Account of an Interview and Conversation with Mr James Grant, Merchant in Inverness, Leith, March 7. 1750

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1482 (1482)
Wednesday, March 7th, 1750. Mr James
Grant
(in this Vol: pag: 1463, 1464, &cetc)
Merch-
ant in Inverness, dined with me in my
House at Leith in Company with the
RevdReverend Mr Alexander Mitchell in EdrEdinburgh,
the RevdReverend Mr James White in Cupar
of Fyffe, &and Mr Patrick Baillie Writer in
EdrEdinburgh.

After Dinner I presented to the said JasJames
Grant the original Paper in Folio in his own
Hand-writing, which the RevdReverend Mr James
Hay in Inverness had transmitted to me,
by the Hands of the foresaid Patrick Bail-
lie, in May 1749. Mr Grant, after looking
at the Paper, acknowledged it to be all in
his own Hand-writing, &and said “Had I known,
“that Mr Hay was to have transmitted this
“Paper to you, or that it could be ever use-
“ful in making out a History of these Times,
“I would have taken more Pains, &and have
“been more exact &and particular; for as I
“imagined, that Mr Hay desired such an
“Account of me only for his own Informa-
“tion &and Satisfaction, so I was the less parti-
“cular &and circumstantial. However, such as it
“is, I do assure you, I could with Confidence
“subscribe my Name to it, as there is Nothing
“in it but Truth, &and what is well known to o-
“thers as well as to my selfmyself; &and indeed I can
“hold up my Face to the World for every
“Thingeverything I have written in that Paper.”

I then informed Mr Grant, that I had written
a long &and particular Letter
(in this Vol: p: 1425-
- 1435)
to Mr James Hay, containing several
Queries concerning the Contents of the Papers,
which Mr Hay had transmitted to me; and as I 1483 (1483)
I had taken an exact Copy of said Let-
ter, I would read the Copy in Mr Grant’s
hearing &and in that of the Company (if he
pleased) in order to have from him such
Answers to my Queries as he could give
me. Mr Grant was very well pleased with
the Proposal, &and frankly promised to give
me Answers as far as his Knowledge &and
Memory served him; of which Answers
here followeth an exact Account.

1.
As to the first Query, Mr Grant said,
“I know the Servant-Maid well, but have for-
got her Name. However, as she still lives
“in Inverness, I will get her Name, and
“send it to you; and I will endeavour
“to procure you (if possible) the Name
“of the Dragoon, &and the Names of the two
“Low Countrymen, that were murdered
“by the said Dragoon; for I know the
“House, in which the said two Men
“were murdered.”

2.
Mr Grant said, he would easily pro-
cure the Name of the Gentleman, whose
Throat was cut in a high Fever; but
alleged, there would be difficulty in finding
out the Names of the Dragoons, who did the
Deed. However, he would do his best to find
out their Names.

3.
“That Man was called (said Mr Grant)
“by some Ewan Mackvee, &and by others Ewan
“Mackay.” Mr Grant &and Mr Baillie agreed
in saying, that there is a Tribe of the Ca-
merons distinguished by the Name of Mack-
vee.
4. 1484 (1484)
4.
Mr Grant said, he believed, it was Ge-
neral Husk, that gave Provost Hossack the
severe Kick at the Head of the Stair; but
he promised to get me certain Account.

5.
This Query is answered by Mr Hay him-
self already, in this Vol: pag: 1456. “But
“(said Mr Grant) the Sogers took away
“all the Books in the Meeting-House.”

6.
Here Mr Grant said, he could not really
affirm any Thinganything certain about the poisoned
Bread; but only that it was a common Re-
port in &and about Inverness, &and that the said
Report met with Credit in that Country. Mr
Grant promised to make farther InquiryEnquiry
about this Matter according to the
Terms of my Query.

