I think most of you consider yourselves
familiar with Rob Roy. Sorry. You aren't. What you are familiar with
is the legend as portrayed by Sir Walter Scott (I'll be coming back
to this....).
Before getting into the meat of the
story, a bit little of history is required:-
Jamie Saxt didn't like or trust the
inhabitants of the northern part of his realm - being fair, he didn't
like or trust anyone except his current squeeze (normally of the male
variety) – but he totally lost patience with the northern lot in
the aftermath of the Battle of Glen Fruin (which wasn't really a
battle at all, it was merely a cattle raid – which Gaels looked on
as sport). In this so-called battle, Colquhuon of Luss lost a
significant number of cattle and a lesser number of clansmen.
Colquhuon appealed to the local government man, Archibald Campbell,
7th Earl of Argyll, for restitution. Argyll used this
opportunity to set up a publicity stunt. He organised a procession of
widows of those who died at Glen Fruin, each of these several hundred
women rode through Edinburgh in their shifts, carrying a lance on
which was displayed a bluidy sark (bloody shirt). While some of these
women may have been widowed at the battle, most were hired for the
occasion.
This happens not long after Jamie
finally (in his opinion) pacifies the Reivers. It also gives him the
chance to do the same to those other ungrateful bastards who won't
emulate Argyll and kiss his royal arse. Glen Fruin gives him the
opportunity to make his mark on the Highlands as well. He takes it.
He orders the proscription of the name MacGregor and all who bear it
are outlawed, he also orders the execution of MacGregor of Glenstrae.
Here's the original decree of proscription:-
http://www.clangregor.org/macgregor/amelia-sample.html#Edict%20for%20the%20Extermination%20of%20the%20Clan%20Gregor - http://www.clangregor.org/macgregor/amelia-sample.html#Edict%20for%20the%20Extermination%20of%20the%20Clan%20Gregor
One effect of this proscription was
that using the surname MacGregor became a capital crime (a bit like
murder without the killing...).
Jumping forward a bit, we come to the
War of the Three Kingdoms and the other conflicts which bedevilled the
kingdoms. In 1661, all proscriptions against the Clan Gregor were
removed, principally because during these conflicts, the MacGregors
supported the Stuart cause – even though they had been on the
receiving end of mild (for a given value of mild) Stuart displeasure.
Anyways, after the restoration, the sentence is lifted, but they
still aren't fully trusted. Mind you, this is basic common sense as
they're a tribe who who would rob you blind in front of your face,
and, if you nailed your possessions down, they'd have the nails as
well.
So far we've seen the imposition and
removal of the first proscription, for the second you'll have to wait
a bit. (Not that all that long though).
In 1688, the so-called “Glorious
Revolution” happens in England and the ramifications of this are
felt throughout Scotland and Ireland as well. In 1689, the Williamite
forces in Scotland get a wake-up call when “Leslie's foot and
Leven's troopers, marching to the beat of drum” as the poem has
it, are caught in line of march in the Pass of Killiecrankie where
they learn a lesson in fighting Highlanders (just - don't). Although
the commander of the royalist forces (the Royal in question being
James VII), James Graham (Bonnie Dundee) dies during the battle, the
Williamites have been shown that not everyone follows their agenda.
Where this impacts on our story, though is that Rob, at the age of
18, was a captain in the MacGregor contingent at the battle
(according to legend anyway). At any rate the MacGregor contingent
was considered too small to fight on it's own, so it was placed under
the command of Locheil.
Be that as it may, in June, 1693, in
the wake of the massacre of Glencoe, a law is passed in the Thrie
Estatis (the Scottish Parliament) which provides for new courts to
regulate the highlands and the edict of proscription pronounced
against the Clan Gregor in 1603 is attached to it as originally
penned. As an aside here, I'm not all that sure that this
proscription was ever lifted as the Scottish parliament was sold to
England less than 15 years later. Nonetheless from then on, until his
death, our hero wore the name Robert MacGregor Campbell. So for most
of his life he was to all intents and purposes, a Campbell.
