| Notes |
1 - In September 1739, when the independent companies of the Highland Watch, or Black Watch, were formed into the Highland Regiment (soon thereafter the 43rd Regiment, later the 42nd Regiment, and now The Black Watch, The Royal Highland Regiment), he was one of the original officers as a captain-lieutenant, but he retired in 1744.
[from 'The barons of Arrochar and their cadets' a manuscript by Chevalier Terrance Gach MacFarlane Chapt 5]
2 - Duncan the fifth son of Andrew of Ardess, was a captain in the British Army. He married a French lady and had two sons, James and Duncan. One of the original officers of the regiment, when the six independent companies of the Black Watch were formed into the 43rd Highland Regiment in 1739 was a Captain-Lieutenant named Duncan Macfarlane. He was attached to the Company of George Grant of Ballindulloch and retired in 1744.
[History of Clan Macfarlane Vol. II (manuscript by James Macfarlane]
3 - The Black Watch - The Formation
The design of rendering such a valuable class of subject available to the state by forming regular military corps out of it, seems not to have entered into the views of the government till about the year 1729, when six companies of Highlanders were raised, which, from forming distinct corps unconnected with each other, received the appellation of independent companies. Three of these companies consisted of 100 men each, and were therefore called large companies; Lord Lovat, Sir Duncan Campbell of Lochnell, and Colonel Grant of Ballindalloch, were appointed captains over them. The three smaller companies, which consisted of 75 each, were commanded by Colonel Alexander Campbell of Finab, John Campbell of Carrick, and George Munro of Culcairn, under the commission of captain-lieutenants. To each of the six companies were attached two lieutenants and one ensign. To distinguish them from regular troops, who, from having coats, waistcoats, and breeches of scarlet cloth, were called Saighdearan Dearg, or Red soldiers; the independent companies, who were attired in tartan consisting mostly of black, green, and blue, were designated Am Freiceadan Dubh, or Black Watch, from the somber appearance of their dress.
As the services of these companies were not required beyond their own territory, and as the intrants were not subjected to the humiliating provisions of the disarming act, no difficulty was found in forming them; and when completed, they presented the singular spectacle of a number of young men or respectable families serving as privates in the ranks. "Many of the men who composed these companies were of a higher station in society than that from which soldiers in general are raised; cadets of gentlemen's families, sons of gentlemen farmers, and tacksmen, either immediately or distantly descended from gentlemen's families, - men who felt themselves responsible for their conduct to high-minded and honorable families, as well as to a country for which they cherished a devoted affection. In addition to the advantages derived from their superior rank in life, they possessed, in an eminent degree, that of a commanding external deportment, special care being taken in selecting men of full height, well proportioned, and of handsome appearance.
The duties assigned to these companies were to enforce the disarming act, to overawe the disaffected, and watch their motions, and to check depredations. For this purpose they were stationed in small detachments in different parts of the country, and generally throughout the district in which they were raised. Thus Fort Augustus and the neighboring parts of Inverness-shire were occupied by the Frasers under Lord Lovat; Ballindalloch and the Grants were stationed in Strathspey and Badenoch; the Munros under Culcairn, in Ross and Sutherland; Lochnell's and Carrick#s companies were stationed in Athole and Breadalbane, and Finab's in Lochaber, and the northern parts of Argyleshire among the disaffected Camerons and Stewarts of Appin. All Highlanders of whatever clan were admitted indiscriminately into these companies as soldiers; but the officers were taken, almost exclusively from the whig clans.
