Broadside regarding Highland soldiers and their Mutiny in Glasgow

Transcription

An account of the trial of eight Soldiers belonging to Breadalbane
Regiment of Fencibles, for a mutiny in the city of Glasgow, four
of whom received sentence of death, three of which received a par-
don at the place of execution, and the fourth was shot on Tuesday
the 27th day of January 1795.

The following is a true and accurate account of
the mutiny of the Breadalbane Fencibles, which
has for some time past, greatly agitated and alarmed
the minds of the inhabitants of this city.-

On Monday, the 22d of December a soldier of
the first battalion of the Breadalbane fencible regi-
ment, now quartered in this city, having been con-
fined in the guard-house upon an accusation of
having been guilty of a militaty offence, a party of
the regiment, with muskets and fixed bayonets,
assembled round the guard-house, & obliged their
officers to set him at liberty : after committing this
out rage, they behaved quietly and peaceably, and
did regimental duty in the usual manner, though
the spirit of mutiny still subsisted to such a degree,
that the private soldiers would not agree to give up
the soldier who had been released nor the ring-lead-
ers in the mutiny, to be tried for their crimes. Lord
Adam Gordon, Commander in Chief for Scotland
immediatly adopted the most vigorous measures
for apprehending the mutineers, by collecting,
round the city, all the troops which could be spared,
and general Leslie, Sir James Stewart, and Colonel
Montgomerie, came to town to take the command
of them, with a determined resolution forcibly to
lay hold of the aggressors, in case they were not
delivered up by the regiment ; but, before proceed-
ing to force them, it was thought proper to give the
regiment a short time to reflect on their conduct
and the danger in which they stood, if they did not
of their own accord do, what was deter-
mined should otherways be done by force of
arms. This prudent experiment happily succeed-
ed four of the ring-leaders having surrendered
themselves voluntary & unconditionally, on Tues-
day morning last, to Lord Breadalbane, who
were that day merched prisoners to Edinburgh,
under a strong guard of their own regiment, com-
manded by Capt. Campbell of the grenadiers, The
Hon Major Leslie, and Mr M'Lean, adjutant of
the regiment; having accompanied the party a short
way, were, upon their return to town, insulted by
a number of persons at the Townhead, who as-
saulted them with stones and other missile weapons
by one of which Major Leslie was knocked down ;
and he and Mr M'Lean were forced to take shelter
in a house, where they secured themselves from
the mob (who attempted to break open the door
and windows to get at them) till the Lord Provost,
Magistrates, and Officers, and the company of the
Breadalbane regiment, who weee on duty at the
guard-house; arrived and relived them from their
disagreeable and dangerous situation ; but, before
the Magistrates arrived the mob had dispersed and
remained quiet eversince; although the Magistrates
and General Officers in town have juged it prudent
to take every precaution to prevent tumult, by
detaining a squadron of the dragoons which had
been sent for from Kilmarnock, and ordering the
Royal Glasgow Volueteers to be on duty during
the night, The party of the Breadalbane regiment
who were called to assist the Magestrates in sup-
pressing the riot, behaved with the utmost ala-

crity and propriety, and received the thanks of
the Lord Provost. On Wednesday, the other
principal ring leader in the mutiny surrendered
himself, and was sent off prisoner to Edinburgh;
The punishment of the mutineers, it is hoped, will
prove a useful warning & admonition to the army
and convince them that crimes of such atrocity will
not pass with impunity...

Notwithstanding this unfortunate affair, it is but
justice to observe, that in every other view, the sol-
diers of this regiment have, upon all occasions, be-
haved themselves with the greatest sobriety, and
that they have been, and still are upon the best of
terms with their officers.

On the 12th of January the Court Martial met
in the Castle of Edinburgh   for the trial of the
soldiers for   mutiny, belonging   to   Breadalbane
Fencibles,   composed of the following Officers;

viz.            

Colonel H. Montgomerie, 3d fencible regiment,
President.
Lieut. Col. Hon. James Stuart, 2d fencibles.   
Lieut. Col. Com. Ilay Ferrier,   3d battalion
Scotch Brigade
Major John Grant, 1st fencibies.                  
Major Chsrles Pye 3d dragoons.
Captain Malcolm M'Niel, 5th sfncibles.
Captain Bohun Shore, 4th dragoons.
Captain William Cunningham, 4th fencibles.
Captain Robert Cummings,   1st fencibles
Captain Andrew Houston, 7th fencibles.
Captain Colin D Graham, 3d battalion Scotch
brigade.
Captain James Douglas, ditto.
Captain G. P. Hutchinson, 4th dragoons.      
Extra Members------Major   George   Lind, 3d
battalion Scotch brigade.
Captain Kenneth M'Kay, 2d fencibles.            
Alexander Frazer Tytler,   Esq; his Majesty's
Judge Advocate.

The Court having finished their business, their
sentence was sent to the commander in chief to be
laid before his Majesty.

The sentences of the General Court Martial
having been published to the effect of being made
known to the prisoners ; on Sunday the 25th of
January, by order of the Commander in Chief,
Captain William Cunningham of the 4th fencible
regiment, Attended by Mr. Robertson M'Gregor,
Minister of the Gaelic Chapel, went to the Castle
to intimate the sentence to the unfortunate pri-
soners. Four have received sentence of death ;
and four sentenced to corporal punishment.

On Tuesday morning the four under sentence
of death were taken out of the Castle and convey-
ed in two mourring coaches, guarded with two
troops of horse to a field about two miles from
town, where they were to be shot, but threee of
them were pardoned, and one who had deserted
and likewise been among the mutineers was shot.
It is said his name is Sutherland.

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