The legend says that Rob Roy was a
cattle-thief, a blackmailer, a robber, a duelist and a Jacobite. It
was partially right. He was a cattle-thief. He was a blackmailer (not
to worry, he had a contract) and he was a robber. But he wasn't a
duelist or a Jacobite. Apart from
his “military accomplishments” and blackmailing, how did he make
his living? Basically as a cattle-drover (something else that wasn't
invented in the USA). This business of droving didn't just involve
cattle – other forms of livestock included sheep, pigs and
geese. This livestock was driven from various parts of Scotland to
the principal markets in Creiff and Falkirk.
Yep, we're back to the legend and,
although Sir Walter Scott produced the definitive version in 1817, it
was based on earlier accounts. One of these was, notably, “The
Highland Rogue” (which was published in London in 1723), this tome
has been attributed to Daniel Defoe, but it was written (presumably)
by an Elias Brockett who, in the title included the disclaimer
“impartially digested from the memorandums of an authentick
Scotch MSS”.
There were others, even before Scott,
notably the Wordsworth family (Dorothy and William), Dorothy wrote a
“What I did on my holidays” (Recollections of a Tour Made in
Scotland A.D. 1803 (available on-line from Project Gutenberg)) while
her brother William wrote a poem (Rob Roy's Grave), apparently, he
got the inspiration for this at Rob Roy's graveside in Glengyle -
which is slightly astonishing given that our hero is buried in
Balquhidder (pronounced Bal-whidder, and no, I don't know).
There is also a book(?) entitled
“Highland Constable. The Life and Times of Rob Roy MacGregor”
published in Edinburgh in 1950
which is, frankly, hilarious. Rob Roy as a proto-Hercule Poirot?
Gimme bloody strength.
The man himself, Robert MacGregor was
born in 1671, but we don't know his birthdate for certain. We do,
however, know that he was baptised on 7th
March 1671 in the parish kirk of Inchailloch – even though he was
born in the parish of Callendar. He was the third son of Donald Glas
(Pale) MacGregor in Glengyle. In
Scotland at this time, baptism normally occurred as soon as the
mother was able to travel but it wasn't normal for the child to
baptised in another parish.
In reality, he was
a cattle-thief, he was a blackmailer, he was also a cattle-trader and
a baillie (local judge). What he wasn't was a duelist – he only
fought one duel - which he lost – but it wasn't really a duel. It
was more of an impromptu, unstructured event which involved alcohol
(or as us Scots call it – Anti-freeze). Having said that, he also
issued a written challenge to the Duke of Montrose which I'll supply
here:-
Rob Roy to ane high
and mighty prince James duke of Montrose.
In charity to your
grace's couragde and conduct, please know, the only way to retrive is
to treat Rob Roy like himself, in appointing your place and choice of
arms, that at once you may extirpate your inveterate enemy, or put a
period to your punny life in falling gloriously at his hands. That
impertinent criticks or flatterers may not brand me for challenging a
man that's repute of a poor dastardly soul, let such know I admit of
the two great supporters of his character and the captain of his
bands to joyne with him in the combate. Then sure your grace wont
have the impudence to clamour att court for multitudes to hunt me
like a fox, under pretence I am not to be found above ground. This
saves your grace and the troops any further trouble of searching;
that is, if your ambition of glory press you to embrace this unequald
venture offrd of Roy's head. But if your grace's piety, prudence and
cowardice, forbids hazarding of this gentlemanly expedient, then let
your design of peace restore what you have robed from me by the
tyranny of your present cituation, otherwise your overthrow as a man
is determined; and advertise your friends never more to look for the
frequent civility paid them, of sending them home without their arms
only. Even their former cravings wont purchase that favour; so your
grace by this has peace in your offer, if the sound of war be
frightful, and chuse you whilk, your good friend or mortal enemy.
