Stirring Incidents In The Life of a British Soldier

Those who wish to know more about the question can find it by a search, with moderate diligence, in the blue books, or the pigeon-holes of the war-office. What I assert here is from my own knowledge and experience, being present during the affair.

Sir Henry Storks was the guest of the officers of the 6th Royal Regiment, for several days after the inquiry was finished. After the insurrection, the Maroons were entertained in the city hall, as a mark of their approbation and gratitude for the manner in which they assisted in quelling the rebellion.

At the end of January, Colonel Hobbs took ill, and got deranged in his mind, when he was placed in the sanitarium under surveillance. In February he was sent to England, accompanied by his wife and family, with two hospital orderlies, to guard and tend him. During the voyage, watching an opportunity when walking the deck, he jumped head first down the ash shoot. The ship hove to at once, boats were lowered to try and rescue him, but he could not be found; he sank to rise no more till that day when the sea shall give up its dead. The regiment was deeply affected at this sad intelligence. He was very much respected by all classes, and his loss to the regiment was much deplored.

In the summer of 1866, the Marquis of Lorne (now Governor-General of Canada) visited Jamaica, when he and his tutor were guests of the officers of the 6th Regiment, at Newcastle. He was tall and slight, and very intelligent, with fair hair, and about eighteen years old. During the three years we were in Jamaica, we had one officer (Ensign Newman) and three privates die with yellow fever.

On the 24th March Her Majesty's Ship "Tamar" arrived at Kingston Harbour with the 84th Regiment, to relieve the 2nd Battalion 6th Regiment. On the 25th we marched from Newcastle to Uppark Camp, and there remained until the 1st April, 1867, when we embarked on board the "Tamar" for Cork. At 2 p.m., we weighed anchor and steamed out of harbour, rounding Port Royal, homeward bound; when well clear from the land we picked up the trade winds and ran on merrily through the Tropics towards the Azores, at the rate of twelve knots an hour, full of the hope of speedily seeing the coast of Ireland.

In the afternoon the band played on the quarter-deck, and every facility was given to the men to enjoy themselves by the gentlemanly commander, Captain Sullivan.

The evening of the 6th May, a bright light at Queenstown harbour was seen, and the next morning we entered the port and cast anchor off Queenstown, where we hoped to land. But we were too sanguine; for after the mails were brought on board, a large official document was received, directing the regiment to proceed to Edinburgh, there to be stationed. After a short stay, we weighed anchor and steamed out of the harbour, but not before we got a supply of good fresh bread and beautiful Irish butter, which appeared to us most delicious after the hard tack and salt pork we were so tired of during the voyage. Next morning, amidst haze and fog, we had our first sight of the English coast, as we passed up channel amidst a very maze of shipping, outward and homeward bound. Onward we go, sighting the old familiar headland and land-marks, the Eddystone light, the Start, the white cliffs of Portland and Saint Alban's Head, until at the last the Needles were in sight. After a few hours' steaming through the Solent, we reached Portsmouth harbour and moored alongside the famous old "Camperdown," where we took in coal, and afterwards steamed out of the harbour and steered our course for Scotland.

On the 9th of May, 1867, we cast anchor in the Firth of Forth, after a delightful voyage of 40 days. During the passage many events took place, which, although trivial in themselves, contributed to render the voyage less tedious and monotonous; occasionally we spoke or sighted a vessel, but what seemed to impart an extra interest to our every-day life, when clear of the Tropics, was the vast number of sea birds constantly accompanying us, probably attracted by the numerous fragments of provisions thrown overboard, cape pigeons, those prettily marked birds about the size of doves; the majestic albatross, stormy petrels of all sizes, followed on in motley groups, never seeming to weary in their search for food. These birds appear to possess remarkable capacity for remembering the exact time when they are likely to get a feed, for day after day, soon after noon, the vicinity of the vessel was usually animated with their shrill shrieking and fighting with each other for the dainty morsels thrown overboard.

