1745 The
"Young Pretender" had been born in Rome in 1720, the son of the
"Old Pretender" and Princess Clementina Sobieski. He was described
at the time as "above middle height and very thin". His design was
to get a French fleet and Army and to make a descent upon the shores
of Britain. The French Government knew of the impossibility of such
an enterprise in face of the British Fleet. Nonetheless, with a
few friends he set sail on a boat which he hired called variously
Doutelle, but also known as Du Teillay. He landed after a voyage
and raised his standard at Glenfinnan. The Highland chiefs were
by no means enthusiastic for the enterprise. Marshal Wade had made
some good military roads which laid the country open to the red-coats,
if necessary. Nevertheless they rallied to the call of the House
of Stuart. Together with Macdonnell of Glengarry, Cameron of Locheil
and others he entered Perth. Later he issued a Proclamation in Edinburgh
which included the words
"I with my own money hired a vessel,
ill-provided with money, arms or friends; I arrived in Scotland
attended by seven persons"
It is true to say that the English
people did not wish personally to fight against Charles; but they
certainly did not wish to fight for him. Having got to Derby unopposed,
he stopped. The great march down there had shown that, heroic as
his qualities were, his cause excited no enthusiasm. He had little
ammunition, no money, no supplies and could not long avoid destruction
from the Armies of Marshal Wade and the Duke of Cumberland which
were converging upon him. They retreated Northwards. It is difficult
to see why, once in the Highlands, the host was kept together. Quarrels
were common amongst the chiefs, and each blamed the other for the
hopeless result. In 1746 at Culloden Charles met the Duke of Cumberland
and his red-coats. The heroism of the Highlanders could not prevent
the destruction of their force. Inverness-shire and the Western
Highlands were given over to be ravaged by the soldiery. Luckily,
the wildness and inaccessibility of the country saved many of the
people" A New History of Great Britain, RB Mowat, page 473.
1745
On 16 July, the two ships (Du Teillay and Elizabeth) set out from
Belle-Ile for Britain. With Charles on the Du Teillay were the seven
companions who were later to become known in Jacobite folklore as
the "Seven Men of Moidart". They were the elderly and
rather unwell William Murray, Marquis of Tullibardine, recognised
by the Jacobites as the Second Duke of Atholl though he had been
attainted for his part in the 1715 rising and as a result it was
his brother James whom the British government recognised as succeeding
the first Duke in 1724; Colonel Francis Strickland, the only Englishman
in the group, a member of an old Westmorland Jacobite family; Aeneas
Macdonald, the expedition's banker, who had been intending to go
to Scotland on his own business affairs and was with some difficulty
persuaded to accompany Charles in order to win over his brother
Donald of Kinlochmoidart and his many relatives; and four Irishmen
- Sir Thomas Sheridan, a veteran of the Battle of the Boyne and
now over seventy; George Kelly; Sir John Macdonald, an elderly man,
fond of the bottle, who had served in the French cavalry in Spain;
and Colonel John William O'Sullivan, who had fought in the French
army and was the only one present who would play an important part
in the campaign they were setting out to conduct. Charles Edward
Stuart. The life and times of Bonnie Prince Charlie by David Daiches,
Page 104
1745
When Bonnie Prince Charlie came to Kinlochmoidart he was supported
by all the Kinlochmoidart MacDonalds. Kinlochmoidart House, Stephen
Jefferson 1995.
1745
A pibroch was composed by John MacIntyre of Ulgary, Glenmoidart,
Thaing mo Righ air Tir am Muideart - My King has Landed in Moidart.
Inverailort, A Short History Iain Thornber.
1745 While Charles stayed at Borrodale, most of his company
stayed at Kinlochmoidart, six miles to the south
When
Clanranald had gathered about a hundred of his men, Charles joined
the others at Kinlochmoidart. Meanwhile Lochiel was also gathering
his men, and so was Alexander Macdonald of Keppoch
Charles
Edward Stuart. The life and times of Bonnie Prince Charlie by David
Daiches, Page 111
1745 On 18 August Charles with his followers left Kinlochmoidart
.. and went to Glenaladale
.on the morning of the 19th
they moved north-east up to the head of Loch Shiel to Glenfinnan
.Sir
John Macdonald wrote, "Lochiel brought about 900 men and Keppoch
500"
Charles Edward Stuart. The life and times of
Bonnie Prince Charlie by David Daiches, Page 112
1745
"Though such places as Gaskan, Annat and Druminlaoigh on the Moidart
side had suffered considerable depopulation there were still about
a hundred MacDonald males above twenty five years of age in the
district besides MacEacherns, MacIsaacs and MacVarishes, while the
Jacobite clans Cameron and Macpherson were well represented on the
Argyll side, the sheep run craze having not yet become so effective
as to create many clearances in the Ardnamurchan and Morvern areas."
