Miscellaneous military papers of Patrick MacLeod., 1786, 1805-1817.
Scope and Contents
The papers include a copy of the 1786 prospectus of the Brunswick military academy which the young soldier attended from 1791-1793 (folio 1). Most of the papers relate to the later years of Patrick MacLeod's life spent with the 78th Highlanders in Southern Europe and Egypt. Amongst them are MacLeod's Orders to his battalion prior to the Calabrian campaign of 1806; copies of his letter to Lieutenant General Mackenzie Fraser giving an account of the battle of Maida; lists of officers wounded and taken prisoner at Maida; accounts of the battle of El Hamet, Egypt, 1807; newspaper cuttings; and verses on the death of MacLeod at El Hamet.
The verses include a Gaelic elegy (f. 89) on the death of MacLeod, written by Sergeant Alexander Forbes and sent to the family in 1817 with an accompanying letter (f. 90). The lament begins 'Righ gur mis tha fo eislean / On la chualas n' sgeula / Thug a phacail o'n Ephait'; headed "Marbhrann Chorneil Mhic Leoid chuaidh mharbhadh aig El-Hamed san Ephait". 16 stanzas of 5 lines, preceded by a translation by Rev. William Forbes of Tarbat (ff. 87-88). See also John G. Gibson, "A blind Perthshire sergeant’s lament for his colonel who died in 1807", International Review of Scottish Studies xxxvi (2011): 93-106, which includes the text and translation of the lament.
Dates
- Creation: 1786, 1805-1817.
Creator
- Forbes, Alexander, sergeant and Gaelic poet, ca. 1782-after 1860 (Author, Person)
- Forbes, William, minister of Tarbat, 1767-1838 (Translator, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Normal access conditions apply.
Conditions Governing Use
Normal reproduction conditions apply, subject to any copyright restrictions.
Extent
91 Leaves
Arrangement
91 folios. Arranged chronologically.
Repository Details
Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository
Archives and Manuscript Division
National Library of Scotland
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Edinburgh EH1 1EJ
0131 623 3700
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