and the common safety. In a word, it is hard to judge what burning, starving, and killing, may determine a defenceless people to do for their immediate safety. All this. (and worse, if worse can be) is dayly threatened, in the event of not joining w'out compulsion. Our next nighbours, whom you'll find out w'out naming them, had, if I had not been in the country with the few of my company, brought all that lives here of such as they call their namesakes or followers w' them. But by my being at home, they are yet mostly disappointed, tho' a few fellows have stoll away. I have writt to Generall Cope, per express of this date, a coppie whereof your Lop has inclosed. I still am, with great truth and sincerety, Culloden, 19th August 1745. My dear Knight, I HAVE your's of the 11th from Talisker *. As you know the affection I have for you and the Laird, you will not at all doubt that your conduct and resolution give me very great satisfaction. What you suspected of Lochiel is, I am afraid, too true. I have had no return of the message. I caused to be sent him from Badenoch; and his people and Glengarry's have already begun the horse-play, by attacking, and, as is said, making prisoners, the two additional companies of Sinclair's that were marching from Fort Augustus to Fort William. The truth and particulars of this transaction you will know better from other hands in the course of the post, than I, who know nothing but by report, can inform you. This success, supposing it to be true, I am afraid will elevate too much, and be the occasion of farther folly. Two companies of the Royal made prisoners, sounds pretty well, and will surely be passed for a notable achievement; but when it is considered that these companies were not half compleat; that they were lads picked up last season in the Low Country, without any thing of the Royal but the name, and that their officers were raw, the achieve ment is not by any means so important. Lord Lovat was with me here last Thursday, and has by the bad weather been detained at Inverness till this day. He has declared to me his full purpose to be prudent and follow your example; and I verily believe him; but as he, doubtless, will write you by the bearer, I need say no more about him. Lord Seaforth was with me on Saturday; and he also declares, in very strong terms, his resolution to prevent the spreading of the infection as much as he can. Want of arms is the general complaint: 1000 stand are arrived at the castle of Inverness; and I suppose, on remonstrance made, more will soon be sent. The Duke of Gordon last Thursday set out from Gordon Castle for Edinburgh; I presume, to ask for directions and orders: this I learn from the Duchess, who is at home, and, upon hearing of my arrival here, acquainted me with it. I am also told, that Sir James Grant is to leave Strathspey this day, in his way to Edinburgh, and so to London; and the young Laird is to protect the country. I am heartily glad to hear of the wise * Talisker, a place in Skye. resolution resolution of my friend Coll. The kindred will by his advice, I am confident, remain quiet; and will be apt to consider their Chief, now at London, as an hostage for their good behaviour. Of news from the South I can tell you little more than Willie Muir can inform you of a regiment of foot lay encamped at Perth on Thursday. The dragoons, with a small field train, were going about by Stirling; and Sir John Cope had set out from Edinburgh on Wednesday to lead them Northwards.. If the post, which is expected to-day, fetches any thing to me worth your knowing, I shall send it in a note to the Laird; if not, he must be contented with this; since writing to one, is the same thing as writing to both of you. My compliments to Lady Margaret. I am, my dear Knight, No. CCCCVII. Most faithfully your's, DUNCAN FORBES. Dear Sir, Lord President to Sir John Cope. Culloden, August 20th 1745. I HAVE the honour of your's of the 13th, and wait with impatience to hear from you. My last to you was on the 17th, by the Inverness post, whom I directed to be escorted through Drumnauchter by some of Clunie's people. The three former letters, I am confident, you have received. The officer of Fort Augustus has, doubtless, acquainted you with the report which we had from thence, and which is believed over all this country, that Sinclair's two additional companies were made prisoners in their way to Fort William, which puts me in pain for Inverraw and his company, lest they may have had the same fate. It is now past a doubt, that all the Highlanders whom I mentioned in mine of the 15th are in arms, attending their Chief in the Highlands. The most credible report I have heard is, what I wrote you in my last, that they were to assemble as yesterday upon the confines of Suinard, and march from thence towards Fort William. What success they are to expect there I cannot imagine; but as they now have drawn the sword, it is likely that they will fling away the scabbard, and that they will not be long idle. What their force may be I cannot tell. The force of the Clans that are said to have joined is above 2,000, if they are compleatly assembled ; and from all the accounts I have had, I believe no other Chief has joined them; though it is possible they may have picked up here & there some zealous individuals, to