Battle of Sheriff Muir/The Battle of Sheriff Muir

For other versions of this work, see The Battle of Sheriff-Muir (Burns).

---

---

THE BATTLE OF SHERRIFF MUIR.

"O cam you here the fight to shun,
"Or herd the sheep wi' me man,
"Or was you at the Sherra-muir,
"And did the battle see man?"
I saw the battle sair and tough,
And reekin-red ran mony' a sheugh,
My heart for fear gae sough for sough,
To hear the thuds, and see the cluds,
O'clans frae woods, in tartan 'duds,
Wha glaura'd at kingdoms three, man.

The red coat lads wi' black cockades
To meet them were ni sla man,
They rush'd and push'd an blude out-gush'd
An' mony a bouk did fa' man;
The great Argyle led on his files,
I wa't ey glanced twenty miles;
'They hack'd and hash'd while broad swords clash
And through they dash'd and bow'd and smash'd
'Till fey man died away, man.

But had you seen the philabegs,
And skyrin tartan trews, man,
⟨when⟩ in the teeth they dar'd our whige,
And covenant true blues, man;
lines extended lang and large,
⟨the⟩ bayonets oppos'd the large,
⟨and⟩ thousands hasten'd to the charge,
(illegible text) Highland wrath they frae the charge,
(illegible text)ew blades o' death, till out o' breath,
They fled like frighted doos, man.

(illegible text)now, deil Tam, can that be true?
The chace gaed frae the north, man;
(illegible text)w myself they did pursue
The horsemen back to Forth man:
(illegible text)d at Dunblane in my ain sight
⟨They⟩ took the brig wi' a' their might,
(illegible text) straught to Stirling winged their flight;
(illegible text) cursed lot! the gates were 'shut;
(illegible text) mony a huntit poor red coat,
⟨For⟩ fear awaist did swarf, man,"

(illegible text) sister Kate cam up the gate,
Wi' crowdie unto me, man;
(illegible text)swore sho saw some rebels run,
⟨frae⟩ Perth unto Dundee, man:
(illegible text)ir left-hand general had nae skill,
(illegible text) Angus lads had mae good-will,
That day their neighbour's blood to spill,
For fear by foes, that they should lose
Their cogs o' brose all crying, woes
And so it goes you see, man.

They've lost some gallant shentlemen,
Amang the Highland clans, man;
I fear my lord Panmure is slain.
Or fallen in whiggish hands man;
Now wad ye sing this double fight,
Some fell for wrang and some for right;
The ye may tell how pell and mell,
By red claymores and musket knell,
Wi' dying yell, the tories fell,
And whigs to hell did flee, man.