My Lord, you No. CCCCL. Lord Reay to the Lord President. I HAVE the honour of your Lop's most kind letter, and am very glad to know, by it, that his Majesty has pitched on your Lop to dispose of the independent companys mention; as I know none more zealous for his Majesty's interest, or more capable to choose the fittest persons, than your Lop. The trust you're pleased to put in me, in giving me the nomination of the officers of one company, is extreamly obliging: I shall be proud to execute it to the outmost of my power for his Majesty's service, your Lop's honour, & my own. The properest person that occurs to me for the company, amongst my friends, is my son George, providing he chooses to accept, after advising with your Lop and knowing the footing these companys are to be on. As for the subalterns, I refer to George, who will deliver you this; only I wish with all my heart my grandchild, Bighouse's son, could be allowed of for the ensigncy, notwithstanding of his being only past thirteen years. This, in all other respects, will be of very considerable advantage to the company, as George will tell your Lop. I'm glad our enemies are beginning to cool. I hope they'l have dayly more & more reason to be so; and that matters will be therafter so managed by the Government, as will prevent any further attempts of this kind. I have the honour to be, with sincere respect, My Lord, HIS Majestie haveing been pleased to entrust me with the disposall of commissions for some independant comp" now to be rais'd, Sir John Gordon, who was occasionally at this place, undertook to let me know from your Lop whether you would permitt my Lord Mac Leod to accept of a Capt commission, & how the young man would like it. Sir John has acquainted me, that he saw my Lord Mac Leod, but had not access to see your Lop, as you was not at home; that the young man expressed his willingness, & that he believed your Lop would fall in with his inclinations; tho', as he had not seen you, he could not give your own answer. What ỹrfor brings your Lop this trouble, is, to have your consent to your son's accepting this commission, which may be ane introduction to what he promises one day to deserve; because, however willing he may be to be in the army, & however desireous I may be to gratify him in what I hope will turn out for his advantage; yet, without your Lop's approbation, I would not presume to conclude any thing in a matter wherein you are so nearly concerned. I am, with great respect, my Lord, Your Lop's most ob' & most humble serv', &c. Culloden, 23 Sept 1745. 3 G 2 No. CCCCLII. My Lord, No. CCCCLII. Mr. Alexander Robertson to the Lord President. AFTER I parted with your Lordship, an unforeseen accident made me come home thro' Baddanach. I was at Killyhuntly sabath-night, where Clunie hapened to come late at night. I told him, I was asham'd at the dishonourable part he had acted, when he knew what promises I had made that he would be faithfull and useful to his Majestie; and how his people were long agoe attached to the noble family of Argyle, and party'd them at the batles of Glenlie and at against the Gordons. Clunie took all kindly, and at once told me his history; by which I find, he's still in possession of his commission, and did not write or give it up to Sir John Cope, as was reported. I find the loss of him, from being heartily engaged for the Government, was owing to Sir John Cope, which shows he's no good judge of mankind. Killyhuntly went south to wait on the Duke of Argyle, to offer Clunie's service and their haill clan, to be employed to crush the rebellion in the manner his Grace should direct. Sir Jo. Cope made Killyhuntly prisoner at Lithgow, where they mett, and would not allow him to goe or write to Argyle, or to Clunie; but made him march back with the Earl of Loudoun's recruits; and by this means Clunie and all his people were quite bewildered, till Sir John came to Dalcharrie: there Clunie mett him, and asked leave to goe home & bring up his recruits, because he had before trysted them, to be next day at his house; and the gentlemen of the name were to be there also, in order to pick and choose as many of their best men to march with Clunie, as would make his company compleet, till he had time to recruitt others. But good Sir John show'd manifest traits of a jelousie of him; refus'd to let him goe, and used him as an informer ; never once asking his advice, or using him as a friend; which was too low of treating a gentleman of his spiritt, who in a private capacity was abler to serve the King than Sir John. Clunie was not lett home for his men till the night after Sir John left Ruthven, when he was apprehended without his knowledge, I'm perswaded, from what I heard him say. He now owns, an angel could not resist the soothing close aplications of the rebels; yet he's sensible their designs tend to the total subversion of Church and State. He has a dread that he's allready gone too farr; but I promised your Lordship