Cowboys from Scotland?

[Diane Merkel]

I just ran a search of the cavalrymen and did not find anyone from Scotland who is listed with the previous occupation of cattle drover or anything similar. Any clue who they are talking about below?

Now a campaign has been launched to set up the first permanent tribute to the drovers who maintained the remarkable cattle export from the end of the 16th century until Victorian times. They included the infamous Rob Roy MacGregor and others who ended up running cattle drives in Kansas or fighting with Custer at the Little Big Horn.

For the full article: business.scotsman.com/agriculture.cfm?id=336332006

[George Armstrong Custer]

Diane,
My first thought was of Private 'John Hiley', whose real name as is well known was John Stuart Forbes. But as I recall though something a black sheep of the family, he was the son of a Scottish baronet, one of the minor nobility. So it's pretty unlikely he'd worked as a lowly cattle drover prior to skipping off to the US and a terminal rendezvous with fate at LBH!

Ten 7th members at LBH were born in Scotland (as opposed to being of Scots descent).

These were:

'John Hiley'
Alexander Brown
James Callan
Thomas Conlan
William Moodie
David McWilliams
Joseph Milton
Charles Scott
Peter Thomson
James Hill

I know the last two, Thomson and Hill, were survivors, but don't have a reference for the others to hand. However, knowing whether the guy you refer to survived or not might narrow it down a little.........

Ciao,
GAC

[bigpond]

Hiley was born in Rugby [England] A Sassanach
Many people think the term" Sassanach "means English in Scots but this is false,everyone born below the highlands is a Sassanach.
Hiley himself was a gambler[another one]and had to flee the UK as there was a bounty on his head.
Ironically his mother sent him a letter at the time of the LBH stating he had been pardoned and that he could come home.
Many a gambler died at the Greasy Grass.
On the subject of cattle,my clan the Elliot's used to steel cattle of the Douglas and guess what my father married a Douglas ;D

[Diane Merkel]

I was hoping you'd reply to this thread, BigPond!

I wonder if the reference to "fighting with Custer" is just another myth . . . .

I guess you're glad the Elliot and Douglas clans merged long enough to produce you!