ELEVENTH IN LINE FROM THE

FIRST EARL OF MONTROSE

AND

TWENTY-SIXTH IN LINE FROM THE FIRST GRAEME OF MONTROSE

George Drummond Graeme (Drummond his father usually called him) was born in 1796 at Stirling; he also spent some years in an office, but breaking away from so uncongenial an occupation his father procured for him a commission in the king’s German Legion in 1812, which was next year ordered to the Peninsular. George Graeme writing in February 1813 from Santar in Portugal tells of his pleasure in his regiment, the officers of which "are all most cordial"…..and I think the finest looking fellows I ever saw in my life……………as for Halkett he is really a dashing fellow."

Many letters are written to his mother and his sister Grace, bright, chatty letters, full of comment on the home news and of messages to old friends, but giving no impression of scenes and person like those of his elder brother.

On the 3^rd of January 1814, he writes from Cantonments near Gintary, they have been out on piquet duty, "consequently saw the beginning of this year in all its glory, but were not so jolly as the enemy, who had their bands playing from 12 till daybreak and such singing and uproar I never heard." George describes very sympathetically how he listened to the soldiers round the camp fire talking of the last New Year spent at home, now twelve years ago, and how they knew not whether their relations were dead or alive.

It is greatly to be regretted that there is a break in the letters, which would have described the actions he took part in, and in which he was slightly wounded. No doubt he was in the hospital and unable to write.

He was present at Osma, Vittoria, Villa Franca, Tolosa, San Sebastian, affairs on the Bedania, Nivelli Adour, at the investiture of Bayonne and repulse of the sortie; after the way ended he embarked with the regiment for Bordeaux, and it was there in the summer of 1814 he and his sailor brother Alex met.

In August 1814 we find him writing a sad leter; he has just heard from home of the death of his elder brother and comments on the feelings of Lawrence who will arrive in America to find him dead. Hopes to get leave and cheer them all! This he did and it is evident that his father took the occasion to go down to Perthshire and introduce the new "fiar" of Inchbrakie to the county; Colonel Graeme’s method was to ride round with his son to various Houses, and on an invitation being given to dine and sleep, he sent the boy alone to make friends for himself.

George writes a letter to his sister Grace dated Inchbrakie, October 3^rd, 1814, telling of the many kinsmen and friends he has seen; his sympathies are especially attracted by Henrietta and Jane Graeme of Orchill; such fine girls, he wishes Grace would correspond with them; "they have not a single brother left;" there also he saw Aunt Margaret, "the finest old lady I have ever seen, gave me such histories of the plays and masquerades they used to act when she was young and the part our father and mother took in them (who she says was the best of them), poor thing it is wonderful to see such spirits continually lying in bed."

He mentions Nelly and Grace Oliphant; and dining "with Sir David Baird who is a fine fellow, I slept there and rode out shooting next day with him and my lady who is a fine, good woman."

George also dined at Sir Patrick Murray’s, "a fine handsome young fellow with a dashing wife;" he had just spent an evening at Abercairny and made great friends with his cousin Lawrence Oliphant of Condie; "we were also at Mr Graham of Airth’s, a most capital fellow and a fine old lady his mother; he (Mr Graham) kept the whole company laughing at Ochtertyre, we were at a thousand other places that I can’t remember, Broich and Lawers, also Lynedoch; but met his L’ship just going out to shoot half a mile from his place.

"There was a most elegant woman I forgot to mention, Mrs Moray of Abercairny, also Mrs and Miss Dundas, General Campbell at Monzie, General Drummond at Strathallan, Mrs Drummond, Kildees;" truly George was being shown the county!

By December of this year he is at Tournay with his regiment; he has been a tour to Brussels and Antwerp with a brother officer, "Knight, an entertaining fellow who made it pleasanter;" he spends a week at the latter place with General Halkett, who "is very dashing, drives six horses, postillions, and outriders, when he goes to Brussels, with two led chargers. British troops came while we were there with the Prince of Orange to review them."

An amusing letter in February 1815 is written from Tournay to his mother. He is so glad she is in Town (London), and no doubt little "Tony is staring about like a little savage!" He strongly advises a visit to the panorama of Vittoria; he went twice when he was in Town. The whole thing is life-like, especially Wellington’s staff, horses and all.

Three months later his is admitted a Freemason, on 20^th May, a l’Orient de Tournay.

Then came Waterloo; George Drummond Graeme went through the campaign, but on the 29^th June he is named as severely wounded. The dispatch is signed by the Duke of Wellington at Orville.

A letter from Brussels, dated 29^th June is written to this father. He reports his wound as getting on well; he is attended by a surgeon of the town, which he much prefers to an English doctor, as they come and go, owing to their hands being too full, and "you never get the same man twice." They are waiting in daily expectation for the English Gazette "to see in what style we licked them."

