The Press.
London, England, 1858-05-29 00:00:00

PUBLIC MEETINGS.

A PUBLIC BANQUET TO LIEUTENANT•COLONEL ALISON
was given in the Corparation-hall of Glasgow, on
Wednesday evening. He is a native of the city, and
son of the historian of Europe, who has recent!
returned from India in consequence of severe wounds
received before Lucknow. The banquet was given
alike to welcome the gallant officer and to honour in
his person Sir Colin Campbell (also a native of Glei.
gow) and the heroic army at present serving in the
citizens
the
gucitye sfitslaol
etrdtdhtoeiwi
eenv
evening
iandi
rgi,nasnut
dpr.pi
the irstefadthrei gr,hst drel:efitjabi
tyi
East. Upwards of 100 of the most distinguished
ir
The Lord Provost of
Alison, Sir John Maxwell of Pollok, Ilr. Stirling of
Ker, M.P., dc. The croupiers were Sir James Camp-
bell and Mr. Hugh 'ferment, of Well.park. After
the accustomed toasts to the Queen and the Royal
Family, the Army and Navy, Sze., the chairman
proposed in a special bumper " The Health of
Lieutenant-Colonel Alison," and in so doing gave a
brief sketch of the gallant colonel's career. The
toast was received very enthusiastically. Lieutenant-
Colonel Alison (who, upon rising, was received with
cheers) said in the course of his speech—" Gentl-
emen, it has beer, my fate to gaze on some heart-
stirring scenes in war. 1 have seen the stout Russian
soldiery borne backwards at the Tchernaya, I have
seen the French win the Malakoff, but I never saw a
finer sight than when the 93rd and Sikhs rushed
upon the Secunderbagh, on the 10th of November
at Lucknow. Between those gallant rivals it was a
tace, neck and neck, which should first win the
breach ; and well they were received, fiat no men
could have fought more desperately than the sepoy
garrison did there that day. Bayonet to bayonet,
and breast to breast, the struggle went on in the
heart of the building. And when, three hours after
we had first forced an entrance, I had occasion to
return to the point, the musketry was still rattling in
the interior, which yet re-echoed with the cries of
fighting men. I myself counted in one corner the
dead lying piled six deep upon one another; and
the next morning more than 2,000 bodies were carried
out of a space not 100 yards square. It was a very
charnel house. But, gentlemen, that was not all the
93rd had to do that day. Towards evening the
enemy's fire, especially from the Shah Najjeef, had
become so severe that even Peel's stout gininers
could not keep it down. It became impossible to
remain under it as we were. Then Sir Colin again
threw the 93rd into the scale, and with them turned
the beam of victory when it was trembling on the
balance. Placing himself at their head he led them
on to the charge, and well did they acquit them-
selves of their mission. Yuu may indeed be
proud of them, gentlemen, for nobly in that
trying hour did they sustain the ancient reputa-
tion of the Highland regiments, the old honour of
the Scottish name. Gentlemen, it were idle in me
to do more than allude to tine noble conduct of the
60th Rifles before Delhi, whose valour in the field,
whose discipline in the camp, were a constant theme
of admiration to the whole army; to the stubborn
courage of that Ghoorka corps, which, literally living
for weeks under fire, refused to he relieved, and held
to the last the advanced post they; had so bravely
won ; to the stern endurance of those Bengal
Artillerymen, who, for four days and nights,
served
without relief in tine breaching batteries, and when,
on the fifth day, the storming columns swept by,
sank down, overpowered with sleep, beside the
pieces they had worked so well ; to the self-devotion
of Middleton's battery of Royal Artillery at Lucknow,
who, to cover the formation and advance of the 93rd,
galloped clown with cheers which reechoed over the
field to within pistol shot of the Shah Najjeef, and
there, beneath a withering fire of musketry from its
walls, before which horse and man went down like
grass before the scythe, continued to pour in round
after round of grape until the Highlanders passed
on ; to the constancy of those two battalions of the
Rifle Brigade at Cawnpore, who, when disaster had
fallen upon Windham's right, nobly maintained,
against overwhelming numbers on the left, the
superiority of England's arms and the reputation of
the British flag. Gentlemen, I have to apologize for
having detained you so long. Allow me once again
to offer you my most deep and heartfelt thanks--not
in my own name—that 1 do not presume to do—but
in the name of those to whom I owe this great end
distinguished honour. I thank you, gentlemen, in the
name of Sir Colin Campbell, and in that of the army of
India." Sir Archibald Alison being called upon for the
next toast, said, " Come what may, the great work has
been done. Scotland has taken her place in the
triumvirate of the national glory ; for, if England can
record the deeds of her Marlborough, and Ireland

Mrl4lll

point exultation to Wellington's name, Scotland can
now place by their side that of Campbell. And if
the first restrained the ambition of Louis XIV.,
and the second rescued Europe from the grasp
of Napoleon, the last has done a still greater
service to humanity, for he has delivered India from
the tyranny of Nana Sahib. I beg to propose The
health of Sir Colin Campbell, and that of the Officers
and Soldiers under his command, as well in the
Queen's as in. the Company's service, and a speedy
and decisive triumph to their arms.'" The toast was
drunk with great enthusiasm. Several other appro
pnate toasts were then given, and duly ackno w
'edged.