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'''MARCH OF THE DIE HARDS.''' AKA and see "[[Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine (1)]]," "[[Caledonian March]]." Scottish, March. The title commemorates the 57th Regiment Scots. Bayard (1981) thinks it "especially close" to his Pennsylvania collected "[[Dusinberry March]]." A note in McDonald's volume states the air was "believed to be of great antiquity," but he seems to have been quoting Lt. Donald Campbell, who wrote in his book '''A Treatise On the Language, Poetry, and Music of the Highland Clans''' (1867, p. 225):
'''MARCH OF THE DIE HARDS [2].''' AKA and see "[[Caledonian March (2)]]," "[[Caledonian March of the Die Hards]]." Scottish, March (cut time). C Major. Standard tuning (fiddle).  The title commemorates the 57th Regiment Scots. McDonald ('''Gesto Book of Highland Music''', 1895) believed the air "to be of great antiquity" and "was a  great favourite with Duncan MacDonald of Dalness, colonel of the 57th Regiment of Die Hards, one of the heroes of the Peninsular War." The reference to Die Hards stems from the Battle of Albuhera in 1811, when the commander of the regiment, a Colonel Inglis, knowing his men were hard pressed by the enemy, urged them to "Die hard, 57th, die hard!" David Murray, in his book '''Music of the Scottish Regiments''' (Edinburgh, 1994), says: "The tune of this march is the same as that of the 'Roussillon March', the slow march of the former Royal Sussex Regiment, raised in 1701, absorbed like the Middlesex into The Queen's Regiment in 1966 and, until 1881, the 35th Foot, otherwise 'The Orange Lilies', from its facing colour. The 35th defeated the French regiment Royal Roussilon at Quebec in 1759, and incorporated the Roussillon, the white plume of Henry of Navarre, in its crest and ultimately in its cap badge. As published in the Gesto book, the Scotch Snap is prominent, but as played by the Royal Sussex the figure was reversed, the long note falling on the beat (p. 211).
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<br>
''This Caledonian March, believed to be of great antiquity, was a great favourite with''
<br>
''Ducan Macdonald of Dalnes, Colonel of the 57th Regiment, of "Die-Hards." He made is so''
MacDonald, in his assertion of antiquity for the melody, seems to have been quoting Lt. Donald Campbell, who wrote in his book '''A Treatise on the Language, Poetry, and Music of the Highland Clans''' (1862, p. 225):
''much the march of that regiment as to be the sure sign of its presence or signal of its''
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''approach, wherever it was heard in the Peninsula or the South of France. A more spirited''
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''or a braver officer than Colonel Duncan MacDonald never drew his sword in the service''
This Caledonian March, believed to be of great antiquity, was a great favourite with  
''of his country; yet his end was very melancholy. He was severely wounded in the battle''
Ducan Macdonald of Dalnes, Colonel of the 57th Regiment, of "Die-Hards." He made is so  
''of the Nivelle, but having, like his intimate friends, Sir Thomas Picton and the''
much the march of that regiment as to be the sure sign of its presence or signal of its  
''Honourable Sir William Stewart, a passion for battles, he could not be prevailed on to''
approach, wherever it was heard in the Peninsula or the South of France. A more spirited  
''remain in the rear. He followed the regiment on its daily march, keeping sufficiently''
or a braver officer than Colonel Duncan MacDonald never drew his sword in the service  
''close to make sure of seeing or of joining it in every battle; but, from his state of''
of his country; yet his end was very melancholy. He was severely wounded in the battle  
''health, he never found himself in a condition to resume the command. One of the''
of the Nivelle, but having, like his intimate friends, Sir Thomas Picton and the  
''companies of the 57th and its captain, who temporarily commanded the regiment, being''
Honourable Sir William Stewart, a passion for battles, he could not be prevailed on to  
''quartered in a deserted chateau at Ayres, on the night after the brilliant affair of''
remain in the rear. He followed the regiment on its daily march, keeping sufficiently  
''the second division at that place, some of the men discovered the plate-room, and''
close to make sure of seeing or of joining it in every battle; but, from his state of  
''carried away the more portable parts of it in their knapsacks on the following day.''
health, he never found himself in a condition to resume the command. One of the  
''An old and faithful servant, who had been left to watch over the chateau, wisely''
companies of the 57th and its captain, who temporarily commanded the regiment, being  
''kept sight of these men until they fell into the ranks, when she repored the''
quartered in a deserted chateau at Ayres, on the night after the brilliant affair of  
''circumstance to the general. The captain of the company was called before the Duke of''
the second division at that place, some of the men discovered the plate-room, and  
''Wellington, and, finding himself in a serious scrape, threw the whole blame on the''
carried away the more portable parts of it in their knapsacks on the following day.  
''colonel; stating that, by keeping continually in the vicinity of the regiment, and''
An old and faithful servant, who had been left to watch over the chateau, wisely  
