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Amelia Volume 2 chapter 31 |
Jacobites in Paris after 1746 |
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[page 403] Historical Sketch- AFTER the Battle of Culloden very severe measures were taken with all the Jacobite Leaders who fell into the power of the Government, and most of those who escaped were attainted, and their estates forfeited. After a number of executions, an Act of indemnity was passed in June 1747, but with very numerous exceptions. The disarming Act passed in the reign of George I., was renewed by George II., with additional clauses to ensure its enforcement, the date on which the arms were to be delivered up was fixed for August 1st, 1746, and a highly offensive enactment was made against the Highland dress. After August 1st, 1747, "Any person, whether man or boy, within Scotland, excepting officers and men in his Majesty's service, who should on any pretence whatsoever, wear or put on the clothes commonly called the Highland clothes, namely the plaid, philabeg, trews shoulder belts, or any part of the Highland garb, or should use, for great coats, or for upper coats, tartans or party-coloured plaid or stuff should be imprisoned, without bail for six months” and on being convicted for a second offence, "should be liable to be transported to any of his Majesty's plantations abroad for seven years.” The term for discontinuing the dress was extended by a subsequent Act to the 1st August in the following year. In 1747 an Act was also brought in to abolish the heritable jurisdic¬tions. By this Act all heritable jurisdictions of justiciary, all regalities and heritable bailieries and constabularies, excepting the office of High [page 404] Constable; and all Stewartries and sheriffships of smaller districts, which were only parts of counties, were dissolved, and the powers vested in them were ordered to be executed by such of the King's Courts as these powers would have belonged to, if the jurisdictions had never been granted. The sheriffships of counties were resumed and annexed to the Crown. As by the Treaty of Union such offices and jurisdictions were reserved to the grantees as rights of property, compensation was ordered to be made to the holders by a grant of money. This Act broke up the power of Landlords and Chiefs as regards calling out their "Fencible Men" compulsorily, and curtailed it in many other ways. After Prince Charles's return to France in October 1746 he was kindly received by King Louis XV., and eventually the French Court bestowed a gratuity or "gratification" for the relief of such of the Prince's adherents as had arrived in France, but neither Louis nor his Ministers were inclined to forward the Prince's views as to another expedition. In January 1747 the Prince retired to Avignon somewhat chagrined at the unwillingness of the French Government to support his projects. Peace was signed between Great Britain and her Confederates, with France at Aix-la-Chapelle, March 1748, which destroyed all the Jacobite hopes of an immediate Restoration. The elder Chevalier James VIII. died at Rome, December 1766, after which event the Prince, who had been residing chiefly at Avignon, returned to Italy. He lived at Albano in great seclusion till 1772, when he married Princess Louisa Maximilina Carolina of Stolberg¬-Guerderan, and under the title of Count of Albany lived near Florence. The marriage was unhappy and was soon followed by a separation. On the 31st January 1778 the Prince died, aged 67. His brother the Cardinal of York renounced all claim to the titles which his father had assumed and accepted a pension from King George III. He died 1807 in his eighty-second year, when the male line of the Royal House of Stuart became extinct. William MacGregor or Balhadies, although stated in the Dunblane Traditions to have been at home when the Prince slept at his house, 12th September 1745, [page 405] appears to have remained abroad at the time, Locheil the cousin of Balhaldies, was with the Prince on the occasion. From the correspondence which follows Balhaldies is shown to have remained in the full confidence and to have been a kind friend, to all the exiled Jacobites. Balhaldies married in 1757 Janet, daughter of Laurence Oliphant of Gask, by whom he had an only son, Alexander, born October 17th, 1758, of whom hereafter, and died at Corbeil, near Paris, 1765. Letter from King James VIII. to William MacGregor of Balhaldies. "Rome Dec. 1748.