100 Strathspey Fencibles at Dumfries in 1795. 



at them, wounding- two of the four soldiers, one of them 

 severely. He was put in prison and remained there until the 

 20th of January following-, being let out on his obtaining- 

 sureties. As the offence was a serious one it would appear 

 that the soldiers must have exceeded their commission or 

 John O'Neil would not have escaped so lightly.^ 



Late at night, to revert to the action of the Press-gang, 

 on the 9th of June (1795) a party of constables and soldiers 

 went out to the Stoop. But O'Neil had got wind of their 

 intentions. He refused the party admission, and upon their 

 breaking open the door,^ received them with seven shots, 

 wounding the Serjeant^ and two soldiers very severely. The 

 O' Neils fired " rugged slug," and John Grant, one of the 

 privates, had to have his leg amputated and ultimately died 

 in Dumfries and Galloway Infirmary on i6th August, his 

 unfortunate fate being matter of much regret to the regiment 

 and townspeople. He was buried on the following evening 

 (though why in the evening we are not told) in St. Michael's; 

 " the Magistrates and a few of the inhabitants, the doctors, 

 and a party of the Durham Rangers or the Princess of 

 Wales Light Dragoons attended the funeral." The Serjeant 

 who had been severely wounded in the head and groin and 

 the other private, wounded in the arm, recovered. The 

 party, despite their casualties, pushed on into the house and 



4 The soldiers shot at were John Mahan, serjeant; John 

 M'William, corporal; Henry Gibson and Robert Walters, private 

 soldiers in Capt. Erskine's Company of the Second Battalion of the 

 Breadalbane Fencibles. O'Neil's cautioners, the amount being 200 

 merks scots, were Daniel M 'Queen, merchant in Dumfries, and 

 Walter M'Lean, miller at Dalgoner Mill. MS. Register of Bail 

 Bonds — Burgh of Dumfries. 



5 This is the account given by William Grierson. The Dumfries 

 Weekly Journal says the O'Neils fired "before the party could get 

 to the house," and Kay's "Contemporary Chronicle" says they 

 fired " on the party's approaching the house and requiring 

 admittance." 



6 Serjeant Bateman, of the Grenadier Guards. The Grierson 

 Diary, p. 4. Kay (Edinburgh Portraits, i., 278), gives the names 

 as Serjeant Beaton, John Grant, a Grenadier, and " one Fraser," 

 of the Light Company. 



