A history of the family of Seton during eight centuries [With plates, including portraits, illustrations, facsimiles, a bibliography and genealogical tables.] . s. He was appointed Assistant-Deputy-Quartermaster-General tothe Forces in Ireland, in 1849, and resigned that office, on promotion, thefollowing year. Major Seton obtained the command of the 74th regiment,in succession to Lieutenant-Colonel Fordyce, in November 1851. In thebeginning of January 1852, as Colonel Seton, he was directed to take thecommand of several detachments of troops, who were under orders to pro-ceed in steamsh
A history of the family of Seton during eight centuries [With plates, including portraits, illustrations, facsimiles, a bibliography and genealogical tables.] . s. He was appointed Assistant-Deputy-Quartermaster-General tothe Forces in Ireland, in 1849, and resigned that office, on promotion, thefollowing year. Major Seton obtained the command of the 74th regiment,in succession to Lieutenant-Colonel Fordyce, in November 1851. In thebeginning of January 1852, as Colonel Seton, he was directed to take thecommand of several detachments of troops, who were under orders to pro-ceed in steamship Birkenhead to the Cape of Good Hope, where awar with the Kafirs was being carried on. The vessel left Cork on the7th of January and reached Symonds Bay about the 23rd of route to the east coast the Birkenhead sailed again on the evening ofthe 25th, and struck upon a rock, off Cape Danger, about two oclock onthe morning of the 26th of February. The ship began to break upvery rapidly, and the number of the boats available—two cutters and asmall gig, or dingy—proved quite insufficient. Colonel Seton directed the LOSS OF THE BIRKENHEAD 5oi. soldiers to fall in on both sides of the quarter-deck; and, calling all theofficers around him, he gave the requisite orders with the utmost coolnessand precision. He then specially turned his attention to the women andchildren, and the few sick who happened to be on board, placing them inthe boats, which were ordered to move to a safe distance from the sinkingship, and thus their lives were preserved. A few minutes after the firstshock the bow and forepart of the ship broke off and sank, while the otherparts began to settle down. The poop was the last portion to sink, andwith it the Colonel went down and perished, at the early age of thirty-seven. The land was not far distant, and as a portion of the riggingremained standing, a few of the soldiers and sailors were able to save them-selves. Including those in the boats, it was
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidhistoryoffam, bookyear1896