''lodging always in the same place with them at night, without either taking the''
kept sight of these men until they fell into the ranks, when she repored the  
''command himself, or leaving it effectually to him, the discipline had become relaxed,''
circumstance to the general. The captain of the company was called before the Duke of  
''and the regiment demoralized. Unfortunately for himself, Colonel Macdonald was a high-''
Wellington, and, finding himself in a serious scrape, threw the whole blame on the  
''minded, warm-hearted, generous Highlander, who considered the military as the most''
colonel; stating that, by keeping continually in the vicinity of the regiment, and  
''illustrious of all professions, and regarded flogging as not only barbarous and''
lodging always in the same place with them at night, without either taking the  
''inhuman, but as destructive of the pride and dignity that ought to be inclucated in the''
command himself, or leaving it effectually to him, the discipline had become relaxed,  
''soldier. As rewards for good conduct had not then been introduced into the service, he''
and the regiment demoralized. Unfortunately for himself, Colonel Macdonald was a high-minded,
''did everything in his power by kindness, encouragement, and praise, and (in extreme''
warm-hearted, generous Highlander, who considered the military as the most  
''cases) severe rebukes and fatigue duties, to maintain discipline without the lash. This''
illustrious of all professions, and regarded flogging as not only barbarous and  
''made him obnoxious to all the scourge-advocates; and they took care that a mere''
inhuman, but as destructive of the pride and dignity that ought to be inclucated in the  
''delinquency by a private of the 57th was made more of than a crime in regiments trained''
soldier. As rewards for good conduct had not then been introduced into the service, he  
''by the martinet and the lash. The colonel's abhorrence of the lash being known to the''
did everything in his power by kindness, encouragement, and praise, and (in extreme  
''great, but in questions of discipline, too inflexible Duke, he the more readily believed''
cases) severe rebukes and fatigue duties, to maintain discipline without the lash. This  
''in the demoralized condition of the regiment--for the cunning captain studiously''
made him obnoxious to all the scourge-advocates; and they took care that a mere  
''concealed from him the fact, that the whole regiment, excepting a few men of his own''
delinquency by a private of the 57th was made more of than a crime in regiments trained  
''company, were innocent. Macdonald was dismissed fromt he service, without having been''
by the martinet and the lash. The colonel's abhorrence of the lash being known to the  
''allowed the benefit of a court of inquiry or a court-martial!
great, but in questions of discipline, too inflexible Duke, he the more readily believed  
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in the demoralized condition of the regiment—for the cunning captain studiously
Macdonald's friends prevailed upon him to return to England to convalesce , which he did, but the news of his dismissal was published in a newspaper, along with another officer of the same rank dismissed for cowardice, and the association of his name with this other officer so upset Macdonald that he committed suicide by plunging out a window. After Macdonald's death the Duke found evidence that he was the victim of false testimony, and compensated the price of Colonel Macdonald's commission to his brother.  
concealed from him the fact, that the whole regiment, excepting a few men of his own  
company, were innocent. Macdonald was dismissed fromt he service, without having been  
allowed the benefit of a court of inquiry or a court-martial!
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Macdonald's friends prevailed upon him to return to England to convalesce, which he did, but the news of his dismissal was published in a newspaper, along with another officer of the same rank dismissed for cowardice, and the association of his name with this other officer so upset Macdonald that he committed suicide by plunging out a window. After Macdonald's death the Duke found evidence that he was the victim of false testimony and compensated the price of Colonel Macdonald's commission to his brother.  
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Although "March of the Die Hards" was a favorite of Macdonld's, he did not introduce it to the 57th. Rather, it was introduced (as "Caledonian March") by General John Campbell of Strachur who was Colonel of the 57th Foot from 1790–1806, having previously commanded them.
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''Source for notated version'':  
''Source for notated version'':  
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''Printed sources'': Campbell ('''A Treatise On the Language, Poetry, and Music of the Highland Clans'''), 1867; p. 7. McDonald ('''The Gesto Collection...'''), 1895; p. 110.
''Printed sources'': Campbell ('''A Treatise on the Language, Poetry, and Music of the Highland Clans'''), 1862; p. 7.
McDonald ('''The Gesto Collection of Highland Music'''), 1895; p. 110.
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''Recorded sources'': <font color=teal></font>
''Recorded sources'': <font color=teal></font>
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Latest revision as of 15:19, 6 May 2019

