Great Britain -- History -- 18th century -- Sources; Pitt, William, Earl of Chatham, 1708-1778; Walpole, Robert, Earl of Orford, 1676-1745
The Prince stayed where the standard was set up two days, and I have
heard Major MacDonell frequently say in the Castle of Edinburgh, that,
he had never seen the Prince more cheerful at any time, and in higher
spirits than when he had got together four or five hundred men about the
standard. Major MacDonell presented the Prince with the first good horse
he mounted in Scotland, which the Major had taken from Captain Scott,
son of Scotstarvet.
On Friday, August 23d, the Prince lodged in Fassafern, three miles down
the Loch Eil, and about five miles from Fort William. On sight of a
warship which lay opposite to the garrison, the Prince crossed a hill,
and went to Moy or Moidh, a village on the river Lochy belonging to
Lochiel. There he stayed till Monday, August 26th, waiting intelligence
about General Cope; and that day he crossed the river Lochy, and lodged
in a village called Leterfinla, on the side of Loch Lochy. At 12 o'clock
at night, being very stormy and boisterous, he learned that General Cope
was at Garvaimor, whereupon the men stood to arms all night. But the
General had altered his route, and by forced marches was making the best
of his way to Inverness, which (as was given out) happened by an express
from President Forbes advising the General not to attempt going up the
country to attack the Highlanders at the Pass of Corierag (very strong
ground) where they had posted themselves, but to make all the haste he
could to Inverness, where he might expect the Monroes, etc., to join
him, whereby he would be considerably reinforced.
Upon notice that the General was marching towards Inverness, about six
hundred of the Highlanders urged the being allowed to follow him under
cloud of night and promised to come up with him, and to give a good
account of him and his command. But the Prince would not hear of such an
attempt, and desired them to wait for a more favourable opportunity. It
was with much difficulty that they could be prevailed upon to lay aside
the thoughts of any such enterprise. This I had from the brave Major
MacDonell.
When the Prince was coming down the Highlands to meet General Cope (as
was supposed) he walked sixteen miles in boots, and one of the heels
happening to come off, the Highlanders said they were unco glad to hear
it, for they hoped the want of the heel would make him march at more
leisure. So speedily he marched that he was like to fatigue them all.
_August 27th._ The Prince slept at Glengary's house, and next night lay
at Aberchallader, a village belonging to Glengary.
_August 30th._ The Prince and his army were at Dalnacardoch, a publick
house in Wade's Road, as appears from a letter writ by the Duke of Athol
to a lady desiring her to repair to Blair Castle to put it in some
order, and to do the honours of that house when the Prince should happen
to come there, which he did the day following, August 31st. I saw the
letter and took the date of it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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