#rally driving day in Scotland

[neiljohnsblog]

Discover the Excitement of Rally Driving Days: What to Expect and How to Prepare

Scotland, with its rugged landscapes and winding roads, offers an ideal backdrop for rally enthusiasts. Rally-driving days in Scotland provide a unique opportunity for thrill-seekers and motorsport fans to experience the adrenaline of navigating challenging terrains in a high-performance vehicle. Whether you're a seasoned rally driver or a first-timer, these experiences promise an unforgettable adventure.

In this blog, we’ll explore what rally driving days in Scotland are all about, what you can expect, and how to prepare for this exhilarating activity.

Why Choose Scotland for Rally Driving?

Scotland's diverse terrain makes it a prime location for rally driving. From forest tracks and gravel trails to scenic open stretches, the country offers an authentic rallying experience. The dramatic landscapes and unpredictable weather add an extra layer of excitement, pushing drivers to adapt and hone their skills.

Rally driving days in Scotland are tailored for individuals and groups looking for a mix of challenge and fun. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply fulfilling a lifelong dream, this activity is bound to leave a lasting impression.

What to Expect on a Rally Driving Day

1. Comprehensive Briefing

Your rally driving day begins with a safety briefing and introduction to the car you’ll be driving. This is an essential part of the experience, as you'll learn about handling techniques, safety protocols, and the layout of the track or course.

2. Professional Guidance

Experienced rally instructors are on hand to guide you through every step. They provide one-on-one coaching, helping you master techniques such as drifting, throttle control, and navigating tight corners.

3. Hands-On Driving

The highlight of the day is, of course, getting behind the wheel. You'll experience the thrill of accelerating on straightaways, tackling challenging turns, and feeling the power of a rally car as you manoeuvre through the course.

4. Post-Driving Debrief

After your driving session, you’ll receive feedback on your performance. Instructors will offer improvement tips and may share insights on how to advance your rally driving skills.

How to Prepare for Rally Driving Days in Scotland

Preparing for rally driving days involves both mental and physical readiness. Here are several suggestions to help you maximize your experience.

1. Choose the Right Attire

Comfortable clothing and sturdy footwear are essential. Some venues provide specialized gear, but it’s always good to check in advance. Avoid loose clothing that could interfere with your control of the vehicle.

2. Stay Hydrated and Rested

Rally driving requires focus and quick reflexes, so being well-rested is crucial. Hydrate adequately before your session to keep your energy levels up.

3. Understand the Vehicle

If you have prior knowledge of rally cars, familiarize yourself with the type you’ll be driving. Most rally driving days offer vehicles with manual transmissions, so knowing how to operate one is a definite advantage.

4. Listen to Instructions

Your instructor’s guidance is invaluable. Pay close attention during the briefing and follow instructions during the drive to maximize safety and enjoyment.

The Benefits of Rally Driving

Rally driving days in Scotland offer more than just an adrenaline rush. They also provide valuable skills that can enhance your everyday driving abilities:

Improved Car Control: Learn advanced handling techniques to better manage your vehicle in challenging conditions.

Increased Confidence: Tackling rally courses builds confidence, helping you remain calm under pressure.

Memorable Experiences: The combination of scenic surroundings and thrilling activity makes rally driving an unforgettable adventure.

Best Locations for Rally Driving in Scotland

Scotland boasts a variety of venues ideal for rally driving, often located near scenic or historically significant areas. While we won't mention specific names, these venues typically offer a mix of forest tracks, gravel circuits, and tailored driving courses. They are designed to cater to all skill levels, from beginners to advanced rally enthusiasts.

Who Can Participate?

Rally driving days in Scotland are suitable for most individuals, provided they meet the minimum age and driving license requirements. Whether you're planning a solo adventure or a group outing, these experiences can be customized to fit your needs.

Gift the Experience of Rally Driving

Rally-driving days also make for exceptional gifts. They’re perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, or corporate events. Gift vouchers are often available, allowing recipients to book their session at a time that suits them.

Final Thoughts

Rally-driving days in Scotland are an incredible way to immerse yourself in the world of motorsport. The combination of stunning landscapes, expert guidance, and the raw thrill of rally driving makes these experiences second to none.

Whether you're looking to test your skills, celebrate a milestone, or simply try something new, rally driving days are a must for anyone seeking adventure. With the right preparation and mindset, you'll leave the day with a newfound appreciation for the art of rallying and memories that will last a lifetime.

Ready to experience the thrill of rally driving? Scotland is calling!

[johnalexcooper]

Get Behind the Wheel: Discover the Thrill of Rally Car Experience Days

Scotland’s rugged terrain and stunning landscapes make it the ultimate playground for motorsport enthusiasts. Rally Car Experience Days in Scotland offer a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the exhilarating world of rally driving, combining the adrenaline of speed with the challenge of handling various surfaces and conditions. Whether you’re an aspiring rally driver or just looking for a thrilling adventure, these experiences are designed to deliver unforgettable memories.

What Are Rally Car Experience Days?

Rally Car Experience Days are specially curated events where participants can drive powerful rally cars under the guidance of professional instructors. These events typically take place in off-road settings, including purpose-built tracks, forests, and open countryside, offering a variety of terrains like gravel, mud, and tarmac.

Participants are introduced to the fundamentals of rally driving, including handling oversteer, mastering sharp turns, and perfecting braking techniques. The goal is to replicate the authentic feel of rallying, allowing you to unleash your inner driver in a safe and controlled environment.

Why Choose Scotland for Your Rally Car Experience?

Scotland is renowned for its breathtaking natural beauty, but it’s also a haven for motorsport enthusiasts. The country’s diverse landscapes provide the ideal backdrop for rally driving, with tracks that test both driver skill and vehicle performance. Here’s why Scotland is the perfect destination:

Diverse Terrain: From forest trails to rugged gravel roads, Scotland’s varied topography offers a dynamic rally driving experience.

Picturesque Settings: Each turn and straightaway offers a view of Scotland’s iconic landscapes, making your rally experience as scenic as it is thrilling.

Rich Motorsport Heritage: Scotland has a proud history of motorsport, making it a fitting location to experience the world of rally driving firsthand.

What to Expect During a Rally Car Experience Day in Scotland

Professional Instruction

Your day begins with a safety briefing and an introduction to the basics of rally driving. Professional instructors provide detailed guidance on vehicle controls, driving techniques, and the dynamics of rally cars.

Practical Driving Sessions

The heart of the experience lies in getting behind the wheel. Participants take to the track to practice essential rally skills, such as power sliding, handbrake turns, and negotiating tight corners. You’ll feel the thrill of controlling a rally car as it navigates challenging terrain.

Timed Laps and Challenges

Some experiences include competitive elements, such as timed laps or obstacle challenges, adding an extra layer of excitement. These sessions allow you to test your skills and see how you measure up against others.

Memorable Atmosphere

The camaraderie among participants and the enthusiastic support of instructors create an electrifying atmosphere. Whether you’re cheering others on or pushing your limits on the track, the energy is contagious.

Who Can Participate?

Rally Car Experience Days in Scotland cater to a wide range of participants. You don’t need prior driving experience to join—most experiences are beginner-friendly. However, a valid driver’s license is typically required. For those with advanced skills, many providers offer tailored experiences to push your abilities to the next level.

Perfect for Special Occasions

Rally Car Experience Days aren’t just for motorsport enthusiasts; they’re also a fantastic way to celebrate special occasions. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, or corporate team-building event, rally experiences provide a unique and unforgettable way to mark the day.

The Benefits of a Rally Car Experience Day

Adrenaline Rush: Few activities can match the thrill of rally driving, where speed meets skill.

Skill Development: Learn advanced driving techniques that improve your overall vehicle control.

Memorable Experience: Create lasting memories in a unique setting that combines adventure with Scotland’s natural beauty.

Stress Relief: The focus required during rally driving provides a welcome escape from the pressures of daily life.

Top Tips for Your Rally Car Experience Day

Dress Comfortably: Wear clothing that allows freedom of movement and sturdy shoes suitable for driving.

Stay Hydrated: Bring water and snacks to keep your energy levels up throughout the day.

Listen to the Instructors: Pay attention to their advice—they’ll help you get the most out of your experience.

Embrace the Challenge: Rally driving is all about pushing boundaries, so don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone.

Why Rally Car Experience Days in Scotland Make a Great Gift

If you’re searching for a unique gift idea, look no further than Rally Car Experience Days in Scotland. Perfect for adventure seekers, car enthusiasts, or anyone who loves a challenge, these experiences provide the ultimate thrill. They also make excellent last-minute gift options, as many providers offer vouchers or digital gift certificates.

Conclusion

Rally Car Experience Days in Scotland offer an unparalleled opportunity to immerse yourself in the excitement of rally driving while surrounded by some of the most stunning landscapes in the world. With professional instruction, diverse terrains, and an adrenaline-fueled atmosphere, these experiences promise memories that will last a lifetime.

So, why wait? Get behind the wheel, feel the power of a rally car, and discover the thrill that only Scotland can provide. Rally driving isn’t just an activity—it’s an adventure that leaves you exhilarated, inspired, and yearning for more.

[scotianostra]

12th January 1777 saw the death of Brigadier-General Hugh Mercer, the Scottish-born American revolutionary general.

Hugh Mercer was born in 1726 to Ann Monro and William Mercer, a Presbyterian Minister,  near Rosehearty Aberdeenshire. He earned his doctorate in medicine at the University of Aberdeen and, later, served as a surgeon in the army of Charles Edward Stuart, a during the Jacobite uprising of 1745, Mercer became a fugitive in his own country. He managed to flee Scotland for the American colonies, where he settled in Pennsylvania and established a medical practice.

In  1756, Mercer, like many Jacobites, was serving the same army that had been his enemy only a decade earlier. During the Seven Years’ War, he received a commission as captain of a Pennsylvania regiment that accompanied Lt. Col. John Armstrong’s raid on the Indian village of Kittanning. Mercer was wounded during the raid but managed to escape through the woods, wandering injured, alone, and hungry for days until he reached Fort Shirley. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of colonel and, as a result, became close friends with fellow colonel George Washington.

In the early days of the Revolution, Mercer took command of a small force of Virginia Minute Men from Spotsylvania, King George, Stafford, and Caroline Counties. Eventually, he rose to the rank of brigadier general in the Continental Army, and in the winter of 1776 accompanying his old acquaintance, George Washington, in the New York City Campaign, and subsequent retreat to New Jersey.

