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War of the Three Kingdoms - 1644


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Following is a much condensed history of the events depicted in the attached photos.

The Battle & Sack of Aberdeen, September 1644

James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose is one of the most quixotic military commanders in Scottish history. Which is quite a sweeping statement considering that would include, for example; Malcolm III, Alexander II, Robert the Bruce, The Black Douglas, James IV, John Graham - Bonnie Dundee, (or Bloody Claverhouse depending on your point of view), Sir Colin Campbell, and a great many others.

On the outbreak of hostilities between King Charles I and Parliament, which would become known as The Wars of the Three Kingdoms, or The British Civil Wars 1638 – 1651; Montrose had been appointed Captain-General of the Royalist forces in Scotland. His campaign during 1644-1645 would be marked by the savage sectarian hatred demonstrated by both sides in the conflict. Having already won some minor victories earlier in 1644 against the forces of the Covenant who were loosely allied with the Parliamentarians in England, Montrose appeared before Aberdeen on 12 September with three Irish regiments totaling 1,500 men, 100 MacDonald Highlanders and two troops of horse commanded by Nathaniel Gordon and Sir Thomas Ogilvy.
On 13 September, the burgh was summoned to surrender. During the negotiations, a soldier from the city garrison is said to have shot and killed an Irish drummer boy accompanying the heralds, infuriating Montrose and his troops who swore vengeance on the Covenanters.

The battle commenced when a Covenanter force under the command of Lord Balfour of Burleigh marched out and deployed along the crest of a flat-topped ridge about half-a-mile south of the burgh. Burleigh's infantry comprised around 2,000 men; two regular Covenanter regiments (his own and that of Lord Forbes), the Aberdeen militia and some local levies. He also had around 300 cavalry, including three troops of regulars.
The Royalist forces attacked immediately and Burleigh’s line collapsed as his infantry regiments and the militiamen turned and ran back towards the town, pursued and slaughtered in the streets by the furious Irishmen.

Aberdeen was then subjected to a three-day orgy of murder, pillage and rape which Montrose made no attempt to stop. He may have wanted to make an example of the city for resisting him, but the atrocities committed in his name greatly damaged his reputation and alienated potential support for the cause of King Charles I in Scotland.

My small diorama depicts the fatal moment when the drummer boy was shot and killed. All figures are 54mm.

01. Finished 15-Aug-2019

 

02. Finished 15-Aug-2019

 

03. Finished 15-Aug-2019

 

04. Finished 15-Aug-2019

 

05. Finished 15-Aug-2019

 

06. Finished 15-Aug-2019

 

07. Finished 15-Aug-2019

 

08. Finished 15-Aug-2019

 

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4 hours ago, Vince1159 said:

Lovely dio Cadman and a great story,i'll have to see what books are available about it....

You can't go wrong with this one....

ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Montrose-John-Buchan-ebook/dp/B07BWFPYYN/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1565992226&sr=8-1https://www.amazon.co.uk/Montrose-John-Buchan-ebook/dp/B07BWFPYYN/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1565992226&sr=8-1

Edited by Cadman
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Lovely job looks really good.  What figures did you use, I recognise some of them from various Osprey books, the work of Angus McBride.  

 

Just a little thing for hopefully your next C17th dio,  you could go bigger with the flags if you wish to.  Infantry colours were 6ftx6ft by the time of the Civil Wars, Cavalry Cornets were about 2ftx2ft, Dragoon Guidons same as Cavalry colours but with a swallow tail.  Thirty Years War colour were slightly bigger..

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And as per usual - I can't stop fickering around with things.

I think the changes improve the overall layout and the addition of the Highland Warrior provides more context, even though only around 100 MacDonald's were present at the battle.

Is he Alasdair MacColla? Possibly, but he looks a bit too old to be the notorious "Colkitto", so maybe not.

Naturally, I forgot that I've always meant to change out that pretty awful soft white metal shaft of his Lochabar Axe for one made from steel or brass.

The angle of the right arm on the guy checking the shot drummer boy is all wrong too. 

Oh well, they're easy enough fixes whenever I do get around to doing them.

01. 18-Aug-2019

 

02. 18-Aug-2019

 

03. 18-Aug-2019

 

04. 18-Aug-2019

 

05. 18-Aug-2019

 

06. 18-Aug-2019

 

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13 hours ago, MikeR said:

Brilliant! Good to see a bit of my home city's history done as well.B)

 

Mike.

Fitlike-ee! Glad you enjoyed it.

Can't say I miss Scotland all that much. apart from Lorne Sausage, Rowie's. Well-Fired Rolls, Tattie Scones and decent Back Bacon.

Edited by Cadman
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On 8/18/2019 at 5:13 AM, Clogged said:

Lovely painting and groundwork!  How did you do the flags? What are they made from?, and how did you do the inscriptions?

 

On 8/18/2019 at 2:26 PM, Grey Beema said:

Lovely job looks really good.  What figures did you use, I recognise some of them from various Osprey books, the work of Angus McBride.  

 

Just a little thing for hopefully your next C17th dio,  you could go bigger with the flags if you wish to.  Infantry colours were 6ftx6ft by the time of the Civil Wars, Cavalry Cornets were about 2ftx2ft, Dragoon Guidons same as Cavalry colours but with a swallow tail.  Thirty Years War colour were slightly bigger..

 

15 hours ago, Adrian Woodfield said:

Really well done!

Thanks guys. 

:winkgrin:

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Superb!  Really evocative.  I visted Dunnottar castle a year or so ago which probably played an important role in this part of the conflict.  Sad really, so much anger and venom over ideas and concepts.  Really has left its mark too sadly.  But, we move on and we move forward together :)

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On 10/25/2019 at 4:01 PM, KonaDawg said:

Superb!  Really evocative.  I visted Dunnottar castle a year or so ago which probably played an important role in this part of the conflict.  Sad really, so much anger and venom over ideas and concepts.  Really has left its mark too sadly.  But, we move on and we move forward together :)

While it's situated on an absolutely stunning location just to the south of the town of Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire, Dunnottar Castle played very little part in the campaigns of Montrose 1644 - 1645.

Perhaps the most famous story concerning the castle took place a few years later - after the Scots were defeated by Oliver Cromwell at the Battle of Dunbar.

Dunnottar Castle was thought to be the most secure spot in the whole of Scotland. As a result, it was deemed to be the perfect place to guard the Scottish crown jewels.

In 1651, Cromwell’s New Model Army led by General Overton, laid siege to the castle. With just 69 defenders and only 42 small caliber guns, the Scots chances of holding out against the onslaught were pretty hopeless.

However, Reverend Grainger of nearby Kineff parish concocted a daring plan. His heavily pregnant wife Christine was a close friend of the wife of Governor Ogilvy – the commander in charge of the castle. Christine Grainger rode up to the English troops bombarding the castle and appealed to General Overton's sense of chivalry, saying that English gentleman should naturally spare women from war. To that end, she’d like to visit her close friend inside the castle to offer her moral support.

Overton subsequently allowed Christine Grainger to pass into the besieged castle. Once inside, she proceeded to wrap the Scottish crown in her skirts, and conceal the orb and sceptre within her distaff (a tool used for spinning wool).

She then smuggled all the items from the castle back to her husband’s parish and they buried the regalia deep beneath the pulpit of their church for safe-keeping. The crown jewels of Scotland were finally unearthed and handed back to the rightful owner some ten years later, during the Restoration of Charles II.

 

dunnottar 1

 

It's many years since I visited Dunnottar, but I do recall the track from the car park up to the ruins was a bit daunting, to say the least.

dunnottar 2

 

 

 

 

Edited by Cadman
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