The independent companies continued to exist as such until the year 1739, when government resolved to raise four additional companies, and to form the while into a regiment of the line. For this purpose, letters of service, dated 25th October 1739, were addressed to the Earl of Crawford and Lindsay, who was appointed to the command of the regiment about to be formed, which was to consist of 1000 men. Although the commissions were dated as above, the regiment was not embodied till the month of May 1740, when it assembled on a field between Taybridge and Aberfeldy, in Perthshire, under the number of the 43d regiment, afterwards changed to the 42d, but still bearing the name of the Black Watch. "The uniform was a scarlet jacket and waistcoat, with buff facings and white lace, - tartan plaid of twelve yards plaited round the middle of the body, the upper part being fixed on the left shoulder ready to be thrown loose, and wrapped over both shoulders and firelock in rainy weather. At night the plaid served the purpose of a blanket, and was sufficient covering for the Highlander. These were called belted plaids from being kept tight to the body by a belt, and were worn on guards, reviews, and on all occasions when the men were in full dress. On this belt hung the pistols and dirk when worn. In the barracks, and when not on duty, the little kilt or philibeg was worn, a blue bonnet with a border of white, red and green, arranged in small squares to resemble, as is said, the fess chque in the arms of the different branches of the Stewart family, and a tuft of feathers, or sometimes, from economy or necessity, a small piece of black bear-skin. The arms were a musket, a bayonet, and a large basket-hilted broadsword. These were furnished by government. Such of the men as chose to supply themselves with pistols and dirks were allowed to carry them, and some had targets after the fashion of their country. The sword-belt was of black leather, and the cartouch-box was carried in front, supported by a narrow belt round the middle".
The officers appointed to this regiment were:
Colonel: John, Earl of Crawford and Lindsay, died in 1748.
Lieutenant-Colonel: Sir Robert Munro of Foulis, Bart., killed at Falkirk, 1746.
Major: George Grant, brother of the Laird of Grant, removed from the service by sentence of a court-martial, for allowing the rebels to get possession of the castle of Inverness in 1746.
Captains:
George Munro of Culcairn, brother of Sir Robert Munro, kiled in 1746.
Dugal Campbell of Craignish, retired in 1745.
John Campbell, junior, of Monzie, retired in 1743.
Sir James Colquhoun of Luss, Bart., retired in 1748.
Colin Campbell of Ballimore, retired.
John MUnro, promoted to be Lieutenant-Colonel in 1743, retired in 1749.
Captain-Lieutenant Duncan Macfarlane, retired in 1744.
Lieutenants:
Paul Macpherson.
Lewis Grant of Auchterblair.
John Maclean of Kingarloch and John Mackenzie (both removed from the regiment in consequence of having fought a duel in 1744)
Alexander Macdonald.
Malcolm Fraser, son of Culduthel, killed at Bergenop-Zoom in 1747.
George Ramsay.
Francis Grant, son of the Laird of Grant, died Lieutenant-General in 1782.
John Macneil.
Ensigns:
Dugal Campbell, killed at Fontenoy.
Dugal Stewart.
John Menzies of Comrie.
Edward Carrick.
Gilbert Stewart of Kincraigie.
Gordon Graham of Drains.
Archibald Macnab, son of the Laird of Macnab, died Lieutenant-General, 1790.
Colin Campbell
Dugal Stewart
James Campbell of Glenfalloch, died of wounds at Fontenoy.
Chaplain: Hon Gideon Murray.
Surgeon: James Munro, brother of Sir Robert Munro.
Adjutant: Gilbert Stewart
Quarter-Master: John Forbes.
In 1740 the Earl of Crawford was removed to the Life Guards and Brigadier-General Lord Sempill was appointed Colonel of the Highlanders.
[http://www.electricscotland.com/history/scotreg/bwatch/bw1.htm ]
3 - 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot, The Black Watch 1725.04.24 Independent Highland Companies - four companies raised to police Highlands, commonly called the Reicudan Dhu, or Black Watch 1729 two additional companies raised 1739.10.25 Earl of Craufurd's Regiment
formed by regimentation of existing six coys and four new coys; also known until 1751 by the names of other colonels
1739.10.25 Lt-Gen. John (Lindsay), 20th Earl of Crawford
1741.01.14 Brig-Gen. Hugh (Forbes), 12th Baron Semphill
Postings of the regiment in the time of Capt. Duncan. as Earl of Crawfurd's Regiment of Foot (formed by regimentation of independent companies in the Scottish Highlands (mustered at Aberfeldy May 1740)
1739 Scotland
1743 London
1743 Flanders
[http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/042-751.htm ]
4 - The major battle of the Flanders campaign was the battle of Dettingen, at which Capt. Duncan would have seen action.