Somewhat tellingly,
he did not send this missive to Montrose, but to one of his own
friends, a Mr Patrick Anderson at Hay with the inscription “Receave
the enclosed paper qn you are takeing your botle: it will divert
yourself and your comrads.” (NLS, Ms 910)
I'm sort of doing
this on the fly, I haven't been able to find any of his blackmail
contracts, so you'll have to be content with the contents of a
contract executed in the 1740s between his nephew, James Graham of
Glengyle and some other landowners. This contract was recorded in the
register of deeds in Edinburgh [3]. It specifies that Glengyle
undertakes to keep the lands of the subscribers free from the theft
of horses, cattle and sheep for a period of seven years. It specifies
that if the animals are not recovered and returned to their owners in
six months, Glengyle will repay the full market value of the missing
beasties. In the small print though, is a clause defining “small
pickeries” (in this case the theft of less than 6 sheep) – this
puts me in mind of some motor insurance policies.......
Back on topic
(again). Robert MacGregor, 3rd son of Donald Glas of
Glengyle, at the age of 18 may have taken part in the Battle of
Killiecrankie where a Williamite force under the command of two
veterans of the European wars was destroyed. Rob wasn't named as
being part of the MacGregor contingent, but he is recorded as being a
captain of the MacGregor men, so maybe he was present. This “mebbe
yeah – mebbe no” was to follow him all his life and make things
difficult for future historians. I've already mentioned this so I'll
move on to the Jacobite times and his “involvement”, in the first
Jacobite rising in Scotland, in 1708 (for some reason the campaigns
in Ireland between 1688 and 1692 are referred to as being Jacobite),
a French fleet brought James VII and 6,000 or so French soldiers to
Inverkeithing on the Firth of Forth, but owing to the presence of
some government ships, the French admiral refuses to land them and
heads homeward to think again. Some of the Scottish magnates who had
been involved in the event are arrested, smacked on the wrist and
told not to do it again. Our hero, not being a magnate (even if he
was involved) gets a pass.
Seven years pass,
and the Scottish nobles who sold their country to England are still feeling a
bit pissed off – they had been big fish in a very small pond until
the Union, and they weren't all that happy with being small fish
hiding in the shallow end of a big pond. This brings us to 1715, the
year when the only Jacobite rising with any chance of succeeding
occurs. Some of those who had been signatories to the Treaty of Union
actually supported this rising. Unfortunately, the guiding light,
John Erskine, Earl of Mar, isn't at all decisive (in Jacobite
mythology he is referred to as “Bobbing John”), but he did manage
to proclaim James VIII in Braemar. Nevertheless, the Jacobites manage
to gather a force of around 10,000 to 12,000 (which is more than
twice the size of Kid Shortbried's army which “invaded” England
in the '45 and by far the largest Jacobite force in Scottish
history).
This is the period
in which himself makes his military reputation. He actually shows up
in the Jacobite army with a contingent of MacGregors, but he didn't
stay long – possibly because MacGregors aren't very trustworthy. In
fact, the Jacobites decided that they couldn't trust Rob according
to the “Memoirs of the Insurrection in Scotland in 1715” (edited
by J. McKnight for the Abbotsford Club (1815) p.206).
The Earl of Argyll
also raises forces, but, in his case, these forces are from what
passes for a regular army. In effect he has 6,000 professional
soldiers against Mar's 12,000 amateurs of varying enthusiasm. Some
few of these not all that enthusiastic amateurs are MacGregors. The
Battle of Sherrifmuir takes place on 13th November 1715.
The MacGregor contribution to the battle isn't spectacular at all, in
fact, it's non-existent. Reports have them standing aside watching to
see who comes out on top, yet other reports say that they weren't
present at all, John Cameron the younger of Locheil, who met them
during his retreat says “I rallied there all I could meet with, and
caused such of them as had fyred to charge [reload] their pieces. At
the same time I perceived Rob Roy Mcgrigar on his march towards me,
coming from the town of Down [Doune], he not being at the
engagdement.” (from: The Camerons in the rising of 1715,
(Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, vol: xxvi, p 74)
Even so, our hero
was playing both ends against the middle as shown by the contents of
the only surviving letter from his correspondence with Argyll “The
bearer will give you sufficient intelligence upon the late moves here
as I cannot put down on paper”. He goes on to say “[Further
intelligence will be sent] when I get the matter on hand settled with
them.” (This letter is in the Argyll manuscripts which are held in
Inverary Castle – it is not available to the public, but the full
text appears in Murray's Rob Roy, pp192-193).
