After Culloden

Robert Forbes:

Wednesday, January 25th, 1749, I happened to meet with Alexander Stewart and after some conversation about his imprisonment, banishment to America, I desire to know if he would draw out in his own handwriting an exact account of all the hardships he had undergone.   He frankly agreed to the proposal and accordingly deliver the the said accounting to me on Monday, January 30th, 1749, a copy of which is as follows---

MEMORIAL....As told by Alexander Stewart to Robert Forbes:

Ane account of the misfortins that hapned to me after the murder of Culloden, the 16th of Aprile.

After his royal hignes came over the Water of Nair, after the battle, escorted by a partie of the Fitz James' horse, his highness went to the right of the highway that leads to ruthven of Badenoch..I having the cantains behinde me, I asked his higness if he would be pleased to take a refreshment of anythin, as had not eate no drunk anything that day..His higness reply to me was:  'Stewart, no meat no drink' bdesired me to go on the hiway to Ruthven of Badenoch and the Fitze James hors would escorte us, which I went, but with a sorifull hart to parte with my royal Prince and master, and arrived at ruthven about on o'clok the next morning and stayed there till about two oclok in the afternoon, that his Grace, the Duke of Perth and Lord John Drummond came upe to us...So they consulted that everie man should doe for himself and God for us alll, which accordingle we al
dispersed and everie on took his own way and I went southward till I came to Mr. Rattray of Chaighall on saturday the 19th about six oclock at night and I stayed there for five or six days, till reid, a justie of the peace came there to dine and begged Mr. Rattray that he would not give quarters or entertainment to any of those men called rebells for which mr. Rattray came and told me after dinner that is was not safe to stay any longer at his house..So I went away to Sir James Kinloch with his two brothers at mr. Rattrays and there I staye one night til a countrie woman came and thd invited me to came and stay at her home where she said I would be safe. (Alexander Stewart told me out of his own mouth that at the time he dilevered to Mr Rattray of Craighall in trust a silver flask belonging to the prince and containing abour a chopin, upon the condition that Craighall should deliver the flask to Alexander Stewart when it should please God that he would call for it..The flask had acup that slipped on the bottom of it and he said that to the besto of hisknowledge the prince brought the flask along with him from France..I saw the cup and flas at last..robert forbes. A.M.

On the eveining of the 29th, I came back to mr Rattrays of Hannegoolen in Perthshire. And about two  in the morning sir James Kinloch and his two brothers and Mr Rattray and his brother in law and three servants of us were all taken by a pairtie of the Huee of Hangaris hussares and commanded by a cornel Pollander from that were taken away to couper of Angus where we dined in on Clerks , a vinter, their where I served the table at time of dinner and the cornel asked for a drink or bread in French, I an gave it to him directley..For so doing he took  to be a Frenchman because I served him so readily for which he asked Sir James what I was or I was a Frenchmean..Sir James told wihout asking me that I was a servant to Mrs. Murray and he told Sir James to tell me in English to call for any sort of liquor and doe not want as long as we were in his custody for which I made his bill amount to one pound, five shilligs sterling.  After dinnere there were horses preparte for the geltlemen and a cart for us three servants and was carried away to perth and taken to the Prince of Hess quarters and examined by him and the duke of Atholl and the Earl of Crawfoord and several other gentleman I did not know but one Cornel Stewart who came up to me and asked what was my name..I told my name was Stewart..So, says he, my lad, you don't think proper to deny your name for athats done..I have done nothing as yet sir, says I, dishounourable but served my master for which I have no reason to deny my name..

