In response to the Cameronians’ Sanquhar Declaration on the 30th June 1680 the Privy Council issued a warrant for the apprehension of ’notorious Traitors and Rebels against Us and Our authority’.
Cameron and his followers continued to elude capture but on the 22nd July 1680, Airlie and his forces, who had been searching for Cameron in the passes of Annandale, are ordered to march to Cumnock Castle, on the basis of new information received from Sir John Cochrane regarding Cameron’s whereabouts, possibly from on his tenants near Airdsmoss.
Note: From the record of another encounter fours years later it appears that Cochrane had a tenant spy at Airdsmoss. On the 15th June 1684, in a letter to General Dalyell, Graham of Claverhouse writes –
‘I parted from Paisley, went by Kilmarnock and Mauchline, but could hear nothing of these rebels. So hearing Colonel Buchan was at the old castle of Cumnock, I took by Ochiltree (i.e. Cochrane of Ochiltree), who sent an express to a tenant’s house of his, near Airdsmoss, and he brought certain notice that they had been at a meadow near his house the night before, to the number of fifty-nine, all armed.’
Warrick
On the same day that the Earl of Airlie is ordered to march with his entire force of horse and dragoons from Ayr to Cumnock Castle. Four days later on the 4th July, he responds to General Tam Dalyell, in a letter addressed from the “Old Castle near New Kirk of Cumnock”–
‘By your order I am come now to this place with three troops of dragons and two troops of horse. Sir John Cochrane* and many of the Gentlemen in the parish, and the brother of the dragoon who was murdered have been with me, who cant give me no other information of Cameron but that the greatest part of his partie has left him, and divided them following into twos and threes. They have resolved to be with me this night and tomorrow with what intelligence they can learn’ [Airlie]
Papers the of Earls of Airlie
*Sir John Cochrane of Ochiltree, uncle to Jean Cochrane, wife of Claverhouse
On that same day Richard Cameron was only a few miles from Cumnock Castle ,at the Gass Water in the parish of Old Cumnock, where he predicted ‘I will be but a breakfast to four-hours to the enemies some day shortly, and my work will be finished, and my time both’ [Grant]. Still, on that day the Earl of Airlie informed the Earl of Linlithgow of his order written at “Old Castle near New Kirk of Cumnock” [1] –
By the generals orders I am come to this place and cannot learn any news of Cameron as yet there is a partie out of 36 dragoons commanded by Livingston and Creichtoun* who had order to look after him and not yet returned on that front’
Papers the of Earls of Airlie
On the 5th July, Airlie sent another letter to Linlithgow, addressed on this occasion from “Gemmells Medow neir the old Castle of Cumnock”, containing a report from Captain Strachan on a sortie carried out by his forces near Sanquhar ‘intelligence that Cameron with a partie of 13 or 14 horss marched to Corsancone toward Cummerhead and Crawford John’ [1].
Gemmel’s meadow is undoubtedly the property of young Patrick Gemmil of the old castle of Cumnock. Clearly Cameron and his men had recently been in the parish of New Cumnock, at Corsencon hill, on the boundary between Ayrshire and Dumfriesshire.
Cameron and his followers continued to elude capture but on the 22nd July 1680, Airlie and his forces, who had been searching for Cameron in the passes of Annandale, are ordered to march to Cumnock Castle, on the basis of new information received from Sir John Cochrane regarding Cameron’s whereabouts, possibly from one his tenants near Airdsmoss.
Note: From the record of another encounter fours years later it appears that Cochrane had a tenant spy at Airdsmoss. On the 15th June 1684, in a letter to General Dalyell, Graham of Claverhouse writes –
‘I parted from Paisley, went by Kilmarnock and Mauchline, but could hear nothing of these rebels. So hearing Colonel Buchan was at the old castle of Cumnock, I took by Ochiltree (i.e. Cochrane of Ochiltree), who sent an express to a tenant’s house of his, near Airdsmoss, and he brought certain notice that they had been at a meadow near his house the night before, to the number of fifty-nine, all armed.’ [2]
Rev John Warwick
Battle of Airdsmoss | 22nd July 1680
Government troops under the command of Bruce of Earlshall tracked Cameron and his men down to the bleak Airds Moss in the parish of Auchinleck, but 3.5 miles west of Muirkirk, Ayrshire. Despite a valiant effort the Covenanters numbering no more than thirty, were defeated by the superior force of over a hundred dragoons. Twenty-four on the Government side and nine Covenanters were killed during the Battle of Airds Moss. The fallen Covenanters were Richard Cameron, his brother Michael Cameron, Robert Dick, John Hamilton, John Fouler, James Gray, Robert Paterson, Thomas Watson and John Gemmill of St. Brydsbank, in the parish of New Cumnock (see below).