Following the Patriot victory at Trenton, New Jersey, Mercer led a vanguard of 350 soldiers toward Princeton, New Jersey with orders from Washington to destroy the Stony Brook Bridge. On January 3, 1777, Mercer met a larger British force at Clarke’s Orchard. The struggle between these two forces quickly turned into a race to secure the strategic position on the heights of a nearby hill. During the struggle, musket and rifle fire turned to hand-to-hand combat with bayonets. Unfortunately, an overwhelming majority of Mercer’s men had no bayonets on their muskets. As his men began to fall back, Mercer stepped forward and desperately rallied his men with the words “Forward! Forward!” His command was met by the forceful thrust of British bayonets to his chest, and he fell to the ground.

Finding Mercer still alive, Continental soldiers removed him to a nearby oak tree, which would later bear his name, and finally to the field hospital in the Thomas Clarke House, where he died of his wounds on January 12th, 1777. The Patriots ultimately succeeded in driving the British from Princeton, and the legacy of General Mercer’s courageous efforts became a rallying cry for American troops.

The pics are of of Mercer, and depictions of his demise the statue is of the General in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

[bertiebusyt]

Nightmare Van Life Problems could have been Disastrous

Nightmare Van Life Problems could have been Disastrous https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX06FDc6MH8 What a DISASTROUS day, Van Life Fuel PROBLEMS from cheap Supermarket DIESEL . Welcome back to our channel as we experience fuel problems after using cheap supermarket fuel when suddenly the EDC engine warning light comes on as our motorhome started juddering and misfiring whilst driving along a busy dual carrageway .We have to do an emergency stop and panicked to find a solution 0n the road . Find out what we did to try and resolve the issue before a complete breakdown . Plus we book onto a campsite but when we turn up there is a rally on and we was not welcome and did not want to risk getting stuck on a muddy field so we had to turn around to try and find somewhere else late at night to park up . We then had trouble paying for the park up online as it would not accept our payment . Todays Vlog is all about us not having a great day in Van Life and how we overcome the issues thrown at us all within a few hours . We give some valuable advice from what we have learnt through real situations and real events in our Motorhome life . In this Vlog we include ; Fuel Problems Booked Campsite Issues Solutions on the road Overnight park up Van Life Travel Pets in Our Motorhome Beautiful Beach and Castle 🔔Hit subscribe to join our travelling family & never miss an update on motorhome adventure, real-time vlogs, travel tips, and loads of laughter. / @bertiebus 🔗Support Our Channel ☕Buy us a coffee: https://ift.tt/0TFAMjC ✅ Stay Connected With Us. 👉Facebook:https://ift.tt/a2rNbWs?... 👉Instagram: https://ift.tt/sBylGiC... 📩 For Business Inquiries: needham1505@gmail.com ============================= 🎬 Recommended Playlist 👉 Bertie Bus • How We Got Lost In Mallaig: A Van Lif... 🎬 WATCH OUR OTHER VIDEOS: 👉 We SCREWED up in MALLAIG Scotland 👉 Someone has hit our van in the car park 👉 Flooded Sink Problems .The jo 👉 Anchored down on the West Coast of Scotland., Living in a Motorhome on the road full time . • The Best Fish & Chips on the West Coa... 👉 Strange happenings in our MOTORHOME VAN LIFE ============================= ✅ About Bertie Bus. Hi guys. We are John and Zoe. We started our YouTube channel in Aug 2022. We live full-time in our motorhome called Bertie. We have two gorgeous border collies with us on our travels. We release a vlog every few days and keep it real and entertaining. We also keep it within two days of where we are. Please join our family and become one of our friends. Please subscribe and follow our adventures for tips and ideas or just to laugh with us and our banter with each other ❤️ For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below: 📩 Email: needham1505@gmail.com 🔔Hit subscribe to join our travelling family & never miss an update on motorhome adventure, real-time vlogs, travel tips, and loads of laughter. / @bertiebus ================================= #vanlife #travelwithpets #traveltips #motorhome #livinginavan #problem #travelvlog ⚠️DISCLAIMER: We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of watching any of our publications. You acknowledge that you use the information we provide at your own risk. Do your research. Copyright Notice: This video and our YouTube channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of Bertie Bus. You are authorized to share the video link and channel and embed this video in your website or others as long as a link back to our YouTube channel is provided. © Bertie Bus via Bertie Bus https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwG3U4blYbNJ5biJvFIydZA June 03, 2024 at 12:00PM

[cllrfrasermacpherson]

Temporary Traffic Order - Trade Unions May Day March tomorrow

From the City Council : THE ROADS (SCOTLAND) ACT 1984 – SECTION 62 THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of the Trade Unions May Day March and Rally HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in : 1 Blackness Road (from Unite the Union car park to Hawkhill)2 Hawkhill (from Blackness Road to West Marketgait)3 West…

[dragonstepp]

I have read so many comments about Sam and his showing off a bottle of Sassenach when the emphasis seems to be on the new Triumph. I have not figured out which Sam to listen to. He says he is passionate about Scotland; he says he isyhas so many other interests, his organizations for cancer research, his endowments, his work for MPC and the environment. I praise him for all of these things. But he is going to burn out if he keeps so many fires going.

Anyway, he is putting a lot of work into his distilling business, and that is where I think his true interests lie these days. And that brings me to his many poses for products. The Sassenach is used as product placement - in other words, he uses his primary product usages, whether he is modeling a new outfit, a new car, a new motorcycle, to promote his Sassenach alcohol products by product placement.

This can be used for many things. I watch Ford vs Ferrari evheery time it comes on TV. One of the stars is Cait; of her three movies I have seen, Belfast, Money Monster, and this one, Ford vs Ferrari, this is the best. I can safely say the reason is because I like Cait, and I like car racing. It is one of my passions. Today I noticed the Coke product placement. I enjoy, when I see movies or series to watch for product placement.

Anyway I imagine Sam is aware of drinking and driving, and the dangers; my curiosity with this motorcycle, though, is that the seat does not allow for riders riding pinion, so what do they need two cups for. Just a place to put drinks for two for a rally? or a picnic? If so, then they are saying have a drink or six before you get back on the bike again.

Sometimes folks just don't think it through.

C

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A post shared by Sam Heughan (@samheughan)

[blackswaneuroparedux]

The Scots Greys and the turning of the tide at Battle of Waterloo

They never consider the situation, never think of manoeuvring before an enemy and never keep back or provide a reserve. They’re charging at everything!

- Duke of Wellington reflecting on the charge of the British cavalry after the Battle of Maguilla in 1812

The Duke of Wellington was never pleased with his cavalry. In Spain he  condemned them for “charging at everything”, getting cut up in the  process or finding themselves on a distant part of the battlefield,  horses blown, at the very moment they were needed elsewhere. So at Waterloo the Iron Duke intended to keep the mounted arm on a tight rein.

It was, after all, the first time he would actually face Napoleon in  the field, and the situation was not auspicious. He had been taken by  surprise. He famously learnt of the sudden appearance of the French on  the border with the Southern Netherlands (now Belgium) at the Duchess of  Richmond’s ball in Brussels on 15 June. “Napoleon has humbugged me, by  God!” The following day his Prussian allies were worsted at Ligny. Hs  own troops, rushed forward to nearby Quatre Bras, were badly mauled. He  was on the back foot.

But his capacity to anticipate setbacks paid dividends. Some weeks  earlier he had chosen a piece of ground on which to make a stand if the  French were to come. The ridge of Mont St Jean, a mile south of the  village of Waterloo athwart the main road from Charleroi to Brussels.  The ridge ran north-east to south-west for about three miles, two-thirds  of which Wellington was able to occupy with infantry and artillery. To  support these he would post two brigades of light cavalry on the left  (east) flank and three on the right. Two brigades of heavy cavalry,  including the Scots Greys or, as they were then more properly known, the  2nd Royal (North British) Dragoons, would be in the centre. And to each  of the cavalry brigadiers, as well as to the Earl of Uxbridge (later  Marquess of Anglesey), the commander of the Allied cavalry and his  second in command, Wellington gave strict instructions not to leave  their positions without his express order.

The Duke was essentially a general who preferred to choose his  ground, make the enemy attack him and then use the superior musketry of  his infantry to defeat them. He intended Waterloo to be just such a  battle. In addition, for the first time he had the benefit of a strong  force of heavy cavalry inclusing the Scots Greys – bigger men, bigger  swords, bigger horses – to counter the French heavy cavalry or break up  an assault that threatened to overwhelm his infantry. And, indeed, the  charge of these two brigades, best known perhaps for Lady (Elizabeth)  Butler’s 1881 painting Scotland Forever! depicting the Scots Greys  galloping wildly at the French, would be one of the critical actions of  the battle, even, some argue, its turning point.

The Scots Greys had been formed in 1681 from a number of independent  troops of dragoons (originally men who dismounted to fight with the  musket, rather than fight from the saddle with sword and pistol), and  known as The Royal Regiment of Scots Dragoons. The “grey” of their later  title may at this time have referred to their uniform, for it was not  for a dozen years that this changed to red, and there is no record that  the Scots Greys used grey horses exclusively.

However, when inspected by King William III (William of Orange) in  1693 it was noted that the Scots Greys regiment were all mounted on  greys. Soon afterwards they were being referred to as the “Grey  Dragoons” or the “Scots Regiment of Grey Dragoons”. In 1707, after the  Act of Union, they were restyled “North British”, as the parliamentary  union envisaged Scotland to be. Not until 1877 would their nickname be  made official. They became the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys),  inverted after the First World War to The Royal Scots Greys (2nd  Dragoons). They kept this title for 50 years until amalgamating with the  3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales’s Dragoon Guards) to form the Royal  Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys).

When Napoleon escaped from Elba at the end of February 1815 to begin his  “Hundred Days”, the ill-starred attempt to retake the French crown and  continue his imperial ambitions, the Greys were one of a number of  regiments rushed to Belgium that had yet to fight “Napoleonic” troops.  Indeed, by the time of Waterloo few Scots Greys had seen battle - and  they were keen to make up for it.

Their moment came in the early afternoon of 18 June, when it looked as  if Wellington’s line at Waterloo would break. The Comte d’Erlon’s corps  of three infantry divisions, some 14,000 men, with 6,000 cavalry,  assaulted the Allied left wing and centre, which was held by  Dutch-Belgian brigades and Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Picton’s 5th  Division, the latter experienced Peninsular troops.

As d’Erlon’s men ascended the slope towards the sunken road that ran  the length of the ridge left of La Haye Sainte, driving back the British  skirmishers and reaching the thick hedge that fringed the road,  Picton’s men stood up, formed into a four-deep line to guard against  cavalry attack, advanced and began volleying.

However, the French deployed unusually quickly into line and returned  fire. Picton himself was killed after ordering a counter-attack in  language profane even by his own legendary standards, and soon his  troops were giving way under the pressure of numbers. At two o’clock  Napoleon appeared to be winning the Battle of Waterloo.

