Upon Receipt of this letter Mr. Grant marched towards Fochabers, but when he came within Two Miles of it, accounts were brought him, that on his approach the Rebells retired from it through the Enzie. Mr. Grant apprehending that they might have gone to Cullen, and taken Possession of Lord Findlaters House Detached a Party thither who took possession of it and the Town and prevented a party of the Rebells that had been sent thither for that purpose, and sent some gentlemen to wait of M‘Leod who passed the River without any opposition, and Mr. Grant again that night billetted his men, much in the same place they were the night before.
The Gentlemen sent to M‘Leod Brought Mr. Grant word, that he was to remain that night at Fochabers, and to march the next day the 16th to Cullen, wherefore Mr. Grant marched next day to Keith, and after Quartering his men and placing advance Guards some miles further towards Strathboggie, where he heard the main body of the Rebells was, he went himself to Cullen to assist the Deputy Sheriffs in accomodating M‘Leod and his men. For which purpose Mr. Grant had got a Commission of Sheriff Depute from Lord Findlater, and on the 17th returned back to Keith.
Mr. Grant aquainted M‘Leod of the Letter he had wrote to Lord Loudoun, and of his purpose to remain at Keith till further orders; but M‘Leod was very earnest with him to go forward, and was of opinion that he would receive orders to do so.
Upon Mr. Grants Return to Keith a Messenger brought him a Letter from Lord Lewis Gordon with a printed Declaration by Lord John Drummond and a printed Letter signed Marshall (App. No. 33).[552] These papers joined with what M‘Leod had said Determined Mr. Grant to go at least to Strathboggie, and therefore returned a verbal answer by the Messenger who brought the Letter, ‘That if Lord Lewis with his men would be at Strathbogie, next Day at 12 o’clock Mr. Grant and his men should there give them the answer, which he was Determined should be proclaimed over the Cross and affixed upon it.’ He immediately aquainted M‘Leod by Express of his Design and that night got his answer (App. No. 34),[553] with a letter from Captain Monro of Culcairne from Fochabers.
December 18th Mr. Grant marched to Strathboggie and upon his approach the Rebells fled, and there he made the Proclamation (App. No. 35)[554] and affixed it upon the most publick places and provided quarters for the Two Companys that Culcairn was bringing, fully Determined if he was not countermanded to proceed forward in Aberdeenshire as far as he could do any service to the Government, or give any assistance to M‘Leod, when on the 19th he received a letter from Lord Loudoun and another from Lord Deskfoord, both dated at Inverness December 14th (App. No. 36, 37),[555][556] which pretty plainly apeared to Mr. Grant to be a Rebuke tho’ in very modest and polite terms for his undertaking that Expedition without orders and that Lord Loudoun, as he thought he had provided sufficiently for that service without Mr. Grant, he wished him rather to return than to proceed further, tho’ he wou’d give him no orders because he had given him none to go there. He therefore Resolved to return to Keith of which he aquainted Culcairne then at Strathboggie, as he did also M‘Leod by express, vid. his Letter with M‘Leods answer—(App. No. 38, 39).[557][558]
Mr. Grant therefore Immediately returned to Strathspey but that as he apprehended that when M‘Leod was gone forward some small partys of the Rebells (whereof he had heard of severalls that could be formed in one Days time) might give Disturbance to the Country, he ventured even without orders to leave a party of 60 men at his house in Mulbain within Two miles of Fochabers, of which however he acquainted Lord Loudoun after his return to Castle Grant by a Letter, December 24th (App. No. 40),[559] wherein he renewed his offer of Employing his whole Clan, wherever Lord Loudoun should think they could be of any service to the Government, and that small party happened afterwards to be of good use after the Unlucky Disaster that happened to M‘Leods party at Inverury by securing the boats upon Spey to make good their Retreat. December 25th Mr. Grant received a letter from Sir Harrie Innes dated 24th December (App. No. 41),[560] with an Account of the Disaster at Inverury,[561] and that M‘Leod was come to Elgin and by his orders Desiring Mr. Grant to have his men ready to oppose Lord Lewis Gordon, and at least to secure the boats upon Spey, and Sir Harry presses Mr. Grant to march his men the length of Rothes to the