have come together without any of the nobility’s appearing to head
them, but undoubtedly a third of them were dissaffected though they
were wise enough not to embark in so desperate an enterprise; and of
those that were not so, many were selfish, many were careless who
governed, and many were timid and fearful, so that the few who were
resolute had not sufficient strength nor influence to make a stand.
The most remarkable of these in Buchan and Fortmartine[345] were Lord
Strichen, Mr. Maitland of Pitrichy, Mr. Forbes of Shevis, Mr. Garden
of Troup and Mr. Buchan of Achmacoy. On Don side, Mr. Middleton of
Seaton, Mr. Patan, Grandam, Sir Arthur Forbes, Mr. Burnet of Kemnay,
Sir Archibald Grant and Mr. Leith of Glenkindy. In Garrioch, Mr. Horn
of Westhall, Mr. Leith of Freefield, Sir Alexander Reed of Barra and
Mr. Forbes of Blackfoord. On Deeside, the family of Leys[346] with
Mr. Duff of Premnay. (_N.B._ a great part of Deeside is in the shire
of Mearns.) As to the towns, Banff and the Seaport towns betwixt it
and Aberdeen were mostly all dissaffected. Full two-thirds of the two
towns of Aberdeen were very well-affected to the Government. All the
Magistrates, or rather those who had been such, before Hamilton came to
town, and all the old Provosts and Bailies (which makes a considerable
number of the principal merchants), and both the colleges behaved in
an exemplary, steady manner. The Clergy of the Church of Scotland were
to a man firm in the interest of the Government in these counties and
indeed everywhere else, and neither force nor flattery could alter
them. The Rebels at the beginning were at great pains to coax them,
and to see if possible to make the face of a party among them, and
would have been excessively fond of the least compliance, had it been
only the not praying for the King by name, however minutely he should
have been described otherways, well-knowing that if any would go into
a different way from their brethren in any thing however trifling at
first, that difference might be blown up to make a more considerable
opposition. They had particularly hopes of the young Clergy, as they
had used to keep company with them more freely in times of peace,
and not carry with so much reserve as their elder brethren, and so
they thought they should have much influence with them. But they
were excessively baulked when they saw them maintain with vigour and
zeal those principles of liberty which formerly they thought they
spoke of only for amusement, when they saw them at such extraordinary
pains to raise worthy sentiments in the people, and sparing neither
purse nor persons in the service of the Government as far as they had
opportunity; and by how much they expected more friendship from them
than from the old folks, so much the more were they incensed against
them than against the others from whom they expected nothing.
_Synod meets_
The Synod met as usual in October in Old Meldrum, and though in the
1715 they would venture to do nothing, but immediately adjourned,
yet now amidst no less danger they acted with much more vigour. They
ordered a very dutiful and warm address to his Majesty which was
afterwards very highly resented by the Jacobites, not only as it
showed the loyalty of the Clergy, but confuted the lies published by
the Rebels in their Edinburgh _Courant_, that the whole gentlemen
in the county except four had engaged in the Rebellion, whereas the
Clergy thought themselves obliged not only to vindicate the county in
general, but particularly to do justice to the gentlemen of the Church
of Scotland, by asserting that few or none of them had engaged in
this wicked Rebellion. And indeed some gentlemen then in London owned
themselves very happy in this Address, that came very seasonably, and
had a very good effect, not only in taking off the bad impressions
the friends of the Government had of these counties, but also in
discouraging the Jacobites by undeceiving them of the vain expectations
they had from there. The Synod also had a public diet for Prayer to
Almighty God to put a speedy stop to the Rebellion, which had a good
effect not only on such of the laiety as were near enough to be present
at it, but also tended to confirm and spirit up several that only heard
of it. They also resolved, that whereas some ministers in their public
prayers used formerly to think his Majesty sufficiently distinguished
from the Pretender by calling him our Protestant Sovereign or some
such other appellation, but as the omitting to name him expressly even
though thus characterised was looked on as a compliance by the Rebels,
who deluded many of the people with a story of their pretended Prince
being a Protestant, that therefore all in time coming should pray for
him by name, as they would be answerable. They also appointed that
Presbyteries should meet often, and members be sent as correspondents
betwixt neighbouring Presbyteries that they might advise with one
another at this critical time and act with the greatest harmony. All
this was punctually executed.
_Nonjurant Clergy_
There were but two Clergy of the Church of England in all these
Counties who were qualified to the Government, both at Aberdeen,
but here was a very considerable number of that persuasion who were
Nonjurants, which is to be sure the same thing with avowed Jacobites,
and though most of them had the address to keep themselves free from
open acts of Rebellion yet they were excessively instrumental by
every sly act to poison the people and debauch them to rebellion, and
accordingly all their hearers, almost without exception, were rank
Jacobites, and the being so, was by them esteemed so very essential
to salvation, that even before the Rebellion they have been known to
refuse to admit some of their hearers to the Communion not only if by
going to a Presbyterian Church, but even if by going to a qualified
meeting of the Church of England they had heard King George prayed for,
unless they solemnly professed their repentance for this crime. After
the Rebellion broke out, several of them turned so insolent as to pray
for the Pretender by name. All of this persuasion as they all along had
a most unaccountable enmity against the Church of Scotland, so they
failed not to show it with a deal of rancour during the Rebellion, to
all of that persuasion.
_Papists_
It was but natural to expect that the Papists should favour the
Rebellion to their utmost, but they are but inconsiderable in these
Counties. Their meetings were quite barefaced, the Pretender openly
prayed for, and a very great and good understanding there was betwixt
the Nonjurants and them, so that Seaton, a priest, and Law, a Nonjurant
minister,[347] were very commonly joined together among Lord Lewis
Gordon’s council, who was made Governor of these counties by the
Pretender. The Papists however generally had the cunning to be rather
more tolerable in conversation with the friends of the Government than
the Nonjurants were.
_Lord Lewis Gordon joins the Rebels_
Before the Rebels marched from Edinburgh to England they very wisely
thought of means of retaining these counties under their subjection,
while they should be marching south and of having reinforcements from
thence ready for them against any emergence. For this purpose they
wheedled over to their party Lord Lewis Gordon,[348] a younger brother
to his Grace the Duke of Gordon, imagining that the very name of one
so nearly connected to the Duke would have a great influence on the
tenants and dependants of that family, and they well knew that His
Grace’s indisposition at that time would prevent any effectual measures
being taken to stop this procedure. Lord Lewis was a Lieutenant in the
Fleet, and had unhappily come down at that time to visit his Mother,
the Duchess Dowager, who stayed near Edinburgh.[349] There he met
so many old friends and acquaintances engaged in the Rebellion, who
laid all oars in the water to gain him; and this indeed was no hard
matter to a forward young lad like him, especially as he was to have a
Feather in his cap, and to be made Lord Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire and
Governor of the Towns of Aberdeen and Banff, with power of disposing of
all places in them. Along with him is set down More of Lonmay, More of
Stonnywood, Gordon of Avachy and Sheriff Petrie to assist him in his
Government and Levys. There were also a number of Towns Burgesses named
as a Council with them for the Town of Aberdeen and to manage under him
in his absence but they all refused to accept; on which Mr. Moir of
Lonmay was made Deputy Governor of Aberdeen, much indeed against his
own inclination. He was a sensible man, but turned out very positive
and arbitrary in his Government, which he had frequent opportunities of
showing as Lord Lewis did not reside much at Aberdeen, and when he did,
was always much advised by Lonmay. Mr. Bairde of Achmeden[350] was at
the same time made Depute Governor of Banff. This gentleman had shown
his affection to the cause so far as to wait for the Young Pretender
at Edinburgh with his white cockade, but it seems was not so far
militarily disposed as to think of marching with them into England, but
having a considerable estate in Banffshire, they thought he might be of
service to them in this sphere; but though he at first accepted of this
commission, yet he seldom if ever acted in consequence of it, and very
rarely made any public appearance.
