Editing Cross burning (section)

==Scottish origins==
In [[Scotland]], the [[fiery cross (bidding stick)|fiery cross]], known as the {{lang|gd|[[wikt:crann-tara|crann-tara]]}}, was used as a declaration of war.<ref>Letters from Rupert's Land, 1826–1840: James Hargrave of the Hudson's Bay</ref> The sight of it commanded all [[Scottish clan|clan]] members to rally to the defence of the area. On other occasions, a small burning cross would be carried from town to town. During the [[War of 1812]], burning crosses were used to mobilize the [[Canadian Militia]]'s [[Glengarry Light Infantry]] when American forces invaded Canada.<ref>[http://www.electricscotland.com/history/glengarry/chapter15.htm Sketches Illustrating the Early Settlement and History of Glengarry in Canada].</ref> In 1820, over 800 fighting men of Clan Grant were gathered, by the passing of the fiery cross, to come to the aid of their Clan Chieftain and his sister in the town of [[Elgin, Moray|Elgin]], Scotland.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clangrant-us.org/history.htm |title=A Wee Bit of Clan Grant History |access-date=2008-02-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080113001532/http://www.clangrant-us.org/history.htm |archive-date=2008-01-13 }}</ref> In Scotland itself, the last significant use of the burning cross was made in 1745, during the [[Jacobite rising of 1745|Jacobite rising]],<ref name="Scot">[https://web.archive.org/web/20010112222800/http://thecapitalscot.com:80/pastfeatures/crossfire.html The Capital Scot]. {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> and it was subsequently described in the novels and poetry of Sir [[Walter Scott]], particularly ''[[The Lady of the Lake (poem)|The Lady of the Lake]]'' of 1810.