Only one person from Glass is recognised as serving with the 92nd Regiment – his grave is in Wallakirk – that of James Gauld in Nether Dumeath “who swam the Tagus to liberate pontoon boats in 1812”.
However about 20 years prior to that, several young men from Glass had been abroad with the regiment without any public recognition. Below is a list of the men who were in the war against France between 1793-1815 and fought in the various campaigns of that war. The Marquis of Huntly only admitted men of good character to his Regiment and the recruits from Glass came from good families and may have joined up for a sense of adventure or perhaps because there was no room for them at home.
The first recruit from Glass was Charles Gordon from Nether Dumeath. He joined 17 February to be followed on 5 March by James Wilson and William Cruickshank whose elder brother John joined him on 29 April. They formed part of the Battalion of about 800 commanded by the Marquis of Huntly in Aberdeen in 1794. From Aberdeen they marched to Fort George where they embarked for Southampton reaching there after a five week voyage. They then marched to Netley Common to receive the first principles of drill and discipline. In view of the French threat to the peace of Europe, the 92nd did not remain long in England before embarking on 5 September 1794 from Southampton for Gibraltar and went into barracks there. Their uniform consisted of, Kilt, plaid stout brogues and they were armed with a rifle “Brown Bess”. All the men wore long hair, ties at the back with a ribbon and powdered on Sundays and on guard – neither whiskers nor moustaches were worn.
After some time in Corsica the battalion returned to Gibraltar in 1796 where they remained until March 1798 when they returned to Portsmouth. In June 1798 they were hurridly summoned to Ireland to help crush the Rebellion there. Returning to Dover in July 1799 they were next sent to Holland where they had their first taste of battle against the French at Egmont-op-Zes. This victory and their first battle honour cost them dearly. While no one from Glass appears among the casualties, others from neighbouring parishes who fell include
Killed James Stuart a labourer from Mortlach
Killed Wm. Nicol a weaver from Mortlach
Killed James Donald from Huntly
Killed James Fraser from Rhynie
Killed William Leslie from Auchindoun
Died of Wounds Sgt. Alex Gordon from Cairnie
Died of Wounds Sgt. Alex Barclay from Kennethmont.
On an armistice being signed the 92nd sailed into Yarmouth at the end of 1799 and from there they went to Chelmsford. Charles Gordon from Glass, the first recruit from this parish, was discharged.
The following is the list of men from the parish of Glass.
CHARLES GORDON.
Born Nether Dumeath 8 November 1772: Witnesses at baptism Charles Smith in Invermarkie and John Archibald in Upper Dumeath.
Parents William Gordon and Janet Gordon. He joined the regiment 17 February 1794. Age 20: Height 5 feet 5 inches: A Labourer. Discharged 26 February 1800 while stationed in Chelmsford “he having found a man to fill his place.”
JAMES WILSON
Born at Hillockhead 12 May 1764: Witnesses at baptism James Dow in Corshalloch and James McIntosh in Hillockhead. Parents John Wilson and Isobel Leslie
He joined on March 5 1794. Age 32: Height 5 feet 8 inches: A flax-dresser, Died at Athlone, Ireland 24 February 1799. Whether from natural causes or in action against the rebels is not known.
WILLIAM CRUICKSHANK
Witnesses at baptism Alex. Browster and William Leslie both of Hillock of Eight, Cabrach Parents William Crookshank and Margaret Pirie
Joined 5 March 1794. Age 18: Height 5 feet 6 inches: Blue Eyes: Fair Hair: Dark Complexion> A Tailor
Served at Fuentes d’Onor: Pyrenees and Toulouse. Transferred to the 66th Regiment (Royal Berkshire Regiment)
JOHN CRUICKSHANK
Born at Frosterseat 1 May 1763: Witnesses at baptism John Wilkie in Torrie and George Duffus in Balnacraig. Parents Wm Crookshank and Margaret Pirie
Joined 29 April 1794: Age 27: Height 5 feet 3 inches: Blue Eyes: Brown Hair: Fair Complexion: A Labourer.
In the year 1808 he was in No. 3 Company. It seems that the family moved from Frosterseat to the Gouls between 1763 and 1775. In almost every case the recruits gave an incorrect age.
WILLIAM WANS
Born Netherton 1776 Joined the regiment 1795: Age 19: Height 5 feet 9 inches: Black Hair: Dark Complexion: Grey Eyes: A Labourer. Served in the Grenadier Company. The taller men were usually sent to this company in the hope that they were able to throw the grenades farther than the shorter men.
JOHN MARK
Born Glass 1777 Joined the regiment in 1796: Age 19: Height 5 feet 5 inches: Brown Hair: Grey Eyes; Dark Complexion: A Weaver. Mark was one of 26 recruits who commenced pay on 14 July 1797 “being the day after their embarkation in England for Gibraltar and whose attestations have not been sent.”
Served in Egypt where he received particular praise from the Commander in Chief Lt. Gen. the Hon. Sir John Heley-Hutchison:-
Regimental Orders
HMS Renomee 8 October 1801
The Lt. Col. Was happy to receive the following letter from Capt. Probyn, one of the Commander’s aides-de-camp.