Protection of Murray, and December 29th he received Two letters one from the Magistrates of Elgin and another from Sir Harrie Innes, Dated December 28th, aquainting him that M‘Leod had marched to Forres and that by their Intelligence they Expected Lord Lewis Gordon with 500 men, and therefore begging Mr. Grant to come to protect them. Mr. Grant so far comply’d as to secure the Boats; but after the two reproofs he already got he did not think that he could be Justified if he should march his men a third time, without orders from Lord Loudoun, who surely could best judge when it was proper to employ his men. Therefore he wrote to the Magistrates his opinion, that Lord Lewis would not venture to Cross Spey while Lord Loudoun was so near him and he Mr. Grant above him, but that he could not promise to march any body of men but in concert with and by the Direction of Lord Loudoun (App. 42),[562] and he could not help being pleased that he had given such an answer when afterwards he Received another letter from Sir Harry Innes wrote that same night, December 28th (App. No. 43),[563] and Lord Loudouns Letter, December 30th (App. No. 44),[564] in answer to Mr. Grants to him of the 24, wherein he writes Mr. Grant, that he could not yet undertake any new operation; But that how soon he should find it proper to undertake any thing of moment towards the East, he should aquaint Mr. Grant in order to Concert together the most effectual way of Doing it.
January 9th, 1746, Mr. Grant wrote to my Lord Loudoun by James Grant his Chamberlain of Strathspey (App. No. 45),[565] concerning some new attempts that were made to force his Tenents of Urquhart into the Rebellion. The reason of sending his Chamberlain was that he might explain to my Lord the particulars and receive his Lordships orders which he was directed to obey, and in that Letter after giving him some further Intelligence Mr. Grant writes as follows:—
‘I think it my Duty to take nottice to your Lordship that the Rebells are exerting themselves in every corner of the North to encrease their army. I therefore think it absolutely necessary that all the Friends of the Government should use their utmost efforts to Disconcert and Disperse them. I had a meeting yesterday with all the Gentlemen of this Country and I can assure your Lordship we wait only your Lordships order and Directions, and there is nothing in our power but we will do upon this Important occasion for the service of our King and Country. I wish it were possible to Assist us with some arms; and money to be sure would be also necessary; But give me leave to assure your Lordship, that the last Farthing I or any of my Friends have, or that our credit can procure us, shall be employed in supporting of our men upon any expedition your Lordship shall Direct us to undertake for this glorious Cause we are all Ingaged in. I wish to God your Lordship and the Lord President would think of some measure of conveening the whole body of the Kings Friends in the North, and I would gladely hope we would form such a body as would in a Great Measure disconcert, and strike a Damp upon the army of the Rebells in the South and effectually put a stop to any further Junctions they may Expect benorth Stirling. And at the same time surely we might prevent their being Masters of so much of this North Coast as also hinder many of the Kings Subjects from being opprest by the exorbitant sums of Money the Rebells are at present Levying.’
January 17th Mr. Grant received Lord Loudouns Answer, Dated Jany 16 (App. No. 46),[566] approving indeed Mr. Grants sceme, but that he could not in the present Situation undertake it, till he had got a return to Letters he had sent for Instructions, and a little more certainty of the motions of the Rebells, and that how soon Instructions should arive, he should aquaint Mr. Grant and consult with him.
After this nothing Material happened in the North till the Retreat of the Rebells from Stirling and upon the first Intelligence of their coming to Blair[567] Mr. Grant again conveened his men to the number of above Six Hundred tho’ very ill armed whom he stationed in the properest manner he could either for Joining Lord Loudon (who he supposed would probably come to his assistance) to attack the Rebells at the passes in the entrance into the Country, or if Lord Loudoun should not come to his Assistance, and that the Rebells should be too numerous for him to engage alone, so as to retire but keep in a body and prevent as far as possible their Destroying the Country or forcing away any of his men.