JACOBITES IN PERTH PRISON

On the ninth of August we were taken to Falkland and from that to Cannongate in Edinburg on the tenth and rested there till the twelth.  But I have omitted our examenations wile at Perth, which is this.  After our being confin'd we was taken one by one and examened to see if any of the nintie that was in prison knew the Earle of Cromerty, of which their was non found but one, David Toshack, a butcher in Perth, who was made turnkey over the Hazarde Sloop's men who was taken by the Prince men and Miller put the fellow in prison for that, and he hapned to say before Miller that he saw Lord Cromarty in the street called the Watergate mustring his clan in order to go to Fife to gather up the sess and leve money, for which Miller told him that he behoove to go to London to be and evidence against the Earle of Cromerty for which the fellow seemed very fond of for some time, because they promised to give him a birth in a stage coach to London. But the fellow being poor and loved a dram verie weel in the morning, there was three or four of us keept a dram for taking in the morning, and before this hapned we never used to tak on to ourselves, but we gave this fellow Toshack a dram..But after we found out that he was to go for London ane evidence, we dropt our corresponddence with him, which the fellow took notis of and asked what was the reason of it for wich we told him that we was verie sorie to see on his birth degrad his fathers family so much as to go and satisfie Miller to go to London.  But for all this coxing I really was informed that he and his family was come of the greatest blackgaird in all Perth, and we told him that instead of a coach he would be shure of a coal cart at which the fellow repented of what he had done..So we told him if he hade repented we woululd use him as formerly and so told if he would deny all that he had said to Miller befor the Justice Clerk that he would give him a pass and send him hom again.

So the day of David's departure from Perth to Edinburgh was fixt, and as we said, it hapned that a coal cart and two horses in it came to atend Mr. toshack instead of a coach for wwhich reason the fellow fell weeping and told us he shoud deny to the Justice Clerke what he said to Miller when he went to Edinburgh, which he did and got his pass from the Justic Clerke, and came directly hom again and Miller told im he should mind him for what he hade done in denying befor the Justice clerk what he said to him.  But all this time their had been several ladiys of quality and others soliciting the Prince of Hess, Brigadeer Mordaunt and the foresaid Miller to send me into Edinburgh that I might be examened bu the Justice Clerk and he was to drop me in order that might get off....

So last of all Mr. David Bruce commonly called Judge Advocate came to Perth and we was all called one by one and examened by him..When I hapned to be call out there, there was bout twentie or thirty before me, Bruce asked me if I knew him..No I told him I did not know him..Says he, I am verie much surprised at that for he had verie often ben about provest Collhouns where I had been serving at the same time Bruce and Miller told me certenly I behoove to on of the most stupeed servants that ever they know to follow a gentleman or lady..I told them I could not help those things..Then asked me if I knew any of these men that was standing their?? I said I had the misfortune to know them too well since thaey and me hade been in prison together but never befor.  Weel says Bruce, you will not know one another heir, but I shall cause cairrie you to Carlisle and caus the one of you hang the other..I told him I would defy him or any one to doe so for if I was to be hanged I should hang no man but myself.

DRAWING LOTS FOR TRANSPORTATION.

We all marched from Perth on the ninth of Agust following, tyed with rops two and two and came to Falkland that night and stayed all night..On the tneth, we went to the Cannongat goal and stayed thier till the twelth and during our stay in the Cannongate, I hapned to fall bad with several others of us for which Mr. John Douglas and Old Cunningham  both surgeions, wer appointed by the Justic Clerk to see who was fit for travel...So a cart was got for two of us and to Carlisle we must go..So the twelth,  we marched to Lintoun that night and on the thirteenth to the Kirk of the Beild and on the fourteenth to Moffatt and on the fifteenth to Lockerbe and on the sixteenth to Gratne Green, and on the seventeenth being sunday, about ten a clock, to Carlisle and about twelve all the prisoners from Stirling came upe and about two oclock in the afternoon a rascall of the name of Gray, soliceriter Humes man from Edinburgh with his hatfull of tickets and Miller and Soliciter and Gray presented the hat to me to draw lots.

