Domestic opposition to permanent armies as a result of the 1638–1651 Wars of the Three Kingdoms meant British monarchs used the Brigade to create a pool of trained officers, who could be called on when needed.

[3] Tactical innovations in the 1580s replaced the traditional slow moving infantry squares with smaller, more mobile units, and introduced the concept of volley fire.

[4] The Thirty Years' War created multiple opportunities to serve in the armies of Protestant nations like Sweden, Norway and Denmark; Dutch service became less attractive, while the Brigade was primarily used on garrison duty.

[7] Formations like the Brigade thus provided an outlet for Scots and English who wanted to pursue a military career; professional officers formed a small and tight-knit group, who moved between armies, often regardless of nationality, religion or political belief.

[9] Uncertainty and constant changes impacted recruitment and William of Orange complained about its low morale and quality; by 1674, only 13 officers in the three nominally Scottish regiments were Scots.

In March 1689, Hugh Mackay and the three Scottish regiments were sent to Scotland to suppress the Jacobite uprising; the Brigade returned to Flanders for the Nine Years War and suffered heavy casualties at Steenkerque in 1692, where McKay was killed.

It is likely some men under Alexander Marjoribanks stayed at Loevestein Castle between 1750 and 1754 where there is a fresco depicting Lord George Murray (general), his wife, son and a piper.

[20] In September 1780, the British intercepted a draft commercial treaty between the American agent in Aix-la-Chapelle and members of the Amsterdam business community and declared war in December.

On 18 November 1782, all officers were required to take an oath to the Stadholder but most refused and returned to Britain; they included a Colonel, 5 Lt-Colonels, 3 Majors, 11 Captains, 3 Lieutenants and 29 Ensigns.

Distinctive markers such as red uniforms, British colours and the "Scottish March" were abolished and the units renumbered Dutch infantry Regiments Nrs 22, 23 and 24.

[25] Other less distinguished descendants included Dutch Colonial Army Captain Rudolf MacLeod, who in 1895 became the husband of Mata Hari when she responded to his advertisement for a wife.

The youth, however, had a wild and irreclaimable propensity to dissipation, which finally sent him to serve in the corps long maintained in the service of the States of Holland, and called the Scotch Dutch.