Radical War

The Radical War, also known as the Scottish Insurrection of 1820, is a week of strikes and unrest, a culmination of Radical demands for reform in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland that had become prominent in the early years of the French Revolution, but had then been repressed during the long Napoleonic Wars.

An economic downturn after the wars ended had brought increasing unrest.

Artisan workers, particularly weavers in Scotland, have sought action to reform an uncaring government.

Gentry fearing revolutionary horrors have recruited militia and the government has deployed an apparatus of spies, informers and agents provocateurs to stamp out the movement.

A Committee of Organisation for Forming a Provisional Government putz placards around the streets of Glasgow late on Saturday, April 1, calling for an immediate national strike.

On Monday, April 3, work stops in a wide area of central Scotland and in a swirl of disorderly events a small group marches towards the Carron Company ironworks to seize weapons, but while stopped at Bonnymuir they are attacked by Hussars.

Another small group from Strathaven marches to meet a rumored larger force, but are warned of an ambush and disperse.

Militia taking prisoners to Greenock jail are attacked by local people and the prisoners released.

James Wilson of Strathaven is singled out as a leader of the march there, and at Glasgow is executed by hanging, then decapitated.

Of those seized by the British Army at Bonnymuir, John Baird and Andrew Hardie are similarly executed at Stirling after making short defiant speeches.

Twenty other Radicals are sentenced to penal transportation.

It becomes evident that government agents had actively fomented the unrest to bring radicals into the open.

The insurrection will be largely forgotten as attention focuses on better publiciced Radical events in England.

Two years later, enthusiasm for the visit of King George IV to Scotland will successfully boost loyalist sentiment, ushering in a new-found Scottish national identity.

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