This violation of military discipline was not to be passed
over, and accordingly measures were immediately taken to
secure the ringleaders. But so many were equally concerned,
that it was difficult, if not impossible, to fix the crime on
any, as being more prominently guilty. And here was shown
a trait of character worthy of a better cause, and which originated
from a feeling alive to the disgrace of a degrading
punishment. The soldiers being made sensible of the nature
of their misconduct, and the consequent necessity of public
example, _several men voluntarily offered themselves to stand
trial_, and suffer the sentence of the law as an atonement for
the whole. These men were accordingly marched to Edinburgh
Castle, tried, and four condemned to be shot. Three
of them were afterwards reprieved, and the fourth, Alexander
Sutherland, was shot on Musselburgh Sands.
``The following demi-official account of this unfortunate
misunderstanding was published at the time:---
`` `During the afternoon of Monday, when a private of the
light company of the Breadalbane Fencibles, who had been
confined for a military offence, was released by that company,
and some other companies, who had assembled in a tumultuous
manner before the guard-house, no person whatever was
hurt, and no violence offered; and however unjustifiable the
proceedings, it originated not from any disrespect or ill-will
to their officers, but from a mistaken point of honour, in a
particular set of men in the battalion, who thought themselves
disgraced by the impending punishment of one of their
number.
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