The collected writings of Dougal Graham "Skellat" Bellman of Glasgow: edited with notes: Together with a Biographical and Bibliographical Introduction, and a Sketch of the Chap Literature of Scotland: by George MacGregor: In two volumes |
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| VII. | CHAP. VII. |
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 | CHAP. VII. The collected writings of Dougal Graham |  |
145
CHAP. VII.
The Duke's arrival at Stirling. The Rebels' Retreat, and the Rout both Armies took to the North.
Soon after William to Stirling came,
With all his troops, a warlike ban':
Reg'ments of foot, there were fourteen,
Sixteen field pieces of brass, full clean:
Kingston's, Cobham's, and Ker's dragoons.
The trusty Campbells, all chosen ones,
With Hawley, Husk, and John Mordaunt,
Brave Ligonier he could not want,
With Cholmondely, bred soldiers all,
For battle ready at any call.
One day his march was here suspended,
The broken bridge for to get mended,
O'er which the foot were safely past,
And all the carriages at last.
The horsemen forded Forth at Drip,
Then to Dumblain they marched up.
With all his troops, a warlike ban':
Reg'ments of foot, there were fourteen,
Sixteen field pieces of brass, full clean:
Kingston's, Cobham's, and Ker's dragoons.
The trusty Campbells, all chosen ones,
With Hawley, Husk, and John Mordaunt,
Brave Ligonier he could not want,
With Cholmondely, bred soldiers all,
For battle ready at any call.
One day his march was here suspended,
The broken bridge for to get mended,
O'er which the foot were safely past,
And all the carriages at last.
The horsemen forded Forth at Drip,
Then to Dumblain they marched up.
While the army into Stirling lay,
They catched one they call'd a spy,
Whom Hawley, by some uncouth laws,
Condemn'd for carrying Charles' pass,
Likewise another from the Duke,
Which made him more like traitor look,
Hawley seiz'd them, and with an oath
Swore he should be depriv'd of both:
Go, said he, and get a rope,
And take the dog and hing him up,
Which was no sooner said than done,
As soon's the hangman could be foun',
Without confession, or clergy's stamp,
Was like a dog hung to a lamp,
They catched one they call'd a spy,
Whom Hawley, by some uncouth laws,
Condemn'd for carrying Charles' pass,
Likewise another from the Duke,
Which made him more like traitor look,
Hawley seiz'd them, and with an oath
Swore he should be depriv'd of both:
Go, said he, and get a rope,
And take the dog and hing him up,
Which was no sooner said than done,
As soon's the hangman could be foun',
Without confession, or clergy's stamp,
Was like a dog hung to a lamp,
Next day the duke went to Dumblane,
Campbells' and th'horse had Crief reta'en.
Here the Highlanders did divide,
Some took the hills, some water-side;
The highland road by bridge of Tay,
Or by Dundee, the sea-side way,
The horse and French brigades did chuse;
And the Highland roads did refuse,
So kept their rout north by Montrose,
While th'others climb'd o'er hills and moss:
Short time they took in Perth to tarry,
All the stores they could not carry,
They threw into the river Tay,
With cannon they could not take 'way,
Thirteen of iron they spiked up,
And swivels of the Hazard sloop,
Which was taken off John's haven,
By help of that town's fisher-men.
Argyle Militia and the horse
To Perth straight came; but did not cross
The river Tay for to pursue,
Till the whole army came in view.
Some would have a party take the hill,
But to this the Duke deny'd his will,
And kept his march down by Dundee,
Thro' towns that lay hard by the sea
Toward the town called Montrose,
And great resentment there he shows:
All the suspect' did apprehend,
And south to Stirling did them send,
Where they're detain'd close prisoner,
'Till 'bout the ending of the stir;
Many of them were innocent,
As afterwards was truly kent,
If 'twas not for their thought and wish:
For few durst say whose man he was
Who lived into such a clime,
And in such a critical time.
Thence he unto John's-haven sent,
As being upon vengeance bent
For taking of the Hazard sloop,
And burnt their boats both stoop and roop.
Two oft'cers here he also broke,
For their goodwill to Charlie's folk,
The one's sash was in pieces cut,
And quite out of the army put,
His sword was broke above his head;
Because he unto Charlie fled.
The other, because he stopt the plunder
Of th'house of Gask, being sent under
Strict command, to do such duty;
But kept his party from the booty,
For which he got's commission torn,
Himself depos'd with shame and scorn.
Campbells' and th'horse had Crief reta'en.
146
Some took the hills, some water-side;
The highland road by bridge of Tay,
Or by Dundee, the sea-side way,
The horse and French brigades did chuse;
And the Highland roads did refuse,
So kept their rout north by Montrose,
While th'others climb'd o'er hills and moss:
Short time they took in Perth to tarry,
All the stores they could not carry,
They threw into the river Tay,
With cannon they could not take 'way,
Thirteen of iron they spiked up,
And swivels of the Hazard sloop,
Which was taken off John's haven,
By help of that town's fisher-men.
