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Sunday, the 29th, by three in
the morning, the Captains Stewart and Murray, with a detachement of that
party that burned the houses and corns of Mr Haldane of Abruthven, came to
Dalreoch, a barony belonging to Mr Haldane of Gleneagles, the most part of
which was stocked by himself and managed by his own servants. These they
found all asleep, because they were expecting no such thing, fur two nights
before Mungo Campbell, son to Collin Campbell of Corymuchloch, had came with
a party from the garrisone of Duncrub, and ordered them, under the pain of
military executione, to put into the barns and thresh out great quantities
of corn to be carryed into the Arrny at Perth, who began then to be in want.
The first thing the party did
was to carry a great quantity of the threshed straw, and, laying it round
the stacks and houses, putt fire to all at the same time, so that with much
adoe the servants and those that were in the houses escap'd; horses and
cattle he had none, being taken away by the Rebells long before that time.
While this farm and all that belonged to it was yet a-burning, another
detachment sent by Lord George Murray from Duning, and commanded by the
foresaid Mungo Campbell, came up (for Dalreoch lyes within a mile of Duning).
He who had had many occasions to be well acquainted in that place perceiving
that Stewart and Murray's party, who were but strangers, had by mistake not
put fire to some corn stacks of Mr Haldane's which stood at some distance,
went with his party and sett fire to them himself, and from that going
towards the corn-yard of a tennent of Mr Haldane's, called John Pernie, in
which there was a good many-stacks, brought some quantity of burning straw
and other materialls from Mr Haldane's corn-yard, and threatn'd to burn
houses, corns, and all, if John would not give him money. He declared upon
oath that he had no more than one guinea, and that he would give. Mungo said
he knew he had friends hard by that could help him to give more, so they
went together to that friend's house, but the false alarm coming that the
King's Army was approaching, he accepted of the thirty shillings, and went
off with his party; and in passing at a boat hard by, and knowing that the
boatman's house belonged to Mr Haldane, he lykewaycs threatned to sett fire
to it, but his fright was such that he at last accepted of a summ of money,
and with his party pass'd over the water. |
