Origins of the 'Forty-five

by Unknown

Lord Deskfoord[523] was therefore prevailed with to go to Culloden to explain these things to Lord President and at the same time to assure him, that the whole Clan should on all occasions be ready to act in the Governments service, only that it would be necessary to give them pay during the Time that they should be employed, because Mr. Grant’s private Fortune could not bear so great an expence.

Lord Deskfoord at his return reported the Lord President’s answer, That he was trusted with the Disposal of Twenty Companys, yet at the same time all possible economy was enjoined, That he could not therefore at first exceed one Company to any one Clan, That he knew the value and Importance in that country of the Family of Grant, and had for that reason offered the first to Mr. Grant, and should he refuse it others might follow his Example, and thereby the whole sceme miscarry. And whether it was the best measure that might have been proposed yet it being the only one that the Government had yet proposed for employing their friends in the north, a miscarriage might be of bade consequence. That he therefore hoped that where so much was at stake Mr. Grant would come over small Difficultys, and if in the future Distribution of these Companys due regard was not had to the Family of Grant That Mr. Grant would have reason to Complain.

Upon Consideration of this answer Mr. Grant satisfied his Friends, and with their approbation accepted of the Company offered, whereof he acquainted Lord President by his letter September 22d (App. No. 7),[524] and therein named the officers. And Lord President by his answer, Sept 24th, (App. No. 8),[525] Confirmed what Lord Deskfoord had reported of the Communing Between them, Approved the nomination Mr. Grant had made of Officers, and desired that the men might be ready at a call, because he Daily expected arms and money.

September 28th Lord President wrote to Mr. Grant, (App. No. 9),[526] the Different accounts he had got of the Battle of Preston, and after Expressing his apprehension of the effects it might have in that country ‘Suggests That Mr. Grant should have all his people Alert that they might be able to do such service as the exegence might require, which would help to cause their Neighbours Consider.’

This was the first letter that Mr. Grant received from any Person intrusted by the Government that Directly proposed the raising his Men, other than the Company already mentioned and having received advices about the same time that the Farquharsons in Aberdeenshire were rising, and that the M‘Phersons were to march through Strathspey to join them, he furthwith rised all the men that he could Find any Kind of Arms for, and got together about seven hundred. The M‘Phersons did accordingly about two days after march near the Borders between Badenoch and Strathspey; but upon Mr. Grants marching up to meet them, they retired to Ruthven, and from thence to Cluny M‘Phersons house. But Mr. Grant having got Intelligence, that the M‘Intoshes were in Motion, he keeped his Men together for eight Days ’till he had certain notice that they had not moved.[527]

Mr. Grant had sent him by his Baillie in Urquhart Twelve miles benorth Inverness a Letter to the Baillie from Angus M‘Donald son to Glengarry,[528] Dated September the 30th, ordering the Tenants in that Country to Join his Standart (as he called it) and threatening in case of Disobedience to burn the Country, and was afterwards advised by the Baillie by a letter of October 8th that he had been prevented by the said Angus M‘Donald from Marching into Strathspey as Mr. Grant had ordered him with such of the Tenants as were willing to follow him, and that the Country would be ruined in ten Days. These Letters Mr. Grant answered October 6th and 10th, exhorting them to continue stadefast to the Government, ordering the Baillie to bring the Men to Strathspey, and engaging himself to repair all the Damage the Rebells should do them if they complyed with his order (App. No. 10, 11, 12, 13).[529]

Mr. Grant received a Letter from Lord Loudoun, October 11th (App. No. 14th),[530] acquainting him of his arival to command the Troops with one from Lord President, October 12th, Desiring him to bring the Company together, and to have them ready to march at a Call, and as many men as Mr. Grant could arm to have them ready on any Exigency if they were called out and adds ‘Ways and Means shall be fallen on to subsist them’ (App. No. 15),[531] and October 16th (App. No. 16),[532] Mr. Grant assures Lord Loudoun that he would exert himself to do everything in his power for his Majestys service under his Lordships Direction and Advice, acquaints him of his having sent a party to Banffshire to stop levying cess for the Pretender (which effectually did at that time), and gives him notice that the Company was ready at a Call.

October 22d and 23d Mr. Grant received from John Grant his Chamberlain or Steward in Urquhart Two letters, Dated 21st and 22d October (App. No. 17 and 18),[533] Aquainting him that Glengarry’s son, M‘Donald of Barrisdale, Glenmoriston and the Master of Lovat, were come to force out his Tenents in Urquhart, and threatned to carrie away their whole Cattle, if they did not Join. That upon the Chamberlains assuring them, that Mr. Grant would make good all their Damages The Tenants absolutely refused to Join and resolved to oppose the M‘Donalds, should they attempt to carry off their Cattle, tho they were not able to resist both them and the Frasers, and aquainting him also of a Dispute between the Master of Lovat and Barrisdale which of them had the best title to these Tenents. The Master insisting that he had the best right to them except such of them as were of the name of M‘Donald whom he willingly yielded to Barrisdale, and that this Dispute had superseded the execution of their Threatnings Till it should be decided by Lord Lovat.

That Mr. Grant looked upon this as of the utmost immportance to the Government, that the King’s Faithfull subjects who were Determined even at the hazard of their lives and the whole of their little Fortunes to persevere in their Loyalty, should not suffer to be Dragged against their wills into the Rebellion and that too within Twelve miles of Inverness. He was at the same time aware, That Lord Loudoun who had then got no more than one of the new Companys the Monroes, not having yet called for the Grants, had not a force sufficient to leave Inverness, and to march against such Numbers as might be brought to oppose him, and as Urquhart is Distant about fourty miles from Castle Grant, There was no time to Deliberate, or to receive Lord Loudon’s Directions. Mr. Grant therefore forthwith assembled his friends to the number of betwixt six and seven Hundred tho many of them were ill armed, and Marched for Inverness in his way to Urquhart having Recommended to Lord Deskfoord to give notice of his March and the Design of it by Express to the Earl of Loudoun and Lord President, and to begg that Lord Loudoun would order Quarters to be provided for the men at Inverness. But upon Saturday the 26th James Grant of Dell one of the Tenants in Urquhart met Mr. Grant upon his march with Accounts that the Rebells had Left Urquhart, and marched Northward to the country of Assint, and Mr. Grant thought himself Lucky that they had done so; for about the same Time The answer to Lord Deskfoords Letter signed by both Lord Loudoun and Lord President Dated October 26th (App. No. 19)[534] was brought him by Express ‘Wishing that Mr. Grant had Communicated to them his Design, before he set out with such numbers, which might have the effect to begin Horseplay before they were sufficiently prepared.’ And upon Receipt of this Letter Mr. Grant Dismissed his men except about 100 that he constantly Keept partly about his House and partly in some proper passes or Inlets to his Country.

November 3d Mr. Grant got a Letter from Lord Lewis Gordon in the Pretender’s name (App. No. 20),[535] Desiring Mr. Grants allowance at least his connivance to raise men. Mr. Grant would not see the Messenger and ordered such a verbal answer to be given him as his Message Deserved, but being at the same Time Informed of Lord Lewis’s practices in Strathavin and of his Designs on Kincardine,[536] an Estate upon Speyside belonging to the Duke of Gordon, Mr. Grant raised about 200 men more and marched them to Abernethy lying betwixt Strathaven and Kincardine, and thereby not only prevented Lord Lewis from forcing out any men in Kincardine, but also obliged him to retreat from Strathavin, and give over for that time his recruiting there.