OS1/19/10/127

Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 127
Parish of Fetteresso
[Continued from Page 126]
Barrow was opened in 1812, by the workmen employed in building the new church and minister's house
of Fetteresso, hard by, with a view of finding Stones useful for the work, when it was discovered to be entirely
Composed of a vast quantity of Urns and pottery of all Sorts, ashes, earth, half burnt bones, and charcoal.
Some of the most entire of the Urns are now in the possession of the Reverend Mr Thomson, minister of
the parish. This mount was in or very near to the Roman Station in the plain, at least two miles South from
the Scottish Camp at Re-dykes, and may have been about twenty or thirty feet in diameter. From the con-
tents also, it evidently points out its origin, as the place where the Romans had burnt the bodies of all who
had fallen in battle, or died while they occupied this Station. Here then at length has been found the only
particular wanting to determine the Site of this battle. For here every circumstance concurs in pointing out
this place as the real Scene of the conflict between Agricola and Galgacus, a combination no where else to
be found along the whole chain of the Grampian Mountains, at Ardoch, at Dealgin Ross, Strageth,
Battledykes, or any other fancied situation, and here, it is presumed, that this much disputed point
will be invariably fixed, and universally acknowledged to be so. Here the Roman fleet was seen riding
at anchor in the bay of Stonehaven, within less than a league of their Camp, where no enemy could inter-
upt their mutual intercourse. Here Galgacus could see the fleet equally well from the Hills above, and might justly
be made to exclaim, immenente nobis classe Romana, - and from this place Tacitus might properly
Say, upon Agricola's retreat Southward after the battle, - excercitum in fines Horestorum deducit.
Though the result of this engagement according to Tacitus, was highly favourable to the Romans, yet, as he acknow-
ledged the spirit and energy with which the Caledonians fought, the disproportion in the number of the killed
could Scarcely have been So considerable as he describes it, nor could the victory over our heroic ancestors
have proved so very easy and decisive, Seeing that he was instantly obliged to abandon his northern expe
dition, and march back to his old quarters at Ardoch. His fleet, indeed, are Said to have circumnavi-
gated the [continued on page 128]

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