But Lieutenant-General the Earl of Uxbridge was a cavalry commander  of genius. Earlier estranged from Wellington on account of eloping with  the Duke’s youngest brother’s wife, he had been disbarred from service  in the Peninsula after brilliantly covering Sir John Moore’s gruelling  retreat to Corunna. But his cavalry coup d’oeil had not deserted him,  nor his moral courage. Despite the Duke’s orders that none of the  cavalry was to quit the ground it had been posted on without his express  will, Uxbridge ordered his two brigades – the Household Brigade (1st  and 2nd Life Guards, Royal Horse Guards and 1st (King’s) Dragoon Guards)  and the Union Brigade, so-called for its English, Scots and Irish  regiments (1st Royal Dragoons, 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons, and the  Scots Greys) – to charge in support of the hard-pressed infantry.

With a combined strength of nearly 2,500 sabres and led by Uxbridge,  the heavies advanced. The Household Brigade was first into the charge,  sweeping back the cuirassiers guarding d’Erlon’s left flank. To the  Household’s left the Union Brigade surged through the lines of  red-coated infantry in the sunken road, where some Gordon Highlanders  grasped their stirrups to get at the French, and at the foot of the  slope routed the two advanced infantry brigades of General Joachim  Quiot’s division, the Royals, capturing the eagle of the 105th Ligne  while Sergeant Ewart of the Greys, 6ft 4in tall and a master swordsman  and rider, captured the eagle of the 45th Ligne.

Only two eagles were  captured that day.

As with the Household, however, the officers of the Union Brigade  were finding it difficult to rein in their troops, and the heavies lost  all cohesion. With many casualties and still trying to reorder, the  Greys now found themselves before the main French lines, their horses  blown, though some galloped on to attack the guns of the Grande  Batterie. This was too much for Napoleon, who had hitherto left the  conduct of the battle to Marshal Michel Ney. He promptly ordered a  counter-attack by two cuirassier brigades and Baron Jacquinot’s two  Polish lancer regiments (a charge also painted by Lady Butler).

As  Major-General Sir William Ponsonby tried to rally his brigade he was  captured by Jacquinot’s men, whereupon several Greys galloped to their  brigadier’s rescue but the lancers at once killed him and three of his  would-be rescuers, who could do nothing to overcome the lance’s reach.  The rest of the heavies might also have been speared or sabred had it  not been for a counter-charge by Major-General Sir John Vandeleur’s  light dragoon brigade and two of Dutch-Belgians from the left flank, who  had also disobeyed Wellington’s orders to stay put.

The charge saved the remnants of the Household and Union brigades but  their casualties had been heavy, including the Greys’  lieutenant-colonel, James Hamilton, who was killed. The official  recorded losses for both brigades that day were 1,205 troopers and 1,303  horses, an extremely high proportion.

However, 14,000 French troops of D’Erlon’s corps had been committed  to the attack on the Allied centre at a cost of some 3,000 casualties  and irrecoverable time. It was four o’clock before they were ready to  advance again, by when, with the Allied line holding along the ridge and  Prussian troops beginning to arrive on the field from the east, it was  be-coming clear that Napoleon had lost the battle, although there would  be another two hours of increasingly desperate, bloody but futile French  attacks before Wellington judged it the moment to signal the whole line  to advance.

The Scots Greys would later incorporate the image of the captured  eagle in their cap badge, and Sergeant Ewart would be commissioned as an  ensign (second lieutenant) in the 5th Veteran Battalion of Infantry.  The following year he was invited to a Waterloo dinner in Edinburgh,  where Sir Walter Scott asked him to speak. But Ensign Ewart begged that  he might be excused, saying, “I would rather fight the Battle of  Waterloo over again than face so large an assemblage.”

The Battle of Waterloo, the culmination of more than twenty years of fighting in Europe and across the globe, was one of the greatest military defeats in history. Within a matter of hours it would not only result in thousands of deaths, but also in the destruction ofa well-experienced  army.

The role  that  the  Scots  Greys  played  in  the  Battle  of  Waterloo  was, perhaps something of a surprise. Although they had had  a long and relatively distinguished history, having fought in many battles from the time of William III in Holland, the group tasked with  fighting at Waterloo, the majority having little or no battle experience, proved themselves to be more than adequate on their day. Through sheer courage and determination they entered a bloody battle against all the odds.

Historians continue to debate whether the Scots Greys was the actual turning point of the Battle of Waterloo with as much vigour as they debate the late intervention of Blucher’s Prussians. Be that as it may it remains undeniable that the number of losses, in proportion to their numbers, was very high, yet the  impression they made on the battlefield at Waterloo was, and still is,  deep and forever remembered.

[chelsie-carson]

Clownton Abbey as star enlists cast to help dementia patients and their carers laugh again at Christmas

Downton star Phyllis Logan is threatening to take her family on a busman’s holiday on Christmas Day after warning a version of Cluedo inspired by the period drama might feature.

She said: “We’re doing a secret Santa with the family. Perhaps I’ll get them the Downton version of Cluedo. I’m a character in that!

“There’s no murderer in that version – there’s been a theft and you have to work out who the culprit is. It’s very Downton.”

The actress, who plays housekeeper Mrs Hughes in the ITV drama, has been busy enlisting her colleagues for a charity drive in aid of charity Hearts & Minds, the clown doctors raising spirits in hospitals and care homes – virtually during the pandemic – “one smile at a time”, as their slogan puts it.

And Downton Abbey’s cast are preparing to deliver a Christmas message to big-hearted Scots who donate to the appeal, with Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Imelda Staunton, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael and Lesley Nicol all signed up. All those donating to the Edinburgh-based charity’s appeal will be entered into a raffle to for a chance to receive a message from the Downton stars. Phyllis thanked her castmates for answering her call for help.

“Hearts & Minds came to me and asked would I be happy to give a message to the winner of the draw and I said yes, of course. Then they said, perhaps you may know of somebody else who might get involved?

“There are a bunch of people with whom I’m still very much in touch – the Downton people. And so I just put a little bugle call, and they all came rallying.

“I was delighted, touched and moved by their great support and immediate yes to the whole thing.”

Phyllis singled out Hugh Bonneville, who plays Lord Grantham in Downton, for coming to her aid. Hugh’s been great, he’s been on Twitter and Instagram announcing it and promoting it,” she said. “He’s helped out Hearts & Minds with some things to help them promote it. He’s been marvellous. Hugh’s a very good man, he’s lovely.”

Hearts & Minds cheer up young and old patients and their Christmas appeal is specifically to help fund their Elderflowers, who work to bring laughter to dementia patients and carers. It’s a cause close to Phyllis’s heart after her mum and mother-in-law were affected by dementia.

“My mum hadn’t had a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s, but my mother-in-law did,” she explained. “She had quite severe Alzheimer’s and died in 2009. My mother was a wee bit ill and was showing signs of mental impairment. I’m sure had she lived beyond 90, when she died, she probably would have displayed more pronounced aspects of dementia.

“She was certainly probably heading in that direction and I just thought it’s such a cruel way of losing a parent.

“My husband used to said that his mum was just the husk of the woman she was. She was housing herself in her body but it wasn’t his mum any more. It’s just a desperately and terribly sad way to see your parents diminish.”

Phyllis is currently working on the second series of BBC Scotland’s comedy thriller series Guilt, where she’s getting used to working on a socially-distanced set.

“I’ve just done my costumes. It all feels very safe. We get tested twice a week and we have to have our temperature checked before we go on set. When you’re not filming you have to wear a mask.

“I’m lucky as the crew have to wear masks all day, at least I get the chance to take mine off. It’s all going according to plan so far.”

Over the past few months Phyllis, 64, has been adapting to life during the pandemic, although the second lockdown, she admitted, had been a struggle.

“I remember everybody saying this would be awful if it had been happening in the winter, and here we are, back to square one again,” she said. “I’m just over it by now.”

Asked what she has been filling her time with during lockdown, she said: “I have been watching The Crown but I’m not a huge box-set person. I wish I was. I’ve been doing crosswords and reading books. I haven’t become a champion knitter or seamstress like some people.

“Apart from becoming a bit of a couch potato, not much! The first lockdown was OK in a sense because it was unusual. You just adapted to it and did jigsaws and played board games. And you were cooped up eating nice dinners and drinking cocktails, putting on weight.”

Movie industry insiders believe a sequel to last year’s Downton Abbey movie is imminent, although Phyllis is staying tight-lipped.

“There could possibly be,” she laughed. “With the pandemic we’ve had to think about whether it’s possible. But it’s not been discounted by any stretch of the imagination. So we can only keep our fingers crossed. I’m being very cagey, I’m not sure what one is allowed to say about these things. Let’s just say, ‘watch this space…’”

To support Hearts & Minds Elderflowers Christmas Appeal people should visit the Hearts & Minds Christmas Appeal page: HERE!

[scapegrace74-blog]

Saorsa, Chapter 8

A/N  I’m generally pretty indifferent as far as readers using their own imaginations to populate the scenes I write, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to insist that you picture (and hear) Simon Callow as the Duke of Sandringham.  He transcends universes.

For those just joining the broadcast already in session, here are Chapter 1 , Chapter 2 , Chapter 3  Chapter 4, Chapter 5  Chapter 6, and Chapter 7.   Or you can head over to my AO3 page and binge read the whole thing.  I won’t complain! Thanks as always to my Outlander fanfic publicist, @gotham-ruaidh   And to all of you liking, reblogging and commenting!

“This is really a most excellent bread pudding, my dear,” the Duke of Sandringham intoned, washing down said pudding with another generous mouthful of port.   The gentleman’s florid cheeks and rounded middle-section proved that his enjoyment of good food and drink extended beyond the walls of Lallybroch.

“Thank you, your grace.  Cook is a miracle worker.  She transforms liabilities into benefits, like this pudding made from stale bread.  In lean times such as these, it is a priceless skill.”

Claire was wearing her best burgundy dress, bought in London before the war, and her usual cloud of curls was tamed into a bun from which only a few rebellious strands escaped.  Although entertaining landed nobility was the very last thing she felt like doing, she was composed and polite, playing the role Frank had cast her in as lady of a Scottish Highland estate.  If she could only get through this visit, it would be six long months before the duke returned for his spring tour.  With a little luck, by then she would have some idea of what the hell she should do.

“Captain Randall is well, I trust,” the Duke interrupted her thoughts.  She tried to mask her discomposure and gave the answer she had prepared for this predictable question.  Not quite the truth, but not quite a lie either.

