The first division of that splendid regiment, the 72d, or Duke of Albany's own Highlanders, marched yesterday, and another division to-day, for Windsor; the remainder will follow on Monday, and take the route of Petersfield and Farnham.
Morning Advertiser - Monday 12 July 1841
THE ARMY,
The first division of that splendid Regiment, the 72nd, or Duke of Albany’s own Highlanders, marched on Friday, and another division on Saturday for Windsor; the remainder will follow this day, and take the route of Petersfield and Farnham. This regiment has done duty in Portsmouth garrison for more than a twelvemonth, during which time the urbanity of its Colonel (Arbuthnot), the exemplary conduct of the officers, and the high state of discipline of the men, have been the theme of general praise and admiration, and have caused their departure to be looked upon with great regret by all classes of the inhabitants, whose best wishes for their welfare they take with them.
The 66th Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel T. H. Johnston, move over to quarters in Portsmouth, from Gosport, as the 72nd march off.
The Atholl and Sapphire, troop ships—the former commanded by Mr. Bellamy, the latter by Mr. Cole, arrived on Monday, from Quebec, with the 73rd Regiment on board, which has disembarked at Gosport, and there gone into quarters. When these ships left Quebec, the Apollo was daily expected there with the 68th Regiment, from the West Indies; and she was then to bring home the 24th. The 34th Regiment was ready to embark, and would come home in the Cornwall and Somersetshire transports; the Prince Regent and Boyne would embark a third regiment, and the Abercrombie Robinson a fourth. The Atholl and Sapphire are ordered to refit.
The 53rd Regiment, now at Plymouth, are under orders for Leith, and will proceed thither on the arrival of the 24th Regiment. The infantry regiments which returned from foreign service in 1837 (and of which two, the 22nd and 85th, have again embarked, the former for Bombay, and the latter for the Mauritius) have had a very brief tour of home duty. The 20th Rifles, 2nd battalion, 98th, 99th, and 10th, stand thus in order for going abroad. We trust the military authorities have for ever abandoned the unjust system of sending abroad, wherever it may be required to send a corps, that regiment which stands first on the list of the year, without reference to the station at which it may last have served. We will put a strong case. Should a regiment be required in India, and the Horse Guards receive orders to provide a corps for that service, and if the old plan be followed, the 20th Foot must again proceed to India, whence it returned in May, 1837. Whereas, if due selection with respect to last foreign station, be made from the five regiments which returned home in 1837, the corps to be ordered to India ought to the one which served its two last tours of foreign service in the Mediterranean, and when the question arises whether it, or 2nd battalion of Rifles, last from Mediterranean, be sent to India, we believe no man will claim exemption for the gallant corps in question, on the score of service; and in other equal cases, we hold distinguished services to justify a preference. The 98th and 99th last served to the Eastward, and have good claim for a tour in the Mediterranean, before proceeding again to the East, or to our West Indian colonies.—Naval and Military Gazette.