RELEASE DATE: MARCH 14, 2021
KINSEARCHING
by
Marleta Childs
P. O. Box 6825
LUBBOCK, TX 79493-6825
[email protected]
By now, anyone who has been trying to trace an immigrant ancestor back to his or her place of origin in Scotland has come across the numerous excellent books compiled by prominent genealogist, David Dobson. His latest addition to his constantly expanding list of publications is SCOTTISH SOLDIERS IN EUROPE AND AMERICA, 1600-1700.
Due to the 1603 political union of England and Scotland, which eliminated any military threat from England, Scotland had a relatively small standing army at the beginning of the seventeenth century. At the same time, however, thousands of Scottish soldiers of fortune were involved in various wars on the European continent, where Scots had been in the service of France since the medieval era. Many fought in the Low Countries, supporting the Protestant Dutch in their struggle against Catholic Spain. In 1620, the Dutch sent more than one thousand Scottish troops to help Protestant allies in Bohemia. About the same time, approximately 20,000 to 30,000 Scots were in Sweden’s army, which fought in Germany, Poland, and Russia. In the aftermath of wars, many Scots remained in foreign service or settled on the continent.
Other Scottish soldiers returned home to form the backbone of the Covenanter Army opposing King Charles I. They saw action not only in Scotland and England, but also Ireland. When Oliver Cromwell’s army defeated the Scots in 1650, hundreds of the Scottish prisoners of war were banished to Britain’s American colonies.
Eventually, the political union of Scotland and England led to the birth of the British Army and Scottish soldiers began fighting under its command. As the British Empire expanded in the early eighteenth century, opportunities for Scottish soldiers under the Crown increased and the appeal of service in continental armies declined.
Since the Dobson’s tome encompasses data from various countries and resources, the amount of details concerning each person varies widely. Entries usually provide the individual’s name, a location, a date, and the source of the information. Additional facts in many entries may include place of origin in Scotland, date of birth or death, name of spouse or next of kin, military service, date and name of ship when transported to the New World, and location where he was sent in North America.
Basing his data on both original and secondary sources, Dobson identifies between 2,500 and 3,000 Scottish fighting men who served in a variety of military theaters. As usual, the material in his books often contains information that may have previously been overlooked or was difficult to access. As a result, some of the formerly unknown details now brought to light in this volume may furnish new avenues for further research. Like his earlier works, SCOTTISH SOLDIERS IN EUROPE AND AMERICA, 1600-1700 will be a welcomed addition to genealogical library shelves.
Arranging entries alphabetically, the 211-page work has soft covers, an introduction, illustrations, and a list of references. To the book’s price of $30.00, buyers should add the cost for postage and handling charges. For U. S. postal mail, the cost is $5.50 for one book and $2.50 for each additional copy; for FedEx ground service, the cost is $7.50 for one copy and $2.50 for each additional book. The volume (item order 8719) may be purchased by check, money order, MasterCard, or Visa from Clearfield Company, 3600 Clipper Mill Rd., Suite 260, Baltimore, Maryland 21211-1953. For phone orders, call toll free 1-800-296-6687; fax 1-410-752-8492; website at www.genealogical.com.