-第69部分

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me　to　be　　ashore；　but　such　was　his　ardour　to　share　in　the　action　that　he　swam　to　one　　of　the　ships　engaged　with　the　enemy。　　Immediately　on　his　arrival　in　India　he　obtained　a　separate　command　on　the　Malabar　Coast；　but　in　its　exercise　　he　met　with　every　possible　discouragement　from　the　Council　of　Bombay。

This；　however；　only　gave　a　man　of　his　spirit　greater　opportunity　of　distinguishing　himself；　for；　under　all　the　disadvantages　of　having　funds；　stores；　and　reinforcements　withheld　from　him；　he　undertook；　with　1000　　Europeans　and　2500　Sepoys　to　wage　an　offensive　war　against　Calicut。　　He　　was　conscious　of　great　personal　resources；　and　harmony；　confidence；　and　　attachment　on　the　part　of　his　officers　and　men。　　He　finally　drove　the　　enemy　out　of　the　country；　defeated　them　in　three　different　engagements；　　took　the　city　of　Calicut；　and　　every　other　place　of　strength　in　the　kingdom。

He　concluded　a　treaty　with　the　King　of　Travancore；　who　was　reinforced　by　　a　body　of　1200　men。　　Tippoo　then　proceeded　against　him　with　an　army　of　　30；000；　more　than　one…third　of　them　cavalry；　Colonel　Mackenzie…Humberston　repelled　their　attack；　and　by　a　rapid　march　regained　the　Fort　　of　Panami；　which　the　enemy　attempted　to　carry；　but　he　defeated　them　with　　great　loss。　　He　served　under　General　Matthews　against　Hyder　Ali　in　1782；　　but　during　the　operations　of　that　campaign；　Matthews　gave　such　proofs　of　　incapacity　and　injustice；　that　Colonels　Macleod　and　Humberston　carried　　their　complaints　to　the　Council　of　Bombay；　where　they　arrived　on　the　26th　of　February；　1783。　　The　Council　ordered　General　Matthews　to　be　　superseded；　appointed　Colonel　Macleod　to　succeed　him　in　command　of　　the　army；　and　desired　Colonel　Humberston　to　join　him。　　They　both　sailed　　from　Bombay　on　the　5th　of　April；　1783；　in　the　Ranger　sloop　of　war；　but；　notwithstanding　that　peace　had　been　concluded　with　the　Mahrattas；　their　　ship　was　attacked　on　the　8th　of　that　month　by　the　Mahratta　fleet；　and　after　　a　desperate　resistance　of　four　hours；　captured。　All　the　officers　on　board　　were　either　killed　or　wounded；　among　them　the　young　and　gallant　Colonel　　　Mackenzie…Humberston；　who　was　shot　through　the　body　with　a　four　　pound　ball；　and　he　died　of　the　wound　at　Geriah；　on　the　30th　April；　1783；　　in　the　28th　year　of　his　age。　　A　fine　monument　is　erected　to　his　memory　in　Fortrose　Cathedral。　He　had　only　been　Chief　of　the　Clan　for　two　years；　　and；　dying　unmarried；　he　was　succeeded　as　head　of　the　house　and　in　the　　family　estates　by　his　next　and　only　lawful　brother；　＇Douglas'　Peerage。

He　　had　a　natural　son；　Captain　Humberston　Mackenzie；　of　the　78th；　killed　at　　the　storming　of　Ahmadnugger；　on　the　8th　of　August；　1803。＇

XXI。　　FRANCIS　　HUMBERSTON　　MACKENZIE；

Raised　to　the　peerage　of　the　United　Kingdom　as　Lord　Seaforth　and　Baron　　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　in　1797。　　This　nobleman　was　in　many　respects　an　　able　and　remarkable　man；　was　born　in　1754；　in　full　possession　of　all　his　　faculties　but　a　severe　attack　of　scarlet　fever；　from　which　he　suffered　when　　about　twelve　years　of　age；　deprived　him　of　hearing　and　almost　of　speech。

