They somehow survived the bloody horrors of the battlefield where their fellow Scots had succumbed to sword wounds, artillery shattering their bones, being impaled on pikes and even dismemberment. 

For the young conscripts enlisted to fight in the Scots Army against Oliver Cromwell’s troops, making it through the Battle of Dunbar in 1650 with all limbs intact was simply the beginning of a whole new kind of hell. 

Rounded up in humiliating defeat, thousands were marched south in an effort by an English enemy intent on ensuring their army could not fight again.

Countless died on the way from infected wounds, illnesses and fatigue. 

Others would live but never see Scotland nor their families again. Forced on board the ketch Unity, they would endure a terrible journey across the Atlantic to face years of forced labour before they could eventually secure their freedom and rebuild their lives.

Now the American descendants of the Scots soldiers deported by Cromwell are set to walk in their ancestors’ footsteps as part of an event aimed at reviving interest in one of Scotland’s forgotten battles. 

Next Saturday, (14 SEPT) American descendants connected to the original deported soldiers will parade through Dunbar’s streets as part of East Lothian’s Battle Weekend. 

For many who have spent years researching their family’s history, the commemorations will mark their first time in Scotland – sealing a gap in their heritage that has spanned almost 370 years. 

According to Arran Johnston, director of the Scottish Battlefields Trust, their participation will serve as a reminder of the lasting impact the battle had on the families the soldiers left behind and the new families they would go on to make. 

“Many have done a lot of work on genealogy and are delighted to find people in Scotland are taking an interest in their ancestors’ stories. 

“Their involvement means we can tell the stories of what happened in a much more personal way.”

Civil war had raged throughout the British Isles for 11 years when the execution of King Charles 1 led to the collapse of the alliance between the English Parliamentarians and the Scottish Covenanters. 

The Scots’ move to support the old king’s son prompted Oliver Cromwell to invade in retaliation, and on 3 September 3, 1650, he attacked General David Leslie’s army outside the small harbour town of Dunbar. 

On paper, the English army of 3,500 men on horses and a further 7,500 were vastly outnumbered. There were at least 6,000 Scots on horseback and 16,000 troops. However, many were young men aged between 16 and 25 who had been conscripted by the Scottish Parliament from small villages and clans, with no real military training. 

Cromwell’s cunning tactics and his well-prepared army eliminated one-third of them in a single stroke, leaving the Scots defeated within an hour of attack. 

Of the 10,000 soldiers captured, around 4,000 were rounded up and marched on a 90-mile route to Newcastle, with some collapsing from hunger at Berwick where they were shot.  By the time they reached Durham, around 1,000 had died.  Eventually 150 of the prisoners considered fit and healthy were selected to be deported to New England, despite concerns from some in the colonies that they would pose a threat to the Commonwealth. 

The sailing took six weeks, with around one-third of the prisoners dying from scurvy on the way. 

“They were the lucky ones who survived the battle, but they had the trauma of captivity, the trauma of the Atlantic crossing and whole new lives in a place, while in many cases the families they left behind had no idea of what had happened to them,” adds Mr Johnston.

“People left behind didn’t know if they were widows or if their brothers, sons or fathers had been deported or were lying in a field in Dunbar.” 

The survivors were placed in indentured servitude, with many working in either domestic service or ironworks and sawmills serving demand for buildings and infrastructure. 

Sue Raymond, who lives in Virginia and whose nine times great grandfather Henry Merrow was among the prisoners deported, will be among the descendants taking part in the battle commemorations. 

“I was touched and fascinated when I found out about Henry. It is quite unbelievable to think of what happened to him,” she says.

“It appears that the English didn’t really know what to do with all these Scottish prisoners and were concerned that if they let them go they would come back and fight them again. 

“Sending them to the colonies to work solved their problem.

“We descendants are very proud of how they went on to make successful lives.

”The Battle of Dunbar Re-Enactment Weekend will bring to life the dramatic events of Cromwell’s early morning assault which set him on course to become one of the 17th century’s most dynamic figures.

Mr Johnston added: “At first it was a hollow victory. Although he quickly went on to take Edinburgh, it would take him until the end of the year to take Edinburgh Castle. 

“The Scots Army reformed at Stirling and the war continued. The Battle of Dunbar made Scotland more royalist and drove the Scots Army into the hands of the young Charles II. 

“He made a dash out of Scotland and tried to march on London. On the first anniversary of the Battle of Dunbar, he was defeated by Cromwell at the Battle of Worcester, which led to another wave of soldiers to indentured service.”

The victories ensured Cromwell’s status as one of the leading generals of the age.

“Cromwell’s career became unstoppable,” adds Mr Johnston. “The Battle of Dunbar was also important in Scotland because it came at the end of a period of military prowess and political unity that had served the country well. At a time when there’s a lot of discussion about constitutional matters, division of power and sovereignty in the British state, these same debates were being fought out in the 17th Century.”

He added that many of the Scots prisoners forged successful lives in America.

“Some were very successful and went on to play important roles in the formation of the American colonies. 

“For some, there were positive outcomes and they thrived sufficiently to have a large network of descendants.”
East Lothian’s Battle Weekend includes a series of living history style events starting next Friday (13 SEPT) with a commemoration at Dunbar’s battery fort.

It which will remember the soldiers who fought at the Battle of Dunbar and includes a parade the following day, followed by two days of battle re-enactments.  

www.eastlothianbattles.com