THE LATE DUGALD MACFARLANE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3500, 25 September 1882, Page 4

THE LATE DUGALD MACFARLANE.

A recent telegram conveyed intelligence of the death of an old Canterbury pilgrim and Waterloo hero. The Christchurch Press of Saturday last has the following sketch of his career ._« The death yesterday forenoon of Mr Dugald Macfarlane, at the ripe old age of ninety-three, will be heard of with much regret by a wide circle of friends. Not merely was Mr Macfarlane one of the pilgrim fathers of Canterbury —he arrived here in the Sir George Seymour on December 17th, 1850—his career" also extends back over a period of well nigh a whole century ; and a retrospect of his life recalls scones and events ■which, to the vast majority of mankind, have leng been merely matters of history. When the subject of our brief sketch was born, on June 6th, 1100, in the highlands of Perthshire, the .French Revolution had only .]ust ■broken out, and the great war which overwhelmed the Continent of Europe in adeluge of blood, and which was only brought to a close twenty-three years afterwards on the field of Waterloo, did not commence for nearly three years afterwards. In this great conflict Mr Macfarlane was destined to play a part. In 1811 he was gazetted to a second lieutenancy in the Ist battalion old 95th Rifle Corps. He obtained his commission through the influence of a relative of his mother's, the late Sir John Anstruther. From the date of Lieutenant Macfarlane's joining the depot in 1812 to June, 1851, he took part in the various movements of the army raised to assist the Dutch against Napoleon, on whose overthrow, in 1814, the army got possession of Antwerp, and during the brief peace which followed, they were quartered in various parts of Flanders. But the news of the sudden landing of Napoleon from Elba on the Ist of March, 1815, roused all Europe once more. The Duke of Wellington hastened from Vienna to arrange a campaign in Belgium. 'I his ended, as our readers all know, in the glorious victory of Waterloo. On that memorable occasion Lieutenant Macfarlane commanded Captain Fullerton's company of the third battallian, and was thus attached to the 3rd Light Brigade, Sir Harry Clinton's 2nd Division, Lord Hill's 2nd Cox-ps, commanded by Sir Hrederick Adam. ' Our position in the field of battle, writes Mr Macfarlane, in a letter published a few years ago in the Army and Navy Gazette, ' was the right centre of the British army, on a sloping bank between Hougoumont and La Haye Sante, in squares of battalions, exposed for over six hours to the enemy's round shot, shell, and grape, and having to repel a dozen charges of his Cuirassiers and Lancers. About half-past 7in the evening Lord Wellington galloped up to_ Sir Frederick Adam, and after a moment's interview wo were ordered to form a line in cresent, with our flanks well in advance. Soon after we got into position. Marshal Ney, the most renowned soldier in France, came direct upon us at the head of seven battalions of the Old Imperial Guard, that ha,d not fired a shot until then ; reserved evidently to break through in our centre and open out in our rear—Napoleon's favorite mode of securing a -victory. They fought three deep in their companies, and in close colums in rear of their Grenadiers, with a frontage of only thirty men. Our flank battalions were formed two deep, and the 52nd in our centre was obliged to form four deep for want of room. Uur strength at this time was about 2400 men, thus oceupypying a frontage of about 300 yards, while Ney's seven battalions had only 100 yards' frontage, with wide intervals between each phalanx. They charged, drums beating, and cheering 'Vive l'Emgereur!' and when within 150 yards we were ordered to commence a steady fire by volleys of companies, and after seven or eight rounds of those well-directed volleys the whole of the enemy were in utter confusion. Ney's horse was shot under him. He lost his cap ; and on foot, sword in hand, he endeavored to rally his men. This was impossible ; they were treading each other down. We were ordered by Sir Frederick Adam to charge with the bayonet, and in a moment about 3000 of the enemy threw down their arms hnd rushed in the greatest confusion to the rear. At this moment we were over 100 yards in front of tho British, line, pursuing this routed multitude with Napoleon's favorite Marshal in their midst, and perfect masters of everything in our front. The left of the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade had now reached the high road a littla below La Belle Alliance, and shooting the horses of the enemy's artillery flying to the rear, blocked up the road, and thus secured about eighty guns of Count Reille and Count d'iirlon s corps. About 2000 of the enemy, under General Cambroune, were posted in front of La Belle Alliance to cover the retreat. They got panic-struck, and, adding disaster to confusion, fled with the Old Guard. Cambroune was taken prisoner by Lieutentant-Colonel Hugh Halkett, and we drove this routed mass a short distance beyond La Belle Alliance, when the Prussians took up the pursuit. It was now getting dark. We were halted, and ordered to take ground to our right, and slept upon the field, where Count d'Erlon's men had bivouacked the night before.' Lieutenant Macfarlane took part in the subsequent occupation of Paris, and had tho honor of being one of the first to enter that city at the head of his company. While with the army of occupation, family matters induced him to retire half pay, which he subsequently commuted on determining to settle in New Zealand. From the above brief sketch it will be seen that the late Mr Dugald Macfarlane has lived through some of the most stirring events in the world's history. His declining years have very appropriately been devoted to the peaceful pursuits of a colonist. As a Canterbury pilgrim he took part in the heroic work of founding this settlement, and during tho many years he has resided in our midst, he has been universally respected ; whilst by those who knew him well, he will long be remembered with affectionate regard.'