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from the chaise, and, in the twinkling of an eye, prostrated the nearest assailant.
The other fellow took to his heels ; but Aytoun, who was as swift of foot as he
was strong of arm, gave chase, and captured the unlucky footpad, whom, along
with his companion, he bundled into the chaise, and conveyed to Manchester,
where they were handed over to the civic authorities.
In a very short time the regiment of Royal Manchester Volunteers (afterwards
the 72d of the line) was raised and sent out to Gibraltar, under Lieut.-
Colonel Gladstone. Mr. Aytoun was appointed to the Command of the Grenadier
Company, and remained in the fortress during the whole of the memorable
siege. On the return of the regiment to Britain he was promoted to the rank
of Major, and shortly afterwards married his second wife, Miss Sinclair of Ealgregie.
After this he retired on half-pay, and was never again actively engaged,
although he subsequently rose to the rank of Major-General.
On the formation of the First Regiment of Edinburgh Volunteers-somewhat
emphatically denominated “ the True Blues”-General Aytoun, as one of
the military men residing in Edinburgh, was invited to superintend the drilling
of the corps. This, it may be imagined, was no easy task, considering the
material of which the regiment was composed ; however, the volunteers themselves
were abundantly satisfied with the appearance they made, and were
undeniably as good “ food for powder” as if they had handled the musket from
their youth upwards. Their nominal Colonel was Provost Elder, who, it is
allowed on all hands, cut a most martial figure in his bandeliers of a Saturday,
but was not quite the fittest person for a drill, being somewhat unused to the
complicated evolutions which it was his duty to direct.
In 1797, when General Aytoun was drilling the Blues, Count d‘htois and
the Duc d’Angouleme were residing at Holyrood. The Duke, as we have said
before, was a constant attendant at the drills ; but Count d’Artois never could
get over his horror at the uniform of the Volunteers, which reminded him too
sadly of his own domestic tragedy in France. Kay’s contrast of the Duke and
General Aytoun is very happy. The Portrait of the General, in particular, is
acknowledged by all who knew him as an excellent likeness. The title of the
‘‘ Great and the Small” is further applicable to the figures of the other volunteers.
Mr. Osborne, the right-hand man of the company was a perfect.giant, being two
inches taller than the General ; and his burly form is well set off against the
diminutive figure of Mr. Rae the dentist, who acted as fugleman to the corps,
and was very expert at the manual exercise.
General Aytoun died at his family estate of Inchdairney, we believe, about
the year 18 10, leaving behind him a large family of sons and daughters. He
was succeeded by his grandson, Roger Aytoun of Inchdairney, eldest son of John
Aytoun (served Aytoun of Aytoun in 1829), and who was long a prisoner at
Verdun.‘
Jam- Aytoun, Esq., advocate, who for several years waa an efficient member of the Town
Council of Edinburgh, and who stood candidate for the representation of the city in Parliament, waa
a son of the General.