St Finan's Isle, Its Story by Alastair Cameron (North Argyll),
page 18 - Jean Cameron and Bonnalie/Impey Papers, Ref 38
1746
Part of the roll of men on Clanranald's estates, with their arms
at the time of Culloden. They would have fought on the left flank:
Kinlochmoidart
Ranald MacDonald-
Donald MacDonald-gun
Allan MacCallane-sword
Donald macMylan-sword
Donald MacPherson-sword
Donald Bains-wants
Angus Cameron-wants
Donald MacDonald-gun, sword, terge
John his brother-gun, sword, terge
Allan his brother-gun, sword
Sandy MacDonald- gun, sword
John MacDonald-gun
John MacFinla vic Ean Roy-gun, sword
John MacInnes vic Ean vic Creul-wants
Ian MacYonill-gun, sword
John MacIsaac the Violer-gun
Glenforslan
Hugh MacVoddich-sword
John MacLean-wants
Ulgary
John MacDonald-gun, sword, terge
Ewan Ban-sword
John MacDonald-gun
Caolas
John Mac Neill Mor-gun, sword Riuari Mac Innish Moir-gun
Lochan
Duncan MacIsaak-gun, sword Angus Maclean-gun
Eignaig
Angus Maclean-gun, sword
Donald Maclean-wanting
John Maclean-gun
Eilean
Shona
Ian Og vic Ruari-sword, gun, terge
Donald MacDonald-gun, sword
Dugald MacDonald-gun, sword
Rory Macpherson-gun, sword
Angus Mac Vorrich-sword
John Macleod-gun, sword
Donald MacDonald-gun, sword
Calum Mac Gawry-wanting
Officers
Colonel Clanranald
Major MacDonald, Glenaladale
Captain John MacDonald, his brother
Captain Donald MacDonald
Captain Ranald Macdonald
Captain Angus Macdonald
Captain Alexander his brother
Captain Alexander his oldest son
Captain John MacDonald, Guidale
Captain Ranald and Captain Allan, brothers Kinlochmoidart
Captain John Macdonald, Eigg
Moidart Among the Clanranalds, p146 Charles MacDonald, Ed John
Watts
The
Highlanders were drawn up in two lines, the right commanded by Lord
George Murray consisting of Athole men, Camerons, Stewarts, Frasers,
MacKintoshes, Farquharsons and others. On the left, commanded by
Lord John Drummond, were the MacDonalds of Clanranald, Keppoch and
Glengarry. The latter caused much dissention in the Highland army,
as the MacDonalds always claimed the privilege of being on the right
of the line, and this oversight in position gave them grave offence.
Highland Ways and Byways, Kenneth A Macrae, "Coinneach Mor",
page 114.
At
Culloden the Macdonalds behaved very badly. It was extremely short-sighted
policy ofcourse on the part of Lord George Murray to dispute their
traditional claim to fight on the right wing
.nothing could
have touched their pride more keenly than to see a rival clan stationed
at the post which they looked on as their own
They refused
to fight
.The Duke of Perth tried over and over again to lead
them in person
but they seem to have treated his words with
sullen contempt
.When the day was lost, the Macdonalds withdrew
to the hills. The losses amongst the Clanranald men were trivial,
and of the officers, not one save Kinlochmoidart was missing. Moidart
Among the Clanranalds, p155 Charles MacDonald, Ed John Watts
1746
Angus Beg, son of Alexander Macdonald, Minister of Dalelea, succeeded
his father as Minister although subsequently he joined the Catholic
Church some time before the '45. He ined Clanranald as a Captain
at Culloden and escaped afterwards making his way back to Moidart
where he skulked in the hills for two years. When the Act of Indemnity
was passed, he returned to Dalelea where he lived quietly for some
years before dying. He was succeeded at Dalelea by his son Allan
who had several children, one of which was Alexander Macdonald the
"banker" (see later), who built the present Dalelea House. Moidart
Among the Clanranalds, p127 Charles MacDonald, Ed John Watts
1746 After the Battle of Culloden on 16th April, Prince Charles
withdrew westwards. "On the 20th he arrived at the house of
Alexander Macdonald, brother of the Macdonald with whom he had stayed
when he first landed, in Arisaig. He stayed here until he embarked
for Uist on the 26th." Charles Edward Stuart. The life and
times of Bonnie Prince Charlie by David Daiches, Page 226
1746 Donald MacLeod procured a stout eight-oared boat, the property
of John Macdonald, son of Aeneas or Angus Macdonald of Borrodale
and on 26th April they went aboard at twilight on the very spot
of ground where the Prince had landed at first
.There were
in the boat the Prince, Captain O'Sullivan, Captain O'Neil, Allan
Macdonald, commonly called Captain Macdonald (of the family of Clanranald),
and a clergyman of the Church of Rome; and Donald MacLeod for pilot
managing the helm
There were also eight boatmen
...They
landed on Benbecula on the morning of April 27th and at Rossinish
they found an unihabited hut, where they made a fire to dry their
clothes
..They sent a man to Clanranald's house, several miles
away, and he found Clanranald's second son, who had left the Jacobite
Army before Culloden; he came to pay his respects to the Prince
bringing some biscuits, meal and butter. Charles Edward Stuart.