As　he　advanced　in　years　he　again　nearly　recovered　the　use　of　his　tongue；　　but　during　the　last　two　years　of　his　life；　grieving　over　the　loss　of　his　four　　promising　sons；　all　of　whom　predeceased　him；　he　became　unable；　or　　rather　never　made　the　attempt　to　articulate。　In　his　youth　he　was　intended　　to　follow　the　naval　profession；　but　his　physical　misfortunes　made　such　a　　career　impossible。　　Little　or　nothing　is　known　of　the　history　of　his　early　life。　　In　1784；　　and　again　in　1790；　he　was　elected　M。P。　for　the　County　of　Ross。　　In　1787；　　in　the　thirty…third　year　of　his　age；　he　offered　to　raise　a　regiment　on　his　own　　estates　for　the　King's　service；　to　be　commanded　by　himself。　　In　the　same　　year　the　74th；　75th；　76th；　and　77th　Regiments　were　raised；　and　the　　Government　declined　his　patriotic　offer；　but　agreed　to　accept　his　services　　in　procuring　recruits　for　the　74th　and　75th。　　This　did　not　satisify　him；　and　　he　did　not　then　come　prominently　to　the　front。　　On　the　19th　of　May　1790；　　he　renewed　his　offer；　but　the　Government　informed　him　that　the　strength　　of　the　army　had　been　finally　fixed　at　77　Regiments；　and　his　services　were　again　declined。　　He　was　still　anxious　to　be　of　service　to　his　country；　and　　when　the　war　broke　out　in　1793；　he　for　the　　third　time　renewed　his　offer；　and　　placed　　his　great　influence　at　the　service　of　the　Crown。　　On　this　　occasion　a　letter　of　service　is　granted　in　his　favour；　dated　the　7th　of　　March；　1793；　empowering　him；　as　Lieutenant…Colonel…Commandant；　to　　raise　a　Highland　battalion；　which；　being　the　first　embodied　during　the　war；　　was　to　be　numbered　the　78th；　the　original　Mackenzie　　regiment　having　　had　its　number　previously　reduced　to　the　72d。　　The　battalion　was　to　consist　of　one　company　of　grenadiers；　one　of　light　infantry；　and　eight　　battalion　companies。　　The　Mackenzie　chief　at　once　appointed　as　his　Major　　his　own　brother…in…law；　Alexander　Mackenzie；　at　that　time　of　Belmaduthy　　but　afterwards　of　Inverallochy　and　Castle　Fraser；　fourth　and　younger　son　　of　Colin　Mackenzie；　VI。　of　Kilcoy；　then　a　captain　in　the　73d　Regiment；　　and　a　man　who　proved　himself　on　all　future　occasions　well　fitted　for　the　　post。　　The　following　notice；　headed　by　the　Royal　arms；　was　immediately　　posted　throughout　the　counties　of　Ross　and　Cromarty；　on　the　mainland；　　and　in　the　Island　of　Lewis：

〃SEAFORTH'S　　HIGHLANDERS　　to　be　forthwith　raised　for　the　　defence　of　his　Glorious　Majesty；　King　George　the　Third；　and　the　　preservation　of　our　happy　constitution　in　Church　and　State。　　〃All　lads　of　true　Highland　blood　willing　to　show　their　loyalty　and　　spirit；　may　repair　to　Seaforth；　or　the　Major；　Alexander　Mackenzie　of　　Belmaduthy　or　the　other　commanding　officers　　at　headquarters　at　？？？；　where　they　will　receive　high　bounties　and　soldier…like　entertainment。

〃The　lads　of　this　regiment　will　live　and　die　together；　as　they　cannot　　be　draughted　into　other　regiments；　and　must　be　reduced　in　a　body；　in　their　　own　country。

〃Now　for　a　stroke　at　the　Monsieurs；　my　boys！　　King　George　for　　ever！　Huzza！〃

The　machinery　once　set　agoing；　applications　poured　in　upon　　Seaforth　for　commissions　in　the　corps　from　among　his　more　immediate　　relatives；　and　from　others　who　were　but　slightly　acquainted　with　him。

＇Besides　Seaforth　himself；　and　his　Major　mentioned　in　the　text；　the　　following；　of　the　name　of　Mackenzie；　appear　among　the　first　list　of　　officers：Major。Alexander　Mackenzie　of　Fairburn；　General　in　1809。　　Captains。John　Mackenzie　of　Gairloch；　〃Fighting　Jack；〃　Major　in　　1794。　　Lieutenant…Colonel　the　same　year　and　Lieutenant…General　in　1814；　　died　the　father　of　the　British　Army　in　1860；　and　John　Randoll　Mackenzie　　of　Suddie；　Major…General　in　1804；　killed　at　Talavera　in　1809。　　Lieutenant。Colin　Mackenzie；　Lieutenant…Colonel　91st　Regiment。　　Ensigns。Charles　Mackenzie；　Kilcoy；　and　J。　Mackenzie　Scott；　　Captain　57th　Regiment；　killed　at　Albuera。＇

