in Arms. His force is so great, that I should hope they will not be indiscreet enough to wait for them. As your Lordship has had your people with you to-day, or at least are to have them with you to-morrow, I run you this Express to suggest to you the fittness of haveing such a body of your People together, as you can assemble on the sudden; the best Arm'd you can, to be disposed of as Sir John, when he comes, shall, by the Advice of the King's friends in this Country, direct. You can figure to yourself no good reasons for what I propose; so that it is unnecessary for me to detain the Messenger by putting any of them in writeing. My Compliments to the Ladies, &c. My Lord, No. CCLIX. The Lord President to Lord Lovat, 26 August, 6 at night. THIS afternoon I had ane Express from Sir John Cope from Trinifuir, where he lay the 24th with his Army encamp'd. He was to set out the next morning to find out the unhappy Gentlemen who are in Arms, with a force which, if they are wise, they will not think fit to look in the face. What you have to do on this occasion, according to my apprehension, is, to give directions, that all your people be in readiness, with the best acoutrements they are masters of, to conform to such directions as, when he arrives, he, with the Advice of the King's friends in this Country, will give. I should think it impossible, that your zeal upon this occasion should not be of service to yourself & to your family. I need say no more to one to whom I have lately said so much on this subject. Let me hear from you as soon as possible. My Dear Lord, I am, &c. No. CCLX. Lord Lovat to the Lord President. I WAS so very bad all day yesterday and last night, that I did not expect to see the light of this day; so that it was this morning before I had the honour of your letter put into my hand; and I am glad to find, that tho' I be tormented to death with boils on my body, which makes me feverish and most uneasy, yet that your Lop is in perfect health, which I wish the Continuance of; as should all those that love their Country do, being more useful and valuable to the Commonwealth than a thousand like mine, Since Sir John Cope has such a powerful Army, I hope our desperate Countrymen will avoid to see him; but if they are so mad as to fight, that unfortunate Prince must fall with the bravest of his adherents most foolishly. I own, I must regrate my dear Cousin Locheil, who, contrary to his promise to me, engaged in this mad enterprize; but if Sir John Cope is beat (which I think next to impossible), this desperate Prince will be the Occasion of much bloodshed, which I pray God may avert; for to have bloodshed in our bowels is a horrible thing to any man that loves Scotland, or has a good stake in it, as your Lop and I have. Therefore, I pray God that we may not have a Civil War in Scotland: this has been my constant wish since ever I had the * Sic in Orig. use use of my reason; and it shall be the same while there is breath in me; so that they must be damnably ignorant of the principle of my heart and soul, who can imagine that I would endeavour to promote a Civil War in my Country. I do assure you, my dear Lord, that if the King had taken away my house and a part of my estate without any just ground, as he did my Company, that I would go and live, tho' most miserable, in any Country on earth, rather than make a Civil War in my own Country. I hope this will convince your Lop that I have always been a declared enemy against this mad project. Now, my dear Lord, as to what you desire me, of acquainting all my people to be in readiness, I do assure you that I did so immediately after coming from Inverness; but, to obey your commands, I have sent my Officers this Day with orders to them to be ready when I should call for them; and I ordered them to make short Coats and hose, and to put aside their long coats, and to get as many swords and dirks as they could find out. As to the article of arms, it's needless to talk of it; for my men have no arms, and I never will present them to King or Gen' without arms. And your Lop may remember, that when you spoke to me of that article at Inverness, you said at last, that I could not shew my men without arms, and without sufficient orders from the Government; to which opinion I told your Lop I would adhere. And as to my zeal for the Government, I can assure your Lordship that I have as much as any Lord or laird in Scotland except your Lop, whose constant, uncommon, and fiery zeal for this Government, to my certain knowledge, is, and has always been, without example. But I hope, my Lord, since you have this day the same power over your old Corporal that you had in the year 1715, you will make my Court to Sir John Cope. If I be able to step into my Chariot, I will pay my duty to him at Inverness or Culloden, and will beg of your Lop to introduce me to him. After writing the above, I had an Express from Gortuleg. I think Tam More seems to be a little frighted. I will write a strong letter to him tomorrow, to be shewn to my Strathherick and Abertarf people. Lut, my dear Lord, I am in a very terrible situation; my Country threatened to be destroyed; and they have neither Support nor Arms to defend themselves; and they see all the Clans about them