“He was very well when he visited last month whilst on leave.  I’ve since received several of his letters, though of course he could not provide details of his mission.  I believe he was in northern Italy of late.”  She swallowed the salty knot that rose in her throat and stared at her half-eaten dessert.   She hoped the duke would excuse her misty eyes as the reaction of any war bride anxious over the safety of her new husband.

“Of course,” the Duke replied in understanding.  “These are difficult times, Lady Randall, but it is men such as your husband who will see us through them.   I cannot tell you how much I admire him for enlisting, nor you for managing this estate so admirably in his absence.   I know it cannot be easy.  I only wish that others in this region would look to your excellent examples.”

“What do you mean, your grace?”

“That’s right.  I forget you aren’t well-versed in local matters.  Suffice it to say that many Highland Scots, having no love for the English or their political prerogatives, have not rallied eagerly to the war effort.  Enrollment in my Home Guard in the Highlands is half that of the Lowland counties, and there are even rumours of clan chiefs assisting men in evading conscription.”

She found this allegation surprising.  Although her time in Scotland had been brief, she could not help but be aware of the strict code of honour that governed society far more rigidly than the long strings of power that extended northward from London.  With many adult men away at war, the estate was mostly served by the very young and very old, but she did not doubt any of them would lay down their life for their country.  Or rather, for Scotland.  And perhaps there lay the issue.

“Well, I can assure you that you have my utmost co-operation, your grace.  You shan’t find a draft-dodger hiding away at Lallybroch.”

“I never doubted it, my dear.  We share the same sympathies, you and I.  It was why King George the First awarded captured Jacobite lands, such as this estate, to his most loyal English subjects after the last Scottish Catholic Rebellion; the Randalls among them.  The Scots will never rise up against the Crown again, but they have no love for the English.  A strong local bulwark is always a useful tool, is it not so?”

Not waiting for her answer to his rhetorical question, the Duke rose with a groan, brushed crumbs from his tweed sporting coat and extended his hand to clasp her own.

“And now, Lady Randall, I must unfortunately take my leave.  The days are shortening, and I must reach Aberdeen by nightfall to avoid the blackout.   My deepest gratitude, as ever, for your hospitality.  It puts me at great ease to know that Lallybroch rests firmly in your capable hands until your husband’s return.”

He kissed her knuckles, graciously accepted the bank draft for a hundred pounds that Frank had left in his study, and after a few more pleasantries, climbed awkwardly into the back of his Humber Pullman.  She waved goodbye from the courtyard as his car made its way down the long drive.

As Claire mounted the stairs to her bed chamber to change into her usual work clothes, she considered that the Duke of Sandringham must be a well-connected individual indeed, if he could afford petrol and a smartly dressed chauffeur, when everyone else struggled just to eat.

[minervacasterly]

~No Other Way: Mary’s Failed Escape Attempt~

As things between Lady Mary and her half-brother, King Edward VI got progressively worse, her imperial cousin, Charles V took action. He sent imperial ships that were disguised as merchant ships to England. The plan was to take her away from England and use her as a figurehead to intimidate Edward VI and his council. However, like every other escape plans, these failed.

“On the evening of Monday, 30 June 1550, three imperial warships arrived off the coast of Essex. Further out to sea, they were supported by four larger vessels. This little fleet, commanded by the Dutchman Cornelius Scepperus, had encountered a flat calm. The next day one of the ships made its way to Stansgate and a small boat, with two men in it, rowed ashore. They claimed to be grain merchants and took with them a sample of their corn, but when they got ashore they found things unnervingly quiet. There was no one to meet them and they were obliged to return to their ship without having spoken to any local people. They had, however, been observed, and by quizzical eyes. People living around about, especially in the small port of Maldon at the head of the Blackwater estuary, knew of the rumors and wondered about the true motives of these Flemings who had materialized overnight. They were not convinced that the grain vessel was alone or that it had become with innocent intent. Though there was a long history of problems with Scottish pirates plundering the imperial merchant fleet, which might explain the need for an adequately defended ship, something about this vessel seemed wrong. The real purpose, they feared, was altogether more sinister. Nearby at Woodham Walter the Lady Mary had been in residence since early May. Her confrontation with the government was well known and the possibility of her attempting to flee England had been all the talk in this part of Essex for weeks. It was hard to keep anything secret in a large household, where people came and went and not everyone was trustworthy, even if they seemed devoted. Yet few people could have anticipated quite how the enterprise would finally be abandoned. The saga of Mary’s abortive attempt to escape from England to what she hoped would be a secure haven in the Low Countries was well documented at the time. It has elements of almost surreal comedy: disguises, frantic attempts to keep something secret of which the authorities were well aware and the final, complete deflation of Mary’s refusal to seize the chance when offered. At its heart was a troubled woman under severe strain, who entertained the fantasy that creeps into the minds of many people who are stressed almost beyond their mental resources–that running away offers a simple solution to all their difficulties. It is less the act itself which matters, more its contemplation. Perhaps this explains the contradictory nature of Mary’s behaviour in the summer of 1550. A woman who had shown remarkable fortitude over so many years could not, for a time, cope with yet another assault. To call this weakness would be a harsh judgement of Mary, who could not forget the past … Charles V also thought long and hard about whether, in agreeing to Mary’s repeated requests that he should furnish her with a means of escape, he was doing the right thing. As always with the emperor, his doubts about the wisdom of the enterprise were partly inspired by an uneasiness about whether he would actually be doing his cousin a service and partly overshadowed by political considerations. Aside from the hazardous nature of getting her away by ship, once gone she became financially dependent on him and could not serve his purpose by acting as the rallying force of principled opposition in England. He was also preoccupied with his preparations for leaving Brussels, which he did at the end of May, to go and take up residence at Augsburg. Ill and unhappy, beset with costly wars and rebellious subjects, this weary man who was losing his grip on his vast empire must have found Mary’s troubles little more than a minor irritation. His instinct, and his instructions to Van der Delft, pointed towards calming Mary down and persuading her to temporise. Eventually, he reluctantly agreed to help her. The plan for Mary’s flight was put together over a two-month period between May and July 1550 and the princess was very much its moving force. She had convinced herself that not just her religion but her life was in danger. This was the answer she gave to Van der Delft, when he pointed out to her that, if the king died, her absence could deprive her of the crown and would probably ensure the triumph of religious change for good: ‘If my brother were to die, I should be far better out of the kingdom; because as soon as he were dead, before the people knew it, they would despatch me too; there is no doubt of that, because you know that there is nobody about the king’s person or in the government who is not inimical to me.’ The problem with following the emperor’s advice on temporising was that her own, grim experience told her quite the reverse: ‘I fear I may tarry too long,’ she said. ‘When they send me orders forbidding me the mass, I shall expect to suffer as I suffered once during my father’s lifetime; they will order me to withdraw thirty miles from any navigable river or sea-port, and will deprive me of my confidential servants, and, having reduced me to the utmost destitution, they will deal with me as they please. But I will rather suffer death than stain my conscience.’ Her suspicion of the council was profound. They were ‘wicked and wily in their actions and particularly malevolent towards me’ … Mary had given some thought to the details of her escape. Van der Delft acknowledged that the first plan developed was Mary’s idea and he believed it could be made to work. Or perhaps it would be truer to say that he hoped it would work, because it relieved him of involvement, and the thought that he might be compromised alarmed him. Like Mary, he had a regard for his own personal security and that of his family. His desire to be of service to the princess was tinged with growing anxiety, especially as he was ill and arrangements were already in hand for him to leave England himself. The essence of Mary’s scheme was that she should be as close to the sea as possible, to facilitate her escape by water … Royal lady as she was, Mary did not initially contemplate going alone. She wanted with her ‘four of her ladies whom she trusts more than the rest’ (interesting to note that she evidently had reservations about some of them) plus Rochester himself and two unnamed gentlemen, one of whom was ‘very rich but would willingly give up all that he possesses to follow my lady to a place of safety’. Apart from these people, Mary would take nothing with her ‘except her rings and jewels. The plate she uses belongs to the king,’ wrote the ambassador, ‘as, I suppose the tapestries and other furniture do.’ Van der Delft said that no one apart from himself, his secretary and Rochester knew of the princess’s plan. Whether that was true or not, it involved too many people to be practical. Then the possibility of a boat being procured in England evaporated. The month of May came and went with Mary still in Essex and still exhorting the ambassador and his master to help her leave. Matters stalled when the government introduced restrictions on all movements at night, so that ‘no roads or crossroads, no harbours or creeks, nor any passage or outlet’ escaped the vigilance of ‘good folk who had something to lose’. This was a reference to the possibility of further summer uprisings like those of the preceding year, but a secondary motive for the council may have been to restrict Mary and frustrate her possibility of flight. The plan that was finally put into action took shape after Charles V had left Brussels and was approved by him on 25 June. Its driving force may have been his sister, Mary of Hungary, the regent of the Low Countries, who was more inclined to make decisions and take action. She also wanted to ensure that any repercussions were minimised, particularly in the event of failure. This meant waiting until Van der Delft had left, so he could not be implicated, and it also required that his successor, Jehan Scheyfve, a man of whom the regent did not think much, was kept completely in the dark. Thus it fell to Jehan Dubois, secretary to the imperial embassy in London, to take on the burden of managing the revised escape plan. He was more than equal to the task; in fact, he carried out his part of it in exemplary fashion. But it did not succeed. The emperor foresaw difficulties when he gave his sister his guarded approbation. All concerned should be aware of the need for flexibility and not try ‘to reckon the thing too exactly from day to day, as if the sea were a fixed and invariable factor, permitting such undertakings as may be carried out on land’. He thought that there was inevitably some danger and that speed was vital, or the details might leak out. ‘As for disguising our cousin,’ he wrote, ‘I will leave that to those in charge … but no disguise need be used as to whether or not I knew of the undertaking, and it will be better to be quite open about it … for we have the best of reasons and have done all we could to protect our cousin’s person and conscience … and holding back as long as possible from this extreme measure, which it has now become imperative to resort to because of the attitude adopted in England.’ Charles was evidently not given to cloak-and-daggery and he was determined to put the blame on Edward’s councillors. He was more concerned that the pursuit of Scottish pirates, the pretext for his ships being in English waters, could lead to difficulties if the ambassadors expected from Scotland at any time arrived in Brussels before the ships set sail. In the event, none of the difficulties foreseen by Charles V happened. The reason Mary did not leave was straightforward. She had changed her mind. Or, put another way, when faced, at last, with the opportunity to go, she could not bring herself to do it.“

As before, Mary was faced with a difficult choice. She could have left and enjoy moments of bliss. But these would pass in time. She probably remembered the lessons in history. Although she had the fighting spirit of her Trastamara grandparents and Tudor grandfather, she knew that it would be a huge gamble to run away and then attempt to take the throne. Not to mention, the people who still believed in her. Many of them would still support her, but returning back wouldn’t be easy. Everything her enemies had accused her of, would start to ring true, and she could end up the same way as La Beltraneja, de la Pole and other pretenders who fled to foreign countries for protection and when they tried to come back to claim what they viewed was rightfully theirs, they failed. And then there was also the more personal aspect of this: her mother had refused the easy way out, clinging on to her title of queen and asking Mary to obey her father but also to persevere. This was one of her most harrowing trials where the end lesson was: she was on her own and could trust no one but herself and rely on her unwavering faith to see her the coming struggles.