At ten o'clock, a.m., we disembarked at Leith Pier and marched to Edinburgh Castle, "Modern Athens," amid a crowd of citizens, the band playing "Blue Bonnets o'er the Border," and other popular Scottish airs, during the march through the city to the castle, where we were to be quartered; then the usual bustle of taking over barracks, bed-filling, &c., was gone through. Edinburgh is a very small garrison, there being only guards to furnish, viz.: The Castle, Holyrood Palace, and Jock's Lodge. The forces consisted of the 2nd Battalion 6th Regiment and the 14th Light Dragoons. On arrival, the men had a good sum of ship's clearance to draw, and being flush with money, made it lively for the police about the Canongate and Dawn Market, so much so that the police undertook to take some of them to the station-house. This the soldiers strongly objected to, when a fight ensued; the police got the worst of it, and the soldiers were rescued. Afterwards they never attempted to take any of our men prisoners, instead of which they reported them at the orderly room, when the offenders were punished by the commanding officer. During the twelve months which the 2nd Battalion 6th Royal Regiment was stationed in Edinburgh, the officers were delighted with the society, which is regarded as unusually polished, from the predominance of the professional and literary elements in its composition. This arises partly from its being a university town, and partly from the presence of the Supreme Law Courts of Scotland, all the important legal business being attracted thither on that account; the lawyers have charge of most estates throughout the country, so that there are an unusual number of lawyers and accountants; its medical practitioners, surgeons and physicians have a high reputation. It is much resorted to for the sake of education, for its universities and medical schools, its high schools and its numerous private schools. For the poorer classes, part of the enormous funds of "Heriot's Charity" have been diverted for cheaper schools throughout the city. It is largely resorted to by visitors to the Highlands of Scotland, and has an unusual number of well appointed hotels.

There are four theatres and abundance of amusements, including an open-air gymnasium, open to the public daily, admission sixpence. In the southern environs are fine, open fields, where the game "Golf" has been played from time immemorial. Excellent street-cabs are to be found, and street cars run on all the principal streets, and to the suburbs. From the castle, which crowns the highest point in the city, a splendid view of Edinburgh and the surrounding country can be obtained. The old town clustering along the heights, extends gradually along the top and sides of the ridge which slopes downwards to the east. For some centuries the city was confined entirely to this ridge, and was flanked on the north by a marsh called the Nor' Loch. The Calton Hill offers to the view a wide-spreading panorama, with the Leaning Tower away in the distance towards Granton Pier. At our feet are the smoking chimneys of "Auld Reekie," from which we gladly turn our eyes to the blue waters and the shores of Fife coast, or seek out rest in the shadow of Salisbury Crags or Arthur's Seat, the tottering arch and crumbling walls of Holyrood Abbey. The country round is finely varied on the south, and the richly wooded Corstorphine Hills, on the east, all within a mile or two of the city; while farther off rise the Pentland Hills, four miles to the southwest, and to the north the Frith of Forth. In former times Edinburgh, with its Castle, was selected as the only place of safety for the royal household, the Parliament, the mint, and various important offices. By this means rising in importance, it became densely peopled, and the houses were built to an unusual height, that the inhabitants might keep within the walls, for the sake of protection.

The stranger who enters what is apparently the ground floor of one of these houses on the north side of High Street, is often surprised to find himself, without having gone upstairs, looking from a fourth story window in the rear. This is due to the steep slope on which the houses stand, and gives them the command of a beautiful view, including New Town, and extending across the Frith of Forth to the varied shores of Fife. The town then consisted of the original High Street, reaching to the Lawn Market and Canongate, where a heart-shaped figure, on High Street pavement, marks the spot where the Heart of Mid-Lothian once stood; and on the south a narrow way, called the Cowgate, connected with each other by several narrow closes and wynds, between dense clusters of houses. Most of these houses consist of a succession of flats, each being a separate dwelling, and of such flats there are seldom fewer than six, and sometimes ten or twelve, towering to an immense height, and rendered still more imposing from the manner and position in which they are built.

