Essay on William Wallace: Leader for Scotland´s Independence

Before the battle we can see montcalm writing to his superiors telling them how outnumbered they will be. This is what he said, “Our eight battalions will make three thousand two hundred men; the Colonials, at most, fifteen hundred men in the field. What is that against at least fifty thousand men which the English have!” This battle was super important, because it then led to the battle at cape breton island with british seizing the island making it incredibly difficult for the french to ship in shipments. This was hard for them to ship in shipments because the island was right next to the entrance of the st lawrence

The Britain militia had been continuously defeated. According to “INDIANCOUNTRYTODAY” they stated that the British were afraid of the French and their Indian allies because their attacks were brutal and they burned and destroyed settlements in their path (ICToday). The reason being because The French and Indians would use Indian-style guerrilla war tactics, and the British would use more organized war tactics such as lining up for the shots. Eventually, the French had demolished miles upon miles of settlement in Pittsburg. And at the time many people believed that the French did not care for the natives’ establishment.

Edward Stuart, also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, lead the Jacobites to the battle against the British government. Charles and Duke had a serious disagreement between who they thought should be in royalty. This conflict could have been prevented, but Charles wanted his way even though this battle could not be won. This was the last battle on the land of Culloden; the battle happened to be on British grounds. The conflict between the Jacobites and British Government had caused a short but bloody battle.

The British enrolled about fifty thousand American Loyalists and enlisted the services of many Indians, who though unreliable, who fair-weather fighters, inflamed long stretches of the frontier”(135). This extra help from colonists, Loyalist, hessians, and the Indians only add to the army creating a bigger advantage towards the colonists. Even though they did not win it can said that the British seemed to have a bigger lead on the colonists. Colonists presented themselves as weak and disorganized, where one would presume that they wouldn’t win at all, “Yet the American rebels were badly organized for war. From the earliest days, they had been almost fatally lacking in unity, and a new nation lurched forward uncertainly like an uncoordinated centipede”(136). Organization is important for the colonists because they are competing against a well-developed and trained army.

The Battle of Yorktown was the decisive battle of the American Revolutionary War. The French and American forces laid siege upon the British forces at Yorktown, Virginia and eventually forced the surrender of nearly one-third of the total number of British troops in America. This battle showed that massive loss of life is not the only factor that will determine the victor, as there were a relatively low number of casualties taken by both sides. Instead, it was an aggregate of economic, social, geographical, and weather factors along with a bit of luck when it came to the timing of the major military movements and tactics all led to the success of the Franco-American forces. Had it not been for these combined factors the Battle of Yorktown and the American Revolutionary Was may have had a very different outcome.

Voting for president of the United States is a very big concern. Americans vote for their president elect on several different categories, campaign platform, personal beliefs, Democrat or Republican Party, and in the earlier years, whether they were from the North or the South. One such person was George C. Wallace. Wallace campaigned in favor of segregation, but was he really for segregation, or did he just believe that the government was stepping on state’s rights?

“On Sept. 11, 1297, an English army under John de Warenne, earl of Surrey, confronted him at the Forth near Stirling. Wallace’s forces were greatly outnumbered, but Surrey had to cross a narrow bridge over the Forth before he could reach the Scottish positions. By slaughtering the English as they crossed the river, Wallace gained an overwhelming victory. He captured Stirling Castle, and for the moment Scotland was nearly free of occupying forces.” (“Sir William Wallace | Biography - Scottish Hero.”)

William Wallace was born poor in Elderslie, Scotland with his dad being a small landowner. He grew up under the leadership of king Alexander III, which also was a time of peace for Scotland. Their king died in a horse riding accident but his granddaughter which was next in line for queen died the boat ride to Scotland After she died that’s when Edward I became king.William decided to fight for peace when a soldier tried to rape his wife and she attacked the knight out of defence, she faced trial and was convicted for attacking an authoritative figure, which the penalty was death with soldier no consequence.

Although he did not live to see the day it actually happened, William Wallace did fight for his county’s independence. He did not win his country’s freedom peacefully, however. William Wallace was said to be a savage for slaughtering men by the thousands, sometimes not just in battle, but pure revenge. English soldiers murdered innocent Scottish women and children, including Wallace’s wife. Which was said to have triggered his need to finally fight against the English.

In 1297 Wallace emerged from obscurity, according to legend in retaliation for the murder of his wife or mistress Marion Braidfute, by killing the English Sheriff of Lanark, Sir William Heselrig. King Edward I sent special forces against Wallace. They first met at Stirling Bridge on September 11, 1297 (Wallace- “Wars of Independence”). Wallace defeated the larger English force, which severely weakened the English hold on Scotland. Wallace was then named Guardian of Scotland (Wallace, Guardian of Scotland). After the battle at Stirling Bridge, Wallace launched raids into England. The shock of being defeated at Stirling Bridge rallied the English around King Edward I, who marched north with his army. Wallace destroyed the countryside forcing King Edward I and his army to move deeper and deeper into Scotland (BBC News).

As a result of Scotland controverting British power, many belligerent conflicts occurred during 1746. These armed conflicts were known as Jacobite risings against Great Britain. The Battle of Culloden a significant battle that concluded the second rising, and it stopped every future thought of opposing British rule. Culloden was the last strife to be fought on British soil, and it was very significant to Scotland’s future. The Battle of Culloden had many causes and was the beginning of many changes in the Highlander culture.

The last of the Mohicans is a film directed by Michael Mann, from a script by Mann and Christopher Crowe. It stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, West Studi, Russell Means, Eric Schwieg, Jodhi May, Maurice Roeves, and Steven Waddington

In order to truly value freedom one must understand the conflict and struggle that happens in the fight for freedom and the sacrifices that certain people make for such freedom. William Wallace was one of these people, born in a village named Renfrewshire, in Scotland, around 1270. Wallace is believed to be the second son of Sir Malcolm Wallace of Elderslie and Auchinbothie. Many of the stories about Wallace comes from a 15th century named Blind Harry, “Many of the stories surrounding Wallace have been traced to a late 15th-century romance ascribed to Henry the Minstrel, or “Blind Harry.” The most popular tales are not supported by documenttary evidence, but they show Wallace’s firm hold on the imagination of his people.” (Grossman 1) Harry mixes facts and hyperbole to further the legend of the Scottish hero.

Four years prior to the battle of Towton, the Battle of Wakefield, occurred and it had looked as though the Yorkists were going to dominate this war. During the Battle of Wakefield the Yorkists received a devastating blow with the loss of their leader, Richard IV, and other commanders during this battle. The Yorkist seamed defeated until the capture of King Henry VI. The deciding factor in the war was during the battle of Edecote Moor when the Yorkists made a new alliance with France and the King of England was also on their side. The new alliance with France and the power of the king would prove to be the deciding factor in this war and would win the war for the Yorkists. (Weir, Battle of Wakefield, 2012)

We are freemen of Scotland, not slaves of England. Our enemy plunders our lands and harms our people, however, we can just watch it happen for the reason that we want peace? I am William Wallace, I am honored as a Scotsman. I fight, I fight for our country, our people and our nation. I used to wish that peace will come to us, I did not want to fight, killing is not easy. However, my everything was destroyed because of my procrastination, my father and my wife have paid the alternate price. I have become bitter, heartbroken and angry. I feel England has to pay for what they have done and I finally realized that it is impossible to have peace unless we fight for it. There may be little hope, they can torture me, they can kill me, but they cannot