would bring all to rights betwixt the King and him; which soften'd him much; and when I offered to write your Lordship at his own sight anent it, he said he would not give me that trouble, but would take his own way; and he promised, that unless he see the rebells leik to carry all, and England suporting them, he'll keep free and not joyn. He told me, he feared the loss of nothing but his commission; because, tho' in his marriage contract his father dispones all to him, yet he's never infeft. I showed the folly of that, which surprized him not a litle. a way I send this express, because I find, from him, that the Marquis of Tullybardine waits his coming at Blair; and on his ingaging depends the rising, or not, of some of the McIntoshes, Frazers, M'Kenzies. Killyhuntly has more influence on Clunie than all mankind; for he's been allways led by him. Clunie also complains, that Major McKenzie's behaviour to Killyhuntly has disgusted him much, and must be uneasie to Killyhuntly; for the Major huffs him leik a footman; gives him no regular pay, but subsistence; confines him as a suspected person to the town of Inverness; turn'd off some recruits Killyhuntly had attested, and made him lose his money. Clunie said, if he had treat him so, he would throw his commission at his foot, and force him to throw his doublett, or doe worse. I humbly think your Lordship may invite the Major and Kilyhuntly to dinner; put the Major, if a man of sense, on his guard to own his fault; and that it was Killyhuntly's own fault, that took not a proper method to let him have his just character; and your Lodship can easily get Killyhuntly to complain alone, and then introduce it in conversation when together. The use of this is, I know Killyhuntly is a stench revolutioner from his infancy; and I propose, that once his grievances are removed, your Lordship desire him to send to Clunie, and that they meet in as secrett a manner and where Clunie pleases for his own safty. He's just now at a vast uncertainty; but if any alive doe it, Killyhuntly will determine him with the arguments your Lordship can afford him. The 6,000 Dutch forces landed at Berwick Friday last; and tho' Cope was a fool to engage when he knew it; yett, as all England are for the Protestant interest, their religion, and liberties, all will quickly be put to rights again, if Killyhuntly get Clunie's company, and Clunie one of the independant companies, when the troubles are over. A hint of this kind will settle their passions much; for if Clunie could have an independant company to guard us from thieves, its what I know he desires above all things. I hear this day from persons come from Edin' that the Highlanders are to stay there till their other friends come up from the north, and then march all in a body to England. From this, I reckon it good service to retard Clunie's march, or bring him quite over to the King's interest, because so many others wait his motion. For that reason, I presume to trouble your Lodship with this long narrative. Lord Ogilvie is now march'd with 400 men, and Glenbuckitt, I hear, with 300 men, hardly the third of what they promised. Sir John Cope's defeat is nothing leik the romantick accounts the other side give of it it's plain he's a weak man, neither of weight, conduct, or courage fitt for such a charge. The only effect it can have is, to put the Government now on their mettle, to poure in forces from all hands to crush the Highland rebells the quicker; and it may also ruine many an unthinking man, by joining the readyer with the rebells. I think now the Protestants, & our King's friends, should arm on all hands for his Majestie; & I wish your Lordship would write the Duke of Argyle and others on that subject; and if commissions, pay, & arms, be given, the martiall spiritt of our friends will soon change the face of affairs for the King. No cost should be sav'd when all's at stake. Its now easier to find out who are friends, and who are not. The bearer is a poor honest man. If your Lordship has any commands for the King's friends in the south, he will carry them carefully; and as he has a private way of travelling from this to Inverness without being seen, thro' the hills, and a correspondence may be thus carry'd on by their writeing from the south here, and I shall answer for conveying it sure to your Lordship, I have given him money to bear his charges. If he be to go south, your Lordship may write them to pay him, or I shall doe it. I am, with great esteem, my Lord, Your Lordship's most affectionate & most humble servant, Inerchraskie, 23d Sept 1745. ALEX' ROBERTSON. No. CCCCLIII. My Lord, No. CCCCLIII. Sir Alex. Macdonald to the Lord President. BY a vessel from Kintyre, I find the Highlanders were at Glasgow eight days ago; they have demanded fifteen thousand pounds of that town. No certainty of their numbers; & no word of the Dutch being actually landed, which the people who retired to Kintyre from Glasgow sho'd have known, had they