MacGregor

by Peter John Lawrie

Chapter 13

  Crieff - Wednesday September 11, 1745

  The day dawned brightly and soon the combined force of MacGregors and MacIains were up and ready. Glengyle commanded that the remaining kyloes be slaughtered and roasted. It was a full twelve miles from Perth to this place, Connuchan by Crieff. Intelligence put the Prince’s army at around three thousand and heading for Dunblane today. Only half of the army was expected to come this way. The remainder under the command of Lord George Murray had proceeded by way of his house of Tullibardine beside Auchterarder. There might not be enough meat to feed them all but the gesture would cost little. The beasts had been Arnprior’s and the firewood Perth’s. The animals could not reach Dunblane at the pace of the army, so would have to be abandoned if not eaten.

  By nine o’clock the vanguard of the Prince’s army came into sight. Glengyle and MacIain arranged their standard-bearers bearing their colours aloft. The pipers played as the cooks readied slices of beef for distribution.

  The first to reach them were MacIain’s own men and the advance guard of Lochiel’s regiment. Then the leaders came into sight. The Duke of Perth was a tall slim figure on horseback accompanied by the Prince and his staff.

  The party dismounted. Perth spoke first. “I know not whether to thank you or censure you Glengyle, Are these my cattle of which the Clan Gregor makes such liberal use?”

  “Your Majesty, may I present my regiment for your service,” Glengyle said, bowing to the Prince. “My swords are at your command. I have prepared a snack for the army’s refreshment. My Lord of Perth need have no fear. Buchanan of Arnprior had promised his company for your cause and then refused to march, so I levied provisions from his estate for your service. However, my Lord, I did fill some butts of water from your river down yonder and took some branches from your trees.”

  “I thank you, Glengyle,” the Prince responded. “You and your Uncle, the famous Rob Roy, were devoted adherents to my father’s cause and so, my Lord Duke tells me, was your father to that of my late grandfather.”

  “How many men have you brought, Glengyle,” the Duke of Perth asked. “There seems to be a goodly crowd here.”

  “You know MacIain of Glencoe, my Lord. He was waiting here at Connuchan with his company when we reached this place last night. There are two hundred and ten fighting men here under my command, together with forty-five of the Argyll militia whom I captured at Inversnaid fort and on the roads of Loch Lomond-side. May I present Robert MacGregor of Glencarnaig, my second in command, with his brothers Duncan and Evan. Here are Ronald, James Mòr and Robin Og MacGregor, sons to Rob Roy. Here is my own son Rob, although I regret my eldest son is warded in the Castle of Edinburgh.

  “Very well, Glengyle,” the Prince said. We thank you for your service. As you are familiar with this country we would count it an honour if you would take over the van of the army from Lochiel. Have you any intelligence of the Whigs? Are there any forces positioned ahead of us?”

  Glencaranaig came forward and indicated, pointedly, that he commanded his own company and was, for the present, keeping company with Glengyle.

  Glengyle ignored this intervention when he responded to the Duke of Perth. “My Lord,” he said. “There are none who know this country better than I. I am greatly honoured by your request and will gladly take the van. There are no unfriends to our cause in arms in this area. I have been led to understand that there may be dragoons in Menteith. The Whigs are staying within doors and do not attempt, for the present, to contest our passage.”

  Refreshed by Arnprior’s beef and Perth’s plentiful water, the army was soon on the march again. Glengyle and the Clan Gregor regiment led the vanguard with his and Glencarnaig’s pipers playing – in harmony for once. They joined the military road which had been constructed by General Wade’s men ten years earlier for suppression of the Highlanders. Today it aided the march South of a Highand army.

  This time the Jacobite army marched through Crieff with their pipers skirling and standards flying proudly in the wind. The town kept its doors locked and livestock hidden. The Provost still peered furtively from the top floor of the tolbooth. The Highlanders’ lochaber axes made short work of the town gibbet, though not their long memories of it. The army continued its triumphant march through the town. Despite the efforts of its officers more than one house was left burning as they passed.

  Onwards the army marched, as the sun passed into the west. Its light was pale through the autumn clouds. Past Muthil and Braco on to the route of Roman Agricola’s road. Another civilisation that failed to subdue the Celt. They marched by the Allan Water and through Kinbuck. Behind them the column diminished noticeably in size. The Treasury and Commissary were meagre and hungry men found their food where they could.

  By late afternoon the army entered Dunblane. Glengyle sent Rob ahead to the house of MacGregor-Drummond of Balhaldie. “Go you and see whether Balhaldie is at home. Let him know that the Prince is to be his guest.”

  Rob rapped at the door. Balhaldie himself answered, “Is the Prince here? My humble home is at his service, as I have been these many years.”

  When the Prince and his staff arrived, he requested that Glengyle and Glencarnaig should join them, along with Lochiel and the other Highland officers once they had disposed of their men for the night.

  Glengyle as leader of the vanguard had commandeered the cathedral. The choir of the old cathedral continued to serve as the parish church. However, the great nave, unroofed by presbyterian reformers would give some shelter from the weather. He disposed of his men mainly in the church and the excess in the ruined nave. As there was plenty of space left, he invited Lochiel to join them with his 700-strong regiment. Glengyle, Glencarnaig and Lochiel made their way back to Balhaldie’s house through the dirty streets of the little town.

  “Ah, Glengyle,” the Duke of Perth welcomed them as they entered the sitting room. The Prince was standing by the fire. Others of the staff were respectfully stood around. Steam rose from damp clothing in the warm room. “We have a commission for you. These prisoners of yours are a damnable drag on our progress and Lochiel has even more from the garrison at Kilcumein, apprehended on their way to Inverlochy. It is apparent that they will not give their parole and we have no secure place to ward them. Balhaldie has suggested that my lord of Moray’s Castle of Doune would be a suitable lodging place. However, Balhaldie has some intelligence that there are dragoons there. You have some useful men, as I am led to understand that the fort of Inversnaid was captured by you last week. I have suggested to the Prince that you should go there in the morning in order to repeat your recent successes.”

  Glengyle blanched. He knew the fortress of Doune well. The last cattle sale of the year took place at Doune in November. He had often looked at its massive curtain walls. “My Lord, the walls of Inversnaid were but eight feet high and poorly guarded. The fortress of Doune has walls that are thirty feet in height. Though it is nearly ruinous, if there is a guard, then I have not the wherewithal to capture such a citadel.”

  “Never fear, Glengyle,” the Duke answered. “We have a trojan horse in its castlelain. The Earl of Moray’s bailiff, Edmonstoun, is sympathetic to our cause and, indeed, his daughter met with the Prince in Dunblane and swooned at his feet. When the Prince helped her up, she begged for a kiss of him. The Prince presented his hand to her but she took him, in a most forward manner for a lady, and kissed him on the lips. She has promised us that her father will assist us in taking the castle.”

  Glengyle agreed to the Duke’s command and asked, “My Lord, I believed the army was more than three thousand. Apart from my regiment and Lochiel’s, there are few others here. What has occurred to cause this delay. Has some mishap occurred with Lord George’s division?”

  “You are correct, Glengyle, “ the Duke answered. “Some of our regiments took their opportunity to forage when they came into the low country. The officers have been delayed in attempting to reform their regiments. Our privy purse is almost empty and the
army has not been paid. Your regiment and that of Lochiel are in better order than the others at present. It is to be regretted, but some of the rearguard have not yet arrived from Crieff. We have intelligence that Lord George’s division is encamped at his house of Tullibardine. It is opportune, therefore, for your commission to capture Doune for our cause. There will be more intelligence tomorrow.”