-I received last week yours of the 4. Nov. I had already heard of Lochyels death, it is a loss to the Cause & I am truly sorry for it; If my recommendation to the Court of France comes in time & has its effect, young Lochyel will have his Father's Regiment & on this and all other occasions I shall be always glad to show him the great sense I retain of the merits of that Family. Poor Lochyel did not long outlive his friend Lord Sempil, in whom I have also lost a very zealous subject & who had given many proofs of his being so, I wish I had been more able to have been more kind to his family, But the truth is my straits were never so great as they are now, and therefore I cannot authorise you keeping up a correspondence, the expenses of which I am not able to defray, The Prince in his present situation can best judge of what use it may be, and I shall always approve of what you may do in that respect, by his directions. I desire Lochyel's Lady, his brother & his son, may find here my compliments on their late loss, which I sincerely share with them and have nothing else to add at present but to assure of my constant kindness and regard for yourself. (Signed) James R." "For Mr MacGregor." Another letter believed to be from King James VIII. to Balhaldies. "I write you this my dear friend, without any body knowing anything of it & I desire that in what you may write to me you take no notice of what I here say. I as soon as I got the sorrowful account of our most valuable friend poor My Lord Sempil's death, charged my nephew to let you know my grief & the thoughts of my heart upon the melancholy event, and I charged him also to do the same upon the great loss we have sustained by that of Lochyell. Upon Lord Sempil's death I found it was impossible to get the 2000 livres a year given him by the King con¬tinued to his family, I did however what I could for it & at last insisted hard for at least a 1000 livres a year for the Sister but I was not able to bring it higher than 600 which though small, will keep her from want, and it will be paid as long as the King lives. [page 406] Tho' I could not be affected with a deeper sorrow than I was for good Lochyel, yet I was glad to receive the letter I mention from Major Ogilvy on that melancholy occasion. I made such use of it & without loss of time, that I got H. M. to make as strong a recommendation as possible to the French Court for the Regiment for young Lochyel, which I cannot doubt but that it will have the desired effect, if it comes in time, as I hope it may. I only tell you all this to shew you that tho' now I am able to do so little, yet I do not neglect to do that little with a good heart and a good intention, and on two such cases, if I could have done more I would have gone through fire and water to do it. After this, all I shall say is, that if you saw my heart, as I believe you do, you would find it full of the most sensible concern for our present melancholy situation, I can do nothing to help it, I always continue the same. “May God help us all, and comfort us and preserve you whom I embrace with all my heart. Yours unalterably, J. E. [1] "Pray don't let Abbé or Lord Sempil know any thing of what I here say, for I am sorry to find by what he now writes that he has not the same sense and prudence his good & worthy brother had." There is no address but a docket "Letter James VIII on the death of My Lord Sempil to Wilm MacGregor Esqre 1748." Letter docketed Marchfield and addressed. A Mademoiselle Mademoiselle Forbes [2] vis a vis La Grande Allee Doula?, Rue de Harpe (?) Fauxbourg St Germain, tenes à Monsieur W. Thomson. A. Paris. London March 30. 1754. "Dr F., -I acknowledged the favour of yours by a long letter but have not since had the pleasure of hearing from you I have been thinking of whom to apply to here for the … you gave me in making use of your credit, but unless your so well acquainted with Mr Drummond the Banker at Charing Cross or Mr Berkeley the Quaker an eminent Linendraper in Cheapside who is your near Relation, so as to recommend me to either of them for Credit, I cannot of myself think of any other way in this place, neither would offer to make use of your name untill I have the pleasure of hearing from you: After his long attendance and expectations here some days ago James [3] was offered his pardon with good encouragement, in certain con¬ditions that he refused to accept of on which he was ordered to depart this realm forthwith, and accordingly has set out this day for Dover under the care of a messenger who is to see him landed at C End? where he is to deliver up the King's Licence [page 407] empowered him to pass and repass hither, he said that he would go to Ypres where he would remain untill he could hear from his Chief. “Dr Sir, "I have the honour to be with due regaird your most obliged and faithful friend." No Signature. Letter simply directed “For My Chief." "Pondicherry Feb.14 1755. "Dear Sir,-I deferred writing from day to day until I could have an oppor¬tunity to speak with Mons Godheve, I found it yesterday, I asked the favour of him to be sent to Bengal which he agreed to but with a restriction that if the service actually required my staying here that I should not goe, if I part, it will be in the month of March. Donald Murray goes in this Ship, as by my letter to my Brother Gregor, I consulted if there was occasion to send another procuration then that which I gave when I left France, & I was told there was none other necessar. I beg you will endeavour if possible Sir to have the whole sent to my Brother Gregor. “Since the Peace an officer's state is so miserable here that I do not desire Duncan should apply for a commission to come to this country; unless the project I talked of to the Company could take, if Mons Depliex has not altogether lost his Credit with the Company, he would be the most fitt person to support and propose such a proposition, he told me when I arrived here that he knew the offer I had made, that he'd rather have a hundred Highlanders sent him here, than