On this day in Scottish Military History - The birth of John Moore - 1761

Today is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Glaswegian general and army reformer Sir John Moore. You'd be hard pressed to find many modern Glasgow residents who have heard of him. Even if they knew of his statue in George Square they would probably not know what he is famous for.

We've already covered his life in one of our Who's who articles so you can read that to find out more about him.

As we remember the dead of more recent wars on this remembrance Sunday, spare a thought for the Scotsmen lost fighting Napoleon's tyranny and the brave Sir John Moore, killed in action 16th January 1809.

74th and 79th Highlanders hold Fuentes de Oñoro - On this day in Scottish Military History - 1811

In one of the finest actions of the Peninsular War two Scottish regiments in the army of Viscount Wellington replused repeated French attacks on the village of
Fuentes de Oñoro on this day two hundred years ago.

After finally retreating from the Lines of Torres Vedras in early 1811 the French 'Army of Portugal' left a strong garrison at the Portuguese town of Almeida.

Wellington followed the French and laid siege to Almeida in the hope it would force Marshal Massena to attack him, but on Wellington's choice of battlefield.

On 3rd May the French attacked the British positions around Fuentes de Oñoro and the battle ebbed and flowed until the 5th of May.

On that day the 74th Highlanders and 79th Highlanders were occupying the village of Fuentes de Oñoro. Wellington's other troops were drawn out to fight the French which left the village and the Scottish troops exposed.

Marshal Messana sent forward columns of infantry from his IX Corps to take the village and fierce hand to hand fighting took place in the streets and houses which saw the Highland regiments suffer great losses.

The fighting almost saw the Scots forced from the village until a last ditch charge led by the 88th Connaught Rangers cleared the French from the village and saved the day.

The defence of the village against overwhelming odds by the two Scottish regiments was probably their finest moment in the Peninsular campaign and both regiments were later awarded the battle honour Fuentes d'Onor

Also present at the battle were the 42nd Highlanders, 71st Highland Light Infantry and 92nd Highlanders; over the three days of battle all the Highland regiments involved in the battle suffered heavy casualties

42nd Highlanders - 1 officer and 32 soldiers killed and wounded
71st Highland Light Infantry - 11 officers and 133 soldiers killed and wounded
74th Highlanders - 4 officers and 66 soldiers killed and wounded
79th Highlanders - 14 officers and 224 soldiers killed and wounded
92nd Highlanders - 3 officers and 50 soldiers killed and wounded

Fuentes de Oñoro was the last battle for Marshal Massena, he had failed to drive the British out of Portugal and he was now replaced by Marshal Marmont.

Portugal was safe but Wellington and the thousands of Scots in his army now faced a long campaign through Spain.

The Auld Alliance, Part I

In 1942 Frenchmen were exiled in Scotland during the German occupation. Charles de Gaulle gave a speech in Edinburgh and in it he harked back to "the oldest alliance in the world" and said "In every combat where for five centuries the destiny of France was at stake, there were always men of Scotland to fight side by side with men of France, and what Frenchmen feel is that no people has ever been more generous than yours with its friendship." But were we actually bosom buddies for five hundred years?

The mention of the Auld Alliance conjures up thoughts of an old friendship between Scotland and France where we helped each other out over the centuries. Access to claret, and its influence on our law are often mentioned as legacies of the alliance but the bottom line was that it was in place to help both countries resist English domination. So forget about the plonk, in military terms what exactly did it amount to?

The first alliance was signed in 1295 between John, King of Scots and Philip IV King of France. It was in response to the aggressive actions of Edward I of England. For much of the medieval period England controlled large swathes of France. Normandy was English as a result of William the Conqueror taking the English throne in 1066. Aquitaine in south-west France was English by marriage from 1154.

Edward was greedy for land and the terms of the treaty stipulated that if either France or Scotland was attacked by England, the other country would invade English territory. Your enemy's enemy is after all your friend. The signing of an alliance was actually a formal cementing of an existing relationship. Both France and Scotland had long realised that a war on two fronts for England was always going to be to the advantage of both countries.

However this alliance didn't last five hundred years, it actually lasted only three. The French dumped the Scots when we were subjugated by Edward. They had their own problems and abandoning the treaty suited both England and France.