what number one cannot guess. It is impossible with any certainty to conjecture what course they are next to steer. It must, however, be either towards you or towards this country; and if they go southward, their view must be to pick up some addition to their strength in Athol, Breadalbane, and the skirts of Argyleshire; and it will easily occur to yourself and to the Duke of Argyle, if he is with you, of what consequence it is to prevent that design; and I should think it no difficult matter for those noble Lords, supported by the troops, to effect it. If they come this way, their intent must be, by threats, to give countenance to the defection of some of the followers of those Chiefs who are disposed to support the Government. Should that be the case, Lord Lovat, Fortrose, and others, well disposed in this neighbourhood, will be under considerable difficulties, as their men are not armed; and after reserving what is sufficient to arm that part of the Earl of Loudon's regiment which is to be formed at Inverness, the remainder to be divided will make an inconsiderable figure; and the occasion for sending more arms here is obvious. Lord Fortrose was with me Saturday last; he has sent orders for all his 3 с his people on the main land to meet him, to act in defence of the Government. Lord Lovat, whom I saw yesterday, assures me he has done the like. I have dispatches from Sir Alexander Macdonald and Macleod, from the Isle of Skye, assuring me that they have effectually prevented the invaders from having the assistance of so much as one man from the estates depending upon them. In these circumstances, it is very unlucky that, for want of arms, and a proper authority, a handful of men should be able to lord it over the whole country, which I am afraid will be the case, should they direct their march this way. The recruits for Earl Loudon's regiment come in slowly; as they must come from distant regions. Should the Highlanders direct their march southward, Lord Loudon's men may be soon in condition to do some service, as they receive arms when they arrive; but should the rebells turn their whole force this way, Lord Loudon can do nothing but retire before them, as the town of Inverness is not defensible. As numbers of loose Highlanders have infested the road from Badenoch to Athol, and have almost entirely blockaded up the road from Fort Augustus southwards, I have advised Captain Macpherson, of Clunie, to remain, with as many of his company as he has listed, in Badenoch, to keep, if possible, the communication with Blair open from those freebooters; and to escort the passengers and expresses that may be sent, as well as to gain intelligence. Last Friday morning the Duke of Gordon set out for Edinburgh; I presume, to receive directions; and I am told that Sir James Grant was to have set out yesterday for Edinburgh in his way to London, leaving his son, the young Laird of Grant, to take care of the country. It would have been good for the service that the Laird of Mackintosh had been in the country, could he have been spared from where he is. Whenever the gentlemen in arms draw nigher either to you or to us, the conveyance and intelligence will become the more difficult: perhaps even this may not reach you. I am, &c. DUN. FORBES. No. CCCCVIII. The Lord President to the Duke of Atholl. Culloden, 20th August 1745, 4 o'clock afternoon. THE Inverness post delivered me yesterday your Grace's of the 17th. I'me sorry I hear nothing of the troops being advanced further than Perth. Yesterday, our reports from all quarters say, a gen" assembly of all the gentlemen in arms was to be held at Gleninven, near Lochiell. What their resolution has been, God knows. To the northward, Sir Alex' Mac Donald & Mac Leod have prevented any junction from their dependants. Lords Fortrose & Lovat declare, that they are to support the Government; & the young Laird of Grant (whose father is gone or going for London) speaks the same language; but should the Highlanders, who are compleatly arm'd, turn their force this way whilst we are unarm'd, I do not know what may happen; on the other hand, should they turn their face southward, I should hope there is, or soon will be, such ane understanding between your Grace, the Duke of Argyle, & Lord Braidalbine, supported by the troops, as shall secure you from all apprehension. Which of us soever they approach, the communication will be pretty much intercepted, & the intelligence between cut off, unless your Grace give directions to have parties in Drumnactor & & Menigay, to clear the hill from loose fellows; as, on the other hand, I have directed Cluny to escort this, & to have some of his lads alongst the hill for the same purpose. Some watchword should be contrived between them. The inclosed to Sir John Cope your Grace will forward. I shall expect to hear from you by the messenger that carries this. Dear Sir, I am, &c. No. CCCCIX. The Lord President to Clunie. Culloden, 20 Aug, 4 o'clock afternoon. I HAVE yours of the 18th by the Ins post, & am sensible your situation at present is difficult; as the hills must be fill'd with abundance of loose people. What you have to do, as it appears to me, is, to keep the best look out you can towards the Corryyarig, & the braes of the country, in which your country guide will be of use to