of the European War. To meet this danger Pitt issued his famous
appeal, and towards the end of 1793 the first yeomanry regiment was
raised in Suffolk. Others quickly followed, and in 1794 we find a
regiment was raised in Forfar called the Forfar Yeomanry or Angus
Cavalry, which continued twenty-five years until disbanded in 1819.

In Fife the first unit raised appears to have been a regiment of
"Fencible Cavalry" named "The Fifeshire Light Dragoons"; like other
Fencible Units throughout the country this regiment seems to have been
more or less a Regular Unit enlisted for the period of the war and for
home service only. It was apparently the force on which the Government
relied for keeping a check on local unrest, and was disbanded in 1797.

In 1798 the Fife Yeomanry Cavalry and the Stirlingshire Yeomanry
Cavalry were raised, and later on Perthshire, Clackmannanshire, and
Kinross-shire all had their yeomanry regiments, which, however, seldom
exceeded 150 in strength.

In Fife, however, thanks to the inspiration and energy of Sir William
Erskine and Mr Wemyss of Cuttlehill, it was very popular; and when the
Earl of Crawford was appointed Colonel Commandant in September 1798
there were already seven mounted troops.

With change of name to the Royal Fifeshire Yeomanry Cavalry, and under
the successive command of Lieut.-Colonel Morison of Naughton (1803),
Colonel J. Anstruther Thomson of Charlton (1809), and Colonel W.
Wemyss (1823) the Regiment continued to flourish, receiving in
1814--the year which saw the close of the war--the thanks of both
Houses of Parliament for its services.

In 1822 the Regiment took part in the Review held by His Majesty King
George IV. on Portobello sands where, according to a contemporary
account, "the novelty of an exhibition of this order, and the passion
allowable of the ladies to see their gallant and rustic lords and
lovers relinquishing the habiliments of common life and flourishing in
scarlet and glory, produced an immense crowd."

In December 1827 an Order was circulated announcing the disbandment
of many yeomanry regiments, and among those on the list was The Royal
Fife. Arms were returned to store, and the Regiment actually disbanded
in 1828. The Perthshire, Clackmannanshire, and Kinross-shire
Yeomanries were also disbanded at this time.

[Illustration: DETACHMENT AT H.M. THE KING'S VISIT TO EDINBURGH.
_To face page 160_]

[Illustration: REGIMENTAL DRILL AT ANNSMUIR WITH SKELE