all the Germans they could send tho' they were ten thousand; It was a great loss to me his being relieved. According to the way Duncan is in, you will know how to advise him, at any rate if he proposes to come here he must not think of bringing his wife with him. Please forward my Brother Gregor's letter and be so good as make my compliments to Capt John and all other friends, I shall have the honour to write to him by the Ship the "Chouet" which is ready to sail in 8 or 10 days hence & at the same time to my brother Duncan; I mind nothing else to trouble you with at present but that I have the honour to be Dear Sir "Your most Affectionate & most obedient servant To the Laird of MacGregor. "John MacGregor." Letter from John MacGregor to his Brother. "At Gingy Feb. 15 1755. "Dear Brother,-A severe sickness hinder'd my writing to you by the October Ships of which thank God I am perfectly recovered, It is three month's past since I have been in Garrison in this fort, the Capital of the Kingdom which bears the same name, it is situate in the middle of hills, it's extremely strong being defended by three high rocks one of which is impregnable in O [4] which dominates the others [page 408] as well as most of the hills around; but the air is so unwholesome here that few escape the trembling fever which reduces most people attacked by it to the last extremity. I have been so lucky as escape it & have reason to hope that I shall not be attackt by it as my time to be here is very near over and that the had season is past; I wrote to you by the Ship in which past the . . . of Brother Daniel's success, to wit La Compagnie de Indostan, in which past likewise, Mons Godheve who was sent here as King's Commissary & who was the occasion that I did not touch the money here, which I could have employed in such a manner as it would have produced you some benefit, I hope you have recovered it ere now by means of our worthy Chief, whose care of our family can never be gratefully enough acknowledged. On receipt do not neglect to send me a special person from the family to enquire into and oblidge by Law, the King's Governor General here to render an account of the manner in which he took the inventory of Brother Daniel's effects, money, papers &c, the said gentleman having refused absolutely to acknowledge me as the Brother of Captain Murray having no proof that could make me appear as such, because I have discovered that he has dealt fraudently in that affair. Monsieur Dupliex's leaving this country has been very pernicious to me and unless he returns or is expected I am affraid I shall be a long time in India before I can be of much service to my family which is a thought very much grieves me, however I must trust in Providence & I hope God Almighty knowing my good intentions will per¬haps enable me to follow there, where there is the best hopes. "Pray write to me and let me know something of my family news as well as the Publick and if I can expect I can appear, I hear but one ship to go off this season from Pondicherry who has received orders to start in two days hence & as I am about 60 miles off, am obliged to finish much sooner than I could wish that I may not miss the occasion. Make my appology to Margaret and the rest of our Family to whom I have not time to write: my duty to Sister & the bairns and believe me for ever. “Your most affectionate and most obedient brother while J. MacGregor." [5] To Mr Gregor Drummond &c. "Pondichery March 10 1755. "Dear Sir,-I am ordered to the Country in dilligence wherefore I cannot write so fully to you as I would incline, I inclose you a letter for my Brother Dun¬can & the copy of another I have sent to Monsieur de …. one of the Directors, please on receipt send the last to the Principal Gordon that he may show it to rnylord Marshall to whom I have writt to be so good as support my reasons for advancement, which are literally true. I have sent his Lordship a small present of chique of the best this country can afford, the next season I shall have the honour to send you something of this country's products and I shall not forget the Principal nor my Lord Nairne [page 409] & Gask's moche (mocha?) if possibly I can get any person that will take charge of it. I have no occasion to tell you Sir that you are the person I mean should be advised to by Mr Gordon in my letter to De venseur in case the Company has a mind to send the Highlanders proposed here; you see by that I would incline to be fully master of them as to disipline, Detail &c, as to the pay, please insist upon 12 Rupees a month for each soldier, cloathing included, and the officers at least on the same appointments with the German Officers who are to have, if possible more. My dutiful respects to Captain John, Compliments if you please to all friends particularly Mademoiselle Forbes, I have the honour to be with all due respect Dear Sir “Your most affectionate & obedient humble Servant "John MacGregor." Letters from Patrick or Peter McGregor to Balhaldies. "Dunkerque Oct.21. 1758. "Dear Chieff, - I have sent you inclosed Mr Gregory's note which you'll pay to his Banquir at Paris, I have sent off the Cheese and barly to Mr Gordon's care I have only taken one sack of barly which …. a hundred & fifty five pund betwixt My Lady Gask and your lady, because of its being so dear, the price over £22. 