The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-02-24
Nicknames Of British Regiments.
From the London Society,"

FROM the LONDON society,"
The regular name Of the ''slashers" has been
given to the 2Sth. Some say that the regiment
earned it by dashing ard slashing heroism at
the battle of White Plains, during the Ameri-
can war, and thst the men hold themselves
ready to go anywhere and do anything, in vir-
tue of their connection with this corps. But
another story is more specific and sensational,
to the effect that during the war just named,
Canada merchant. in q severe winter, refused
to give comfortable billets or quarters to the
women of the regiment, wives of some of the
men, whereby many of the poor creatures per-
ished with cold. The officers, exasperated at
this brutality and its result, took a revenge
which the merchant never forgot for the RS
msinder Of his life. They dressed themselves
like savages, burst into his sitting-room one
evening, and .lashed off his ears; lynch law in
good sooth! The Both are the 'Tre BILE KS"
xxx The 31st the "Young Buffs," cnce
earned the good opinion of a general under
whom they were serving. He cried out, "Well
done, old Buffs?' 1--WE are not the Bluffs, SIR"
was the reply. "Then well done, young Buff-,"
was the final response; and the "Youpg Buffs''
they became. The 33d foot wished to become
known as the "Duke of Wellington's Regi-
ment," and he consented, but stipulated for q
postponement of the naming until after his
decease; the assumption of the title, therefore,
did not take place till 1853 The history of the
regiment tells, however, of an older and more
familiar appellstioD, the "Havercase Lads"
due to the fact that when first raised their re-
cutting sargeant was wont to march out with
an oat.cske i'm psled on his sword. The 35th
are the 'Orange Lilies" from the color OF the
facipgP. The 3Sth are proud of the incident
which has earned for them the privilege of
weaIitg the number badge on the back as well
as bit of prompt tactics during The cam
psign in Egypt Being drawn up in an ex-
tended line only two deep, they were suddenly
attacked by the enemy's cavalry both in front
and 10 rear. The commanding officer gave the
word, ''Rear rank, right about face; treT
They did so, and repeled both attacks at once
The light company of the 46 b, it appears are
privileged to wear red nall in their cans
When eng aged at the bsttls of Brandywine.
during the great American war, the company
greatly annoyed the enemy, who threatened to
give them 10 quarter if the opportunity arose.
Nothing daunted, the men of the 46th resolved
that there should be no mistake: thew dyed the
ball red, instead Of the green worn by the rest
of the regiment; and many years afterward the
war Office sanctioned this peculiar distinction.
The 50Lh are the "DevIps Royals" and, more
politely, the Gallant 50th," 10 recognition of
their prowess at the battle of VimIera. Thev
are, or were, also the "Blind Half Hundredth,"
from having been nearly blinded BY ophthal-
MIA during the Campaign 10 Egypt; and when
on one occasion they wped their perspirng
faces with their dark cuffs, they became for
the nonce "The Dirty Half Hundredtb."