Back to March of the Die Hards (2)


MARCH OF THE DIE HARDS [2]. AKA and see "Caledonian March (2)," "Caledonian March of the Die Hards." Scottish, March (cut time). C Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). The title commemorates the 57th Regiment Scots. McDonald (Gesto Book of Highland Music, 1895) believed the air "to be of great antiquity" and "was a great favourite with Duncan MacDonald of Dalness, colonel of the 57th Regiment of Die Hards, one of the heroes of the Peninsular War." The reference to Die Hards stems from the Battle of Albuhera in 1811, when the commander of the regiment, a Colonel Inglis, knowing his men were hard pressed by the enemy, urged them to "Die hard, 57th, die hard!" David Murray, in his book Music of the Scottish Regiments (Edinburgh, 1994), says: "The tune of this march is the same as that of the 'Roussillon March', the slow march of the former Royal Sussex Regiment, raised in 1701, absorbed like the Middlesex into The Queen's Regiment in 1966 and, until 1881, the 35th Foot, otherwise 'The Orange Lilies', from its facing colour. The 35th defeated the French regiment Royal Roussilon at Quebec in 1759, and incorporated the Roussillon, the white plume of Henry of Navarre, in its crest and ultimately in its cap badge. As published in the Gesto book, the Scotch Snap is prominent, but as played by the Royal Sussex the figure was reversed, the long note falling on the beat (p. 211).

MacDonald, in his assertion of antiquity for the melody, seems to have been quoting Lt. Donald Campbell, who wrote in his book A Treatise on the Language, Poetry, and Music of the Highland Clans (1862, p. 225):

This Caledonian March, believed to be of great antiquity, was a great favourite with Ducan Macdonald of Dalnes, Colonel of the 57th Regiment, of "Die-Hards." He made is so much the march of that regiment as to be the sure sign of its presence or signal of its approach, wherever it was heard in the Peninsula or the South of France. A more spirited or a braver officer than Colonel Duncan MacDonald never drew his sword in the service of his country; yet his end was very melancholy. He was severely wounded in the battle of the Nivelle, but having, like his intimate friends, Sir Thomas Picton and the Honourable Sir William Stewart, a passion for battles, he could not be prevailed on to remain in the rear. He followed the regiment on its daily march, keeping sufficiently close to make sure of seeing or of joining it in every battle; but, from his state of health, he never found himself in a condition to resume the command. One of the companies of the 57th and its captain, who temporarily commanded the regiment, being quartered in a deserted chateau at Ayres, on the night after the brilliant affair of the second division at that place, some of the men discovered the plate-room, and carried away the more portable parts of it in their knapsacks on the following day. An old and faithful servant, who had been left to watch over the chateau, wisely kept sight of these men until they fell into the ranks, when she repored the circumstance to the general. The captain of the company was called before the Duke of Wellington, and, finding himself in a serious scrape, threw the whole blame on the colonel; stating that, by keeping continually in the vicinity of the regiment, and lodging always in the same place with them at night, without either taking the command himself, or leaving it effectually to him, the discipline had become relaxed, and the regiment demoralized. Unfortunately for himself, Colonel Macdonald was a high-minded, warm-hearted, generous Highlander, who considered the military as the most illustrious of all professions, and regarded flogging as not only barbarous and inhuman, but as destructive of the pride and dignity that ought to be inclucated in the soldier. As rewards for good conduct had not then been introduced into the service, he did everything in his power by kindness, encouragement, and praise, and (in extreme cases) severe rebukes and fatigue duties, to maintain discipline without the lash. This made him obnoxious to all the scourge-advocates; and they took care that a mere delinquency by a private of the 57th was made more of than a crime in regiments trained by the martinet and the lash. The colonel's abhorrence of the lash being known to the great, but in questions of discipline, too inflexible Duke, he the more readily believed in the demoralized condition of the regiment—for the cunning captain studiously concealed from him the fact, that the whole regiment, excepting a few men of his own company, were innocent. Macdonald was dismissed fromt he service, without having been allowed the benefit of a court of inquiry or a court-martial!

Macdonald's friends prevailed upon him to return to England to convalesce, which he did, but the news of his dismissal was published in a newspaper, along with another officer of the same rank dismissed for cowardice, and the association of his name with this other officer so upset Macdonald that he committed suicide by plunging out a window. After Macdonald's death the Duke found evidence that he was the victim of false testimony and compensated the price of Colonel Macdonald's commission to his brother.

Although "March of the Die Hards" was a favorite of Macdonld's, he did not introduce it to the 57th. Rather, it was introduced (as "Caledonian March") by General John Campbell of Strachur who was Colonel of the 57th Foot from 1790–1806, having previously commanded them.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Campbell (A Treatise on the Language, Poetry, and Music of the Highland Clans), 1862; p. 7. McDonald (The Gesto Collection of Highland Music), 1895; p. 110.

Recorded sources:




Back to March of the Die Hards (2)