When we talk about the 10 most hardcore sayings ever uttered on a battlefield, we’re diving into a world where bravado meets tragedy. Quotes can freeze a moment of fierce resolve, giving us a glimpse of the raw courage that fuels wars—often without any of the grim details that follow. Most of us would freeze or stumble when danger looms, but these historic figures managed to bark out lines that still echo through the ages.

Why These 10 Most Hardcore Quotes Matter

Each of these statements was born in the heat of combat, reflecting an unflinching will to press forward, no matter the odds. Below, we rank the most unforgettable, bone‑crunching utterances ever recorded.

10 William Darby

“Onward we stagger. And if the tanks come, then God help the tanks!”

This rallying cry belongs to William O. Darby, commander of the 1st Rangers Battalion, whose ferocious leadership earned his unit the nickname “Darby’s Rangers.” The Rangers were among the first American troops to clash with the Nazis, seeing action in Tunisia. Darby didn’t just talk the talk—his Distinguished Service citations note that he personally directed the demolition of several German tanks using light artillery and grenades, and he was famous for scouting enemy positions on his own.

Tragically, Darby’s daring career ended just a week before Germany’s surrender. On April 30, 1945, a tiny shell fragment pierced his heart, killing him at the very moment he was slated for promotion to brigadier general. His legend lived on, and in 1958 James Garner portrayed him on the silver screen after Charlton Heston had to bow out.

9 Hannie Schaft

Before the Nazis rolled into the Netherlands in 1940, Jannetje Johanna “Hannie” Schaft was a bright law student. When Dutch universities demanded a loyalty oath to the occupiers, she walked out and joined a communist‑linked resistance group. She arranged safe houses for Jews and eventually turned to assassinating German officers and Dutch collaborators, always making her escape on a trusty bicycle.

Hannie’s notoriety grew; the Germans dubbed her “the Girl with Red Hair,” a moniker she quickly shed by dyeing her hair black. When the Gestapo finally caught her, they imprisoned her parents in a concentration camp. She refused to surrender, but a checkpoint stop revealed a pistol hidden in her bag, leading to her arrest. On a beach near Bloemendaal in 1945, a German officer fired at her; the bullet only grazed her temple, prompting her to retort defiantly:

“I am a much better shot!”

A Dutch collaborator then finished the job with a sub‑machine gun. The Netherlands would be liberated three weeks later.

8 Hatuey

When the Europeans first set foot in the New World, Hatuey was a minor chief on Hispaniola, the island that would host the earliest Spanish settlements. As Diego Velázquez prepared to invade Cuba, Hatuey arrived ahead of the Spaniards, warning the Taino peoples about the impending danger. His pleas fell on deaf ears, and he resorted to guerrilla warfare to resist the invaders.

Hatuey’s rag‑tag force managed to keep the Spanish confined to forts for months, despite the brutal massacre of thousands of Taino who had welcomed the newcomers with a feast. In 1512, betrayal led to his capture. Before being burned alive, a Franciscan friar urged him to convert; Hatuey responded with unflinching defiance:

“I prefer Hell to Heaven if there are Spaniards in Heaven.”

7 Theodore Roosevelt

Few men capitalized on the Spanish‑American War as dramatically as Theodore Roosevelt. While schoolbooks often credit his Rough Riders with the iconic charge up Kettle Hill, recent scholarship highlights the valor of the African‑American 10th Cavalry and 24th Infantry regiments, which received far less fanfare at the time.

During the assault, Roosevelt spurred his troops forward on horseback, shouting:

“Are you afraid to stand up when I am on horseback?”

Eyewitnesses believed he would be cut down, and a bullet did graze his arm, but he shrugged it off and kept charging, embodying a brand of bravery that bordered on reckless.

6 Liu Bang

In the late third century B.C., China was torn apart by a ferocious civil war between the Chu forces of Xiang Yu and the Han troops of Liu Bang. Once allies, the two leaders became bitter foes after Xiang Yu proclaimed himself ruler of all China.

For years Xiang Yu repeatedly outmaneuvered Liu Bang, even capturing Liu’s father at one point. After a series of setbacks, Liu’s Han army finally forced a stalemate. Xiang Yu then threatened to boil Liu’s father alive unless Liu surrendered—an intimidation tactic that had already seen Xiang boil an underling for calling him an “ape in a hat.”

