colours, and join a cause in which so many of their kindred and countrymen had engaged. All these attempts to shake their allegiance proved unavailing; not one of them forgot his loyalty, or abjured his oath. In this respect, the conduct of the Black Watch formed a contrast to that of Loudon's men, of whom a considerable number joined the rebels. This difference of conduct in men, whose sentiments and feelings were supposed to be congenial, and who were placed in similar circumstances, was variously accounted for at the time; the prevailing opinion was, that Lord John Murray's men, having sworn to serve as a regular regiment, which had been several years embodied, felt more the obligations implied in the terms of their enlistment, than those of Lord Loudon's regiment, who had, very recently, entered into what they supposed only a kind of local and temporary service, on conditions of engagement which they considered as far less binding than those of a permanent regiment. Besides, in the case of Loudon's, the men had the example of their officers, several of whom joined the rebels, a circumstance of great importance at that time, when the system of clanship, confidence, and attachment, remained unbroken.

The complete overthrow of well-disciplined and well-appointed troops by a body of men, half armed, strangers to war and discipline, and who, till that day, had never met an enemy, may be ascribed to the rapidity and vigour with which the latter made their attacks, driving the front line of their adversaries on the second, and throwing both into such irretrievable confusion, that the second line was overpowered when mixed with the first, which attempted to retreat through its broken ranks.

The company of this regiment taken at Preston remained prisoners and inactive during the Rebellion, but the other two companies were employed in different parts of the Highlands, during the autumn and winter of 1745 and

1746, on those duties for which they were so strongly recommended by the Lord President.*

After the suppression of the Rebellion, they were employed on a service which ought not to have been executed at all, or assigned to other agents. This was to execute a barbarous order, to burn the houses, and lay waste the lands and property of the rebels,-a species of military execution, where the innocent suffers equally with the guilty. It may easily be imagined, that in a country where rebellion had been so general, many cases would occur, in which the loyal officer, under orders to devastate the estates of his neighbours and friends, would find his allegiance at variance with his feelings.† Instances of this occurred in

• In the periodical publications of the day they are frequently mentioned. The Caledonian Mercury, of the 26th August 1745, states, "that Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Patrick Halket of Pitferran had been detached at the head of three companies of the Honourable Colonel Lee's regiment, preceded by the companies of Highlanders under the Lairds of Mackintosh and Inveraw, in order to advance up to the Highlands, and to obtain a proper account of what was passing there. And in September the Laird of Inveraw, with his company of Highlanders, marched from Perthshire to Inverlochy." In this manner they were employed for the season, but none of them was ever actually engaged with the enemy except the company at Prestonpans.

+ One of these duties fell to the lot of Captain John Menzies, father of Lady Abercromby. Castle Menzies was then the head-quarters of the troops in that district. Information had been received that several gentlemen who were concealed in the woods and fastnesses, after the suppression of the Rebellion, were to assemble, on a certain night, in the house of Faskally, the proprietor of which, Mr Robertson, being one of the number "in hiding," and all of them friends and relations of Captain Menzies. He was ordered to march at ten o'clock at night, and cross the mountains by an unfrequented route. The secrecy of the march, and the darkness of the night, prevented the usual communication of the movements of the military to those to whom such information was so necessary, and which, by the fidelity and active zeal of the people, seldom failed. But, in this case, it was not till the military were marching up the avenue to the house, that those within knew of their approach. It was now day-light, and they had scarcely time to dash into a deep woody glen close to the house, and make their escape, when the troops were at the door. When the party returned, Captain Menzies sent a soldier

This soldier was Alexander Stewart, the follower of Rob Roy, mentioned in the Appendix.

Perthshire. Lieutenant Campbell of Glenlyon was obliged to burn the houses and take away the horses, cattle, and sheep, on the estates of his neighbours, the Laird of Strowan, and other gentlemen who had been engaged in the Rebellion. Seven gentlemen's houses were plundered and burnt to the ground, with many of the houses of the tenants who had never left their homes or joined the rebels.

These companies remained in Scotland till the year 1748, occasionally sending reinforcements of volunteers and recruits to the regiment.*

forward to Comrie Castle, on the banks of the Lyon, where his father resided. When the old man saw the soldier on the opposite side of the river, knowing where he had been, he eagerly called out, "Has my son seized upon any of his unfortunate friends?" When he was told they had all escaped, he pulled off his bonnet, and with uplifted hands, exclaimed, "May God Almighty make me thankful for this mercy. My unfortunate son (unfortunate in being employed on such a duty) has not been the means of bringing these honourable men to the scaffold."

