Post by Waverley on Nov 30, 2006 20:29:45 GMT 1
Camlachie was once the country residence of a celebrated officer British Army Officer. In days goneby, no barracks existed in Glasgow, and when a regiment came to town the soldiers were quartered on the inhabitants. In March 1749, Lord George Sackville's regiment arrived under the command of its Lieutenant-Colonel, James Wolfe. He fell to the lot of a Mr. Orr, who assigned to him, as quarters, the Camlachie mansion. Wolfe was then only twenty-two, but had seen much service in Flanders, having entered the army at the early age of fifteen, under his father, a Veteran General, and only three years before his arrival in Glasgow, had been at Culloden. Legend records that he was told by the Duke of Cumberland to shA number of Wolfe's letters are preserved, written from this queer old house in Camlachie. In one of these to an intimate brother officer, dated 2nd April, 1749, Wolfe delivers himself of the following piece of high-treason, - "The women here (Glasgow), are coarse, cold, and cunning, for ever inquiring after men's circumstances. They make that the standard of their good breeding. You may imagine it would not be difficult for me to be pretty well received here if I took pains, having some of the advantages necessary to recommend me to their favour . . ."
When Wolfe terminated his brilliant career, ten years afterwards, at the capture of Quebec, which gave Canada to Britain, old citizens of the last generation recalled his appearance, tall and slender, riding to and from his Camlachie quarters, on a spirited grey charger.
When Wolfe terminated his brilliant career, ten years afterwards, at the capture of Quebec, which gave Canada to Britain, old citizens of the last generation recalled his appearance, tall and slender, riding to and from his Camlachie quarters, on a spirited grey charger.