Battle of Sheriff-Muir.
[The battle of Sheriff-muir or Dunblane (Sheriff-muir being situated in the parish of Dunblane, Perthshire, near the Ochil hills) was fought on the 13th November, 1715, between the forces of the royal army under John, Duke of Argyle, and those of the Chevalier under John, Earl of Mar. Its most remarkable feature was, that both parties were partially successful and partially unfortunate—the right wings of both armies being triumphant, and the left wings routed. Upon this circumstance—the running on both sides—much of the humour of the songs to which the battle gave rise is founded. There are no less than four songs on the subject, all more or less popular in their day. We begin with the earliest, which is said by Burns to have been written by the Rev. Murdoch M'Lennan, minister of Crathie, Deeside, where he died in 1783. The tune of "We ran and they ran" is said by Hogg to have been anciently called "She's yours, she's yours, she nae mair ours," or more recently "John Paterson's mare," and to have been always at the taking away of a bride.]
There's some say that we wan,
And some say that they wan,
And some say that nane wan at a', man;
But ae thing I'm sure,
That at Sheriff-muir
A battle there was, that I saw, man;
And we ran, and they ran; and they ran, and we ran;
And we ran, and they ran awa', man.
Brave Argyle and Belhaven,[1]
Not like frighted leven,[1]
Which Rothes[1] and Haddington[1] saw, man;
For they all, with Wigbtman,[2]
Advanced on the right, man,
While others took flight, being raw, man.
Lord Roxburgh[3] was there,
In order to share
With Douglas,[4] who stood not in awe, man,
Volunteerly to ramble
With Lord Loudon Campbell;[5]
Brave Hay[6] did suffer for a', man.
Sir John Shaw,[7] that great knight,
With broadsword most bright,
On horseback he briskly did charge, man;
An hero that's bold,
None could him withhold,
He stoutly encounter'd the targemen.
For the cowardly Whittam,[8]
For fear they should cut him,
Seeing glittering broadswords with a pa', man
And that in such thrang,
Made Baird aid-de-camp,
And from the brave clans ran awa', man.
The great Colonel Dow,
Gaed foremost, I trow,
When Whittam's dragoons ran awa', man;
Except Sandy Baird,
And Naughton, the laird,
Their horse show'd their heels to them a', man.
Brave Mar and Panmure[9]
Were firm, I am sure;
The latter was kidnapp'd awa', man;
But with brisk men about,
Brave Harry[10] retook
His brother, and laugh'd at them a', man.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Lord Belhaven, the Earl of Leven, and the Earls of Rothes and Haddington, who all bore arms as volunteers in the royal army.
- ↑ Major-General Joseph Wightman, who commanded the centre of the royal army.
- ↑ John, first Duke of Roxburgh, a loyal volunteer.
- ↑ Archibald, Duke of Douglas, who commanded a body of his vassals in the royal army.
- ↑ Hugh Campbell, third Earl of London, of the royal army.
- ↑ The Earl of Hay, brother to the Duke of Argyle. He came up to the field only a few hours before the battle, and was unfortunately wounded.
- ↑ Sir John Shaw of Greenock, an officer in the volunteers, noted for his keen Whiggish spirit.
- ↑ Major-General Thomas Whitham, who commanded the left wing of the King's army.
- ↑ James, Earl of Panmure. Died at Paris, 1723.
- ↑ The Honourable Harry Maule of Kellie, brother to the Earl, whom he re-captured after the engagement.