Source quoted: The Myth of Bloody Mary by Linda Porter. For more information on this failed escape, I also recommend H.F.M. Prescott’s biography on Mary, The Spanish Tudor. She doesn’t have a favorable opinion on Mary but the biography is repleted with plenty of details and and this is one subject that she expands upon.

[neiljohnsblog]

Get in the Driver's Seat: Why You Should Book a Rally Driving Experience Today

For motorsport enthusiasts and thrill-seekers alike, rally driving offers an unparalleled experience of speed, skill, and adrenaline. Scotland, with its rugged terrain and breathtaking landscapes, is a prime destination for rally-driving enthusiasts. Rally driving experiences in Scotland combine the natural beauty of the region with the excitement of one of the most demanding motorsports. If you’ve ever dreamed of navigating challenging courses, mastering sharp turns, and feeling the rush of gravel beneath your tyres, now is the time to make it a reality.

The Appeal of Rally Driving

Unlike traditional motorsports, rally driving takes you off the smooth surfaces of a race track and places you on unpredictable terrains. From muddy trails to rocky paths, rally driving tests your abilities to adapt, react, and maintain control under pressure. Each turn and obstacle brings a new challenge, making every second behind the wheel an adventure.

In Scotland, the variety of landscapes enhances the experience. From rolling hills and dense forests to wide-open moorlands, the terrain offers a mix of challenges that cater to drivers of all skill levels. Whether you’re a beginner eager to learn or an experienced driver looking to hone your skills, Scotland's rally driving experiences offer something for everyone.

Why Choose Rally Driving in Scotland?

1. Stunning Locations

Scotland’s natural beauty sets it apart as a rally-driving destination. Imagine racing through tracks surrounded by lush greenery, majestic mountains, and pristine lochs. The Scottish Highlands, for example, provide an iconic backdrop for rally courses, blending technical challenges with awe-inspiring scenery.

2. World-Class Training

Many rally driving experiences in Scotland include guidance from experienced instructors who ensure that participants get the most out of their sessions. These experts provide valuable tips and tricks to help you navigate challenging courses while staying safe and maximizing your enjoyment.

3. Authentic Rally Cars

One of the highlights of rally driving experiences is the opportunity to get behind the wheel of purpose-built rally cars. Equipped with specialized tyres, enhanced suspension, and powerful engines, these vehicles are designed to handle the toughest terrains. Feeling the power and precision of a rally car as you tackle hairpin turns and uneven surfaces is an experience like no other.

4. Catering to All Levels

Rally driving experiences in Scotland are tailored to suit a wide range of skill levels. Beginners can learn the basics of car control, braking techniques, and cornering strategies, while more experienced drivers can tackle advanced challenges and improve their skills on demanding courses.

What to Expect from a Rally Driving Experience

Safety Briefing and Training

Every rally driving experience begins with a comprehensive safety briefing. Instructors will guide you through the fundamentals of rally driving, including vehicle handling, gear shifting, and navigating different terrains. This ensures that even first-timers feel confident and secure before hitting the track.

The Thrill of the Drive

Once you’re in the driver’s seat, the real excitement begins. Depending on the package you choose, you might start with a few practice laps to familiarize yourself with the car and the track. Then, it’s time to put your skills to the test on a variety of surfaces, including gravel, mud, and asphalt.

Post-Drive Feedback

Many experiences include a debriefing session where instructors provide feedback on your performance. This is a great opportunity to learn from the pros and identify areas for improvement, making your next rally drive even better.

Benefits of a Rally Driving Experience

Boosts Confidence Handling a rally car on challenging terrains can significantly boost your driving confidence. The skills you learn, such as maintaining control in tricky situations, are transferable to everyday driving.

Adrenaline Rush Few activities match the adrenaline rush of rally driving. The combination of speed, precision, and the unpredictable nature of the terrain creates an electrifying experience that stays with you long after you leave the track.

Perfect for Celebrations Rally driving experiences in Scotland make for unforgettable gifts and celebrations. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, or a corporate team-building event, this activity guarantees memories that will last a lifetime.

A Unique Adventure For those looking to try something out of the ordinary, rally driving offers a unique adventure that breaks away from the routine. It’s not just an activity—it’s a story to tell, a challenge to conquer, and an experience to cherish.

Tips for Booking Your Experience

Research Locations: Scotland offers a range of rally tracks. Look for one that matches your skill level and preferences.

Check the Weather: Scottish weather can be unpredictable. Dress appropriately for the conditions, and be prepared for a bit of mud—it’s all part of the fun!

Read Reviews: Look for feedback from other participants to find the best experiences. Positive reviews often highlight excellent instruction, well-maintained cars, and exciting tracks.

Book Early: Rally driving is a popular activity, especially in scenic locations like Scotland. Making a reservation ahead of time guarantees that you will obtain your desired date and time.

The Last Word

Rally driving experiences in Scotland offer more than just a thrill—they provide an opportunity to connect with nature, push your limits, and create unforgettable memories. Whether you’re a motorsport enthusiast or simply looking for a new adventure, rally driving is an experience you’ll never forget.

So, what are you waiting for? Get in the driver’s seat, embrace the challenge, and discover why Scotland is one of the best places in the world for rally driving.

[johnalexcooper]

Exploring the World of Rally Experiences: What to Expect and How to Prepare

Rallying is one of the most exhilarating motorsports, combining skill, precision, and adrenaline in a high-octane environment. For those who have dreamed of taking the wheel of a rally car and navigating rough terrains and winding tracks, Rally Experiences UK offers the perfect opportunity. Whether you're a seasoned motorsport enthusiast or someone looking for an unforgettable adventure, rally experiences provide an immersive way to test your driving skills in unique conditions.

In this blog, we'll explore what you can expect from a rally experience, how to prepare for your day on the track, and why these experiences are becoming increasingly popular across the UK.

What is a Rally Experience?

A rally experience allows participants to step into the driver’s seat of a rally car and navigate courses that replicate the conditions faced by professional rally drivers. These experiences typically occur at dedicated rally venues across the UK, featuring various terrains like gravel, mud, tarmac, and even snow. Participants will have the opportunity to drive on tracks designed to challenge their abilities, learning how to control the car through tight corners, hairpin turns, and fast straights.

Rally experiences can last from a few hours to an entire day, depending on the package you choose. Most rally experiences begin with a briefing session where participants are introduced to the basics of rally driving, including the handling characteristics of rally cars, essential safety measures, and key techniques such as drifting and handbrake turns.

After the briefing, it’s time to hit the track. Under the supervision of experienced rally instructors, you'll get behind the wheel and put your skills to the test. The feeling of controlling a car at high speed on rough terrain is unlike any other form of driving, making rally experiences in the UK a unique way to push the limits of your driving abilities.

Why Choose Rally Experiences in the UK?

The UK has a long-standing history of rallying motorsport, with many iconic stages and events taking place throughout the country. This legacy makes it one of the best destinations for rally enthusiasts, offering a wide variety of tracks and venues where you can experience the thrills of rally driving.

Here are some reasons why rally experiences in the UK stand out:

1. Diverse Terrain

The UK's varied landscapes provide ideal rally conditions. Whether it’s gravel tracks in Wales, forest stages in Scotland, or tarmac circuits in England, each venue offers a different challenge. Rally experiences give drivers the chance to tackle these diverse terrains, allowing them to experience the dynamic handling and responsiveness of rally cars in real-world conditions.

2. Top-Notch Instruction

Rally experiences in the UK are typically led by highly trained instructors with vast experience in rally driving. These professionals guide participants through each stage of the experience, offering tips and feedback to help you improve your driving technique. With their expert guidance, even beginners can quickly learn how to master a rally car and enjoy a safe, yet thrilling experience.

3. Accessible to All Skill Levels

Rally experiences are designed for a wide range of drivers, from complete novices to those with prior motorsport experience. No matter your skill level, there’s a rally package that suits your needs. Whether you're a first-time driver looking for an adrenaline rush or an experienced driver hoping to fine-tune your skills, rally experiences in the UK are customizable to your abilities.

What to Expect on the Day

When you arrive at your rally experience venue, you’ll be greeted by professional staff who will ensure your safety and enjoyment throughout the day. After registration, the experience usually kicks off with a safety briefing and an introduction to the rally car you’ll be driving.

The Rally Car

Rally cars used in these experiences are typically modified to handle rough terrains and provide maximum control. They are equipped with roll cages, racing seats, harnesses, and rally tyres, ensuring a safe environment for participants. You’ll get a rundown on the controls of the car, how to handle the gears, brakes, and throttle, and how to use techniques like the Scandinavian flick, which is used for controlling the car in tight corners.

On the Track

Once you’re behind the wheel, the real fun begins. You’ll start with a practice lap or two to get a feel for the car and the track. Then, with your instructor guiding you from the passenger seat, you'll tackle more complex sections of the course. You'll learn how to navigate sharp turns, handle high-speed straights, and control the car in challenging terrain.

Rally driving is a test of concentration and coordination, requiring you to adapt quickly to ever-changing conditions. As you gain confidence, you'll push the limits, getting a true sense of what it’s like to drive on a rally stage. For many, this is the most exciting part of the experience, as they feel the raw power of the rally car and the intense focus needed to master each section of the track.

Instructor Feedback

At the end of your driving session, your instructor will provide detailed feedback on your performance, highlighting areas for improvement and offering tips for future driving. This feedback is invaluable for anyone who wants to take their rally driving skills to the next level.

Preparing for Your Rally Experience

To get the most out of your rally experience in the UK, it’s essential to come prepared. Here are a few tips to ensure you’re ready for the day:

1. Clothing

Rally experiences typically take place in outdoor environments, so dressing appropriately is crucial. Wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes suitable for driving. Some venues may provide racing suits, but it’s always good to check ahead of time.

2. Safety Gear

Safety is paramount in rally experiences. Helmets and other necessary protective equipment will be provided by the venue. Make sure to listen carefully to the safety briefing and follow the instructor’s advice throughout the day.

3. Driving License

A valid driving license is usually required for participation in rally experiences in the UK. Be sure to bring this with you on the day.