_Men Raised by Force_
The Lord Lieutenant began with his recruiting about Strathboggy, but as
the waifest kind of people had mostly gone off in the first Levys, this
was not so successful as he expected. Nay, on his first coming there,
his summonses to his brother’s tenants to rise were so slighted, and
volunteers so backward, that he was obliged to write to Blelack[351]
and some of the gentlemen of Deeside who had a number of men with them,
begging of them for God’s sake to send him a command of their men that
he might not be affronted. How soon he got these, then he went to work
quartering on the tenants about Strathboggy till they either rose or
furnished men according to the proportions he had settled. But this was
tedious, as he had but a small party to quarter with, and therefore
he soon took a more expeditious way, threatening to burn the houses
and farmyards of such as stood out. This soon had the desired effect,
for the burning a single house or farm stack in a Parish terrified the
whole, so that they would quickly send in their proportion, and by this
means, with the few that joined as volunteers, he raised near 300 men
called the Strathboggy Battalion in the country thereabouts. The same
method of military execution (a discipline till then unknown in these
counties) was used in most of the high parts of the shire for forcing
out men, especially on Deeside, where a great many were raised in
this manner. Stonnywood however found people enough about the town of
Aberdeen and places adjacent without force, to form another corps for
Lord Lewis called the Aberdeen Battallion consisting of about 200 men,
which with the Strathboggy Batallion formed what was properly Lord
Lewis’ own Regiment; Avachy being Lieutenant of the latter; Stonnywood
of the former.
_Auchengaul raises a Company_
About the same time Crichton of Auchengaul, a Popish gentleman of a
very small estate, but representative of the Viscount Frendraught,
raised a company and joined Lord Lewis. There were also several little
people in Banffshire and Buchan, etc., who raised a few men each, and
joined the Lord Lieutenant and all got commissions of one kind or
other, which was by no means hard to be obtained. And thus the whole
of this second Levy in the Counties of Aberdeen and Banff, under Lord
Lewis would have amounted to near 800 men.
_Comparison with 1715_
As the above is a view of the whole course of the Rebels from these
Counties, it may not be amiss to compare it with what it was in the
1715, from which it will be evident that for all the noise they made
about their strength in these parts it was nothing now in comparison
with what it was then.
In the 1715 they were supported by most of the Nobility. The Duke
of Gordon (then Marquis of Huntly), the Earls of Mar, Marischall,
Panmure, and Kintore, and the Lords Fraser and Pitsligo, who had all
great estates, connections and dependencies in these Counties, raised
their whole force and exerted themselves to the utmost in favour of
the Rebellion. Whereas now Lord Pitsligo was the only nobleman that
joined them unless Lord Lewis be reckoned. As to the landed gentry the
difference is full as considerable. Though the most be from Banffshire
and Buchan, yet even there they are not one fourth of what they were
in the 1715. Not one gentleman from Fortmartine unless Mr. Smith of
Menie be to be reckoned, who indeed appeared with them at Edinburgh,
but left them or they entered England. Not one gentleman that resided
in Garrioch,[352] though in the 1715 most of them were concerned.
Only five on Deeside from the head to the foot. And though there were
several gentlemen of small estates on Deeside, yet all of them put
together were not equal to the Laird of Invercauld who engaged in
the former Rebellion. The Commons must always bear Proportion to the
interests of the Gentry engaged, and though indeed this rule failed in
so far at this time as that considerable numbers were raised from the
estates of the Duke of Gordon, Earl of Aboyne, and Laird of Invercauld,
where the Rebels had properly no interest, yet as almost none of the
gentlemen that went with Lord Pitsligo raised so much as the men on
their own estates, this will in good measure balance the other. There
were several merchants of note appeared from the towns in the 1715, but
now none but a few smugglers, and a very few tradesmen.
As the Rebels had thus a considerable number of men in these Counties,
they next fell to work to raise money for their maintenance. And first
of all they resolved to levy the Cess that was due for the current
year, and all arrears, and accordingly the Lord Lieutenant named a
collector, and without further intimation ordered partys to quarter
for it. As it was soon moving from one house to another in the towns
and country about them, as the quartering money was very exorbitant,
their partys numerous and costly to maintain, and the Cess being levied
only according to the valued rent, and not being anything considerable
in comparison of the real rent and few being willing to bear the
stress any time for a small sum, it was quickly levied in the towns
of Aberdeen and from the adjacent estates. But in the country it
necessarily took up longer time so that they never got parties sent
to some estates that were most out of the way, and some gentlemen,
particularly Mr. Burnet, Kemnay, and Mr. Horn, Westhall, bore the
stress with great firmness and wearied them out of it at this time, as
indeed Mr. Horn at length did altogether.
_The French Land_
In the month of December there arrived six transports at Peterhead,
Aberdeen, Stonehaven, and Montrose with Lord John Drummond’s Regiment
on board and the Piquets from the Irish Brigade in the French Service;
all under the command of Lord John Drummond.[353] This greatly elevated
the Rebels, was magnified hugely to their friends in other places, and
looked upon by them all as the certain prelude of a great invasion
from France. The two Lord Drummonds[354] and the Lord Lieutenant had
an interview at Aberdeen, the great result of which, seemed to be the
forging a letter from Lord Martial commanding his friends to join Lord
John Drummond (_vid._ printed Copy) and a Proclamation in which his
Lordship, also to show him how well he was acquainted to the French
Government, threatens to punish those who did not join him according
to their intentions. The letter from Lord Martial was soon suspected
to be forged, from its being altered while a-printing, and from the
style of it, it being very unlike Lord Martial to speak of Commanding
his Friends, but after Culloden it was put out of doubt by one Mr.
Halyburton, who had been sent from France by Lord Martial, how soon he
knew of it, to disclaim the thing entirely, to let Lord John know how
much he took it amiss, and to warn his friends not to be seduced by
it.[355] The Rebels were on the other Speyside before this gentleman
reached them, and how soon he informed Lord John of his errand, he was
either closely confined or then discharged on the severest penalty
from speaking of it, so that it was but little known, till the Flight,
when he acquainted several gentlemen of it, who after that made it no
secret. The French that landed at Peterhead, Aberdeen, and Stonehaven,
stayed not above a week or so to refresh themselves, but marched south
to the Camp at Perth.
