HONOR TO THE BAGPIPES.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1139, 22 March 1872, Page 4

HONOR TO THE BAGPIPES.

In the course of a panegyric on the bagpipes, a Scotch cavalier, writing to.a home paper, observes : — " There is not a battle that is honorable foHßritain in which tho war blast of the bagpipe has not sounded. When every other instrument has been hushed by the confusion and carnage of the scene, it has been borne into the thick of battle, and far in advance its bleeding bnt devoted bearer, sinking on the earth, has sounded at once encouragement to bis countrymen and his own coronach. How many anecdotes might be given of the effect of the instrument on the hardy sons of Caledonia in the war in India. A piper in Lord M'Leod 's regiment, seeing the British army giving way before superior numbers, played in his best style the well-known ' Codagh-na-Sith,' which filled the Highlanders with suoh spirit that, immediately rallying, they cut through their enemies. For this fortunate circumstance, Sir Eyre Ooote, filled with admiration and appreciating the value of such music, presented the regiment with LSO to buy a stand of pipes. At the battle of Quebec, in 1760, the troops were retreating in disorder, . and the General complained to a field officer in Fraser's regiment of the bad conduct of the corps. 'Sir,' said the officer with a degree of warmth, ' You did very wrong in forbidding the pipers to play. Nothing inspires Highlandinen so much ; even now they would be of some use.' 'Let them blow in God's name, then,' said the General ; and the order being given, the pipers with alacrity sounded, on which the Gael formed in the rear and bravely returned to the charge. George Clark was piper to the 71st Regiment at the battle of Yimiera, where he was wounded in the leg by a ball as he boldly advanced. Finding himself disabled, he sat. down, and putting his pipes in order, called out, ' Wee], lads, I am sorry I can go nae farther wi' you, but deol hae my boul if ye sail want music,' and struck up a favorite warlike air, with the utmost unconcern for anything but the delight of sending to battle his comrades with the animating sound of the pibroch. It is a popular tradition that the enemy anxiously level at the pipers, aware of the power of their music ; and a story is related of one who, at the battle of Waterloo, received a shot in the bag before he ? had time to make a fair beginning, which so roused his Highland blood, that, dashing his pipes to the ground, he drew his sword and attacked the foe with the fury of a l|on, until his career was stopped by death from numerous wounds. It is related of the pipe-major of the 92nd, on the same occasion, that, placing himself oh an eminence where the shot was flying like, hail, regardless of his danger, he proudly sounded the battle air to animate his companions. On one occasion during the Peninsular. war, the same regiment came suddenly on the French army, and" the' intimation of their approach was so suddenly given by the pipers bursting out their ' gathering,' that the enemy fled and the Highlanders pursued. Many Scotsmen pretend to despise the bagpipes, but seeing the value which they have been to our country, and are likely to be, should occasion arise, I do not think any prize could be too large to offer for bagpipe playing."