Confusion as there were Scots, Irish and European soldiers on each side. At this time in Scotland there were Whigs, or those that saw unionism as a modern, industrialing and progressive Britain and of exploiting the empire - and those that wanted to preserve Scots culture and voices.
Unionists like Walter Scott thought we could somehow have both - to preserve this nostalgic Scotland lost and gone forever as he wrote in his novels and also support a supposed “union” with England. He tried to straddle both.
Scotland’s nationalism was very unique at this time, crossing over to a modern state after the union - while it was too early for any real democracy. According to respected political theorist Tom Nairn.
Remember at this time only around 5% of land owning men had a vote. There were moves for reform and votes for all men. Robert Burns was a reformer and Jacobin! Even Scott supported the Jacobites as a youth until his father persuaded him for his career to support the union. The union of 1707 was deeply unpopular for its taxes etc. by the ordinary people who rioted in the streets at the time.
