THE fate of Scottish soldiers captured in one of the bloodiest battles of the 17th Century has been revealed by new research launched after the discovery of the bones of their comrades in the grounds of Durham Cathedral.
A study of those who survived the vicious fighting of the Battle of Dunbar in 1650 was carried out by scientists at Durham University, with some being traced as far away as France, Barbados and the USA.
The men were among 3,000 who were herded south after the battle, many of whom died of disease and malnutrition en route or perished in captivity.
A research paper published by the university offers new insight the treatment of those who survived, revealing that some went on to fight for their captors in battles in Ireland and France, while others worked on the salt pans in South Shields and helping drain The Fens in the East of England.
However, the best information comes from America, where some of the Scots were shipped as indentured servants.
Project leader Dr Pam Graves said: “There is a wealth of information about the fate of the Scottish soldiers during and after their imprisonment in Durham, but it is only when you draw all this together that you get a real sense of what became of these men.
“Many were sent as indentured servants, to work for a contracted length of time in order to earn their release.
“Documents from the time tell us the names of the soldiers sent to the USA, where they were sent to and even the name of the ship they voyaged in.
“Tracing their names through history also shows us what these men did once they were released from indenture. Some went on to become successful farmers and we know there are many descendants of these men still living in the USA.”
The Battle of Dunbar was one of the most brutal and short battles of the 17th Century civil wars. The Royalist-supporting Scottish Covenanting army, led by General David Leslie was defeated in less than an hour by Oliver Cromwell’s English Parliamentarian army.
Around 3,000 soldiers were captured and imprisoned in Durham Cathedral and Castle, at a time when the Cathedral was empty and abandoned.
As an estimated 1,700 prisoners from the battle died and were buried in Durham, and their final resting place remained a mystery until bones were uncovered in 2013 within the Cathedral grounds.
Research on the remains is being now undertaken by Durham University’s Department of Archaeology, with the aim of learning more about where the soldiers came from, their health and what illnesses they suffered from at different stages of their lives.
In August 2016 Durham University announced that, once research on the remains is completed, they will be reburied in Durham City, as close as possible to their original burial site.
In late 2016, the University plans to hold a commemorative event and dedicate a plaque to the memory of the soldiers.
The project team travelled to the USA to meet descendants of some of the soldiers who were sent there nearly 400 years ago, and learn more about their lives.
The new publication also explores the men who made up the Scots army, the battle itself and its aftermath in detail.
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