Bellfinlay's Account of Countess of Finlater's driving over the Field of Culloden immediately after the Action. April 1. 1749.

Saturday, April 1st, (10 o’ Clock ^Forenoon) 1749,
I paid my Respects to CapnCaptain MacDonald
of Bellfinlay at his Lodgings in the
Canongate, Edinburgh, he being then
confined to his Room with two Splin-
ters that were pointing out in his
Right Leg. In the Course of the Con-
versation I told him, that I had heard
a very odd Story, which it was in his
Power to clear up to me, either as to
the Truth or FalshoodFalsehood of it, &and it was
this: That the Countess of Finlater
(Daughter of Lord Hopeton) should,
in her Coach &and Six, have driven over
the Field of Battle, Drummossie-
Muir, while the Corpses were lying
on the Field. “O Sir (said Bellfinlay)
“did I never mention that to You? I
“wonder much, if I have not told
“you of it.”— “No (answered I) you
“never mentioned one Word of that
“Subject to me.”—“Then (continued he)
“I can assure you, that, in the After-
“noon of the Day of Battle, after that
“Cumberland &and his Army had marched
“from the Field into Inverness, &and qnwhen
“I was lying on the Field stripped of
“all my CloathsClothes , I saw a Coach &and
“Six driving over the Field towards
“Inverness, &and approaching so near the
“[s]pot where I was lying, that I began to be 1235 (1235)
“be afraid they would drive over my
“naked Body, which made me stir a
“little &and look up, &and then, in their
“passing, I saw Ladies in the Coach;
“but I dare not say, from my own
“proper Knowledge, that it was the
“Countess of Finlater’s Coach, only
“I heard afterwards, that the Countess
“of Finlater’s Coach was the only
“one that had been there at that
“Time; so that I have it only by
“Report, that it was her Coach, qchwhich
“I saw driving over the Field of
“Battle, &and which came so near me,
“that the Coachman made a Lick
“at me with his Whip as if I had
“been a Dog. However, I suffered no
“Harm by it; for the Point of the
“Lash touched my Head but slightly.”
— Upon this I could ^not help remark-
ing to Bellfinlay, it was a very strange
Employment for any of the Sex to be
driving over a Field of Battle imme-
diately after an Action, when the
Bodies of the Dead &and Wounded
were lying on the Field naked and
bleeding. — Unaccountable Doings indeed!