the battle of sherramuir
tuhe cameronian rant.”
“o cam ye here the fight to shun,
or herd the sheep wi' me, man?
or were ye at the sherra-moor,
or did the battle see, man?”
i saw the battle, sair and teugh,
and reekin-red ran mony a sheugh;
my heart, for fear, gaed sough for sough,
to hear the thuds, ahe cluds
o' s frae woods, in tartan duds,
wha gum'd at kingdoms three, man.
, , , , &c.
the red-coat ds, wi' bck cockauds,
to meet them were na sw, man;
they rush'd and push'd, and blude outgush'd
and mony a bouk did fa', man:
the great argyle led on his files,
i wat they gwenty miles;
they hough'd the s like nine-pin kyles,
they hack'd and hash'd, while braid-swords, csh'd,
and thro' they dash'd, and hew'd and smash'd,
till fey men died awa, man.
, , , , &c.
but had ye seen the philibegs,
and skyrin tartan trews, man;
when ieeth they dar'd our whigs,
and ant true-blues, man:
in liended ng and rge,
when baigis o'erpower'd the targe,
and thousands hasten'd to the charge;
wi' highnd wrath they frae the sheath
drew bdes o' death, till, out o' breath,
they fled like frighted dows, man!
, , , , &c.
“o how deil, tam, that be true?
the chase gaed frae the north, man;
i saw mysel, they did pursue,
the horsemen back to forth, man;
and at dunbne, in my ain sight,
they took the brig wi' a' their might,
and straught to stirling wing'd their flight;
but, cursed lot! the gates were shut;
and mony a huntit poor red-coat,
for fear amaist did swarf, man!”
, , , , &c.
my sister kate cam up the gate
wi' crowdie unto me, man;
she swoor she saw some rebels run
to perth unto dundee, man;
their left-hand general had nae skill;
the angus ds had nae gude will
that day their neibors' blude to spill;
for fear, for foes, that they should lose
their cogs o' brose; they scar'd at blows,
and hameward fast did flee, man.
, , , , &c.
they've lost some gallemen,
amang the highnd s, man!
i fear my lord panmure is sin,
or fallen in whiggish hands, man,
now wad ye sing this double fight,
some fell f, and some fht;
but mony bade the wude-night;
then ye may tell, how pell and mell,
by red cymores, and muskets knell,
wi' dying yell, the tories fell,
and whigs to hell did flee, man.
, , , , &c.