Liu’s daring reply was:

“Send me a cup of the soup.”

He also reminded Xiang that they had once sworn brotherhood, making the threat tantamount to patricide. Xiang relented, sparing Liu’s father, and Liu Bang eventually triumphed, forcing Xiang Yu to commit suicide beside a river.

5 An Anonymous Finnish Officer

The 1939‑1940 Winter War saw the Soviet Union pounce on Finland, outnumbering the Finns four to one in infantry and dwarfing them thirty‑to‑one in the air. Finland possessed less than one percent of the Russian tank fleet, yet managed to stall the invasion.

During the brutal clash around Suomussalmi, Finnish tactics proved astonishingly effective, inflicting as many as 28,000 Russian casualties while suffering a mere 700 themselves. One unnamed officer summed up the Finnish resolve perfectly:

“The wolves will eat well this winter.”

4 David Farragut

During the American Civil War, Rear Admiral David Farragut commanded the Union fleet tasked with seizing the strategic port of Mobile, Alabama. The Confederates defended the harbor with cannons and a treacherous field of “torpedoes” (now known as naval mines). When the lead ironclad Tecumseh struck a mine and sank, the fleet hesitated.

Undeterred, Farragut roared from the flagship Hartford:

“Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!”

The Hartford barreled into the minefield, but most of the devices were old duds. Though the ship struck several mines, it emerged unscathed, inspiring the rest of the fleet to press on and eventually capture Mobile.

3 Marshal Michel Ney

Napoleon Bonaparte’s meteoric rise was bolstered by a cadre of fearless generals, none more daring than Marshal Michel Ney. Napoleon dubbed him “the Bravest of the Brave” for his willingness to throw himself into the fiercest fighting.

After Napoleon’s first exile to Elba, the restored French monarchy ordered Ney to arrest the former emperor. Instead, Ney threw his support behind Napoleon’s dramatic return, standing beside him at the disastrous Battle of Waterloo. In the wake of Napoleon’s final defeat, the monarchy sentenced Ney to death.

When the execution day arrived, Ney refused a blindfold, addressed his comrades, and declared his unwavering loyalty to France before delivering the final command:

“Soldiers, fire!”

2 Alaric The Visigoth

Although the Western Roman Empire officially fell in 476 A.D., the warning signs were evident as early as 408 A.D., when the Visigothic king Alaric I threatened Rome itself, demanding a massive ransom of gold, scarlet, silver, and pepper.

When Rome sent envoys to negotiate, Alaric replied with a line that would make any Roman senator wince:

“The thicker the hay, the easier it is mowed!”

The Romans promptly paid the ransom, but the warning proved futile—Alaric eventually sacked Rome in 410 A.D.

1 Jerry “Mad Dog” Shriver

Sergeant First Class Jerry Michael Shriver, better known as “Mad Dog,” earned a fearsome reputation among North Vietnamese forces during his 1964‑1969 stint with the U.S. Army Special Forces. Standing tall in a derby hat and blue Chinese smoking jacket, and accompanied by his loyal Alsatian Klaus, Shriver seemed to court death. While most Green Berets completed about twenty missions, Shriver logged forty, admitting that the thrill of combat was simply too addictive to quit.

During a particularly desperate encounter, his unit, dubbed “Hatchet Platoon,” found itself surrounded. When he radioed for air support, the response was a blunt, “pretty bad.” Shriver’s legendary reply was:

“I’ve got ’em right where I want ’em—surrounded from the inside.”

He survived that firefight, but his audacious style eventually caught up with him. On April 24, 1969, he boarded a helicopter in Quan Loi for what he believed would be his final mission, asking his comrades to look after Klaus before taking off. He never returned.

Dustin Koski, a fellow veteran, has posted numerous Shriver quotes on his Facebook page, though none have matched the sheer hardcore intensity of Shriver’s own words.

Welcome to the ultimate countdown of the top 10 hardcore moments captured on camera from the wild cats that roam the Americas. From bone‑crunching kills to heart‑stopping standoffs, these videos prove that the New World’s felines are just as fierce and fascinating as their African cousins. Grab your popcorn, keep your phone charged, and prepare to be amazed by nature’s raw, unfiltered drama.

