Jacobite Occupation of Speymouth

By February 1st 1746 the Jacobite army were in trouble. The Duke of Cumberland had taken back Edinburgh after marching north from Newcastle in response to the Jacobites having reached as far south as Loughborough.

They retreated in two main bodies one led by Charles himself via Perth, Dunlceld, Blair Atholl, Aviemore and so to Inverness and a body led by Lord George via Perth Forfar, Brechin, Aberdeen, Old Meldrum, Strathbogie and Inverness.

As early as Tuesday, February 11th some of the Jacobites had reached Speymouth staying in Fochabers and Stynie and on that Sunday 16th there were three Jacobites from Edinburgh attending the Kirk. As part of the service the normal pray for the Hannoverain King George was made but they caused no disturbance.

The following weekend James Crichton of Auchingoul, de jure 7th Lord Crichton and 7th Viscount of Frendraught part of Lord Lewis Gordon’s regiment who had raised an army from Aberdeen, reached Garmouth. There were problems – the troops, called locally in the Kirk Sessions as rebels, were “unruly”. On the Sunday there was an incident with a papist prisoner be taken from the east side of the Spey from Dallachy to Garmouth. The prisoner was being “persuaded” to hand of a family sword however they never made and 7 or 8 people were lost at sea when crossing the Spey via the sea. Two of the corpses were found a week later and buried in Essle cemetery.

A major part of the Jacobite army abandoned Aberdeen on February 23rd and moved north into the area between Elgin and Forres. There were Jacobites in Speymouth during all of the month of March – it is believed that they were under the command of Glenbucket.  Glenbucket was a hard battle weary man. His line was that of originally ducal factors to the Gordons from Aberdeen. Glenbucket and others had been pressing the poor disenchanted as wells tenants into going the Jacobites. His recruiting techniques were brutal (¹).

Thus a boy of seventeen, Charles Gordon, son of the farmer of Binhall, near Keith, told the judges at Southwark that he was seized by Glenbucket when on the way to a fair with his father’s cattle. The father offered money, but Glenbucket said he wanted men not money, and damned him. So he was carried off on a hussars saddle ” surrounded by forty,” and all his father, who had previously been imprisoned for protesting against Glenbucket’s interference with the Duke of Gordon’s men, could do, was to say, ” Perdition catch the old villain! ” John Burnett, another prisoner, also declared that he had been forced by Glenbucket to take up arms. He had fled from his house, but had been tracked down by the old man and taken away with drawn swords and bound.” Charles Gordon, the laird of Terpersie in the parish of Tullynessle, declared in a petition to the King that he had been press-ganged by Glenbucket, who by force and violence forced every person residing in that country to join in that horrid attempt “; but this did not save him, for he was hanged at Carlisle. Terpersie’s son James, though only a fifteen -year-old school-boy, was seized and forcibly carried into the rebellion by a party of Highlanders, under the command of Glenbucket’s son David.

So it was that men under this man’s command were camping in the area. Sometime during February and March 20 shillings was stolen or taken by force from James Maver in Upper Stynie and then went for the the Poor funds from a Mr Bartlett who clerk to the Kirk Sessions.

Plundering or just plain robbery must have been common like this. The Jacobites documented plundering on about 19th March, 1746 at the home of the Earl of Findlater at Cullen, as a result of the Earl’s refusal to pay his contribution to the levy money. Basically this amounts to a revolutionary tax.

There are few references to plundering in government sources. On September 19th, Thomas Grant of Arndillie wrote that Gordon of Glenbucket had been seizing horses and arms at Gordon Castle and in the Fochabers area on the previous day and was also in the Afflunkart district on the 10th. On October 10th 1745, some arms were stolen from the town house at Nairn by a party of Clan Chattan.

Rosebery’s List (²), accuses only five persons of plundering, three of whom came from near Aberdeen. They were John Garvich a servant of Buckholy Aberdeen, James Anderson, gardener of Drum near Aberdeen, present at the Battle of Falkirk, Robert Easson, labourer of Aboyne, William Taylor, a farmer’s son of Banff, who with William Gray, a salmon fisher from Fochabers, was at the plundering of the Earl of Findlater’s house.

When plundering is mentioned it appears to be carried out by the poorest elements of the rebels. Some credit for the absence of extensive plundering in the Moray area may be due to Lord Pitsligo who had command from his base in Elgin. From February 19th onwards there was the forced levying of meal and money in these region. Moreover there seems to have been some official sanction for the plundering of the Earl of Findlater, and the threat of it may have been in other cases to enforce payment, but there is little actual evidence to prove this.

Another example of protection of local property is the account of Gordon of Minmore a captain in the Jacobite army, who commanded Prince Charlie’s bodyguard at Culloden. According to the official return of the rebels, he had “behaved discreetly and protected the houses of Sir Harry Innes and several ministers…“.

Quartering, however, as distinct from plundering, was used as a common punishment for non-payment of cess in the Elgin and Speymouth districts.

