1746] COLONEL KER OF GRADEN 355 Copy of COLONEL KER of Gradyne,1 his Account. fol. 648. In order to judge of the state of the Prince's affairs at the time of the battle of Culloden, it will not be amiss to look back to the time of his coming to Inverness, where the Earl of Loudon commanded before his highness's coming there. The Earl of Loudon hearing of the Prince's coming, and 16 Feb. that he was to quarter that night at Moy 2 (the seat of the Laird of Mackintosh, about seven miles from Inverness), formed a design to surprize him and to carry him off, as he was to have but a few men with him for his guard. The Earl marched from Inverness with most of the garrison, and was within about two miles of Moy, where accidentally five of the Prince's people 3 going about their own private affairs met with Loudon's fol. 649. advanced guard, and being under night called to them. But the five, finding who they were, called out loudly for Lochiel and the other clans to advance. Lord Loudon's people, not doubting but they were there, took flight and returned to Inverness in great confusion, and left it next day on the Prince's appearing on the rising ground above the town, returning with his men to the shire of Ross, where they continued till the Earl of Cromarty with a party was sent in pursuit of them. Upon his approach they retired towards Tain, where we shall leave them for a while and return to Inverness. The Prince coming before the place, summoned the castle to 17 Feb. surrender, and on being refused a battery was raised; but the canon being but small, had little effect upon it, which obliged the besiegers to have recourse to a sap, which being brought fol. 650. near the angle of one of the bastions, the castle was surrendered and the garrison made prisoners. This being done, Brigadier Stapleton, with Lochiel's and Keppoch's regiments, Lord John Drummond's (which was not compleat, a great many of them 1 See f. 669. This narrative is printed in Jacobite Memoirs, pp. 131-144. 2 See f. 380. 3 Ker's account of this affair agrees most exactly with that of Captain Malcolm MacLeod, but the account given by the Captain is much more exact and circumstantial, as may be seen in [see ff. 258-261, 273, 989, 1207, 1256.] ROBERT FORBES, A.M. 4 See f. 156. Feb. being made prisoners in their passage to Scotland), and the French piquets, were sent to besiege Fort Augustus, which surrendered likewise, and the garrison were made prisoners. After which it was thought proper to leave part of Lord John Drummond's regiment there, and to send Lochiel's and Keppoch's regiments, the French piquets and some of Lord John Drummond's regiment (in all not 300 men) with Brigadier Stapleton to invest Fort William, where we shall leave them and return to the Earl of Cromarty in pursuit of the Earl of Loudon towards Tain, where the said Earl crossed the ferry with his fol. 651. men and went over to the shire of Sutherland; where we shall again leave him for a while and return to Inverness, from which the most of the Prince's troops that were not employed as above were sent to Speyside, under the command of Lord John Drummond, to guard that river against any surprize from the Duke of Cumberland, who by that time was come with his troop to Aberdeen, and had sent some of Kingston's horse and some of the Argyleshire men to Keith 1 (a small village about six miles from the river Spey), where they were all surprized and made prisoners. As it had been assured that the Duke of Cumberland was to stay at Aberdeen (where he had thrown up some works to prevent a surprize) till all the forces he expected should join him, the Prince on his part took his measures, and in order to secure a retreat in case he had no mind to fight till he should get all his men together, or to march into Perthshire if needful fol. 652 for the better support of his army, was advised to endeavour the recovery of Blair Castle (which he would not allow to be burnt when he passed that way), which was then possessed by Sir Andrew Agnew with some regular troops under his command, as were most of the principal posts in Athol by the Campbells; whilst the 6000 Hessians and St. George's dragoons lay at Crief and places adjacent. Lord George Murray was ordered to march with the Athol men to Badenoch to join the MacPhersons that lay about Ruthven of Badenoch (from the time the Prince had passed that way) to guard the passes leading to and from Athol and to get intelligence on that side. 1 See f. 1138. 1746] SIEGE OF BLAIR CASTLE 357 As soon as Lord George had joined the MacPhersons they March marched with such expedition into Athol that they surprized a great many of the Campbells at Blairfetty, Keinochin, and other posts possessed by them, and made most of them prisoners.1 Sir Andrew Agnew, being alarmed by his out-sentinels, retired fol. 653. into the castle, in which he was shut up for seventeen days, some part of which time it was battered with two pieces of canon,3 one of three, the other of four pounds, which made but little impression upon the walls, though they ruined the roof. During this time the Hessians marched to relieve the castle, and some of the Athol men being advanced as far down as Dunkeld to get intelligence and to guard that with other passes on the river, where were frequent skirmishes between them and the Hessian hussars, and some of St. George's dragoons who had come to reconnoitre some days before the foot came up. But when they were come up, the Athol men were obliged to retire (as they could not be supported at such a distance) to Pitlochrie, near the famous pass of Killicrankie, where, with some others that were sent from Blair, they continued about eight days (the MacPhersons with some of the Athol men keeping