OLD EIGHTY-FIRST. 1777—1783.
This regiment was raised by the
Honourable Colonel William Gordon, brother of the Earl of Aberdeen, to
whom letters of service were granted for that purpose in December 1777. Of
980 men composing the regiment, 650 were from the Highlands of
Aberdeenshire. The clan Ross mustered strongly under Major Ross; when
embodied it was found that there were nine men of the name of John Ross in
The corps was marched to Stirling,
whence it was removed to Ireland, where the regiment continued three
years. In the end of 1782 it was removed to England, and in March of the
following year embarked at Portsmouth for the East Indies immediately
after the preliminaries of peace were signed, notwithstanding the terms of
agreement, which were the same as those made with the Athole Highlanders.
The men, however, seemed satisfied with their destination, and it was not
until they became acquainted with the conduct of the Athole men, that they
refused to proceed. Government yielded to their demand to be discharged,
and they were accordingly marched to Scotland, and disbanded at Edinburgh
in April 1783. Their conduct during their existence was as exemplary as
that of the other Highland regiments.