Five more Covenanters were captured that day. William Manual and John Vallance died of their wounds whilst John Malcolm, Archibald Allison and David Hackston were later executed; the latter suffering a William Wallace like public execution, only this horror was committed at the hands of fellow Scots. Andrew Stuart, James Skene and John Potter were captured later and executed in December 1680.
1684: Interrogation of Parishioners | 17th October 1684
Throughout October 1684, ministers and parishioners across Ayrshire were called to Ayr where they were interrogated (questioned). In essence the parishioners had to depone (swear under oath) and give names to the authorities of any fellow parishioners that were involved in non-conformist activities such as – failing to attend church, failing to have children baptized at church, attending conventicles. On the 17th October 1684, it was the turn of the parishioners of Cumnock (Old and New) [3].
The following testimony of William Craufurd in Brockloch ‘depones he knowes ane Joanet McMichall in Bank, a fugatives relict, whose husband was killed att Airs Moss‘
William Craufurd in Brockloch, present, upon oath, of the age of 40 yeires or therby, maried, depones that he adds onlie to the roll givne up be the minister anent the persones whoe frequents not the ordinances the following persones, viz. :- Andrew McCrone in Boige, his wyffe and familie, Hew McRea in Bank, his wyff and familie, John McRea their and his familie, Margaret Craufurd ther, Joanet Dalyell in Bogge and her familie, Robert Howatsone in Laglaff and his familie, Joanet Andersone in Donshill. Depones that the said John and Hew MCreas have ilk ane of them ane child unbaptised; depones he knowes ane Joanet McMichall in Bank, a fugatives relict, whose husband was killed att Airs Mosse; depones as to the rest of the articles idem with the former, quich is the treuth, as he shall ansuer to God. (Signed) Willem Crafourd
Joanet lived at Bank, previously known as St. Brydsbank, in the parish of New Cumnock, a close neighbour of William Craufurd in Brochloch. Both these lands and many others in the parish were owned bySir George Campbell of Cessnock, Galston and he had been been accused, along with his father, of ‘most treasonably sending out to the said rebellion their tenants”, i.e. to Drumclog and Bothwell Bridge in June, 1679. The list of tenants included ‘John Gemmell in Bank; Patrick Gemmell‘. The names of John Gemmell and his son Patrick appear in the Sasine Register of 1657, for the property while in March 1680 the names of John and Patrick Gemmell were listed along with 25 other subscribers in the Cameronian Bond.
On offering the following family connections below, the testimony of William Craufurd in Brockloch may well have read ‘Joanet McMichael in Bank, a fugative’s relict whose husband John Gemill in Bank, was killed at Airds Moss.’ While possibly it was their son Patrick that was later killed at Midland, Fenwick in 1685, and lies in Fenwick Kirkyard.
Photographs Airdsmoss prior to new stone 2006 (Robert Guthrie)
Airdsmoss photographs 2006 (Robert Guthrie)
| References |
| [1] National Records of Scotland GB234/GD16, Papers the of Earls of Airlie ‘Military papers, including, papers concerning the Airlie troop of Horse [in Drummond’s regiment, 1666-1667, and Graham of Claverhouse’s, 1684-1687] and operations against the Covenanters, 1661-1687′ |
| [2] Reverend John Warrick ‘A History of Old Cumnock’ (1899) |
| [3] New Cumnock History | Covenanters Timeline 1684: Interrogations of Parishioners The Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, Third Series, Vol IX, A.D. 1684, P.543-547’ |
| [4] Decreet of forfeiture against Sir Hugh and Sir George Campbell of Cessnock (1685) . The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2023 |
| Maps |
| By Permission of National Library of Scotland |
| https://maps.nls.uk/ |
| Map 1 | Andrew Armstrong’s Map of Ayrshire | Airds Moss |
| Map 2 | Ordnance Survey Map (1885-1900) | Airds Moss |