Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, No. 745, April 6, 1878

In this lively historical sketch, a 19th‑century writer resurrects the forgotten tale of Brigadier Mackintosh of Borlum, the daring Highland commander whose name once haunted schoolchildren stone‑throwing at a ruined church. Through vivid anecdotes, the narrative traces Borlum’s bold march from the Scottish Highlands to the English border during the 1715 Jacobite rising. The piece blends folklore and fact, showing how the villain‑turned‑hero was transformed into a local bogeyman long after the battlefields fell silent.

The essay also surveys the broader Jacobite turmoil, from James II’s exile to the ill‑fated plots that followed, all rendered in a sketchy, conversational style that avoids dry chronologies. Readers hear of daring river crossings, daring captures of Leith, and the ultimate surrender at Preston, while the author’s tone remains both scholarly and entertaining. This compact yet vivid portrait invites listeners to glimpse a turbulent century through the eyes of a storyteller who makes history feel immediate and human.