History of the Frasers of Lovat

XIX. GENERAL SIMON FRASER. 487
House were marching to the muir above the house where
they were joined by about three hundred of the Frasers just
then coming - up." This was the body of three hundred new
recruits brought up by the Master in time to take part in
the battle. And the fact is corroborated by the first account
of the engagement, which appeared in a letter from an
officer in the Highland army, published by "T. Warner,
near St. Paul's, 1749." This officer says that — "Those who
had gone off the night before (the battle) and early that
morning to Inverness and other parts, had now joined, and
the Master of Lovat was come up with a considerable
recruit of his men." The main body of the Frasers took
a prominent part in the fight and suffered severely, not
fewer than 250 of them having been slain. There were
prudential reasons for encouraging and even circulating the
statement that the Master was not actually in the fight, as
it was believed that his absence might be pleaded with
some effect in favour of a pardon, especially when it was
so well known that he had been forced into the rebellion
by his father.
A description of the tragic death of young Inverallochy,
and the brutal conduct of the Duke of Cumberland in
connection with it, will be found in our account of the
Inverallochy family.
Upon retiring from the field the Prince placed himself
at the head of the right wing, which included the Frasers,
who had now been joined by a fresh body of 300 men in
addition to those brought up by the Master earlier in the
day, and marched off with pipes playing aud colours flying,
the whole body retiring in such good order that Cumber-
land's cavalry sent to pursue them could make no impression
on them. Shortly afterwards, when a little distance from
the field, Charles divided his army into two bodies. One
of these, consisting of all the Highlanders, except the
Frasers and the Lowland regiments, crossed the River
Nairn and marched in the direction of Badenoch ; while
the other division, comprising the Frasers, Lord John
Drummond's horse, and the French piquets, proceeded