7.
Mr Grant knows not; but will endeavour
to discover.

8.
Mr Grant, if he can, is to find out the
Names of the three compassionate Officers.1

9.
Mr Grant knows not, but will endeav-
our to discover.

10.
Right.

11.
Mr Grant said, “Alexander MacIntosh
“of Essich, being much wounded in the Battle
“of Culloden, did save himself by crawl-
“ing on his Hands &and Feet the Night imme-
“diately after the Battle; but then Mr
“MacIntosh was obliged to procure two shill:shillings
“sterl:sterling to give ^to the Sentinels, whom he was
“obliged to pass through in his Crawling, &and
“who were appointed (among others) to guard
“the Field of Battle; the said Sentinels
“taking the two shill:shillings sterl:sterling &and saying, that the 1485 (1485)
“the Money was better to them than the
“taking of his Life.” — However, Mr
Grant added, he could not affirm, that
the said MacIntosh of Essich was the Per-
son meant by Mr Hay; for that he (Mr
Grant) had Reason to think, that more
than one had been saved in the same
Way, &and in the same Night, with the said
Mr MacIntosh. Mr Grant promised to
make farther InquiryEnquiry about others that
were thus preserved.

12.
Right as to Fraser; &and as to the other
Parts of this Query Mr Grant is to en-
deavour to make them out. — Here, Mr
Grant told a remarkable Narrative, which
is as follows. That Lauchlan Grant
(Writer in EdrEdinburgh &and Foreman to Mr AlexrAlexander
Lockheart Advocate) travelling up the
Country immediately after the Battle
of Culloden, &and crossing the Field of
Battle, came to a Country-house near
the Field, where he halted, &and in which
House he saw One of the Name of
Shaw (a Badenoch-man, being a hand-
some, well-looking Fellow) wounded
&and striptstripped, to whom the said Lauchlan
Grant gave a Shirt &and some Shillings
in Money. That in the same Country-
house the said Lauchlan Grant did see
likewise, at the same Time, another Man,
whose Head he (Lauchlan Grant) believed
was cloven to the Harns2, &and whose Tongue was
so hanging out, that the poor Man himself could 1486 (1486)
could not put it in again, but Lauchlan
Grant put in the poor Man’s Tongue, &and tied a
Napkin about his cloven Head, upon which
the poor Man thanked Lauchlan Grant ^in Erse
&and prayed God to reward him. That same
night Lauchlan Grant came to Inverness,
took up his Quarters with the often-mention-
ed James Grant Merchant, &and gave the said
James Grant an Account of what he had
seen &and done in the Country-house near
the Field of Battle. The next Day, Af-
ternoon, the said James Grant meeting
accidentally upon the Street of Inver-
ness with Mr ✝ Angus Shaw, presbyterian
Preacher at Pettie, upbraided him to his
Face (not sparing the whole Fraternity of
presbyterian Preachers) for not doing more
&and interceedinginterceding for the Distressed, particu-
larly those of his own Name, &and then nar-
rated to him all that he had heard from
Lauchlan Grant about poor wounded Shaw
(the Badenoch-man) lying in the Country-
House; but Mr Angus Shaw notwithstand-
ing the pressing Importunity of James
Grant) did not give himself any Manner
of Trouble about poor wounded Shaw,
though afterwards the said Mr Angus Shaw
thought fit to give out, in his own Vindica-
tion (as James Grant expressly &and positively
affirmed to me R:Robert F:Forbes &and the Company, and
calling it a downright Lie) that he went
to the Field in Quest of the poor wounded
Shaw, &and that when he came to the Field
of Battle, he (Mr Angus Shaw) chanced to
see the said wounded Shaw set up with some o-thers