15. the duty you shall find upon the …. along with the cheese and barly, the shirts, I have already said, by the Mt Chey come to seven livres the shirt. "According to your orders I wrote to Donald MacGregor, have had one in answer some days ago, with his most humble thanks to his Chieff, for your care of some of your poor people, he writes to me that he was quite well and continues with his master in Dillon's Regiment As to the servant I wrote you of, I am uncertain of him as yet, as he has not quit his master & if he do quit I shall be sure to ingedge him as I am sure he will fit you. I am very sorry to think that it will not he in my power to have the honour of comming to see my Chieffis and my young Chieff, God Almighty bliss them both and I wish you joy of your son & your Clan of the young Chief which I wish they had with them in Scotland, as I am afraid that the nurses of this country is not good for him; may the Almighty God spare him to lead his Clan and do honour to his country I have sent this account to beg you to writ to Dolphiny the Taylor that you'l pay him; as he has been tor¬menting me with letters and threatens to complain of me to Mr Keith, if he does I shall be sure of the reason: as from the gratification I have paid all my debts in this country. As for Tudie the taylor I do not ow him so much as he says, however I shall do my endeavour to pay him so soon as I can & then I shall be out of debt. "For God's sake Dear Chief save me from prison in writting to Delphiny that you'l pay him at my wish, your own, and desire him to writ to me upon Receipt of your letter that I may be out of fear. Honour me with a few lines to let me nou how my lady is and the young gentleman, favour me with my most dutiful respects [page 410] to my lady and the most honourable families; I am Dear Chief Yours tocommand Pat. MacGregor." Appended is "Accompt of money laid out for my Chief since the year 1753, the total for sundries amounting to £265, 4s. Docketed "Peter MacGregor Oct 21 1759 with Mr Gregories acct," the above having been probably on a separate paper and copied on one page. The letter was addressed "A Monsieur Gordon Principal du College Ecossais, Rue du Fosse St Victor pour faire tenir a Monsieur MacGregor De Balhaldy A Paris." Letter from Patrick MacGregor to Balhaldie. "Dunkerque April 21 1759. "Dear Chief,-I would have answered yours upon recept, were it not that I should not get any accompt of wine that could please Mr Gregorie or me but now we have got some that are very good, but will come very dire to what the wine was win to cost here, however it will be delivered for 30 souls at St De Nis, as I have no person ther that I know, I beg you'l get from the Abbot the adress of his governant's sister who lives there and send it to me upon recept of this, that I may send off your wine, I have only taken two dozen of it, if you think I should take more let me now; I shall defer paking of it till I hear from you; as for the sugar it is very dier; and not a possability of getting it out of this; both letters are sent of inclosed to Edinburgh, as for my lady Gask's bundel ther has no accomp of it as yet, if it should come before the wine goes of I shall send it along; Mr Gregorie is very desirous to send a boney (bonus), to his young Chieff, but dis not know what kind to send, if you please to ask the ladies overley what kind they thought proper and let me nou, it shal be sent immediately, I am very much afraid that my lord Lois has put a stope to the Commissions as they are not comed and my brevet lickeys, if you'ld be so good as to writ to Monsieur Mongardey, and beg of him to know the reason why, it is not comed out before now and if possible to get it Expediat ime¬diately, if he takes this trouble it will do ane infinit service I beg my most dutiful Respt to the Hon’ble family, my deir yong Chieff and except of the same from Dear Chieff your most humble Servt Pat MacGregor." Addressed to Balhaldie at Gask's house as before. This letter bore a seal of red wax representing the MacGregor arms; Pine and Sword with crown, in saltier, a mullet in the right side of the Shield. Supporters stags; branch of tree for crest. Motto, Non deficit alter. PS. - Your suit of cloths wer sould at hunder and sixty wan Liver, to ane Ingelis gentelman which he was to pay to Dolphin when the cloths were mad up for him." [page 411] "Dunkerque May 29 1759. "Dear Chief-I was obliged to delay so long of writting to you about the wine till I would get word from St Omair, Mr Gregorie received an answer last night wherein his Correspondent telles him that the wine will be at Denis the thirty of this month, but he has not marked nothing about the carriage so I can't tell you what money to pay, only tell Joseph to pay nothing but what is marked upon the Letter de voiture; you'll please tell my lady Mr Gregory here or his brother at Campvere has got no bundle as yet from London but if it should come, I shall forward it immediately; I have heard nothing as yet about my brevet or commis¬sion, so if you have heard any word from Mr Mongendy I pray let me nou what he says, as I am very unhapy about the consequence of them My Lord Ogilvie's