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The Moss-trooper; by  Thomas Jones Barker The Moss-Trooper's Lament The musical collection of Scottish songs called  Vocal Melodies of Scotland,  and published by Nathaniel Gow (1810-1820?), states that Sir Walter Scott was given this song by a Lady who remained anonymous.  Scott handed the song to Finlay Dun, a music teacher in Edinburgh who arranged the work which is set out at the bottom of this page The Moss troopers   were a type of brigand who appears to have emerged during the War of the Three Kingdoms, (1638-1652), and were first mentioned by that name in 1645 by a Act of Parliament, Scotland. They were landless bandits and thieves who hid in moorland, hills and inassessible places.  After Oliver Cromwell practically occupied Scotland by late 1651 after victory over Charles II at Worcester, Sept 3, Moss-Troopers commanded by Captain Patrick Gordon, nicknamed Stielhand the Mosser, and a German called Captain Augustine Hoffman operating from the Lothians,  continu

Jessie, the Flower of Dunblane, Bury Art Museum, Thomas Faed (1825-1900)   Jessie the Flower o' Dunblane . Robert Tannahill, 1808   Jessie, the Flower of Dunblane  The Sun has gane down o'er the lofty Ben Lomond And left the red clouds to reside o'er the scene While lanely I stray in the calm simmer gloamin' To muse on sweet Jessie, the flow'r o' Dunblane. How sweet is the brier wi' its saft faulding blossom And sweet is the birk wi' its mantle o' green But sweeter and fairer and dear to this bosom Is charming young Jessie, the flow'r o' Dunblane. Is charming young Jessie, is charming young Jessie Is charming young Jessie, the flow'r o' Dunblane. She's modest as on-y and blythe as she's bonnie For guileless simplicity makes her its aim And far be the villain, divested of feeling Wha'd blight in its bloom, the sweet flow'r of Dunblane. Sing on, thou sweet mavis, thy hymn to the evening Thour't dear to th

General Buford and his dismounted troopers holding off the Confederates on the morning of July 1, 1863. (Photo Credit: Gallon.com )   During the American Civil War, 1861-65, an Scottish military tune associated with the Campbell Clan of Scotland was heard playing during the bloody battle of  Gettysburg  . On July 1, 1863, part of Robert E. Lee’s Confederate army had invaded Pennsylvania and faced up to dismounted Union cavalry under  General John Buford . The Union troops set up to defend the  high ground around the small town, and win enough crucial time for infantry to arrive. Finally one of the best names of the  Army of the Potomac , the  Iron Brigade , would arrive, which included musicians, from Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan regiments. They played the Scottish standard “ The Campbells Are Coming ” as they marched to Buford’s rescue. The Iron Brigade beat back the troops opposing them and took up a position on  MacPherson’s Ridge , which they protected for most of th

George Gordon Byron was born on January 22, 1788, in London, England. Byron was the only child of Captain John Byron (known as 'Jack') and his second wife Catherine Gordon, heiress of the Gight estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He grew up in Aberdeen, Scotland, and inherited his family’s English title at the age of ten, becoming Baron Byron of Rochdale.   Whilst becoming a famous poet and celebrity in English society, he would pay tribute to his Highland heritage by several Scottish themed poems like ;Lachin Y Gair and So, We'll Go No More a Roving.  Lachin Y Gair (Dark Lochnagar) Away, ye gay landscapes, ye gardens of roses ! In you let the minions of luxury rove, Restore me the rocks where the snow-flake reposes, Though still they are sacred to freedom and love. Yet Caledonia, beloved are thy mountains, Round their white summits though elements war, Though cataracts foam ‘stead of smooth-flowing fountains, I sigh for the valley of dark Loch na Garr. Ah ! ther

Gilnockie Tower, being approached by border reivers from a 19th century print. Brackenhill Pele Tower, built in 1584 by Ritchie Graham. Hughie Graham " or " Hughie Graeme " is a border ballad collected by Robert Burns.There is a printed version in the Bodleian Library under the title "The Life and Death of Sir Hugh The Grime", dated between 1672 and 1696. The Burns version was printed in 1803. The story concerns Hughie Graham a infamous  border reiver . He is captured stealing the bishop's horse and sentenced to hang on the gallows. There are pleas made to ransom him which are rejected. In the last lines of the ballad he sends greetings to his father, and offers his sword to  Johnnie Armstrong , and a curse to his wife who he appears to blame for betraying him with the bishop. HUGHIE GRAME (Hughie the Graeme) The Laird o' Hume he's a huntin' gone Over the hills and mountains clear, And he has ta'en Sir Hugh the Grame

  The Bonny House of Airlie The Bonny House of Airlie  is a traditional Scottish folk song from the seventeenth century, the author unknown. It relates the story of the raid by  Archibald Campbell , Earl of Argyll on  Airlie Castle , the home of  James Ogilvy ,  Earl of Airlie , which occured in the summer of 1640. A broadsheet version of the ballad first appeared in 1790 and was published as number 199 in  Francis Child 's collection  The English and Scottish Popular Ballads  of 1882. Archibald Campbell, Marquess of Argyll by David Scougall The ballad is based on real events, where a decades long feud between the clans  Campbells  and  Ogilvys   was renewed when they joined opposite sides in the  National Covenant  and  Bishops' Wars .  Ogilvy would raise several hundred men for King  Charles I , whilst Campbell became a leading figure of the Covenanters. Ogilvy would march his men south and Archibald seized and destroyed the castle of Airlie. The ballad claims tha