December 1st 1794

Breadalbane’s Fencibles mutiny

Towards the end of July 1794 the 4th Earl of Breadalbane’s Fencibles moved to Glasgow lodged in the narrow lanes between the Trongate and the Clyde. The guard house was in Candleriggs Street near to the Trongate, and it was here that John Stewart was held as a deserter from the 68th Foot. His wife had been allowed to remain with him, and early in the morning while it was still dark Stewart asked to be allowed to relieve himself. As there was no privy in the building, Stewart was sent out into the street with his wife and escorted by Private Hugh Robertson.

When nature had been relieved the Stewarts asked if they might go to an inn for a little food, and this was agreed to by Robertson. It was while they were in the tavern that the woman suddenly threw her arms around Robertson and shouted to her husband to run. She was a strong woman and by the time Robertson got free the prisoner was away.

Robertson sorrowfully made his way back to the guard house pondering on the enormity of his crime and his expected punishment. Inevitably there would be a court-martial and the decision to administer a public flogging. It was a type of punishment that horrified and infuriated all the Highland soldiers who had already been forced to watch one of their number punished in such a way. Many had sworn that they would not allow such a public degradation of any of their companions to occur again. It had already soured relations between the Highlanders and their officers and it was not altogether surprising that on December 1st, the day set aside for the court-martial, Candleriggs Street was filled with shouting men from Hugh Robertson’s company demanding his release.

Though Major Maclean ordered the mutineers to return to their homes his words had no effect. As he later wrote to Edinburgh “Seeing every appearance of matters coming to an extremity, I was induced by the persuasion of several officers to give up the prisoner, upon condition of his being again returned to the guard house and a court- martial proceeded in tomorrow.” Hugh Robertson was carried off in triumph and did not return to the guard house next day.

Meanwhile the City of Glasgow was in an uproar with the city fathers expecting any moment that the town would be delivered to the mob and the mutinous Highlanders. However in the next eight days very little happened, the soldiers paraded each day and were given their pay. Appeals to them to give up Hugh Robertson met with a blank refusal, and they made it plain that they would resist any attempt to arrest their ringleaders. There was a suggestion that Lord Breadalbane should visit the men and explain to them the enormity of their behaviour, but Lord Breadalbane preferred to remain in London, and in any case the ties that linked the clan chief to his men had already been largely eroded. It was another week before Breadalbane eventually arrived in Glasgow and by this time the mutiny was already crumbling.

On Monday December 15th, four men came forward and offered to stand trial on behalf of all the mutineers; none was older than 24 and one was only 15. That same day Hugh Robertson returned to the guard house and was placed in manacles and leg-irons. Though the battalion had now returned to full military discipline the Glasgow mob continued to riot and it was considered prudent to take the prisoners to Edinburgh. Three days later Robertson’s court-martial took place. He was found guilty and sentenced to 300 lashes on the bare back but on account of previous good behaviour and the accidental nature of his offence he was reprieved and returned to his battalion. Later that same week three more prisoners were sent to Edinburgh and the regiment left Glasgow and marched to Falkirk.

It was January before the court-martial against the seven prisoners took place. It is generally considered that it was conducted fairly but the verdicts were inevitable. All were found guilty but distinctions were made and only four were sentenced to death, including Stewart who was only fifteen. One was sentenced to a thousand lashes and two to fifteen hundred lashes.

The sentences were confirmed and on Tuesday January 27th those sentenced to death were brought to Musselburgh sands where a firing party of twelve Breadalbane men waited together with many spectators.

Four empty coffins were placed beside the condemned men. Then came the reading of the verdict. ” As it appears to me of the utmost consequence, that crimes of so dangerous a tendency as disobedience and mutiny should be punished with rigour Alexander Sutherland the most notorious offender, has been offered to suffer death; but knowing how much it has always been His Majesty’s wish that justice should be tempered with mercy, the punishment so justly awarded to all the other prisoners are suspended until His Majesty’s pleasure be known.”

Three of the prisoners were then led away and three of the coffins removed. But for Alexander Sutherland, there was no reprieve, “He met his fate with becoming patience and fortitude,” said the Edinburgh Advertiser. He did indeed, but the gruesome charade that led up to it would offend present day susceptibilities. Sutherland kneeling beside his open coffin in prayer, then standing once again to be blindfolded and lastly being gently guided to his knees again before the firing party mercifully dispatched him.

In due course, the King showed his mercy by commuting the sentences of death to service with the 60th Royal American Regiment serving in the West Indies. This was probably also a death sentence as few survived the fevers of the Indies. The three sentenced to be flogged also had their sentences commuted providing that they agreed to serve with the army in Canada.

Astonishingly, they elected to receive the flogging, but after two days and five hundred lashes they could endure the agony no longer and decided to leave Scotland, probably for ever, with the possibility of a new life in Canada.