[452] Alexander Macleod, an Edinburgh advocate, was aide-de-camp to the Prince throughout the campaign. His father, John, also an advocate, was a grandson of Sir Norman Macleod of Bernera, and was a first cousin of Lady Clanranald. He had purchased Muiravonside in Stirlingshire, two miles from Linlithgow. Alexander was sent from Edinburgh in September to summon to the Prince’s standard Sir Alexander Macdonald of Sleat and Macleod of Macleod, both his near kinsmen. This mission, in which he failed owing to the stronger influence of Duncan Forbes, brought on him the special anger of the Government. He was attainted, and for thirty-two years he wandered in the wildest regions of the Western Highlands and Islands. He received a pardon in 1778, and died in 1784. He was in Raasay when Dr. Johnson and Boswell visited that island in September 1773. He was generally known as Sandie Macleod in the Islands, and had also acquired the nickname of M‘Cruslick, signifying a cross between Proteus and Don Quixote. He possessed the most boisterous spirits, which delighted Johnson and irritated Boswell.
[453] See post, p. 230, n. 2.
[454] Allan Macdowell is a mistake for Macdonell or rather Macdonald, as his name is afterwards correctly spelled. He was a ‘native of the Isles’ and a clansman of Clanranald’s; he went out with the clan as chaplain when the standard was raised, and continued with the army until the end of the campaign. He also acted as confessor to the Prince. He and Æneas M‘Gillis, the chaplain of Glengarry’s men, were the only priests that accompanied the Highlanders to Prestonpans. They wore the Highland dress, with sword and pistol, and were styled captains. At the battle of Falkirk Mr. Macdonald rode along the line and gave his blessing, which the Catholics received kneeling. From Culloden he accompanied the Prince in his flight and in the earlier part of his wanderings, leaving him at Scalpa. Later on he was apprehended in South Uist, and sent with some other priests to London in Ferguson’s ship the Furness. He and four other clergymen were examined by the Duke of Newcastle, who informed them that they might leave the country on finding bail for £1000 each not to return. They pointed out that the bail was quite beyond their power, on which the Duke smilingly replied that they were honest men and he would take each man’s bail for the other. Macdonald went to Paris, and in 1748 to Rome, where he lived for many years. (Bishop Geddes’s MS.) I do not know if he ever returned.
[455] Sic in N. M. Mag. Most likely an error caused by careless transcription and meant to read, ‘to Gortlick’s house [not horge] a gentleman of the name of Thomas Fraser.’ Gortlick, more generally spelt Gortuleg, belonged to Thomas Fraser, a cadet of Lovat’s. It was in this house and on this occasion that Prince Charles had his memorable meeting with Lord Lovat which is dramatically described by Mrs. Grant of Laggan. (See Wariston’s Diary and Other Papers, p. 265, Scot. Hist. Soc., vol. xxvi.)
[456] Stratherrick.
[457] Neil, who at this period is writing from hearsay, is quite wrong here. Glengarry was not at home and the house was ‘without meat, drink, fire or candle, except some firr-sticks!’ Had Ned Bourke not netted a couple of salmon, there would have been nothing to eat. (L. in M., i. 89, 191.)
[458] Angus MacEachain (or Macdonald) was a son-in-law of Angus Macdonald of Borradale. He had served in the campaign as a surgeon in Glengarry’s regiment.
The family of MacEachain-Macdonald of Drimindarach, Arisaig, was a branch of the Clanranalds, descended from Eachain (or Hector), a younger son of Roderick, 2nd Clanranald. Neil MacEachain was of the MacEachains of Howbeg, a junior branch of the sept. Both families have long since resumed their earlier name, Macdonald, dropping the name MacEachain.
[459] This was the Prince’s second visit to Borradale House on Lochnanuagh. It was here he stayed on his first landing in July 1745. He came again to Borradale in July 1746, after his wanderings in the Hebrides, by which time the house had been burned down by Cumberland’s soldiers; he finally returned to Borradale on 19th September, whence he sailed for France the following day. Angus Macdonald, the tacksman of Borradale, was a son of the 5th laird of Glenaladale, a cadet of Clanranald’s, and was a first cousin of Flora Macdonald. Borradale’s descendant, Colonel John Andrew Macdonald, is to-day laird of Glenaladale.
[460] Captain Felix O’Neille, born at Rome, son of a brigadier in the Spanish service. He served in the Spanish army until 1744, when he joined Lally’s French-Irish regiment as captain. Was sent to Scotland with despatches from the Duc de Richelieu in March 1746. After Culloden he accompanied Prince Charles during the first two months of his wanderings and shared his discomforts. He was captured in Benbecula by Captain John Ferguson of the Furness. He was confined in Edinburgh Castle until February 1747, when he was released on parole and subsequently exchanged (Scots Mag., ix. 92). He wrote a journal of his wanderings, which is printed in The Lyon, i. 102, 365.