The copper country evening news., 1898-01-10


For centuries the name of Gordon has
been associated with gallantIy and strife.
From the time of the fierce border feuds
when
The Gordons guide in English blue
They dipped their hose and shoon,
the claymore of the Gordon has not rusted
In its scabbard.
The origin of the Gordons is lost i'm the
haze of unreliable history, but certain il is
that one family of the "gay and gallant
Gordons," a" emigrating from the borders,
obtained grant of territory in Aberdeen
shire, afterward created into "a dukedom
Then followed an important date in mill
tary history, the year 1894, when the Duke
of Gordon, principally through the efforts
Of his mother, the duchess, raised the Cor
don highlanders - now the Second bat
talion-a regiment which has added so
much luster To the glory of British arms.
Dressed in a striking highland bonnet the
beautiful duchess rode through the lands
of her retainers, calling on and coaxing
the young men TO rally round the Gordon
banner. She attended the county fairs,
and, placing shilling between her lips,
invited the 'galants' TO advance. Conse-
quently u regiment over u thousand strong
paraded in the castle gate of Aberdeen one
June day in 1894 Named the Gordon
highlanders and numbered 100 this regi
ment was afterward known Us the Ninety
second and nowadays as the Second bat
talon.
Passing through London, where they
were inspected by King George, the Cor
don highlanders created the greatest adj
min nd m no
they moved TO Gibraltar, where they were
presented with their colors in 1894. Four
years afterward siw them in Ireland, and,
having quelled the rebellion there, they
proceeded to Holland, us the Dutch found
to their cost in a few days. Swooping
down on the lines of Egmont -op-Zee, they
routed the stubborn Dutchmen at tho
point of the bayonet This 1lercely con-
tested victory is unique one in military
history, for the battle was fought bayonet
versus bayonet.
Next we find the Gordons covering them
selves with glory OH the bloody field of
Mandora, in Egypt, under Sir Ralph Aber-
crombie, and for their prowess the sphinx
was added TO their colors, with the super
scription, Egypt" After Trafalgar the
Gordons appeared in London, where they
attended the funeral of Nelson. Passing
by their short service in Denmark, we
como to the peninsular war-a war closely
identified with the heroic deeds OF the
Ninety second From beginning to end OF
this fearful struggle the Gordons bore
leading part, over and over again calling
forth high praise from the Duke OF We'll
lington. Without taking into account the
comparatively minor battles in which the
Gordons constantly distinguished them
selves by brilliant charging, the roll of
fame is large enough indeed, for on the
colors are the well known names of the
peninsular battles. Foremost comes Co.
runna where Sir John Moore was carried
off the field by six Gordon highlanders.
To this day the officers of the regiment
wear black cord round the collars of their
tunics in memory of that fatal field.
Following these is Waterloo. Before the
Gordons took part in this historic battle
they fought well and bravely at Quatre
Bras, where they lost many men, among
whom was the gallant Colonel Cameron
At Waterloo the part taken by the Gordons
has been immortalized by the picture
Scotland Forever" The undaunted high
| landers, cut down to 200 men by tho mur-
| derous fire, charged in their old style q
| French column of moro than 1000 men.
| AS they broke into it the Scots Greys, the
| famous Scottish cavalry regiment, dashed
| up to their support. The Gordons, grasp
| ing the names and stirrups of the charging
| cavalry, were dragged into the midst OIL
| .heir enemies chc:t.ng the cry, scotland
l forever" by this terrible charge tho
| French column was completely broken up
and scattered. To this day tho brotheriy
| feeling, commenced on the field of battle,
L . ka
| in the army as "the Scots Grcys' wives. "
After the peninsula the regiment served in
Jamaica, where monument records the
terrible ravages of yellow fever among Its
| ranks. They arrived in the Crimoa the
day Sevastopol fell, the Russians, as some
| say, having heard that tho Gordons were
coming After this practically no wal
service was seen by them until tho out
break of the Afghan war of 1878. In this
campaign they took part in General Rob
| erts famous march from kabul to kanda
har, at both of which places terrific bat
tie was fought, the Gordons losing many
men. In 1881 tho Gordons stood theil
ground on tho i'll fated Majuba hill, and
from this date their career has been merged
i'm that of tho gallant Seventy fifth, now
the First battalion of tho regiment.
Tho Seventy fifth have had a most check
cred career. Raised originally in 1857 al
the Seventy fifth Stirlingshiro regiment o
highlanders they wore the kilt for y
years. but owing to the lack OF Scottish
recruits they reverted to the ordinary dres
of the infantry of the line. In 1881, whei
the short service system came into vogue
the Seventy fifth once moro donned the xii
as tho First battalion OF the Gordon high
landers, and as such was tho first regi
ment to land in Egypt, taking part in tn
charge Of the highland brigade at Tei-el
! Kebir They served with brilliancy-par
ticularly at El Tcb and Tamai-through
out the Sudan campaign and Nile cxpedi
ton Of 1sS4-5. Moving to Ccylon tho Sew
enty fifth were soon again in India. The,
| served with distinction In the Chitral cam
paign, taking tho Malakand pass with
brilliant charge, and once more they hav
proved mt Dargai Kotal that Gordon Is
good asa Gordon.-Black and White