Why These Top 10 Hardcore Clips Matter

Each of these videos showcases a different slice of feline ferocity, highlighting everything from stealthy stalks to brutal battles. They also remind us why preserving these predators and their habitats is crucial – these creatures are not only iconic, they are essential players in the ecosystems they inhabit.

10 Mary’s Peak Encounter

One crisp day, an adventurous visitor found themselves wandering the lush trails of Mary’s Peak near Corvallis, Oregon, when an unforgettable scene unfolded before their eyes.

In a flash, a sizable cat executed a swift, decisive kill right on the trail, delivering a spectacle that most people would normally only expect to witness on the distant plains of the Serengeti.

Lesson learned: always keep your phone fully charged and pack spare batteries – you never know when you’ll need to capture a once‑in‑a‑lifetime moment.

9 Mountain Lion In Heat

A seasoned guide paused amid the rustling woods, his ears tuned to an eerie chorus echoing through the trees, a sound that sent shivers down his spine.

Imagine yourself hearing that haunting call – would you stay still and whisper, “mountain lion in heat,” or would you bolt? These big cats, also known as cougars or pumas, are currently listed as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List, yet their vocalizations can still unsettle even the bravest.

Beyond the heat‑induced roars, these predators produce a variety of terrifying sounds that echo across the American wilderness.

8 Lynx Males Screaming At Each Other In Tree

Even without the aid of headphones, the ear‑piercing screams of two rival lynx battling for dominance in a towering tree are enough to make any listener’s hair stand on end.

These guttural, blood‑curdling cries serve as a non‑physical contest, allowing each male to vie for a receptive female without resorting to dangerous combat. Both cats managed to survive the dramatic showdown, though each faced the peril of a potentially fatal fall.

The decisive factor wasn’t who held the higher perch; instead, the cat perched atop ultimately lost the duel, proving that height isn’t always power.

Did the victor’s opponent simply out‑yell him, flash sharper teeth, or execute more acrobatic footwork? The exact winning move remains a mystery, lost to the rustling leaves.

Fortunately, once the breeding season passes, Canada lynxes become noticeably more approachable, offering a calmer wildlife‑watching experience.

7 Lynx And Cameraman Have Working Relationship

Determining which participant is tougher – the intrepid cameraman braving 80 days of Canadian snow or the fierce lynx dubbed “Mad Max” – is a delightful conundrum.

In this extraordinary partnership, Mad Max secured a fresh meal while the cameraman captured unparalleled footage, walking away with a story he’ll recount for a lifetime.

Canada’s lynx holds a “Least Concern” status on the IUCN Red List. Together with the bobcat, they represent one of the few felid lineages that span continents, sharing distant relatives like the Iberian and Eurasian lynx.

6 Jaguarundi And Monkey

This diminutive, often overlooked Latin American cat rarely makes headlines, yet its stealthy hunting tactics are nothing short of spectacular.

Contrary to initial assumptions, the creature scaling the tree isn’t an otter – it’s the sleek jaguarundi. Some observers even suspect a tayra slipped into the frame, but the focus remains on the jaguarundi’s audacious behavior.

Built low to the ground with a remarkably long tail, the jaguarundi resembles a miniature cougar more than a jaguar, despite its name. Its elongated physique aids in swift, ground‑level pursuits.

For a full impact, ditch the earphones: the video’s raw, horrifying screams and the victim’s desperate cries amplify the brutality, while the predator seems indifferent to nearby humans.

Classified as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List, jaguarundis typically hunt on the ground, making this arboreal encounter all the more extraordinary.

5 Jaguars vs. Otters

Jaguars stand alone as the sole big cat native to the Americas, once roaming parts of present‑day United States before retreating to Latin America’s dense habitats.

Renowned for their swimming prowess, these apex predators surprisingly avoid the water when faced with the playful antics of giant otters.

The scene’s sheer hardcore appeal—and a dash of humor—comes from Panthera staff chuckling at the bewildered jaguars, turning a fierce encounter into a lighthearted moment.

Giant otters, listed as endangered, provide a unique learning experience for the young jaguars, underscoring that even the mightiest hunters can be humbled.

