Lets start with significant September anniversaries.

Battle of Flodden, 9 September 1513

The French, faced in 1511 with the formidable threat of a Holy League that included England, were keen to renew the Auld Alliance. Thus, in July 1512, promises of assistance for his proposed crusade against the Ottoman empire and of support for any rightful claim to the English Crown swayed James IV (1473-1513), seriously aggrieved in any case at the death of one of his admirals, Andrew Barton (d. 1511) at English hands, to align with Louis XII. (1462-1515).

Although the King of France hoped in 1513 for a Scottish attack as soon as the English invasion took place it was not until July that James released his fleet to sail to his ally's assistance, attacking en route the English garrison at Carrickfergus. As for James lV's military campaign, it did not get under way properly until 19 August when, possibly stung into action by the reverse known as the 'Ill-Raid' - a badly executed foray into England by Lord Home (d.1516), the royal army left Edinburgh. By 4 September the border had been crossed and Norham Castle as well as the strongholds of Etal, Wark and Ford, had been taken.

On the morning of 9 September the Scottish army was situated in a strong position on Flodden hill with the English forces led by Howard (1443-1524) and his son Surrey (1473-1554) disadvantageously placed below them close to the banks of the River Till. During the course of the morning the English commanders moved their men across the river to a point behind their opponents forcing James, who had failed to counter this manoeuvre, to withdraw his forces to the edge of Branxton hill.

Here, on the afternoon of 9 September, the two armies, numbering perhaps 20,000 men apiece, now faced each other. The strategic advantage still lay with James since his army overlooked the English but he was hampered by an artillery depleted of its best gunners for the sake of the Auld Alliance. This proved to be a major weakness since it was a devastatingly accurate English bombardment that forced the King to abandon his position and lead the fatal assault downhill. Here in the ensuing hand-to-hand fighting the long Scottish spears were found to be inferior to the halberds of their adversaries. Scottish causalities were very heavy; not only was James IV killed but so too was his natural son, Alexander (1493-1513), Archbishop of St. Andrews, along with two abbots, 11 earls, 15 lords and many others.

In the short term, the main political importance of the disaster was that the country was bedevilled with all the problems inherent in the long minority of James V (1512 -42). At the same time there were deeper implications since thereafter many of the nobility had serious reservations about the benefits of the Franco -Scottish Alliance.

The Battle of Pinkie - 9 September 1547

Although the English government had failed to intervene in time in July 1547 to assist the beleaguered garrison at St. Andrews, the Rough Wooing was resumed by Protector Somerset (1506 - 52) shortly afterwards. Thus in September English military and naval forces left Berwick for Scotland. The Protector's army of around 16,000 men was an impressive one, consisting not only of experienced infantrymen, including some foreign mercenaries, but also numerous cavalry and artillery. On the other hand the Scottish forces, despite being larger in numbers, with perhaps around 23,000 men, were poorly armed and very short of cavalry. During the first week of September, Somerset's men captured various small fortresses like Douglas and Innerwick as they advanced along the east coast. By 8 September they were camped near Prestonpans facing a Scottish army, commanded by Arran (c.1516-75), which was in a relatively strong situation behind the River Esk and in front of Musselburgh. On the morning of 9 September, the anniversary of Flodden, the Regent ordered Angus (c.1489-1557) who was in charge of the Scottish vanguard, to attack. He did this on the mistaken assumption that Somerset was beginning to retreat whereas in fact the English commander was endeavourmg to move his forces to a strategically superior position on a low hill known as Pinkie Cleuch. In the ensuing conflict English military superiority gradually established itself as Scottish resistance began to crumble in the wake of a devastating artillery bombardment.

The battle became a rout in which Arran possibly lost half his men and had about 1500, including Huntly (c.1510 - 62) taken prisoner. Somerset followed up his victory by garrisoning some of his troops in certain fortresses on the Forth and Tay. However, this action only served to increase anti-English feelings and strengthen the cause of the Auld Alliance within the country.

THE DARK SHADOW OF HOMESTEAD
The names of two famous Scots exiles are sadly linked in the violent and bloody end to a steel works strike in Pennsylvania which stains the early industrial relations record of the United States.

When Andrew Carnegie, the great ironmaster, visited his home-town of Dunfermline in the autumn of 1912 it was as the greatest benefactor Scotland had ever known. In every sense he was a local hero. After the family immigrated to Pittsburgh in 1848, Andrew worked to amass a staggering fortune. In his later years much of this was dispersed through a multitude of health and education projects both in Britain and in the United States. It has been calculated that he literally gave away something in the region of £70m.

But if Andrew Carnegie (who as a child declared the overtly; republican goal of killing a king') had a blank spot, it was surely the field of labour relations. Despite his paternalistic outlook as an employer, he abhorred the idea of the ordinary workers 'getting organised'.

In 1892 his employees at the sprawling smoke-shrouded Homestead Steelworks struck for higher pay while Carnegie was on holiday in Scotland and his partner, Henry C. Frick, was minding the store. The management were determined to end the dispute by, whatever means and brought in a team from the Pinkerton Detective. Agency founded by the late Allan Pinkerton, a Glasgow cooper, who had been head of the American secret service.

Ostensibly they were simply there to provide an escort for steelmen who wanted to work, but the Pinkerton men effectively provoked a battle in the shadow of the steel mills which left ten dead and up to 100 injured. Cowed, the workforce returned on half pay and the debacle resulted in a life-long frostiness between Frick and Carnegie.

Some say, however, that Carnegie knew all the details of what was planned but the comment of a workers' leader on his return. "It wouldn't have happened if you'd been here, Mr. Carnegie" must haunted the expatriate for the rest of his life. Strangely, it's possible to trace the start of Carnegie's philanthropic giving to the years after the Homestead Riot. A coincidence? We'll probably never know.

Sidelines
When Carnegie's parents were planning to emigrate they did borrow £20 for their passage before they could sail for New York. Pinkerton honed his skills as a detective by hiding inside barrels and listening to criminal conversations. Carnegie spent £500,000 during his lifetime on church organs, because he believed their sound was 'the true Word of God'. Pinkerston was accussed of prolonging the bloody American Civil War by up to three years by overestimating Confederate military strengh.

Source - Scotching the Myths by Jim Hewiston can be found in the History Book Section of Scottish Radiance.

Modesty

Scots are so used to being a provincial backwater that we shy clear of making claims about our potential impact upon the wider human scene. it is time to set aside this self-effacement.
Jim Sillars, Scotland - A Case for Optimism, 1985

I don't feel such a big fish. I understand that my name has a certain power. l know that people will answer my calls - but I don't use any of that much.
Annie Lennox, Independent Magazine, 1992

I can be better than I was in 1991. I have absolutely nothing to prove to anyone other than myself.
Liz McColgan, runner, of her comeback after injury before competing in the London Marathon, Mail on Sunday', 1995

There was no objection to the blue stocking, provided the petticoat came low enough.
Francis Lord Jeffrey, of Mrs Hamilton, author of The Cottagers of Glenburnie, 1808

I can't see the likeness myself - I'm far better looking.
James Macpherson, actor, admitting fans have mistaken him for fellow Scottish actor John Leslie

I honestly thought Woody Allen would have beaten me to it.
Rab C. Nesbitt (Gregor Fisher), on receiving an award for the Least Sexy Celebrity, 1992

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

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