_Levy Money_
The Cess went but a short way to answer their demands, next therefore
they resolved to demand what was called Levy Money, or Militia money;
accordingly Stonnywood by order of the Lord Lieutenant wrote Circular
letters to the several gentlemen or their factors, demanding an able
bodied man sufficiently accoutred in the Highland Dress[356] for each
£100 Scots of valued rent, or then £5 Sterling to raise one. The man
was but a pretext, it was the money they wanted. This indeed would
have amounted to a very considerable sum; no less than about £12,000
Sterling for the County of Aberdeen alone, which will be 5_s._ Ster.
in the pound off the real rack’d rent, which exorbitant demand would
at any time have been very hard upon Lairds and Tenants but after two
bad crops and so many other losses, was indeed more than they could
bear. However these reasons availed nothing to the Lord Lieutenant, or
his Depute (who was by no means ignorant of the state of the counties)
but to work they went, how soon they had got in most of the Cess, to
quarter for it. This began at length to open the eyes of many of the
people, who had been formerly cheated by promises of freedom from
taxes, especially the Malt Tax, but now they saw how delusive these
were, and this not a little confirmed the few who had all along wished
well to the Government. Even the selfish among the gentry who professed
not to care who reigned, were not now quite so indifferent, and even
many secret Jacobites were disgusted.
_Lord Loudon Invited_
The friends of the Government seeing no end of this oppression, while
the Rebels were their masters, sent several messages to the President
and Lord Loudon[357] to send some men to their relief. They were
especially instant from the town of Aberdeen, this being the seat of
their Government, and consequently most exposed to their tyranny,
which was so great that the usual freedom of conversation was entirely
banished, at least none could promise how long they could call anything
their own, and even already they were speaking of imposing a Loan,
how soon the Militia money was levied. But their keenness to obtain
relief and to persuade Lord Loudon to undertake it, probably made them
represent the strength of the Rebels as more insignificant than it
really was, which no doubt has been one reason why the party sent was
not more numerous.
_Burning Order_
The Levy money coming in but slowly, for all the stress of quartering,
which stress alone induced some to pay it, but some few that were
such hearty friends as to need only the pretence of force, the Lord
Lieutenant grew quite impatient and issued what was called the Fire
Ordinance (vid. _Gent. Mag._ for January 1746, p. 29th).[358] Party’s
were sent to several Districts of the country, with orders to quarter
on the gentlemen’s houses (not on the tenants’ as usual) and if
against such a time the money was not payed, to begin with burning the
gentleman’s house and Planting, then the tenants’ houses and cornyards
and so on through the district. But notwithstanding of these dreadful
threatenings, none but some very timourous people paid, till they
should at least see what would be the consequences of the Northern aid
which now began to be spoke of and pretty confidently expected.
_Old Aberdeen Distressed_
As the old town of Aberdeen had in proportion to such a place
discovered a more than ordinary zeal for the Government so that the
Rebel Governors distinguished it accordingly by a demand of £215
Ster. of Levy money, a very great sum for so small a village, and by
beginning with them these new methods of raising it. They impudently
proposed it among the Whigs without ever regarding whether or not they
had any property in Lands or houses and particularly the Masters of
the Kings College had their small stipends very severely cessed. But
when they could not even thus get their full demand answered, Lonmay
ordered about £40 Ster. of it to be taken from the Poor’s Box and from
some small funds that belonged to an hospital for poor widows and some
other such charitable funds. Large parties were quartered through the
town in the gentlemen’s houses for several days, but even this severe
stress not proving effectual, intimation was made by Tuke of Drum, that
if the money was not paid against a certain hour the Town was to be
burnt. This indeed alarmed them and the gentlemen were forced to seem
in so far to comply as to beg only delays till the money should be got,
and this they had the art to obtain from time to time for two or three
days, till at length they had pretty certain information that McLeod
and Culcairn’s men were come the length of Banff and Strathboggy, on
which most of the gentlemen of note in the place, slipped out of town
or concealed themselves, without paying a farthing, and leaving the
Rebels to do with the town what they pleased. But as they too were
sensible by this time of the enemy’s approach they would not venture on
such a severity till they should see the event.
_McLeod Marches_
As for McLeod’s March (vid. _Gents. Mag._, Jan. 1746, p. 23). It
was Gordon of Avachy and Gordon of Aberlour that opposed them at
the passage of the Spey, but they quickly retreated. They had the
Strathboggy Batallion under their command and had been quartering
for Cess and Levy money about Strathboggy and Banff. They marched
to Aberdeen the day appointed for the Public Fast by his Majesty,
December 17th, which however was very punctually observed even where
they passed and in general was so both by Clergy and people both in
town and country, though the Clergy indeed did meet with some insults
in a few places. Immediately on McLeod’s passing the Spey, the Rebels
called in all their Quartering parties, and the Deeside men to the town
of Aberdeen and sent expresses to their friends in Angus and Mearns to
send them assistance.
The McLeods joined the two companies under Culkairn,[359] at Inverury,
upon Saturday, December 20th, the whole body being 700 men complete.
400 of those under McLeod were quartered in the town of Inverury,
the rest of that name and Culkairn’s two companies were cantonned in
farmers’ houses along the Ury to the north west of the town, many of
them more than a mile and a half’s distance though there was no worldly
necessity for this, as the town of Inverury contained two regiments of
the Duke’s army for some weeks without a man of them going a stone cast
from it. Against night the Rebel Reinforcements were come to Aberdeen
consisting of about 150 of the French Picquets who had remained at
Montrose and more than 200 Angus and Mearns Militia, so that there
would have been in whole about 1200 men at Aberdeen. All the Saturday
the Rebels were exceeding careful to prevent any intelligence coming
to the McLeods, securing as far as possible all the Avenues coming
from the town, and sending out scouts to scour between Kintore and
Inverury to the very water-side, these seized Mr. Bartlet an Aberdeen
writer who had come along with McLeod and had ventured to Kintore (2
miles from Inverury), where also Mr. Dingwall, an Aberdeen merchant and
some others coming with intelligence from Aberdeen were snapt up and
carried in prisoners. The McLeods had immediate notice of this, but
Culcairn (by whom McLeod was directed as he himself did not pretend to
understand military matters) could not be prevailed on to allow any
men to come over and drive them off, no doubt fearing as they were
strangers in the country lest they should be surprised. But as by this
means at length all intelligence stopt, this proved their ruin in the
end. Whereas by keeping some advance guards, or at least sending out
patroles now and then, for a mile or two, they might indeed possibly
have lost a man or two in Rencountres with the enemy’s parties, and
possibly the reverse might have happened, but still they’d have secured
the main chance and prevented the whole being surprised. However by
this conduct though frequently things of considerable importance were
known at Kintore, it was impossible to send the intelligence the
remaining two miles. Nevertheless Sir Archibald Grant[360] who had come
over the hill from the south, without touching at Aberdeen, and was
certainly informed on his way that a reinforcement of French would that
night be in town, fell on a way late that night to let McLeod know so
much, and this intelligence probably prevented their marching to attack
the Rebels the next morning, till they should know their situation more
exactly. There was no body more alert or serviceable in getting exact
intelligence to the Rebels than Stonnywood, as he knew the country
and the people exactly, and as his estate lay betwixt Aberdeen and
Inverury, he had all his tenants employed on the same service, so that
on Saturday night they had perfect intelligence of everything that
concerned the McLeods.
_Volunteers_
There were some Aberdeen gentlemen who had been either driven from town
by the tyranny of the Rebels, or they had been sent on messages to the
President, that came all along from Inverness as Volunteers in this
expedition: among these were Mr. Forbes of Echt, Mr. Logie a merchant,
and Mr. Thomson, General Superviser of Excise, which last gentleman
especially was exceeding serviceable both on this, and several other
occasions to the Government. The number of volunteers was increased
at Inverury by Mr. Maitland, Pitrichy, Mr. Forbes of Shieves, Forbes
of Echt, Mr. Chalmers, the now Principal of the King’s College, Mr.
