Note 565 — PART THIRD. HISTORY OF THE HIGHLAND REGIMENTS. (continued 19)
Reading edition
John Cameron was son of Ewen Cameron of Fassifern, a nephew of the “Gentle Lochiel.” As we have seen, he entered the regiment at its formation, and took part in most of its hard services. He was universally beloved and respected, especially by the Highland soldiers, in each man of whom he took the interest of a father, and felt himself responsible for their welfare and good conduct. The following account of his death is taken from his biography, written by the Rev. Dr Archibald Clerk of Kilmallie:—“The regiment lined a ditch in front of the Namur road. The Duke of Wellington happened to be stationed among them. Colonel Cameron seeing the French advance asked permission to charge them. The Duke replied, ‘Have patience, you will have plenty of work by and by.’ As they took possession of the farm-house Cameron again asked leave to charge, which was again refused. At length, as they began to push on the Charleroi road, the Duke exclaimed, ‘Now, Cameron, is your time, take care of the road.’ He instantly gave the spur to his horse, the regiment cleared the ditch at a bound, charged, and rapidly drove back the French; but, while doing so, their leader was mortally wounded. A shot fired from the upper storey of the farm-house passed through his body, and his horse, pierced by several bullets, fell under him. His men raised a wild shout, rushed madly on the fated house, and, according to all accounts, inflicted dread vengeance on its doomed occupants. Ewen Macmillan (Cameron’s foster brother), who was ever near his master and his friend, speedily gave such aid as he could. Carrying him with the aid of another private beyond reach of the firing, he procured a cart, whereon he laid him, carefully and tenderly propping his head on a breast than which none was more faithful.” He was carried to the village of Waterloo, and laid in a deserted house by the roadside, stretched upon the floor. “He anxiously inquired how the day had gone, and how his beloved Highlanders had acquitted themselves. Hearing that, as usual, they had been victorious, he said, ‘I die happy, and I trust my dear country will believe that I have served her faithfully.’ ... Thus he met with a warrior’s death, and more, with a Highland warrior’s death. His remains were hastily interred in a green alley—Allée verte—on the Ghent road, under the terrific storm of the 17th.” In the April of the following year his remains were removed to Scotland, and from Leith conveyed in a King’s ship to Lochaber, and committed to their final resting-place in the churchyard of Kilmallie, where lie many chiefs of the Cameron clan. His age was only 44 years. In honour of Cameron’s distinguished service his father was created Baronet of Fassifern. A handsome monument—an obelisk—was afterwards erected to Cameron at Kilmallie, for which an inscription was written by Sir Walter Scott, who seems to have had an intense admiration for the brave and chivalrous Highland hero, and who, in his Dance of Death, speaks of him thus:—
“Through battle, rout, and reel, Through storm of shot, and hedge of steel, Led the grandson of Lochiel, The valiant Fassifern. Through steel and shot he leads no more, Low laid ’mid friend’s and foemen’s gore; But long his native lake’s wild shore, And Sunart rough, and wild Ardgour, And Morven long shall tell; And proud Ben Nevis hear with awe, How, at the bloody Quatre Bras, Brave Cameron heard the wild hurrah Of conquest as he fell.”