I imagine the first question anyone will ask is what is a column called "Scottish Flotsam". I guess we will have to begin with what is "flotsam". Among the definitions of the word are "things washed ashore" or "miscellaneous trifles". Well, we believe you can find some great treasure on the ocean shore. But -- you will never know what you will find or its value. So we decided that is what this column is - flotsam. We wanted a place to put things that didn't fit anywhere else and might be of interest. Each item could be a column itself and might be some day but for now it will be the flotsam, which washes our way.

Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde (1792-1863)

Born in Glasgow on October 20, 1792, the son of a carpenter named MacIver, he was educated by his mother's brother, Colonel John Campbell of Islay. His uncle procured him an ensigney in the 9th Regiment in 1808, whereupon he took the name of Colin Campbell. There is an unsubstantiated story that it was the Duke of York who advised him that Campbell would be a good name for a Scottish soldier.

His first service was in the Peninsular War, where he was in the retreat to Corunna. After the Walcheren expedition in 1809, he served again in Spain until 1813, when his gallantry at the siege of San Sebastian brought him a captaincy in the 60th Rifles.

Without any social standing (and despite the assistance of his new surname), promotion was slow and 30 years in garrison duty at home and abroad elapsed before Campbell reached the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. His next period of active service was the Chinese War of 1842, followed by the second Sikh War of 1849 on the North-West Frontier - as the British Empire expanded during the reign of Queen Victoria.

It is time to stop combing the library but we can not quit without some quotes from Quotable Scots another great History bookshelf resident. Let's see what quotes we can find.

LAND

Then come and scour the Bens with me, ye jolly stalkers all,
With lawyers to defend your rights, and gillies at your call!
Those crofter caries may cross the sea, but we are masters here,
And say to all, both great and small, Let none disturb the deer.

John Stuart Blackie, The Scottish Highlanders and the Land Laws

... land of the omnipotent No.

Alan Bold, (1943-), A Memory of Death

Scotland the wee

Tom Buchan (1931-1995), Scotland the Wee

Nam beireadh tu ugh, dhèanadh tu gloc...

If you laid an egg, you would cackle...

You can find more articles in the archive under Scottish Flotsam.