As I pursue my principal wargaming interest - Montrose's battles - I become more and more confused about weapons, tactics, and organization. Many views, some seemingly realistic (but with limited hard facts) and some romantic (even fewer facts but way more fun), which lead one to a different conclusion each day.
I have decided that my knowledge of the history of the Scottish Highlands is so meager that I need to probably begin there. This forum has been helpful before (several posters pointing me to new research and critical analysis) and I hope you folks can do so again.
Is there a recent, academically well accepted source for reading Highland history?
I apologize for my grammar, spelling, and the flagrant use of dashes and parentheses. :)
I remain, sirs (and possibly ma'ams), your humble, etc. etc.
d_Guy
Depends how deep you want/need to go. Scots Armies of the English Civil Wars (Osprey Military, Men-at-arms 331, 1999) by the redoubtable Stuart Reid is a good introduction to the "Montrose" period. I had professional opportunity to check one section relating to the Scots Army sent to Ulster in 1642 and found Reid had really done his homework.
From a gamers point of view Graham Turner turns in some excellent art work as a painting guide.
Do you require more academic socio-cultural history of the highlands in the 17th Century?
This site has shedloads of stuff on the ECW in general, including stuff north of the border.
http://bcw-project.org/ (http://bcw-project.org/)
I just typed in 'History of Scotland' into Google and this came up near the top of the list: it should give you all the tartans you are ever likely to paint!
http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/The-Great-Clans-of-Scotland/ (http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/The-Great-Clans-of-Scotland/)
I have quite a few books on the ECW and would recommend HCB Rogers, Battles and Generals of the Civil Wars which gives a fair wedge of stuff on Montrose's army.
Like Sunray, I would also recommend Stuart Reid's ECW booklets. (Haven't actually got any but the word on the street is that are quite good.)
MickS
I've got three 'Scots Armies of the 17th Century' by Stuart Reid:
1. The Army of the Covenant 1639 - 51.
2. Scots Colours (a lot of the items featured are from Dunbar which is a bit late).
3. The Royalist Armies 1639 - 46.
Pretty good.
If you want a bit more on customs and practices then 'Celtic Warfare' 1595 -1763 by James Michael Hill is not bad and has some interesting thoughts on the Highland way of war exported.
As to Highland history, nobody really wrote it as 'the Highlands' was pretty much a no go area; little thought of and little regarded by the rest of Scotland. Speaking a different language and religious differences didn't help. Johnson and Boswell's journal of their tour in Scotland was published in 1785 but will still give a pretty good idea of what the place and people were like (prejudices aside).
If you want an introduction at the academic end, I would recommend the Journal of Scottish Historical Studies published by Edinburgh University Press. You can browse on line and search the particular edition/article that you fancy. Its the best bi-annual journal of its genre
I tell my students that they haven't time to read vast and heavy books- skim, glean and gut from the journals and you will find what you are looking for, or get to the fulcrum of the contentious debate. Most articles are tight 5,000 word papers on a range of social, cultural, religious and military topics.
The JSHS also reviews all new books on Scottish history and has done so since 1980.
Thanks for the responses gentlemen.
I do tend to follow Reid as a general guide to Montrose's campaigns. Hill was mentioned and Stevenson is also good. Hill and Reid have differing views with the latter emphasizing the move toward musket and pike for the highlanders, at least as an ideal. In playing out wargames for Montrose's battles I change up the weapons (or weapons systems) mix as I progress.
Both of Subedai's links are good. Have been a fan of BCWProject for a good while but never got the second one on any of my searches so thanks.
Sunray (or Sunday, as the spell checker insists :)) may really be on point with the socio-cultural aspects of the highlands. I am curious about how armies (warbands?) where assembled and armed in the Highlands from say 1400 forward. There seems to be a tension between clan obligations and feudal obligations particularly as the Scottish kingdom grew in centralized power. I think that this might help decide how Highland clan levies were armed and organized in the early to mid 17th century. Thanks for the journal reference.
Like the Highlands "no go zone" idea that SV52 mentions. Trying to find some coherent (I.e. understandable in Amerienglish :)) that overviews 1400 - 1700 in the Highlands.
Have at the moment to read:
Clan Warefare in the Scottish Highlands (D.N.Mackay, 1922)
Scottish Highlands Clans and Regiments, vol1 (J.S. Keltie, circa 1870)
Feuds, Forays and Rebellions - History of the Highland Clans 1475 - 1625 (J.L. Roberts, 1999)
Much to wade through so stil hoping for a single more inclusive (yet concise) source.