“Awake on your hills, on your islands awake, Brave sons of the mountain, the frith, and the lake! ’Tis the bugle—but not for the chase is the call; ’Tis the pibroch’s shrill summons—but not to the hall. “’Tis the summons of heroes for conquest or death, When the banners are blazing on mountain and heath: They call to the dirk, the claymore, and the targe, To the march and the muster, the line and the charge.” “BLACK WATCH”—FONTENOY—REBELLION 1745—AMERICA—1729–1760. This distinguished regiment has long deservedly enjoyed the public favour. It is the link which binds us to the Old Highland Brigade, of which it remains the only and worthy representative. Mr Cannon, in his Military Records, thus introduces his account of the regiment by the following eulogy on the excellence of our Highland soldiers: “The Highlanders of Scotland have been conspicuous for the possession of every military virtue which adorns the character of the hero who has adopted the profession of arms. Naturally patient and brave, and inured to hardship in their youth in the hilly districts of a northern climate, these warlike mountaineers have always proved themselves a race of lion-like champions, valiant in the field, faithful, constant, generous in the hour of victory, and endued with calm perseverance under trial and disaster.” As already noted, the Government had wisely determined more largely to enlist the sympathy and good services of the clans on their side; and, in consequence, had armed a certain proportion of the well-affected clans—such as the Campbells, the Frasers, the Grants, and the Munroes—who, formed into independent companies under the command of their own or other well-known chieftains, were quartered in the more troubled districts of the Highlands, where the Jacobite clans of Cameron, Stuart, MʻIntosh, MʻDonald, and Murray rendered their presence necessary for maintaining order and preventing any sudden rising, as well as for the protection of property in those lawless times. They were called the “Freicudan Dhu,” or “Black Watch,” from the sombre appearance of their tartan uniform, compared with the scarlet coats of the regular soldiers. They were mostly composed of the sons of the landed gentry, as the Government felt that care was necessary, especially in this their first experiment, in selecting individuals who had something at stake in the common country, and consequently affording some guarantee for their fidelity. The success of the experiment was soon abundantly manifest; and whilst, in 1729, the “Black Watch” consisted only of six companies, ten years later these were assembled at Perth, augmented to ten companies, and regimented as the Highland Regiment, under the Earl of Crawford. The original high character of this famous regiment has never been excelled; no, not even by the Royal Guards. Nearly all its members