Gordon, Professor of Humanity in the College, some merchants and
tradesmen, several students of Divinity and Philosophy and Prentices
from both towns of Aberdeen, and many more would have come if it had
not been the difficulty of getting out of town. But as McLeod had no
spare arms, and the volunteers could get nothing but pistols they
proved of no service. Mr. Horn, of Westhall, by promises of great
rewards and encouragement, had got his tenants to engage to follow him
and join the McLeods, and as he foresaw he could not get fire-arms,
had caused make a number of spears with iron heads, for them. But when
it came to the push, they all drew back, their hearts failed them and
they refused to rise. On which, on Monday he was sending an Express
to McLeod for a party to force them out, but his express met them
retreating.
_A Detachment sent out_
On Sunday McLeod was prevailed on to send a large detachment of his
own company over the water for three miles, which had a very happy
effect, driving off all the enemy’s Scouts and facilitating their
intelligence, so that they met with no less than three persons from
town that had come out in disguises and by byeways who brought letters
giving an exact account of the enemy’s numbers and situation, which
people otherways would all have been intercepted by their Scouts. This
so entirely convinced the Lieutenant that commanded the detachment,
of the necessity either of constant patroles, or then of an advance
Guard at Kintore, that he had everything settled for one or other,
never doubting but his representation would prevail, but there was no
convincing Culkairn, so that next day there came not a man over the
water at all.
_The Enemy Alarmed_
The Enemy’s Scouts on being thus driven off, having seen the party but
imperfectly, alarmed their friends in town with an account that the
whole of the McLeods were marching to attack them, on which they drew
together, but were soon undeceived. The same night after it was dark
they convened their men and marched three miles out of town, as if to
surprise the enemy, but whether it was only a feint to see if their
men would stand by them, or if it was owing to any wrong notion that
the McLeods were apprised of them, they returned to town again without
doing anything.
_Rebels’ Artifice_
This day too, they had tried a strategem to raise a mutiny among the
McLeods by bribing a tenant’s son of McLeod’s (who had been staying
with a Nonjurant Minister, teaching his children Latin and so had
imbibed all the Jacobite notions) to go to Inverury and see to persuade
the men that they were engaged in an unjust cause, that their enemies
were very numerous and powerful, and that Lord Loudon had purposely
sent them up to be cut off in a strange country. As this fellow had
their language, was their namesake and countryman, they readily
listened to him and it was taking among them like lightening, till the
fellow was found out and apprehended, but the impression still stuck to
them, till McLeod drew them all out, and very particularly showed them
the roguery.
_The Rebels march_
On Monday the 23rd, about 9 of clock in the morning, the Rebels marched
from Aberdeen, in order to surprise the McLeods in two columns. The
main body being about 900 was commanded by Lord Lewis (though one Major
Cuthbert,[361] a French Officer, did all the business), crossed the
Bridge of Don, and took a round about and indirect road on the North
side of the Don. The other column consisting of their Strathboggy
Battallion, and commanded by Major Gordon, a French Officer, and
Avachy, took the high road on the south side of the river. As they had
all along guarded the avenues from the town very carefully, they did
it now so effectually that there was no possibility of sending any
intelligence of their march, till they were actually gone. When they
were marching they all along kept advance parties before their main
bodies came in sight, so that when they were observed, these parties
prevented any persons getting past with information. As the body that
marched the high road had by far the nearest way, they halted and
concealed themselves in the Church and church-yard of Kinellar about
three miles from Inverury, till the corps on the other side were
suitably advanced, and meantime had their advanced party concealed in
some houses in a low part of the road near Kintore.
This party seized the minister of Kintore, who had got some confused
notice of their march, and going out for more certain intelligence,
and observing nothing on the road, had come that length where he was
made prisoner, as also at the very same time were no less than three
people with intelligence of the Rebels’ march from the town, who had
got out when their Guards were taken off, and escaped the main body by
byeways, till being so near Inverury they had (to shorten the way) come
in there to the high road, never doubting but they’d have met with some
of the McLeods advanced parties to protect them, as those had done that
came out the former day. The column that marched on the north side of
Don had Scouts concealed among Planting of the Earl of Kintore’s on a
rising ground that overlooked Inverury, and though some while before
the enemy came up they were observed going backwards and forwards
from the Park, and pointed out to McLeod and Culkairn as looking very
suspicious, yet by some fatality they neglected to send up and see what
they were doing. Immediately as they marched, the minister of Rayne,
who happened to be in town, rode out by the Deeside Road, the only one
left unguarded, to see if it was possible this way to get before them;
but this was so greatly about, and the road when he came to cross the
country so excessively bad that the firing was begun or he reached
Kintore. So that the first intelligence they got of them was the Main
Body being observed by their sentry, marching down by the Earl of
Kintore’s parks within a quarter of a mile of Inverury.
_McLeods draw out_
McLeod, Culkairn, and all the officers with the few men they had in
town got together very resolutely, and all of them discovered a great
deal of courage on this occasion, nay, to think at all of standing
against such superior numbers bespoke no little bravery. And indeed
had they thought of sending down a party to line the Church yard of
Inverury, and had others rightly posted on a little hull, called the
Bass, both which were within a pistol shot of the Boat and Ford of Ury
where the Main body behoved to pass, and also on the Ford of Don where
Avachy, etc., passed, they certainly had done great execution among
them in their passages, and if they had not stopped them altogether,
would at least have retarded them till the men that were canton’d at a
distance had got up to their assistance, for the Rebels had no cannon,
but two old rusty ones they had taken from ships, which got not up
till long after the skirmish was over, and though they had, would not
probably have done great execution. But the confusion and surprise of
the McLeods at the unexpected coming of the enemy made them neglect all
these advantages, and stand on the Rigs on the east side at the south
end of the town, at almost an equal distance from the Foords of Don
and Ury, but at so great a distance as to be able to do execution at
neither; and their standing here too was probably not a little owing
to their then discovering the other body of the enemy coming upon
the other side of Don, which made them irresolute how to dispose of
themselves till so many of the Rebels crossed the Ury as put it out
of their power to stop their passage there. It was also a vast loss
to these Highlanders, who were none of them disciplined, that they
had only firelocks and bayonets, and wanted their darling weapon, the
Broadsword, which is always their chief confidence.
_Rebels pass the Foords_
The van of the Rebels’ main body consisted of the French and some
picked men and was lead only by Major Cuthbert, these with all the
gentlemen, the volunteers, and some of the common men crossed the
Ury, very alertly, and as they passed, drew up behind the Bass, and
the Churchyard. But many of their common men ran off and skulked by
dike-sides till the action was over and could neither be brought out by
threats nor entreaties till then. Major Gordon and Avachy with about 50
or 60 of their men crossed the Don very briskly, and behaved well, but
the rest of the Corps took shelter among the Broom, till they saw the
event.