Commissions has come some time ago and they were given in after … was said to have been given in. About eight days ago I lost my horse, he broke loose in the stable and got into a Corn bag that was behind him & eat of the corn till he bursted I got two or three hors farriers for him, but nothing could save him; I have been told here by lawyers that if I pleased to pursue the landlord to whom the corn belonged, I make him liable for my hors, the poor man has lately married and has little or nothing, for which reason I have tould him he has nothing to fear from me, I am poor it is true but I shall never hurt a poorer than myself. For God's sake let me hear upon receipt of this how you and my dear young Chieff keeps your healths I am over joyed to learn by yours that his teeth cost him so little, I pray God all other distempers that he lies subject to at his age, may be as easie to him as that of his teeth, I hoop they will, as the happiness of your poor people depends upon God's sparing his life and yours till he come to yeares to do for himself and with my most dutiful respects to the Honourable families of Gask and Strowan my compliments to the Abbot of St Hier (?), Mr Gregory joins in compliments to you and young Chieff, your most obedient and most humble servant. “Pat MacGregor." Addressed, "A Monsieur Monsieur MacGregor Balhaldy chez Monsieur Oliphand de Gask a Corbile." Letter from Mr David Gregorie. "Dunkerque July 3.1759. "Sir,-I was extremely glad to hear by your kind favour of the 10th of last month that the Malaga wine sent was so much to your taste. I have according to your desire bespoke two dozen bottles more of the same sort which are to he sent forward to you tomorrow via St Omer, addressed as formerly so you may expect it at St Denis against the 24 or 25 of this month. as it is rare to find such excellent wine I thought it best to secure this quantity of it for you, fearing that against three or four months hence I might not be able to gett any so good, and there is no probability of its becoming cheaper withal. The charges of duty and carriage which you paid for the former hampers is no more than common. [page 412] “The accounts you gave me about your son are vastly agreeable, I heartily wish he may be spared to be a comfort and support to your old age and in time renew and re-establish your House. I hope l need not repeat that it will always give me the most sensible pleasure to be of use either to you or him. Our friend Peter MacGregor nor I could find out no Scots girl in this town that would have been proper to attend the said young gentleman, I therefore sent forward your three letters for Scotland and took the liberty to add a postcript to yours for Mr Wright of (Dunhlane?) intimating that he might recommend the servant he was to ingage, to Mr Gilbert Mason att Leith & desire him to send her forward by the first opportunity to my Brother att Campvere which last, in answer to what I wrote him on that subject & 'writs me to return you his choice compliments and to acquaint you he has already desired Mr Mason to take charge of any girl Mr Wright of ….. may send here to give her his best advice in what manner to gett over to Holland,' so that you may rest satisfied she will meet with all manner of assistance there and when she arrives att Campvere my Brother is to send her forward to me as I will again do to you, by any conveyance you judge proper I am most respectfully – “your most obedient and most faithfull humb.; Servt “David Gregorie." Addressed, "A Monsieur MacGregor De Balhaldie chez Monsieur E Olyphant De Gask, Corbeil." From Patrick MacGregor to the same, "Docketed 3 July 1759. "Dear Chief - I have received yours some time ago Mr Gregorie and I could not think of any in this place, for which reason Mr Gregorie sent off Looss along with the others, I have writ my lady Looss (or Loop) and Mrs Morequet in as strong terms as I could concerning my young Chief and the care they should take in sending a right nurse for him, to send the tartan and a dozen of triple drawn whisky as ould as they could get it, hope Mr Montgardy has heen with you by this time, if he is not for God's sake writ to him to be so good as speak to Mr Charles to get my Brevet, we are really to be granted or not, or when the concessions are to be sent to the Reg. If he pleases to ask the reson the others will surely tell him, please let me know this if possible, we have no news here worth repeating. I am dear Chief yours to command. “ “Pat MacGregor." Letter from David Gregorie to Balhaldies. "Dunkirque March 15 1760. "Sir,-I have yet to acknowledge your last favour of the 8. which did not reach me till the 20. ultimo when I immediately sent your letters for Britain to my Brother, who desires to return you his kind compliments and to acquaint you he has covered [page 413] these letters to his Correspondents att London and Edinburgh and when the returns to these come docketted in the manner you mention, he will send them forward to me. You could not give your friends a more proper address than you did, so I made no change in that particular. “I got the two Casketts with each a dozen bottles of Malaga wine which you ordered for Lady Gask sent off by way of St Omer above a fortnight ago, so that they will