A striking object in the vicinity is the Canongate Tolbooth, with turrets and clock projecting from the front, on iron brackets, which have taken the place of the original carved oaken beams. Executions sometimes took place in front of this building; but a more frequent place of execution was the Girth Cross, near the foot of the Canongate. The citizens remained content with these confined limits until the North Bridge was erected, connecting the Old Town with the fields in the north, on which the New Town was beginning to be built. Shortly afterwards the line of this bridge was extended southwards, and thus a level was opened to the southern suburbs, which have since rivalled the New Town in rapid growth. The Nor' Loch was drained, and partially bridged over by the mound formed from the earth dug from the foundations of the New Town, and its situation is occupied by fine public and private gardens, which now lie in the centre of the city, and separate the New Town from the Old, where a military band plays every Thursday afternoon, to the delight of the citizens who promenade these gardens. The New Town being built with much regularity, in straight streets, and in squares and crescents with numerous gardens, contrasts with the crowded though picturesque masses of the Old Town. In recent years, however, great changes have been made, and several new streets have been opened through the most crowded and ruinous localities. Among the most interesting features of the city is the Castle, in which are shown the ancient regalia of Scotland, and Queen Mary's room, where King James was let down from the window in a basket, and Queen Margaret's little chapel, which stands on the ramparts, close to which is "Mons-Meg," said to be the oldest cannon in Great Britain. It is constructed of thick staves of wrought iron, with bands of the same material. Hundreds of visitors enter the Castle daily to see Queen Mary's room, the ancient regalia, and other objects of great antiquity. Holyrood Palace, which, with the exception of one wing containing Queen Mary's apartments, in which her bed-room is furnished just as it was when she occupied it, and the blood-stained boards in the hall, where Rizzio was murdered, is plainly yet to be seen. The Bank of Scotland, recently rebuilt; the Scot Monument in Princess Street gardens, Heriot and Donaldson's Hospital, the Post Office, the National Gallery, the University and Museum of Science and Art, and hotels of Princess Street and George's Street.

But the New Town has two grand features about which all are agreed. We need hardly say that these are Princess Street and the Calton Hill. Princess Street extends along the gardens, from Calton Hill to the West end, and is the principal and most beautiful street in the city. Near Calton Hill stands Burns' Monument, which is a circular building, with columns and cupola; it has all the outward appearance of a tomb, so that one is rather startled to find it tenanted by a "canny Scot," – a live one, – who presides, with becoming sepulchral gravity, over a two-penny show of miscellaneous trumpery connected with Robert Burns.

In October I went to Dunoon, on a visit to an old friend of mine, who was discharged soon after our arrival from Jamaica. I went by the Caledonian Railway to Glasgow, thence to Greenock, and by boat to Dunoon, where I enjoyed myself in one of the most frequented sea-bathing places and summer resorts in the West of Scotland. It is situated in the south-west of Argyleshire, on the west side of the Firth of Clyde, nine miles west of Greenock. A village existed here from a very early date, but a new, well-built town, with fine villas around, has of late years sprung up. Dunoon Castle, of which only a small portion now remains, stood on a conical hill near the pier, and was once a Royal Palace and strong fortress. The Argyle family once lived here, but the building became a ruin over a century ago. After a week's pleasure, fishing, bathing, and boating, I bid my friend farewell; after thanking him much for his attention and kindness to me during my visit, I left for Edinburgh Castle, where I arrived at 6 p.m.

The 2nd Battalion 6th Royal Regiment was stationed in Edinburgh Castle over twelve months, when they got the route for Aldershot camp on the 30th May, 1868. Previous to the regiment leaving, I got my discharge on the 26th May, 1868, after twenty-one years' service of Her Majesty. I parted with the 6th Regiment and my coat with the deepest sorrow, and lost my regimental home and friends. I afterwards went to Dalkeith, a pensioner and civilian, and was employed as mess-man to the Duke of Buccleuch's regiment of militia, the "Duke's Canaries," during their training. This town is about seven miles from Edinburgh, stands near the junction of the North and South Esk, and is a station of the North British Railway. It chiefly consists of one main street. It is one of the largest grain markets in Scotland, with a large and commodious market hall. Dalkeith Palace, the chief seat of the Duke of Buccleuch, is a large, square structure overhanging the North Esk, amid fine grounds, in which the Esks flow, and unite. The Duke's chapel stands within the palace grounds. While in Dalkeith I received two encouraging letters from Canada, one from my sister and the other from my nephew, advising me to come to Canada.