"In early 1743 the Pragmatic Allies were at a loss how to use their army against the French. Finally, late in the campaigning season and at George II's insistence, the Pragmatic Army march south to Frankfurt am Main and occupied the area to the West of Mainz on the Main River. The King intended that the army's presence should influence the election of the new Archbishop of Mainz, an elector in the Holy Roman Empire and therefore of importance in the affairs of Hanover.
The Pragmatic Army marched from Flanders during May 1743 and encamped at Aschaffenburg, around the village of Klein Ostheim. A large French Army under the Duc de Noailles occupied the South bank of the Main to the West.
The generals were; the Earl of Stair, in nominal overall command, the Duke D'Ahrenburg and Marshall Neipperg commanding the Austrians and General Ilton commanding the Hanoverian contingent.
On 19th June 1743 King George II, the King of England, joined the army, amid a flurry of celebrations and salutes. He brought with him a considerable retinue, conveyed by an enormous column of carriages and some 600 horses that paralysed the local roads for days, and his younger and favourite son, William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, a major general in the army. Over the next few days George attended church services and functions in Mainz in anticipation of the election of the new archbishop.
The situation of the Pragmatic Army deteriorated dramatically when the French cut the route by the Rhine and Main Rivers by which the army received supplies from its Flanders base. There had been no proper supply of bread for a week, when finally on 27th June 1743 King George ordered the retreat to begin; West along the road to Hanau and Frankfurt and then North to Flanders.
The road lay along the north bank of the Main River. Within 3 miles, King George II's army would pass through the village of Dettingen, where several marshy brooks flowed into the Main.
As the Pragmatic Army marched towards Dettingen, advanced parties reported that the French occupied the village, blocking its path. During the night the French, commanded by the Duc de Grammont, had crossed the river, using bridges of boats across the Main, and held the village and the marshy ground between Dettingen and the hills in strength.
The presence of the French took the Pragmatic Army entirely by surprise. How could such a large force have been in complete ignorance of the presence of the enemy on its own side of the river within 10 miles of its camp?
Preparing to give battle, the British, Austrian and Hanoverian troops formed line; the Main River on the left and the wooded Spessart Hills on the right. The regiments took from 9am to midday to form up. This extraordinary length of time must have been due to the inexperience of the regiments and the difficulty of moving from a column of march into battle line.
No doubt there was considerable anxiety at the predicament in which they found themselves. The Duc de Noailles' plan was, while the Duc de Grammont held the line of Dettingen and the streams preventing the Pragmatic allies from continuing their march, to hurry a section of his army along the south bank of the Main and cross at Aschaffenburg in their rear. They would be caught between the two forces and perhaps forced to surrender; King George becoming a French prisoner.
The French batteries on the south bank began the battle, opening fire across the river as the marching French troops cleared their front. The bombardment was directed at the British cavalry moving along the North bank
It is said that de Grammont's clear orders were to stay in Dettingen and force the Pragmatic Army to attack him. If this is so he disobeyed. As the British, Hanoverian and Austrian completed their line the French advanced out of Dettingen to the attack.
There is little reliable information on the form of the battle or on the formation adopted by the Pragmatic troops. It would appear that British regiments were in the front line, but in what order is not clear. At an early stage French cavalry, the Maison du Roi, attacked the British cavalry by the river. The French were driven back, apparently with significant loss.
As the British regiments formed to face the French in Dettingen they watched Noailles' troops on the far bank marching towards Aschaffenburg. After a hurried consultation the Pragmatic commanders dispatched the British and Hanoverian Foot Guards in haste back towards Aschaffenburg.
The French assault had all the hallmarks of extreme confusion, possibly a spontaneous and undisciplined advance that De Grammont did not order. The cavalry charge was followed by a French infantry attack on the Pragmatic line of foot, the French appearing to come out of Dettingen pell mell and in some confusion.
The French foot were repelled and, panic stricken, hurried back through Dettingen, recrossing the Main by the bridges of boats,. One of the bridges collapsed and many French troops are reputed to have been drowned.
