Regimental History
Flag of the Regiment | Formation George III ordered John, Duke of Argyll, to raise a kilted regiment of 1,100 men. The Duke requested assistance from his kinsman, Duncan Campbell, and on the 9th of July, 1794, they were formally gazetted into the British Army as the 98th (Argyllshire Highlanders) Regiment of Foot, later to be renumbered as the 91st. On the 5th of May, 1795, the regiment embarked for South Africa to capture the Dutch colony in the Cape of Good Hope.
Cape of Good Hope The 98th Highlanders arrived at Simonstown in September of 1795 as part of a force of around 4,500 men under the command of Sir Alured Clarke, an ambitious officer who sought great military renown in the conquest of the Dutch colony, but luck fell against him. His second-in-command landed forces and had driven the Dutch off their defensive position in front of Cape Town. After a cautious disembarkation lasting ten days, Sir Alured faced the vastly outnumbered Dutch at Wynberg, who retreated after giving one volley, which killed one seaman and wounded 17 others total. So the 98th, technically, was baptized in fire, settling down as the garrison for seven unhappy years, where they faced heatstroke and disease, and a uniform change which served no better in the climate than their original.
Upon the regiments renumbering to 91st, they had left Cape of Good Hope to the Dutch after the Treaty of Amiens, and gathered at Bexhill in May of 1803. Depleted in numbers after sending men to replenish garrisons in India, it took them years to be restored to strength, as well as have their old uniform returned to them. The boosts in confidence had inspired the 91st during their return to England as part of the forces gathered in hopes to defeat Napoleon if the admirals ever allowed him to cross the British Channel. In 1805, the Highland Brigade was sent to Hannover, but they were sent back to Kent in 1806. Throughout all of these relocations, they had remained a very good regiment. They were inspected ceaselessly and earned the 'Strong Approbation' of the generals. The Commander-in-Chief, H.R.H and Duke of York, was 'Highly Pleased' with them in 1805. Even more so, Sir John Moore was 'Extremely Well-Pleased'; and before they left Dublin in June of 1808 to join the amassing army in Portgual, they paraded for the Lord Lieutenant.
The Peninsular War The campaign in Portugal was disappointing for the 91st. The light company was engaged at Rolica, but the regiment as a whole was in reserve and had not engaged in either major battle. It was again in the reserve division for Sir John Moore's march to Salamanca which disrupted Napoleon's whole campaign; and it came into its own at last when the reserve division became the rearguard for the retreat which culminated in Moore's victory at Corunna. The 91st had more than their fair share of privations and forced marches and losses while in the rearguard. At Corunna itself, though 'in the very centre of the line and next to the Guards', they were not heavily engaged. 'Corunna', nevertheless, was a worthily won Battle Honour to be placed on the Colours beside 'Rolica' and 'Vimeira'. |
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