On Sunday the 2nd March there were again rebels in the Kirk service without incident again when the pray was made to King George. From the notes of Captain James Stuart of Lord Ogilvies’s Regiment (³) we can begin to see what the morale and state of readiness was within the army at this time:

2nd March

All the troops are to be in readiness to march to-morrow morning, but the pipes will not play, nor drums beat, till further orders. The command ing officers of each regiment are desired to keep their men in readiness, at a momentis warning.

….
Any regiment that has heavy baggage are desired to send it to Elgin, to-morrow morning, by breack of day, under an escort of their own men.

4th March

The commanding officer of the guard is desired to send a corporal and some men to see that all the boats are fastened on this side of the river, so that the water do not carry them away. There is one boat too far down, which must be brought up with the rest.

and securing Gordon Castle
A serjeant and 10 men of Berwickis piquet to mount guard this night at the Castle of the Duke of Gordon, and are to relieve themselves to morrow.

8th March

Crichton will send a serjeant and 10 men to guard the hay, oats, etc. opposite to the Ferry of Fochabirs. Lord Ogilvyis second battalion will give a serjeant and 10 men, under the com mand of Mr. Henderson, to be at nine of the clock at the Boat house on the other side of the water.

16th March

It is recommended to the guard on the water side, more exactitude in regard of those that go or come over the water. The inhabitants of the town complain that the soldiers take away the peats that belong to particulars, and carry them to their lodgings : it is absolutely forbid to do it any more, and any soldier that shall be catched doing it for the future, shall be severely punished.

18th March

Lord Ogilvyis 1st battalion which stands the guard this night, will have a great attention to observe what shall pass on the other side of the water, and, in case of allarm, will send immediately and advertise Lord Drummond, who is lodged at the minister’s of Speymouth. Two serjeants of Lord Ogilvyis 1st batalion will stay all night at my Lordis lodgings, to receive what orders he may think proper to give. One of each corps to stay all night at the boatmanis, to receive what orders may be given. Lord Balmerinois horse, and the Perthshire squadron, will furnish the same number for the patrouille for to morrow, as was furnished to day. Wednesday. Regiment cantoned about Diple, to guard the ffoords of Spey. Thursday. Rested there. Friday, 21st March, 1746. Rested. Enemyis quarters surprized and beat up at Keith (The advanced guard of the Royal Army which was posted at Keith, consisted of 70 Campbells and 30 of Kingston’s Dragoons. Nine of them were killed, and a consider able number wounded. The rest were made prisoners, except five or six who escaped.)

He remains in Dipple patrolling the Spey with more an more “exactitude” clearly expecting the Royal Army to appear at any moment. On the 10th March the entry shows:

In case of allarm, the bell of the kirk near the Duke of Perthis quarters will ring, at which time all the troops will join immediately their corps. Patrolls with greatest exactitude.

Around 11th March Bonnie Prince Charlie supposedly made a visit to Gordon Castle from Elgin. (⁴). There is little contemporary record of the Prince’s visit to Elgin. The newspapers of the day mention his visit and his illness which probably Scarlet Fever.

Local tradition says that he daily, when able, visited Gordon Castle.

The Duke of Gordon eventually met up with Cumberland in Aberdeen (⁵ and ⁶) apparently arriving on March 9th having left March 8th. He had left the Castle, ‘on foot, and in the most secret manner he could, the rebels who had lived upon his estate, having constantly watched him ever since they had been there’ . This was 3 days prior to the arrival of the Prince at the castle for the official visit even if he had arrived at Elgin on 11th March. The Duke of Cumberland’s own memoirs do not give a date for the Duke of Gordon’s arrival at Aberdeen.

It was reported in the Scots magazine (⁷):

According to letters of the Duke the 9th,from Aberdeen, the rebels still pretended that they would defend the passage of the Spey. Lord John Drummond, who was chief of those in that part of the country, with the remains of his regiment, and a few French horse lately landed, was at Gordon castle. Their low country people, whom they set at 3000, were at Elgin, Fochabers, and other places on both sides the Spey. They were intrenching themselves, and preparing herrissons(⁸) and crow feet(⁹) to spoil the fords; and they gave out that the clans were coming behind them.

Information that had arrived on the 9th, coinciding with the arrival of the Duke.

Reportedly staying at and visiting the manse in Speymouth were the Jacobite leaders:

• Lord John Drummond – who was the younger son of James Drummond, 5th earl and second titular Duke of Perth, and Lady Jane Gordon, daughter of George Gordon, 1st Duke of Gordon. He was the grandson of James Drummond, 4th Earl of Perth, who was stripped of his titles for taking part in theJacobite Rising of 1715. He was first cousin to the Duke of Gordon and Lord Lewis Gordon.
• Duke of Perth or James Drummond, Lord John Drummond’s brother and also the son of Lady Jane Gordon. He was first cousin to the Duke of Gordon and Lord Lewis Gordon.
• Sir William Gordon Park – Sir William Gordon of Park, 3rd Baronet was the son of Sir James Gordon of Park, 2nd Baronet and Margaret Elphinstone. He married Lady Janet Duff, daughter of William Duff, 1st Earl Fife and Jean Grant, in 1745.2 He died on 5 June 1751 at Douai, France. He succeeded to the title of 3rd Baronet Gordon, of Park, co. Banff. He was attainted after Culloden.
• John Gordon of Avachie – John Gordon of Avochie, while still a young man, was active in the ’45. He recruited a number of local men to support the cause and was made colonel of his own battalion, becoming a right hand man of Lord Lewis Gordon. At the skirmish at Inverurie he played a large part in defeating the Macleods and other Hanoverian troops, and at Culloden his men held their ground in the face of the onslaught.
• Cowbardie – James Gordon of Coubardie, Banffshire. His house in Aberdeen was sacked by government troops but it is doubtful that at this date he knew about it.
• Lord Strathallan or William Drummond was the commander in chief of the Jacobite army at the time until Lord John Drummond took over
• Lord Balmerino – Arthur Elphinstone, Elphinstone was the son of John Elphinstone, 4th Lord Balmerino and 3rd Lord Coupar, and of his second wife, Anne Ross. Following the accession of the House of Hanover to the throne of Great Britain in 1714, he resigned his commission to join the Jacobite cause in the uprising of 1715. Escaping after the Battle of Sheriffmuir, he joined the French army. In 1733, his father obtained a pardon from the English crown, and Elphinstone returned to Scotland. In 1744, he joined with Prince Charles.
• Earl of Kilmarnock – William Boyd. His father was on the government side in 1715 but in 1745 possibly because of debts owed he sided with the Jacobites. He made provision in his will, he was beheaded in 1746 after surviving Culloden, to the shoemakers of Elgin as he had commissioned 70 pairs of shoes for his soldiers and had not paid for them.
• Secretary Murray – Sir John Murray of Broughton, 7th Baronet Stanhope (c. 1718 – December 6, 1777) who was secretary to Prince Charles Edward Stuart (‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’)
• Mr Sullivan – Sir John O’Sullivan, aka John William O’Sullivan, an Irishman who had fought in France and who was recruited by Prince Charles. He had the role of Quartermaster General in the Jacobite Army. His judgement was fundamental in the lack of the defence of the Spey which led eventually to Culloden. It was said of him (¹⁰ ) “his vanity is superseded only by his lack of wisdom.”

1. Bulloch, John Malcolm. The Gay Gordons: Some Strange Adventures of a Famous Scots Family. 1908. Reprint. London: Forgotten Books, 2013. 84-5. Print. ↩
2. A List of persons concerned in the Rebellion, Transmitted to the Commissioners of Excise. Preface by Lord Rosebery. Edin.· Univ. Press Scot. Hist. Society. Vol. VIII 1890.↩
3. Munro, Alexander Macdonald et al. The Miscellany Of The New Spalding Club. Aberdeen: Printed for the Club, 1890. Print. ↩
4. Forbes, Robert et al. Itinerary Of Prince Charles Edward Stuart From His Landing In Scotland, July 1745 To His Departure In September 1746 Compiled From The Lyon In Mourning, Supplemented And Corrected From Other Contemporary Sources By Walter Biggar Blaikie With A Map. Edinburgh: Printed at the University Press by T. and A. Constable for the Scottish History Society, 1897. Print. ↩
5. Waller, T. Historical Memoirs Of His Late Royal Highness William-Augustus, Duke Of Cumberland: Including The Military And Political History Of Great-Britain, During That Period. 1767. Print. ↩
6. THE SCOTS MAGAZINE . CONTAINING GENERAL VIEW OF THE Religion, Politicks, Entertainment, &c. I N GREAT BRITAIN : And a succinct ACCOUNT of PUBLICK AFFAIRS FOREIGN and DOMESTICK For the YEAR M.DCC.XLVI. VOLUME VIII. ↩
7. THE SCOTS MAGAZINE . CONTAINING GENERAL VIEW OF THE Religion, Politicks, Entertainment, &c. I N GREAT BRITAIN : And a succinct ACCOUNT of PUBLICK AFFAIRS FOREIGN and DOMESTICK For the YEAR M.DCC.XLVI. VOLUME VIII. ↩
8. HERISSON,Fr.a turnpike which is made of one stout beam that is fenced by a quantity of iron spikes, and which is fixed upon a pivot,in the manner that our turnstiles are, so that it can turn in every direction.  James, C. (1805). A new and enlarged military dictionary, or, Alphabetical explanation of technical terms. London: Printed for T. Egerton at the Military Library. ↩
9. CROWS-feet (also known as Caltrops), in the art of war, are 4 pointed irons,so made,that what way so-ever they fall,one point is always uppermost. The short ones are about 4 inches in length, and the long ones 6 or 7.  The short ones are thrown on bridges and the long ones on the earth to incommode the cavalry that they may not approach without great difficulty. James, C. (1805). A new and enlarged military dictionary, or, Alphabetical explanation of technical terms. London: Printed for T. Egerton at the Military Library. ↩
10. Culloden. BBC Television Drama Documentary, 1964. Historical Adviser John Prebble. Written by Peter Watkins. ↩