102 Strathspey Fencibles at Dumfries in 1795. 



and through him, obtained a commutation of his sentence." 

 O'Neil, however, was not done with the matter, and in the 

 beginning of 1800 he raised an action in the Court of Session 

 against the Magistrates and Council of Dumfries for damages 

 on account of the destroying and burning of his house by the 

 mob. The Council decided to defend this " impudent and 

 unfounded " action at the public expense. It is mentioned 

 occasionally until March, 1803, after which it disappears and 

 was forgotten. I know nothing more of John O'Neil, but 

 it occurs to one that though he suffered he rather had the 

 best of it with the Magistrates of Dumfries. 



Two days after their exciting encounter with the O'Neils 

 the mutiny occurred. We quote the account in The Dum- 

 fries Weekly Journal,^ received " from authority " : " One of 

 the soldiers having been confined for impropriety on the field 

 when under arms, several of his comrades resolved to release 

 Tiim ; for which purpose they assembled round, and endea- 

 voured to force the guardroom ; but they were repelled by the 

 Adjutant [James Watson] and Officer on Guard, who made 

 the ringleader a prisoner. The Commanding officer of the 

 regiment immediately ordered a garrison court-martial, con- 

 sisting of his own corps and the Ulster Light Dragoons 

 [which had arrived in the beginning of June]. W^hen the 

 prisoners were remanded back from the court to the guard- 

 room, their escort was attacked by 50 or 60 of the soldiers, 

 Avith fixed bayonet. The escort, consisting of a corporal and 

 six men, charged them in return, and would not have parted 

 with their prisoners, but at the intercession of the Serjeant- 

 Major, who thought resistance against such numbers was 

 in vain. The mutineers then set up a shout, and a part of 

 them ran away with the prisoners. The Lieutenant-Colonel 

 and Major [John Grant] on hearing the noise, ran down to 

 the street, and the former seeing the way the prisoners had 

 gone, followed and retook them. They submissively agreed 

 to go with him to confinement ; but when he had reached the 

 middle of the street, he was surrounded by a great number, 

 A\'ho charged him with fixed bayonets in every direction. The 



8 June 16, 1795. 