After the training was over, I sold out my furniture by auction, and proceeded by the North British Railway to Glasgow, where I took an intermediate passage for Canada for my wife, daughter and myself, on board the steamship "St. Andrew," Captain Scott, one of the Allan line, which was to sail on Tuesday, 14th July, 1868, for Quebec. This left us five days to wait in Glasgow, during which time I took the opportunity of visiting many interesting places in this industrial metropolis of Scotland, and one of its largest and most important cities. It is situated on the Clyde, in Lanarkshire. This river divides the north from the south side of the city, and is crossed by five bridges, much admired for their light and graceful architecture, and suspension bridges besides. Below the bridges ferry-boats ply at all hours. The city has somewhat a smoky aspect, while many of the streets are continually thronged with passengers, and noisy carts, cabs, and omnibuses. In other respects it has many attractions.

The houses facing the river stand well back, leaving spacious thoroughfares on each side, and affording full and noble views of the bridges, and of the harbour with its steam funnels and forests of masts; most of the leading streets run from east to west parallel with the river, and almost all the streets are laid off in straight lines. The houses are generally lofty, and built of freestone; the floors of each tenement, being occupied by separate families, are entered by a common stair.

Many of the public buildings deserve notice. The Cathedral, is one of the finest churches in Scotland. The Royal Exchange on Queen street, several of the banks, and many of the churches, likewise present fine specimens of architecture in a variety of styles.

The several equestrian statues, include those of William III., of the Cross, the Duke of Wellington, in front of the Royal Exchange, and Queen Victoria, in George's Square. In the Green there is an obelisk 144 feet high, to Nelson, forming a conspicuous object in the landscape. In George's Square there is a statue of Sir Walter Scott, a fine statue of Sir John Moore, a statue of James Watt, and a statue of Sir Robert Peel. Charitable institutions and benevolent societies abound. There are several theatres and museums, and numerous halls in which soirees and concerts are held nightly during the winter.

The wealthier inhabitants migrate to the coast in shoals during the summer, and cheap Saturday excursions by river and rail, are extensively taken advantage of by the working classes. To the north-west of the city is a botanic garden, which is thrown open every summer during the fair holidays, at a mere nominal charge. With the additional attractions of the conservatory, large numbers visit these gardens. There are several cemeteries in the vicinity of which Sighthill is the most picturesque.

There are besides, four public parks, one in each quarter of the city, namely, the Green, occupying the level next the Clyde at the east end; Queen's Park, finely situated on a rising ground in the south; Kelvin Grove, rounding the face of the hill, crowned with noble terraces, and sloping down to the Kelvin, at the west end of the city. Our time here was short; the ship sails at six o'clock this evening.

After paying the landlord at the George Hotel, we drove to the Broomielaw, where the ship lay alongside the wharf, when we went on board, and at 6.15 p.m. we sailed with the tide. As we steamed out slowly among the shipping in the harbour, the town of machinery and tall chimneys, out of which interminable serpents of smoke trailed themselves for ever and ever and never got uncoiled, the Clyde, as the tide receded, looked like a river that ran purple with ill-smelling dye, and vast piles of buildings full of windows where there was a rattling and trembling all day long, and where the piston of the steam engine worked monotonously up and down in a state of madness. It was a lovely evening in July. The sun was throwing a hazy light across the landscape on either side of the Clyde as we proceeded; where rich golden harvest fields waved, and the perfume of a thousand flowers was wafted by the zephyrs, which sighed among the young leaves, and a thousand songsters sent forth their melody in joyous chorus. As we passed Greenock we could not help admiring the large rectangular buildings, containing an endless number of windows garnished with machinery, pipes puffing steam, and long chimneys vomiting smoke. As we steamed down, so narrow and crooked was the river in places that we ran aground at 7.15 p.m., when we had a delay until two tug steamers came and pulled us off, when we continued our course and cast anchor off the tail of the bank at 8.15 p.m. Here we were delayed until 2 p.m. next day, when we weighed anchor and steamed down the Firth of Clyde, with one hundred and seventy passengers on board, westerly, and a head wind, making eight knots an hour. The night was lovely, the clear, bright moon threw a silvery light athwart the face of the deep glistening waters, as our ship dashed onwards, reaching Kingstown at 10 a.m. next day, where we cast anchor and witnessed a regatta. The harbour was so crowded with yachts that we had to anchor at its mouth.

