of both colleges in 1747 seem to be accounted for, and not one of them is named Watson. Whatever he was, and howsoever educated, there is no doubt of his scholarship, and a practically contemporary manuscript note, inscribed on the copy of his Horace in St. Andrews University library, seems to leave as little uncertainty regarding his reputed dissipation. He ended his career in the neighbourhood of London in 1756, and his melancholy record closes with the tradition that he was buried at the expense of the parish in which he died.
Watson published in 1741, in two volumes octavo, the ‘Works of Horace translated into English Prose, with the original Latin,’ &c.; 2nd edit. 1747; 3rd edit. 1750. This is a monument of scholarship and literary skill, not only giving a critical text and a specially attractive version, but embodying Douglas's catalogue of nearly five hundred editions of Horace, and Bentley's various readings. Its popularity was instantaneous, although scholars protested against the presentation of Horace in prose (Nichols, Literary Anecdotes, i. 151 n.) Revised editions were prepared by Samuel Patrick, 1760, and William Crackelt, 1792. Watson also published in 1752 ‘A Clear and Compendious History of the Gods and Goddesses and their Contemporaries,’ which reached a second edition in 1753.
[Anderson's Scottish Nation; Irving's Eminent Scotsmen; information from Mr. J. Maitland Anderson, university librarian, St. Andrews; Allibone's Dict. of English Authors; Lowndes's Bibliographer's Manual, s.v. ‘Horatius.’]
WATSON, DAVID (1713?–1761), major-general, royal engineers, was born about 1713. His first commission cannot be traced. He was at Gibraltar in 1731, and on 22 June 1733 was promoted to be lieutenant in the 25th foot, the regiment of John Leslie, tenth earl of Rothes. In the summer of 1742 he accompanied his regiment to Flanders, and passed the winter at Ghent. On account of his knowledge of fortification and field engineering, and of his skill as a draughtsman, he was given on 23 Dec. the local warrant of engineer in ordinary, and attached to the ordnance train under Colonel Thomas Pattison. He took part in the battle of Dettingen on 27 June 1743, and again wintered at Ghent.
On 10 March 1744 Watson was placed on the establishment of the engineers as a sub-engineer, and that year he lay with the ordnance train for the most part inactive at Ostend. He was actively employed in the campaign of 1745, took part in the battle of Fontenoy on 11 May, and was promoted on the 21st of that month to be captain in the 21st foot, the Earl of Panmure's regiment. He did good service at the siege of Ostend, which capitulated to the French on 13 Aug. Under the terms of the capitulation he rejoined the Duke of Cumberland's army, but he was recalled to England in the autumn to aid in crushing the Stuart rebellion.
On 4 Nov. Watson went north and was present at the siege and recapture on 29 Dec. 1745 of Carlisle, and at the battle of Falkirk on 17 Jan. 1746. For his services he was promoted on the next day to be lieutenant-colonel in the army. He took part in the battle of Culloden on 16 April 1746, and remained in the highlands to design and superintend the erection of some barracks at Inversnaid, between Loch Katrine and Loch Lomond. He designed in April 1747 a new magazine for Edinburgh Castle. His designs for all these works are in the British Museum. On 3 Jan. 1748 Watson was promoted to be engineer-extraordinary on the establishment.
In 1747 Watson submitted a scheme for a survey of North Britain. The advantage of such an undertaking was particularly evident at that time, and the king directed that it should be proceeded with at once. Watson was appointed superintendent, with the title of deputy-quartermaster-general in Scotland, and a brigade of engineers was sent to act under his orders. With the execution of this survey, or extended military reconnaissance, was combined an enlargement of Marshal Wade's plan of connecting the highlands and lowlands, and opening up the country by means of good roads. Watson laid out the directions of the different tracks, and paid special attention to the main roads. He formed a camp near Fort Augustus as a centre for the troops employed upon the works, who were despatched thence to outlying stations. He continued this work for several years, completing it with bridges, culverts, and channels; and the troops employed, proud of their labour in so important a public work, erected memorials by the wayside bearing records of the dates and names of the regiments employed.
Watson was assisted, both in this work and the survey, by two very able young men, his nephew David Dundas (1735–1820) [q. v.] and William Roy (1726–1790) [q. v.] Roy joined him in 1746, and Dundas six years later. Watson carried out in 1748, in addition to his other work, improvements to the defences of the castles of Braemar and Corgarff. Four plans by him of these castles