Edward I's son Edward II was not much of a King, and during that period the Scots and French managed on their own. Edward III was a chip of the old Plantagenet block and he was as hungry as his grandfather for land. He attacked Scotland first; but France came to our aid, renewed the alliance and checked Edward's ambitions. French attacks on English possessions in Aquitaine focused Edward's attention on France and his invasion of 1337 started the one hundred and twenty years of warfare between France and England which is called the Hundred Years War for some reason. During this period there were many times when the two countries needed to come to the aid of each other until the English were ejected from France in 1453.

Each new King of France and King of Scots would renew the alliance over the next one hundred years. English kings continued to flex their muscles now and again and the Scots and French would look to each other for help.

In 1560 things were turned upside down. Scotland went through its reformation and it suddenly felt it had more in common with its protestant neighbours than Catholic France. At the same time the new queen in England was less belligerent than her father and realised having Scotland as a friend was in England's interest. The signing of the Treaty of Edinburgh between England, Scotland and France in July 1560 ended French involvement in Scottish affairs and effectively brought an end to the Auld Alliance.

It also coincided with a thawing in the relationship between France and England. Elizabeth I had no intentions of pursing any land claims in France (even though England had just recently lost Calais to France) and for the next hundred years France and England were at peace and sometimes even allies against Spain and Holland.

It was a fight for new empires and control of the world's sea trade which precipitated the second hundred-years-war between Britain and France in the eighteenth century. By this time Scotland and England had the same monarch and same parliament, so when England went to war with France, Scotland played a full and often enthusiastic part on Britannia's side.

The Jacobite risings of 1715, 1719 and 1745 had various levels of official French Support for the Pretenders' attempts to re-establish a Stuart Kingdom; but October 1745 was the last time an alliance was signed between a King of Scots (exiled) and a King of France. The War of Independence in America and the revolution in France finally put a nail in the coffin of any alliance as Scots regiments were raised by the dozen to fight the French. There may have been plenty of Irish volunteers in Napoleon's armies but there were few Scotsmen.

During the middle of the nineteenth century an invasion scare led to civilians forming volunteer companies for the defence of the country. The Auld Alliance was long forgotten as Scottish volunteers flocked to the colours in their thousands to see off any French invasion force.

By 1914 it had all changed again. France and Britain were allies, and when war broke out tens of thousands of Scots rushed to join up. The losses across the world were heavy on the Western Front, and heaviest of all in France. Five hundred years after an Army of Scotland had first served in France, the divisions of Scotland fought against the German invaders. In July 1918 the 15th (Scottish) Division was detached from the British XVII Corps and was rushed south to help the hard pressed French XX Corps. The Scottish troops replaced the 1st US Division in the line and fought hard, but took 3,516 casualties. After the battle the commander of the French 17th Division was so impressed by the Scottish soldiers he erected a cairn at Buzancy. On it was an inscription which would sum up a new alliance which saw thousands of Scots die on French soil during two world wars.

Here the noble thistle of Scotland will flourish for ever among the roses of France

This post has been an overview of the Auld Alliance. Part II in the near future will cover in detail the wars where Scotland and France were allies.

Who's Who in Scottish Military history - Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan of Camperdown

The Dundonian Adam Duncan is hardly known outside Angus and even there he is known mainly because his family gifted Camperdown Park to the city nearly 150 years after his death.

He really should be better known because his victory at Camperdown in 1797 was an overwhelming defeat of the Dutch Navy; which at the time was still a powerful fleet and a threat to the UK .

Duncan was born on 1st July 1731 in Lundie, a few miles from Dundee , into a prosperous local family. His father was Provost of Dundee between 1744 and 1747.

At fifteen Duncan joined the Royal Navy. Just in time for the Seven Years War which saw British ships fight for supremacy of the seas against the French and Spanish. There was a lull in his active service between the Seven Years War and the American War of Independence and then he served as a captain from 1778 to 1782 where he distinguished himself in various actions against French and Spanish ships.

In 1783 the war was over and he returned to Portsmouth and was promoted to Rear Admiral of the Blue. Over the next twelve years he was steadily promoted until in 1795 he was promoted Admiral and made Commander-in-Chief in the North Seas . Duncan ’s appointment was to a very important post. In the late eighteenth century the Dutch had one of the strongest navies in the world and with Holland under the control of the French it meant they were a threat to Britain and more importantly a threat to the Thames sea trade which ultimately paid for the Royal Navy and protected the country from Napoleon.

