In 1779, seventy Highlanders of the 42nd and 71st (then known as the Master of the Lovat Regiment) when they marched towards Leith refused to embark because rumor had spread that they were to be drafted into a Lowland Corps and could not to wear the kilt and deeply resented this. They decided to resist this to the death and mutinied.
A report was sent to Edinburgh Castle saying:
“To Governor Wemysis or Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Fencible Regiment
See April 1779.
Sir: The recruits of the 71st Regiment have refused to embark, you will order 200 men of the Southern Fencibles to immediately march sixteen of these mutineers to Leith and march them prisoners to Edinburgh Castle to be detained there until further orders. etc
Ha Adolphus Oughton “
In response to this, two hundred Fencibles under Major Sir James Johnston marched towards Leith and found seventy Highlanders on the coast lined up with their backs to the houses with fixed bayonets and loaded muskets. Sir James formed a detachment in a similar fashion to make escape impossible. Then he voiced his orders that he would have no choice but to obey.
His words were translated into Gaelic by Sergeant Ross. However, the Highlanders stood their ground and would not surrender. Johnston gave the order to “retrieve weapons”, that is, prepare to shoot. At that moment a Highlander tried to escape and was seized by a sergeant who was instantly riddled with a bayonet while another was shot to rescue him. Blood rose and the Fencibles fired shot after shot on the Highlanders. The highlanders returned fire, but a porter only fired a few shots at them. Two Fencibles died and one wounded from the Highlanders, twelve died and many later died from their wounds. The Fencibles approached with fixed bayonets and arrested twenty-five mountaineers who left the coast strewn with the dead and dying. And he returned to the Castle.
While trying to rescue two Fencibles, Captain Mansfield was shot by a Highlander whose charge he tried to stop with his sword. He was later buried at Greyfriars Churchyard. The mountaineers who died were buried in the South Leith Cemetery and for many years a small mound could be seen where they were buried, but with time and weather this mound has disappeared.