The life and times of Bonnie Prince Charlie by David Daiches, Page
229
1746
27 June, Flora Macdonald stayed at Clanranald's house on Benbecula
on her way back to Skye, while Bonnie Prince Charlie hid nearby.
Lady Clanranald visited Charles and, whilst there she heard that
Captain John Ferguson (an Aberdeenshire Naval Officer with a deep
hatred of Highlanders and a justified reputation for cruelty) with
an advance party of General Campbell's men were at her house and
that 'Ferguson had lain in her bed the night before' (See also later
- It was a Captain 'Fergusson' who set fire to Kinlochmoidart House
- TR) Charles Edward Stuart. The life and times of Bonnie Prince
Charlie by David Daiches, Page 238
1746
After delivering the Prince, disguised as 'Betty Burke, an Irish
lady's maid, safely to Portree, Flora Macdonald was arrested on
her way back to her home in Armadale and taken on board Captain
Ferguson's sloop, the Furnace - and later sent to the Tower of London,
but released under the Act of Indemnity 1747. In 1750 she married
Allan Macdonald. Charles Edward Stuart. The life and times of
Bonnie Prince Charlie by David Daiches, Page 244
1746 4 July, Back on the mainland, having come to Loch Nevis
from Skye, the Prince spent three nights in the open before staying
with MacDonald of Morar, eight miles from Malaig. The house had
been burned by Captain Ferguson and Morar was living with his family
in a little hut
..Prince Charlie then moved on south to the
house of Angus Macdonald of Borrodale where he had stayed on his
very first landing.
he found that this house too had been burned
by Captain Ferguson and Angus Macdonald was living with two men
in a nearby hut. Charles Edward Stuart. The life and times of
Bonnie Prince Charlie by David Daiches, Page 248
1746
4 September L'Heureux and Le Prince Conti, French privateers, entered
Loch Boisdale in South Uist in search of the Prince. Here they ran
across the same Captain Macdonald of Clanranald's regiment who had
been in the eight-oared boat in which the Prince had been rowed
to Benbecula on 26th April. Macdonald came aboard and served as
pilot and took the French across the Minch to Loch nan Uamh. Here
they lay in the loch disguised as British men-of war between 6th
and 19th September. Charles Edward Stuart. The life and times
of Bonnie Prince Charlie by David Daiches, Page 257
1746
Donald Macdonald (Kinlochmoidart), having joined the Prince immediately
he came to Moidart, travelled south with him but was recognised
when alone in Edinburgh (Note: Jefferson says it was Lesmahagow)
and imprisoned. He was tried in Carlisle and condemned to death
and executed in the summer of 1746. Moidart Among the Clanranalds,
p153 Charles MacDonald, Ed John Watts
1746 Kinlochmoidart House burned
.The pre 1746 house
had an alignment with the present walled garden. Kinlochmoidart
House, Stephen Jefferson 1995.
The
record of burning Kinlochmoidart house was set out in the log of
Captain Fergussone on board HMS Furnace, which had also laid waste
to Eigg and to Borrodale House, when he wrote "sent the boats ashore
maned at Loch Moidart at 4. Took 20 barrels of gunpowder at 5, set
the laird's house in fire at 8"
. Maldwin Drummond's account
of a cruise in the Journal of the Royal Cruising Club 1976, Page
221, Bonnalie/Impey Papers Ref 21 "The troops were let loose
on the district
The houses, after first being plundered were
burnt to the ground, the cattle were driven away or wantonly destroyed.
Shooting parties ranged over the hills, chasing the unfortunate
people
When Kinloch House was burnt down (by Capt Fergussone),
the chief's mother, a lady far advanced in years, had to be carried
out in a dying state into the garden (Note: Jefferson says it is
a myth that she died at this time, she survived until 1760)
The
rest of the family fled to Glenforslan
Some of the worst visitors
were landing parties detached from the men-of-war cruising along
the coast
The only approach to treachery in Moidart was that
of a native who, under pressure, was induced to give information
regarding the spot where the Kinloch title deeds and some family
plate were hidden, viz, at Craig-an-Dun, close to Loch Moidart".