The action began near an hour after sunset with a clear moonshine, by
some passing shots from some ten or twelve of the McLeods who advanced
so far, some to the one Foord and some to the other, and fired on the
enemy as they were passing and killed two or three men in the water,
and immediately retired. The Body that crossed Ury moved up first to
attack, but were received with two or three fires from the McLeods,
which they returned indeed two for one, but both were at too great a
distance to do great execution. But as the party from Don was by this
time coming to attack them in flanks, and as the French were advancing
with a close regular fire and like to bear very hard on them, the
McLeods found themselves unable to stand this shock, and accordingly
gave way; yet not so but that a party of them loaded their pieces
retiring, and finding some of their men, especially the wounded, like
to fall in the enemy’s hands, they wheeled about before they were
half way up the town, and made another fire, but immediately ran
off. On this the French advanced through the town with an incessant
street fire, and the rest divided themselves and went firing up each
side of it, being too by this time joined by most of their skulking
companions. After this, as some of the McLeods were running off on
the stubble ground on the North end of the town, some person gave a
cry that McLeod was taken, on which they turned about again and made
another fire but immediately marched off. The Rebels meanwhile being
at a considerable distance and not observing them so exactly going
off, but seeing a ridge with a few furrows in it, amidst a great deal
of unploughed stubble ground, and taking it by the moonlight for a
row of men, they fired once or twice into it very successfully. And
thus in whole the firing continued for more than twenty minutes. The
companies of McLeods and Monroes that were cantonn’d out of the town,
had unluckily no Officers with them; these happened to be with McLeod
in Inverury, and went out to engage along with the men that were there
(which by the bye as there were thirty of them on guard, and many
straggling through the country seeking provisions did not much exceed
three hundred), these therefore having no body to draw them together,
ran up different ways on hearing the firing till they met some of their
friends flying, or were informed of the event, and then they ran off.
But had their officers been with them to bring them together, and lead
them up in a body to meet their friends at the north end of the town
and support them, they very possibly might have turned the scale in
their favours.
_Loss on both sides_
The Rebels for a while concealed their loss, but ’tis now generally
allowed they had at least ten or twelve killed, several of these
French, but all common men. It is indeed generally believed that one
of them was a French Officer, as he was put in a grave by himself with
several Popish Ceremonies, though not certain. But the Rebels still
refuse that it was an Officer. They had also a good many wounded, among
whom was Mr Gordon of Birkenbuss, a gentleman of a small estate, very
dangerously.
The McLeods again had only five killed dead on the spot, which was well
known, as their bodies were left exposed for some days or they allowed
them to be buried. One also died of his wounds in the retreat, as did
another that was taken prisoner, but they were all common men. About
thirty were taken prisoners (many of which were wounded) including ten
or twelve Humlys (Colones)[362] that they had picked up. Among the
prisoners were Mr. Gordon, Ardvach, Lieutenant of Culkairn’s Company,
Mr. Chalmers, Principal of the King’s College, and Mr. Forbes of Echt;
McLeod’s own piper, McGrimman,[363] happened also to be taken, and
the piper is always looked on as a person of importance in a Highland
Chief’s retinue, but McGrimman especially was a respectable person
being esteemed the best piper in the Highlands, having had most of the
Clan pipers as his scholars, and being looked on by them as a kind of
chief, and the veneration they had for him appeared when he was carried
prisoner to their army at Stirling, for it is said not a Highland piper
would play a tune till McGrimman was allowed to be on his parole, and
he himself behaved with so much state that he would play to none of
them till their prince himself desired him. Mr. Maitland, Pitrichy,
escaped to Keithhall, the house of the Earl of Kintore, the night of
the engagement, where he concealed himself all next day, but unluckily
venturing to show himself to Petry, the Sherriff Depute, who intruded
himself that night on the Earl, and Mr. Maitland, and he squabbling
over drink, Petry not only in violation of the laws of hospitality, and
of many obligations he was under to the Earl of Kintore, but also of
his own promise to the contrary, basely went off next morning and sent
a party of the Rebels who seized him.
_The Rebels do not venture to pursue_
The McLeods passed the Ury about a quarter of a mile from the town and
refreshed themselves at Rayne and Strathboggy, but stopped not a night
till they got over Spey, where McLeod waited the coming up of such of
his men as had gone other roads, and continued guarding the passes for
some while after. But the Rebels were so apprehensive what might be the
consequences when for ought they knew, they were joined by the Monroes,
etc., that they would not venture to pursue them over the Ury. McLeod
lost most of his baggage, but the greater part came not into the Rebels
custody but was secreted and pilfered by the townsfolks.
_Mr. Horn stress’d_
As the Rebels were informed of Mr. Horn’s design of joining the
McLeods, they were exceeding keen in their resentment against him, and
immediately sent a party to seize him, but he luckily had gone out of
the way. The party lived a good while at his house at free quarters and
made very free with everything, demanding the arms he had made, and
the Cess Levy money, but Mr. Horn had left positive orders though they
should burn the house to give them neither, and as their Officers had
by this time got pretty certain information that their affairs were
wrong in England and their Prince retreating, they did not choose in
these circumstances to do such a shocking thing. And it was certainly
a lucky thing that they got this intelligence to calm them after the
flush of their Inverury victory, or then the Fire Order had undoubtedly
been put in execution in these counties.
_Quartering for Levy Money_
The towns of Aberdeen having now no relief were obliged to pay
their Quota of Levy money, that of the New town amounted to about
£500 Sterling. A party of the Clan Chattan (Mclntoshes, Shaws and
McGilavrys) under McGilavry of Dunmaglass, being now come up from
Dundee to support their friends in Aberdeen in case of a straight,
these for the greater terror were employed as far as possible for
quartering in the gentlemen’s houses in the country for the Levy money.
But the Rebels finding it would take longer time to get people forced
to give the whole of their exorbitant demands than they could bestow,
as they foresaw that in a week or so they must march to reinforce their
friends in the South, they were therefore willing to compound the
matter and take half in hand, and a bill for the other half payable at
Candlemass, and in this way they gathered in a good deal of money. But
still there were several gentlemen stood out for a good while under all
the hardships they imposed, especially Mr. Leith of Freefield (whom
they also kept a while Prisoner), Mr. Patan of Grandsam, and Mr. Burnet
of Kemnay. Mr. Burnet’s zeal for our constitution, and the endeavours
he used to awaken the British spirit among his neighbours, had rendered
him excessively obnoxious to the Rebels, they hunted him for some weeks
from place to place, to seize him, but he at length got to Edinburgh,
where he was obliged to stay till his Royal Highness marched for
Aberdeen.
_Rebels called up_
The resolute delays of some few gentlemen, and the great number they
had to quarter upon, made it impracticable for the Rebels to collect
their Levy money from much more than one half of these counties, before
they were called up and obliged to march and reinforce their friends
in the South, so that almost all Buchan, and most of the more remote
estates in both Banff and Aberdeenshire escaped at this time.
_Elsick’s Men, and McGregors come to Aberdeen_
Soon after Lord Lewis marched up with the whole of the Rebels from
this country, there arrived a Spanish ship at Peterhead with arms and
money, which brought a party of Elsick’s[364] men from the Mearns to
possess Aberdeen and bring up this loading; but they being looked on
as weak, a party of the McGregors joined them. None of these parties
however ventured to the country but only while they were bringing up
their cargo from Peterhead. Lord Lewis had been abundantly arbitrary in
his Government, Horses and Arms had been everywhere seized throughout
the counties, under the pretence of searching for arms; in houses both
in town and country many things had been pilfered with impunity, and
he himself treated everybody with a great deal of insolence, but all
this was but a jest in comparison with these McGregors. They went to
people’s houses through the town and always behaved so very rudely as
to make them forced to give them money to go away. They would stop
gentlemen on the streets openly, and either take their silver buckles
and buttons from them, or oblige them to give so much to redeem them.