Such were those times when a father thought a son fortunate because he did not perform what would have been considered as an important piece of service. One of the gentlemen (James Robertson, Esq.) who were in Faskally House that night is still alive, (1819,) being the only survivor of 1500 men of Lord George Murray's Athole Highlanders "out" on that occasion.

In 1747, Lieutenant, afterwards General John Small, commanded a party stationed in Glenelg. In September he was ordered to apprehend Macdonald of Barrisdale, an active partisan in the rebellion. In this man's case there was exhibited a striking instance of the influence of that personal respect and attachment which so often guided the conduct of the Highlanders. Without an acre of land, and with no authority to command obedience himself, being only a tenant to the Laird of Glengarry, but descended from an ancient race, long respected in the country, and possessed of affable manners, and a person remarkably graceful and portly, he could, at any time, command the services of 150 armed men, always ready to follow wherever he chose to lead them. Whether it was that he made an improper use of this influence, or from his activity in the rebellion, he was made to suffer an imprisonment of nine years in Edinburgh Castle; but he was at length released, and, after an imprisonment unexampled in duration in modern times, was appointed to a lieutenancy in General Græme's, or the Queen's Highlanders, and died at Barrisdale in 1787. His brother, who had been appointed to Fraser's Highlanders, was killed on the heights of Abraham in 1759.

Government having determined to send an expedition to North America, a body of troops, consisting of Lord John Murray's Highland regiment, and several others, under the command of General St Clair, embarked at Portsmouth for Cape Breton. They sailed on the 15th June, but, being driven back by contrary winds, the troops were relanded. On the 5th August, the armament sailed a second time, under the command of Rear-Admiral Lestock. Again forced back by adverse winds, they made a third attempt on the 24th, and after reaching Portland, were once more driven back to Portsmouth. Their destination was now changed to a descent on the coast of France; and, accordingly, the army was reinforced by 2000 of the Foot Guards, and a strong detachment of Artillery. The land forces amounted to nearly 8000 men. While the Highland regiment lay at Portsmouth, it was joined by so large a detachment from the additional companies in Scotland, as to increase the battalion to 1100 men.

On the 15th of September the expedition sailed from Portsmouth, and on the 19th anchored in Quimperly Bay. Immediate preparations were made for landing, which was effected by the Grenadiers and Highlanders without much opposition. They immediately commenced operations against L'Orient, which they reached on the 24th, and on the evening of the following day one mortar battery, and two twelve gun batteries, were completed. On the 28th the French made several sallies, in one of which they assumed the garb of Highlanders, and approached close to the batteries. On being discovered, they were saluted with a volley of grape shot, which drove them back with great precipitation, followed by those whose garb they had partly assumed. The firing, which had done considerable damage to the town, ceased in the evening, and secret preparations were made for a retreat, as the enemy was collecting in great force. This was accordingly carried into effect, and. the troops re-imbarked without interruption.

The expedition sailed from Quiberon, and formed itself

into divisions, some of which sailed for England and some for Ireland. The Highlanders were destined for Cork, where they arrived" on Saturday the 4th November. Lord John Murray's regiment of Highlanders marched in here with his Lordship, the colonel, at their head, who, with the whole corps of officers and men, were dressed in the Highland dress." From that city they marched to Limerick, where they remained three months, and in February 1747 returned to Cork, where they embarked for the Downs to join a large body of troops, assembled to reinforce the army in Flanders. The greater part of the troops that formed this reinforcement consisted of those who had been ordered from Flanders in consequence of the Rebellion. Lord Loudon's Highlanders, and a detachment from the additional companies of the Black Watch, joined this force, which sailed from Leith early in April 1747. *

The French having invaded Zealand and the adjoining part of Flanders, the first battalion of the Royals, Bragg's, and Lord John Murray's Highlanders, were ordered to Flushing, under the command of Major-General Fuller, and landing at Stopledyke on the 1st May, were marched to the relief of Hulst, then closely besieged. The commandant of the place, General St Roque, ordered Bragg's and the Highlanders to halt within four miles, and sent the Royals to the Dutch camp of St Bergue, appointed to watch the movements of the enemy, but too weak to attack or dislodge them. They remained here till the evening of the 5th of May, when the French, having advanced almost under the pallisadoes, began the assault with great resolu

* It is stated in the Caledonian Mercury of March 1747, that “ Lieutenant John Campbell of Glenlyon, and Ensign John Grant of Glenmoriston, with a strong detachment from the additional companies of the Black Watch, sailed in the fleet for Flanders. When it was notified to the men that only a part of them was to join the army, all claimed the preference to be permitted to embark, and it was necessary to draw lots, as none would remain behind."