Ossian Collection > History of the Highlands and of the Highland clans > Volume 3

210 HISTORY OF THE HIGHLANDS.
version of this affair, which appears to be more correct in the details.
It is there stated that Lady Mackintosh's mother, who lived in Inver-
ness, having received notice of Lord Loudon's design, despatclicd a boy,
about fifteen years of age, named Lauchlan IMackintosh, to Moy, to ap-
prize tlie prince thereof, — that the boj', finding he could not jiass by
Lord Loudon's men without running the risk of being discovered, con-
cealed himself behind a wall till they had passed, when, taking a dif-
ferent road, he reached Moj- and gave the alarm. The prince, who was
in bed, was instantly awakened, and, jumping out of bed, put on his
clothes, led the house with a guard of about thirty men, and disappeared
in a neighbouring wood.*
As soon as Lady Mackintosh was informed of Lord Loudon's design,
she sent five or six of her people, headed by a country blacksmith,
named Fraser, to watch the advance of Loudon's troops. This man,
with a boldness almost incredible, formed the extraordinary design of
surprising the advancing party, in the expectation that they would fall a
prey to a panic. With this view, he posted his men on both sides
of the road to Inverness, about three miles from Moy, and enjoined
them not to fire till he should give directions, and then not to tire to-
gether, but one after the other, in the order he pointed out. Af-
ter waiting for some time, the party was apprized of the advance of
Lord Loudon's troops by the noise they made in marching. When the
head of the detachment, which consisted of seventj' men under the laird
of Macleod, was within hearing, the blacksmith called out with a loud
voice, " Here come the villains who intend carrying off our prince; fire,
my lads ; do not spare them ; give them no quarter." He thereupon
discharged his piece in the direction of the detachment, and his party,
after following his example, ran in different directions, calling upon the
Macdonalds and Camerons to advance on the right and left, and repeat-
ing aloud the names of Lochiel and Keppoch. Impressed with the be-
lief that the whole Highland army was at hand, the advanced guaid in-
stantly turned its back, and communicating its fears to the rear, a scene
of indescribable confusion ensued. The sauve-qtti-peiil which burst
forth from the discomfited legions of Napoleon on the plains of Water-
loo, was not more appalling to the flying French than were the names of
the Camerons and Macdonalds to the ears of Lord Loudon's troops on the
present occasion. In the hurry of their flight many were thrown down
and trod upon, and so great was the panic with which the fu-
gitives were seized, that the flight continued till they got near Inver-
ness. The master of Ross, who accompanied the party, and was
one of those who was overwhelmed, observed to Mr Home, that
he had been in many perils, but had never found himself in such a
grievous condition as that in which he was at the rout of Moy.f In
• Vide Slatrment of Alexander SUwart, one of the prince's fuotmen, in Jacubiie Mb-
nioirs, p. 102, and tlie prince's Houseliold-book, p. 167-8-9'
t Home's Worlts, vol. iii. p. 180. Jolmstone's Memoirs, p. 146.