To Walter Grosett Esqr.
Extract of the REPORT of Sir Everard Fawkener, Secretary to H.R.H. the Duke, and of John Sharpe, Esqr., Solicitor to the Treasury, to the Right Honble. the Lords Commissioners thereof relating to Mr. Grosett’s Services to the Government in the late Rebellion.
May it please Your Lordships
In obeidience to your Lordships Commands we have Examd. the two Accompts of Walter Grosett Esqr. and from the Certificate of the Lord Justice Clerk and all the Generals who Commanded in Scotland, relating to these Accompts, it appears to us, that Mr. Grosett was employed in the following Service of the Government, from the first breaking out of the Rebellion to the Suppression thereof, Vizt.
That upon the Rebells at Pearth having formed a designe to surprize Edinburgh by getting across the River Forth in Boats and vissibly[638] as they had done in the year 1715, Mr. Grosett with the assistance of the Kings Sloops and Boats stationed at Dunbar, Leith, and Several other places on the Coast, and which were put under his Directions as a Justice of the Peace, removed all the Ships, Boats and Vessells from the North to the South side of the Forth, notwithstanding of the Rebells being at that time in possession of the North side of that River, and thereby prevented their putting in Execution what they had projected as aforesaid.
That he was almost constantly Employed in disapointing the designs of the Rebells, getting inteligence of their motions, and giving inteligence thereof to the Generals Officers both before and after the Battle of Prestonpans.
That he conducted an Attempt for releasing several Officers who were in the Custody of the Rebells, and had been made prisoners at the Battle of Prestonpans, in which he succeeded.
That upon the Rebells sudden retraite from England, Mr. Grosett was employed by Lord Justice Clerk and Genl. Guest, to get the Troops transported in the most Expeditious manner from Stirling, and the Cannon from on Board the Ships at Borrowstonness to Edinburgh, for the defence thereof, the Rebells being at this time within a days march of that Town and by which means they were prevented from getting again possession of that important place.
That he on Several occasions provided Vessells, rais’d the well Affected Country people, embarked Souldiers, and conducted Several Expeditions upon the Forth, to surprize the Rebells and retard their intended Siege of Stirling Castle, in which he succeeded; as also in destroying by the Dukes Command, the Magazines belonging to the Rebells on the North side of the Forth and who on that occasion took several of the Rebells prisoners and sent them to his R.H. then at Stirling.
That he procured several Boats and Vessells to attend ye Army with provisions and other necessary’s as it march’d along the Coaste, to attack the Rebells at Culloden (where his younger Brother Captain Grosett was barbarously murdered) he also procured Pilotts to go with Commodore Smith to the Orkneys to prevent the Rebells there joining these at Culloden, and assisted Lord Justice Clerk in procuring whatever was found necessary for the Army, and for the Service of the Governmt. at the Critical Juncture.