be arrived at St Denis about the time this letter arrives to your hands. Inclosed is the Merchant' account which comes to £34.12.6. you'll please to send it to Lady Gask & receive from her when convenient, as I shall charge your account with itt. I wish this wine may please as much as the former cargo tho', entres-nous, I do not think it of quite such a high quality but it was absolutely the best I could find and perhaps may pass if you keep the secret; as to your Burgundy Wine you may send it forward whenever you please directed to lie att Dunkirque, for I do not think it necessary to have it addressed to any one at St Omer, However in case the "Chartier" that takes itt should insist upon a direction to St Omer you'll please address "à Monsieur Lobay Facteur des Voitures a St Omer" and att the same time acquaint me that I may writt him about itt. "The want of "Rouilliers" going direct to Paris has prevented me from send¬ing forward your son's Bounty, and now I am determined to send it by St Omer in a trunk that comes to Lady Locheil which will likewise contain the old sheets of Chambers Dictionary which I sometime ago wrote for att your desire and have lately received from London. "Our friend Peter tells me he mentioned to you a Debt due me by Lady Locheil for money advanced her late son Col. James chiefly for her Ladyship's behoof. You will oblige me by putting her Ladyship in mind of itt att a proper time when you think she may conveniently pay it which she may do att any time, to Messrs Sulivan and Foley on my account whose receipt shall be as valid as my own, untill I can send up her son's note. When your wine arrives here and is a little settled I will tell you what I think of it and endeavour to sell it by the hogshead, for as to unloading it in bottles, I own I am not very fit for itt, having never been in that way of business, however if the wine be good I perhaps may come as near your purpose the other way if you will only let me know for my . . . about what price it stands you, all charges included, I was glad to hear you had such good recoverie from your late indisposition, I heartily wish this may find you in perfect good health and a long continuance of itt, our Peter desires to offer you his choice compliments - he is busied trying Horses and fitting him self out for the Campaign.- I remain “Sir "your most obedient humble & most faithful humble Servt "David Gregorie." Address "a Monsieur Monsieur MacGregaire, Balhaldie au College Ecossais, Rue Victor, Faubourg St Germain, Paris." [page 414] On the folding down flaps of this letter the following is written:- "PS. - I send you Mr Gregorie's letter to read with the inclosed account of mylady Gask's wine which be so good as give to her when you have read the letter & please retum to me by the bearer. I wish you a safe and agreeable arrival att Corbeil where I beg to have my very affect. Compliments made to Gask and my Lady Mac, it were to trouble them with letters about what you are advised of, from him who is entirely Yours to serve. M. M. G." Letter from P. MacGregor to the same. "In the Camp of Melinenburgh, "Aug. 5. 1761. "Dear Chieff,-Att my leaving Dunkirque I had the honour to writ to you with-out having any answer I once more take the liberty to beg the favour of you dear Chieff to let me have but two line" from your hand that I may know how you keep your helth and my dear littel Chieff My only concem has been since in this country to think myself so unhappy as to be forgot by him, who is deir to me, For God's sake let me hear from you upon recept of this and if I have done anything to merit your displeasure for God's sake let me know and I give you my word that tis been ignorance in me if I have done anything could disoblige you. "I am now L. of Grenadiers and has My Lord his promis upon O'Scorbe's (?) retret I shall have the place of second Captain, that is to say if I meet with no misfortune, we are in most part detached from the Reg. as they were last year very much fatigued during walking, our Briggad is at present under one De Brayl's orders, how long God knows, in the Country likeest the Highlands that I ever saw in my life, nothing but woods and hills and little Glens upon the south side of Warbourg; as to pretend to give you news from this place its what I canot do for the Army is so dispersed that one Brigade does not know what passes in the other. All friends here are well, Grant joins in his most dutiful compliments to you and my dear little Chieff God bless him. I am Dear Chieff Your most obedient humble Servt while P Macgregor." These letters to Balhaldies were lent to Sir John MacGregor Murray about 1816 by the mother of the then representative with express permis¬sion to copy and make such use of them as he saw fit, but Sir John considered that they ought not to be published, till all those closely in¬terested had passed away. |
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[1] The E was possible adopted as the initial of Eighth. [2] probably the daughter of Bishop Forbes [3] Alluding to James Mor whose correspondence is given later. [4] Referring probably to a plan not now extant. [5] Apparently John Captain in the French Service, brother of Gregor Boyac, sons of Malcolm ot Marchfield. See p, 450. |