save themselves by sending some men to the Highland Camp, and they only left a sacrifice; but as it is you that has engaged me to make an appearance for the Government at this time (to which I had not an immediate Call, having neither Post nor Employment from the Government, and not having been well used, as your Lop knows), I trust entirely to your true friendship and generosity, that you will, in the first place, obtain arms for my people to defend themselves; and in the second place, that you will obtain for myself what encouragement your Lop thinks I deserve, or may deserve, from the Government. I can say without vanity, that if I was so mad as to be on the other side, the highlanders would have a much greater number than they have by this time; and might, with such a desperate bold Prince as they have at their head, become more troublesome to the Government than in the year 1715. I refer all this to your Lop's generous Consideration; and I beg that you may forgive any Blunders that I may have writ in this letter; for the pain in my body, and the troublesome situation of my Country, have almost turned my head; but whatever situation I am in, I shall always remain Beaufort, 27th Aug 1745. Your Lop's most faithful Slave No. CCLXI. My Lord, No. CCLXI. The Lord President to Lord Lovat. 28 August, 6 at night. THIS Moment I received ane Express from Sir J. Cope from Ruthven. He has not pass'd the Corryyarig; not from any apprehension of opposition, but from suspition the Highlanders might give him the slip, & march southwards; where by the by they must be sadly handled; for 5 Bat" of the Garison that was lately at Ostend are ship'd off for Leith. What he now expects is, that the Chiefs in the Highlands who are affectionate to this Gover' will immediately exert themselves, & show such a countenance as shall prevent further folly & sufferings. The Laird of Grant has made him a large offer, which he has accepted of; & I should be very sorry if any one outdid your Lop in Zeal. What I therefor submit to you is, whether you ought not immediately to Arm as many people as you can in Stratherick & the Aird, and order them furthwith to assemble, & be disposed of as shall be most fit for the service. Whilst your Orders are executing, I wish you would send the Master down hither to me; giveing him, at the same time, such Authority as you shall think fit. Arms are order'd from Ed to In', & more are order'd from the Tower. I am in heast, & expect your return speedily. I am heartily your friend and well wisher. My Lord, No. CCLXII. Mr Thomas Fraser of Gortuleg to the Lord President. Gortuleg, 29th Aug 1745. I WROTE to Lord Lovat yesterday Morning from this place; wherein I told his Lordship, that I had occasion to see Lochiel, and some others of that Army, Tuesday, when they lay near Fort Augustus; and gave a true Account of their Number, which still is not above 2,000; and I recommended to Lord Lovat to let your Lordship know this, and what I then judged was their resolution. This morning I am informed, that yesterday they set out early from Aberchalder, and came, before Seven in the Morning, to a place called Lagganvane, four Miles from Fort Augustus, and at the foot of Coriyarack; that then they were assured of Sir John Cope's marching by Ruthven to Inverness. That immediately they called a Council of war; and the resolution taken was, to pursue General Cope with all Expedition; that their whole Army was at Garviemore about 12 o'Clock; & that they were resolved to march by Night & by Day until they came up with their Enemy. I am assured, that their young forward Leader called for his Highland Cloaths; and that, at tying the lachets of his shoes, he solemnly declared, that he would be up with Mr. Cope before they were unloosed. If this information holds true, they must certainly have a brush this day. The people are in top Spirits, and make sure of Victory in case they meet. Should that happen, I can assure your Lordship, that they will be troublesome Neighbours for some time; for they know their Situation, and they are desperate. I am plagued & fatigued by keeping some idle lightheaded people here in Order; and I do assure your Lordship, that if the Highland Army remained any time in our Neighbourhood, that even the Lord Lovat could not get some of them commanded. I have the honour to be, with all regard, My Lord, Your Lordship's most faithful and obed Servant, P. S. The Bearer is a very honest pretty fellow in whom I have intire confidence. Strength of Rebell Army. A True Account of the Numbers of the Highland Army Tuesday, 27th Augat 1745. Clanranald, having Men of his Islanders The Stewarts of Appin, commanded by Ardsheal Glengarry's Men, including Knoidart, Glenco, and Glenmorriston 700 No. CCLXIII. The Lord President to the Lady Clunie. What ; D' Madam, Culloden, 31 August 1745. YOU may be sure I am extremely mortify'd by Clunie's misfortune.