100 Transactions. 
event of an alarm from the Firth of Forth, the Annandale and 
Eskdale Battalion was to assemble at Moffat, and march to Edin- 
burgh by way of Linton ; the Nithsdale Battalion was to assemble 
at Sanquhar, and march to Edinburgh by way of Muirkirk ; and 
the Dumfries and Annan Battalion, under Colonal De Peyster, 
was to assemble at Thornhill, and march from thence by Lead- 
hills and Biggar; and the whole force was ordered to unite at 
Linton, and proceed from thence in a body to Edinburgh. In 
the event of an alarm from Cumberland or Galloway, the Annan- 
dale and Eskdale Battalion was to assemble at Ecclefechan ; the 
Nithsdale and also the Annan and Dumfries Battalions at Dum- 
fries. And in the event of the alarm coming from Cumberland, 
the two last were to assemble at Annan. To provide for the 
maintenance of order in the event of the Volunteers being called 
out to repel an invasion companies of spearmen were enrolled. ~ 
Their duties were to be—‘‘ In the absence of the Volunteers, to 
act with vigour in supporting the civil magistrates, protecting 
property and preserving the peace by quelling tumults or riots, 
apprehending disorderly persons, and taking such other measures 
as may be deemed necessary for that purpose. And in the event 
that prisoners of war shall be marched into and conveyed through 
this county, such companies shall guard them from parish to 
parish.” Each company was to be commanded by a respectable 
person, either a landholder or a farmer of character, and under 
him one or more subalterns and one or more persons in the qual- 
ity of sergeants. The number of this force in the county was a 
thousand. The total number of men under arms in the county 
at this period must have been abont 3000. In addition to this 
force, during the whole period of the French war a Regiment of 
Fencibles or Militia was quartered in Dumfries, and sometimes 
also a Cavalry Corps. Another sign of preparation for active 
service was the appointing (18th December, 1803) of the places 
where beacons were to be erected to assemble the Volunteers 
when intelligence was received of the landing of the enemy, 
The Beacons in Dumfriesshire were the Hill of Repentance, the 
Barhill of Tinwald, the Wardlawhill of Caerlaverock, Lagg or 
Blackwoodhill in the parishes of Dunscore and Keir. It was 
ordered that a temporary hut should be erected beside each 
beacon, and that an attendant should be there both by day and 
by night. Tar barrels and other combustibles were to be pro- 
