Strathspey Fenxibles at Dumfries in 1795. 97 



Two divisions of the 1st or Strathspey Fencibles arrived 

 at Dumfries from Paisley on Saturday and Monday, 13th and 

 15th December, 1794. Ihey succeeded the South or Lord 

 Hopetoun's Fencibles, a regiment raised larg-cly in Annan- 

 dale, and which had been stationed in the town since July 

 8th. Mention of the Hopetoun Fencibles recalls a remark- 

 able circumstance which we may be forgiven for turning- 

 aside to record. On the i ith of September it was discovered 

 that one of the company was a woman. She had been 

 upwards of eighteen months in the service. 



The Dumfries JTeekly Journal,^ betraying no modern 

 sophistication, says : — " The discovery was made by the 

 taylor, when he was trying on the new cloaths. It is re- 

 markable that she has concealed her sex so long, consider- 

 ing she always slept with a comrade, and sometimes with 

 two. She went by the name of John Nicholson (her real one 

 being Jean Clark), and, strange as it ma.y appear, was 

 esteemed a wag among the lasses. It is even said that she 

 had caused a lass in the Bridgend of this place to fall deeply 

 in love with her ; but who, since the discovery, is perfectly 

 cured. Previous to her assuming the character of a soldier, 

 we are informed, she had accustomed herself to the dress 

 and habits of a man, having been bred to the business of a 

 weaver at Closeburn, and employed as a man servant at 

 Ecclefechan." 



William Grierson (Dr. T. B. (irierson's father) in his 

 Diary says that Jean Clark had enlisted only seven or eight 

 months previously, and refers also to her reputation as a 

 wag.^ Her adventures by no means rival those of Christian 

 Davies or Ross, who served through fi\e strenuous cam- 

 paigns with the Scots Greys, but yet may be regarded as 

 worthy of record. 



The Strathspey Fencibles had been raised for home 

 service by Sir James Grant of Grant in 1793, being finally 

 inspected and embodied by Lieutenant-General Leslie at 



2 16th September, 1794. 



3 The Grierson Diary, from the Dumfries and (^alloiray Courier 

 <ind Henild. 1890, p. 3.' 



