The Haughs o' Cromdale

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Melody -
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From the Scottish Minstrel

As I cam in by Auchendoun
Just a wee bit frae the toon
Tae the Hielands I was bound
Tae view the Haughs o' Cromdale
I met a man in tartan trews
Speired at him what was the news
Quo' he, "The Hieland army rues
That e'er we cam to Cromdale"

2. We were in bed sir every man
When the Engligh host upon us cam
A bloody battle then began
Upon the Haughs o' Cromdale
The English horse they were sae rude
They bathed their hooves in Hielan' blood
But oor brave clans they boldly stood
Upon the Haughs o' Cromdale.

3. But alas we could no longer stay
And o'er the hills we cam' away
Sair we did lament that day
That e'er we cam' tae Cromdale
Thus the great Montrose did say
Hielan' Man show me the way
I will over the hills this day
To view the Haughs o' Cromdale.

4. Alas, my lord, you're not so strong,
You scarcely have two thousand men,
And there's twenty thousand on the plain,
Stand rank and file on Cromdale.
Thus the great Montrose did say,
I say, direct the nearest way,
For I will o'er the hills this day,
And see the haughs of Cromdale.

5. They were at dinner every man
When great Montrose upon them cam'
A second battle then began
Upon the Haughs o' Cromdale
The Grant, Mackenzie and MacKay
As Montrose they did espy
Then they fought most valiantly
Upon the Haughs o' Cromdale.

6. The MacDonalds they returned again
The Camerons did their standards join
MacIntosh played a bloody game
Upon the Haughs o' Cromdale
The Gordons boldly did advance
The Frasers fought with sword and lance
The Grahams they made the heids tae dance
Upon the Haughs o' Cromdale.

7. MacLeans, MacDougals, and MacNeils,
So boldly as they took the field,
And make their enemies to yield,
Upon the haughs of Cromdale.
The Gordons boldly did advance,
The Frasers fought with sword and lance,
The Grahams they made the heads to dance,
Upon the Haughs o' Cromdale.

8. Then the loyal Stewarts wi' Montrose
So boldly set upon their foes
Laid them low wi' Hieland blows
Played them all on Cromdale
Of twenty thousand Cromwell's men
A thousand fled tae Aberdeen
The rest o' them lie on the plain
There on the Haughs o' Cromdale.


This song actually combines elements from two different battles, 45 years apart, not to mention the battles were quite some distance from each other! The first is from Montrose's victory at Auldearn, 1645, against a Covenanter Army. The second is from the Jacobite Rebellion in 1690, when the writer's clan was defeated. Thus, he completely muddied history by bringing Montrose back to life to win some fictitious battle. Makes for good singing b ut do not rely on the historical names or nature of the lyrics. The catchy tune rapidly spread throughout Scotland, and was played on many battlefields to inspire Scottish units.

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