I asked Gray what I was going to doe with that and he told me it was to draw for out lives which accordingly I did and and got number fourteen...So among the twentie that stood upe from Stirling there was one Huchison, one of the Princes groomes, wha had drawen and was safe for transportation but a little boy belonging to the town of Carlise cam in by and touched Web on the arm and told him that Huchison was one of the Princes groomes for he knew him verie weel for he used to get a ride from him when he was watring his horses, for which, upon that same words Web went with his own hand and puld back Huchison from ot among the rest after they wer all dispersed through out the castle yard and said to him that he was one of the Pretenders grooms  and he was put in irons and was given a tryall before the judges, which accordingly was done.  So ther was no less than two sentances past on that one lad. and betuixt five and six aclock at night Web, Miller and Gray and Henderson came all out to the yard where we was sitting on the grass and with a verie large paper like a charter and read so much of it to us as he they thout proper and told us that it was to petition their king for mercy to us and that it was to go off that night for London and as soon as it came back we might go home or els transportation which would be the wors of it and then we put down our names at the foot of it and those that could not, Miller did it for them and told me thait I might be verie glad to doe it for such mercy that was but to hang only one of twentie and let nineteen go for tansportation pointing to me in particular with his fingar and tolde me if that Popish spairk had carried the day he would have hanged nineteen of them and let the twentieth go free.

One day in particular, Miller, and one Campbell, who was interpreter from the Justice Clerke at Edinburg to the judges for the Highlandmen, and they brought a list of the prisoners names that was in the Castle and read them over to us, one by one, to see if we knew any of them and it would and it would be a great service done the government aides the releasement of our selves, but they found none. And then they asked me if I knew my Lord Traquere  or Sir John Douglas of Killhead..This Campbell asked me: How doe ye doe, Sanders?"" I begged his pardon, he he had the advantage of me...O, says he, "don't you mind since you hade me prisoner at Bannockburn?"  I told him I could not say that I ever had the honour to take a prisoner in my life.  I ame not saying you, says he, but your men..I told him I never had the honour of to have any men.."Not your men, says he, but your Prince men..And don't you mind that you brought me some verie good beef staks, halfa thripenne loaf and a quart of good beer?" That ma be Sir. say I , "but I doe not minde of it, if it was so"  For you mind, says he, you had
on scarlet cloths that day and was veerie kind to me." And this was the reward that I got of the gentleman for my entertaining him, for which Miller said to me that it would be   mean to afront him, Miller , for giving upe my name as Mrs. Murray of Broughtons servant, for if he had known the truth before, I had gone to the Castle and gotten my fate of the gallows with the rest.  This was the friendship that Miller was to do me after all his fine promises. He asked me if I knew Sir John Douglas of Killhead or if I saw him either with the Prince or in his army or speaking to any of them. He would be shure to take me off even supose I was on ship board. So I told him I did not value him for he had done me evil for good already and for the future I expected non from him, so that I would take my fate with the rest of my bretherin and then he paide his two drams and went his way.  So we continued to Carlisle from the seventeenth of August till the 24th of April 1747, then we went to Pennerith, and on the 25th to Kendall and lay there till the 27th, that we went to Lncaster and the 28th to Preston and on the 29th to Orrom Kirk and the 30th and the last day of April, 1747 to Liverpool and went directily aboard all of us Carlisle prisoners....

