history of the mackenzies-第77节

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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　from　the　various　communications　addressed　to　him　regarding　it　and　the　conduct　of　the　men　by　Lieutenant…Colonel　Alexander　Mackenzie　of　Fairburn；　appointed　its　Lieutenant…Colonel　from　the　first　battalion；　＇John　Randoll　Mackenzie；　also　from　the　　first　battalion；　was　appointed　senior　Major。＇　and　then　in　actual　command；　but　as　the　history　of　the　78th　Highlanders　is　not　our　present　object；　we　　must　here　part　company　with　it　and　follow　the　future　career　of　Francis　　Humberston　Mackenzie。

As　a　reward　for　his　eminent　services　to　the　Government　he　was　appointed　Lord…Lieutenant　of　the　County　of　Ross；　and；　on　the　26th　of　　October；　1797；　raised　to　the　dignity　of　a　peer　of　the　United　Kingdom；　by　　the　titles　of　Lord　Seaforth　and　Baron　Mackenzie　of　Kintail；　the　ancient　　dignities　of　his　house；　with　limitation　to　the　heirs　male　of　his　body。

His　　Lordship；　having　resigned　the　command　of　the　78th；　was；　in　1798；　　appointed　Colonel　of　the　Ross…shire　Regiment　of　Militia。　　In　1800　he　was　　appointed　Governor　of　Barbadoes；　an　office　which　he　retained　for　six　　years；　after　which　he　held　high　office　in　Demerara　and　Berbice。　　While　　Governor　of　Barbadoes　he　was　for　a　time　extremely　popular；　and　was　　distinguished　for　his　firmness　and　even…handed　justice。　　He　succeeded　in　　putting　an　end　to　slavery；　and　to　the　practice　of　slave…killing　in　the　island；　　which　at　that　time　was　of　very　common　occurrence；　and　deemed　by　the　　planters　a　venal　offence　punishable　only　by　a　small　fine　of　？5。　　In　　consequence　of　his　humane　proceedings　in　this　matter　he　became　　obnoxious　to　many　of　the　colonists；　and；　in　1806；　he　finally　left　the　island。

In　1808　he　was　made　a　Lieutenant…General。

These　were　singular　incidents　in　the　life　of　a　man　who　may　be　said　　to　have　been　deaf　and　dumb　from　his　youth　but　who；　in　spite　of　these　　physical　defectssufficient　to　crush　any　ordinary　manhad　been　able；　by　　the　force　of　his　natural　abilities　and　the　favour　of　fortune；　to　overcome　them　sufficiently　to　raise　himself　to　such　a　high　and　important　position　in　　the　world。　　He　took　a　lively　interest　in　all　questions　of　art　and　science；　　especially　in　natural　history；　and　displayed　at　once　his　liberality　and　his　　love　of　art　by　his　munificence　to　Sir　Thomas　Lawrence；　in　the　youth　and　struggles　of　that　great　artist　and　famous　painter；　and　by　his　patronage　of　　others。　On　this　point　a　recent　writer　says　〃The　last　baron　of　Kintail；　Francis。　Lord　Seaforth；　was；　as　Sir　Walter　Scott　has　said；　‘a　nobleman　of　extraordinary　talents；　who　must　have　made　for　himself　a　lasting　reputation　　had　not　his　political　exertions　been　checked　by　painful　natural　infirmities。'

Though　　deaf　from　his　sixteenth　year　and　though　labouring　under　a　partial　impediment　of　speech；　he　held　high　and　important　appointments；　and　was　　distinguished　for　his　intellectual　activities　and　attainments。　　His　case　　seems　to　contradict　the　opinion　held　by　Kitto　and　others；　that　in　all　that　　relates　to　the　culture　of　the　mind；　and　the　cheerful　exercise　of　the　mental　　faculties；　the　blind　have　the　advantage　of　the　deaf。　　The　los