History of the Scottish Regiments in the British Army

by Archibald K. Murray

For it’s up wi’ the bonnets o’ bonnie Dundee.”

EARLY HISTORY—COVENANTERS—BATTLES OF DRUMCLOG AND BOTHWELL BRIDGE—ARGYLE’S REBELLION—THE RAID OF THE MACDONALDS—FLIGHT OF JAMES II.—DUNDEE’S REBELLION—BATTLES OF KILLIECRANKIE AND CROMDALE—MASSACRE OF GLENCOE—1660–1693.

The page of history presents to us many dark scenes of oppression, where one man, trampling upon the rights of another, and disregarding the heaven-born principle of charity, has sold his brother into bondage. Nay, more, (as especially illustrated in the case of Spain groaning beneath the thraldom of the Papacy), some men have even succeeded in enslaving the mind; stopping up with vile trash the avenues of knowledge, and so defacing and ruining that mirror of the intellect which reflects so much of its Creator, which originally bore the impress of divinity, and was moulded in the likeness of God. But the pride of the human heart, and the unhallowed passion of man, stay not here, but have attempted more—to subdue the soul—but in vain. It is possible to fetter or destroy the body, nay, it is even possible to enslave, or annihilate in madness, the mind, but it is impossible for man to bind the undying soul. Nevertheless, it has been the infatuation of tyrants, deluded by false creeds, in many countries and in many ages, to seek, but in vain, to usurp the dominion of the soul. The soul, like “the bush burned but not consumed,” lives still, lives for ever, defying the fires of persecution, the wasting famine, and the devouring sword. It comes forth scatheless, purified, living; having shaken off the corruption of earth, it appears clothed in the garments of immortality. There can be no better testimony to the suitableness of the true religion to meet the wants of man than this—that whilst all others have proved themselves to be so many systems of tyranny, bereaving man of his beloved liberty, the religion of Jesus is free, and is always to be welcomed as the herald of civil and religious liberty; wherever its blessing rests, its benign influence is felt, and its glorious light shines.

It was in such a time as this in Scotland, when the iron will of Charles II., already oppressing the persons and the minds of his people, aspired to the dominion of their soul and conscience, by calling upon them to introduce into their simple forms of worship a host of objectionable mummeries, savouring of Popery, and threatening thereby to corrupt the purity of the Presbyterian faith. In vain they petitioned for liberty of conscience and protested against these intrusions. Persisting in the introduction of these idle rites, and denying redress, the monarch preferred plunging the nation into all the horrors of civil war, rather than depart from his purpose. To enforce these requirements the king raised in Scotland two troops of Life Guards, afterwards disbanded; a regiment of horse, known as Claverhouse’s Troopers—

“The bonnets o’ bonnie Dundee;”

a regiment of Foot Guards; a regiment of foot, now the Twenty-first, North British Fusiliers; and, in 1678, two troops of dragoons, which, increased by the addition of other troops in 1681, constituted the Royal Regiment of Scots Dragoons, now known familiarly as the Scots Greys. The corps was originally commanded by Sir Thomas Dalziel, who in 1681 was appointed the first colonel of the regiment. He was always a staunch adherent of the House of Stuart, had been taken prisoner at the battle of Worcester, but escaping from the Tower, served with distinction in the Russian army during the Tartar wars. Returning to Scotland at the Restoration, he was employed by the king in enforcing his will upon the Presbyterians, and he discharged his duty with all the scrupulous exactness of a soldier. To the Covenanters he has left a most unenviable memory—as a monster of cruelty, devoid of mercy. His eccentricities, especially in regard to dress, often excited the merriment of the Court, and created quite a sensation amongst the juveniles of the metropolis. He died in 1685.

The early history of the Royal Scots Dragoons is painfully and intimately associated with the sufferings and trials of the Covenanters—a page in our history which, would the truth admit, we would gladly omit. The ignominious duty imposed upon this gallant regiment, of hunting down the Presbyterians, and the cruelties which they were called to witness, sometimes to inflict upon their unhappy brethren, must have been extremely harrowing and repulsive to the feelings of brave men. Along with a troop of horse, a troop of the corps was present in 1679, under Graham of Claverhouse, at the battle of Drumclog, where they were defeated, with the loss of twenty men, by the superior numbers and desperate valour of the Covenanters, as also from the unsuitableness of the ground for cavalry to act upon. The result of this overthrow was a general rising of the disaffected and oppressed—a motley and undisciplined army was speedily assembled, better in the use of the tongue than the sword; and as always happens where that “unruly member” is in the ascendant, proved the precursor of party division, and in the end brought ruin to the good cause in which they had embarked. Foiled in an attack upon Glasgow by the retiring royal troops, especially the Royal Scots Dragoons and Scots Foot Guards, the Covenanters took up a strong position behind the Clyde at Bothwell Bridge, and there awaited the attack of the royal army, now advancing from Edinburgh under the Duke of Monmouth. Failing in effecting an accommodation, the battle was commenced by the Royal Scots Dragoons, supported by the Scots Foot Guards attacking the bridge, which, defended with great bravery, was only relinquished when the ammunition of the defenders was exhausted. The loss of this most important post, as well as the divisions already prevailing amongst the Covenanters, soon produced a panic which lost the battle, ruined for the present the cause of liberty of conscience, and served to add nearly ten years more to their sufferings. In the pursuit, the troopers of Claverhouse took a cruel revenge for the defeat of Drumclog, upon the broken and flying remnant.

The Royal Scots Dragoons continuing to be employed in the humiliating work of persecution, were often roughly handled by the Presbyterians, especially at Ayr Moss on the 20th July, 1680, where a desperate rencontre took place.

The Earl of Argyle, a nobleman of great merit, and for some time enjoying the esteem of his sovereign, being suspected of a leaning to the Nonconformists, or Covenanters, at the instigation of the Duke of York was arraigned for treason, and, accordingly, condemned to death. Escaping to France, Argyle returned in 1685, and landing with a force of 300 men in Argyleshire, summoned his clansmen, and endeavoured, with little success, to raise the Presbyterians, and so, setting up the standard of rebellion, threatened to dethrone James II., who but lately had succeeded his brother in the throne. After much fruitless manœuvring, he advanced into the Lowlands, but was met by the royal troops, including the Royal Scots Dragoons, near Dumbarton, under the Earl of Dumbarton. Attempting to retreat in the darkness of the night, his guides betrayed him, his army fell into disorder and disbanded, whilst he himself was taken prisoner and afterwards executed at Edinburgh. On the morrow, the Royal Scots Dragoons, assisted by other troops, attacked a considerable body of the rebels under Sir John Cochrane, which still remained together in the neighbourhood in a strongly fortified position. After hard fighting, in course of which the dragoons dismounted and fought hand to hand on foot, and after the loss of many officers, among whom were Sir Adam Blair, Sir William Wallace, and Capt. Clelland, also Lord Ross wounded, the rebels were driven back and ultimately dispersed.

On the death of Lieut.-General Sir Thomas Dalziel, in 1685, Lord Charles Murray, afterwards the Earl of Dunmore, and son of the Marquis of Athole, one of the original officers of the corps, was promoted to the colonelcy.