Moidart Among the Clanranalds, p162 Charles MacDonald, Ed John
Watts
1746
After Culloden Clanranald made his way south, through London (unrecognised)
and on to Paris, where he remained for several years as he had been
excluded from the Act of Indemnity. Unlike Moidart Macdonald, he
did not forfeit his estate, perhaps because it was entailed and
his father, the true owner, had always been against supporting the
Jacobite cause. Moidart Among the Clanranalds, p164 Charles MacDonald,
Ed John Watts. "Prince Charles, as fugitive, eventually departed
from Borrodale. More than a hundred gentlemen, many of whom were
lurking in the two districts of Moidart and Arisaig, availed themselves
of this opportunity of getting away to France
With the exception
of Ranald, all the other members of the Kinlochmoidart family sailed
with the Prince to France, and none of them ever returned
Ranald
married a daughter of Angus Beg, Dalelea, and settled down at Roshven,
which he received from Clanranald for his lifetime". Moidart
Among the Clanranalds, p171 Charles MacDonald, Ed John Watts.
1746
The Moidart Macdonalds had their property confiscated after Donald's
execution and the Government retained it in its possession for the
next forty one years, the commissioner being appointed to superintend
being Butter of Faskally, a gentleman of Perthshire. During this
period, the Kinlochmoidart Macdonald (Alexander) had received an
education in the Scots College in France, but returned every now
and then to the district for nostalgic reasons. One cause of his
anxiety was his mother who for many years lived at Briaig before
returning to Kinlochmoidart and then dying, to be buried on Eilean-Fhionnan.
She was the daughter of Robert Stewart of Appin. Alexander died
in Edinburgh in 1781. His son John was eventually to get the estate
back in 1786 . Moidart Among the Clanranalds, p188 Charles MacDonald,
Ed John Watts. "The estate, after forfeiture at first was administered
by the Barons of Exchequer of Scotland and after 1755 by the Commissioners
for managing forfeited and annexed estates in Scotland. Factors
were appointed by them. Patrick Campbell was factor from 1749 to
27th December 1752 when he resigned having roused much ill-will
by his harsh treatment of the tenants and especially relatives of
Donald Macdonald. Mungo Campbell was then appointed and in 1758
Henry Butter of Faskally in Perthshire was appointed and continued
until the restoration of the estates." Commentary by S R-M upon
the description of the property comprising the Kinlochmoidart Estate
as set out in the deed of entail dated 7th October 1795 and referred
to subsequently. Bonnalie/Impey Papers. Ref 50.
1746
When the Commissioners of the Forfeited Estates wished to introduce
Highlanders to Lowland values after the '45 they could think of
nothing more likely to promote industriousness and civilization
than the plantation of villages with linen works, English Schools,
post-offices, markets and prisons:
.one of their surveyors
spoke of Beauly in Inverness-shire, as "a clachan inhabited
by a great collection of poor people who live in hutts and retail
ale and spirituous liquors" Scotland and the Age of Improvement,
edited by NT Phillipson and Rosalind Mitchison, p81
1746
After Culloden, Highland Regiments were raised in order to "earn
points" with the British Crown. BBC Documentary on Clearances
1746
For a while after 1746, William Harrison was probably the only priest
active in the Rough Bounds, the rest being either in prison, fugitive
or dead. (He died in Keppoch in 1773). Moidart Among the Clanranalds,
p115 Charles MacDonald, Ed John Watts
1746
What preoccupied the authorities about Catholics was less their
religion than their politics and it is usually argued that penal
legislation was maintained more as a deterrent against Jacobitism
than as a means of extirpating the Catholic religion. Except in
times of crisis, such as 1689-1692 and 1745-1746, local lairds evinced
little desire to meddle in the religious affairs of their neighbours
..However...When
the state decided to crack down on Catholic recusancy, it cracked
down hard
.In the aftermath of the 'Forty-Five, five Jesuit
priests were captured (four of them from Highland Mission stations)
and two died in prison. Only four of the twenty nine secular priests
were arrested, though to these must be added one who fell at Culloden
and two who fled the country. None suffered the death penalty as
prescribed by the penal statutes, but all were banished from Scotland
and threatened with execution if they returned
which some of
them did and the threat was not enforced. Eighteenth Century Scotland,
New Perspectives, TM Devine and JR Young, page 101, Essay by James
F McMillan. While Jacobitism could call upon its own vision of the
Scottish past and its own ideas of Scottish nationhood, it could
not break the alternative visions of national identity in the lowlands
which were supplied by the Covenanting legacy of the seventeenth
century and the triumph of Presbyterianism in 1690. Eighteenth
Century Scotland, New Perspectives, TM Devine and JR Young, page
124, Essay by Richard J Finlay.
1747
From 1st August it became illegal for men or boys "to wear highland
dress in Scotland, other than soldiers in the King's forces. The
plaid, philebeg or little kilt, trowse, shoulder belts, or any part
whatsoever of what peculiarly belongs to the highland garb" were
banned. Culloden, John Prebble p 311
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