Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Society," has been lately instituted, of which Lord Frankfort was the patron, and is now president; if its success can be judged of from the specimen exhibited lately at the Rotunda, it bids fair to be productive of the highest applause to a nation, which may be considered as attuned to musical performHis lordship is full six feet high; he possesses a manly form, with a fine open countenance, and features that denote abundance of good humour.

ances.

MAJOR-GENERAL URQUHART.

AMONG the many efficient measures to augment the military force of the British empire during the late war, none was more useful than the establishment of the fencible regiments, whose important services deserve the highest praise. The officers, as well as men, instigated by loyalty to their king and nation, stept forward in the hour of necessity, and made a tender of their assistance: foregoing the comforts of private life at home, they embarked for other countries, subjecting themselves to military law, and all the calamities attendant on war.

On every occasion, when employed in actual service, the fencibles exhibited the discipline and bravery of veterans, with the characteristic humanity of Britons. By their exertions in Ireland, his Majesty's crown and dignity were supported, our glorious constitution preserved, and a dangerous insurrection crushed. The present ministers have on many occasions paid them the highest compliments, particularly Mr. Addington

Kk 2

Addington in the last session of the late parliament, who said that "they had an imperious claim on the gratitude of the imperial parliament for their meritorious services ;" and the secretary at war, on presenting the bill for the army of reserve, in the month of June of the present year (1803,) observed, "that their services were of so gallant and important a nature, as to entitle them to the highest notice." The celebrity they obtained was in a great measure owing to the appointment of old and good officers to the command of them; among that number was the subject of the following pages, whose services during a period of forty years, merit a place in a work dedicated to the encouragement of talents and virtue.

Major-general James Edward Urquhart is a native of Scotland, of the ancient family of that name. He embraced the profession of arms, when only fifteen years of age, as an ensign in the fourteenth regiment of foot, in April 1763; obtained a lieutenancy in the same during the following year, and in December 1772, got the rank of captain, at which time he was actively employed on the expedition against the Caribbs in the island of St. Vincent.

During the course of that disagreeable war, he behaved with great prudence and discretion, and well merited the commendations of the commander in chief, the present General William Dalrymple, licutenant governor of Chelsea Hospital.

On the commencement of the American contest, Captain Urquhart served with his regiment in Boston,

and

and was appointed in 1775 to the very important and arduous office of town-major, which he executed with great credit to himself, until the place was evacuated in March 1776; nor ought it to be omitted that he was present at the bloody action of Bunker's-Hill, in June. 1775.

In 1777, the fourteenth regiment having suffered greatly, returned to England, and as soon as recruited, served on board the grand fleet, under Lord Howe. At the memorable relief of Gibraltar, in April 1781, Captain Urquhart was on board the Duke of ninetyeight guns, Captain Sir Charles Douglas, afterwards an admiral; with that excellent officer he remained during the space of eighteen months, and lived ever after in habits of the greatest intimacy and friendship with him.

In May 1781, he at length obtained the majority of the regiment, and went out with it in the beginning of the following year, at which time he had the command, as a reinforcement to the troops in Jamaica. General Sir Archibald Campbell, whose honourable services and superior talents will be always remembered by the British army, was at that period governor and commander in chief. He not only took great notice of Major Urquhart, but nominated hini commandant of the garrison of Port Royal, and captain of Fort Charles. At the peace in 1783, both these appointments were struck off, and two years after this, the major returned to England on his private affairs, soon after which, he went on the half pay list: notwith

Kk3

notwithstanding this, in 1790, he obtained the rank of lieutenant-colonel by brevet.

On the commencement of hostilities in 1793, Lieutenant-Colonel Urquhart made an offer of a regiment, but as a number of senior officers had made similar proposals, his proposition was not accepted; however, in the course of the following year, he was offered a letter of service to raise a body of fencibles, which he accepted of, and called it the Loyal Essex. It was dated the 25th of October, 1794, and took rank of all the English and Scotch fencibles of the same date, near thirty in number.

With this corps he repaired to Ireland, in May 1795, where by its good conduct, strict discipline, and great gallantry on every occasion, it contributed in the most essential manner to crush rebellion and counteract the machinations of the united Irishmen, during the space of near four years, that he commanded in the counties of Fermanagh and Donegal.

During the summer of 1795, the regiment was encamped at Laughlinstown near Dublin, and the following winter in the barracks of that city, where Colonel Urquhart was second in command of the garrison. On the 21st of August this year, he was promoted to the rank of colonel in the army by brevet.

From Dublin, the regiment went to Enniskillen, during the spring of 1796. Owing to his spirited exertions in the north of Ireland, at a very critical period, in the winter of 1797-8, he was seized with a severe illness, which ended in a mortification of his

left

left foot, and was near proving fatal. During the whole of this indisposition, he exhibited a degree of patience and fortitude which seldom fall to the lot of man.

While in this state, he was promoted to the rank of major-general, on the 18th of January 1798.

When the French landed in August that year at Virtala, under General Humbert, although still in a convalescent state, General Urquhart voluntarily remained, without receiving any emolument whatsoever, in the command of the county of Donegal, until their surrender. The garrison of Ballyshannon, an important pass, and, indeed, the key to the north of Ireland, was at this period entrusted to the care of a small detachment of the Loyal Essex, and some yeomanry; the remainder of the regiment was ordered to oppose the French and rebels, in the county of Mayo. So much was General Urquhart esteemed, that the catholic and protestant inhabitants, to the amount of near one thousand men, waited on him and offered to act in any manner he might think proper against the common enemy. No instance of a proposition to this extent, was made in any other part of the kingdom, and so favourably was it received, that on submitting their address to government, arms were ordered to be delivered to the general, for the purpose of arming such zealous loyalists.

The peace of the sister kingdom being now in a great measure restored, during the latter end of September, he left the regiment and returned to England, for being a general officer, and not employed on the Kk4

staff,

« AnteriorContinuar »