Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 5, 1897

THE CELTIC MONTHLY
It:;
the highest enconiums. The intrepidity of the
little baud of Hifjlilanders merits the greatest
praise." The gallant Colonel in commimicatiug
the Prince's approbation of the services ren-
dered by the brigade, added that, " the
humanity and generosity with which the
soldiers treated the great lloek of prisoners
they took, did them as much honour as sub-
duing the enemy."
At Graibenstein, in June, 1762, the British
troops, under the command of the Marquis of
Granby, " behaved with a bravery not to be
paralleled, especially the Grenadiers and
Highlanders." In 1762 were fought the battles
of VVilhelmstahl and Landwehr-hagen, in which
the British troops again acquired great dis-
tinction, cavalry and inf.mtry. Early in 176li
the "Seven Years' War" was brought to a
termination by treaty signed in Paris.
The Highlanders from the peculiarity of
their dress and the great distinction they won
in these difterent encounters, attracted the
notice of the Germans. They had formed the
most extraordinary notions of them. In
common with the English then, " they looked
upon the Highlanders as savages, and believed
SCOTS GREY— rXIFOHM OF PRIVATE, 181.5.
them to be strangers to Christianity." Further
acquaintaintance with the so-called " savages "
soon dissipated the illusions under which the
Germans laboured.
The French too had their own illusions about
the Highlanders. At first they were disposed
to treat them with great contempt, but having
frequently met them and seen them in the
front of so many battles, they believed there
were twelve battalions of them instead i>f two.
On the conclusion of hostilities in November,
1762, the Highlanders were ordered home. In
these campaigns they had earned great disinct-
tion for bravery and good conduct, and so great
was the estimation in which they were held by
the Dutch that in their march through Holland
they were welcomed by acclamation, the women
presenting them with laurel leaves, no doubt
prompted by the friendly intercourse that had
existed previously between the people and the
Scots Brigade. On their march to Scotland
through England they received the most
marked attention, particularly at Derby, whose
inhabitants presented the men with gratuities
in money. The most probable reason that may
be assigned for this remarkable predilection is,