Scottish-American Military Society Post 2 "Post of the Potomac"

Scottish-American Military Society Post 2 "Post of the Potomac" The Scottish–American Military Society (SAMS) is a non-profit veterans organization.

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03/05/2026

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On this day in 1811, a 62 year old Scottish widower led one of the most astonishing battlefield upsets of the Napoleonic Wars.

Thomas Graham of Balgowan was never meant to be a soldier. He was a wealthy Perthshire laird whose life revolved around his wife, Mary Cathcart, the elegant woman immortalised in the Thomas Gainsborough’s famous full-length portrait.

But in 1792, Mary tragically died of consumption while they were travelling in France. Heartbroken, Thomas placed her in a sealed casket and hired a barge to bring her home to Scotland.

But as they neared Toulouse, a mob of French Revolutionary Guards stopped them.
Ignoring his desperate pleas, they brutally smashed open Mary's coffin and desecrated her remains to search for smuggled valuables.

Thomas Graham returned to Scotland and made a cold, terrifying vow.
He was going to kill as many Frenchmen as he possibly could.

In his mid forties, an age when most men were retiring, Graham joined the army and raised his own Scottish military regiment, the 90th Foot, entirely at his own expense.

He taught himself warfare.
He proved to be a ruthless, brilliant commander, rapidly rising through the ranks to become one of the Duke of Wellington's most trusted generals.

Then came 5 March 1811.

Now 62 years old, General Graham was commanding a British force near Cádiz in Spain when his Spanish allies suddenly retreated, leaving him completely trapped by a massive French army at the Battle of Barrosa.

The French held the high ground. They had the numbers. They expected Graham to surrender or flee.

Instead, Graham drew his sword and ordered a devastating, blind-rage uphill bayonet charge directly into the teeth of the French guns.

In savage, brutal close fighting, Graham's outnumbered men absolutely shattered two elite French divisions.
In the chaos, they captured the French Imperial Eagle of the 8th Ligne, the very first eagle captured by the British in the entire Peninsular War, complete with a solid gold wreath awarded by Napoleon Bonaparte himself.

A grieving Scot had just stolen Napoleon's favorite trophy.

It was one of the most stunning tactical victories of the Peninsular War

Thomas Graham lived to be 95 years old.
For half a century, he never remarried, wearing his wedding ring until the day he died.
When his will was read, Mary's portrait was donated to the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh.

But Graham attached one legally binding condition.
She must never, ever leave Scotland.

A reminder that you should never, ever stand between a grieving Scot and his revenge. ⚔️💔

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02/03/2026

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In 1905, a woman stepped off a boat onto the remote sands of Eriskay, carrying a heavy, strange-looking machine. To the locals, it was an alien contraption, but to her, it was the only way to save the soul of a dying culture.

At the time, the traditional melodies of the Scottish Hebrides were fading away like the evening mist. As the older generation passed on, their ancient Gaelic songs were going to the grave with them.

Marjory Kennedy-Fraser realized that a thousand years of history were about to be silenced forever. She decided she could not let that happen, no matter the cost or the physical toll of the journey.

She was born in 1857 in Perth, raised in a home where music was as essential as breathing. But nothing prepared her for the raw, haunting beauty of the islanders' working songs.

But the task was grueling. She traveled by cart, by small boat, and on foot across rugged terrain that would have discouraged most men of her era.

She lugged a wax cylinder phonograph from cottage to cottage. She faced suspicion from some and weather that bit through the thickest wool.

She listened. She recorded. She transcribed.

She saw their hardship. She saw their isolation. She saw their incredible resilience.

Marjory spent over twenty-five years capturing the vibrations of a people who had been ignored by the modern world. She wasn't just collecting notes; she was documenting the rhythmic heart of Scotland.

Her work eventually filled three massive volumes titled "Songs of the Hebrides." It brought the music of the shepherds and the fishermen to the great concert halls of the world.

Because of her, those melodies didn't vanish into the Atlantic wind. They were preserved forever on wax and paper for every generation that followed.

She was eventually awarded an honorary Doctor of Music for her tireless efforts. Her archive remains a treasure trove for historians today.

We often think of history as dates and battles, but sometimes it is simply the sound of a human voice across the water.

One woman ensured that the music of her ancestors would never be forgotten.

Sources: National Library of Scotland / University of Edinburgh Archives

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
12/21/2025

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

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