Women of the '45

There are many stories, legends and just plain lies about the last Jacobite Rising in 1745 (hereafter referred to as the '45). Many of these lies are nothing more than Hanoverian propaganda. The purpose of this thread however is to introduce those who don't know to some of the women who participated in the so-called Rebellion.

Some of these women were powerful in their own right being either rich, well-respected or married to clan chiefs. Others were most decidely not powerful. Most were the wives, girlfriends or “bits on the side” of the men who made up the Jacobite army. (As an aside here, before anyone gets too confused, Scotswomen who marry keep their own surnames. This can lead to interesting problems (if a Joan Smith marries a John Smith, in legal documents she would be referred to as Joan Smith or Smith), but the husbands name is always secondary).

I'm going to focus this thread on a few women who had very different experiences of the '45. These are, in no particular order:

Colonel Anne – Anne Farquharson of Invercauld, wife to Aeneas (Angus) Mackintosh, chief of the Macintoshes (who were part of the Clan Chattan federation). Mackintosh was a serving officer in the Hanoverian military, being in a Captain in the Black Watch. Colonel Anne (who was 22 at the time) raised a regiment of 300 men commanded by Alexander McGillivray of Dunmaglass. This regiment only joined the Jacobite army in time to fight at Falkirk on the 17^th of January, subsequently it fought in the Jacobite centre at Culloden.

After the Hanoverian victory, Colonel Anne got off very lightly. A detachment of “several officers and 200 men( was despatched to arrest her the day after Culloden. This detachment looted, plundered, raped and murdered on it's way to this arrest. She was arrested, the detachment spent that night investigating (and imbibing) her wine cellar. The naxt day she was taken to Inverness on horseback with the redcoat drummers beating out the funeral march. However, after six weeks she was released into her husbands custody – which was only fair, as the Jacobites had released him into her custody earlier.

Captain Jenny - Jenny Cameron of Glendessary raised 300 men for the cause and marched with them to Glenfinnan for the raising of the standard. She was in her mid 40's at the time, yet according to the pamphlet “The Life of Miss Jenny Cameron, the Reputed Mistress of the Deputy Pretender” she was a real “party girl” (I have a sneaking feeling that the writer of this pamphlet had just read Moll Flanders).

Even before the Hanoverian victory, Jenny had been arrested. She spent the months between February and November 1746 “banged-up” (incarcerated- for the benefit of the furriners) in Edinburgh Castle.

Margaret Johnstone (Lady Ogilvie) – When her husband David proclaimed Charles as Prince Regent at the mercat cross of Coupar Angus, Margaret stood at his side with a drawn sword. She also travelled with him for the duration of the campaign.

After the Hanoverian victory, Margaret was arrested in Inverness while she was waiting for news of the battle. She too was sent Edinburgh Castle – the ladies among the prisoners had considerable freedom (within the Castle) and they could have visitors. Lady Ogilvie was removed from “durance vile” on 21^st November 1746 by her sister, a couple of her sisters friends and a maidservant. When her escape was discovered, these friends were arrested and released after a short time. The guards were court-martialled (of course). She eventually managed to make her way to France where she rejoined her husband – who had escaped Culloden. She died at 33 but he went on to be a Lieutenat-General in the French army.

Flora MacDonald – was (and is) the Jacobite heroine par excellence – except she wasn't. She may have had some sentimental attachment to the idea of Jacobitism but that has never been proven. Her stepfather (Hugh MacDonald ofArmadale) was a serving officer in the Hanoverian militia, yet he has been credited (by Hugh Douglas in “Flora MacDonald: the Most Loyal Rebel”) with devising the plan to remove BPC to Skye. Flora herself had to be asked personally by BPC to assist in his escape.

After the Hanoverian victory trouble came to Flora. After being arrested on July 12^th, 1746 she was shipped south on HMS Bridgewater with this being given as the reason for her arrest: “Mifs Flora Macdonald made Prisoner for for having carryed off the Pretender's Son as her servant in Women's Aparell”

She spent the next year in the Tower of London, and as there were no reports of her giving birth (which the Hanoverians would have taken great delight in publishing), I think we should discard all the bullshit about people being descended from their children as the plain fact is they didn't have any (not together anyway).

All of the above were, in the fashion of the time “Ladies”.

Annie MacLeod, on the other hand, was of “the common sort”.

Annie MacLeod – was a woman from Skye with no pretensions to gentility (far less nobitlity), who had very little of the English language. She was married to a MacKay who had died at Carlisle. Her experience of the Hanoverian victory was very different.

She was living in Inverness at the time of Culloden. Two wounded Jacobites (MacDonald of Bellfinlay and Robert Nairn) were dumped in her cellar. As was traditional in the Highlands, she cared for their wounds and in general, looked after them.

Nairn, who had been Deputy Pay-master of the Jacobite army, was informed that he would shortly be transferred to London for trial. This in itself, amounted to a death sentence. He was supplied with food and clothing which would let him “blend in”, Annie distracted the guard and Nairn escaped successfully.

When the escape was discovered all Hell broke out. The guard was given 500 lashes and an English officer (Colonel Leighton of Blakeney's Regiment) attempted to interrogate Annie this interrogation was unsuccessful as Leighton Did not speak Gaelic and Annie only had limited English.

She was kept standing in the guardhouse for three days and three nights, not allowed to sleep, speak or sit down, nor was she given any food or water. Yet, in relative terms, she was lucky – she didn't experience the thefts, beatings and rapes which befell many women in the Highlands in the aftermath of Culloden.

The moral of this story is that there is “One Law for the Rich and Another for the Poor”.