This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: williammcclurg Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.scotland.wig.general/2093.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Thanks, Indeed a picture as described by Alastair Penman in his "Stewaetry Sketches" of Mighty McClurg and the Galloway Flail. This picture is of the Flail that McClurg found with the dead spy Grier, a simple threshing tool. McClurg, the Smith at Minnigaff, took the flail to a black smith and used his shop to make this flail into a weapon that a much smaller person could wield. At the time, McClurg was on the lam for making the clickies, a knife mounted on a long shaft that a man on foot could cut horse bridles in combat and put the horses out of the dragoon's control. utilizing the description of modifications couple with this picture of the flail, I believe I can duplicate the modified flail. McClurg cut down the length of the scouple bars and substituded extra links for the iron he sacrificed. this would make the flail usuable by a man of average height and strength. This innovation would mean that should the flail strike a man, then the scouples would enwrap him, much to the manner of a whip and possibly break his ribs if there was enough power behind it, In actual combat, it proved it could do even more than realized. This modification to the flail was made by McClurg in 1685. The flail had been used,as in the picture, as a weapon many many years prior 1685 as written by the Barbs of Scotland. But it had been put to useful purposes for many prior 1685. Thanks for sending the picture. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.