Sutherland and the Reay country

THE REGIMENTS. 229
Colonel, and Nicholas Sutherland, Lieut.-Colonel. The
regiment was iooo strong. Two companies came from
Caithness, but all the others were raised in Sutherlandshire.
The services of this regiment, like that of the 1st Sutherland
Fencibles, was simply doing barrack duty in Scotland. It
was disbanded in 1783.
3. — The 3rd Sutherland Fencible Regiment. This
corps was commanded by Colonel Wemyss of Wemyss, who
had been Colonel of the last mentioned regiment ; and the
Hon. James Stewart, son of the Earl of Moray, was Lieut.-
Colonel. It was raised in 1793, and when embodied was
over 1000 strong. There was one Ross-shire company, of
which Macleod of Cadboll was Captain. After being
stationed in Edinburgh for some time, it was sent to Ireland,
but, with the exception of some rapid marches, and one
skirmish- with the rebels, the men had no opportunity of
showing their prowess in the field. When the troubles were
over the regiment returned to Scotland, and was disbanded
at Fort-George in 1798.
Samuel MacDonald, commonly called " Big Sam," was a
Sergeant in this regiment. He was 6 feet 10 inches in
height, strongly built, muscular, and well proportioned. His
strength was enormous, but he was never known to abuse it.
He joined the 93rd when it was raised, and died at Guernsey
while the regiment was stationed there, in May, 1802. A full
length figure of " big Sam " is given in Kay's " Edinburgh
Portraits." From his great size, the Countess of Sutherland
thought that he required a larger amount of food, &c, than
men of ordinary stature, and gave him an allowance in
addition to his regimental pay.