fel. 654. Sir Andrew and his men still shut up in the Castle), always skirmishing with the hussars and dragoons till their foot came up, which obliged the Athol men to retire into the above pass, where they continued that day. But as they were few in number, Lord George called a council of the officers, who were of opinion that the pass was not tenable, since it might be surrounded on all sides by such a vastly superiour number. It was therefore resolved to abandon both it and the Castle, which was accordingly done that night. And having sent the canon away, they marched to Ruthven of Badenoch without the least interruption from the enemy. Here the MacPhersons were left as formerly, and the Athol men were ordered to the Speyside. Lord George went on to Inverness, and upon his arrival there, intelligence being brought that Lord Loudon had repass'd with his troops 1 See ff. 567, 902. 2 Who pillaged the house of Lude (the widow lady living in it), breaking to pieces all the doors and windows, and the finishing of the rooms and some of the floors.- -ROBERT FORBES, A. M. March from Sutherland to Tain, he was ordered to march with some fol. 655. troops to join the Earl of Cromarty and to give Lord Loudon battle if he would stay for it. But he, hearing of Lord George's march, returned to Sutherland again. Lord George, having given the necessary orders to Lord Cromarty (who continued to command in that country), returned to Inverness, where it was resolved the Duke of Perth should be sent to take upon him the command,1 and if possible to get as many boats together as would ferry over his men, and to drive Lord Loudon out of Sutherland if he would not stay to fight. The boats were got together, and the Duke of Perth with his men passed over without being perceived and surprized Lord Loudon's people,2 obliged them to capitulate, and made them prisoners. Lord Loudon and the President of the Session of Scotland made their escape. After which the Duke of Perth seized some ships that lay in the Firth of Tain, on board of which were all the valuable effects that were shipt on board at Inverness before Lord Loudon left it, the military chest excepted, which had fol. 656. been conveyed on board a frigate which lay in the bay. This done, the Duke of Perth returned to Inverness, leaving the command to the Earl of Cromarty. About this time, the Hazard sloop returning from France with money, arms, and ammunition, and several French and Spanish officers on board, was chased on shore by an English man of war in Lord Rae's country, where they landed their cargo, and, apprehending no danger from the country people, they provided themselves with a guide to conduct them and their cargo to the Earl of Cromarty. But as they were on their march they were set upon by Lord Rae's people, who, after a good resistance, made them prisoners and carried off the cargo, which was thought could not have been done without the treachery of the guide, who disappeared before the action began. The news being brought to Inverness, orders were sent to the Earl of Cromarty to send a party into Lord Rae's country to demand satisfaction. But his Lordship, being some 1 These particulars represent the Earl of Cromarty in a very indifferent light. See f. 1259.-F. 2 It should be some of Lord Loudon's.-Robert Forbes, A. M. 1746] THE PRINCE IN THE NORTH 359 what dilatory in executing his orders, Lord Rae's people gathered fol. 657. together with some of Lord Loudon's officers at their head. April About this time advice was brought to Inverness that the Duke of Cumberland (being joined by all the forces he expected) had begun his march from Aberdeen northwards, and had ordered the ships that attended him with provisions for his army to coast along in sight of him to Inverness. Upon which, orders were dispatched to the Earl of Cromarty to call in all his detachments, and to march with all expedition to join the Prince.1 He gave his orders accordingly, and went himself with some of his officers to Dunrobin Castle to bid adieu to the Countess of Sutherland, and to thank her for the civilities they had received from her. Whilst they were there amusing themselves, the castle was surrounded by Lord Sutherland's and Lord Rae's people, who, having had intelligence of their being there, made them all prisoners. Orders were likewise sent at this fol. 658. time to the MacPhersons, and to those that were at Fort Augustus and Fort William, to join the Prince as soon as possible. Those from Fort Augustus and the French piquets joined on Saturday, and Lochiel from Fort William on Sunday.2 Advice was brought on Monday that the Duke of Cumberland was coming to the Spey, and that Lord John Drummond, with the troops under his command, was retiring. Upon which the Prince ordered the drums to beat and the pipes to play to arms. The men in the town assembled as fast as they could, the canon was ordered to march, and the Prince mounted on horseback and went out at their head to Culloden House, the place of rendezvous; and Lord George Murray was left in the town to bring up those that were quartered in the neighbourhood of Inverness, which made it pretty late before he joined the Prince at Culloden. Orders were likewise sent to Lord John Drum mond to assemble there likewise, which he did the next day, fol. 659. being Tuesday. Tuesday, being April 15th, the whole army marched up to 1 See ff. 156, 1261. 2 On Monday, says Mr. John Cameron [see f. 157]. 3 The copy from which I transcribed had here the words, viz.: 'Wednesday, being the 16th of April,' which certainly behoved to be an error, as it is well known that the battle of Culloden was fought upon Wednesday, April 16th, See ff. 126, 157, 181, 430, 439. -Robert Forbes, A.M. 15 April |