The Stones at the Glen o Eagles

It was in the year of our Lord,seventeen hundred and fifteen,the month was November,It was one part of time that no Scot would ever forget, another strike for Freedom at the heart of Scotlands 'Auld Enemy' from south of the border,England, but to Robert Cameron it had a greater meaning,he was a young Clansman coming of age,the day that all young Highlanders look forward to,no more childsplay or any tomfoolery,no more playing with the lads and lassies,many years in his life was planned for this day,The gathering at The Stones of Glen o Eagles,a meeting place where many a young Highlander before him had became a man his father and his father afore him,where they had taken the Oath of manhood,and kissed the Holy Iron,and proved their worth to their fellow Clansmen.

It was an hour or so before dawn and the young Robert Cameron along with his family they were first to arrive they struck up the camp, and started a big roaring fire, that would be seen for miles by Clansmen and travellers, and each would know that a grand event had been planned and it was the sign to let all know there is a Welcome to one and all it was a wellknown fact in the Highlands, a good big fire attracted everyone,The burning Cross also used in the Highlands was a sign to gather the Clans for a battle concerning the Clan and its followers, but this was a big open fire,so that meant drinking and dancing and lassies and hiring of good swordsmen and few shillings to be made,most Clansmen belonged to a Laird a similar to the english Lords,but many were just swords for hire, some came from the islands in the North and some may have been left since days of battles when mercenaries were in an opposing army,and left or maybe just stayed in Scotland, these men became great fighters for each of the Clans or there could always be a rich widow seeking a man to keep her from harm by robbers and tinkers stealing her cattle and sheep,

By twelve noon, the pipes were skirlin,Lads and lassies were dancing the strong smell of roasted venison wafted the soft Highland air and Heather ale by the barrel was strewn all over the ground,The older women handed out bowls of skirlie, a fine meal of oatmeal and onions and some venison fat and gravy ,,,it was a meal fit for a king,,Suddenly the pipes stopped and the tune changed to an outlaw tune of long ago,the Clan pibroch,a tune that the Clan forefathers had died under it was played as they all charged into a battle, the english government had banned it from Battles before as it rallied the hearts of all Highlanders,and made them fight with such ferousity it was hard to kill them and now the pipers struck up another tune that all highlanders had heard before on there day of days when the became a man,,Young Robert Cameron was well gone by the drink, by now he had a terrible time getting to his feet, and standing straight,next to him stood his father and older brother, they fumbled about to help hold him up,but at last he pulled himself together and walked smartly through the drunken crowd,still by hiself was his brothers in arms, his oldest brother Hamish and his boyhood friend Jamie Stewart,,,,,,young Robert stopped for a moment to ajust his kilt and plaid,His father being head of that part of the Clan Cameron called out,his sons name at the top of his voice like a sound of roaring falls at Killikrankie, not that Robert hadnt heard his fathers roar before in his young life,the voice echoed the Glen 'Gather one ,Gather all,Lads and lassies hear my call at the Glen o Eagles,come and bear witness to this solemn day', crowds gathered around the Stones,The Highland Chiefs were standing to the rear of Angus Cameron as he took his sons Oath,it was a grand sight to remember, there was Mcdonalds, from the Isles, there was Macleods, McFarlanes, Stuarts,Campbells of Breadalbane,Frasers and Macgregor himself was there,Young Robert was honored at all the Clan Chiefs that had attended on there way back from Edinburgh Castle,to their lands in the North,,,

Angus Cameron looked at his son Robert asked him to kneel and place his right hand on the stones,and repeat after me laddie,

I Robert Cameron swear by almighty God, that I shall give great honor to my Father and my Mother, and to my Clan and to my King,and protect Scotland from all Invaders,Robert Cameron kisses the black dirk left at the stones of the Glen o Eagles,by Cameron of Locheil on his way back from the Crusades,it was a black dirk that was blessed by the Knight Templars and had great magical powers,,,, Robert Cameron was cheered by one and all,and now to see what gifts he would get,,, His father gave him a fine baskethilted Broadsword made in Glasgow, he had been holding this for this day when Robert would becme a man,,, his brother Hamish handed him a fine Targe made from the finest scottish oak, strong as steel and studded and leathered in the Clan design so he would be recognised in battle,, his younger sister handed him a fine blue bonnet she had made for him, and she thought of all the days that they had spent together looking after each other,but no more would they play,and a wee tear was in her eyes was it happiness or sadness we shall never know,as Young Cameron turned to the crowd a Monk shouted out to the Pipers,Pipers play a merry tune, and as they struck up the monk looked at the crowd and shouted

''dance children ,lads and lassies
Cut n shuffle toe an heels
Pipers roar with every chanter
Hurricanes o Highland reels
Mak thi auld place shake with laughter
Beat it like a roaring drum
Batter it wi Tullogorum till the sound of a storm
has just begun

And now Robert a fine man has eyes for only one thing other than his gifts is his Bonnie Jeanie but where is she, Jeanie was the daughter of Fingal McPhee, her and Robert had been promised to each other from when they were young,when suddenly Cameron heard a wee squeaky voice shouting through the crowds ,,,,Robbie lad can you hear me ,Robbie Robbie my darling boy where ere ye there eyes meet and they hold each other as if there was a great horse trying to pull them apart, they saw love was still in each others eyes.Young Robbie said to Jeanie where is yer faither lass. I have to ask him for yer hand

he spies old mcphee and quietly has a few words with him and the answer is aye and two grand clans will be joined in a Holy union and will be that very night, and now we had so many things to celebrate, and as usual all the womefolk were crying and the menfolk were getting more drunk and now more reasons to get drunker,well they wandered off the two of them together and was met by the Monks of the Glen Young Cameron told them of his wishes, so they said they would wed them in the open air and god can witness this grand event at 1 hours time,,,,

