Battle of Killiecrankie

‘Claverhouse's sword (a strait cut-and-thrust blade) is in the possession

of Lord Woodhouselee. In Pennycuik-house is preserved the buff-coat,

which he wore at the battle of Killicrankie. The fatal shot-hole is

under the arm-pit, so that the ball must have been received while his

arm was raised to direct the pursuit However he came by his charm of

proof, he certainly had not worn the garment usually supposed to

confer that privilege, and which is called _the waistcoat of proof, or

of necessity. It was thus made: "On Christmas daie, at night, a thread

must be sponne of flax, by a little virgine girle, in the name of the

divell: and it must be by her woven, and also wrought with the needle.

In the breast, or forepart thereof, must be made with needle work, two

heads; on the head, at the right side, must be a hat and a long beard;

the left head must have on a crown, and it must be so horrible that it

maie resemble Belzebub; and on each side of the wastcote must be made a

crosse."--SCOTT'S _Discoverie of Witchcraft,_ p. 231.’

The notes to Sir Walter Scott’s “Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border" contain the note above, which references one of the outcomes of the Battle of Killiecrankie, which ended on July 27, 1689 – namely that John Graham of Claverhouse was fatally wounded.  Despite the victory, Claverhouse’s death was a blow to the Jacobite cause.

The Air of Bonnie Dundee

December 22, 1825 finds Sir Walter in a fine mood,.  Among other things that day, he records 'The air of "Bonnie Dundee" running in my head to-day, I [wrote] a few verses to it before dinner, taking the key-note from the story of Clavers leaving the Scottish Convention of Estates in 1688-9....'

The full poem is published in "Scott's Poetical Works".

To the Lords of Convention 'twas Clavers who spoke,
'Ere the King's crown shall fall there are crowns to be broke;
So let each Cavalier who loves honour and me,
Come follow the bonnet of Bonny Dundee.

Come fill up my cup, come fill up my can,
Come saddle your horses, and call up your men;
Come open the West Port and let me gang free,
And it's room for the bonnets of Bonny Dundee!

Dundee he is mounted, he rides up the street,
The bells are rung backward, the drums they are beat;
But the Provost, douce man, said, "Just e'en let him be,
The Gude Town is weel quit of that Deil of Dundee."...

Battle of Drumclog

June 1, 1679 saw the Battle of Drumclog being fought, in South Lanarkshire.  The battle pitted covenanting forces against John Graham of Claverhouse.  June 1st was a Sunday that year, and the fighting commenced when Covenanters, at Sunday services, learned that Graham and his troops had moved near the area. 

The Covenanters under Robert Hamilton took up a position at Drumclog, which Claverhouse and his troops could not get through, due to its boggy nature.  William Cleland attacked for the Covenanters as Graham was mired, and won the day.

Walter Scott included this battle in his novel "A Tale of Old Mortality":

"...The company had not long left the Howff, as Blane's public-house was called, when the trumpets and kettle-drums sounded. The troopers got under arms in the market-place at this unexpected summons, while, with faces of anxiety and earnestness, Cornet Grahame, a kinsman of Claverhouse, and the Provost of the borough, followed by half-a-dozen soldiers, and town-officers with halberts, entered the apartment of Niel Blane.

"Guard the doors!" were the first words which the Cornet spoke; "let no man leave the house.--So, Bothwell, how comes this? Did you not hear them sound boot and saddle?"..."