238 



CALEDONIA. 



Caledonia, traces it to the word calden, Or hazel, which gave 

 *~~ v"-*' its name to Duncalden or Dunkeld, whence the 

 country might have received its denomination. Mr 

 Chalmers, in his late interesting work, deduces it 

 from the British Celyddon, woody, mountainous, 

 wild. For our own part, after all the etymologies 

 which we have seen, we are disposed to think that 

 none is so consistent, either witfi the sound or with 

 the sense, as that which comprehends the name by 

 which the inhabitants of Caledonia call themselves to 

 this day. The word Gael, as every one knows, is 

 merely a modern and vulgar contraction for Gaid- 

 heil, Guydheil, or Gatheil, in all which forms it 

 occurs. In a most ancient fragment, preserved by In- 

 nes, the Scots are called Gadeli. The Irish still 

 call the Highlanders, Guydheil, and the Welch give 

 them the name of Gwyddil, a term which the same 

 people applied to the Picts of old, calling them 

 Gwyddil Phicthi. Gadel-doine, or Gael-men, there- 

 fore, is as nearly represented by Caledonii, as could 

 be expected from Roman pronunciation. According 

 to Mr Chalmers himself, the name Gwyddil has al- 

 ways been applied by the British to the inhabitants 

 of mountains ; and is synonymous with his own 

 Celyddoniaedd. 



The fame of the Caledonians had reached Rome 

 long before the arrival of Agricola in this island, 

 though that general was the first who actually came 

 in contact with them. After having, in the prece- 

 ding campaigns, conquered the country south of the 

 Forth and Clyde, secured his conquests by establish- 

 ing a line of forts between these two rivers, and con- 

 quered several nations till then unknown, on the 

 northern shores of the western aestuary, Agricola, in 

 his sixth campaign, resolved to invade the " powerful 

 States," aa Tacitus calls them, " beyond the Forth." 

 This expedition was conducted both by land and 

 sea, the army marching along the coast, and the fleet, 

 by way of precaution, attending them. Having pro- 

 ceeded in this order for many days, along the shores 

 of Fife, engaging in frequent actions with the natives, 

 and conquering the country, they seem to have esta- 

 blished themselves in these quarters for the winter ; 

 for we may gather from Agricola's speech, that the 

 action of the ninth legion happened the summer pre- 

 ceding the great battle, which was on the eighth 

 year of Agricola's wars in the island. 



Whilst the Romans were thus engaged in the con- 

 quest of Fife, Stirling, and the lowlands of Perth 

 and Angus, distracting the attention of the natives 

 by the manoeuvres of their fleet along the coast ; the 

 tribes of Caledonia took the alarm, entered into a 

 formidable confederacy, and were reported to be ac- 

 tually on their march from the westward to attack 

 the line of forts in the rear of the Romans. The 

 tribes inhabiting Caledonia, says Tacitus, rising in 

 arms with a vast preparation, increased by fame, uti 

 mos est de ignotis, as is the case concerning unknown 

 nations, being reported to have attacked the forts, 

 inspired the greatest terror as having commenced of- 

 fensive operations. Many of the Romans were ac- 

 cordingly now for returning to this side the Frith 

 of Forth, regrediendum citra Bodotriam, lest they 

 should be disgracefully driven back by this new enemy. 

 But Agricola, nc ways intimidated, dividing his army 

 into three divisions, marched during the seventh cam- 



paign across the country, from the eastern coast, to Caledonia. 

 prevent their attempts upon his fortifications on the 

 isthmus. The Caledonians perceiving they could not 

 cut him oft" from his lines, suddenly changed their 

 plan, and falling unexpectedly with thf r whole 

 force upon the ninth legion, in the night time, nearly 

 overwhelmed it. They were already within the 

 camp ; but Agricola, informed of their route, had 

 previously dispatched the swiftest part of his troops, 

 horse and foot, to harass their rear. In the mean 

 time, he himself proceeded by forced marches to the 

 relief of the legion, and the Roman standards ap- 

 pearing at the break of clay, and the Britons being 

 attacked in front and rear, a div-tuful conflict ensued 

 in the gates of the camp. The Caledonians were 

 thus compelled to relinquish their prey, and made 

 the best of their way into the fens cind fastnesses. 

 Those of the Romans who were formerly terrified 

 at the approach of these formidable and new antago- 

 nists, and wished to retreat, were now so elated by 

 this victory, that flying into the opposite extreme, 

 they were for penetrating directly into Caledonia. 

 We are not informed what were the further achieve- 

 ments of Agricola this summer, nor where he quar- 

 tered his troops during the winter. His next ap- 

 pearance in the field, was in the following year, 

 towards the end of summer, when the great battle of 

 the Grampians took place, being the eighth year 

 since his arrival in Britain, and the 85th of the Chris- 

 tian sera. 



The Caledonians, no ways disheartened by their 

 late failure, had spent the remainder of that season in 

 preparing for the succeeding campaign, by providing 

 places of retreat for their wives and children in case 

 of an invasion, arming and organising their youth, 

 forming alliances which they ratified with religious 

 rites, and holding consultations and councils, in which 

 they mutually exasperated each others minds against 

 the common enemy ; and having arranged these mat- 

 ters, they separated for the winter. When Agricola 

 took the field, he at the same time sent his fleet 

 along the coast, which, by making frequent descents 

 and predatory excursions into the country, might 

 distract the attention of the confederates. These, 

 however, were not deficient either in zeal or conduct. 

 Mustering probably the whole of their forces, to the 

 amount of 30,000 combatants, they awaited towards 

 the end of autumn, the attack of Agricola at the 

 foot of the Grampian mountains. This army consist- 

 ed of the flower of their youth, and of men inured to 

 war, commanded by their greatest chiefs, each bearing 

 his trophies and his badges of honour. Among these 

 Galgacus, as being pre-eminent in valour and lineage, 

 held the chief rank, and acted as commander. The 

 Caledonians were drawn up on the face of a hill, one 

 line rising above another from the plain, thus making 

 a magnificent as well as terrible display of power to 

 their enemies. The level grounds in front were 

 scoured by their cavalry, intermixed with armed cha- 

 riots. The Romans, on their side, were drawn up with 

 consummate skill ; 8,000 foot auxiliaries composed 

 the main battle ; 3,000 cavalry protected the wings ; 

 while the legionaries, probably consisting of as many 

 more troops, were stationed in the reara bulwark, 

 says Tacitus, in case of a repulse, an honour to the 

 leader ehould he be able to render unnecessary the 