Without the least provocation they would beat and abuse people; and
whenever they took it into their heads to enquire about any gentlemen’s
principles they met with, they came up with their broadswords drawn and
asked what King they were for? If they hesitated the least in answering
‘King James,’ they were sure of a slap, and never got away till they
sat down on their knees and swore to the Pretender, and cursed King
George in any terms the ruffians pleased. But happily they soon went
off with the arms and left Elsick’s men only to guard the town. These
continued mostly till the retreat of their army and behaved pretty
civilly; indeed though they had inclined to do otherwise, yet the
town’s people not being under so much restraint as formerly, began to
show themselves so keenly, that they made them glad to be peaceable,
for fear of their being mobbed.
_Rebels retreat from Stirling_
The whole Rebel Army, except the Clans that went the Highland road
with their Prince, passed through Aberdeenshire on their retreat from
Stirling. They marched in two columns (the clans making a third), Lord
Lewis Gordon’s men, the Deeside men, Glenbucket’s men and some other
body’s forming one column and marching in the high road to Strathboggy.
The rest of their army formed another column and marched with such
baggages as they had got off from Stirling, or the Clans had left them,
through the town of Aberdeen. They were commanded by Lord George Murray
and consisted mostly of the Athole Brigade, French, Lord Ogilvies
men,[365] Cromarty’s, Kilmarnock’s, Kelly’s,[366] Elsick’s, Lifeguards,
Hussars, and all their other Lowland Corps. They stayed but short while
in Aberdeen and so had not great opportunity of doing much mischief,
though they seemed not at all averse to do it. For the ill situation
of their affairs and their marching in such cold stormy weather, put
them in a great fret. They threatened dreadful things against they
should return Conquerors, particularly against the Clergy of the
Church of Scotland, on which subject none was more violent than Lord
John Drummond, who once and again proposed the hanging of some of them
for examples; and indeed the Clergy were so sensible of their danger,
that if the Duke had been obliged to retreat again, most of them had
resolved to prepare to leave the country. They divided at Aberdeen and
marched to Spey, some by Old Meldrum and Banff and some by Inverury and
Strathboggy. At Speyside they all joined and met there with the other
column. There was a good deal of pilfering by their stragglers in this
march, but when the country people had the resolution to oppose them,
they behaved very cowardly. The minister of Clate[367] in particular
and a few of his parishioners unarmed, took the guns and bayonets from
two Strathboggy men who fired on the people for finding fault with
their robbing a dyeing woman of her bedclothes.
_Hussars and Stonnywood’s men left in Aberdeen_
Stonnywood’s men though they had marched so far in the Highroad, yet
came off from the rest of their corps and marched down by Deeside to
Aberdeen, where they remained after the main body had left it, along
with the Hussars under one Colonel Baggot,[368] a French Officer, and
a very rough sort of man and so exceeding well fitted to command the
Banditti of which that Corps was composed, and to distress a country.
The Lord Lieutenant was along with their Prince, so Lonmay, the Depute
Governor, had the chief direction, though both he and Stonnywood
pretended that most of the extravagant things done by the Hussars,
was owing to Baggot. They immediately fell to work to collect the
remains of the Levy money. And now they had a new contrivance to force
it. These fellows, the Hussars, went galloping about, and seized the
gentlemen that were refractory, or their factor, or then the principal
tenants, if none of the former could be found, and brought them in
prisoners to Stonnywood and Baggot, the last of whom was sure to use
them very roughly. But most of the gentlemen absconded, and some of the
few they got stood out against all their bad usage, as particularly Mr.
Innes, Factor to the Earl of Kintore. The Tenants which they seized had
not the money to give so they were obliged at length to let them go
and made but very little of this method. The Hussars were vastly rude
and expensive wherever they went, and failed not to pick up any horses
as they come along that were remaining. But for all their roughness,
people that would venture to stand their ground, would sometimes get
the better of them. One instance of which was at New Dear when two of
them armed with pistols were taking a gentleman’s horse and money, the
minister of the place[369] being only with the gentleman, and both of
them only with staves in their hands; the minister first knocked down
one of the fellows and the gentleman the other, and disarmed them both
and set them off.
_Some of Fitzjames Dragoons land_
The Saturday before his Royal Highness came to town, a French ship
landed some of the Dragoons of Fitzjames’ Regiment at Aberdeen with
their riding furniture.[370] There had come afore about the same time
another French ship with the money for the Pretender’s use, but the
Master thought it dangerous to land it at Aberdeen as the Duke was
so near, and so sailed about for Peterhead where it was received by
Lonmay.[371] Fitzjames’ Dragoons marched off next day, as did also
Stonnywood and his men with the Hussars, and thus the town of Aberdeen
at length got free of the Rebel Government, after it had been about
five months subject to it.
_Duke of Cumberland comes to Aberdeen_
The Tuesday thereafter General Bland arrived in town with the van of
the Army under the Duke of Cumberland, and his Royal Highness on the
Thursday thereafter. The Burgesses lined the streets all the way from
the Duke’s entry into the town to his lodgings. He was immediately
waited on by the nobility and gentry of town and county, and next day
by the Colleges and Clergy who had assembled in a Synod _pro re nata_
and had all the honour to kiss his hand. Mr. Osborne, Principal of the
Marischal College, made a short congratulary speech to his Highness
in name of the colleges, as did Mr. Theodore Gordon, Moderator of the
Synod in name of the Clergy, and both had gracious returns.
_More of Fitzjames’ Dragoons land in Buchan_
Soon after this another of the Transports with Fitzjames’ Dragoons
having got information on the coast, of the Duke’s being at Aberdeen,
landed in Buchan[372] and then very narrowly escaped from the Duke’s
Picquets who were ordered out to intercept them.
_Lord Ancrum[373] marches to Curgaff_
As to Lord Ancrum’s expedition to Curgaff, a house belonging to
Forbes of Skeleter in Strathdon (vid. _London Gazette_, March 11th),
Glenbucket was then with a few men within a few miles of Strathdon. But
his numbers were greatly magnified, and his being actually at hand was
so artfully insinuated to a minister’s wife in the neighbourhood, that
with the honestest intention in the world, she gave a false alarm which
made his Lordship in such a hurry that though he destroyed the powder,
yet he only scattered the ball, broke a few of the arms, and carried
off a very few, the rest falling all into the hands of the country
people. And yet one might imagine that, as his dragoons were not to
gallop off and leave the Foot, there had been no miss in making them
dismount and walk for a few miles and loading their horses with the
Arms, till they should come to some place where country horses might
have been got.
_Bland[374] at Old Meldrum_
When part of the army under General Bland advanced to Old Meldrum,
Barrels and Price’s under Lieutenant Rich[375] lay at Inverury which
is on the ordinary Post Road to Strathboggy (where about 3000 of the
Rebels under Roy Stuart were with the Hussars) and about 100 Grants
that came to escort their Laird to Aberdeen[376] formed an advance
guard on this road, as the Campbells did from Old Meldrum, where they
were very alert and watchful, so that the Rebels never once offered to
disturb either the Generals or Lieut. Rich’s Quarters. And indeed if
they had, all possible care was taken to give them a warm reception.