4 Jaguar And Caiman

Jaguars boast massive jaw muscles and a robust build, granting them the ability to tackle virtually any prey, from livestock to formidable reptiles.

In this clip, a stealthy jaguar expertly stalks a careless caiman that ventures too close to shore, showcasing the cat’s uncanny ability to ambush aquatic prey.

The jaguar’s conservation status is “Near Threatened” on the IUCN Red List, while the caiman’s status remains “Unspecified,” highlighting differing levels of protection.

3 Andean Mountain Cat On The Prowl

At first glance, this creature might appear as a petite, fluffy feline, but two striking facts elevate the video’s significance.

Firstly, the Andean cat navigates the sheer, vertical rock faces above the treeline with effortless agility, demonstrating an uncanny adaptation to almost vertical terrain.

Secondly, capturing such footage marks a monumental achievement: before digital cameras, the cat’s very existence was uncertain, known only from a handful of pelts and skeletal remains.

Classified as “Endangered” on the IUCN Red List, the Andean cat’s survival hangs in a delicate balance, making each sighting a cause for celebration.

Scientists still debate the cat’s exact place within the felid family tree, but modern technology and field observations are gradually illuminating its mysterious lineage.

2 Oncilla On The Prowl

What makes this camera‑trap footage truly hardcore? First, the oncilla—also called the northern tiger cat—is listed as “Vulnerable,” signaling a high extinction risk.

Second, the oncilla’s prey in the clip appears to be either a grison, Latin America’s wolverine‑like carnivore, or a coati, a curious omnivore known for taking on rattlesnakes.

Both potential victims are formidable fighters, yet the oncilla, despite its diminutive size, emerges victorious, showcasing its fierce hunting prowess.

After the kill, the oncilla instantly switches to adorable mode, sauntering away as if nothing extraordinary occurred, prompting viewers to exclaim, “Aww, how cute!”

Warning: avoid sharing this video with friends already convinced that all cats are sociopathic predators.

1 Mountain Lion Raising A Family

Hardcore reaches its zenith in this heart‑pounding footage of a mountain lion mother caring for her cubs.

Unlike lions, most felids lead solitary lives, only briefly intersecting during breeding seasons. Afterward, females shoulder the responsibility of raising and protecting the young for months, sometimes years.

During this demanding period, the mother must juggle regular hunting while provisioning enough food to sustain her growing family, all while fending off potential threats.

The male, typically absent or even a danger to the cubs, makes a fleeting appearance, underscoring the solitary nature of these predators.

Despite the inherent risks, this reproductive strategy has propelled mountain lions to dominate an extensive latitude range across the Americas, making them one of the most widespread mammals on the continent.

Spies, secret agents, masters of covert craft—these thrilling figures have captured the imagination of ordinary folks ever since James Bond strutted onto the silver screen in a cloud of mystery and a tuxedo as dark as midnight. In this countdown of 10 famously hard female spies, we uncover daring exploits that spread like wildfire, and nothing gets our pulse racing quite like a perilous mission or a hair‑raising escape.

While most of the spotlight has historically shone on male operatives, a legion of fierce women have been pulling the strings from the shadows. It’s high time these hard‑core heroines step into the limelight. Below are ten of the most notorious female spies ever recorded.

10 Famously Hard Female Spies: Legends of Covert Courage

10 Belle Boyd

Dubbed the “Southern Belle,” Belle Boyd never set out to label herself a spy, yet her actions proved indispensable to numerous Confederate triumphs during the American Civil War. She clandestinely harvested intelligence on Union maneuvers and funneled it to the Southern cause.

In 1861, as the war erupted, Boyd resided in Martinsburg, Virginia. Eager to aid the South, she initially joined Confederate fundraising drives, but soon realized she could contribute more directly. When Union troops occupied her hometown that same year, she seized the opportunity.

Leveraging her genteel reputation and conversational charm, Boyd ingratiated herself with Union soldiers, covertly extracting valuable details while preserving her innocent façade. She smuggled this information to Confederate commanders, even daring to slip past enemy lines to warn General Stonewall Jackson of plans to torch the town’s bridges.

Boyd’s espionage wasn’t limited to intel gathering. During the Union’s occupation of Martinsburg, a soldier attempted to hoist a flag over her family home. When Boyd barred the men, one aggressive soldier forced his way in, only to meet a bullet from Boyd’s gun—she shot him dead on the spot. Hard‑core indeed.

