第 75 节
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西门在线 更新:2021-09-29 13:02 字数:9322
iage with the Earl of Cromarty。 Langwell having supported the Prince; fled out of the hated Fergusson's way; but his lady was obliged to remain at home to attend to a large family of young children; who were at the time laid up with smallpox。 The house was ransacked。 A large chest containing the family and other valuable papers; including a wadset of Langwell and Inchvannie from her relative; George; Earl of Cromarty; was burnt before her eyes; and about fifty head of fine Highland cattle were mangled by the swords and driven to the ships of the spoilers。 Nor did this satisfy them。 They committed similar depredations; without any discrimination between friend or foe; for eight days during which they remained in the neighbourhood。 'New Statistical Account of Lochbroom。'
It is well known that Mackenzie had strong Jacobite feelings although his own prudence and the influence of Lord President Forbes secured his support for the Government。 〃Though many respectable individuals of the Clan Mackenzie had warmly espoused the cause of Charles; Lord Fortrose seems at no time to have proclaimed openly for him; whatever hopes he might have countenanced when in personal communication with the expatriated Sovereign; as indeed there is cause to infer something of the kind from a letter which; towards the end of November; 1745; was addressed by Lord John Drummond to Kenneth; pressing him instantly to join the Prince; then successfully penetrating the West of England; and qualifying the invitation by observing that it was the only mode for his Lordship to retrieve his character。 Yet so little did Fortrose or his immediate followers affect the cause; that when Lord Lovat blockaded Fort…Augustus; two companies of Mackenzies; which bad been stationed at Brahan; were withdrawn; and posted by Lord Loudon; the commander…in…chief of the Government forces; at Castle Dounie; the stronghold of Fraser and; with the exception of these; the Royal party received no other support from the family of Seaforth; though many gentlemen of the clan served in the King's army。 Yet it appears that a still greater number; with others whose ancestors identified themselves with the fortunes of the House of Kintail; were inclined to espouse the more venturous steps of the last of the Stuarts。 George; the last Earl of Cromarty; being then paramount in power; and; probably so; in influence; even to the chief himself; having been; for certain reasons; liable to suspicions as to their disinterested nature; declared for Charles; and under his standard his own levy; with all the Jacobite adherents of the clan; ranged themselves; and were mainly instrumental in neutralizing Lord Loudon's and the Laird of Macleod's forces in the subsequent operations of 1746; driving them with the Lord President Forbes; to take shelter in the Isle of Skye。〃 'Bennetsfield MS。'
Kenneth married on the 11th of September; 1741; Lady Mary; eldest daughter of Alexander Stewart; sixth Earl of Galloway; with issue
I。 Kenneth; his heir and successor。
II。 Margaret; who on the 4th of June; married William Webb。
III。 Mary; who married Henry Howard; of Effingham; with issue。
IV。 Agnes; who married J。 Douglas。
V。 Catherine; who on the 1st of March; 1773; married Thomas Griffin Tarpley; student of medicine。
VI。 Frances; who married General Joseph Wald。
VII。 Euphemia; who; on the 2nd of April; 1771; married William Stewart of Castle Stewart; M。P。 for the County of Wigton。
His wife died in London on the 18th of April; 1751; and was buried at Kensington; where a monument was raised to her memory。 Kenneth died; also in London; on the 19th of October; 1761; and was buried in Westminster Abbey; when he was succeeded by his only son;
XIX。 KENNETH; SIXTH EARL OF SEAFORTH;
Viscount Fortrose; and Baron Ardelve; in the Peerage of Ireland。 From his small stature; he was generally known among the Highlanders as the 〃Little Lord。〃 He was born in Edinburgh on the 15th of January; 1744; and at an early age entered the army。 As a return for his father's loyalty to the House of Hanovar in 1745; and his own steady support of the reigning family; George III。; in 1764; raised him to the peerage by the title of Baron Ardelve。 He was created Viscount Fortrose in 1766; and in 1771; Earl of Seaforth; all in the peerage of Ireland。 To evince his gratitude for this magnanimous act; he; in 1778; offered to raise a regiment for general service。 The offer was accepted by his Majesty; and a fine body of 1130 men were in a very short time raised by his Lordship; principally on his own estates in the north and by gentlemen of his own name。 