Towards the end of 1834 thousands of Kafirs rushed into the colony, and commenced the work of murder, rapine, and devastation by fire, among the settlers.

The SEVENTY-SECOND Highlanders were stationed at Cape Town, when the news of these alarming events arrived at the seat of government, and they were immediately ordered towards the frontiers. Three companies sailed for Algoa Bay, on the 2nd of January, 1835, and arrived at that place on the 10th; the other three companies advanced up the country by horse waggons; and as the regiment approached Graham’s Town, it traversed the scenes of outrage, and witnessed the ruins of once flourishing farms bearing marks of savage vengeance; the town was found barricaded, and the houses turned to fortifications. Ten thousand Kafirs had penetrated the colony, and the smoke of ruined farms, with the cries of widows and orphans, were seen and heard on every side.

Having advanced towards the frontiers, the head-quarters were established at Graham’s Town, and detachments were employed in chasing the vengeful marauders from the confines of the British possessions.

Preparations were made to carry hostilities into the heart of Kafirland, to visit with necessary chastisement the atrocious aggressions of the tribes, and to enforce such measures as should be calculated to prevent the recurrence of similar outrages. The force assembled for this service was divided into four columns: the first was commanded by Lieut.-Colonel John Peddie, K.H., SEVENTY-SECOND regiment; it consisted of a detachment of the royal artillery with two guns, a detachment of the Cape mounted riflemen, the SEVENTY-SECOND Highlanders, a provisional battalion, and the Swellendaham burghers; and in the middle of March it advanced to the right bank of the Keiskamma, from whence it penetrated into the interior of Kafirland. The predatory tribes were incapable of offering serious opposition; they were chastised for their atrocious conduct, subdued, deprived of a portion of their territory bordering on the frontiers of the colony, and such additional precautionary measures were adopted as appeared necessary to ensure the safety of the British subjects.

The SEVENTY-SECOND Highlanders were employed in Kafirland during the months of April and May: the head-quarters were afterwards established at King William’s Town until October, when they were removed to Graham’s Town.

In June of this year the depôt companies proceeded from Scotland to Ireland.

On the death of Lieut.-General Sir John Hope, the colonelcy of the regiment was conferred on Major-General Sir Colin Campbell, K.C.B., from the ninety-ninth foot, by commission dated the 15th of August, 1836.

The head-quarters of the service companies remained at Graham’s Town three years, furnishing detachments along the frontiers, occupying posts, and performing much trying and difficult service: in October, 1838, they were relieved from this duty, and returned to Cape Town.

In May, 1838, the depôt companies returned to Scotland.

During the year 1839 the service companies were stationed at Cape Town, and the depôt companies at Paisley and Dundee.

After taking part in the important duty of protecting the possessions of Great Britain at the Cape of Good Hope nearly twelve years, the service companies were relieved in April, 1840, and returned to England, and disembarked at Portsmouth on the 8th of June following: the regiment was subsequently stationed at Fort Cumberland: the depôt had proceeded from North Britain to Portsmouth in May, 1840.

The following general order was issued by Major-General Sir George Napier, K.C.B., commanding the forces at the Cape of Good Hope, on the 10th of April, 1840, upon the embarkation of the SEVENTY-SECOND for England:—

“His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief cannot permit the SEVENTY-SECOND Highlanders to embark for England, from the colony of the Cape of Good Hope, in which they have been stationed for the long period of twelve years, without his expressing his marked approbation of the conduct of this highly disciplined and exemplary corps while under his immediate command; and from the reports His Excellency has received from Colonel Smith, the Deputy-Quarter Master-General, under whose orders this regiment has been during the greater part of the above period, including a very arduous and active service in the Field, His Excellency is enabled to record, which he does with great satisfaction, the very meritorious services of the SEVENTY-SECOND Highlanders, in whatever duty they have been engaged, whether in the Field or in Quarters.

“His Excellency begs to assure Major Hope, the officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers of the SEVENTY-SECOND regiment, that he will ever feel a lively interest in their welfare.”

In July, 1841, the regiment proceeded from Portsmouth to Windsor.

