Origins of the 'Forty-five : $b and other papers relating to that rising
History
Origins of the 'Forty-five : $b and other papers relating to that rising
Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746
Lord Ancrum’s orders for bringing in of arms were very extraordinary,
and indeed cannot be better exposed than by giving them and Lord
Loudon’s in the same place, vid. _Scots Mag._ for July, p. 339.[386]
_Ill Conduct of the Soldiers_
Most of the Officers of Fleeming’s Regiment were but young men, and
did not at all behave in an agreeable manner. They seemed too much to
look on the Army as a community of separate interests from that of the
Nation, and it was the common axiom of those even in highest command in
Aberdeen, that no laws but the Military were to be regarded. They took
it in their heads to despise all in civil capacity, and especially as
much as possible to thwart the Governors of the town in every thing.
They had no manner of confidence either in the gentlemen of town or
country, not even in those who had merited so well for their zeal for
the Establishment; such as Mr. Middleton of Seaton, Mr. Burnet of
Kemnay, etc., nay, some of them were on many occasions ill used by
them. The Clergy of the Church of Scotland, for as much as they courted
and applauded them in time of danger, were now their common subject for
ridicule; and a deal of spleen was shown against them, that it should
be thought they had in the least merited well of their country, and
thus should have a title to some regard as well as the Military, and
not the least pendicle of the Army, a Commissary of foraging Clerks,
etc., but would have more regard paid to their representative than any
Clergyman.
_People Disgusted_
Such was the injudicious conduct of the Lord Ancrum and most of
the officers of this Corps, which soon raised great disgust and
heartburning. The Officers only, associated with one another, were
seldom troubled with any advice from anybody of consequence acquainted
with the country; or if they were, were sure to slight it. This
gave infinite satisfaction to the Jacobites who rejoiced in these
dissensions. It was this mutual disgust which on the one hand provoked
the soldiers in so riotous a manner to break almost the whole windows
in the town for not being illuminated on the first of August,[387] when
the towns people had no reason to think Illuminations would be expected
of them; and on the other hand provoked the townsfolks to resent it
so highly, for had there been a good understanding betwixt the Corps
and them, such an outrage would probably not have been committed, or
if some illegal things had been done they’d as probably have been
overlooked, or at least easily atoned for.
Immediately after this, Ancrum was removed and Lord Sempile[388]
succeeded him.
A TRUE ACCOUNT OF MR. JOHN DANIEL’S PROGRESS WITH PRINCE CHARLES EDWARD
IN THE YEARS 1745 AND 1746 WRITTEN BY HIMSELF
_The manuscript preserved at Drummond Castle from which this Narrative
is printed bears the following docquet:_--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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