9 Melita Norwood

On the surface, Melita Norwood appeared as a modest, unassuming secretary at Britain’s Non‑Ferrous Metals Research Association (the BNF) during the 1930s, handling appointments and filing paperwork—nothing overtly thrilling.

The twist lies in the BNF’s true purpose: it served as a front for the Tube Alloys project, the United Kingdom’s atomic weapons program. Though she lived in Britain, Norwood’s ideological leanings aligned with Soviet communism, drawing her into the KGB’s orbit.

Operating under the codename “Hola,” she was instructed to linger after hours, stealthily pilfering files from secured safes. She would duplicate the documents and discreetly deliver them to her KGB handlers at home, unbeknownst to her husband. The stolen data significantly accelerated Soviet nuclear development.

When authorities eventually uncovered her espionage years later, investigators pressed her to identify her Russian collaborators. Norwood declined, claiming a loss of memory that prevented her from recalling any names.

8 Christine Granville

Christine Granville began her adult life as a beauty queen and runway model, but World War II thrust her into the role of a daring messenger across Nazi‑occupied Europe, ferrying clandestine communications through Poland to Allied forces.

Her reputation for audacity grew as she rescued condemned soldiers, evaded gunfire, parachuted behind enemy lines, and even stitched tiny knives into the hems of her skirts. She crafted elaborate alibis, charmed both guards and their canine companions, and once feigned a fatal bout of tuberculosis by biting her tongue to escape Nazi police.

Granville’s allure proved a potent weapon; she won the affection of several high‑ranking men, including a brief liaison with Winston Churchill, who placed her in his personal espionage unit under the moniker “Willing,” a nod to her seductive yet fearless nature.

Rumor has it she inspired the female lead in Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale. Tragically, her own life ended violently when a deranged ex‑lover murdered her in London toward the war’s close.

7 Noor Inayat Khan

Noor Inayat Khan holds the distinction of being the first female radio operator for the British Secret Service and the inaugural British‑Indian spy. In World War II, she joined the “Prosper” resistance network in occupied Paris, receiving the codename “Madeleine.”

Initially, the group’s leaders doubted her ability to survive the perilous work, but Khan quickly dispelled those concerns. While many operatives were captured, she repeatedly evaded capture, constantly relocating and maintaining a lifeline of encrypted messages to London.

Her covert career met a grim turning point when a local Frenchwoman exposed her identity. The Gestapo seized her, using her personal signal books and codes to lure additional agents from London into traps, resulting in further captures.

After a daring yet failed escape attempt, Khan endured solitary confinement and brutal torture. She never betrayed any of her contacts, ultimately meeting her death at the hands of the Nazi police—a testament to her indomitable spirit.

6 Mata Hari

Mata Hari cultivated an exotic persona as an Asian‑style dancer, using her stagecraft as a veil for espionage—a truly striking combination.

She toured Europe with a series of provocative performances, weaving elaborate tales of a mystical upbringing—some claimed she was born in a sacred Indian temple, others that she learned dance from priestesses.

Her seductive charisma and flamboyant demeanor made her an ideal courier for the Allies at the outbreak of World War I. She seduced high‑ranking military officials from rival nations, coaxing them to reveal weaponry plans and strategic moves, which she then passed to the opposing side, allegedly causing thousands of casualties.

Debate persists over the true extent of her effectiveness; some modern historians argue her legend was inflated or that she may never have been a spy at all. Nonetheless, she was suspected of double‑agent activity, and before her duplicity could be fully exposed, French authorities captured her and executed her by firing squad in 1917.

5 Virginia Hall

Virginia Hall, an American operative who served with Britain’s Special Operations Executive, earned a reputation as one of the most formidable spies of World War II, later joining the U.S. Office of Strategic Services and eventually the CIA.

During a hunting excursion in Turkey, Hall suffered a gun accident that led to the loss of her leg. She replaced it with a wooden prosthetic she christened “Cuthbert.”

Undeterred, Hall orchestrated extensive spy networks, rescued prisoners of war, and recruited hundreds of agents to sabotage Nazi operations. The Germans nicknamed her the “limping lady,” yet her cunning kept her perpetually a step ahead of their counter‑intelligence.