THE VIRGINIA PLANTATIONS

The names of the two ships was the Gilder and Johnstoun, both belonging to Gilder, a member of parliment for Liverpool and there was eighty eight of us in the ship call the Gillder, Richard Holms captain and Robert Horner, supercargor, a Yorkshire byt. When we went aboard we were all stript and searched that we hade no armes about us or any instrument for taking off our irons and thene we put on our clothes again and then we was desired to go aft to the steirrg until we got on the Hanoverian pleat on our leags and went to see the apartment were we was to ly.  And the ship lay till the 14th of May before we sailed from the Bay of Liverpool and in going past the Isle of Man ther was eight sail of ships altogether bound for sea and their came off from the island a poillot boat with several cask of brandy to see if we would need any befor we went to sea.   So they came aboard of us and we bought two of them and the Captain asked at the master of the boat if there was any privatiers lying out and he said there was two lying in the mouth of the Channel.  So our captain spoke all the the rest of the ships with a trumpet and they consulted what to do but all returned in again save two that went on..   and we lay in the Bay of Liverpool till the fifteenth of May and from that they went till they came to Bellfast Loch in the north of Irland and there we cast ancor on the same evening of the fifteenth, being Fryday..And on Saterday afternoon there came in a verie large Dutchman in to the loch and ancored verie nigh to us and our Captain spoke him with the trumpet and asked him if he had seen any privatiers in his way and he said he had met with two in latutid 58 and had waited so long for us prisoners that they hade spent all their provision and they had taken all the Dutchman's provisions  from him which brought him to ane ancor.  And on the Sunday afternnon there came in and any other Dutchman and our Captain asked him if they we gon and he said they wer so.  On Munday about twelve o'clock, we wieed our ancors and sait sail and away for sea and all the four ships for four days kept together till a most violent storm sperarat us and we meet again the whole voyage and so we proceeded on our journey till we came in sight of Cape Charles and Cape Henre which are the two remarkable places on right and left as we entered the river between Virginia and Maryland.. Cape Charles is on the right and Cape Henre on the left and we was not  one leag withing the capes when Don Pedro appeared in purshout of us, but coul not come within the Capes after us. So this was our misfortune for if we had but two hours more at sea we had been all his own. So being got within the river, our supercargor and the Doctor went to take their res and our Captain came and set down on the trap that came down between dakes and discouse us and asked us what we was to doe now when we wasnear our journey's end.  So we told him we was to depend on Gods providence and him for which he said he would make all the interest for us that in his power lay...

When we came upe against St. Maries, the Captain went ashore it being the
place where the Custom Hous was, that he might enter us all their and in
two or three hours time he came aboard again and caused the carpenter to go
and take off all our irons, which acordingly was done.

I was the first that got them on and my comrad, (James Strachan, this gentleman was educated at the College in Aberdeen and was engaged to be tutor to a gentleman's children in Maryland in which family Strachan was used exceedingly well with kindess and respect..)) so we were the last to get them off.  And that night being sunday the 19th of July 1747, we came to an anchor at the port called Wecomica where we was to be put ashore and as soon as the ship came to an ancor, we was all ordered below dake for Robert Horner, the supergargor, wanted to speak a word to us which accordingly went all doun between dakes and Horner came doun and made a verie fine speach concerning the goodness of the countrie we were going to and if we wouuld atest for seven years, the men that by us, if we pleased them well would probably give us doun two years of our time, and a gun, a pick and a mattock and a sort of clothhs and then we was free to go thoruo any place of the iland we pleased..So I told him it was quite useless to direct all his discourse to me for I was to answer for non but myself, for what he should doe was to gand and bring doun the list of all names that he hade and reade them over and them that was will to answer yes and them that was not willing to answer no.  Which accordingly he did and they all asked me what I would doe.  I told them they might doe as hey pleased but for me I would sing none for no man that wever was born they they should hang me over the yard arme.  Then says they, we will not sign non neither. So I told them, Gentlemen, sand by that then. so they said they would which they all did..By this time Horner came back with the list of all our names and began to read them..and they unanimosly called out, No-no..I thank you, Stewart, says Horner if you would not doe yourself you need not hindred others to have done..Then he showed us two letters he said was from their King to the Duke of Newcastle and the other from Duke of Newcastle to Mr. Gilder, the merchant wh had the transportation ofs and if we would not sign those letters impowered him to go to the Governor of Maryland and Virginne..

