"Campbell of Argyll" Topic

The Campbell's fought for the Government in the '45 but should they be depicted as Highland Clan or Lowland Militia?
At Culloden, they delivered devastating musket fire on the right flank of the Jacobite army with only one casualty to themselves.
This does not sound very "Highland-Chargey" to me…

The Campbell's were a highland clan. It doesn't mean that the only battle tactic they had was a highland charge. I don't see why they could stand behind a fence a fire into the enemies flank like any other unit.

The Argyll regiment were not in the British army but a militia unit.

What they wore was probably a range of clothing but most were probably wearing highland clothing – so were indistinguishable from Jacobites.

I would think it a fair distinction to put them in Campbell tartan and a black cockade with a red St Andrew's cross.

It is also possible they were well supplied with muskets as the British extensively re-supplied their forces after Falkirk & it is no stretch to think the Campbells received their share. This might explain their devastating volley.

Slainte.

The Campbells of the Ark: Men of Argyll in 1745.
By Ronald Black. Pp. xiii, 690 (Vol. 1); pp. ix, 680 (Vol. 2).
ISBN 9781906566890/9781910900062 (pbk).
Edinburgh: John Donald/Birlinn, 2017 (2 volumes). £25.00 GBP for each volume.
DOI: 10.3366/nor.2019.0192

If you can get sight of Volume Two, in the 40 pages of "a
splendid and expansive study of the Argyll Militia from inception to disbandment," amongst other things you will fin "reports on the unit's organisation, rates of pay, and the distribution of its forty-two garrisons throughout Scotland in 1745–6."

I exchanged correspondence with a factor at Inveraray Castle many years ago, looking for information about the colors carried by the Argyll Militia in 1745. He wasn't able to provide any details about the flag(s), but did note that documents in the ducal archives proved that colors were paid for. Too bad no description was recorded.

For my armies, I just use the Duke of Argyll's arms.

In my rules (home-brewed, a variant of The Sword & the Flame for the '45) I treat Loyalist clan militia separately from town Loyalist militia. They are not considered equivalent to to Jacobite clan regiments, but share some qualities, and also share some qualities with Town militia. Mostly they might be considered "reined in" clan regiments -- they are subject to the tactics and discipline of British regulars (and several officers historically held British commissions) and can move a bit faster (like Jacobite clan infantry) but have the morale factors of "militia", in common with all the other loyalist Highland Independent Companies raised by the British Crown in 1745. Most did not perform very well in the field, for whatever various reasons. The Argylls at Culloden were an exception. But maybe they just had a good day.

Piper, I'd love to have a look at the TSAF mod you've cooked up for the "45!

42 Flanker,

Thanks for the heads-up on "The Campbells of the Ark". My daughter has agreed to give me the two volumes as a Christmas present. Volume 1 has arrived, but Volume 2 will not arrive until just after Christmas.

Rod

bargainbindm -- just sent you a PM to see where I can email those. Slainte!

PM sent!

@Rod MacArthur. Glad to be of help. A pleasure to repay the compliment, albeit on a 5 mm scale.

Men of Argyll are being painted. I've seen them referred to as Militia so I'm not giving them the redcoat yet.
My first completed Jacobite Rebellion unit is finished – 64th Louden's (Highland) Regiment of Foot. They were definitely in red coats but were they part of the British Army establishment by then?

Also, did the Government field any other Scottish units, highlanders or lowlanders either as Militia or Regulars?

Regards,

Jae

Jae,

The first Regiment of Highlanders to be raised was the 43rd Foot (Black Watch) originally as independent companies but formed into a normal regular regiment in 1737 and renumbered as 42nd Foot (Black Watch) in 1749. Most of the battalion were in London but one company was captured at Prestonpans and one was at Culloden, as part of the baggage guard.

The 64th Foot (Loudoun's Highlanders) were also a regular regiment, formed in 1745 and disbanded in 1748. It suffered from desertion (two of its company commanders defecting to the Jacobiites with their entire companies) and had three and a half companies captured at Prestonpans.

The Argyll Militia had 8 large companies fully paid whose officers had commissions and 16-25 more who were only paid when they were on duty and whose officers did not hold commissions. The latter were used for garrison duty only. You can see my posts about them here:

link

For the Argyll Volunteer Companies scroll down on this post.

link

There were 18 Highland Independent Companies, which I would treat as Militia. You can see my article about them here:
link

There were also several Lowland Regiments:
1st Foot (Royal Scots) had two battalions. One was at Culloden, the other was in London.
21st Foot (Royal Scots Fusiliers) was at Culloden.
25th Foot (Later King's Own Scottish Borderers) was at Cullodenn.
26th Foot (Cameronians) was in Ireland

There were several Volunteer units, really very low grade militia. There were two battalions of them at Falkirk, one Glasgow Volunteers and the other a composite of Paisley, Stirling and Edinburgh Volunteers. You can see my interpretation of them here (you need to scroll down)

link

You can read about those defending Edinburgh here:

link

Rod