✝
Lauchlan, says Mr Innes, in this Vol: p: 1500.
1487(1487)
thers to be instantly killed in cold Blood,
&and that then he (Mr Angus Shaw) did not
think it proper to interfere, for fear of
personal Harm to himself from the So-
gers employed to execute the Orders.
“But (said James Grant) the plain Mat-
“ter of Fact is this, that one Lauchlan
“Shaw Quartermaster to Sempil’s Regi-
“ment, upon hearing the dismal Story,
“sent a Brother✝ of his own ^Alexander Shaw &and a Surgeon
“to the Field of Battle, in Order to seek
“out the said wounded Shaw (the Bade-
“noch-Man) &and to take Care of him, if
“possible; that when the said Brother
“of the Quartermaster &and the said Surgeon
“were approaching towards the Field of
“Battle, they spied Carts bringing wounded
“Men from different Quarters to a certain
“Spot on the Field; that, upon coming near
“the said Spot, they saw wounded Shaw
“(the Badenoch-man whom they were seek-
“ing for) placed among the wounded, &and the
“Soldiers making ready to kill them in
“cold Blood; upon which the Surgeon stoptstopped
“short, &and told the Quartermaster’s Brother
“he would not go further, for fear of the
“worst, &and the Quartermaster’s Brother, look-
“ing the poor wounded Shaw (his own Rela-
“tion) in the Face, saw him put to Death,
“&and durst not venture to say a Word for
“saving of his Life, lest he should have
“been made to bear him Company to the
“other World. This (said James Grant again
“&and again) is the true matter of Fact as to the
“Fate of poor wounded Shaw the Badenoch-Man.”

See Vol: 2. p: 378, 379.
✝
commonly called cripple Sandie Shaw
because of a lame Leg.
13. 1488 (1488)
13.
Mr Grant cannot tell; but will enquire.

14.
Mr Grant takes this Man to be a Ten-
ant of the Laird of Inches
(See Vol: 2. p: 377)

but will enquire about this &and the other
Particulars of this Query.

15.
Mr Grant could tell nothing about this.

16.
Mr Grant cannot tell; but will enquire.

17.
“This (said Mr Grant) is very true; but
“then I know not the Names of the Men.
“However, being well acquainted with
“Grant of Daldriggan, I hope, I may
“easily find out their Names.”

18.
19.
20.
21.
As to the Particulars in these several
Queries, Mr Grant ^said he could not tell,
but he would enquire.

Something

22.
The foresaid often-mentioned James
Grant, Merchant in Inverness.

23.
The Name of the poor lame Man
is John MacKenzie. Mr Grant is to
enquire about the Dragoon’s Name.

24.
The forementioned Lauchlan Shaw
of Strathspey by Birth.

25.
Mr Grant is to enquire about these
Names. Mean timeMeantime, he declared, he saw
at the Doors of the King’s Milns twelve
or fifteen dead Corpses, some lying u-
pon dry Ground, &and others lying in the
Water.

26.
Mr Grant said, he can easily get the
Names of these three Women, as he has
some Acquaintance of them.

In a Word ^Mr Grant promised again &and again, that,
upon his Return to Inverness, he would wait
upon the RevdReverend Mr Hay, from whom he
would ask the Use of my Letter, &and would direct 1489 (1489)
direct his InquiriesEnquiries by the Contents
of it; and that he would, moreover,
lay himself out to find out other
Things, of all which he would trans-
mit Accounts to me R:Robert F:Forbes