There was a bridge of boats thrown over the Ury on the road from
Inverury to Old Meldrum, and a Guard midway betwixt the two Garrisons
who could observe a blaze in the night time at either of them or
anything happening extraordinary, and by a blaze could give information
of it to the other, and the Light Horse, too, were quartered betwixt so
as to form a line of communication.
_Rebels attempt to surprise the Grants_
The night before General Bland marched for Strathboggy, the Grants
came first to the Kirk Town of Clate, which is about six miles south
of Strathboggy and off from the high road to Aberdeen. As there were
many disaffected people thereabouts, the Rebels at Huntly had notice
of it that night, though it was late before they came there, and they
immediately formed a scheme of surprising him next morning. But Grant,
suspecting such a thing might be done, wisely advanced a mile further
the same night to Castle Forbes, a house belonging to Lord Forbes, and
by the strength of its old walls alone not easily to be taken without
cannon, so that next morning when the Rebels under Roy Stuart missed
them at Clate, they returned without meddling with the Castle.
_Bland marches to Huntly_
Meantime General Bland had kept his orders for marching that morning
so very closely that the Rebels had not got the least intelligence
of it. The two corps from Inverury and Old Meldrum met at Rayne, and
had it not been for a small accident, had intercepted the Rebels who
were on the Clate Expedition and got to Strathboggy before them. For
they, dreaming of no such thing, breakfasted very leisurely at Clate
and stopped also at a public house betwixt it and Huntly. There was
an exceeding great fog on the Hill of the Foudline, so that some
senseless, idle people that were running up before the army, imagined
that a plough that was going in the midst among some houses on the side
of the hill, was a party of men; on which they gave the alarm that
the Rebels were at hand, this was immediately forwarded by the liger
Ladys[377] with a deal of consternation, so that some people of better
sense gave credit to it and came up to the General with this false
alarm. Whatever might be in it, he judged it safest for the men to halt
and form, while proper persons were sent up to see what the matter was,
who soon found out the mistake. But this trifle occasioned a stop for
near half an hour or three quarters, and the Rebels were scarce so long
in Strathboggy before the General came there.
The Enemy knew nothing of them till they came within sight of
Strathboggy. They had but just come there, and ordered dinner, but
they thought proper to leave it in a great hurry on Bland’s approach.
Their Hussars and some gentlemen on horseback brought up the rear.
Among these last, was Hunter of Burnside,[378] who for a good way kept
within speech of the party under Major Crawford and the volunteers that
pursued them; but managed his horse with so much dexterity, turning
so oft and so nimbly, that they could not aim at him rightly; at
length one of the Campbells shot so near him as made him start aside
and gallop off, and as the forces took him for Roy Stuart, this gave
occasion to the story of that gentleman being either killed or wounded.
The soldiers were incensed, and not unjustly with a notion that
Strathboggy was extremely disaffected: coming in to it therefore under
this impression after a long march in a bitter bad rainy day, it was no
surprise that they used some freedom with a few peoples houses, who,
conscious of their own demerit, had locked their doors and run off,
leaving nobody to care for the soldiers that were to quarter in them.
_Captain Campbell surprised at Keith[379]_
Next day the General sent up seventy Campbells, and 30 Light Horse to
Keith, a little town six miles from Huntly, and half way betwixt it
and Fochabers where the Rebels had retired. One Alexander Campbell,
a Lieutenant, had the command, who had been all along very alert
on the advanced guard and had met with no check, though oft in as
dangerous a situation, but next night had the misfortune to have his
party surprised. This was chiefly owing to the dissaffection of the
inhabitants, who conducted the Rebels at dead of night, not by any
set road, but through the fields so as not to meet with the Patroles,
and then having fetched a compass about, and entering the town on the
south, by the way from Huntly, were mistaken by the Sentrys, to whose
calls they answered in a friendly way, for a reinforcement they had
some expectation of. The Guard was conveniently posted in the Church
and church yard which was very fencible, and the Lieutenant, who had
not thrown off his clothes, on the first alarm ran out and fought his
way into them, and behaved very gallantly with his guard for a while.
But the rest of his men, being mostly all taken asleep, and having
himself received several wounds, he was at last obliged to surrender.
The enemy suffered considerably, but carried off their slain, so that
their numbers were not known. The Lieutenant was left a while with only
one Sentry to guard him, on which he very resolutely grappled with him,
disarmed him and got off; but being retarded by his wounds he was soon
retaken and then they hashed him miserably and left him for dead; yet
he afterwards recovered.
_Popish and Nonjurant Meetings destroyed_
His Royal Highness on coming to Aberdeen immediately stopped all the
Nonjurant Ministers, and soon after ordered their Meeting Houses and
the Mass Houses to be destroyed, which was accordingly executed both
in town and country as the Army marched along, and indeed none were
surprised at this piece of discipline, as these houses were not only
illegal, but had in fact proved such Nurseries of Rebellion. The
Priests had mostly gone off, and such as could be got were seized and
confined, but neither ministers nor people of the Nonjurants met with
any other disturbance unless they were otherways concerned in the
Rebellion. The Army also had orders to seize the Corn, Horses, and
cattle and Arms belonging to those in the Rebellion, but to touch none
of their other effects, and the generality of the Rebels had foreseen
this and either sold or sent off these things, so that there were
but few that suffered much in this way. If any parties of soldiers
used further freedom in these houses, which was not oft, the Duke,
on complaint made, not only obliged the Officers to be at pains to
recover the plundered effects from the soldiers, but generally gave a
compliment himself to make up the loss; as particularly to Mrs. Gordon,
Cupbairdy,[380] he ordered £100 Sterling. His protections were easily
obtained till a piece of the Rebels extravagance not only made this
more difficult, but also obliged his Royal Highness to recall some
protections he had granted, and gave up some houses to be plundered.
_Cullon House plundered by the Rebels_
The Earl of Findlater was at Aberdeen attending his Royal Highness,
when his factor gave him notice that the Rebels who were thereabouts
had intimated, that if the Cess and Levy money for his Lordships
Estate was not paid against such a day, his house at Cullon would
peremptorily be plundered. This intimation the Earl showed to his
Royal Highness, who ordered him in return to certify them that if they
took such a step, it would oblige him to alter his conduct, recall his
protections and give up their houses to be plundered. Notwithstanding
this threat, the Rebels actually pillaged Cullon House[381] at the
time appointed, and his Royal Highness was in consequence obliged to
withdraw his protections from Lady Gordon of Park,[380] and Lady Dunbar
of Durn,[380] for their houses; and indeed the last of these suffered
considerably, but most of the effects were carried off from Park that
were of any value.
_Thornton Disgusted_
The famous Squire Thornton[382] who had raised the Yorkshire Company,
his Lieutenant Mr. Crofts, and Ensign Mr. Symson, Minister at Fala (who
had been both taken prisoners at Falkirk), had come as volunteers with
the Army to Aberdeen, though they had never met with very civil usage
from the regular officers who seemed not at all to affect volunteers.
When Pultney’s Regiment was ordered from Old Meldrum to Buchan on a
command one day, these gentlemen who declined no fatigue, and had
usually joined that corps, marched along. But coming the first night
to a little village called Ellon, the Quarter Master would not assign
Quarters to the volunteers as Officers, and none of the Officers
would give orders for it, which and some other things of this kind
effectually disgusted them, so that they immediately left the army
and returned home. His Royal Highness in order to preserve the town
of Aberdeen from any surprise after he should leave it caused fortify
Gordon’s Hospital and placed a garrison in it under Captain Crosby, and
in honour of the Duke it was called Fort Cumberland.