By 1797 Duncan had managed to blockade the bulk of the Dutch fleet in the port of Texel with only four ships. Keeping ninety five Dutch ships in port with only four ships pretending to be many more was a sleight of hand which would put Paul Daniels to shame. It couldn’t last though and autumn storms forced Duncan back into Yarmouth to refit.

The Dutch took the opportunity to head for the open sea. They weren’t actually going anywhere, it was just a political move to show that they were no longer trapped in port. It was a mistake they would soon regret. On 7th October 1797 Duncan left port again, this time with sixteen ships and on 11th October 1797 the two fleets met off the small Dutch fishing village of Camperduin in North Holland.

The Royal Navy took the advantage straight away and in a bold stroke Duncan ordered his sixteen ships to fight their way in between the eighteen Dutch ships and put themselves between the Dutch fleet and the coast so that the Dutch could not run away into port.

The fighting was a brutal slugging match with ship pounding ship but in the end the Royal Navy’s gunners were better than their Dutch equivalents and sunk nine ships. The rest of the Dutch fleet had been badly mauled and scattered out to sea.

In one day Duncan had effectively destroyed the Dutch Navy; a fleet which had been feared by the British for over one hundred and thirty years.

Duncan was a hero at home and was made a Viscount. His family thought he deserved an earldom (and that was granted to his son) but he was also awarded a pension of £2000 which was no trifling amount in 1797.

That was a fitting end to Duncan ’s long career but he didn’t have a long retirement. Old age and a punishing life at sea caught up with him and he died suddenly on 4th August 1804 at Cornhill in Berwickshire, and is buried in the churchyard at Lundie.

Apart from Camperdown Park in Dundee he is commemorated with a statue in his home town. It was unveiled in 1997 in Dundee , on the 200th anniversary of his most famous battle.

His name also lives on in the Royal Navy. The seventh HMS ‘Duncan’ a Type 45 Destroyer was recently launched on the Clyde. Appropriately it was launched on 11th October - the anniversary of the Battle of Camperdown.

You can see a video of that launch here:

Who's Who in Scottish Military History - Sir John Moore

In the ‘good old days’ of Scottish education children learned about dates and battles and famous admirals and generals. They also had to learn famous poems. There may have been plenty of flaws in that way of educating kids but at least they knew about some famous Scots. One of those Scots was a Glaswegian who is widely recognised as one of the finest British generals to leave these shores, and the poem which was inspired by his death was a staple of schoolrooms across the old Empire. Here is the first verse of “The Burial of Sir John Moore” by Charles Wolfe:

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

Moore was famous not only for his leadership, training and tactics but also for his compassion for common soldiers. At a time when the army was seen as a refuge for ‘the scum of the earth’ Sir John Moore treated his men with respect and introduced many reforms which improved the lot of the beggar in red.

He was born in Glasgow in 1761 to a privileged life. His father was a doctor but also a tutor to young Duke of Hamilton. It was a military life which Moore wanted though and at 15 he became an Ensign in the 51st Foot. (His younger brother joined the Royal Navy and ended his career as a Vice Admiral).

Two years later with the American War of Independence in full swing his friend the Duke of Hamilton raised a regiment from Lanarkshire and Moore joined it as a junior officer.

The 82nd Foot as the regiment was numbered was sent across to America and took part in the successful Penobscot Expedition where the British managed to hold off superior land and naval forces (In fact it was America ’s worst naval defeat until Pearl Harbor).

He was lucky to serve under another Scot, Brigadier Francis McLean, who was an experienced commander but also one who looked after his men. This expedition may have been a formative experience for Moore . He would have seen McLean ’s inspiring leadership based on respect for his men (and the captured enemy) and he would also have seen at close hand the way American light troops skirmished.

At the end of the War of Independence he returned home and like many others you’ve read about in this Who’s Who series he became an MP. He was MP for Lanark Burghs for only six years from 1784-1790 but it reinforced his connection to Scotland .

He was steadily progressing through the ranks, not just because of his patronage but also his skills. He served in Corsica, the West Indies, Holland and Egypt and by 1803 he was a Lieutenant General at Shorncliffe in Kent.

Two of the most important things Moore did for his country happened at that time. The first was he introduced the Martello tower to Britain . It was a squat coastal defence tower based on one he had come across at Mortella Point in Corsica which had given the British great trouble in the early 1790s. Over the next forty years about 140 Martello towers were built around the coasts of the UK , Ireland and Imperial outposts.