In talking of the Glenmoriston-Men,
who, after the Battle of Culloden, were
prevailed upon by the Laird of Grant
to surrender themselves &and to deliver
up their Arms at Inverness, Mr James
Grant was very plain &and full in his Ex-
pressions. He said, that the bad &and harsh
Treatment of the Glenmoriston-Men was
not owing to any Treachery in the Laird
of Grant; for that the Laird had actual-
ly got Assurances, that the Glenmoriston-
Men should be safe &and should meet wtwith
no Hardship upon their Surrendry &and
delivering up their Arms. But the harsh
&and cruel Treatment, used against these
~~M[]~~ Men of Glenmoriston, was owing
altogether to a Pique the D:Duke of Cum-
berland entertained against the Laird
of Grant for not raising his Men in the
Service of the Government; for no sooner
had the Glenmoriston-Men made their Ap-
pearance at Inverness &and delivered up
their Arms, than the D:Duke of Cumberland
(to be revenged upon the Laird of Grant
for not raising his Men) gave Orders to make
them all Prisoners, when the poor Men were
in full Expectation of being sent home in Safety. 1490 (1490)
Safety. It is very remarkable (as James Grant
observed) that the D:Duke of Cumberland was
very much mistaken as to the Pique he en-
tertained against the Laird of Grant;
for that no Man was more zealous &and firm
in the Interest of the Government, &and had
a greater Inclination to promote it, than
the Laird of Grant. In a Word the Laird
of Grant did actually use his utmost En-
deavours more than once to raise his Men;
but they positively refused to stir a Foot,
unless the Laird would assure them,
that they were to join the Highland Ar-
my. — When James Grant had given
this Account of the Matter, the foresaid Pa-
trick Baillie happened to differ from him
as to the Case of the Glenmoriston-Men,
&and did insinuate, that the Laird of Grant
was blame-worthy as to the harsh Treat-
ment they met with; but James Grant
stood to his Tackling3, &and was positive, that
the Representation he had given was the
Truth of the Matter. “Not (said James
“Grant) that I say this with a View to vindi-
“cate the Laird of Grant; let him vindi-
“cate himself; but then Truth obliges me
“to say what I have said, because I had
“it from those very Persons, who were in-
“terested in prevailing with the Glenmori-
“ston-Men to surrender in hopes of
“Safety.”— Mr Grant &and Mr Baillie a-
greed, that there were about✝ 150 of the
Glenmoriston ^Men thus cruelly used, some dying
on Ship-board, some in Tilbury-Fort, o-
thers were banished, &and only about half
a dozen of them returned home. — Mr Grant said,

✝
Vol: 8. pag: 1679.
1491 (1491)
said, “he made no doubt at all, but the
“Laird of Grant, in the Event of the
“Surrendry of the Glenmoriston-Men,
“had it in his View to make a Merit
“of this Piece of Service, thereby to
“ingratiate himself with the D:Duke of Cum-
“berland; but (as Mr Grant truly ob-
“served) the Laird met with a terri-
“ble Disappointment, &and even let him
“take up his Thanks for what he did.”
See Vol: 2. p: 312, 313. Vol: 6. p: 1329.

As to the Refusal of the Grants to rise
in Arms, even when desired by their own
Chief, &and their Attachment to the Pr—[ince] &and
his Army, James Grant said, he needed
only to appeal to the kind &and compassi-
onate Usage the sculkingskulking Gentlemen
met with among the Grants after the
Battle of Culloden, who took such
Care of them (&and Numbers of them
did sculkskulk in the Country of the Grants)
that they were absolutely safe, &and
wanted for nothing. “But (added JasJames
“Grant) it is a Thing well known, that
“the Grants would not rise in Arms e-
“ven at the Importunity of their own
“Chief.”— Here the RevdReverend Mr AlexrAlexander
Mitchel said, he remembredremembered nothing
better, than that some of the Grants
did rise in Arms before the Skirmish
at Inverury, &and came down the Country
as far as Strathbogie; but when they had
learntlearned there, that they were to join the Laird 1492 (1492)
Laird of MacLeod &and his Following,
&and to march towards AbdAberdeen, they then
(every one of them) refused to go a
Foot farther, &and instantly went home
again. In this Rising it would appear,
that the Grants had been imposed upon,
&and made believe that they were to have
joined the Pr—[ince]’s Adherents. — It is
well known, that the Laird of MacLeod
used this deceitful dissembling Art to
raise his own Following; insomuch that
the MacLeods had white Cockades in
their Bonnets at their Rising &and in
passing from the Isle of Sky to the
Continent, which I R:Robert F:Forbes have had
affirmed to me by several Persons of
the Isle of Sky, who had Access to
know this Affair well. — As to the Arts
of Dissimulation used [] by the Laird
of MacLeod, See Vol: 5. pag: 883, &cetc.

Monday, March 12th. 1750, the foresaid Mr
James Grant dined with me, renewed his Promis-
es to me, &and badbade FarewelFarewell to me, being upon
his Return to Inverness.

Robert Forbes, A: M:

Copy

Date	07 Mar 1750
Time
Occasion
Person (main)	James Grant
Person (participant)	Robert Forbes
Person (participant)	Revd.Reverend Alexander Mitchell
Person (participant)	Revd.Reverend Mr. James White
Place	Leith