Red and white book of Menzies

a.d. I74S-] THE THIRD BARONET OF CLAN MENZIES. 377
army, where they had seen considerable service, and had only been a few years
returned to Scotland when the rising took place. True to the traditions of their
branch of the Clan Menzies, they flew to arms and joined Prince Charles on his
way south.
The prince, on arriving at Perth, sent instructions to all the Athole clans to
join him with all despatch. It was here that Charles first worshipped in a
Protestant church, joining in the Protestant service at Perth, 8th September 1745.
While Charles was at Perth, General Cope marched from Inverness to Aberdeen,
from which he was taken by ship to the mouth of the Forth. During these
operations of Cope, the citizens of Edinburgh were putting the city in a state of
defence. The volunteers were called out, officered, and cannon brought up from
Leith and mounted on the walls. The defensive works were under the super-
intendence of MacLaurin, the celebrated mathematician, who had furnished the
designs. He is the MacLaurin who wrote the long letter to Dowager Lady
Menzies regarding the offence she had taken at him. Prince Charles was joined
by portions of the clans at Perth, of whom was Clan Menzies, numbering about
700, under the command of Chieftain John Menzies of Shian. They marched
upon Stirling, leaving Perth nth September 1745, and finally crossed the river
Forth at the fords of Frew, in face of Gardiner's dragoons, where the Prince was the
first to plunge into the water, claymore in hand, which, waving in the air, he
pointed to the other side, to which he was followed by the Highlanders. He stood
on the bank until all the detachments had passed over, on which Gardiner's
dragoons retreated towards Stirling.
Next day Charles put his army in motion towards Edinburgh, against which
he encamped 16th September 1745. It was taken by the strategy of the Prince,
carried out by a body of Highlanders before daybreak, 17th September 1745. The
same day the prince took up his quarters in the ancient palace of his forefathers,
Holyrood. Meantime Cope had landed at Dunbar on the 16th and 17th, and left
on the 19th in the direction of Edinburgh. He encamped on the 20th at
Gladsmuir, where he was confronted by the Highland army, under the prince, who
lay in arms on the field near Tranent. About three in the morning the Highlanders
in silence, during darkness, changed their position to the east side of Cope, upon
whom they prepared to advance. They were formed in two lines. The front
consisted of Clan MacDonald on the extreme right; Clan Menzies, under Chieftains
Ian and Archibald Menzies of Shian, numbering about 700, forming the right
centre, and officered by Chieftain James Menzies of Bolfracks and the six Menzies'
of Pitfodels ; then came the MacGregors, Drummonds, Murrays, Stewarts, and
Camerons, under Lochiel, on the extreme left. The second line consisted of the
Athole clans, on the right wing of which was a section of Clan Menzies, and the
volunteers under Captain John Menzies of Edinburgh ; then came the Robertsons,