The second thing Moore did was introduce a Light Infantry concept to his brigade at Shorncliffe. Moore took four regiments and volunteers from several Scottish regiments and taught them his new ideas on how to train men. It wasn’t based on bullying and learning by numbers; it was done by officers and men learning the same skills and by men being taught to use their initiative.

It was radical thinking at the time but the results soon showed for themselves when the Light Infantry of the Light Division became the elite of the British Army fighting in Portugal and Spain.

Moore himself was sent to Portugal in 1809 after the three senior officers in the Peninsula were recalled after a controversial decision by one of them (who was practically mad) allowed a trapped French army to escape on Royal Navy vessels!

Moore was soon facing impossible odds. He had advanced his army into Spain to help them drive out the French but when Napoleon himself arrived with 200,000 fresh troops the Spanish attack collapsed. Moore had to retreat north towards the protection of the Royal Navy on the coast to save his small army. They suffered terribly in the winter retreat to Corunna ( La Coruña ) but won the race to the town against Marshal Soult and managed to beat the French in battle on 16th January 1809. It was a bittersweet victory. Moore was mortally wounded and was buried under French fire in the ramparts defending the town.

Slowly and sadly we laid him down, From the field of his fame fresh and gory; We carved not a line, and we raised not a stone, But we left him alone with his glory.

Peeblesshire militia 200-year-old uniform purchase bid

From the BBC News website:

A campaign has been launched in the Borders to save a 200-year-old uniform from ending up in a private collection.

Museum supporters have set themselves a £4,850 goal to buy the uniform of an officer serving with the Peeblesshire Local Militia. Such units were set up to protect the population in the event of an invasion from French military leader Napoleon.

The Supporters of the Chambers Institution Peebles (SCIP) have a 6 February deadline on their rescue plan. There are virtually no traces left of the militia group - formed in 1808 but disbanded in 1816. However, the existence of an officer's bright yellow and red coatee and white trousers has emerged.

The private dealer selling the rare outfit has agreed it would be preferable if it could remain in Peeblesshire.

SCIP - a group which tries to provide financial backing for their local museum - has until next month to come up with a rescue plan. They have now launched an appeal with the local community to donate money so that the uniform can be returned to Peeblesshire and be exhibited at Tweeddale Museum in Peebles.

SCIP spokeswoman Amanda Clydesdale said the item was in "incredibly good condition" and would probably have been ordered and paid for by the officer himself. It is thought the whole uniform was made by Edinburgh outfitter G Aubin.

"Our local museum does not hold any materials from Peeblesshire Local Militia, so this would be a really significant addition to the local collection," said Ms Clydesdale.

The Peeblesshire Local Militia was a separate organisation from the Peeblesshire Militia, and was created in 1808 by Act of Parliament under George III, at the height of the invasion threat from Napoleon. The local militia was designed to protect the population but could also be used to contain riots or civil unrest. Recruiting was done by ballot with names drawn randomly from a list of all Peeblesshire men aged between 18 and 30. Men who came forward voluntarily were given two guineas and were expected to carry out up to 28 days training every year.

Hefty fine

People could only be excused from duty if they were married and had two or more children, or if they could pay someone else to take their place. If they did not turn up, there was a hefty fine of £10 to £50 to pay.

Rosemary Hannay, curator at Tweeddale Museum, said they were very keen to acquire the uniform for the local collection. She said: "This is a rare opportunity to acquire an item of great local interest and importance and it would be wonderful if the local community could assist in raising the funds needed to secure its future in Tweeddale Museum.

"Scottish Borders Council Museum and Gallery Service will be applying for 50% of the cost from the National Fund for Acquisitions and if we are successful it would be a great boost for the fund."

Who's Who in Scottish Military History - Colin Campbell, Baron Clyde of Clydesdale

Some of you may recognise this name as one of the worthies commemorated in George Square in Glasgow. Although most people passing his statue today will never have heard of Lord Clyde or the campaigns he fought in, to the Victorians he was one of their greatest heroes.

He’s more commonly known as General Sir Colin Campbell and most famously known as the man who formed the ‘Thin Red Line’ at Balaklava.

Like many other Victorian generals he actually started his military career in Wellington ’s army in Spain. Because Ensigns were taken on in their early teens the men who expanded the Empire in the 1840s and 1850s learnt their trade fighting the French.

