bastide the surveyor of glen arklet -...

1712228

1817 1820 1865

BASTIDETHESURVEYOROFGLENARKLET QuiteoftenmywifeGeraldineandIgoforawalkonSignalHillSt.John’sandlookacrosstheoceanfromthemosteasterlypointofNorthAmericatowardsEurope.IamremindedofalinkbetweenthisplaceandmynativeGlenArklet.ForitherethatLt. (laterGeneral)HenryBastidealongwithLt.JohnDumaresqe.isurveyedGlenArkletin1712-1719 WhentheBoardofOrdnanceSurveyorsassignedtwoteenagers-LieutenantsJohnHenriBastide&JohnDumaresq-to surveyGlenArkletin1718anddrawuparchitecturalplansofthefortatInversnaid(spelledInnersnaitontheirmapsand architecturaldrawings).BothwerealreadyseasonedmilitaryarchitectsandsurveyorshavingundertakenprojectsfromFort CloquetheonChannelIslands.ThankstotheNationalLibraryofScotland,hastheirmapsandsketchesplansofGlenArkletand architecturalmapsandsketchesofGlenArkletarepreservedforposterityinNationalLibraryofScotland.WhenDumaresq& BastidesurveyedGlenArkletCorriearkletwasasubstantialfermtoun’andwasthemainadministrativeandthereligious centreofthedistrictandhadsubstantialrun---rigfarmingsystemandwith22buildingsthatwereoccupiedmostlyMcGregor andMacFarlanefamilies,whosewell---documentedgenealogicalrecordsreadslikeawho’swhoofthedistrict’sglitteratiwho hadgreatinfluencelocallyfarbeyondGlenArklet.1719anda1742plan,respectively,show15buidlings.By1817,therewere only6buildingsatCorriearkletandby1820whileThompson’smapshowsonlyonebuilding,whichistheonlysurvivingfarm houseandisnowaveryniceB&B.DuringBastideandDumaresq’stimeinGlenArklet,RobRoy,whowasbankruptatthetime,waslivingelsewheretothewestontheDukeofArgyll’sland.IndeedtheclosestLt.Bastide’sandRobRoygottoeachotherwasattheBattleofGlenShielbetweentheJacobite/SpanishforcesandHanoverianforceson10thJune,1719.ThiswasBastide’sfirsgreatmomentofgloryinalongdistinguishedcareer;insofarhedrewuptheplanofbattleonthespotwhichincludedRobRoy’scontingentof40MacGregorsamongthe1,000strongJSpanish/JacobiteArmy.ItwasBastidessketchesthatgavevictory tothe1600strongandmuchbetterarmedandpreparedHanoverianarmy.RobRoywasbadlywoundedinthebattle.Bastide wentontobecomeessentiallytheEngineerunderMajorGeneralWolfewho,asaBrevetMajorfollowingtheBattleofCulloden in1745wasresponsiblebuildingand/orrebuildingtheroadsthroughouttheTrossachsandbeyond-includingtheoldmilitary roadinGlenArklet,theLochLomondroadtoTyndrum,othersinthedistrictsomeofwhicharestillmainroutestoday.

DuringtheFrenchandIndianWar(1754–1763)WolfeandBastidehadleadrolesintheAmericantheaterofthe SevenYearsWar.Whiletheybothontheside,tosaythattheycollaborateingoodfaithwouldbeamisstatement,fortheycould notstandeachother’scompany.Bastide,whowasmucholder,thoughtofwolfasanarrogantyoungster:whereasWolfthought Bastidewasincompetent.Inpractice,theywerebothtypeAindividualsandverycleversoldiers.Forexample,fortheBritishto succeedinAmericatheyfirsthadtodealwiththevitruallyimpregnableFrenchfortLouisburg,NovaScotiaandlateratthe heightsofAbrahaminQuebec.InthecaseLouisburghiswisnaebotherata’forBastide.HesimplycommandeeredaScottish emigrant100coalminerstotunnelunderaweakspotinthefortandblewitupjustintimeforBritishhistroopstoenterand takecontrolofthefort.WhileBastidewasbasedatAnnopolisRoyal,NovaScotia,hebuiltaseriesofstrategicfortsincluding onetodefendSt.John’s,Newfoundland.Inadditionthereweremanycoastalartillerybatteriestoprotectfishingvillagessuch asFortAmherstattheentrancetotheSt.John’sharbour(namedafterFieldMarshalJefferyAmherst)andalsoFortWilliam. Despitethat,theFrenchforcesoccupiedSt.John’s.But,onSeptember15,1762Britishforces,commandedbyAmherst,defeatedtheFrenchforcesattheBattleofSignalHill.Onthisoccasion,BastideOnthisoccasion,Bastide(thesurveyorofGlenArklet)andChiefMilitaryEngineerforNorthAmerica)was incapacitatedwithgoutandwasconfinedtosbattleshiplyingoffshore.Nevetheless,truetoform,hedrewabattleplanforthesiegeofJohn’s.TheBattleforSignalHillwasthelastbattleofSevenYears'WarwhichledtotheTreatyofParisinwhichtheFrench concededNorthAmericatotheBritish.