OS1/25/42/16B

List of names as written Various modes of spelling Authorities for spelling Situation Description remarks
Supposed Site of the BATTLE OF MONS GRAMPIUS (Continued) 052 [continued from page 16a]
have taken the route of Killymoor directly towards them.

* With regard to the position of the legions, where it is said, "Legiones pro vallo stetere", (Tacitus's life of Agricola, sect [section] 35) they are supposed, according to the general opinion, to have been drawn up before, that is to say, without the intrenchment of the Camp, that they might be in readiness to sustain the auxillaries, if circumstances had rendered their assistance necessary.
Whether, therefore, the legions were actually formed in the front of a camp that the army had occupied the preceding night, which seems most likely to have been the case; or that the Romans made a march towards the Caledonians, and fought the same day; yet still there must have been a Camp near the scene of Action (though now, perhaps wholly obliterated) wherin the troops would not only take the necessary repose on the succeeding night, but would probably make some short halt, after the fate of the campaign had been thus decided. Note in page 86.

In the description of the Camps, we have had occasion to point out three of the smaller kind, discovered in this part of the country, one of which, namely that at Kiethick, is situated a short march to the eastward of Battledykes; from which circumstance, joined to those just now mentioned, and others which follow, there is the strongest reason to conclude, that the Roman Army advanced still farther into Strathmore, before they came to the decisive engagement with Galgacus.
The nature of the country seems to point out that the Caledonians would take post on the Grampian Mountains, towards their eastern extremity, where the plain becomes narrow, from the near approach of that lofty range to the sea. In such a situation as this, they would find it easier to hamper the Romans in their movements, than in the more open and extended parts of the country, and therefore would, as it were, force Agricola to fight on their own terms, since he never could think of penetrating into Aberdeenshire by this gorge, leaving the enemy undefeated in his rear.
Somewhere, therefore, about Fettercairn, Montboddo, or perhaps even still nearer to Stonehaven, it would seem probable that the battle may have happened; but unless a number of Old Roman and Caledonian Arms should by mere accident, be dug up in the neighborhood of those places or that the vestiges of a Camp should be discovered fronting one or other of them, sufficient to contain Agricola's whole army and at no great distance from the Grampian Mountains, we can never hope to be able to ascertain the particular spot. Many thousand chances there must be to one against it ever
being
[continued on page 16c]

Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 16b

[Note sideways alongside paragraph in red ink:]
The defensible position at
Micklehour with the Cleaven Dike

[Note sideways alongside last paragraph:]
These have been found
about Blairgowrie

  Transcribers who have contributed to this page.

Alison James- Moderator, Brenda Pollock

  Location information for this page.