Campbell (who was actually born Colin McIver in Glasgow, but took the surname of his uncle who paid for him to join the army) joined the 9th Foot and rose through the officer ranks. In those days many Scots served in English regiments and Campbell was no exception. Throughout the early decades of the nineteenth century he served in various regiments, staff roles and small campaigns until 1854 when cometh the hour cometh the man.

He was appointed to command the Highland Brigade in the Crimea and under that he had the 93rd Highlanders. He had no previous connection to this most highland of the highland regiments but from Balaklava until his death a few years later the two were inexorably linked.

The Battle of Balaklava is well known. The Charge of the Light Brigade, The Charge of the Heavy Brigade and the Thin Red Line have all gone down in British military history so I'm not going to go into detail here. What is worth mentioning is that Campbell knew he could rely on the 93rd and the 93rd knew they could rely on Campbell.

That should have been the satisfying twilight to Campbell 's career but just before he retired he had one more campaign and that was one of the hardest he'd faced. In 1857 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of India to suppress the Mutiny.

Many Scottish regiments served in the Indian Mutiny between 1857-1858 (The 21st, 26th, 42nd, 71st, 72nd, 75th, 78th, 79th, 91st, 92nd and 93rd regiments all served there) and to Campbell 's satisfaction the 93rd were assigned to his command. The 93rd's delight at having their old boss back in charge may have been short-lived though because he came to see them as his storm troops who could always be relied on to save the day. For example they surmounted almost impossible odds to capture the Secunder Baugh at Lucknow in November 1857 but suffered heavy casualties.

By 1858 Campbell was a tired old man. He returned to the UK he was honoured with a peerage, the thanks of Parliament and a colonelcy. The title he took was Baron Clyde, of Clydesdale and his colonelcy was for his beloved 93rd Sutherland Highlanders.

He retired to Chatham but not before being made a Field Marshal. It was short-lived. His campaigning caught up with him and he passed away in August 1863. For many years he had lived the life of an English officer when England was synonymous with Britain but in his later years, and no doubt with the involvement of the 93rd playing a large part, he embraced his Scottishness and Scotland embraced him. For example, after the battle of Alma he replaced his General’s cocked hat with a Highlander’s feather bonnet. The story of the carpenter’s son from Glasgow who rose through the ranks to become a Field Marshal and save the Empire twice, first at Balaklava and then in India, seemed to strike a chord with the people back home and he was feted throughout the land.

Who's Who in Scottish Military History - Thomas Cochrane, "The Sea Wolf"

Anyone who has seen the films or read the books of C.S. Forrester’s character Hornblower or Patrick O’Brien’s character Jack Aubrey may not have realised that their exploits were actually based on the life of a real life Scottish sailor. In fact the fictional adventures didn’t even come close to the fantastic life of Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, or as his enemies called him – The Sea Wolf.

Born on this day 235 years ago in Annsfield, near Hamilton he grew up in Culross in Fife and joined the Royal Navy in 1793. For the next twenty years he rose through the ranks and served in many parts of the world capturing French and Spanish ships and raiding enemy coasts.

I can’t go into much detail here since his exploits would fill a book but on one occasion he took on and captured the Spanish ship ‘El Gamo’ which had at least six times as many crewmen as his little sloop. On another he captured a fort on the Spanish coast and held it for a month against the French army.

Unfortunately for his career he was a radical and fought against corruption in all walks of life. That put quite a few noses out of joint in the Admiralty and Westminster, before and after he became an MP (in 1807), so when he was caught up in a financial scandal in 1814 he found himself jailed, stripped of his titles and expelled from Parliament and the Navy.

He knew he was innocent and once re-elected as an MP he fought to clear his name. He was unsuccessful. When in 1818 he was invited by Bernardo O’Higgins to go to Chile to lead their navy in their war of independence from Spain he left England for South America. He rebuilt the navy and did what he did best - captured Spanish ships and raided coasts. In 1820 he helped Peru’s independence by capturing the port of Valdivia in an act of courageous daring that is real boys own stuff.

Cochrane wouldn’t have been Cochrane if that had been the end of it. With victory over the Spanish secure he then fell out with his superiors and in 1823 moved on the Brazilian Navy. This time it was the Portuguese who felt his wrath and with them beaten he promptly fell out with Brazil’s new leaders.

South America was now too hot for him so he sailed east to Greece in 1827 to help in their war against the Ottoman Empire. For once Cochrane wasn’t able to recreate his exploits. Some have put it down to idle Greek sailors but it could have been down to Cochrane getting old. By this time he was over fifty and had been sailing and fighting for the best part of thirty years.

