Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 4, 1896

120
THE CELTIC MONTHLY.
The colors borue by the Stewarts of Appin
and the Mackintoshes were, however, saved both
ig the saline manner.
Logan, in his " History of the Highland
Clans," in speaking of the part taken by the
former in the Battle of Culloden, states : -
•'Appin, the chief, had not gone out; and
Stewart of Ardsheal led the clan, which evinced
its usual bravery. He escaped from Culloden,
but a great number of his officers and men
were killed and wounded in their impetuous
charge on the cannon and Scots Fusiliers,
before whom they were planted. When the
standard-bearer was slalu, one of the corps
called Mac an t ledh, from Morven, tore the
banner from the staff, and wrapping it around
his body, carried it off. '
Li the " History of the Stewarts of Ap23iu,''
written by John H. J. Stewart, F.S.A., Scot.,
and Lieutenant-Colonel Duncan Stewart, late
92nd Highlanders, the authors say: —
"The regimental colors borue by the Stewarts
of Appin at Culloden is still in possession of
the head of the Ballachulish branch of the
family. It is of light blue silk, with yellow
saltire, or cross of St. Andrew, the dimensions
being five feet hoist, with a ily of six feet seven
inches.* Its gallant bearer, one of the Ardsheal
family, was killed and the banner is stained
with his blood It bears the marks of having
been torn from the color staff, which accords
with JNI'Ian's account, that when the standard
bearer was slain, one of the corps, called Mac
an t-ledh, from Morven, tore it from the staff,
and wrapping it around his body, made good
his retreat from the field. The banner thus
escaped the fate of those twelve Highland clans,
which were taken at Culloden, and burned at
the Market Cross on the 0th of .Tune following."
It is evident that the authors of the foregoing
account knew but little of the person above
referred to as Mac an t ledh. He was Domh-
nuill Mac an Leigh, or, as he would be called in
English, Donald Livingstone. He was known
among his friends and acquaintances in Morven,
by the Gaelic sobriquet of Domhnuill Molach,
on account of his thick, heavy, curly hair and
beard. The Gaelic name of Livingstone seems
to be spelled in many different ways ui that
language — Maclnlaidh, Maclnledh and Mac-
Dhunleibhe, Mac an Leigh, as well as others,
while some have abbreviated and anglicised
the name into MacLeay, instead of taking the
Lowland name of the original progenitor of
that sept, and of which the Stewarts in their
history of the clan, give the following account; —
" This family of Livingstone, commonly called
the Barons of Bachuil, received in early times a
grant of lands in Lismore, which they still hold
as keepers of the Bishop of Lismores crozier,
or baculum, called in Gaelic "Bachuil Mor."
The crozier was given up by them a few years
ago to the Duke of Argyle, when he granted a
confirmation of their title to their old
possessions. The sept of MacLeay, or Living-
stone, seems to have been very anciently seated
in Appin, where they held lands as tenants of
the Stewarts, and have always followed their
banners to war. At Culloden four of the name
were killed and one wounded. l>avid Living-
stone was of this race, and some of his relations
still reside in Appin, Mr. Livingstone, of Port-
na crois, being the nearest of kin. Dr. David
Livingstone writes of himself : —
"Our greatgrandfather fell at the Battle of
Culloden, fighting for the old line of kings."
The story of the preservation of the Appin
banner at Culloden the writer has often heard,
when a child, from two nieces of Donald
Livingstone, Mrs. Mary Livingstone Boyd, and
Sarah Livingstone Burke, who got the same
from the lips of Donald himself. The former,
Mrs. Boyd, died in the early part of the sixties,
and the latter, Mr i. Burke, in the early part of
the seventies, both at a ripe old age. They
were daughters of his brother, Eoghan, or
Ewan.
He also heard it when a child, and after
arriving at manhood, from eight other descen-
dants of Ewan. among whom the story is well
known, as well as from several persons familiar
with the traditions of Morven.
It will be noticed from the illustration given in
last issue that there is the rip of a bullet across
the standard, as well as other rents received in
battle.
('I'll he concluded).
The Anolo-Sa.von FnNER.4L is the startling
title of a paper which was rec.ently rejid by Mr. D.
A. S. Mackintosh before the Clan Chattan Associa-
tion, and now published in pamphlet form. Mr.
Mackintosh's purpose is to prove that the British
people are not .\.nglo-Sa.N;ons, and their language
not Anglo-Saxon, and he enters into the subject
with such vigour, and with such an abundance of
convincing arguments, that when we reach the end
of the paper we feel convinced that after all we are
not of the great Saxon race, but by blood and
speech the true sons of the Gael! It only Mr.
Mackintosh can convince our English friends that
they are Celts he will have dune a good service to
the Gaelic cause. The pamphlet is a most interesting
one, brimful of curious facts in history and topo-
graphy, and reflects much credit upon its author.
Surgeon-Major J. MacGregor, M.D., has been
elected a director of the Clan (Jregor Society. He
is t<i preside at the l^iisley Gaelic Club's Gathering
on (jth March, and the Lewis an<l Harris, in the
(Queen's Rooms, on 1 2th March.