A Short History of the Black Watch

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 Excerpt: ...rank and file. THE VOLUNTEER BATTALIONS THE BLACK WATCH. The first Volunteer corps raised in the present regimental district of The Black Watch were two companies embodied in Perth in 1794--an example that was widely followed in the succeeding years; but all Volunteer corps were disbanded in 1802 after the Peace of Amiens, although re-formed on the resumption of war in the following year. In 1808, however, the Government passed an Act to replace the Volunteer force by a Local Militia, to be raised, if necessary, by ballot. In Perth, Forfar, and Fife there were few districts, if any, where the necessary numbers of volunteers were not forthcoming without the employment of the ballot. On the conclusion of peace in 1815 this force was disbanded, and it was not until 1859, when an invasion by France was feared, that Volunteer corps were again established. The importance of the Volunteer movement was rightly appreciated by our possible invaders, and though more valued each year at home, it was not, perhaps, until the South African War that the Volunteer battalions were given the occasion not only of showing their readiness to serve the country when required, but also of proving by the excellence of their services the value of the material that exists in this branch of our army. Nowhere was this more clearly seen than in the 42nd Regimental District. Each of the six Volunteer battalions sent a contingent to the three service companies that joined the 2nd Battalion in South Africa. Each of the first two companies that voluntarily left Scotland served for a year with the 2nd Battalion, taking their part with and performing the same hard work as any of the regular companies, and it was only because the war ended in June 1902 that the third company had a s...