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There are many incidents
of deep interest connected with the attempt to reinstate the Stuarts on
the British throne. Since the period of the Rebellion, many things have
occurred, and not a few changes have happily tended to strengthen the
reigning dynasty, and to extinguish the Stuarts' last ray of hope. The
Stuart family, as is well known, had many friendly and faithful
adherents in the Highlands of Scotland, by whom every attempt was made
at the time to obtain the services and to secure the allegiance of the
powerful and brave. The subject of this brief notice was a man far-famed
in his day, for his proficiency in the martial music of the Highlands,
and not less so for his personal agility and warlike spirit John
Macgregor, one of the celebrated “Clann Sgdulaich,” a native of
Fortingall, a parish in the Highlands of Perthshire, was, like too many
of his countrymen, warmly attached to the Prince’s cause. He embraced,
in consequence, the earliest opportunity of joining his standard. Soon
after Charles had set his foot on the soil of Scotland, Macgregor
resorted without delay to the general rendezvous of the clans at
Glenfinnan, and shortly became a great favourite with the Prince.
Macgregor was a powerful man, handsome, active, well-built, and about
six feet in height. He was a close attendant upon his Royal
Highness—accompanied him in all his movements, and was ever ready and
willing to serve him in every emergency. Charles placed great confidence
in his valiant piper, and was in the habit of addressing him in kind and
familiar terms. Unfortunately, however, the gallant piper had but a very
scanty knowledge of the English language, and could not communicate to
his Royal Highness various tidings that might be of service to be known.
The Prince, however, acquired as much of the Celtic tongue, in a
comparatively short time, as enabled him to say, "Seid suaa do phiob,
Iain ” (Blow up your pipe, John). This was a frequent and favourite
command of the Prince. When he entered into the city of Edinburgh, and
likewise after the luckless Cope and his dragoons took flight at
Prestonpans, the Prince loudly called, “Seid soas do phiob, Iain.” John
could well do so, and the shrill notes of his powerful instrument were
heard from afar. He stood by the Prince in all his movements, and went
wherever he went. He joined in the march to Derby; was present at the
battle of Falkirk; played at the siege of Stirling Castle; and appeared
with sword and pipe at the irretrievable defeat at Culloden, where,
alas! on the evening of the fatal day, he beheld the last sight of his
beloved Prince.
Poor John received rather a severe wound by a ball in the left thigh,
causing a considerable loss of blood, and consequent weakness. By the
aid of a surgeon which he fortunately met with, the wound was dressed,
and he made the best of his way, after many hair breadth escapes and
distressing deprivations, to his native glen, where he resided to the
day of his death. He had numerous descendants—four sons and eight
grandsons and all of them pipers. Of these, the last alive, but now
dead, was a grandson, the aged piper referred to at the head of this
article, who was also a John Macgregor.
The identical bagpipe with which Macgregor cheered the spirits of his
Jacobite countrymen in their battles and skirmishes was still in the
possession of this grandson, the John Macgregor already alluded to, who
departed this life only a few years ago, at a very advanced age, at
Drumcharry, in the parish of Fortingall. The instrument was in excellent
preservation, and was undoubtedly worthy of a place in some museum. It
had but two drones, the third in such instruments being but a modern
appendage. Its chanter was covered with silver plates, bearing
inscriptions in English and Gaelic. The late Sir John Athole Macgregor,
Bart., added one plate to it, on which are inscribed the following words
in both languages:—“These pipes, belonging to John Macgregor, piper to
his Grace the Duke of Athole, were played by his grandfather, John
Macgregor, in the battles of Prince Charles Stuart’s army in 1745-6, and
this inscription was placed on them by his Chief, Sir John Athole
Macgregor, Bart, of Macgrogor, in 1846, to commemorate their honourable
services.”
The late owner, John Macgregor, was also a celebrated piper in his day,
and was able to play the old pipe with wonderful efficiency, until he
parted with it, as described below. He gained the prize pipe at the
Edinburgh competition for Piobaireachd in July 1811. He was for several
years in his youth piper to his Grace the Duke of Athole, and
subsequently to Mr Farquhanson of Monaltrie, and Mr Farquharson of
Finzean, In 1813 he played at the assembling of the Isle of Man
proprietors at Tynwald Hill. He performed at the head of his clan in
Edinburgh during the Royal visit in 1822. He played the Piobairoachd,
“Than na Griogairich, Thain na Griogairich, tbainig, thkinig, than’ na
Griogairich,” in the great procession, when his Chief, Sir Evan
Macgregor, Bart, of Macgregor, was conveying the Regalia of Scotland
from the Castle to the Palace of Holyrood. He was piper to the Athole
Highlanders at the Eglington Tournament in 1839, and had the honour of
performing before Her Majesty the Queen at Taymouth Castle. But John
became latterly frail and aged, and was unfortunately in rather
straitened circumstances. He was modest and unassuming, and would rather
endure privations than let his wants be made known to others.
Worthy old John about sixteen years ago communicated by letter with his
namesake, the writer, and gave in detail the above particulars relative
to his grandfather and his ancient bagpipe. It was recommended to John,
for his own benefit, as well as for the preservation of the interesting
relic of the olden times in his possession, to give his consent to a
notice being inserted in the public prints, that he was willing to part
with it to some benevolent antiquary. The consent was given and the
notice duly made public. In a very short space of time John received
letters from several parties of distinction, among whom was Mr Mackenzie
of Seaforth, and other Highland proprietors, offering handsome sums for
the valuable relic. At length the advertisement was observed by his
Grace the Duke of Athole, who lost no time in acquainting the aged
Macgregor that he had every desire to become the owner of the
interesting instrument, and that he behoved to have it, as John was
willing to part with it. His Grace at the same time intimated to the old
man that he would allow him not only a sum equal to the highest offered
to him by any other, but would in addition settle upon him a comfortable
half-yearly pension as long as he lived. It is needless to say that the
Culloden bagpipe became at once the property of his Grace, and that, no
doubt, it now lies in silence in the ducal repositories of Athole, while
old John Macgregor has been for some years in the silence of the grave.
ALEX. MACGREGOR. |