Her extraordinary contributions earned her the Distinguished Service Cross—the only civilian woman ever to receive the award.

4 Nancy Wake

Nancy Wake’s early life was far from glamorous; born into poverty in Australia, she later became a journalist before marrying a wealthy French industrialist, granting her access to high‑society circles.

Witnessing the horrors of Nazi occupation, Wake threw herself into the French Resistance at the war’s outset. She established vital communication links between British forces and the Resistance, covertly guided Allied personnel across France to safety in Spain, and amassed weapons caches for the advancing troops.

Legend credits her with executing German spies, and rumors suggest she once killed a German soldier with her bare hands—feats that earned her the nickname “White Mouse,” as the Gestapo could never catch her.

Her daring exploits cemented her status as one of the most celebrated resistance fighters of the era.

3 Anna Chapman

Anna Chapman can be summed up in three words: bold, Russian, spy.

She figured prominently in a Russian spy ring operating in the United States, spending years gathering any intelligence that could aid Moscow’s agenda.

Media speculation once claimed she attempted to seduce NSA whistle‑blower Edward Snowden, hoping to lure him to Russia, marry him, and extract secrets directly from his mind—a plot as dramatic as any thriller.

Beyond espionage, Chapman also pursued a modeling career, leveraging her public profile to infiltrate circles where classified information circulated. In 2010, she was arrested in New York, pled guilty to conspiracy, and was subsequently deported.

2 Josephine Baker

Josephine Baker dazzled audiences as a singer and dancer, achieving worldwide fame in the 1920s with her feather‑laden costumes and exuberant performances that made her a staple on Broadway and across Europe.

Few know that she also served the French Resistance during World II, smuggling encoded messages hidden within sheet music and, on occasion, in her intimate apparel. For these covert contributions, she received French military honors.

1 Ana Montes

Ana Montes rose to notoriety as a Cuban intelligence asset who infiltrated the United States, beginning her career with the Defense Intelligence Agency in 1985, where she cultivated a reputation as an expert on Cuban affairs.

Her ideological opposition to U.S. foreign policy made her a perfect recruit for Cuban handlers. Possessing a prodigious photographic memory, she could memorize classified documents and encrypted files, later reciting them verbatim to her contacts.

When suspicions grew among her colleagues, Montes voluntarily underwent a polygraph test, passing with flying colors and thereby maintaining her cover. She continued covertly supplying Cuba with sensitive information for several more years.

In 2002, the FBI amassed sufficient evidence to charge her; she pleaded guilty to espionage and received a 25‑year prison sentence, with a tentative release date slated for 2023.

Colombia, Poland, Venezuela, Ireland, Sweden, Morocco—the list goes on. For hundreds of years, Scottish soldiers have taken the opportunity to earn money by fighting in foreign lands. In other words, they were mercenaries. Sometimes these Scottish soldiers of fortune supported established monarchs, while on other occasions, they fought with rebels anxious to upend the status quo. But wherever they went and whoever they fought, the results most often were tales well worth the telling.

10 Peter McAleese

A Glaswegian born in 1942, Peter Maltese led a band of mercenary fighters to Colombia in 1989. McAleese had an impressive pedigree for his role as the commander of a motley bunch of soldiers of fortune. He’d served with Britain’s feted elite force, the SAS. In a documentary film about his life, McAleese reinforced his image as an all-around tough guy, saying, “I was trained to kill by the Army, but the fighting instinct came from Glasgow.”

McAleese left the army in 1969 and drifted into the shadowy world of mercenary fighters, seeing action in African hotspots such as Angola and what was then Rhodesia and is now Zimbabwe. But why did he travel to Colombia? In a barely credible turn of events, he’d been hired by the Cali Cartel to kill the leader of its main rival, the Medellin Cartel. In other words, McAleese’s mission was no less than to assassinate Pablo Escobar. The Scotsman and his buddies were to helicopter into Escobar’s compound. But McAleese’s chopper crashed in the Andes, injuring him badly. The plot was aborted. McAleese escaped and died in 2021, aged 79. Escobar was killed in a gun battle in 1993.^[1]