4. Mental Preparation

Rally driving is a physically and mentally demanding activity. You’ll need to focus intensely on the track, your car, and the instructions from your guide. Coming into the experience with a positive and focused mindset will help you get the most out of the day.

Why Rally Experiences Are a Must-Try

Rally experiences in the UK offer more than just the thrill of driving fast on rugged terrain. They provide a chance to develop your driving skills, push your limits, and experience motorsport in a way few other activities can offer. For motorsport fans, rally experiences are a dream come true. For those seeking an adrenaline-pumping adventure, they provide an unforgettable opportunity to break away from the everyday routine.

Whether you’re preparing for your first rally experience or are already a seasoned driver looking to hone your skills, rally experiences in the UK offer something for everyone. From the heart-pounding thrill of speeding through gravel tracks to the satisfaction of mastering advanced driving techniques, rally experiences are truly a one-of-a-kind adventure.

Ready to take the wheel? Rally Experiences UK is waiting to welcome you to the exciting world of rally driving, offering memories that will last a lifetime.

[scotianostra]

12th January 1777 saw the death of Brigadier-General Hugh Mercer, the Scottish-born American revolutionary general.

Hugh Mercer was born in 1726 to Ann Monro and William Mercer, a Presbyterian Minister,  near Rosehearty Aberdeenshire. He earned his doctorate in medicine at the University of Aberdeen and, later, served as a surgeon in the army of Charles Edward Stuart, a during the Jacobite uprising of 1745, Mercer became a fugitive in his own country. He managed to flee Scotland for the American colonies, where he settled in Pennsylvania and established a medical practice.

In  1756, Mercer, like many Jacobites, was serving the same army that had been his enemy only a decade earlier. During the Seven Years’ War, he received a commission as captain of a Pennsylvania regiment that accompanied Lt. Col. John Armstrong’s raid on the Indian village of Kittanning. Mercer was wounded during the raid but managed to escape through the woods, wandering injured, alone, and hungry for days until he reached Fort Shirley. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of colonel and, as a result, became close friends with fellow colonel George Washington.

In the early days of the Revolution, Mercer took command of a small force of Virginia Minute Men from Spotsylvania, King George, Stafford, and Caroline Counties. Eventually, he rose to the rank of brigadier general in the Continental Army, and in the winter of 1776 accompanying his old acquaintance, George Washington, in the New York City Campaign, and subsequent retreat to New Jersey.

Following the Patriot victory at Trenton, New Jersey, Mercer led a vanguard of 350 soldiers toward Princeton, New Jersey with orders from Washington to destroy the Stony Brook Bridge. On January 3, 1777, Mercer met a larger British force at Clarke’s Orchard. The struggle between these two forces quickly turned into a race to secure the strategic position on the heights of a nearby hill. During the struggle, musket and rifle fire turned to hand-to-hand combat with bayonets. Unfortunately, an overwhelming majority of Mercer’s men had no bayonets on their muskets. As his men began to fall back, Mercer stepped forward and desperately rallied his men with the words “Forward! Forward!” His command was met by the forceful thrust of British bayonets to his chest, and he fell to the ground.

Finding Mercer still alive, Continental soldiers removed him to a nearby oak tree, which would later bear his name, and finally to the field hospital in the Thomas Clarke House, where he died of his wounds on January 12th, 1777. The Patriots ultimately succeeded in driving the British from Princeton, and the legacy of General Mercer’s courageous efforts became a rallying cry for American troops.

The pic is a statue of the General in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

[newstfionline]

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Pandemic aftershocks overwhelm global supply lines (Washington Post) One year after the coronavirus pandemic first disrupted global supply chains by closing Chinese factories, fresh shipping headaches are delaying U.S. farm exports, crimping domestic manufacturing and threatening higher prices for American consumers. The cost of shipping a container of goods has risen by 80 percent since early November and has nearly tripled over the past year, according to the Freightos Baltic Index. The increase reflects dramatic shifts in consumption during the pandemic, as consumers redirect money they once spent at restaurants or movie theaters to the purchase of record amounts of imported clothing, computers, furniture and other goods. That abrupt and unprecedented spending shift has upended long-standing trade patterns. “It’s crazy. Prices are at record highs. Multiple things are happening all at once,” said Phil Levy, an economist with Flexport, a San Francisco-based freight forwarder. “People work off of expectations. But now there’s just so much uncertainty.” At the Port of Los Angeles one day last week, 42 ships were anchored offshore, waiting to unload their cargoes, even as every warehouse within 60 miles was already full. A shortage of dock workers amid California’s worsening coronavirus outbreak is further complicating operations; inbound cargo volumes in December were more than 23 percent higher than one year earlier. “Some areas of the supply chain need to be sharpened,” Gene Seroka, the port’s executive director, said. “People are a little bit on edge.” It’s a global problem, and it may get worse before it gets better.

Destructive protests by anarchists and extremists signal divided left as Biden administration begins (Washington Post) The hundreds of far-left and anarchist demonstrators who gathered in protest mere hours after President Biden swore the oath of office Wednesday signal a fracturing on the left that could become a scourge for the new administration, political leaders and experts say. Some activists are carrying their destructive tactics into a new administration to voice rejection of centrist ideologies they believe will do little to address existential worries over climate change, economic inequality, foreign wars and racism. The vandalizing of the Oregon Democratic Party headquarters by extreme-left demonstrators on Inauguration Day has split Portland liberals, and federal agents’ launching of tear gas at crowds that descended on the city’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement headquarters produced scenes reminiscent of similar summer standoffs ordered by President Donald Trump. In Seattle, a march organized by anarchists and the city’s Youth Liberation Front branch roved through neighborhoods, chanting expletives at both Trump and Biden, some breaking windows. James Ofsink, president of Portland Forward, a local advocacy group for liberal causes, said the growing tension in Portland’s progressive circles is emblematic of a larger tug of war happening in the nation. “Portland is going to continue to be a microcosm of the political divides, especially among the left, that we’re seeing across the country,” Ofsink said. “The idea that middle-of-the-road Democrats can say with a straight face that we need to take things slowly or do things in a very deliberate way rubs a lot of people the very wrong way.”

Trump’s coming impeachment trial aggravates rift among Republicans (Reuters) The coming second impeachment trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump on a charge of inciting the deadly storming of the Capitol has aggravated a rift among his fellow Republicans that was on full display on Sunday. At least one Republican, Senator Mitt Romney, said he believed the trial, which could lead to a vote banning Trump from future office, was a necessary response to the former president’s inflammatory call to his supporters to “fight” his election defeat before the Jan. 6 attack. Ten Republicans joined the House of Representatives in voting to impeach Trump on a charge of inciting insurrection. But a significant number of Republican lawmakers, concerned about Trump’s devoted base of voters, have raised objections to the impeachment. Trump is the first U.S. president to be impeached after leaving office. Senator Tom Cotton, another Republican, said the Senate was acting beyond its constitutional authority by holding a trial. “I think a lot of Americans are going to think it’s strange that the Senate is spending its time trying to convict and remove from office a man who left office a week ago,” Cotton told Fox News on Sunday. “I think the trial is stupid,” Republican Senator Marco Rubio told Fox News on Sunday, saying he would vote to end it at the first opportunity. “I think it’s counterproductive. We already have a flaming fire in this country and it’s like taking a bunch of gasoline and pouring it on top of the fire.”

Ununited Kingdom (Times of London) The UK is facing a constitutional crisis that will strain the Union as new polls reveal a majority of voters in Scotland and Northern Ireland want referendums on the break-up of Britain. A four-country survey we commissioned, based on separate polls in Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales, also found that the sense of British identity that once bound the country together is disintegrating. And in another significant move, the Scottish National Party (SNP) announced that it is prepared to call a wildcat referendum of its own if Boris Johnson refuses to grant one himself—a move that puts the two governments on a constitutional collision course.

Riots explode across Netherlands over covid restrictions (Washington Post) Dutch rioters who attacked police and destroyed property over the weekend while protesting new coronavirus measures are “criminals,” Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Monday, as law enforcement officials warned that the violence could last for weeks. The unrest across the Netherlands, some of the worst in decades, had “nothing to do with protest,” Rutte, who resigned last week following a scandal, told reporters outside his office in The Hague, news agencies reported. Protesters had gathered in defiance of lockdown orders in at least 10 towns and cities Sunday, looting stores and clashing with police after authorities imposed a new nighttime curfew — the first in the Netherlands since World War II. The violence continued Monday night in several cities, including Amsterdam and The Hague. The curfew, from 9 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., tightens an already-strict lockdown aimed at curbing coronavirus infections and comes amid fears that a new, more contagious variant, first identified in Britain, will cause a surge in cases.

In France, growing alarm over students’ well-being as pandemic pushes some to the brink (Washington Post) he hardships of university students during the pandemic have now reached the attention of the highest levels of the French government, with President Emmanuel Macron promising to provide more assistance. “You haven’t been forgotten,” he said this month. But students protesting de facto campus closures, seeking psychological support and lining up for free food handed out by private donors have come to a different conclusion. In a country that prides itself on having one of the world’s most generous public welfare systems, student food banks have become the most visible display of the economic impact of the pandemic on young people. After 10 months of varying degrees of isolation and restrictions, a less visible but increasingly worrisome mental health crisis is taking form among students, too. Some have been confined for months under lockdown or curfew in 97-square-foot dorm rooms off campus. New measures by Macron last week indicated growing alarm among French officials that financial distress and mental health are increasingly intertwined and are fueling one another. Students have written open letters asking French ministers for more support. Mental health hospitals have expanded their offerings to cope with a surge in demand among high school and university students. Some professors have themselves requested psychological support after finding their students in distress.

Navalny Protests Sweep Russia (Reuters) Russian authorities have attempted to deflect attention from Saturday’s nationwide street protests—the largest in years—by accusing the United States of interfering in the country. On Saturday, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused the U.S. embassy in Moscow of fanning the flames of dissent by publishing protest times and routes (as part of a notice to avoid such gatherings) on the embassy website. “What was that: a setup or an instruction?” Zakharova told the Russian news agency TASS, adding that if the Russian embassy in Washington had done the same during U.S. protests “global hysteria” would ensue. The government’s rhetorical counters came after thousands of Russians across roughly 100 towns and cities protested amid freezing winter temperatures on Saturday, heeding a call from detained anti-Putin activist Alexei Navalny to take to the streets to demand his release. Over 3,500 people were arrested during the protests, according to the monitoring group OVD Info—the most arrests the NGO had ever recorded in one day.