Well she stood in her shawl and worsted goon
Beneath the trees of wood
A buckled paid round her shoulder laid
As she looked for him where she stood
He ran to her runnin ower the heather
A present was in his hand , and upon his dirk drawn
from his sheath
They plighted their truth to stand
The mavis was singing in the tree
The lark was high in the air,and happy was he and
happy was she
As they stood together there, he held her close
and his arms embrace,There eyes and there lips
did meet
He looked down to her lovely face, and his heart
did faster beat
The clouds flew over the mountain crest
The doo sat in the tree,she drew him close
to her throbbin heart, her prisoner for always to be
Oh God give them joy and God give them love
To those who are lovers true shed down your blessings
from above as in one are joined the two.

Robert Cameron returned to the campsite and the big roaring fire and the drunken crowd,and his merry family, it was 11th of November 1715, a grand party was to start again but then the merriment was interupted,by a messenger from Edinburgh Castle there was to be a great Battle at Sherriffmuir There was no time now for partys, as women as well as men went to the wars and women played a large part in battles, foraging for food and taking silver and valuables and weapons from the dead, children also helped the mothers,this was Robert Camerons chance to use all the gifts he had been given, at least he knew how to use them all as when one is young one is taught to fight by your father and your brothers plus there is always a small skirmish between clans for stealing cattle etc,

By 3am Sunday morning Cameron and all his men and friends were first to arrive at Sherriffmuir,they built a few fire all over the battle ground, and then the women collected stones for the clan and each person that passed a certain point to go to the battle had to place a stone at the Cairn these were the Stones at Sherriffmuir each stone represented a member of the clan who was going into the battle on return from the battle each would lift a stone and after 4weeks the Clan chief would count the stones and then they would know how many never made it back from that terrible day,

The battle started there was loud crys and squeals there was guns blasting away, the calls of pain were harsh, and children crying and women screamin.... the battle only lasted 4 hours, there was many watchers, Rob Roy watched the battle from the side of the hill,and eventually left and went back up to glens passed Callendar, other clans moved away up by Perth, and Cameron waited on his clansmen coming back Hamish was first to return then a few others ,,,, as the days passed the days were into weeks and soon 4 weeks had passed, and there was no Young Cameron, his father and mother and his new young wife made for the battleground the land was red with the blood of many, and no one had won the battle, minstrels were singing

Some say
we won and others said they won
They won and others said they won, but the mistrel
said No One won he knew cos he was there

On return from the Battle all was lost niether side had won, many a scot had died many an englishman had died, for what no one knew,many a home and croft would be bare.

Omeron many years ago had predicted this day,Omeron Cameron was a seer and saw many sights,many asked if anyone had seen young Robert Cameron, and no one had seen him then someone said he had died by yonder tree, they aproached and a monk was standing taking notes of who they had found and he showed the Camerons where there son was lain,his sword was lying by his grave a fine new broadsword, he had been gifted the day before the battle.

2 years have passed and his memory still is in everyones heart and Jeanie was sitting on the ground by his graveside, on a cold winters day, she was all alone, so she started to call to her loved one Robbie laddie can you hear me call and held the ground close to her bosum,

They say that sometimes you can hear her voice in the wind talking to Robbie,and others just say its the wind, but I stood one night in the summer and looked at all the battle ground when I heard a voice, it sounded like a wee squeaky voice on the wind and through the trees'

The wind is blowing tonight my love and a few small drops of rain
I never had but one true love and in the cold ground he is lain
I will do as much for you my love as any young woman may
I will sit and mourn at your grave,for twelve month and a day
The twelve month and a day being up the dead began to speak
Oh whose sitting upon my grave will they not let me sleep
Its me my love thats sits upon your grave and will not let you sleep,
Because I crave one kiss of your cold clay lips thats all i ever seek
You crave one kiss of my cold clay lips but my breath smells earthy strong
If you have one kiss of my cold clay lips yer time will not be long
Remember down yonder in forest green where once we used to walk
The finest flower that ever was seen is withered to a stalk
The stalk is withered dry my love so will our hearts decay
So make your heart content my love
Till God calls you away.

***************************

The Battle of Sherriffmuir was one of the many battles fought on scottish soil,for Freedom James the seventh arrived at Aberdeen on the 22nd of December having been delayed by the death of the King of France Louis the 14th In the Interim the Duke of Argyll troops had been reinforced by 6000 dutch soldiers and the dispirited Jacobites just wandered away The auld pretender as he was known returned to France with the Earl of Mar The Jacobite Rebellion was over before it got started, but would be relived again in 1745 at the raising of the Clans at Glenfinnan by the young Pretender Bonnie Prince Charlie who had came back to Scotland to win back his fathers crown sadly he was out fought at the Battle of Culloden on 17th April 1746,,, there was 30,000 redcoats led by The Duke of Cumberland son of George III against 3,000 highlanders, that was last battle fought on British soil.

The hatred between the Scots and English wasnt started by either of these Battles but by what the Duke of Cumberland did after the Battle was over he ordered his troops to kill every man woman and child they found anywhere from Culloden all way back down to London so that they could destroy ever jacobite sypathysers,in 1747.

King George III banned the bagpipes ,the scots language ,banned our children to be educated, he banned everything that made Scotland Free of any kind, Queen Victoria gave us most of it back in 1901 and in 20th century we got our own Government again but not Independence we just have a government that does what the English government tells us to do, But one day Scotland will create another Wallace and Robert the Bruce,and we shall have our Independence as well.

God save the Stewarts

Alba gu Brath