| As the future progress of the insurrection in
the Highlands depended much upon the Frasers, Lord Loudon, in conjunction with Lord
President Forbes, resolved to march to Castle Downie, the seat of Lord Lovat, and to
obtain the best satisfaction that could be got for the peaceable behaviour of that
powerful clan. For this purpose, two companies of the Mackenzies, which had been posted
near Brahan, were called into Inverness on the 9th of December, and after allowing the
detachment, which had been at Fort Augustus, one day's rest, his lordship left Inverness
on the 10th, taking along with him that detachment and the two companies, amounting
together to 800 men, and proceeded to Castle Downie. The
earl prevailed upon Lord Lovat to go with him to Inverness, and to live there under his
own eye, until all the arms of which the clan were possessed, (and of which he promised to
obtain the delivery,) were brought in. But instead of delivering the arms on the day
fixed, being the 14th of December, he made excuses and fresh promises from the day to day
till the 21st, when Lord Loudon, thinking that he was deceived, placed sentries at the
door of the house where Lord Lovat resided,intending to commit him to the castle of
Inverness next morning; but his lordship contrived to escape during the night through a
back passage, and, being very infirm, was supposed to have been carried off on men's
shoulders.
Next in importance to the keeping down of the Frasers, was
the relief of the shires of Banff and Aberdeen from the sway of Lord Lewis Gordon. To put
an end to the recruiting and exactions of this nobleman, the laird of Macleod was sent the
same day that Lord Loudon proceeded to the seat of Lord Lovat with a body of 500 men,
composed of 400 of his own kindred, and 100 of the Macleods of Assint, towards Elgin and
these were to be followed by as many men as could be spared from Inverness, after
adjusting matters with Lord Lovat. Accordingly, on the 13th, 200 men were detached under
Captain Munro of Culcairn, to follow Macleod to Elgin and Aberdeen, and these were again
to be followed by other small bodies, and by Lord Loudon himself, as soon as matters were
finally settles with Lovat. The escape of that wily old chief, however, put an end to this
part of the plan, as it was considered dangerous to reduce the force near Inverness any
further, while Lord Lovat was at large. |