At 11 a.m. we weighed anchor again and were piloted outside of Howth. A head wind; passed the Isle of Man and Calf-lights at 4 p.m., cast the log at 5 p.m., ship making nine knots; arrived at Moville in Lough Foyle at 5 a.m. on 17th, where we took more passengers on board, and steamed out at 11.30 a.m., passed Instrahull lighthouse at 2 p.m., head wind, heavy Atlantic swells, most of the passengers got sea sick, passed Tony Island at 5.45 p. m., three absent from supper with sea sickness; 18th, Saturday, rough sea, head wind, most of the passengers sea sick; 19th, Sunday, Divine service at 10 a.m., weather fine, head wind, distance made 157 miles in 24 hours; 20th, Monday, passengers getting over sea sickness, although the ship rolls and pitches a good deal, distance made 162 miles; 21st, Tuesday, Lat. 54° 24', Long. 28° 00', distance 203 miles, fine weather, stiff breeze; 22nd, Wednesday, Lat. 53° 18', Long. 32° 48', distance made 184 miles. At 4 p.m. the wind changed, when all the canvas that could be put on was hoisted, and we ran at 11½ knots during the night; 23rd, Thursday, head wind, and a cold, damp, thick, heavy fog covered the broad Atlantic, distance 232 miles, Lat. 50° 16', Long. 42° 50', 5 p.m., wind changed, ship making 10 knots, stiff breeze from the North; 25th, Saturday, fair wind, making 10½ knots, 10.30 a.m., ten large icebergs in view, at 2 p.m. we saw two large whales close to the ship; 26th, Sunday, Lat. 46° 25', Long. 53° 42', distance 231 miles, soundings 50 fathoms, wind favourable, cold, wet, and miserable weather, at midnight sighted St. Peter's light; 27th, Monday, Lat. 47° 18', Long. 58° 18', distance made 206 miles, at 10 a.m. sighted Cape Ray. Newfoundland coast looked very bare with small trees and underwood. Passed Port Basque at 4.30 p.m. This small village is the telegraph station of the Atlantic cable from Ireland, via Heart's Content, Newfoundland, from thence to Cape Breton on to Nova Scotia and Canada. The island looked cold and barren, with heaps of snow on several of the hills, entered the Gulf of St. Lawrence at 6.30 p.m., steering North, light head wind, our ship runs onward very smoothly, making 8½ knots, all hands over sea sickness and in good spirits, with good appetites, passed the bark Arctic at 6.45 p.m., homeward bound.

The water seems like a mirror, and the night fine, crossing the Gulf of St. Lawrence; 28th, Tuesday, morning beautiful, came in sight of the Island of Anticosti at 6 a.m., and at 11 a.m. sighted the coast of Gaspé, passed Cape Rozier at 4 p.m., night fine, not a ripple on the face of the deep; 29th, Wednesday, steamed along the coast of Lower Canada, but a thick fog came on which caused much delay, at 10.30 a.m, we reached "Father Point," where we fired a gun for a pilot to come on board, when we were answered in the thick fog by one from the pilot, whose boat we had passed some distance, the fog being so thick we did not see him. However, after he answered we lay too and took him on board at 11.20 a.m., then steamed forward at 10 knots, coasting along the bank of the river, where we had a view now and then, as the fog cleared, of small villages along the coast. The houses were all white and built of wood; the land for the most part appeared covered with thick forests, but near the villages were some spots cleared and under cultivation, which were green with either grass or crops, but owing to the fog we could not well make out the coast, however, now and then the fog cleared away for a short time as it were to let us have a bird's-eye view of the country on either side of us. The pilot brought on board some newspapers which we amused ourselves reading while the fog lasted. Passed Cacouna at 5.30 p.m., it is a watering place on the banks of the St. Lawrence, about 80 miles from Quebec; it appears a pretty place with one church which we could see plainly. Passed the Brandy Pots at 5.45 p.m., and River Du Loup at the opposite side, at the same time. This village is a French settlement, and is the terminus of the Grand Trunk Railway, distance made 250 miles.

At eleven a.m. we weighed anchor again and proceeded on our way, and after a pleasant voyage of 15 days, arrived at Quebec, on the 30th of July.

On comparing chronometers, we found a difference in the time between Quebec and Greenwich of 5h. 44m. 49s.

From here we took the express train to Montreal, and put up at the Albion Hotel. The scenery along the line of the railway seemed to me so strange; the country was covered with wood; wherever I looked there was wood – everything seemed wooden.