"On the 17^th we retreated from before a strong position the enemy had in a wood at Quatre Bras (where we had been acting on the defensive and kept them in); our regiment formed the rear guard and had to amuse their skirmishers two hours after our army had gone, it was then so dreadfully hot we could hardly draw one leg after the other." George then describes torrents of rain making streams unfordable: "the enemy following us close with their artillery peppering us from every height, they then came on with their cavalry which beat ours at first, but were checked; nothing but horror to be seen, every one seemed panic-struck at the idea of retreat, all the fine Huzzars galloping past us like Blackamoors, having been unhorsed and rolled in the mud, horse artillery, etc., all running through each other and the enemy as is usual follow up in such a manner not giving you time to breathe.

"But this soon changed to joy on seeing our army had taken up a position; about seven in the evening up to the knees in mud, we came on piquet in a Farm in front of the position; we had neither rations nor anything, and it was very cold. At daybreak we heard the whole army opposite crying ‘Vive l’Empereur,’ they attacked first on the right, but very soon the whole line was engaged, they came on most furiously (the centre on the high road from Neville to this place) with immense columns, but were beat most confoundedly, such a carnage is almost beyond belief; we continually broke them and then pursued them with the cavalry into their own position, this went on the whole day; we were within their grape range but towards evening they brought a Battery to bear on us, pierced a wall which was our principal defence, and then sent down columes to which this wall served as a breastwork on our flanks, so that our unfortunate three companies were overpowered and forced to quit, some of the enemy then got in opened the gates and the whole column rushed in. We had all to pass through the house through a narrow passage; we wanted to halt then men and make one more charge but it was impossible, we fellows were firing down the passage. An officer of our Camp called out to me ‘take care’, but I was too busy stopping the men and called out ‘never mind, let the blackguard fire,’ he was about five yards off leveling his piece at me when this officer stabbed him twice. He fell immediately, but they flocked in, this officer got two shots and ran into a room where he lay behind a bed. All the time they had possession of the house, sometimes the room was full of them and some wounded soldiers of ours who lay there and cried out ‘Pardon,’ were shot, the monsters saying ‘take that for the fine defence you have made’; an officer and four men came first in; the officer took me by the collar and said to his men ‘C’est un coquin’ (I don’t know what he meant); instantly the fellows had their bayonets down and made a dead stick at me which I parried off with my sword; the officer always running about and then coming to me and shaking me again by the collar, but they all looked so frightened, and pale as ashes; I thought you shan’t keep me and bolted off through the lobby, they fired two shots after me and cryed out ‘Coquin’ but did not follow. I regained the remnants of the regiment, when we were immediately charged by a Regiment of Cuirassiers. All the army was formed in squares, we immediately got our men in a hollow and peppered them, and I believe they found the cuirass not thick enough for our musket shot, at any rate they faced about leaving not a few behind; we were overjoyed and leapt out and made the bugle sound forwards wanting to retake the house, but having only a handful of men half without a cartridge, and the columns of the enemy forming up behind, the cavalry gave us such a galling fire.

"I had got an old French sword which I picked up and when I got my lick it flew up into the air; this was about seven in the evening, and I had been convinced in my idea that no ball could touch me. I was in such a heat that the blood gushed very much and staying a little too long without thinking of it, that I began to sail, all the world ran round, and I began to think all was a farce, till just as I was about to fall a fellow of ours ran up to me and bound up my arm, and brought me away; I was so thirsty I drank a canteen of water; a stupid Doctor told me I would lose my arm, but I had no idea of that, although there is an officer in this house who was amputated this morning with the selfsame would but he did not care. The night of the 18^th we were obliged to lay in a hovel on the roadside but slept like princes.

"When Baring collected the regiment at night there were 63 men and four officers, he burst into tears and wished he ‘had been killed too.’ But it was a glorious day; I am glad I saw the whole of it.

Surely the soul of a hero was in the boy of nineteen, who with an arm nearly lost to him writes in the spirit he does; the letter states he had written on the 19^th (we have not seen it) and fears they could hardly decipher it but has been practicing and hopes this is better! He concludes by saying he must buy a fresh sword, his jacket sleeve has been cut off and torn in every direction, while it, his pantaloons, and cap are riddled with shot, "it will cost me a good deal to get into repair again, but never mind it’s all for the glory of old George. God bless you all and God save the King."

His next letter is dated the 9^th July, and is to his mother; he is very low and inclined to fret at not being with his regiment; the last news from the regiment on the 3^rd was that they were within a league of Paris, but could not even get milk to their coffee, expected each day to move into the town, the French army were deserting fast, and "the Prussians were plundering every village, raising sums of money, and wished to destroy the superb bridge of Jena, but were prevented……………no more of ‘Boney’ but it is thought he is with the army behind the Loire, it is said after he abdicated, in an affair before Paris with the Prussians, he was seen animating the French troops disguised as a servant."

