Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 5, 1897

G8
THE CELTIC MONTHLY
The war having been terminated by the
treaty of Utrecht, the Scots Greys returned to
England.
In 1714 the Scots Greys were augmented to
nine troops, but in the following year an
increase of the army being required by the
Jacobite commotions in Scotland, three troops
of the Greys with two troops from the Royal
Dragoons, and one newly raised, were formed
into an independent regiment, now the 7th
Hussars. In iVugust, 1715, the Greys were
stationed in Stirling, sending out detachments
to disperse the armed rebels who had raised
the standard of the Pretender.
The Eai-l of Mar set out from Perth on the
loth December with an army of- 8,000 men,
with the view of crossing the Forth and pene-
tratiog intoEuglaud, and joining the English
insui-geuts and lirigadier Mackintosh.
The Duke of Argyll, sent by the Government
to command in Scotland, was at Stirling with
some infantry and cavalry, amongst the latter
being the Greys. His army amounted in all to
about 4,000. Leavhij a garrison in Stirling,
Argyll crossed the Eorth and advanced to Dun-
blane, about the same time as Mar advanced from
Auchterarder. The two armies came in sight
of each other at Sherilfmuii; {II'mi- Stiahh an
l-Siin-i-a), on the evening of Saturday the l'2th.
{To be coiitinned).
The following Story gained first prize in the Gaelic
Prose Competition at the recent Mod at Perth.
RUARAIDH MACRATH.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR.
Glend-iruel, by Greenock.
To the Editor of the CMk Moiifhhj.
THE BRAVE SONS OF SKYE.
SiK^For some time past I have been getting up
notes about soldiers belonging to Skye (my native
place) who served with distinction in the army from
the middle of last century up to the present day ;
and I shall feel much obliged to any of your readers
who can give me further information on the subject.
We have it on the highest official authority (that of
a former Adjutant-General of the Forces) that,
during the forty years preceding 1837, Skye had
produced 21 Lieutenant- Generals and Major-
Generals (including 1 Adjutant-General), 45
Colonels, GOO Majors, Captains, and Subalterns,
10,000 Privates, and 120 Pipers. I should like to
get the names of as many officers, non-commissioned
olHcer.s, and men as possible, with the names of the
battles in which they took part, and the regiments
in which they served. Any old letters, prints,
photographs, or photographs of portraits entrusted
to mo to be copied would be taken great care of,
and returned to the owners with as little delay :is
possible.
I am, etc.,
J. MACINNES,
Major and Hon. Lieut.-Colonel,
.5th Vol. Butt. A. & S. H.
Le " Eile.\.nacii."
(Christina MacDougall, Eilean Siiona )
A' Chiad Chaibideil.
tHA feasgar boidheacli ciiiin anu, toi.seach
a' gheamhraidh. Is anu coltach ri
fea.sgar sanihraidh a bha e, le bias is le
ciiiineas. Bha an smiiid a bha a' tigbinn a
tighean a' Chnoic bhciin a' direadh a dh' ionn-
suidh nan speur clio direach, cothromach, is 'n
uair a ruigeadh e gu h-ard, gur gann a dh'
aithnicheadh tu e seacli na neoil liath-ghlas ris
an robh e a' co-mheasgadli.
Bha an Cnoc-ban 'u a' bhaile gle mhaiseach ri
fhaicinn ; bha na tighean diiiih air a cheile,
agus snasail air an tubhadh. Bha am fearann
leathadach, ach cothroui, gnu dad idir de thnl-
aichean. Bha niuinntir a' Chiioic-bhain an diiil
nacli robh leithid an aite aoa fliein air uachdar
na doimhne. O'n is ann anns a' bhaile acasan
a bha an eaglais, an tigh-sgoil, an tigh-litrichean
agus am biith, b'e, 'n am beachd fhein, an Cnoc-
ban baile raor na diitbcha. Bha an tigh-litiieh-
ean taobli an rathaid, agus bha e an da chuid,
'n a' lihiith-bathair, agus 'na thigh-litrichean,
agus is ann h-uige bhiodh luuinntir a' Chnoic-
bhain agus nam bailtean eile niu 'n cuairt
a' cruinueaehadh anns an fheasgar, a dh' fhaot-
ainu naigheachdan an Jatha. 'Jhainig am post,
:igus cha robh e fada gun fhalbh, oir cha robh
bheag de litricliean a' falbh as an duthaich so.
Theann duine no dlu'i a stigh far an robh fear-
an-tigh-litrichean, fiach an robh a h-aon anu
daibh fhein — Feadhainn aig an robh diiil ri
litir, agus feadhainn aig nach robh ; ach bha an
fheadhainn aig nach robh diiil ri litir iad fh6in,
a' feitheainh fiach de 'u naigheachd a bhiodh air
cuid cliaich.
" A' bheil gin agad dhbnihsa, no do 'n bhaile
againne, Sheorais t " dh' fheoraich fear de 'n
chuideaohd, Domhnull Ruadli, sean saighdear, a
bha anu an cogadh na h-Eiphit, agus a bha a nis
air saor-dhuais.
" Sin te le Iain Mao Rath; bheir thu h-uige i,
o'n is tu is fhaisge dha. Is cinnteach gur ann o
Ruar idli a bliitheas i."
"Is e gille tapaidh comasach a tha an Ruar-
aidh," arsa D6mhuull Ruadh, "is ann aige fhein
a tha an eauaoliainn."
De 'in math a tha an sin " ars' Uilleam
Mac Sheuniais, coimhearsnach do DhomhuuU,
" an uair nach 'eii steidli aige t Is ann a rhir
nan talantan a glieibh sinn, a dh' fheunias sinn