Scottish War Tunes


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 the day until driven back. The Iron Brigade though had delayed the Confederates long enough for the Union army to occupy better ground south of Gettysburg, which allowed them to beat back the opposing army for the next two days and claim a important victory. 

https://militaryhistorynow.com/2021/09/15/celtic-fight-songs-eight-famous-melodies-irish-and-scottish-armies-played-in-battle/

The tune is similar to "The Town of Inveraray" with the following martial lyrics added;

Chorus:

The Campbells are coming Ho-Ro, Ho-Ro!
The Campbells are coming Ho-Ro, Ho-Ro!
The Campbells are coming to bonnie Lochleven
The Campbells are coming Ho-Ro, Ho-Ro!

Verses:

Upon the Lomonds I lay, I lay,
Upon the Lomonds I lay, I lay,
I lookit down to bonnie Lochleven
And saw three perches play-hay-hay!
The Great Argyll he goes before,
He makes the cannons and guns to roar,
With sound o' trumpet, pipe and drum,
The Campbells are coming, Ho-Ro, Ho-Ro!
The Campbells they are a' in arms,
Their loyal faith and truth to show,
With banners rattling in the wind,
The Campbells are coming Ho-Ro, Ho-Ro!

The song may have been inspired by  the Jacobite rising of 1715 , where John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll was the loyalist war leader and and brought out his clan. Campbells also fought for the government side during the 1745/46 rising. The tune may reference those events, however Campbells were prominent in several famous Scottish wars and campaigns; and generally speaking it may be simply a rousing song for the clan to march to.

The song is also attributed to Robert Burns, who wrote a version with added verse which was published in the Scots Musical Museum, a work on Scottish folk songs published between 1787 and 1803.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Campbells_Are_Coming

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

James Hogg 1770 -1835

Image
The  Piper's Stone , a boulder upon which a mortally wounded Jacobite piper was said to have played the bagpipes during the Battle of Cromdale The Haughs Of Cromdale. This ballad, the original author unknown, was collected and edited by James Hogg and concerns the Battle of  Cromdale  in Scotland, fought on April 30 and May 1, 1690 between supporters of James VII, called Jacobites, and the supporters of William III. The Jacobites would be defeated in two engagements near Cromdale village, Strathspey. The ballad describes details of the battle and the participants, but although a defeat by the Jacobites the unknown author turns it into a victory by adding details of the  Battle of Auldearn , which was fought by Royalists led by the Marquis of Montrose years before on May 9, 1645, and wrongly mixes up the opponents who were Scottish Covenanters with Oliver Cromwell's Roundheads. It is possible that elements of the little known  Battle of Tullich  of February 10,
Read more

Robert Tannahill (1774-1810)

Image
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
Read more

Robert Burns

Image
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
Read more