The Battle of Sherramuir

That knowledge formed the basis for the theme of the song which is written as an account of the battle by two shepherds taking contrary views of the events that unfolded.

One of the shepherds believes that "the red-coat lads wi' black cockades" routed the rebels, painting a fearful picture of how they managed to "hough the Clans like nine-pin kyles".

The manuscript was included as one of the most significant items in the auction of the Albin Schram Collection of Autograph Letters at Christie's in London which took place on 3 July 2007.

In the revised stanza five, the more sceptical of the two shepherds blames the "Angus lads" for being too fond of their wooden bowls of porridge "cogs o'brose" to risk death in battle: "The Angus lads had nae gude will, That day their neebours' blude to spill, For fear, by foes, that they should lose, Their cogs o'brose; all crying woes, And so it goes you see, man."

The last two lines are evidence of Burns' alteration of the original stanza five which read: "Their cogs o'brose, they scar'd at blows, And homeward fast did flee, man."

However, a pen stroke through these very lines indicates Burns' dissatisfaction with them and his earlier three-line version is allowed to stand on the final page: "Say, pell mell, wi' muskets' knell How Tories fell, and Whigs to hell, Flew off in frighted bands, man."

Alex Salmond, the First Minister, who saw the manuscript at the symposium said, "I'm delighted that this unique piece of Burns history will be coming home to Scotland in this, the 250th anniversary year of our national Bard.