"17^th. Since writing the above General Halkett has arrived, he is wonderfully well and hardly disfigured at all, the ball went in just under the right eye and out at the left jaw, he lost ten teeth and his palate all broken, but he has not lost his good looks, he has a wound in his neck which a Cuirassier gave him, perceiving he was a General, and with his usual coolness Halkett took off his hat and bowed to him; this I had from an officer of the Brigade who was in the square with him; he has also a wound in the arm and the leg, three horses killed under him and one wounded; the Brigade adore him; his A.D.C told me that when he passed the Brigade yesterday the men almost cheered him, and all cried out how is the General, and the 30^th Regiment said tell the General we will go to H………………………l for him if he chooses, because we know he will bring us out again! Always remember his Brigade was composed of regiments who never say fire before."

We think the boy-hero adored his General too, who had been his colonel in the Peninsula; the writing of the letter is square and stiff and the pen held with great difficulty. On the 16^th August Colonel Baring of the K.G.L. writes to the boy-soldier congratulating him on obtaining leave, hoping for his speedy return, and expressing the high sense he entertains of his gallant conduct on the 10^th June; he asks for his English address.

This letter is followed on the 26^th by one from the same writer to George Drummond Graeme’s father, which says:-

On September the 1^st leave is granted George till November 1^st, and he returns home for several months, receiving an extension until 24^th January 1816. This in consequence of his wound which is very troublesome, and indeed affected his health.

Liverpool shows its appreciation of his heroism by conferring the freedom of that city on him in 1816.

By this time he was wearing a medal and three clasps and the gold cross for Waterloo.

Meantime his father has not been idle in endeavouring to get permanent employment for his son; the peace and the thinned ranks of the regiment make it possible that the King’s German Legion will be reduced in number, and George sent home on half-pay. This is not to be thought of, and irons have been in the fire since 1814 to prepare the way for his admittance into the Hanoverian Guard. The Dukes of Montrose and Atholl have certified to his descent, giving the thirty-two quarterings which according to the foreigner "enobles" an English commoner.

On December 15^th General Halkett gives the following testimonial."

"I hereby certify that Lt George Drummond Graeme has served in 2^nd Light Battalion King’s German Legion from 1812, that he has made the different Campaigns with the Regiment in the Peninsular with great zeal, gallantry and attention to his different duties. That I consider him a gallant, active and intelligent officer, and that in the Campaign in the Netherlands his conduct was reported by his Commanding Officer as distinguished. That he was severely wounded at the Battle of Waterloo gallantly defending Le Haye Sainte. I beg to recommend him to the attention of any General of Commanding Officer under whom he may hereafter service.

"Signed C. Halkett,

Col.Commanding 2^nd Light Brigade,

K.G. Legion

Brussels, 23^rd December 1815.

George enters the Hanoverian Guard commanded by H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge, son of George III. In that corps he served until 1837, and had the good fortune to be honoured by the personal friendship of the Royal Duke and his Duchess, with that of our own revered (the present) Duke of Cambridge. In a little pamphlet of the Grand Star of Hanover on Tab.XIV may be seen the illustration of that order surmounted with the Inchbrakie crest and the motto Me-Aspera Terrent, as conferred on Major Graeme of Inchbrakie.

The letters of his life in Hanover are few; in them however are gleams of the warm affection he felt for his home.

In 1837 just before his return he speaks of a severe attack of "grippe or influenza" and hears they are suffering from it at home. History repeated itself just 50 years later when in 1890 it fell on us once again!

Major Graeme with King William’s medal for 25 years’ service; the "Waterloo subscription" as a subaltern presented him with 20 pounds, and he received an extra grant of half pay in 1819.

Major Graeme lost both father and mother in 1840; he had been ostensibly laird since his return home in 1837. In 1842 he married his kinswoman the Honble. Marianne Drummond, daughter of General Viscount Strathallan and the Lady Emily Murray (daughter of John fourth Duke of Atholl) his wife.

Only twelve years of married life were permitted them; Major Graeme’s health (never fully regained since his wound) fluctuated much; he, however, continued to interest himself in his estates and greatly enlarge the House of Inchbrakie; considerable alterations for the better were made in the village of Aberuthven, and a large sum expended in the building there of a Free Church with a comfortable house for the minister of that form of worship; finally in 1853-54 he was advised to try a winter in the South and the family moved to Tours. Unfortunately no good result was obtained and he passed peacefully to his rest at Tours on December 20^th, 1854 and was buried at Aberuthven on January 2^nd, 1855.

Major Graeme left an only son and two daughters; the elder Amelia Anne Margaret married in 1876 Lieutenant Arwed Giersberg of the Prussian Army. Major Giersberg died in 1899 leaving her a widow with two surviving sons:

1.Albert George Giersberg and

2.Percival James Emilius Graeme Giersberg

And two daughters:

1.Marianne Jane Constance Giersberg married to Lawrence Clark, Edq, and

2.Enid Alwina Beatrice Giersberg who is unmarried.

Major Graeme’s second daughter Beatrice Marianne Jane Graeme is unmarried and his only son, Patrick,(11^th laird) succeeded him in the estates.

The Honourable Mrs Graeme of Inchbrakie died on the 19^th of May 1876 having survived her husband 22years and was buried beside him.