Of these; five hundred were enlisted among his immediate vassals; and about four hundred from the estates of the Mackenzies of Scatwell; Kilcoy; Redcastle; and Applecross。 The officers from the south to whom he gave commissions in the regiment brought about two hundred men; of whom forty…three were English and Irish。 The Macraes of Kintail; always such faithful followers and able supporters of the House of Seaforth; were so numerous in the new regiment that it was known more by their name than by that of Seaforth's own kinsmen; and so much was this the case that the well…known mutiny which took place in Edinburgh; on the arrival of the regiment there; is still known as 〃the affair of the Macraes。〃 'The Seaforth Highlanders were marched to Leith; where they were quartered for a short interval; though long enough to produce complaints about the infringement of their engagements; and some pay and bounty which they said were due them。 Their disaffection was greatly increased by the activity of emissaries from Edinburgh; like those just mentioned as having gone down front London to Portsmouth。 The regiment refused to embark; and marching out of Leith; with pipes playing and two plaids fixed on poles instead of colours; took a position on Arthur's Seat; of which they kept possession for several days; during which time the inhabitants of Edinburgh amply supplied them with provisions and ammunition。 After much negotiation; a proper understanding respecting the cause of their complaint was brought about; and they marched down the hill in the same manner in which they had gone up; with pipes playing; and 〃with the Earls of Seaforth and Dunmore; and General Skene; at their head; they entered Leith; and went on board the transports with the greatest readiness; and cheerfulness。〃 In this case; as in that of the Athole Highlanders; none of he men were brought to trial; or even put into confinement for these acts of open resistance。Stewart's SketchesAppendix p。 lxvviv。' The regiment was embodied at Elgin in May; 1778; and inspected there by General Skene; when it was so effective that not a single man was rejected。 Seaforth; appointed Colonel on the 29th of December; 1777; was now promoted to the rank of Lieutenant…Colonel…Commandant; and the regiment was called the 78th (afterwards the 72nd); or Ross…shire Regiment of Highlanders。
The grievances complained of at Leith being removed; the regiment embarked at that port; accompanied by their Colonel; and the intention of sending them to India having been abandoned; one half of the corps was sent to Guernsey and the other half to Jersey。 Towards the end of April; 1781; the two divisions assembled at Portsmouth; whence they embarked for India on the 12th of June following; being then 973 strong; rank and file。 Though in excellent health; the men suffered so much from scurvy; in consequence of the change of food; that before their arrival at Madras; on the 2d of April; 1782; no fewer than 247 of them died。 and out of those who landed alive only 369 were fit for service。 Their Chief and Colonel died in August; 1781; before they arrived at St Helena; to the great grief and dismay of his faithful followers; who looked up to him as their principal source of encouragement and support。 His loss was naturally associated in their minds with recollections of home; with melancholy remembrances of their absent kindred; and with forebodings of their own future destiny and so strong was this feeling impressed upon them that it materially contributed to that prostration of mind which made them all the more readily become the victims of disease。 They well knew that it was on their account alone that he had determined to forego the comforts of a splendid fortune and high rank to encounter the privations and inconveniences of a long voyage and the dangers and other fatigues of military service in a tropical climate。 'Stewart's Sketches; and Fullarton's History of the Highland Clans and Highland Regiments。'
His Lordship married on the 7th of October; 1765; Lady Caroline Stanhope; eldest daughter of William; second Earl of Harrington; and by herwho died in London from consumption; from which she suffered for nearly two years; on the 9th of February; 1767; at the early age of twenty; 'Scots' Magazine for 1767; p。 533。' and was buried at Kensingtonhe had issue; an only daughter; Lady Caroline; who was born in London on the 7th of July; 1766。 She formed an irregular union with Lewis Malcolm Drummond; Count Melfort; a nobleman of the Kingdom of F