Argyle Militia and the horse
To Perth straight came; but did not cross
The river Tay for to pursue,
Till the whole army came in view.
Some would have a party take the hill,
But to this the Duke deny'd his will,
And kept his march down by Dundee,
Thro' towns that lay hard by the sea
Toward the town called Montrose,
And great resentment there he shows:
All the suspect' did apprehend,
And south to Stirling did them send,
Where they're detain'd close prisoner,
'Till 'bout the ending of the stir;
Many of them were innocent,
As afterwards was truly kent,
If 'twas not for their thought and wish:
For few durst say whose man he was
Who lived into such a clime,
And in such a critical time.
Thence he unto John's-haven sent,
147
For taking of the Hazard sloop,
And burnt their boats both stoop and roop.
Two oft'cers here he also broke,
For their goodwill to Charlie's folk,
The one's sash was in pieces cut,
And quite out of the army put,
His sword was broke above his head;
Because he unto Charlie fled.
The other, because he stopt the plunder
Of th'house of Gask, being sent under
Strict command, to do such duty;
But kept his party from the booty,
For which he got's commission torn,
Himself depos'd with shame and scorn.
From thence they march'd to Aberdeen,
Where a storm of snow and frost full keen,
Which on the mountains some time lay,
Caus'd them into that town to stay.
Hesse's band in Perth then quarter'd was,
And at Dunkeld keeped the pass,
The remains of Gardner's broke dragoons
Kept Blair in Athole, and such towns:
These horsemen twice had suffer'd sore,
Here, by surprise, they suffer'd more:
As they next to the Highlands lay,
They skelped at them night and day.
Being station'd in this utmost pass,
They bore the brunt of all distress;
But the Hessians kept about Dunkeld,
And did into more safety dwell.
These Hessians were a warlike band,
Six thousand did their prince command,
Earl Crawford in their company,
To guide them thro' the Scots country.
Their countenance was awful fierce,
They spake High-Dutch, or German Earse,
Had white buff-belts, and all blue clothes,
With a long beard beneath their nose,
And those who were in wedlock state,
Had all long whiskers, like the cat.
Their spatterdashes with pick were gilt,
And long swords with a brazen hilt,
Bars on the outside of the hand,
And in their guns an iron wand.
The finest music e'er you did hear
Would make one dance who could not stir,
Their whistles and drums in chorus join
Did cheer one's heart, they played so fine:
Their grenadier's had caps of brass,
Thus order'd were the men of Hesse,
Who camp'd for some time near Dunkeld,
And kept that pass, till they hear'd tell
How at Culloden all were broke,
And they had never fought a stroke,
Except one canonading bout;
The clans afar came on a scout
To view their camp from a hill top
Who soon retir'd when they drew up:
Whene'er their cannon began to play,
They skipt like rams and ran away,
Describ'd the Hessians ev'n as they can,
Said, “He was a blue and bloody man,
“His drums and guns pe ready, got
“Hersell pe rin, or else be shot.”
Where a storm of snow and frost full keen,
Which on the mountains some time lay,
Caus'd them into that town to stay.
Hesse's band in Perth then quarter'd was,
And at Dunkeld keeped the pass,
The remains of Gardner's broke dragoons
Kept Blair in Athole, and such towns:
These horsemen twice had suffer'd sore,
Here, by surprise, they suffer'd more:
As they next to the Highlands lay,
They skelped at them night and day.
Being station'd in this utmost pass,
They bore the brunt of all distress;
But the Hessians kept about Dunkeld,
And did into more safety dwell.
These Hessians were a warlike band,
Six thousand did their prince command,
Earl Crawford in their company,
To guide them thro' the Scots country.
Their countenance was awful fierce,
They spake High-Dutch, or German Earse,
148
With a long beard beneath their nose,
And those who were in wedlock state,
Had all long whiskers, like the cat.
Their spatterdashes with pick were gilt,
And long swords with a brazen hilt,
Bars on the outside of the hand,
And in their guns an iron wand.
The finest music e'er you did hear
Would make one dance who could not stir,
Their whistles and drums in chorus join
Did cheer one's heart, they played so fine:
Their grenadier's had caps of brass,
Thus order'd were the men of Hesse,
Who camp'd for some time near Dunkeld,
And kept that pass, till they hear'd tell
How at Culloden all were broke,
And they had never fought a stroke,
Except one canonading bout;
The clans afar came on a scout
To view their camp from a hill top
Who soon retir'd when they drew up:
Whene'er their cannon began to play,
They skipt like rams and ran away,
Describ'd the Hessians ev'n as they can,
Said, “He was a blue and bloody man,
“His drums and guns pe ready, got
“Hersell pe rin, or else be shot.”
| CHAP. VII. The collected writings of Dougal Graham | |