The Rosses of Inverchasley and Pitcalnie, who belonged to the ancient Celtic clan Ghille-andrais, sided with the Government, but ‘young Pitcalnie,’ Malcolm Ross, who was a grand-nephew of President Duncan Forbes, went over to the Jacobites. He had served as ensign in Loudoun’s regiment at Prestonpans, where he was taken prisoner by the Jacobites and released on parole. He seems to have been the only Government officer who deserted to the Jacobites. His name was included in the list of attainders.
[316] Macleod of Geanies was representative of the Macleods of Assynt (see ante, p. 74). John, a brother of Neil Macleod (tried for the betrayal of Montrose), left Assynt and settled in Easter Ross where his son Donald, an officer in the Scots Brigade in Holland, purchased the estate of Geanies. Donald’s son Hugh was laird in 1745; his wife was a niece of President Duncan Forbes of Culloden.
[317] See post, p. 143 et seq.
[318] This refers to the fiasco known as the ‘Rout of Moy’ (16th Feb. ’46), when by a stratagem, a blacksmith and a few other retainers of Lady Mackintosh, made Loudoun believe that the whole Jacobite army was upon him; he fled back to Inverness, whence he retreated across the Kessock Ferry to Ross-shire. The principal, perhaps the only, victim of the expedition, was Donald Ban MacCrimmon, Macleod’s famous piper, who was shot by the blacksmith. Cf. post, p. 145. (For details, see Home, Hist. Reb., ch. ix.; L. in M., 149, etc.)
[319] George Grant of Culbin, brother of Sir James Grant of Grant, major in the Highland Regiment (Black Watch). He surrendered Inverness Castle (then called Fort George) to Prince Charles, 20th February, for which he was subsequently tried by court-martial, and dismissed the service.
[320] See ante, p. 75.
[321] Now called Strathavon (pronounced Stratha’an), Banffshire. It is generally called Strathdawn or Strathdown in documents of this date; perhaps from the local pronunciation, plus the archaic ‘d’ which occasionally appears in place-names, e.g. Strathdearn for the valley of the Earn or Findhorn. There was an ancient church of Dounan in the valley perhaps from the same root.
[322] George Forbes of Skeleter; m. Glenbucket’s daughter Christiana Gordon. He escaped to France after Culloden, joined Lord Ogilvie’s Scots regiment in the French service: he never returned.
[323] William (Duff) of Braco and Dipple; b. 1697; d. 1763; M.P. Banffshire 1727-34; created Baron Braco of Kilbride 1735; and in 1759 Viscount Macduff and Earl Fife—all these titles being in the peerage of Ireland; m. (1) Janet, d. of 4th Earl of Findlater; and (2) Jean, d. of Sir James Grant of Grant. He, his father, and his grandfather made enormous purchases of land in Aberdeen, Banff, and Moray shires, particularly on the forfeitures after Mar’s rising in 1715. He joined Cumberland in 1746.
[324] Among the Jacobite prisoners who pled guilty is ‘Robert Forbes, printer, son to New.’ (Scots Mag., viii. p. 438.) At his trial it is stated that he was a farmer. His home was at Corse in the parish of Coull, Deeside. He was captain in one of Lord Lewis Gordon’s battalions, and was one of the officers left at Carlisle and captured there. He was sentenced to death but was not executed; of his subsequent career I have no knowledge.