_Duke marches from Aberdeen on Foot_
When the Duke marched from Aberdeen[383] he endeared himself
exceedingly to the soldiers (if it was possible to increase their
affection for him) by walking most of the way with them on foot,
generally using one of the soldiers Tenttrees for a staff and never
going a yard out of the way for a bridge or any burn they met with, but
wading through at the nearest.
On a long march of near 20 miles from Old Meldrum to Banff the
following little accident much delighted the spectators. A soldiers
wife carrying a young child, grew quite faint and entreated her
husband, who was near with the Duke, to carry the child for a little
way; the fellow said he could not as he was burdened with his arms. The
Duke overheard, took the soldier’s gun and carried it himself for some
way and ordered him to ease the poor woman of the child for a while.
_Rebels not expecting his March_
The Duke being stopped so long at Aberdeen, made his march at length
as great a surprise on the Rebels as if he had not halted a day, for
by this time they were grown very secure. The Duke of Perth, Lord John
Drummond, Roy Stuart, etc., were all lodged in the minister’s house
of Speymouth, and had more than 2000 men along with them. They were
sitting very securely after breakfast, when a country man came over
the River in great haste and told them that the Enzie was all in a
‘vermine of Red Quites.’[384] But they were so averse to believe it,
that when they ran to an eminence and observed them at a great distance
they swore it was only muck heaps: the man said it might be so, but he
never saw Muck heaps moving before. And after they were convinced it
was a body of men, still they would only have it to be some of Bland’s
parties, till their Hussars, whom they had sent over to reconnoitre,
returned and assured them the whole Army under his Royal Highness was
coming up.
_Duke crosses the Spey_
As to the Duke’s passing the Spey (vid. _London Gazette_, April
19th):--The Soldiers had got a notion that all on the other side Spey
were rank Rebels, and so immediately seized a number of the sheep
and other cattle as soon as they got over. But as the case was quite
otherways and the people of that Parish had been longing for the Army
as their deliverers, on the minister’s representing this, and what
had happened, to his Royal Highness, he immediately ordered all to be
restored that could be got unkilled, and gave the minister £50 Ster.
to divide among the people for their loss, and if that did not do it
directed him to demand whatever would, and it should be ordered. His
Royal Highness took up his quarters in the minister’s, where the Duke
of Perth, etc., had been but a few hours before.
_Aberdeen Militia_
Immediately after the Duke’s leaving Aberdeen the two towns raised
several companies of Militia to prevent their meeting with disturbance
from any flying parties. His Royal Highness named their Officers and
gave them authority to act. He also named twelve Governors to have the
direction of the N. Town, till they should be allowed to choose regular
Magistrates. There was also a proposal for raising a County Militia,
but the Duke’s victory at Culloden made it to be dropped as useless.
_Ancrum, Commander in Chief_
The Earl of Ancrum came to Aberdeen soon after the defeat of the Rebels
as Commander in chief between Tey and Spey. Mark Kerr’s Dragoons
were along the coast, Fleeming’s Regiment at Aberdeen, and garrisons
detached from it to several places on Deeside, and Loudon’s under Major
McKenzie at Strathboggy, with garrisons at Glenbucket, etc.
_Houses burnt and plundered_
Parties were immediately sent out through the country in search of
Rebels, with orders also to plunder and burn their houses.[385] This
severe order was not at all agreeable to Friends of the Government,
who could in no shape relish Military execution, especially after the
enemy was so effectually subdued. But it was not universally executed;
most of the Rebel Gentlemen’s houses on Deeside were plundered, and
some burnt, but these last were houses of little value and really no
considerable loss to the proprietors. There was very little plundered
in Buchan, some things only picked up by the soldiers in their searches
unknown to the Officers. No Gentlemen’s houses were burnt, and only
one or two farmers’ by a worthless fellow not concerned with the army,
who by mighty pretences of zeal, had been employed by Ancrum to go
with five or six of Loudon’s Regiment, in quest of Rebels. There were
no houses burnt or plundered in or about the towns of Aberdeen; but a
Tenant’s house in the land of Stonnywood, who had been very insolent.
Glenbucket’s house was burnt in Strathdawn, as were also a tenant’s
house or two about Strathboggy.
_Order for Arms_
Lord Ancrum’s orders for bringing in of arms were very extraordinary,
and indeed cannot be better exposed than by giving them and Lord
Loudon’s in the same place, vid. _Scots Mag._ for July, p. 339.[386]
_Ill Conduct of the Soldiers_
Most of the Officers of Fleeming’s Regiment were but young men, and
did not at all behave in an agreeable manner. They seemed too much to
look on the Army as a community of separate interests from that of the
Nation, and it was the common axiom of those even in highest command in
Aberdeen, that no laws but the Military were to be regarded. They took
it in their heads to despise all in civil capacity, and especially as
much as possible to thwart the Governors of the town in every thing.
They had no manner of confidence either in the gentlemen of town or
country, not even in those who had merited so well for their zeal for
the Establishment; such as Mr. Middleton of Seaton, Mr. Burnet of
Kemnay, etc., nay, some of them were on many occasions ill used by
them. The Clergy of the Church of Scotland, for as much as they courted
and applauded them in time of danger, were now their common subject for
ridicule; and a deal of spleen was shown against them, that it should
be thought they had in the least merited well of their country, and
thus should have a title to some regard as well as the Military, and
not the least pendicle of the Army, a Commissary of foraging Clerks,
etc., but would have more regard paid to their representative than any
Clergyman.
_People Disgusted_
Such was the injudicious conduct of the Lord Ancrum and most of
the officers of this Corps, which soon raised great disgust and
heartburning. The Officers only, associated with one another, were
seldom troubled with any advice from anybody of consequence acquainted
with the country; or if they were, were sure to slight it. This
gave infinite satisfaction to the Jacobites who rejoiced in these
dissensions. It was this mutual disgust which on the one hand provoked
the soldiers in so riotous a manner to break almost the whole windows
in the town for not being illuminated on the first of August,[387] when
the towns people had no reason to think Illuminations would be expected
of them; and on the other hand provoked the townsfolks to resent it
so highly, for had there been a good understanding betwixt the Corps
and them, such an outrage would probably not have been committed, or
if some illegal things had been done they’d as probably have been
overlooked, or at least easily atoned for.
Immediately after this, Ancrum was removed and Lord Sempile[388]
succeeded him.
A TRUE ACCOUNT OF MR. JOHN DANIEL’S PROGRESS WITH PRINCE CHARLES EDWARD
IN THE YEARS 1745 AND 1746 WRITTEN BY HIMSELF
_The manuscript preserved at Drummond Castle from which this Narrative
is printed bears the following docquet:_--
This is to certify, that I believe the aforegoing Narrative to
be a correct Copy of the Original, written by my late Friend,
Captain John Daniel, which I have frequently seen and read,
and conversed with him, on the subject of its contents: more
particularly as to the facts of the Duke of Perth’s death, on his
passage from Scotland to France, on board the ship in which the
said Captain Daniel was also a passenger. To which conversations,
I can conscientiously depose if required.
Witness my hand at Exmouth Devon. This 25th day of September 1830.