In Fife, however, thanks to the inspiration and energy of Sir William
Erskine and Mr Wemyss of Cuttlehill, it was very popular; and when the
Earl of Crawford was appointed Colonel Commandant in September 1798
there were already seven mounted troops.
With change of name to the Royal Fifeshire Yeomanry Cavalry, and under
the successive command of Lieut.-Colonel Morison of Naughton (1803),
Colonel J. Anstruther Thomson of Charlton (1809), and Colonel W.
Wemyss (1823) the Regiment continued to flourish, receiving in
1814--the year which saw the close of the war--the thanks of both
Houses of Parliament for its services.
In 1822 the Regiment took part in the Review held by His Majesty King
George IV. on Portobello sands where, according to a contemporary
account, "the novelty of an exhibition of this order, and the passion
allowable of the ladies to see their gallant and rustic lords and
lovers relinquishing the habiliments of common life and flourishing in
scarlet and glory, produced an immense crowd."
In December 1827 an Order was circulated announcing the disbandment
of many yeomanry regiments, and among those on the list was The Royal
Fife. Arms were returned to store, and the Regiment actually disbanded
in 1828. The Perthshire, Clackmannanshire, and Kinross-shire
Yeomanries were also disbanded at this time.
[Illustration: DETACHMENT AT H.M. THE KING'S VISIT TO EDINBURGH.
Pages:
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164