Posted on 04/18/2009 10:01:55 AM PDT by sionnsar
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It was the dead of night and in a deep, dark forest six miles from the site of the Duke of Cumberland’s camp at Nairn a squad of fearsome men dressed in plaids and carrying muskets gathered around an officer.
Captain Ian Deveney’s voice rang out: “Help yourselves lads. My sporran’s full of Maltesers.” A huge bearded man appeared out the darkness. “Why not? They’ll keep the blood sugar up,” said Callum Mitchell in a cheerful, sing-song voice.
This ragged band of 20 men had set out to recreate one of the most fateful events in Scottish history, an abortive attack by 4,000 Jacobites on April 15, 1746, the eve of the Battle of Culloden.
The Jacobites’ aim was to surprise the Duke of Cumberland’s men and slaughter them in their sleep ...
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
I’m on the 2nd (nearly finished) the 3rd is sitting in the wings prepared for entry (I bought 2 and 3 together last week). Since we are going to the bookstore this week (hubby ordered something and Princess is excited about the newest Warrior cats book being released this week), I’ll probably pick up 4 and 5.
As Dizzy Dean said, it ain’t braggin’ if you can do it.
I am not trying to pick a fight, but if you don’t think money will flow to the place where it is least hindered out of some patriotic mindset, you have no sense of history or economics.
Time will prove one of us right. Either way, it will be a sad day when the US government tries to control the markets.
Within the Scottish ranks was a young surgeon who had graduated from the medcial school at Aberdeen University in 1744. Coincidentally, his maternal grandfather, Robert Munro, was a regimental commander on the British side (the young surgeon assured his mum that he would not fight him since surgeons did not fight).
After the slaughter, the Brits went after everyone they could find who fought for the Jacobites, and the young surgeon fled to the colonies, settling in western PA where he was a physician and Indian fighter.
He met Col. Washington during the French and Indian War and was with him at Braddock's Defeat on the Monongahela.
He eventually moved to Fredericksburg in VA, and became a general under Washington during the Revolution. He died a hero's death at Princeton, and the county in central Jersey containing Princeton is named after him.
That brave Scott was Hugh Mercer, and his direct line gave us General Patton. Sir Robert Munro was killed at Culloden.
And now you know the rest of the story.
hooked? lol
Don’t forget to buy the Outlander Companion.
Pricey, but try Amazon or addall.com for a used copy.
Paul, is that you? (bump)
I should have said “...with apologies to the late, great Paul Harvey.” Yep...
Been there several times, and, yes, it is grim. But for atmosphere nothing beats Glencoe. Been there in January snow and July sun and the place is eerie.
Yet, unlike Culloden, only a couple of dozen perished in the Glencoe Massacre.
Interesting!
I checked out the pics from the original newspaper story and was crushed to fing out the Scots wore out after only four miles and retired from their planned attack.
Whatever happened to sturdy steadfast Highlanders?
Two and half centuries has made a big difference in physical capacity. Not to mention motivation.
OMG, me too! LOL I loved those books.
:) It’s nice to hear from so many fellow FReepers who like these books. They are gems.
There’s a discussion group at GoodReads.com http/www.goodreads.com/group/show/9277.Outlander_Series
If anyone wants to talk Outlander come on over.
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