He returned to Britain in 1828 and resumed the fight to clear his name. He was finally pardoned in May 1832 and restored to the Navy List with a promotion to rear admiral; although he refused to accept a command until his knighthood was reinstated. He had to wait another fifteen years for that. However when it happened in 1847 he did take up another command as commander in chief of the North American and West Indies station until 1851. That was his last active command but he was still railing against the Admiralty and pushing for more modern fighting ships until he died during an operation on kidney stones on 31st October 1860 at the age of 85.

By then the Royal Navy and the world had changed beyond recognition from the time Cochrane was at his peak, and Scotland had lost one of its greatest adventurers.

National Museum sets sail with the real Scots Master and Commander

An article from The Scotsman today. I have a bit of an interest in Cochrane, and we're planning a blog post about him shortly...

He was the Scottish seafarer whose exploits inspired the creation of the fictional English naval heroes Horatio Hornblower and Jack Aubrey.

Thomas Cochrane, the son of a nobleman and inventor, was forced to join the Royal Navy as a teenager when his family's estate had to be sold off.

Now one of Britain's most successful and controversial naval figures of all time is to be honoured with a major exhibition in his native land, dedicated to his extraordinary life and military career.

Curators at the National Museum of Scotland are putting together the tribute to the man from Lanarkshire, whose heroics matched those of any of his fictional alter-egos.

Jack Aubrey was portrayed on the screen by Russell Crowe in 2003 in the Oscar-winning film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.

A spokeswoman for the National Museum, which is staging the exhibition from October 2011-February 2012, said it would bring together for the first time an "extraordinary collection of awards, personal possessions, private papers and dramatic paintings".

Cochrane, born in 1775, joined the navy when he was 17 and went on to become a hugely successful captain during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, earning him the nickname the Wolf of the Seas by the French.

But he also made enemies in the navy and corridors of government with his daring tactics and outspoken criticism.

Famous exploits included capturing one Spanish frigate with twice the firepower of his vessel, and causing havoc in the Mediterranean after taking command of two others.

He pursued a political career, winning election to the Commons after standing on a ticket of parliamentary reform. But he was dismissed by the Royal Navy and expelled from parliament in 1814 following a conviction for Stock Exchange fraud, although Cochrane claimed his trial was politically motivated.

However, he went on to fight in the navies of Chile, Brazil and Greece in their wars for independence and was eventually reinstated to the Royal Navy, at the rank of admiral, in 1832, and later pardoned for the crime over which he always maintained his innocence. He was eventually given the honorary title of Rear-Admiral and was buried in Westminster Abbey after his death at the age of 85.

Many of the items - some borrowed from private collections - will be going on display for the first time. Stuart Allan, exhibition curator, says: 'He is one of the towering figures of naval history, a Scotsman who made a truly global impact.

His extraordinary story will take visitors on a voyage across the world, through the age of sail and the age of steam, and deep into the turmoil of the Age of Revolution where men fought in far-flung places for the cause of liberty, and for their own gain.

"The authentic Cochrane is as incredible as anything in fiction."

Who's Who in Scottish Military history #1- Admiral Sir Charles Napier KCB GOTE RN

I’ve decided to start a new series of posts entitled “Who's Who in Scottish Military History”. This will highlight some of our country’s greatest (and sometimes not so great) men and women who are little remembered now.

Around 150 years ago Scotland lost two well-known Admirals. This first was "The Sea Wolf", Thomas Cochrane, the 10th Earl of Dundonald who passed away on 31st October 1860. I hope to cover him fairly soon.

The other passed away on 6th November 1860, just a few days after Cochrane.

He’s not well known today but at his death Charles Napier was one of Scotland’s most famous sons. He was born in 1786 and joined the Royal Navy in 1799 during the wars with France. That was the start of a sixty year career in the Navy which included leading an army in Syria and taking a fleet to the Baltic during the Crimean War.

He also managed a spell at Edinburgh University and took a seat in Westminster as an MP. He even led the Portuguese Navy for a while during a civil war in the 1830s and when he died their navy went into eight days of mourning.

He was known as a fearless warrior but in Victorian times he was most remembered for his campaigning to improve the conditions for his sailors and to introduce more modern ships into the Royal Navy. The Admiralty usually ignored his ideas which were often years ahead of their time but that didn’t stop him bombarding them with letters.