On the 26th of January, 1842, new colours were presented to the SEVENTY-SECOND Highland regiment by Field-Marshal His Grace the Duke of Wellington, in the quadrangle of Windsor Castle, the ceremony being honoured by the presence of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, the King of Prussia, and other distinguished personages. The following is the Duke of Wellington’s address to the regiment on this interesting occasion:—

“Colonel Arbuthnot,[21] and you, Gentlemen, Officers, and you, Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers, of the SEVENTY-SECOND Highland regiment,—I have attended here this day, in compliance with the wishes of your Commanding Officer, and by permission of Her Majesty, to present to you your new colours. These colours have been consecrated by one of the highest dignitaries of our Church, and are presented to you in the presence of Her Majesty, and of her Illustrious and Royal Guest the King of Prussia, of Prince Albert, and a number of most distinguished personages. They are composed of the colours of the three nations, and bear the cipher of Her Majesty; and I have no doubt, from your previous character and your present high state of discipline, that you will guard them under every circumstance, to the utmost of your power. These Colours you are henceforth to consider as your Head-Quarters, and in every circumstance, in all times of privation and of distress, you will look to them as your rallying point; and I would again remind you, that their presentation is witnessed by the Monarch of one of the most powerful nations in Europe—a nation which boasts of an army which has heretofore been a pattern for all modern troops,—and which has done so much towards contributing to the general pacification of Europe. I have long known the SEVENTY-SECOND Highland Regiment. Half a century has now nearly elapsed since I had the pleasure of serving in the same Army with them in the Plains of Hindoostan; since that period they have been engaged in the conquest of some of the most valuable colonies of the British Crown; and latterly, in performing most distinguished services at the Cape of Good Hope. Fourteen years out of the last sixteen they have spent on Foreign service; and with only eighteen months at home for their re-formation and their re-disciplining, appear in their present high state of regularity and order. The best part of a long life has been spent by me in Barracks, Camps, and Cantonments, and it has been my duty, as well as my inclination, always to study how best to promote the health and discipline of the troops; and I have always found it only to be done by paying the strictest regard to regularity and good order, and the greatest attention to the orders of their Officers. I address myself now particularly to the older soldiers, and wish them to understand that their strict attention to their discipline, and respect to their superiors, will often have the best effect on the younger soldiers; and it is, therefore, their duty to set a good example to their juniors by so doing; and by these means alone can they expect to command the respect and regard of the community amongst whom they are employed. I have made it my business to enquire particularly, and am rejoiced to find that the SEVENTY-SECOND have always commanded that respect and regard, wherever they have been stationed, to which their high state of discipline and good order so justly entitle them. You will, I am sure, always recollect the circumstances under which these Colours are now given into your charge; having been consecrated by one of the highest dignitaries of the Church, in the presence of Her Majesty, who now looks down upon you, and of her Royal Visitor: and I give them into your charge, confident that at all times, under all circumstances, whether at home or abroad, and in all privations, you will rally round them, and protect them to the utmost of your power.”

Colonel Arbuthnot, in reply, said:—

“My Lord Duke,—It would be highly presumptuous in me, if I were to make any reply to the address which your Grace has delivered to us; but I cannot avoid stating that it is impossible for me, and indeed, I may add, out of the power of any one to express, how deeply I, my Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and Men, feel the high honour which has been conferred on us, by having had our Colours presented to us by the greatest Soldier the world has ever seen, and that in the presence of our Sovereign, His Majesty the King of Prussia, and Field-Marshal His Royal Highness Prince Albert.”

The regiment remained at Windsor until April, 1842, when it proceeded to Salford Barracks, from thence to Blackburn, and in September to Bolton, Lancashire.

In April, 1843, the seventy-second regiment proceeded to Dublin, and in August to Templemore, marching from thence to Fermoy in September.

Quitting Fermoy on the 2nd of July, 1844, the regiment proceeded to Buttevant, and on the 28th of September to Cork, having been put under orders for Foreign service. The six service companies, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Lord Arthur Lennox, embarked for Gibraltar in Her Majesty’s troop-ship Resistance, from Cork, on the 27th of November, 1844, and disembarked at their destination on the 12th of December following.

The depôt companies marched from Cork to Templemore in April, 1845, and to Nenagh in February, 1846. In September, 1847, they proceeded to Charles Fort, near Kinsale, and in December were removed to Scotland, and stationed at Paisley.

The regiment remained at Gibraltar until February, 1848, and on the 15th of that month embarked for Barbadoes under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Gascoyne, on board the Bombay transport. The following letter was addressed by General Sir Robert Wilson, Governor of Gibraltar, to the Adjutant-General reporting the embarkation:—

The SEVENTY-SECOND arrived at Barbadoes on the 14th of March, 1848.

The depôt companies continued in North Britain, until the 18th of May, when they embarked for England, under Lieut.-Colonel C. M. Maclean, and arrived at Sheerness on the 24th of May, at which period this Record is concluded.

1848.