you; & also towards Drumnacher & Menigay, that you may have intelligence & give notice what's a doing in your neighbourhood. I have acquainted Sir J. Cope that I have desired you to remain where you are with the men you have listed for the regt, in order to preserve, so far as is possible, the communication with Blair; to give guards for expresses, & to observe the motions of your neighbours. You will therefore forward with care the letter which I have sent to J. Mac Pherson for the D. of Atholl, incloseing one to Sir John Cope. You will direct the Messenger to be sent with it to go by Drumnachtor, Menigay, or Searsich, as you shall judge safest, & give him sufficient escort; because intercepting my letters may be of bad consequences. Should the unhappy gentlemen who are in arms march towards you in numbers that you cannot resist, your own discretion will direct you to retire before them, takeing alongst with you all the able bodied men, that you may make the best use of them you can upon occasion. It is to be hoped that, howsoever zealous they may be, they will do no unnecessary mischief to the effects of their friends & relations that are left behind; & if they should, that will raise a just claim for making good of damages. I intreat that you will let me know, day by day, what your people observe, however small consequence it may be of. I am prodigiously concern'd for the folly of our friend Lochiell; and I am, &c. Honest John, No. CCCCX. The Lord President to John Mac Pherson. Culloden, 20th Ag", 4 o'clock afternoon. I HAD your's of yesterday's date from Dunachton this morning. In my appre hension, you are too soon allarm'd. I dare say there are no forces at all landed; tho' such reports must be spread to encourage on the one side, and discourage on the other. The officer of the barrack surely will not be so mad as to quit it, to secure himself & his stores anywhere else, without ane express order from the gen". He may, I dare say, remain long enough safe where he is ; & it is time enough to think of giveing it up, when he has made the best defence he can. The inclosed for the D. of Atholl must be forwarded to Blair with all the precaution possible, & by a fresh express; as Clunie, 3C2 who who will send a guard, shall think most fitting. Let him have carefully the letter directed for himself, & let me have his answer as quick as possible. You are in the right not to grudge expresses, which I shall pay for. In the mean time, I have given to this bearer, as I did to the former, half a crown only to drink. I am, &c. No. CCCCXI. My Lord, The Lord President to the Earl of Stair. Same date. UPON the receiveing the Commissns for the Independent Comp" the 13th in, I wrote to the Mar. of Tweeddale a letter of the same size with this, which I hope is come safe to hand, because I know it reach'd Abd", & was dispatch'd by sea after Sir J. Cope. I did not then write to your Lop, trusting you would see mine to my La Marq. & avoided carefully the multiplying letters, which run a considerable risque of being seiz'd, even as this does; for since Sir J. Cope left us, Glenbucket, with a few Highlanders, takeing the advantage of the D. of Gordon's state of health, which is at present bad, is in the neighbourhood of Strathbogie, & alongst Divernside, busy trying to levie men for the Pretender's service, & prowling about to intercept all intelligence. His success, according to the best of my information, is but indifferent, as to his recruiting. No gentleman of any consideration has as yet join'd him; & his money has run so scarce, that he is levieing a guinea upon the plough of land; but the dilligence of his adherents is such, that most letters are intercepted. I mention this as the cause why I wrote not formerly, & why I write in this small volume, & with a further intent, that your Lop may press what I have of this date & formerly recommended to my L Mar. that some small clever sloop be sent to keep the correspondence open. . ones. I cannot as yet take upon me to acquaint your Lop, with any certainty, what effect the Commissions sent to me will have; tho' I am sanguine enough to hope for good Your Lop may be very sure I will make use of all the discretion I am master of, in the disposition of them; & it is my present expectation, I shall get a considerable body of people that may be trusted together, under the favour of them, so soon as arms, & money, or credit, come; without which they cannot be made use of. But, for want of room, I refer your Lop for this to what I have now & formerly wrote to the Mar. Each Comp, so far as I find it necessary to give out Commis", I propose shall at present consist of 100. The Commiss" to be given to such as can bring those numbers together immediately. As to the state of this country, in short, for the paper will not admitt of much writeing, the rebells have not had, so far as I know, 20 men dependent of S' A. McDonald, Mac Leod, L Fortrose, Ld Cromerty, L' Sutherland, L Reay,, Grant, L" Lovat, Macintosh, or Chisholm, to join them. I need not mention the Monro's, whose signall service Sir J. Cope has doubtless acquainted the Administration with. That drawback has doubtless been ane important disappointment of the expectations that were entertained by the rebells; and if in this conjuncture, when the most restless zeal on the |