Siol nan Gaidheal forum

(A soldier from the Southern Bolivarian Army c. 1821)

There are screeds of missing pages from Scottish history, and here's one more perhaps.

Several years ago I was listening to a talk the other day about Ecuador, and someone mentioned something called "The Albion Brigade" (actually Batallón Albión).

The Albión Battalion, presumably sent there by the British Army, consisted almost entirely of Scots and Irish and fought in the north of South America alongside the legendary Simón Bolívar. Bolívar is a folk hero in South America (especially his native Venezuela), since he liberated them from Spanish rule, and try to establish democracy in the region. Probably the Brits wanted to depose the Spanish - and it's worth bearing in mind that the French were conquering Spain at this point.

Ecuador looks tiny on the map, because the countries beside it are so huge. In actual fact, it works out to be substantially bigger than the UK as a whole. And because it is located in the Andes, communications are difficult even today. Back then, there would have only been a handful of rope bridges, and dirt tracks through jungle, gorges etc amongst some of the highest mountains in the world. The insect life there is also supposedly hellish. God knows what these people would have gone through, but presumably the Scots in the Albion Brigade would have had some experience of mountainous terrain.

I have not been able to find out too much about this event, but presumably the troop would have been in the region c. October, 1820 with General Sucre (Antonio José de Sucre Alcalá), and reached Guayaquil in May 1821.

Supposedly, there are a number of memorials to this brigade in Ecuador, and they are fairly well remembered there.

No one has ever heard of them in Scotland.

_________________
"The thistle rises and forever will" - MacDiarmid

NB - I am not the same person as the poster "Scottish republic".

The actual name of this volunteer force was the British Legion, of which the Albion Battalion was part. The make up of the "Legion" was actually 50 per cent Irish, 25 per cent English, 5 per cent Scottish and the rest came from France, Italy, Poland, Germany, and a few other countries. This force, which was originally raised in 1817, served Simon Bolivar with distinction until 1821/22.

Reference please.

_________________
"The thistle rises and forever will" - MacDiarmid

NB - I am not the same person as the poster "Scottish republic".

aye unknown chihuahua,
references
there was a british legion there serving Bolivar however there is absolutely no reference to the Scottish Battalion in any writings about the legion.
new year eh but the same old pish from you..lol

Conquer Or Die, by Ben Hughes. A history about Wellington`s veterans and the liberation of the New World. Osprey Publishing. A fairly recent book (published 2010), it should be available from your local library.

Aye, very nice... no page numbers then?

I trust Pax's comments more than yours.

Actually at no point did I deny that English folk were involved in the matter. Possibly were. I'm not that interested in English history, it's on TVs and in newspapers all over Scotland. I've never seen anything about this.

Funnily enough, I've never seen a TV programme about the abysmal attempt to invade Buenos Aires by the British. Nor very much about battles in France which the English lost (plenty about Agincourt). Scots are guilty of that with Bannockburn, but we also remember Flodden and Culloden, which were not victories for the Scottish army or the Jacobites.

_________________
"The thistle rises and forever will" - MacDiarmid

NB - I am not the same person as the poster "Scottish republic".

What the hell are you on about, Scottish Republican? You asked where I got my information from regarding the British Legion and I gave it. What has Agincourt, Culloden and such you mentioned got to do with Simon Bolivar`s campaigns agains the Spanish? Was it the fact that there was more English than Scots in the British Legion that needled you? If so, you may take solace from the fact that the Scots provided a large number of the officer class in the British legion. Colonel Donald MacDonald, James Macintosh, John Macintosh for instance. These three are just examples of some Scottish officers who fought well and died bravely in that largely forgotten war.

Now Scottish Republican, if you just don`t like the English, then it`s fine by me. I just do not give a damn. However, you must really read what I wrote and not what you thought I wrote, or hoped I had written. In fact, I`m half convince you are suffering from an advanced case of paranoia. Now, if you are prepared to discuss this subject of the British Legion with me in a sensible way, devoid of prejudice, with nationalism put to one side, then I will do it. If not, then I`m not bothered.

Page number(s) please. An entire book is not good enough.

Give specific references.

Perhaps you are unaware that I am a member of the National Library of Scotland, which is a copyright library and which will have any of the books (published in the UK and Ireland) you mention in it. So, don't go trying to "blind me with science". I can find out exactly what the books say within a day or two. If you can provide us with a page number to back up your claims.

_________________
"The thistle rises and forever will" - MacDiarmid

NB - I am not the same person as the poster "Scottish republic".

For goodness sake, just borrow the bloody book from the library as I did and then you will be able to read about the exploits of the British Legion and also the Irish Legion. What the hell is a matter with you? Are you unable to read a book from cover to cover?

I'm in the National Library of Scotland right now.

I wouldn't be able to get the book until tomorrow, if I order it (NLS closes at half eight), but...

Care to give me the page, or even the chapter?



I'm looking for specific information from you. Where's the problem?

The only reason you want me to read it cover to cover is so that you can avoid giving specific details. I can't even guarantee myself the information you refer to is in there. So why should I waste my time?

I probably read more books in a month than you do in an entire year, but anyway...

_________________
"The thistle rises and forever will" - MacDiarmid

NB - I am not the same person as the poster "Scottish republic".

The book in question is a library copy, and that is where the said book is now. Consequently, I cannot give you the information you require. If you do manage to obtain a copy, I`m sure you will find the book informative. Anyway, happy reading.

Consequently, you just plucked that book off a Google search, and have never read the thing.

_________________
"The thistle rises and forever will" - MacDiarmid

NB - I am not the same person as the poster "Scottish republic".

i take it from your inane comment that you have not obtained a copy of the book. Perhaps you are fearful of what you may find out. Anyway, it has been amusing as always to cross swords with you, but now I`m rather bored with your vacuous comments.

You didn't provide a reference. Therefore, I'm going to have to give you a "fail" on your paper.

I can get hold of the book whenever I want. You just provide the reference.

Tail between the legs...

_________________
"The thistle rises and forever will" - MacDiarmid

NB - I am not the same person as the poster "Scottish republic".