Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1857-03-13
Gbr 5torq- GrIlrr.
Tho Mutiny Of tho Grant High
landors.
by ONE OF ruf MUrISEyRs.

NJ
Before entering on the subject in hand,
the reader will be pleased to bear with
me while give a brief relation Of the
circumstances which brought me in con
ncction with the Grant HI Iishlanacrs, and
of the doinss of the regiment previous
70 the mu.iny.
am one of those uofartnnates who
never saw thcir flther. Mine died a
week before my birth. and my mother
married discharged soldier six months
aftcrwar1. Poor woman happy would
it have been for her. and me too, had she
remained faithful to the memory of her
first husband. for the cruelty and dc
bauchery of her second sent her to an
carly grave, and drove her hoy forth a
waudcrer from the home thlt should
have sheltered him. Thus, while yet a
parents guiding hand should have been
with me. was cast upon the mercIcS Of
a strange world. and forced to take an
active part in the great battle of life.
After struggling with difficulties such
as only he frcndlcSs have TO encounter,
| a. length reached that period which
was to mark my iuture destiny ms
was IN l1of, when would &c ABOUT nj
teen years OF age. tall. stron4, and pre-
ma.urclv manly. Sir James Graat was
then engaged in raising 4 new regiment
the 97th or Grant lli.hlandets; and
many lads from the district ia which
hved-a lonesome valley IN inverness
sh're--enitsted under ms banner Al
first felt no desire u Ioii2w 'he'r eN-
ample. for the remembrance e' aceftHh
red coat. which NJ one ume lay IN a
drawer IN my mother Ai'sheh' ana
which had engeneerca dislike 10 ali
soldiers, now arose FiV'd1y eeiAte me
One beautiful SprinE morning. however.
az was tending ca'''' on an uPfih' pas
ture, there came hoa'ihS on Tue ieSh'h-
ins brceze. winch hurFiea osean"2Ta'
sounds OF distant mns'c' WIS wonder
in1 aai Debating wita afstH wa nee
they proceeded, "n'n Sat5=a o'te!a
humorous 9ana ot red coats emerge
fiom the gorge oi gloomy valley al an
angle OF III" htil "hcreon WAS s'anGirS.
Il was glorious Ssiht 70 my young eyes
that first beholdtns OF regiment OF sol,
dierS, as rank by fank ,heY itsacd rom
darkness INTO the suhSA'h WH'eh zen u
Il were. IN showers oil Siofy on lheif
scarlet array
On. on they came, and the meT'y ,.''
OF the drum sci my heaFt dtaeiAS' ny
whole nature secmci % u"dfF 70 fe'o-
luton. otd ahtipath'es wee '2fE tn
and giddy with delight ha5tcn'd ioWh
the hill to meet the approaching h'-h'
landers, Tor 1t was SIR james HFan' nc"
regiment on the ma-cA 10 a'' 'i'oF-'
In the mood "t m'nl "h'eA poSse'Ned
me, il required = no o'Iy tongue perSuA-
siyc 10 induce me 70 become KIN;
man, nor had before my eyes the lear
of breaking the heart OF poor old moth
CT, or that OF sweetheart; therefore
readily accepted tho shilling which Lieut.
Macdonald offered me. Sending nv
dog Chance oil to watch the cAttle UNI!
more trustworthy servant than should
come, marched away with waSser-
ing air from the hills OF my boyho"t,
never more to behold them except through
the dim mists Of the far away.
Drill, drill, drill months of cont'n-
uous drill, and then We were pronounced
fl. for duty, In the Summer of lI9l, We,
together with the Gordon and Seaforth
Highlandcrs. sailed from Fort George
for Southampton, in England, We had
scarcely got settled in our new quarters
ere we got the route for tn" island Of
Guernsey. where VIC passed miserable
wintcr-our duty being oncrous, ra-
tions scan.y. and the weather severe.
Glad were we when the Spring OF %
saw us ONCE more safely located on the
shores of Old England.
Bu, there is no rest for the wicked
Government having now more need OF
our aid on the sea than on the land, be-
though. themselves Of rendering US
available as sea soldiers !; and in confor
nifty with this new idea We were lent as
it we're, for short season, to the marine
service.
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