The　martial　spirit　of　the　people　soon　became　thoroughly　roused；　　and　recruits　came　in　so　rapidly　that　on　the　10th　of　July；　1793；　only　four　months　after　the　letter　of　service　to　Seaforth；　the　Regiment　was　marched　　to　Fort…George；　inspected　and　passed　by　Lieutenant…General　Sir　Hector　　Munro；　when　five　companies　were　immediately　embarked　for　Guernsey　　　and　the　other　five　companies　were　landed　in　Jersey　in　September；　1793；　　and　afterwards　sent　to　Holland。

On　the　13th　of　October；　the　same　year；　Mackenzie　offered　　to　raise　a　second　battalion　for　the　78th；　and　on　the　30th　of　the　same　month　the　King　gave　him　permission　to　raise　five　hundred　additional　men　on　the　　original　letters　of　service。　　But　this　was　not　what　he　wanted；　and　on　the　28th　of　December　following　he　submitted　to　the　Government　three　　alternative　proposals　for　raising　a　second　battalion；　　On　the　7th　of　　February；　1794；　one　of　these　was　agreed　to。　　The　battalion　was　to　be　　formed　of　eight　battalion　and　two　flank　companies；　each　to　consist　of　100　men；　with　the　usual　number　of　officers　and　noncommissioned　officers。

He　was；　however；　disappointed　by　the　Government；　for　while　he　intended　　to　have　raised　a　second　battalion　for　his　own　regiment；　an　order　was　　issued　signed　by　Lord　Amherst；　that　it　was　to　be　considered　a　separate　　corps；　whereupon　the　Lieutenant…Colonel…Commandant　addressed　the　　following　protest　to　Mr　Dundas；　one　of　the　Secretaries　of　State：

St　Alban　Street；　8th　February；　1794。

Sir；I　had　sincerely　hoped　I　should　not　be　obliged　to　trouble　you　again；　but　on　my　going　to…day　to　the　War　Office　about　my　letter　of　service　　（having　yesterday；　as　I　thought；　finally　agreed　with　Lord　Amherst）；　I　was；　　to　my　amazement；　told　that　Lord　Amherst　had　ordered　that　the　1000　men　I　　am　to　raise　were　not　to　be　a　second　battalion　of　the　78th；　but　a　separate　corps。　　It　will；　I　am　sure；　occur　to　you　that　should　I　undertake　such　a　thing；　　it　would　destroy　my　influence　among　the　people　of　my　country　entirely　　and　instead　of　appearing　as　a　loyal　honest　chieftain　calling　out　his　friends　to　support　their　King　and　country；　I　should　be　gibbeted　as　a　jobber　of　the　　attachment　my　neighbours　bear　to　me。　　Recollecting　what　passed　between　　you　and　me；　I　barely　state　the　circumstance；　and　I　am；　with　great　respect　and　attachment；　sir；　your　most　obliged　and　obedient　servant；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　F。　H。　MACKENZIE。

This　had　the　desired　effect　the　order　for　a　separate　corps　was　　rescinded；　and　a　letter　of　service　was　issued　in　his　favour　on　the　10th　of　February；　1794；　authorising　him；　as　Lieutenant…Colonel…Commandant；　to　　add　the　new　battalion；　the　strength　of　which　was　to　be　one　company　of　　grenadiers；　one　of　light　infantry；　and　eight　battalion　companies；　to　his　own　　regiment。　　The　regiment　was　soon　raised；　inspected　and　passed　at　Fort…George　in　June　of　the　same　year　by　Lieutenant…General　Sir　Hector　Munro；　　and　in　July　following　the　King　gave　permission　to　have　it　named；　as　a　　distinctive　title；　〃The　Ross…shire　Buffs。〃　　The　two　battalions　were　　amalgamated　in　June；　1796。　　Another　battalion　was　raised　in　1804letter　of　service；　dated　17th　April。　　These　were　again　amalgamated　in　July；　　1817。

Although　the　regiment　was　not　accompanied　abroad　by　its　Lieutenant…Colonel…Commandant；　he　continued　most　solicitous　for　its　reputation　and　welfare；　as　we　find　fro