landed any where, five days before their retreat. I have wrote to the Laird, how the commissions are to be filled up: he knows the Gentlemen. It will occur to your Lordship, that the pas of the officers, I mean such of them as never served before, sho'd be lotted for ; & I take it for granted it will be done. It is quite impossible to raise the men without money, unless it was to follow myself. It is not surpriseing that they are somewhat agog about the adventure of their brother Highlanders; but all care is taken not to encourage their foolish actions. I look'd at the men of this part of the island in parcells, told them, in troublesome times, they ought to be in all readiness possible to do for themselves; & that I did not know how soon the King might demand a levy of men. I expect your Lordship will let me know what levy money the Captains are to have. I refer to the Laird's epistle; being in the state your Lordship is, not very well, but resolved to mend, as I hope you have already done. Mugstot, 24th Sept. I am, with the usual attachment, ALEX' MACDONALD. My Lord, No. CCCCLIV. The Lord President to the E. of Cromertie. 25 Sept 1745. I HAVE the honour of your Lop's of yesterday's date*. As neither your Lop nor my Lord Mac Leod dislike the commission that is proposed, I must confess it gives me very great uneasiness to find that the circumstance your Lop mentions occasions any deliberation. Your Lop will readily agree with me, that in the execution of the trust committed to me, my chief regard must be to the service; & if what that requires, in circumstantiall matters only, should give your Lop offence, or create in you a diffidence of my respect for your Lop, it would to me be a very great mortification. I hope your Lop will not think so harshly of me; & that, upon considerations such as you mention, you will not suffer ane opurtunity to slip of introduceing the young Lord into a state of life which he seems desireous to pursue; especially at a conjuncture where the nature of the service seems to require that men so well disposed as your Lop should not stand upon ceremonie. Let me therefor beg of your Lop to consider well what is to be done, & to give your consent to your son's accepting the commission & I dare assure you, that you and he will find that I am very sincerely, my Lord, your Lop's most ob' & most humble serv', &c. We do not find this letter in the Collection. No. CCCCLV. My Lord, No. CCCCLV. The Earl of Cromertie to the Lord President. I HAVE the honour of y' Lop's of the 25th. I cannot help thinking that the circumstances in that commission that is proposed for my son are so singular, that I cannot desire him, nor is it in his own inclination, to accept of it on these terms, as it disables him from doing the service as he would wish; & if he is thought less capable then others, who are offered greater priviledges, it is no less to lay him aside; but he will very soon have the honour of waiting of your Lop to returne you his hearty thanks for your kindeness; & I am, with great regard, my Lord, Whitehall, 1" Octo* 1745. I HAD the honour of your Lordship's of the 13th Sep" transmitted to me from Berwick by Sir John Cope; and I have the satisfaction to acquaint you, that his Majesty approves the plan you propose to follow in the distribution of the commissions, which will undoubtedly facilitate the raising of the men in the North Highlands. The Earl of Stair has, by his Majesty's order, signified to the Earl of Loudoun, that he should forthwith repair to Inverness, to take upon him the command of the troops and garrisons from Inverlochy to Inverness, of the twenty independant companies to be raised, and of all such bodies of men as are or shall be raised for his Majesty's service; and his Lordship is desired to act in every thing with your advice and consent. It is left to your Lordship and the Earl of Loudoun to concert proper measures for distressing the Highlanders, and for preventing their being joined by others, and in general to do what you shall think most for his Majesty's service, according as occasions may offer, or circumstances may require, either in or out of the countrys where they have been raised. There are 1,500 stand of arms, with ammunition and proper accoutrements, to be put on board the Saltash sloop of war, which is ordered to sail forthwith to Inverness, and the Captain will take directions from you. Two months subsistence for the troops to be raised has likewise been imprested into George Ross's hands, which he proposes to send in specie by the sloop to Inverness. The late unhappy defeat of Sir John Cope, as it must occasion the utmost distress in our country, so it gives a very great alarm here; but a very considerable body of troops, with artillery, &c. has already begun to march northward, to be commanded by Marshall Wade; and more of our troops are ordered from Flanders. I am, with great regard, Your Lordship's most obedient humble servant, TWEEDDALE. No. CCCCLVII. |