Angry farmers drive thousands of tractors into New Delhi (AP) Tens of thousands of protesting farmers drove long lines of tractors into India’s capital on Tuesday, breaking through police barricades, defying tear gas and storming the historic Red Fort as the nation celebrated Republic Day. They waved farm union flags from the ramparts of the fort, where prime ministers annually hoist the national flag to mark the country’s independence. Thousands more farmers marched on foot or rode on horseback while shouting slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At some places, they were showered with flower petals by residents who recorded the unprecedented rally on their phones. Leaders of the farmers said more than 10,000 tractors joined the protest. For nearly two months, farmers have camped at the edge of the capital, blockading highways connecting it with the country’s north in a rebellion that has rattled the government. They are demanding the withdrawal of new laws which they say will commercialize agriculture and devastate farmers’ earnings.

Syrian refugees in Lebanon are under pressure as never before (Washington Post) Millions of Syrians have sought safety in Lebanon and across the region since the Syrian uprising began nearly a decade ago. Now they are stuck between untenable options: ongoing instability and violence back in Syria as President Bashar al-Assad consolidates control, and deteriorating conditions in cash-strapped Lebanon, where politicians are pressing refugees to leave. Syrians have long struggled in Lebanon, where about a million refugees make up some 20 percent of the population. But 2020 brought a new cascade of problems. The country’s financial system collapsed, and the prime minister resigned, ousted by protesters fed up with endemic corruption. Then the coronavirus hit, followed by the devastating Beirut port explosion, of which many Syrians were among the victims. In less than a year, the currency depreciated by more than 80 percent. Communities across Lebanon are hurting, especially Syrians, amid mounting competition for resources, said Elena Dikomitis, advocacy adviser for the Norwegian Refugee Council in Lebanon. “The landscape of needs in Lebanon has changed dramatically over the last year,” she said. “There are a lot of increasing tensions as one can expect over access to jobs, to aid, to basic services.” In October, the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, estimated that nearly 90 percent of Syrians in Lebanon lived below the extreme poverty line, up from 55 percent the year before. Already legally excluded from many jobs, 90 percent of Syrians reported losing their income or having salaries reduced, the agency found in July. [Many Lebanese want the refugees to go home. Syria, however, remains a very dangerous homeland.]

Pirates in the Gulf of Guinea (Reuters) Pirates are stepping up attacks on ships in West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, defying regional navies. On Saturday, pirates off Nigeria kidnapped 15 sailors from a Turkish container ship and killed one. Pirates in the Gulf of Guinea kidnapped 130 seafarers in 22 separate incidents last year, accounting for all but five of those seized at sea worldwide. The pirates come from Nigeria’s turbulent Niger Delta, experts say. The region produces the bulk of the nation’s petroleum, but is woefully underdeveloped, scarred by pollution and has some of the highest unemployment in the country. Bands of men desperate for money engage in a variety of illegal but lucrative activities, including kidnapping, stealing and refining oil, and piracy. Last year’s oil price crash and Nigeria’s second recession in five years worsened unemployment and economic hardship. Saturday’s attack, which took place 200 nautical miles offshore, reflected increasing sophistication, as vessels further from shore are less likely to have naval protection.

Satellites (Space.com) SpaceX launched a record 143 small satellites into orbit on Sunday, the most ever on a single rocket. The launch was the first mission where SpaceX ferried lots of satellites up rideshare-style along with 10 of its own Starlink internet satellites. In 2019, the company announced that at various points in the year smaller satellites could hitch a ride at launch for $1 million a pop. Among the payload was a South Korean military communications satellite, two Taiwanese satellites which will improve navigation, a payload called Celestis 17 containing cremated human remains, three Hawk 2 radio satellites and a cargo capsule for the space station. The team successfully recovered the Falcon 9’s first stage in the Atlantic, which was the 73rd recovery of a booster for the company.

[madebyleftovermuses]

Chapter Twenty-Two: Drag Me to Hell

Poor Nicky all chained up

But sweet that Sabrina visits him

Not Nick, but Lucifer

Sabrina not believing Lucifer gave up control

Poor Nick

Sabrina ruined the salt circle

Hilda taking care of Zelda at the Academy making sure she eats

Zelda is nervous about her first day

Hilda was going to go to Cerberus

Zelda ignored that idea

Sabrina already in the library at the Academy

Looking up soul transferring

Really important obligation is cheerleading

Honestly their singing is better than Riverdale’s

Lilith not happy about watching the cheerleaders

Sabrina being a normal teen with cheerleading

Lilith hates cheerleaders

Dragging souls to hell

Lilith trying to get it through Sabrina’s skull that Caliban simply cannot get the throne

Lilith calling it our throne

“our throne” yes, Sabrina, our throne

You got muscle

We’re in Scotland

Luci not happy they are praying to Lilith

Imhotep?

Sabrina collecting an old man 😢

He’s unbothered by the fact a cheerleader is there to collect his soul

Sabrina asking what he sold his soul for

Aw, he sold his soul to be a chess master

Sabrina doesn’t want him to go to hell

Sabrina sending him to heaven ❤❤❤❤

Lilith is like “seriously?!”

Caliban letting Sabrina explain why she let the soul go

Her court really hates her

Who is Jimmy Platt?

Zelda is losing it

Band practice….im glad Riverdale hasn’t made Archie create a band

Sabrina just loves interrupting band practice

Sabrina has to collect souls and they don’t tell her what they got for selling their souls

Using Jimmy to free Nick of the Devil

“I'm driving.” “Wait, why do you always get to drive?” “I'm the only one of us who has a license, Theo.” ❤

Yes, let’s not forget about the pep rally

Melvin in the basement with Elspeth

Melvin doesn’t want Dorcas to know

There is a bug in her hair though

Zelda calling Faustus a little bitch

“We're in high school. We should be worried about midterms, not not dragging the friendly neighborhood ice cream man to Hell” yeah well regular high school sucks

Jimmy trades an innocent soul

Jimmy sacrifices children! DRAG HIM TO HELL SABRINA!

No shit Harvey! We need to find this little girl

The Devil got to Jimmy first when he was dying

How exactly does Lucifer know about Caliban?

Has Caliban always been gunning for the throne?

Found Faustus

He looks a little crazy

Who the fuck is the Deep One

The creature from the Black Lagoon or the Loch Ness

He got an egg

Who is he sacrificing for the egg

Let Prudence kill her father!

The children do not speak

Ambrose threatening the egg

“You have no idea of the annihilation that's capable of.” Ambrose is like wtf

The old ones are coming and then the eldritch terrors

Thank you, Prudence, for knocking him out

Asking Roz to use her cunning

Roz telling the cheerleaders they have to go to the eye doctor

What are two cheerleaders going to do what the police can’t?

Lucy collects Pinwheels because that’s not an odd thing to collect

Never order a chocolate pop

Lucy’s mom is like “oh…um…ok”

Theo running late

New kid…Robin

Robin asking for help

Theo is like “screw it, I’m already late”

Aw, Theo likes the new kid

Of course, he’s going! Two of his best friends are cheering!

Prudence wants to execute Blackwood and Ambrose is having second thoughts on that

What the fuck you mean your father?!

Shit its Judas and Leticia….my bad Judith

Agatha creepily laughing and talking like she sucked helium

DAMN! ZELDA SLAPPED AGATHA

Hilda using Zelda’s full name

Roz thinking it’s a bad idea to teleport to Lucy

“dumb pudding” ❤

Well all wanna slap the weird sisters

Is he though? Is he still in hell?

Ew, Agatha found a bug in her hair

There is one in Zelda’s hair as well

Lilith for the rescues

Sabrina will take pleasure in dragging Jimmy to hell

Theo asking the Jimmy said anything weird

Do the Ravenettes have a coach or do they have a HBIC

Sabrina giving Hell a makeover

Sabrina is in trouble

Sabrina blaming herself for Nick’s suffering

Found one!

Hilda more concerned about the tied-up children

Zelda going to enjoy causing Blackwood pain

Lucifer wants to wrestle

Blackwood doesn’t worship Lucifer anymore

Nick is back!

Hey look a carnival!

[cincinnatusvirtue]

Battle of Cowpens, the only use of double envelopment in the American Revolution.

The southern theater of the American Revolution doesn’t get nearly the amount of attention as the more northerly theater namely in New York, New Jersey and New England.  However, the war would be crucially decided in the last years of the war in the southern theater, namely in the Carolinas and later in Virginia with the Yorktown Campaign.

The southern theater was considered by the British more likely to be amiable to the Loyalist cause particularly in parts of the Carolinas, the Loyalist and Patriot populations were fairly split in terms of popularity, namely in South Carolina.  The shift to a southern strategy by the British was in part due to their defeat in the Saratoga Campaign in upstate New York during autumn of 1777 which only further rallied numbers to the Patriot cause and left the British unsure of how to end the war decisively in their favor.

Throughout the first half of the war, there was revolutionary activity in the south with Patriot militias and the Continental Army working to suppress their Loyalist counterparts, property confiscation took place and this lead to further resentment between both sides.  The British implemented the southern strategy with a drive into the major port town of Savannah, Georgia which they captured in 1778.  Loyalists were to serve an important role in this theater, eager to support the royal cause, regain their lands confiscated by the Patriots and to gain new lands at the expense of their Patriot neighbors once their lands were taken for treason after British victory was assured.

Over the next couple years the focus shifted to the Carolinas with Charleston, South Carolina being a major source of focus for the British and Americans.  Lord Charles Cornwallis was placed in charge of the southern theater and in 1780 at the Battle of Camden he defeated an American army rather handily which caused a setback for the Patriot cause, though the Continental Army and militia remained intact, much of South Carolina was “pacified”.  The plan by Cornwallis was now to invade North Carolina and suppress the rebellion there.  Going into autumn 1780, things looked dire for the Patriot cause.  Meanwhile, Horatio Gates who lost the Battle of Camden was replaced at George Washington’s behest by Nathanael Greene.

Cornwallis hoped to rally Loyalist support to his cause as part of the North Carolina Campaign.  On October 7, 1780 the Loyalist militias would clash with Patriot militias in the Battle of Kings Mountain.  The Patriot militias were largely made of the Scots-Irish or Ulster-Scots community that made up large portions of the Western Carolinas populace.  This community derived its name and identity when in the 16th century it was sent as Scottish and English Protestant settlers to the North of Ireland to suppress the mostly Catholic native Irish population, forming the core of the Plantation of Ulster as they called it.  Over the ensuing two centuries this mix of Scots, English and Irish Protestants with smaller numbers of Flemish, French and German Protestant refugees fused into a distinct community which became known to this day as Ulster-Scots in Britain and Ireland due to the predominance of Scottish settlers in the community.  Though in time they often identified as just Irish as many grew up exclusively in Ireland maintaining a Protestant dominance which survives to this day in Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom.  In the late 17th century many of these Ulster Scots who were Presbyterian in their religion were loyal to William III Protestant King of England, Scotland and Ireland and served in his army during the Williamite War of 1688-1691. 