“As the guard of the 92nd who have been doing duty at Headquarters are about to join their corps, the Commander in Chief directed me to express to you his entire approbation of the exemplary conduct of the guard in general and of Sergeant Mark in particular”
J. Probyn A.D.C.
Sgt. Mark died 6 March 1806 where the 92nd was at Colchester. The official record states that he was born in Glass.
JAMES KING
Born at the Gouls, Glass 30 November 1770: Witnesses at baptism Wm. Bonnyman, Blackbog (a shoemaker) Alex. Gordon, Succoth and Alex. Slorach, Gouls
Parents Francis King and Eliz. Bonnyman. Joined 9 January 1798: enlisted by Capt. John Gordon Age 22: Height 5 feet 7 ½ inches: A Shoemaker.
Discharged 27 May 1802 when the regiment was at Belfast.
COLIN SLORACH
Born at Graystone 23 June 1775: Witnesses at baptism George Slorach in Graystone and John Gauld in Balnacraig. Parents Colin Slorach and May Gordon
Joined 24 April 1798: enlisted by Capt. John Gordon. Age 22: Height 5 feet 5 inches: A Tailor. Discharged 27 May 1802.
Colin Slorach was one of those soldiers affected by eye trouble in Egypt. It is not known how badly affected he was but he has been described as being “blinded in Egypt”. However that may be it is clear that he returned to Glass and may possibly be the “Colin Slorach” who married Magdalen Day, having a son James born at Balnacraig 22 June 1803 and a daughter Mary born at Brownhill 18 Sept. 1807.
For the relief of the wounded in the campaign a voluntary committee in London gave sums of money, while official recognition of the problem of the blinded came in June 1802 when the Government “showed its benevolences towards those soldiers who, in the late expedition to Egypt, have contracted a disorder which has terminated in total deprivation of sight”.
JAMES ROBERTSON
Born at Frosterseat 20 July 1772; Witnesses at baptism Robert Gauld In Hillockhead; James Gauld in Loanhead and Jas. Craigen in Mill of Invermarkie Parents Geo. Robertson and Janet Watt. Joined 24 November 1803.: A Labourer: Height 5 feet 8 inches.
Served in Low Counties Campaign. No. 3 Coy. On furlough 10 March 1808 before embarking for Spain.
JAMES MOIR
Born at Parkhead 5 November 1783: Witnesses at baptism John Marchal in Parkhead and Francis Gordon in Parkhead Parents Alexander Moir and Elizabeth Milne. Joined regiment 2 January 1804. Entered 1st Battalion at Wesley Barracks, Essex. A Labourer. Killed at the Battle of Maya, in the Pyrenees, 25 July 1813.
JOHN MOIR
Born at Westerpark 13 June 1784: Witnesses at baptism John Archibald in Mill of Aswanley and John Moir in Drumduan. Parents William Moir and Margaret Simpson. Joined March 29 1804: Age 20: A Labourer. Served at Waterloo; does not appear among the casualties.
WILLIAM MOIR
Born at Parkhead 3 September 1782: Witnesses at baptism William Wright, Parkhaugh and William Clark, Edinglassie. Joined 25 April 1806: Age 23: A Labourer. Transferred to the 21st Foot (Royal Scots Fusiliers) Died 30 September 1809. The official record.
The three Moir’s above are referred to in army records as More or Moore and even in Glass parochial records the name appears as More.
GEORGE GAULD
Born Glass 1787 Joined the regiment at Huntly 30 August 1804: Age 17: A Labourer: Height 5 feet 5 ½ inches. Entered the battalion at Colchester. Killed at Maya 25 July 1813.
The men had sums of from £2 to £12 besides Prize Money lying to their credit. The official record states that “the credit of Geo. Gauld killed 25 July 1813 was remitted to James Gauld” From this it would appear that James Gauld (Edinglassie) was next of kin.
HUGH MCINTYRE
Born Glass 1785. Joined regiment 14 September 1805: Age 20. Died 10 October 1806 at Colchester
JAMES DUNCAN
Born Glass 1789. Joined regiment at Aberdeen 16 June 1810: Age 21: Height 5 feet 5 inches. Transferred 25 October 1814.
JAMES GAULD
Born Glass 1788. Parents Alex. Gauld and Margaret Duncan. Married Jean Dyker; had family. Tenanted Nether Dumeath where he died 27 December 1867. Had been ill only 10 days and died from “the infirmity of old age”. (Monument at Wallakirk). Joined the Gordon’s at Elgin 11 January 1808. Gave age as 23: Height 5 feet 10 inches: Grey Eyes: Round Face: Dark Complexion.
Went to Ireland to join the 2nd battalion, probably when they were at Ballyshannon. In 1811 the 2nd Battalion was sent over to Scotland, landing at Irvine, it had for six months its Headquarters at Banff. It was then sent to Fort George where a draft for the 1st Battalion in the Peninsula was made up.
JOHN CHRISTIE
Born Glass 1770: Height 5 feet 5 ½ inches. No details of enlistment. Discharged 1806 while the 92nd was at Colchester.