[52] There was a soldier of the name of Enoch Bradshaw in the ranks
of Cobham's dragoons in the Duke of Cumberland's army, who also was
present at the battle of Culloden and wrote a letter in reference to
it to his brother. The contrast in language is strong. But as the
letter is not known to have been formerly printed, it is given in the
Appendix at Letter A. We are indebted to Mr. C. H. Firth of Oxford
for the copy.
_Friday, November 28th, 1746, Upon Kennington Common._
[Sidenote: 18 Oct.]
The case of Mr. Francis Buchanan of Arnprior is so very singular,
and attended with such odd, unaccountable circumstances that
an exact narrative of it ought to be preserved, which is as
follows:
[Sidenote: _fol._ 100.] Arnprior was taken prisoner at his own house
some time before the battle of Culloden by Mr. James Dunbar, captain
of militia, and eldest son of Sir George Dunbar of Dunbar House or
Woodside, and committed to Stirling Castle. As Mr. Buchanan had never
been in arms, nor had made any publick appearance whatsomever in the
whole affair from first to last, so the ground of his commitment was
only _suspicion_. The commanding officer looking upon this to be
very thin, and not imagining Arnprior to be in any hazard at all,
allow'd him the full liberty of the Castle, to walk up and down as
he [Sidenote: _fol._ 101.] pleased, without keeping a strict eye
over him. When several prisoners were ordered from Stirling Castle
to Carlisle, Arnprior was appointed to be amongst the number.
Captain James Thomson, brother to Charlton, and Lieutenant Archibald
Campbell (commonly called Tobie) had the command of the party that
guarded the prisoners in their journey. These officers knowing well
the case of Mr. Buchanan, and having witness'd the usage he had met
with in Stirling Castle, treated him in a quite different manner
from the other prisoners. In the forenoon, as if he had been only
a fellow-traveller, they would have desir'd him to ride forwards
to bespeak dinner at a proper place, and to have it ready for them
against the time they should come up. In the afternoon they also
desir'd him [Sidenote: _fol._ 102.] to ride on to take up night
quarters and to order supper for them, and all this without any
command attending him; so that he had several opportunities every
day of making his escape had he dream'd that he ran any risque of
his life in the issue of a trial. Besides, the officers wou'd not
have indulg'd him such liberties had they imagin'd any danger in
his case. When the prisoners came to Carlisle, Arnprior, much to
his own surprize and that of the foresaid officers, was immediately
ordered into a dungeon and to have irons clapt upon him. Finding
himself in a situation he had entertain'd no apprehension of, and
dreading the worst from this harsh usage he sent for Captain Thomson,
who very readily came to him, and after some conversation upon the
unexpected change of treatment desir'd to know what he could do for
him. Mr. [Sidenote: _fol._ 103.] Buchanan beg'd he would wait upon
the commanding officer and let him know his whole case, and the usage
he had met with both in Stirling Castle and in the way to Carlisle,
which he did not doubt would have a good effect for making a change
to the better in his state of confinement. Captain Thomson frankly
undertook to do as he desir'd, and without loss of time, honestly
represented the whole affair to the commanding officer, who said
he was heartily sorry for the gentleman, but that it was not in
his power to do him any service, because the Solicitor-General was
come to Carlisle, and that (now he was in the place) his province
it was to determine in these matters. Captain Thomson did not stop
here, but like one of generosity and compassion, went directly to
the Solicitor-General [Sidenote: _fol._ 104.] and laid before him
the case of Mr. Buchanan, requesting him to consider it and to
allow the gentleman a more easy and comfortable confinement. The
Solicitor-General told him he knew there were more Buchanans than
one among the prisoners, and therefore he desired to know what Mr.
Buchanan he meant; and then asked if he knew his Christian name,
and whether or not he had a designation. Captain Thomson answered
that he did not know Mr. Buchanan's Christian name, that though
he was sure he had a designation he had forgot it. Upon this the
Solicitor-General pull'd a list of names out of his pocket, and after
looking it over asked the Captain if Mr. Francis Buchanan of Arnprior
was the person whose case he had been representing. 'That same is the
gentleman,' replied the Captain. 'Then,' says the Solicitor-General,
[Sidenote: _fol._ 105.] 'pray, Sir, give yourself no more trouble
about that gentleman. I shall take care of him. I have particular
orders about him, for HE MUST SUFFER!' This unaccountable speech
from such a mouth about one neither convicted nor tried surpriz'd
the Captain not a little and made him walk off without insisting any
more, to tell Arnprior the result of what had pass'd, in the softest
manner he could.
This narrative was given by Lieutenant Archibald Campbell, after the
execution of Arnprior, to several persons in Edinburgh, particularly
to the Rev. Mr. Thomas Drummond.
When Arnprior was brought to a trial not a single overt act was
prov'd against him. An unsubscrib'd letter was produced in the Court
which had been intercepted in going to the Highland army, and several
persons, particularly Commissary [Sidenote: _fol._ 106.] Finlayson
in Stirling, gave their affidavits that it was the hand-writ of
Mr. Francis Buchanan of Arnprior. Upon this the jury without any
hesitation or scruple brought him in guilty. After sentence of death
was pronounced against him so little did people imagine that he would
suffer that he was prevail'd upon to send off an express to London
in order to give a true and exact representation of his case, not
doubting but that this would be sufficient to obtain a reprieve from
a verdict and sentence pronounced upon such slight grounds, but all
to no purpose. To destruction was he destin'd by his enemies, and
accordingly suffer'd death at Carlisle in company with the Revd. Mr.
Thomas Coppoch, Macdonald of Kinlochmoidart, Major Donald MacDonell,
etc., etc., etc.
Arnprior left no speech behind him, but took an opportunity
[Sidenote: _fol._ 107.] of declaring that as he was persuaded in his
conscience King James the 8th had the sole undoubted right to sit
on the throne of these realms, so the only action that stared him
most in the face was that he had acted the prudent and over-cautious
part in not joining the Prince immediately upon his arrival, and
drawing his sword in so glorious a cause, and in not exerting all his
endeavours upon those with whom he had any interest to rise in arms
for their King and country.