"I could nought have done that matter without great friendship of the
Grames of Eske," wrote Buccleuch, in a letter which Scrope intercepted.
{139b}
In Satchells, Buccleuch leaves half his men at the "Stonish bank"
(Staneshaw bank) "FOR FEAR THEY HAD MADE NOISE OR DIN." An old soldier
should have known better, and the ballad (his probable half-remembered
source here) DOES know better -
"And there the laird garr'd leave our STEEDS,
For fear that they should stamp and nie,"
and alarm the castle garrison. Each man of the post on the ford would
hold two horses, and also keep the ford open for the retreat of the
advanced party. The ballad gives the probable version; Satchells, when
offering as a reason for leaving half the force, lest they should make
"noise or din," is maundering. Colonel Elliot does not seem to
perceive this obvious fact, though he does perceive Buccleuch's motive
for dividing his force, "presumably with the object of protecting his
line of retreat," and also to keep the horses out of earshot, as the
ballad says.
Pages:
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189