Annotation:Athole Volunteers March (The)

ATHOLE VOLUNTEERS MARCH. Scottish, March. F Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Composed by Niel Gow (1727-1806). There is some similarity between this tune and "Staten Island (Hornpipe)," wrote Samuel Bayard, although some see it only cursorily. This from George Penny's Traditions of Perth, Containing Sketches of the Manners and Customs of the Inhabitants (1836, pg. 61):

An Englishman in a journey through Athole, one morning, observed a poor fellow running to the hills as for his life, closely pursued by half a dozen of human blood hounds. Turing to his guide, the gentleman anxiously inquired as the meaning of what he saw? "Ou," replied the imperturbable Celt, "It's only the Duke raising the royal Athole' volunteers'." These men were enlisted for four years, or during the war. They were under orders for the East Indies, and were to be immediately embarked at Portsmouth, where they had arrived, together with some other regiments, under similar circumstances; when the news of the conclusion of the war was proclaimed. That moment the troops refused to a man to go on board, demanding their discharge, in accordance with the terms of their enlistment. Many attempts were made to circumvent them, which was the occasion of a serious mutiny, in which several lives were lost. Nothing could prevail upon them to embark; the officers lost all authority, and durst not be seem amongst them. Instead of being brought back and disbanded in Perth, the corps was broke up on the spot, and each man was left to find his way home the best way he could. From this circumstance, a dreadful outcry was raised against the Athole family, and a prejudice existed amongst the working classes for many years; it being currently reported that the regiment had been sold by the Duke to the East India Company.

Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 584. Gow (Fifth Collection of Strathspey Reels), 1809; pg. 4. Hunter (The Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 352.