Allen Family Tree » John Grieve (1775-1856)

Personal data John Grieve 

• He was born in the year 1775 in Scotland.
• He died on October 15, 1856, he was 81 years old.
• A child of George Grieve

Household of John Grieve

He is married to Margaret (Grieve) Tocher.

They got married at Fife Estate, Aberdeenshire, Scottland.

Child(ren):

1. Isabelle Grieve Mitchell  1816-1910 

Notes about John Grieve

John Grieve was member of the 71st Highland Light Infantry which served with the army of the Duke of Wellington in the war with Napleaon in the campaign on the Spanish Peninsula during the period 1808-1811. The 71st was a part of the famous Light Division which under the Command of General Sir John Moore won reknown in the campaign. Records in the Scottish United Services Museum in Edinburgh Castle show that Private John Grieve of the 71st Highlanders received the Peninsular Medal with bars for the battles at Roleia, Vimeira, Corunna and Fuentes d'onor May 1817. The 71st Highland Regiment sailed for Portugal with the Expeditionary Force under Lt. General Sir Arthur Wellesly (later Duke of Wellington). At this time only the pipers wore the kilt, the rest of the regiment wore trews of McKenzie tartan, red coats with pale buff facings, and feather bonnets. On the 17th of August, 1808, the Light Company of the Regiment was present at the battle of Roleia when the French, under General Laborde, were defeated. On the 21st of August, the Grenadier Company of the regiment distinguished itself at the battle of Vimeira by capturing six guns complete with horses and limbers. Piper, George Clerk, was wounded in this action, in the leg, but continued to encourage the men by playing a favorite Regimental Air. Corporal John MacKay captured the French General, Brennier.

In October of 1808, the regiment marched into Spain with the Force under Sir John Moore, later taking part in the arduous retreat on Corrunain. Very severe winter conditions delayed them reaching that town till early in the New Year. The regiment took part in the rear guard action at Corunna, serving in Craufords Brigade as a screen in front of the main position on the day preceding the battle and on the left flank during the action. It was during this battle that Sir John was fatally wounded and was buried secretly on the battlefield. Following is the opening of Reverend Charles Wolfe's poem on the "Burial of Sir John Moore."

Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note,
As his corpse to the rampart we hurried;
Not a soldier discharged his farewell shot
O'er the grave where our hero we buried.

The Regiment was evacuated but returned to the Peninsula in 1810, having served in the meanwhile in the Walcheron Expidition. The name of the Highland Sergeant who assisted in carrying Moore from the field is no where recorded, but as the men were from the 42nd Highlanders, it has always been assumed that the Sergeant was also from this Regiment. The burial party was from the 9th Regiment.

Most of the foregoing information was furnished by the Scottish United Services Museum, Crown Square, The Castle, Edinburgh, through the courtesy of the Curator and his assistant Vesey Norman. These two were accomodating and went to considerable effort in searching the records for the information.

By: Cecil A. & Nellie J. DuRette
Edinburgh, Scotland. July 1959

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Timeline John Grieve

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