Still adventurous to the last, only days before his death Napier had written to Garibaldi offering to command a fleet for him in the liberation of Italy.

On This Day in Scottish Military History #2: The Camerons occupy the Lines of Torres Vedras

On 27th September 1810 the French were given a bloody nose at the battle of Busaco. Three Scottish regiments were involved in the battle. 2nd Bn 42nd, 74th and 1st Bn 79th Highlanders. Many of the senior officers in other units and the Portuguese army were also Scottish. The most senior of these, ‘Black Bob’ Crauford, was in command of the famous Light Division and came from Ayrshire.

The French commander Marshal Massena underestimated the resilience of the British and Portuguese troops. He had been forcing them back to Lisbon and egged on by Marshal Ney attacked them at the Busaco Ridge.

Of the Scottish regiments the Cameron Highlanders suffered worst in the battle with 55 casualties; the 74th had 29 casualties and the Black Watch only 7.

After beating the French Wellington slowly took his army back behind one of the wonders of the day. A series of breastworks and redoubts protecting Lisbon which had been built by Wellington in secret. On this day 200 years ago the 79th Cameron Highlanders took their places in these famous fortifications.

Three days later the French first discovered the Lines of Torres Vedras. They were unable to break through them and for six months they starved in front of them; not strong enough to break through and too scared to retreat and face Napoleon’s wrath.

To borrow a Churchill phrase - It was the end of the beginning for the French in Spain.

Plaque on South Uist recalls French commander

From the BBC News website:

A plaque is to be unveiled later to an 18th Century French military commander in the South Uist village where his father was born.

The memorial recalls Etienne Alexander MacDonald, a trusted member of Napoleon's army.

Marshal MacDonald's father Neil was born in Howbeg, on the west coast of the Hebridean island.

Herve Bouche, the French Consul General in Scotland, has been invited to attend the unveiling.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar convenor Alex MacDonald said it was important to acknowledge Marshal MacDonald's island roots.

He said: "In 1825 Marshal MacDonald visited South Uist for the only time in his life.

"His meteoric rise through the ranks of the French Napoleonic army is nothing short of incredible, and I am delighted that we are commemorating his life and visit to South Uist in this way."

Louvre statue

Neil MacDonald, a Jacobite, played a key role in Charles Edward Stuart's escape following his defeat at Culloden in 1746.

His son became a highly regarded military officer and following Napoleon's defeat he became a minister in the French government, a Peer of the Realm and was elevated to Arch-Chancellor of the order of the Legion d'Honneur.

His statue stands on the side of the Louvre, his name is inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe and one of the boulevards of Paris was named after him.

Marshal MacDonald returned from his trip to South Uist in 1825 with soil from the land at Howbeg. It was buried with him when he died.

When he died in 1840 at the age of 70 he was given a state funeral and buried in the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris.

Union Jack flown at Trafalgar for sale

From the BBC News website:

Trafalgar union jack up for sale

The only surviving union jack from the Battle of Trafalgar could fetch £15,000 at auction after it was found in a drawer, auctioneers say.

The flag was flown from one of Nelson's warships, HMS Spartiate, in the naval battle off the Spanish coast in 1805.

It was presented by the 540-strong crew to Fife-born Lieutenant James Clephan after the conflict, a high honour bestowed upon an officer by his men.

The flag is being sold by one of his descendants living in Australia.

Clephan, who later went on to command his own ship, was one of the few men to have risen through the ranks and was greatly admired by his crew.

The flag, measuring 7ft 4in x 11ft 7in, is made of 31 panels sewn together by the crew on board the ship.

It bears a number of "battle scars" - holes caused by shot and shell splinter damage sustained during the conflict.

The union jack will go under the hammer later this month after being put up for sale by one of Clephan's descendants.

“ I think it's hard to overstate the historical importance of this flag ”
Charles Miller Flag owner

It was treasured by his family, who kept it in a drawer to preserve it.

Auctioneers expect the flag to fetch £10,000 to £15,000.

Charles Miller, through his own auction house, is selling the piece in London on 21 October, Trafalgar Day.

He said the flag was the only known surviving union jack from the battle.

"I think it's hard to overstate the historical importance of this flag," he said.

"This was the greatest naval action ever fought.

"The great thing about the flag is it's one of the most emblematic items you can get from Trafalgar.

"This is a bit of naval hardware that has actually served in the action."