What the matter he
refers to here is not known, but the MacGregors went walkabout. On
26th December they were rumoured to be in the vicinity of
Loch Katrine, yet on 4th January 1716, they “occupied”
the semi-derilict Falkland Palace. The Jacobite records say “at
Falkland, MacGregors, 134” (Atholl MSS). Incidentally, this was the
only time he and his clansmen appeared on a Jacobite muster-roll.
That's the '15 out
of the way, so we'll move on the Rising nobody knows anything about –
the '19. This is principally because it was an idea dreamt up by
Cardinal Guilio Alberoni which was intended to land 7,000 Spanish
troops and marines in the Highlands to take the pressure off (and,
hopefully remove any chance of an invasion of Spain during the War of
the Quadruple Alliance). Anyone who has ever heard of it will refer
to it as “The Affair in Glen Sheil”. But, before anyone gets
excited about these 7,000 troops, don't. Only 300 actually arrived.
The rest were caught in massive storms and the ships carrying them
managed, after some pretty drastic measures which included dumping
guns over the side, to return to Spain.
These 300 landed in
Stornoway on or around 24th June under the command of the
Marquess of Tullibardine (who, 30 years later, would raise the
standard in Glen Shiel). After a period of hanging about twiddling
thumbs, they moved to the mainland and landed in Loch Alsh on 13th
April from where they moved to occupy Eilan Donan Castle in Loch
Duich. Some six weeks later, the Hanoverians have finally got their
act together, while the Spanish have been educated on the fact that
Maňana is a helluva hurry.....
However on 10th
June 1719, the battle commences. While there were 300 Spanish marines
present, they had been reinforced by some 700 or so Highlanders
including Rob Roy and approximately 40 followers – this gives the
Jacobites around 1,000 men and a pretty good defensive position while
the Hanoverians have 900 infantry, 120 dragoons and 4 Coehorn mortar
batteries. So numbers are equivalent but the Hanoverians have the
advantage in artillery (and, in the terrain around Loch Duich,
mortars are far more effective than field-guns). The battle began at
about 6 o'clock with a bombardment from the Hanoverian mortars after
which an infantry assault was mounted against the Highlanders under
Lord George Murray who were isolated on the south of the Jacobite
position. The Spaniards, on the northern flank were pinned down by
the mortars and the main Hanoverian attack went in against the
Jacobite centre it succeeded and the Spaniards were then targeted by
the full Hanoverian might. They retreated up-hill, fighting all the
way but they were surrounded and out-gunned so, about 3 hours after
the beginning of the battle, they surrendered.
The mountain in Glen Shiel on which the
battle took place is called Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe, (Peak of the Black
Chest) it has a subsidiary peak which was named Sgurr nan Spainteach
(Peak of the Spaniards) in honour of the Spanish forces who fought in
the battle.
What has this got to do with our
gallant hero, you ask? This was the second battle in his lifetime at
which it can be be proven he was present, and like the first one,
neither he nor his men fired a shot.
The moral of this little story is never
believe anything you read.
Sources~
David Stevenson: The Hunt for Rob Roy,
The Man and the Myths. (pub. John Donald, 2004) ISBN: 0 85976 590 3
W H Murray: Rob Roy MacGregor: His Life
and Times (Canongate, 1982)
D. Hume: Commentaries on the Law of
Scotland respecting the descriptions and punishments of crimes. (ed:
B R Bell). Published in Edinburgh 1986 (facsimile of 1844 edition)
vol. 2, p 551 (and yes, that David Hume)
------------- For money you did what guns could not do.........
|