OS1/19/10/120

Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 120
Parish of Fetteresso

[continued from page 119]
untenable. First, then, in regard to Ardoch, it is well known there is still to be seen at that place not only the
remains of a very large camp, capable of containing all Agricola's army of 26,000 men, according to General [Roy's]
Calculation, who was probably the best acquainted with the Roman system of castrametation of any modern
author on that subject, but also the strongest and most entire Roman fort to be found in Scotland, surround-
ed by five or Six immense concentric trenches, and situated upon a Small Stream, with a very extensive pros-
pect all around. Here, then, upon a large adjoining plain, according to Mr George Chalmers was the Scene of the
conflict. (Caledonia Vol. [Volume] 1., P. [Page] 113, Note.) 'Though Mr. Gordon was so idle as to place the site of the battle at the [Station]
'of Victoria, Pennant was so ill informed, as to confute Gordon's position upon mistaken principles, and [Pennant]
'supposed that the Scene of action must be near the Sea, where the fleet could co-operate, but the plan of the Camp
'only admitted of general co-operation. Pennant had attended so little to the intimations of Tacitus as to suppose [that]
'the attack on the ninth legion, in the preceding year was at the Station of Victoria, but we have already seen [that]
'the whole operations of the preceding Campaign were in Fife. There is no evidence that Agricola ever reached
'the Tay. The Tau of Tacitus was the Solway Frith. Maitland, who was the first antiquary, who traced Roman
'roads and Roman Camps beyond the Tay, was also the first who pointed to Urie Hill as the appropriate site of
'the battle of Mons Grampius. In his loose conjectures he was copied by Lord Buchan. and Roy followed
'who, in giving an account of the campaigns of Agricola, is always supposing what cannot be allowed, and
'what he cannot prove. There is a thread of Sophistry, which, as it runs through the reasonings of all those writers
'on this point, it is time to cut, for the sake of truth. They presume to think that Agricola was the only Roman of[ ]
'who made roads or constructed camps in North Britain, and that Lollius Urbicus and the Emperor Severus [never]
'appeared on that arduous theatre of war etc. etc. Colonel Shand suggested the camp at Findochs on the Arnon river
'in Perthshire as the place.'- Now, in opposition to the dictates of Mr Chalmers, the author with all due de-
ference, is under the necessity of Combating several of his positions, and of vindicating those of the gentlemen
whom he so unceremoniously corrects for their Sophistry and idle arguments. In the first place Mr Pennant
is fully [continued on page 121]