ed a brigade of 2,400 men at his own expence. In Perthshire, the influence of the loyal proprietors completely failed. The Duke of Atholl and the Earl of Breadalbane could not bring out a man in arms. Powerful as the Duke of Atholl was by feudal rights and privileges, popular in his personal character, and attracting the notice of the people, in a peculiar manner, by his affability and graceful majestic appear ance, he could not raise a man, as his principles and opinions were contrary to those of his people; while his brother, Lord George Murray, found himself in a few days at the head of a brigade of 1,400 men of Athole, anxious to be led to the field: so little did the people regard feudal authority, and so independent were they when submission to their su periors interfered with what they called their loyalty; and yet these people are generally believed to have been such slaves to the caprice and will of their imperious chiefs, that whichever side they took their vassals followed. The Duke of Atholl's agents were particularly active in the service of Government; the clergy also, with one exception, were zealous in their exhortations, and exerted themselves in support of the Duke's authority, but to no effect. * The Earl of Breadalbane was equally unsuccessful, although highly respected as an honourable, humane, and indulgent landlord. While such was the case in Perthshire, in Argyleshire it was different; two battalions, or a brigade of 1,200 men, were raised, and were actively employed during the whole of the troubles of that unfortunate period. In the Seven Years' War, many independent companies were raised, and a great number of men recruited by Highland officers, for which they got commissions of different ranks in the new regiments formed in the south, in which * Previous to the commencement of the Rebellion, upwards of 300 men were raised in Athole and Breadalbane, for Loudon's Highland regiment, by Captain John Murray, afterwards Duke of Atholl; by Lieutenant Robertson, afterwards of Strowan; Stewart of Urrard; Macdonell of Lochgarry; the late Generals Reid and Macnab; and other officers in that corps. the Highland recruits were embodied. Previous to this pe riod, large bodies of Highland youths enlisted for the Scotch Brigade in Holland, and followed the fortunes of those young gentlemen of family, and others, who could get no employment under their own Government; but, in conse quence of the war, the recruiting for the brigade in Holland was suspended. * Having in the preceding sketch endeavoured to give a general view of the military service of that portion of the Highland population embodied with the regular army, I shall now give a few short notices of the Fencible Corps, raised for the internal defence of the country, with an enumeration of the whole corps of Fencible infantry, wearing the garb of the ancient Gael, commencing with the Argyle and Sutherland Fencibles of 1759, the first corps of this description raised in Scotland. 'It was remarked that Colonel Macleod of Talisker, and the gentlemen of the Isle of Skye, who joined the brigade in Holland, were particularly successful. They always found a ready supply of young soldiers. FENCIBLE REGIMENTS. ARGYLE. 1759. IN 1759 the spirit of the nation, which had been roused by the danger of our colonies, and exasperated by the disasters and defeats of our fleets and armies in the years 1756, 1757, and 1758, loudly called to arm in order to retrieve the national character. The direction of the hostile operations was entrusted to an illustrious statesman, whose vigorous measures, and successful prosecution of the war, laid the best foundation for an honourable peace. The family of Argyll, which had exhibited so many eminent examples of patriotism and loyalty, was now called upon to exert the great influence which it enjoyed in the Highlands. So soon as the system of raising Fencible corps was determined upon, (as will be mentioned in the next article,) the Duke of Argyll received letters of service for raising a regiment within the county of Argyle. As the attempt was experimental, and to be confined to the Highlands, only two, the Argyle and Sutherland regiments, were raised. At that time the Duke of Argyll, as has been already noticed, was very powerful in Scotland. Few appointments were disposed of without his recommendation or knowledge; and, consequently, his regiment, in this instance, had a priority of rank;-the commissions of the Argyle officers being dated in July, and those of Sutherland in |