Clephan, from Scoonie in Fife, spent his early years as an apprentice weaver and went on to join the Merchant Navy.

He retired in 1840 with the rank of captain and lived in Edinburgh for 11 years until his death at the age of 83.

Robert Burns and the Royal Dumfries Volunteers

We have a "guest author" on the blog for this post. The following article was written by group member Paul Goodwin for our attendance at the Family History Fair at Dumfries last week. I thought it worth posting here to bring it to a wider audience.

Robert Burns was not only a poet and national icon but he was also a Private in the Royal Dumfries Volunteers for the last year and a half of his life. Although brief, his service was dedicated and conscientious but strangely seems to have been ignored by many of his biographers.

In an atmosphere of fear of invasion from France, the Dumfries Volunteers were formed on 31st January 1795 when the inaugural meeting was held in the Dumfries Court House and attended by Robert Burns. At a meeting on 20th February Colonel de Peyster was elected Major Commandant of the Corps by the members. Mrs De Peyster then provided the corps with a flag and Colonel de Peyster commissioned 100 ‘Brown Bess’ muskets from Birmingham. On 21st March, Wellwood Maxwell (probably of Munches near Buittle) was made lieutenant to the second company, in which Burns served. Members agreed to provide their own uniform, serve without pay during the war with France and to have an area of operations not more than 5 miles outside of Dumfries. Burns hated war and would fight if his country were invaded, but for no other reason.

Burns was among 59 members who took the Oath of Allegiance and signed the Rules, Regulations and Bye-Laws on 28th March. The governing body of the corps was a committee consisting of all officers and eight members. The members served a three month term on the committee. Burns served on this committee for a term starting on 22nd August 1795.

His song "Does Haughty Gaul Invasion Threat" (also known as ‘The Dumfries Volunteers’), appeared in the Dumfries Weekly Journal in April 1795.

Burns attended the meetings, the drill sessions, served on the committee and was never fined for absenteeism, drunkenness or insolence as many members, both officers and privates, were. Drills were held for two hours, twice a week and committee service involved supplying the corps with arms and other material. All this work was on top of his excise duties and, of course, his writing. This contrasts markedly with his ‘traditional’ image as a hard-drinking womanizer.

On Monday 25th July 1796, Burns's funeral was conducted with military ceremony. In addition to his own Dumfries Volunteers it included the Cinque Port Cavalry and the Angusshire Fencibles. He was buried in the northeast corner of St. Michael's churchyard, a quarter of a mile from his home. His volunteer unifom hat and sword crowned the coffin. The Dumfries Volunteers acted as the pall bearers, the Cinque Port Cavalry band played the Dead March from Saul by Handel and the Angusshire Fencibles ended the procession with a guard that fired three volleys over the grave.

Strangely, while his writing was often not given the recognition it deserved during his lifetime, his much less known military service was honoured at his funeral.

Once the threat of invasion was past, the Royal Dumfries Volunteers were disbanded in 1802 after only seven years. Thankfully their minute book has survived.

Does Haughty Gaul Invasion Threat?

(The Dumfries Volunteers)

By Robert Burns

Does haughty Gaul invasion threat?
Then let the louns beware, Sir!
There's wooden walls upon our seas,
And volunteers on shore, Sir!
The Nith shall run to Corsincon,
And Criffel sink in Solway,
Ere we permit a Foreign Foe
On British ground to rally!
We'll ne'er permit a Foreign Foe
On British ground to rally!

O let us not, like snarling curs,
In wrangling be divided,

Till, slap! come in an inco loun,
And wi' a rung decide it!
Be Britain still to Britain true,

Amang oursels united!
For never but by British hands
Maun British wrangs be righted!
No! never but by British hands
Shall British wrangs be righted!

The Kettle o' the Kirk and State,
Perhaps a clout may fail in't;
But deil a foreign tinkler loun
Shall ever ca'a nail in't.
Our father's blude the Kettle bought,
And wha wad dare to spoil it;
By Heav'ns! the sacrilegious dog
Shall fuel be to boil it!
By Heav'ns! the sacrilegious dog
Shall fuel be to boil it!

The wretch that would a tyrant own,
And the wretch, his true-born brother,
Who would set the Mob aboon the Throne,
May they be damn'd together!
Who will not sing "God save the King,"
Shall hang as high's the steeple;
But while we sing "God save the King,"
We'll ne'er forget The People!
But while we sing "God save the King,"
We'll ne'er forget The People!