The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal
Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry
battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The
regiment was created as part of the Childers
Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland)
Regiment of Foot (The Black Watch) was
amalgamated with the 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment
of Foot. It was known as The Black Watch (Royal
Highlanders) from 1881 to 1931 and The Black
Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) from 1931 to
2006. Part of the Scottish Division for
administrative purposes from 1967, it was the
senior Highland regiment. It has been part of
the Scottish, Welsh and Irish Division for
administrative purposes from 2017.
The source of the regiment's name is uncertain.
In 1725, following the Jacobite rebellion of
1715, General George Wade was authorized by
George I to form six "watch" companies to patrol
the Highlands of Scotland, three from Clan
Campbell, one from Clan Fraser of Lovat, one
from Clan Munro and one from Clan Grant. These
were to be "employed in disarming the
Highlanders, preventing depredations, bringing
criminals to justice, and hindering rebels and
attainted persons from inhabiting that part of
the kingdom." The force was known in Gaelic as
Am Freiceadan Dubh, "the dark" or "black
watch".
This epithet may have come from the uniform
plaids of dark tartan with which the companies
were provided. Other theories have been put
forward; for instance, that the name referred to
the "black hearts" of the pro-government militia
who had sided with the "enemies of true Highland
spirit",or that it came from their original duty
in policing the Highlands, namely preventing
"blackmail" (Highlanders demanding extortion
payments to spare cattle herds).
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