9 Gregor MacGregor, Prince of Poyais

Born on Christmas Eve 1786, Gregor MacGregor launched his military career conventionally enough by joining the British Army’s 57th Foot Regiment while still only a 16-year-old. The young man saw action in the Napoleonic Wars and eventually attained the rank of major before hanging up his sword in 1810. For his next adventure, his eyes turned to South America, and he arrived in Venezuela in 1812.
MacGregor was acquainted with the revolutionary leader General Francisco de Miranda, who accepted him into his forces as a colonel in the fight against the Spanish colonialists. MacGregor, who had awarded himself a knighthood, rose to be a general in the Venezuelan Army. His exploits included an attempt to seize Florida from the Spanish and a bid to found a colony in Nicaragua.

His most grandiose scheme, however, saw him taking the title of Prince of Poyais as he developed a colony in the Bay of Honduras. To do so, he enticed gullible British investors and prospective colonizers with false claims. They lost all their money, and the colony was a total disaster. Somehow, “Prince” Gregor walked away unscathed.^[2]

8 Patrick Leopold Gordon of Auchleuchries

Born in the northeast of Scotland in 1635, Patrick Gordon first left his native land while still a teenager. He traveled to the Polish city of what was then Danzig and is now Gdańsk, where he enrolled at a Jesuit college. A war between Poland and Sweden erupted in 1655, and that was when the young Gordon first became a mercenary. It seems he was none too choosy about who his employers were since he fought on both sides during the hostilities.

In 1661, Gordon walked away from both Poland and Sweden, electing to join the Russian army. With the rank of major, he gave useful service in 1661 by crushing civil disturbances in Moscow. After Peter the Great came to power in 1696, Gordon became a key adviser and even friend to the young Tsar, earning the rank of general. He played an important part in suppressing an attempted palace coup against Peter in 1698. He died a year later.^[3]

7 James Francis Edward Keith

Keith was a high-born Scot, the second son of the 9th Earl Marischal of Scotland. Despite that, he was forced to leave his homeland after becoming involved in the unsuccessful Jacobite attempt to seize the British throne in 1715. Fleeing to France, Keith ended up in Spain, where he became an officer in the Spanish Army. But since he was a Protestant in a Catholic country, his prospects were poor, so he left for Russia.

In 1728, Keith was made a colonel of a Russian regiment and fought against the Swedes. After his time with the Russians, it seems that Keith was keen for new pastures, and he joined the Prussian Army, seeing extensive action in the Seven Years’ War that convulsed much of Europe and North America. By now a Field Marshall, Keith fought at the 1758 Battle of Hochkirch in Germany when 80,000 Austrians faced 31,000 Prussians. The Austrians routed the Prussians killing 9,000 of them, including Keith.^[4]

6 Archibald Ruthven of Forteviot

Archibald Ruthven was born into a distinguished Scottish family—his father was Lord Ruthven. In 1572, Ruthven sailed for Scandinavia, where he accepted a post in the army of the Swedish king, Johan III. Johan’s first order was that the Scot should return to his homeland to recruit 2,000 mercenaries. In the event, he returned to Sweden with nearly 4,000 soldiers.

Ruthven became embroiled in a bitter dispute about his soldiers’ pay which resulted in the execution of one Scottish officer for embezzlement, Hugh Cahun. Before he was put to death, Cahun accused Ruthven, baselessly as far as we know, of plotting the assassination of King Johan. Apparently in the clear, Ruthven now sailed for Livonia on the Baltic Sea with his troops. There, a bitter dispute with their German allies resulted in the deaths of some 1,500 men. The upshot of this deadly squabble was that Ruthven was again accused of plotting against Johan. Despite his denials, the unfortunate Scot was imprisoned and died in jail.^[5]

5 Sir Harry Aubrey de Vere Maclean

Born into a well-to-do Scots family in 1848, the splendidly named Sir Harry Aubrey de Vere Maclean joined the British Army in 1869 and saw service in Canada, Gibraltar, and Bermuda. After seven years in the army, Maclean resigned his commission and accepted the position of a drill instructor in the army of the Sultan of Morocco, Mawlay Hassan.