* endangers the hurting of his Character must touch sensibly the honour of the Man who, in the warmest manner, recommended him, & undertook absolutely to answer for him. I am, for my own part, satisfy'd that what happened was the effect of pure inadvertence on his part, & confidence, that some, whose friendship he had reason to trust to, would not have served him in the manner in which they have done & I hope no perswasion will prevail with him, now he is in their hands, to swerve from the engagements he has lately come under. It will be unhappy indeed if any number of his Kinsmen join with those who have used him so ill; for that will justifie ane opinion, which I am confident is utterly false, that he was consenting to what has happened. I flatter myself with expectations, that when he has got to some distance his confinement will not be so strict, so that he may find means to make his escape; & I should not think it amiss if such ane advice was privately whisper'd to him by some confident person; but as to that, your Ladyship will use your own discretion. I do assure you, Madam, that as I am concern'd for him, I feel extremely for you, & sincerely wish it in my power to give you any relief. Whatever occasion accidents shall offer for that end, shall readyly be made use of by, Madam, Your Ladyship's most ob' & most humble Serv' &c. No. CCLXIV. Mem. concerning the Rebellion in Scotland. [Apparently addressed by Lord Stair to the Ministry.] S' JOHN COPE, by marching towards Inverness from Dalwhiney, where he was Master of both the branches of the made Road, one of wch goes to Inverness the other to * He had been made prisoner by the Rebels. FF Fort Fort Augustus, has given an opportunity to the Rebels, wch they have taken, of marching towards Blair; by wch means it is apprehended that the Rebels may make themselves Masters of Edinburgh, & before S' John Cope can return to oppose them. The question is, what is proper to be done in this case? It is humbly proposed in the first place, to grant a number of blank Commissions, to be distributed among the well-affected Clanns, as the Lord President of the Session, & shall think proper. Such a number of highlanders, being formed into regular Companies, will be in a condition not only to hinder more Men to be raised for the Pretender's service, but a part of them may go and live at discretion in the Countrys which the Rebels have left; or, if it shall be thought necessary, either the whole or any part of them may march into the South Country, according to the orders they shall receive. In the next place, it is proposed, that the Magistrates of Ed' shall be authorised, according to their own desire, to raise a thousand Men for the defence of the City, in conjunction with the regular troops. It is to be observed, that the City of Ed' is surrounded with a good old Wall, wch cannot be forced, but with Cannon ; & it is reasonable to suppose, that it cannot be surprised when guarded by such a number of Men. There is already there one compleat Reg' of Dragoons. It is next to be consider'd, that by taking proper precautions it may be render'd very difficult for the Rebels to pass the Forth. The natural precautions to be taken are, in the first place, to bring all the Passage-boats to the South side of the river ; & then to post at proper places such Sloops of War as may happen to be in the Firth, with a number of other Ships, with Cannon & Soldiers aboard each of them. By these means, the passage of the Firth will be render'd more difficult, & must necessarily consume a good deal of time. If the Rebels should pass, they must consume some time in their march to Edinburgh, and in making the necessary dispositions for attacking it. Such necessary delays will probably give S John Cope time to arrive before the Rebels can make themselves Masters of Edinburgh; as Sir John Cope's march will at all times be free & uninterrupted, he being master of Stirling Bridge. But supposing that S' John Cope should not arrive in time, & that the Rebels should be Masters of Ed', & march into England before his arrival, & even supposing that the highlanders should be joined by an Invasion from France, it will be proper to consider what force there is in England to resist the Enemy in that case. There are now in England four Battall. of Guards; four other Battall.; besides three to be formed of the additional Companies. There are now actually embarked at Williamstadt five Battle of Dutch Troops, of w one is to go to Scotland; the four wch come into England are to be instantly followed by three more Battallions. With these seven Batt: of Dutch added to eleven British, with two Reg" of Horse & three of Dragoons, La Stair thinks he can answer for the quelling of this Rebellion. If it should be thought expedient to make use of any other helps, such as raising a number of Batt. in the north of Ireland, or in indulging any of the considerable people in G. B. well affected to the Governm' to raise Regiments, it is certain that such precautions will not be useless, nor the money ill employed; for next Spring there will be opportunity to make use of those forces against France, in such a manner as may be both honorable and advantageous to G. B. & very hurtful to France. L' Stair [considered] it was his duty to lay his thoughts before His Majesty in this Memorial, wh may give his Majesty an opportunity to examine the several facts contain in it thoroughly, & at leisure. If it should happen, that any of the facts, or the reasoning upon them, should be disputed, it is humbly desired, for His Majesty's further infor mation, |