This year, 2026, marks the two hundred and fiftieth signing of the American Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia in 1776, followed by seven years of war against a burgeoning British empire. In the signing, the signatories declared independence from an increasingly repressive colonialization.
For those of us native-born Scots who live in the Cape Fear river region, that act of defiance begs the question: What, if any, was the Scottish involvement in that historic event?
The short answer is… an abundance of involvement.
The longer answer is more complicated— the Scots fought on both sides-as Patriots and as Loyalists.
History records that thousands of Scots were involved; indeed, the origin story of these United States could not have been written without acknowledging their separate participation. Distilled, two Scotlands were represented, and the breakdown was mostly along Highland/Lowland lines.
For centuries there were two Scotlands: [1] Highlanders, descended from Gaels, Catholic, Gaelic-speaking, rural economy and clan members; and [2] Lowlanders, descended from Ango-Saxons, Presbyterian, lowland Scots-speaking, and an urban economy.
And in 1776, there were historical reasons that exacerbated this division.
Thirty years before the aforesaid Declaration, a failed Jacobite rebellion in Scotland pitted Scots against Scots—Highland clans and supporters versus Lowland clans and militias. The resulting battle—Culloden—was a disaster for the Highland side. The resulting Pacification of the Highlands began the English subjugation of the clan way of life, stripping Highlanders of their cultural identity--no more wearing kilts, playing bagpipes, carrying weapons, speaking the Gaelic. And no more clan chiefs.
The Clearances, replacing people with sheep, further worsened their plight. In response, many reclaimed their pride by joining a Highland regiment, taking an oath of allegiance to King George III, and fighting for the British Empire-first in the French & Indian War, and thereafter in the War of Independence.
By contrast, many lowland Scots had a different tale. When the Scots King James inherited the English throne in 1603, he also inherited a Catholic insurrection in Ulster province. After the rebellion was squashed, James rewarded his loyal, presbyterian Lowland subjects with land grants in that province, effectively replacing troublesome Catholic agitators. These have come to be known as Scots Irish, and, in the early days, enjoyed economic prosperity, especially with the cottage linen industry. Along came the 18th century and with it repressive Anglo Irish & Anglican domination in two ways: the Penal Laws, & The Act of Union. Together, they stripped the Scots Irish of freedoms they had previously enjoyed. Consequently, in 1712 they began emigrating in waves to the then American colonies, many settling in Appalachia, the Ohio Valley, the Carolinas and Georgia. There, land was cheap, plentiful, there were no absentee landlords to answer to, and perhaps, best of all, there was religious freedom. And when the Revolutionary War started, they chose to fight on the side of the Continental army—to preserve those newfound freedoms.
Time and space prohibit an inquiry into separate Scots involvement in the 230 skirmishes and battles, but historical evidence describes Scots lining up against Scots, time and time again. As early as the Battle of Lexington--32 out of the 77 minutemen were patriots of Scottish descent, lining up against fellow, red-coated Scots on the British side.
Might have been a shorter war if the Scots had fought on one side—the winning side!
About Alan Sturrock:
Born and educated in Scotland [of a Scots-Irish family], Alan was ‘called’ to teach and has taught in Scotland, Argentina and the United States in both public and private schools, and at the University [for the last 25 years]. Since moving to Wilmington four years ago, Alan parses his time volunteering at The Bellamy Mansion and teaching for OSHER [OLLI].
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