Scots Brigade

The Scots Brigade was a corps in service of the Dutch Republic whose history extends from 1570 to 1783.^[1] The brigade consisted of three infantry regiments.

Eighty Years' War

During the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648) in which the newly formed Dutch Republic gained its independence from Spain, the Dutch States-General hired several foreign regiments to build up an army—some of these were English and Scottish regiments. After the war, most regiments were disbanded, except three Scottish regiments. They were brigaded into a separate unit.

War of Austrian Succession.

During the 18th century, the regiments served mostly as garrison units. During the War of Austrian Succession (1740–1748), part of the Scots Brigade was in garrison in the city of Bergen op Zoom in 1747 when a French army besieged the city. What started as a diversion to draw away the British, Austrian and Dutch troops from the main attack on Maastricht, became a lengthy siege that ended in tragedy when French troops stormed and captured the city. The battalions of the Scots Brigade counterattacked several times, until forced to withdraw to the nearby fortification at Steenbergen, which they would defend successfully in the days to come. By then, only 200 officers and men of an original number of 800 remained.

Amalgamation into Dutch line regiments

After the War of Austrian Succession, the Dutch Republic lost its status as a major European power. It did not take part in the Seven Years' War that followed. The men of the Scots Brigade were still recruited, until tensions between Great Britain and the Dutch Republic grew.

Anti-British sentiments led to open support for the American colonists when tensions between some of the North American colonies and Britain resulted the American War of Independence (1775–1783). A request from Britain to send the Scots Brigade back to Britain was declined after resistance from the opposition in the States-General; they would not send the Scots Brigade back to "help oppress a people that fought to gain its freedom". When the Dutch Republic sent weapons and supplies to the Continental Army, Britain declared war in 1780. The Fourth Anglo-Dutch War ended in 1784 and wrecked the Dutch Republic.

Meanwhile, the Scots Brigade was taken into the Dutch line as infantry regiments nrs. 22, 23 and 24. This meant the typical red uniforms, British colours and the special "Scottish March" were abolished. Most officers of the Scots Brigade refused to take an oath to the Stadhouder and returned to Britain, taking the regimental colours with them. The NCOs and privates, of whom most by this point were not of Scottish origin, were incorporated into the Dutch army.

Legacy, 94th Foot

In Britain, the officers were reformed into a new regiment, for which they requested a guard status, since it was older than any other British regiment. Instead, they were taken up into the British line as the 94th Foot, and were later added to the Connaught Rangers as its 2nd Battalion. Thus the traditions and history of the Scots Brigade came to an end, however the colours of the Scots Brigade are to this day to be found in St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh. Copies of these colours were made in the Netherlands. Many of the descendants stayed in the Netherlands and account for anomalies like the husband of Mata Hari (Dutch Colonial Army Captain John Brienen MacLeod)and Dutch speaking Methodist immigrants in 19th century Nova Scotia.

Literary Reference

Walter Scott in his novel The Heart of Mid-Lothian (Originally publish in serial form July 1818) depicting the Porteous Riots of 1736, references the brigade giving its common appellation the Scotch Dutch:

Captain John Porteous, a name memorable in the traditions of Edinburgh, as well as in the records of criminal jurisprudence, was the son of a citizen of Edinburgh, who endeavoured to breed him up to his own mechanical trade of a tailor. The youth, however, had a wild and irreclaimable propensity to dissipation, which finally sent him to serve in the corps long maintained in the service of the States of Holland, and called the Scotch Dutch. Here he learned military discipline; and, returning afterwards, in the course of an idle and wandering life, to his native city.

↑ Cotton 1898, p. 126.

References

Cotton, James Sutherland (1898). "Stedman, John Andrew". In Lee, Sidney. Dictionary of National Biography. 54. London: Smith, Elder & Co. p. 126.