Things changed in the early 18th century however with the passing of laws that made the established church in Britain and Ireland, the Anglican Church of England and Ireland as the sole state sponsored religion, this caused a separation among the Protestant classes, as laws against Presbyterians and Catholics somewhat united them in common cause.  In time, a number of droughts which affected farming in Ireland, along with religious and political persecution lead to Ulster-Scots, now identifying as Irish emigrating to America.  They settled largely in the Appalachia region from Pennsylvania on down to the Carolinas and Georgia where they could practice their religion and farm as they saw fit.  They also served as pioneers and Indian fighters against Native American tribes since they were known for their fighting prowess.  By the time of the American Revolution, the community almost overwhelmingly supported the Patriot cause, due to their ability to cement their distinct culture in America.  It wasn’t until later with the mass arrival in waves of Catholic Irish, that Scots-Irish became a more widely used term to distinguish them from other Irish emigration.  The Scots-Irish were so numerous in the the Patriot numbers particularly in the South that it was commented by a British general to the House of Commons “Half the Continental Army is from Ireland.”  While a Hessian officer was recorded as saying “Call this war by whatever name you may, only call it not an American rebellion; it is nothing more or less than a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian rebellion."

Kings Mountain was a solid Patriot victory that largely dismantled the Loyalist militia in the Carolinas and solidified the image of the Scots-Irish “Overmountain Men”, a frontiersmen armed with guns and in search of land and freedom and willing to fight anyone for it, epitomizing the early ideal of the rugged individual in America fighting for their place in the world.  Symbolism aside, the practical effect was a boost of morale to the American cause, a weakening of the British Loyalist forces and the realization that the war in the South wouldn’t be so easily won.

By January 1781, the British who had delayed their invasion of North Carolina in the wake of King’s Mountain sought to renew the offensive.  Called to assist in this matter was one of Cornwallis’s subordinates, Lt. Col Banastre Tarleton, an English soldier born in Liverpool to a family who made their fortune in trade, particularly the slave trade in the West Indies.  Tarleton came into military service as a way to give him focus after a life of gambling and womanizing that had drained his fortune.  He first purchased a commission in the army as was common practice among the British aristocracy and wealthy at the time despite being officially banned.  He however did prove to be an effective horseman and soldier, gradually rising through the ranks on his own merit there after.  He partook in many battles in the northern theater of the American Revolution, but it was in the south where his image in the Americas would be solidified.  He came to lead the so called British Legion, a provincial regiment of dragoons (mounted infantry) that wore distinct Green Jackets which along with their commander gave them the nicknames, the Green Dragoons or Tarleton’s Raiders.  In May of 1780 at the Battle of Waxhaws, the British Legion under Tarleton and supported by other Loyalist militia massacred many surrendering Patriot forces.  The exact chain of events that lead to the massacre and Tarleton’s personal role in it is a matter of debate and controversy, but it forever after earned him the reputation in America of a bloodthirsty killer who “violated” the rules of war by offering no quarter to surrendering enemy soldiers.  He was nicknamed by the Patriot press as Bloody Ban or the Butcher.  These events incensed the Patriot militia whose anger would play out months later at Kings Mountain when Loyalist militia and dead British officers were stripped of their clothes by angry Patriot militias who are said to have urinated on their corpses before burying them.

In opposition to Tarleton on the American side was Brigadier General Daniel Morgan.  Morgan was born in New Jersey and lived in Pennsylvania and Virginia.  He was the grandson of Welsh emigrants on both sides of his family to Pennsylvania where a large Welsh community in the Colonial era had established roots.  Morgan during the French and Indian War had worked as a teamster of draft animals for the British Army, during a dispute he attacked a British officer and received 500 lashes of the whip as punishment which often killed the recipient, he survived with a lingering resentment of the British for their treatment of the provincials in America.  When the Revolution broke out Morgan offered his services to the Patriot cause.  Over the years he had served as a rifleman and earned a reputation for marksmanship.  His use of the rifle during the American Revolution would help change the rules of small arms fire in warfare.  The norm in 18th century combat using European rules of warfare was for infantry to fire smooth bore muskets which fired at relatively close range and had to be fired at in massed volleys to be especially effective.  Various developments overtime lead to establishment of the rifle, like the musket it was a long gun, with a longer barrel in fact, but unlike the smooth barrel of a musket the rifle had “rifled” grooves etched into its interior which when a bullet was expended would spiral giving it better accuracy and longer range than a musket.  While rifle units existed prior to the American Revolution and were used by both sides of the war, Morgan’s Riflemen as they became to be known were especially influential in demonstrating the effectiveness of a rifle over a musket.  Morgan was given command of an elite unit of expert riflemen who could hit a 7 inch circular object at 250 feet.  Morgan’s Riflemen partook in a number of battles namely Quebec and Saratoga where the riflemen in Morgan’s unit engaged in early examples of sniper tactics, shooting British officers mounted on horses while hidden from view, the killing of these officers without being seen sowed discord, uncertainty and confusion in the British ranks, giving an element of psychological warfare to the British.

Morgan was called to the southern theater in 1780, arriving in the Carolinas in December.  Banastre Tarleton and British Legion, supported by British regulars and other Loyalists sought to push westward in South Carolina to open the door to North Carolina as ordered by Cornwallis.  Morgan’s forces which no longer included his Riflemen unit which disbanded over a year prior was made of a mix of Continental “regulars” and various militias from across the south.  On January 17, 1781 Tarleton and Morgan’s forces would meet in battle near the Broad River close to the North/South Carolina border in a place called Cowpens due to a number the cow pen pastures close by in the low lying countryside.  The British had almost 1,200 troops and two grasshopper cannons while the Americans had roughly 2,000 troops made of mostly militia from the Carolinas and Virginia with elements from Georgia, Maryland and Delaware mostly infantry with some cavalry dragoons of their own but no artillery support.  Morgan would prove to be a formidable tactician and he knew his troops made of militia which had poor reputation of running at the first sign of trouble would be unreliable in the upcoming fight if things didn’t go their way.  He also knew the British expected this and would be able to rout the American forces quite easily if pressed.  Morgan decided on a strategy that would confound expectations.  First he placed his force between the Broad and Pacolet rivers.  With their backs to the rivers, retreat for his troops wouldn’t be a viable option, the rivers would slow his retreat down and provide the British an opportunity to cut them down as they retreated.  Secondly, he placed his more reliable Continental regulars on a low lying hill in the center with no flanking support other than the terrain due to a ravine and creek which would force the British to charge straight ahead into their lines.  Next, he organized his overall force into three lines.  A first line made up of Carolinian sharpshooters, a second of various miltia and the third his Continental regulars forming a solid final core against the British charge.  The idea was to fire volleys at the oncoming British who could only charge ahead due to the creek and ravine breaking any flanking potential and knowing they would break the militia, they would lull the British to only charge further and further into a trap.  The Americans would feign a retreat after a few volleys and reform behind the next line of troops, this would cause British casualties to mount and sap their physical strength as the British would tire out pursuing the Americans uphill. It also psychologically tired them out when they realized another line of American troops awaited them with repeating results.  It would drain the enemy giving them a false sense of early victory by chasing the “trapped” Americans to the river and essentially lead them into a death trap of their own.

As is often the case, victory sometimes comes not only from one commander’s decisions but that of the enemy.  Tarleton had marched his troops relentlessly for 48 hours to meet Morgan’s men.  They ran out of food by the day of battle and had less than 4 hours of solid sleep in those preceding two days, meaning they went into battle eager but already tired.  This would contribute to the disaster that followed along with Tarleton’s overconfidence and impatience.  Tarleton fell right into Morgan’s hands as planned.  The British emerged from the woods shortly after sunrise and engaged the American first line of sharpshooters who fired their volleys and gave way to the British advance.  Tarleton ordered a full infantry charge which ran into the second line of militia.  As Morgan had ordered they fired two volleys instead of one.  This surprised the British and as was typical of Morgan he had his troops aim for officers to weaken the British morale and cause confusion to their troops without anyone giving orders.  The British encountered Morgan’s third line from Delaware, Virginia and Maryland.  Meanwhile some American troops, dragoons and other reformed lines of militia men on the rear near the river banks actually did a flanking maneuver behind British lines which were overdrawn and soon to be cutoff.  As the British tried a small flank of their own against the main body of Continentals, they appeared to force a retreat of the Virginians but the Americans did an about face and fired a volley into the surprised British and Morgan had a mass bayonet charge against the now physically exhausted and weakened British lines.  The British routed, some surrendering on the spot while others were killed in the retreat.  The American miltia who made it to the river then rejoined the fight by employing flanking maneuvers on both the British left and right near the original British skirmish line including their grasshopper cannons.  The surprise bayonet charge from the American center, combined with a envelopment of their rear and flanks totally upended the British plan, already drained by a forced march on little sleep and food, mounting casualties and asolid hour of fighting.  Tarleton gathered a few cavalry men that clashed with American dragoons on horseback in an attempt to recapture their cannons, it failed.  Tarleton narrowly escaped with his life.  The end result was 25 Americans dead and 124 wounded while the British suffered 110 killed, 229 wounded and 629 taken prisoner out of a force shy of 1,200 men. 

The Battle of Cowpens was small in scale but it contributed to the overall drainage of British forces in the Carolinas Campaign.  It also solidified Daniel Morgan’s reputation as a tactical commander.  He in effect employed the only use of a double envelopment in the whole war, a classic battle tactic since ancient times and perfected by Hannibal and the Carthaginians against the Romans at the Battle of Cannae in 216 BC.  The American Revolution and 18th century in general was not largely an era known for overall tactical development since many European style battles more or less followed a repeated pattern of “chess piece” formulas or marching forces like pawns to dislodge the enemy through massed fire followed by bayonet charges until one side relented.  Cowpens was entirely different, in confounded expectations by lulling the British into a trap and completely physically and mentally breaking them down.  While the British would achieve further tactical victories namely at Guildford Courthouse later that spring, it did so at great cost of life while the Continentals and militia continued to escape and withdraw into the countryside further sapping the strength of the British.  All this bought time for the arrival of French regular troops to join with General George Washington in the autumn of 1781 in the North who would march down to Virginia and ultimately trap Cornwallis at Yorktown that October as part of his own attempt to cutoff American supply lines, effectively this ended the war in American victory.  Cowpens was a sort of microcosm into the American strategy that developed out of necessity for the whole war, the British might win major pitched battles but their failures over and over to capture the main American armies as a whole and suffering attrition through small scale losses and overextending their forces wore them down in the end.