The Black Watch, the most senior of today's Scottish Regiments, was raised
in 1739/40 in what is now Aberfeldy, right by the
Tay Bridge and its purpose was as an indigenous Highland "police"
force.
Young men flooded to it for various reasons - the opportunity to carry arms
(denied to them by act of British/English Westminister Parliament) and being
paid regularly (many young clansmen had their fathers' lands taken from them
and had little income as a result).
The Black Watch remained at Aberfeldy for 15 months when word came from King
William that he would like to view the Highland fighting man. So impressed
was King William with the two Highland warriors who were sent to display
their prowess with sword and axe that the entire regiment was summoned to
perform for the king.
The much-mistrusted English monarch left the Highland regiment waiting on the
outskirts of London for so long that unrest and the fear of being press
ganged to fight abroad drove the men to rebellion. They packed up and set off
for home.
The Black Watch, formed on the premise that their only service would be in
Scotland, marched home with some purpose and style in the belief that they
were in the right. A sizeable force was sent to arrest them and they were
duly surrounded and forced to surrender, having won the concession that they
were to be treated fairly at court. They were all condemned to death! The
capital element of the punishment was revoked from all but Malcolm and Samuel
MacPherson and Farquar Shaw. They were executed while their fellow Highland
men looked on.
The prisoners, who had behaved with courage and dignity, were commemorated
beside the Wades Bridge by the magnificent monument depicting Farquar Shaw
in full highland rig out. Incidentally, the regiment was indeed broken up and
sent abroad to fight for causes and a country which were clearly not their
own.
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