No attempt seems to have been made to follow up the repulse of De Grammont's force. In due course the march was resumed and the Pragmatic Army continued its way to Hanau, passing within a half mile or so of the confusion at the French bridges of boats.
One of the principal French regiments of foot in the attack from Dettingen was the Garde Francaise. This regiment is reputed to have been particularly quick to recross the Main; many of its soldiers being thrown into the river by the bridge collapse; so that the regiment acquired the nickname of "Les Canards du Main". Hence the French word "canard" meaning an insult.
In every battle there is a process of working out what happened and in many instances awkward features are glossed over or rewritten. Dettingen is a particularly difficult battle to fathom. The British Army had not been in a major continental war for 25 years. There were few officers or soldiers with significant fighting experience. Contemporary authorities show how amateurish were the training systems, such as they were, particularly for the mounted regiments. There are clear references in the authorities to British cavalry regiments (particularly the King's Horse and the Blues) bolting through the British infantry line during the battle, due to inadequate horsemanship.
The lack of any pursuit may well be due to the confusion created by the French attack and the inadequate training of the time.
It is hard to reconcile the low British casualties with the bombardment by 50 French guns across the river into the British flank, a couple of hundred metres away at most. It may be that the guns were masked for longer by the passing French troops than the descriptions of the battle indicate.
Casualties:
British: 15 officers killed, 250 soldiers killed, 327 horses killed. 38 officers wounded, 520 soldiers wounded, 155 horses wounded.
Hanover: 177 killed, 376 wounded.
Austria: 315 killed, 663 wounded.
French casualties: 8,000 (not a reliable figure but the best available)
Follow-up: Once the battle was over the Pragmatic Army continued its retreat to Hanau and in due course returned to its bases in Flanders. The British casualties were left on the battlefield for the French to look after if they felt inclined.
Regimental anecdotes and traditions:
At the beginning of the battle it seemed that the French threat was to Aschaffenburg. The Hanoverian General Ilton dispatched the Hanoverian and British Foot Guard to the rear of the army. To their indignation these regiments took no part ine battle, for which they blamed Ilton. There was no love lost between the British and the Hanoverians. General Ilton protested that his action in sending them to the rear had 'preserved' them. The officers of the Foot Guards labeled Ilton the "Confectioner".
Cornet Richards of Ligonier's Horse (7th Dragoon Guards) rescued the regiment's standard.
Dragoon Thomas Brown rescued the guidon of Bland's Dragoons (3rd Hussars) and was knighted by George II.
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Andrew Agnew of Lochaw warned his Royal Scottish Fusiliers not to fire until they could "see the white's of their e'en."
George II is said to have called the 31st Foot the "Buffs" during the battle. It was pointed out to him that they were not in fact the "Buffs", although they wore buff facings like the 3rd Foot, but were a newly raised regiment. The King is reted to have called out, "Well done the Young Buffs then."
The Horse Guards are said to have played "Britons strike home" as they charged.
The Duke of Cumberland was wounded by a bullet in the leg during the battle. He was troubled by this injury for the rest of his life.
George II's horse bolted during the battle. He is said to have sheltered under an oak and to have presented an oak leaf to the soldiers who looked after him. The Cheshire Regiment claims this honour. However they were in garrison in Gibraltart the time.
The King was not the only one who had trouble controlling his horse. The Blues and the King's Horse are reputed to have bolted through the Royal Scots Fusliiers.
Among those who took part were:
- George August Elliott, the defender of Gibraltar during the 7 year siege in the Bourbon War of 1777, becoming Lord Heathfield,
- Lieutenant James Wolfe, appointed in 1759 Major General in Canada and capturer of Quebec
- Lieutenant Jeffrey Amherst, appointed in 1759 to command in America and capture French Canada.
Dettingen is of considerable importance in British history almost solely because of the presence of the Sovereign. Handel wrote a Te Deum and an anthem in celebration of the victory.
[http://britishbattles.com/battle_of_dettingen.htm ]
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Abt 1677 - Aft 1744 (> 68 years)