Not long after he arrived in Tangier, Mclean took command of 400 infantry troops, with an increase in pay dependent on him learning Arabic, which he did. Abdul-Aziz succeeded Hussain as the sultan and retained Mclean’s services, sending him on missions to various Moroccan provinces. But life in Morocco was not without its perils; in 1907, the Scotsman was kidnapped and held for ransom for seven months. The following year Abdul-Aziz was deposed by his own brother Mawlay Abdul-Hafiz. The new sultan was minded to keep Mclean on, but the two couldn’t agree on a contract, so Mclean resigned, living out his days in Tangier until his death in 1920.^[6]

4 Peter Duffy

Raised in the northern Scottish town of Elgin, Peter Duffy was born into some privilege in 1941. He was sent to Gordonstoun, the same private school that King Charles attended a few years after. Later in life, Duffy was second-in-command of a group of mercenaries who went to engineer a coup in Seychelles Island in 1981.

Duffy’s commander was “Mad” Mike Hoare, a notorious mercenary of many years. Hoare and Duffy led a group of fighters drawn from ex-Rhodesian soldiers and ex-South African special forces. Armed to the teeth, the men flew into Seychelles aboard a commercial flight. Unfortunately for Duffy and his comrades, an airport official noticed an AK-47 in one man’s luggage. A gunfight ensued, and Duffy and others made good their escape by hijacking an Air India plane, leaving behind one dead comrade. Several of the conspirators were tried the next year in South Africa. Duffy got five years, Hoare 10. Duffy died a broken man in 1981.^[7]

3 George Sinclair

In 1612, Captain George Sinclair sailed from Scotland with a troop of Scottish mercenaries that he’d recruited in Caithness in the Scottish Highlands. They were to join the cause of King Charles IX of Sweden, who was fighting his neighbor Christian IV of Denmark. Sinclair and some 300 men landed in Norway with the intention of marching to Sweden.

The Scots had not bargained for the possibility that the Norwegians might not take kindly to a mercenary force tramping across their country. As it happened, the Norwegians were not at all happy. Seven days after Sinclair and his men had arrived on Norwegian soil, a local force launched a deadly ambush. As the Scots entered a narrow valley, the Norwegians rolled boulders down the slopes to block their escape routes. Once the rocks had been unleashed, musketeers picked off the mercenaries, killing more than 150. Sinclair was shot dead by a man named Berdon Sejelstad. The Scotsman’s wife and child, who had unwisely accompanied the ill-fated expedition, were also killed, although not before the woman had stabbed one of the Norwegians to death.^[8]

2 Redshanks

The Redshanks were mercenaries mostly recruited from the islands of the Hebrides off the coast of northwest Scotland, although mainland Highlanders joined in as well. In the 16th century, they went to fight for the Irish as they opposed the English invaders of the Emerald Isle. Life in the Highlands and islands of Scotland could be very tough, and men were glad to earn money paid to those who fought for Irish lords.

In one case, a regiment of Highland fighters came as a kind of wedding present. That was in 1569 when the Scottish Lady Agnes Campbell, daughter of the Earl of Argyll, married the Irish nobleman and chief Turlough Luineach O’Neill. She brought 1,200 Scottish mercenaries to the marriage. Unsurprisingly, the English were none too happy about the continual influx of Highland warriors arriving in Ireland. From the late 16th century, the English authorities began to pay off Highland clan chieftains. The payments—bribes might be the correct word—were made on the condition that the chiefs kept their men at home.^[9]

1 Alexander Leslie of Auchintoul

Alexander Leslie of Auchintoul was born into a landowning Scots family in 1590—Auchintoul is in the northeast of Scotland. Leslie started out fighting for the Poles in 1618 when he was captured by the Russians. They released him, and by 1629, he was employed by the Swedes. The Swedish king, Gustav II Adolf, sent him to Moscow, and Leslie tarried there in the service of the Tsar.

The Smolensk War, a conflict between Poland and Russia, broke out in 1632, and Leslie brought regiments of mercenaries from European countries, including England and Scotland, to fight for the Tsar. Returning to Scotland in 1637, Leslie embroiled himself in the Civil War of the time, on the wrong side. Captured in battle in the Scottish Borders, he narrowly escaped execution, the fate of many of his comrades. However, he was banished and never allowed to return to Scotland. Leslie returned to Russia, where he achieved the rank of general, the first Scot to do so. His achievements included seizing Smolensk from Polish control in 1654.^[10]