Wednesday, the twentie second of july, Horner returned back and all the buckskins in the countrie with him and Cornel Lee, a monstrous big fellow in order to bully us to sign and this Lee said to us he would make us sign. and we told him God Almighty had made us once and he neither could nor should make us agin for which he said no mor.  So as I told you before,Captain Holms acquanted all the gentlemen of three or four counties of the province of Maryland to attend on board the day of the sale which hapned on the 22nd of July 1747 after the ship came to an ancor at Wecomica in St. Mary's Conty Maryland which all the following gentlemen did atend: Jestinian Wharton, Mr Edward Digs, Mr John and Joseph Lancasters and Mr. Thomson all of St Marys countie and Mr. William Digs commissioned by a great many more gentlemen out of Prince Georges countie Maryland, who bought all 88 that was aboarde our shipe except three or four that went with two of the common buckskins, them that are born in the countrie, for so they are called..Doctor Stewart and his brother, William, both living in Annopolis and both brothers to David Steward of Ballachalun in Montieth,
Scotland who were all my loyal masters friends and paid the nine pound shilings sterling money that was my price when sold to Mr. Benedict Callvert in Ananopolis who is a verie pretie fellow and one who hade my being set at libertied at heart as much as any man in the province.

Going Home....

And now being at my own libertie, I came down the countrie from Annopolis and got the len of a horse from Mr. Callvert, 26 miles down to Mr. Ignasious Digs in Prince George county and a servant fro Mr. Digs, 17 miles down to Mr. Henre Neils and from Mr. Neils two horses and servant. 10 miles down to Portobaco to one Mr. Collen Mitchell who keeps a great ins their and who used me verie sivale and never would take anything from me neither in passin nor repassing and their I meet with my good freind, Mr. John Mushet and his brother, Doctor Mushet wher I stayed when I had the ague and wanted for nothing that house and shopes could afoord me..These two Mushes are sister sons of old Lendricks in Stirlingshire Scotland..And from that I went twenty miles down to widow Neils and her son in law, Mr. Edward Digs who was one of the gentlemen that assisted in purchasing my freedom and I stayed theire till Mr. Mushet found out an honest man, a captain of a ship called the Peggie of Dumfries bound for Dumfreece and one David Blair who was lying at Matticks in Virgine , only seven miles of Potomock River to cross and 11 of January 1748, I took my livee of all my friends and went aboard on the 19th of the month, it was the 28th before we set sail down
the river towards the Capes with an easterly wind to put in to Hampton Road and their we ropt anchors and lay for 12 days..On the 13th of February 1748, we got clear of the Capes and put to sea and in 27 days we saw the Irish land, and yet because of contrary winds we sailed back and for in St George Channel till 24th of March and was obliged to put in to Campbell toun in Argyleshire being more merchants that was coming for Scotland and because it was a verie long way to travel by land to Edinburgh and asked the favour of the Captain if he could heear of any fishing boats going to Air or Irven or Saltcots which accordingly he found one Mr. Knight goin for Saltcots on the Monday morning at four in the morning. And then I asked him what my passage wa to be and told  me he would make a present of that till he would see me in France and then we shall speak about it.. To which Knight agreed to for say Blair, Mr Knight I give my word for it supose he has been transported , it was for no bad action fro for loaltie to his king and his countrie. So says Knight, was it for that then Captin says he..If it was for that I would give him or any of his master's men their passage ten times over.  On Monday the 28th of March 1748, we parted our ways and I came to Livestoun and stayed overnight and came to Coltbride and took a bottle of ale to myself.  I was oblidged to make a turn towards Breads hills till night about nine oclock at night the firs of Aprile I came safe in to Edinburh from my long and tedius journey. While I was among strangeers in Edinburg I had the honour and good fortune once more to see my royal Princes good and faithful friends and mind:   Jestinian Wharton, Edward Digs, John and Joseph Lancaster, Mr. Thomson, Ignashious Digs William Digs Doctor Stewart, William Stewart, John Mushet, Doctor Mushet,
and collin Mitchell in Portobacco who were all concerned in my releasement.

Sir..To the best of my knowledge in the morning of the 14th of February 1746 as I can remeber his royal higness being in the house of Lochmoy belonging to the Lair of M'Intosh.....

When Stewart had done with his own history I desire him to recollect himself and to note down exactly all he could remember of the design of surprising the Prince and of making him prisoner at Macintosh's house cause I knew that Stewart was in Mackintosh house that night....