The History of the 2nd Dragoons: "Royal Scots Greys"Almack, Edward
History
The History of the 2nd Dragoons: "Royal Scots Greys"
Almack, Edward
Great Britain. Army. Dragoons, 2nd (Royal Scots Greys)
On Saturday morning when the army was to march to Glasgow, I desired
the General's leave to go with twelve Dragoons in search of some of
the Rebels, who might probably pass the Clyde, about Dunlatton, to
shelter themselves in the Highlands. With these Dragoons, clad in grey
coats and bonnets, I made haste down the side of the river; and about
midnight, after travelling twenty-four miles, I came to a church, and
while the soldiers stayed to refresh their horses in the churchyard,
I spyed a country fellow going by, and asked him in his own dialect,
"Whither gang ye this time of night?" He answered, "Wha are ye that
speers?" I replied, "We are your ane Foke." Upon this the fellow came
up and told me; there were 18 friends with horses at an old Castle
waiting for a boat to pass over into the Isle of Arran. I mounted the
man behind one of my Dragoons, and went towards the place; but the
Rebels not finding a boat were gone off, and the guide dismissed. There
was a great dew on the grass, which directed me and my party to follow
the track of their horses for three or four miles, till the dew was
gone off; I then enquired of a cowherd on a hill whether he saw any of
our poor Foke travelling that way; he answered that they had separated
on that hill and gone three several ways, six in a party, adding, that
in one party there was a bra muckle kerl, with a white hat on him,
and a great bob of ribbons on the cock o't. Whereupon I sent 4 of my
Dragoons after one party, 4 more after another, and myself with the
remaining 4 went in pursuit of him with the white hat.... The good man
of the house returning from putting the horses to grass in the garden
was going to shut the door, whereupon myself and one of the Dragoons
commanded him, with our pistols at his breast, to lead us to the room
where the man lay who wore a white hat. We entered the room, and before
he awaked I took away his arms, and commanded him to dress immediately;
then finding his companion asleep in the barn, I forced him likewise to
arise, and mounting them both on their own horses, came at 9 o'clock in
the morning with my two prisoners to the other Dragoons at the place
where we appointed to meet. From thence we rode strait to Glasgow,
and arrived thither about 8 in the evening, after a journey of 50
miles since we left the Army at Bothwell the day before. The man with
a white hat had turned out to be Master John King.... About a month
after I happened to dream that I found one Wilson, a Captain among the
Rebels at Bothwell Bridge, in a bank of Wood upon the river Clyde. This
accident made so strong an impression upon my mind that as soon as I
awaked I took six-and-thirty Dragoons, and got to the place by break
of day. Then I caused some of them to alight and go into the wood and
set him up, as hounds do a hare, while the rest were ordered to stand
sentry to prevent his escape. It seems I dreamt fortunately, for Wilson
was actually in the wood with 5 more of his company, as we afterwards
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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