Red and white book of Menzies

a.d. 1746.] THE THIRD BARONET OF CLAN MENZIES. 391
sent forth many parties, who recovered a considerable number of posts for the
prince.
When Cumherland reached Perth he sent a considerable force of men forward
in two detachments. One took possession of Blair, and the other division, over 200
strong, and which was afterwards increased by a large number of Argyleshire
Campbells, took possession of Castle Menzies. These troops, without any notice,
took possession, acting in the worst possible manner towards Lady Menzies, who,
being one of the Stewarts of the house of the Earl of Bute, had a strong feeling in
favour of Prince Charlie. Their conduct towards the lame chief is said to have
been extremely harsh. They turned both Lady Menzies and the lame chief out of
the castle, who were compelled to leave all their valuable effects at their mercy,
which they used so badly that a great deal of the furniture and other goods were
ruined. The division garrisoning Castle Menzies, sending out from thence,
plundered all those around who had been out for Prince Charlie. Sir Robert
Menzies and Lady Menzies, being turned out of Castle Menzies, were obliged to go
to Farleyer, which they had to put in a condition to live in, and also a state of
defence in case of being attacked. From Perth detachments were sent to the
castles of the leading Jacobites, burning them and plundering their lands. One of
these parties of Cumberland's army marched up Glenquiech, and in the absence of
the Menzies of Shian, plundered their lands and burned down " Shian Castle,"
belonging to "LORD Menzies." This title seems to have been adopted by the
Government, for we find the following recorded : — " LORD Menzies had his house
plundered." — Zz.s7.5- of Rebels.
During the time this revengeful work was being done, Colonel Ian Menzies of
Shian was at the head of a considerable number of Clan Menzies at Inverness,
on which account the emissaries of the Government had no opposition in their work
of destruction, and left Castle Shian in ruins. At this time the Highlanders held
the whole country from Dalnaspidal, near Blair, to Inverness. They guarded the
passes so strictly that there was no getting any intelligence about them, during
which time there were garrisons of the Government forces at Blair and Castle
Menzies, against which Lord George Murray set out at the head of an expedition
into Athole. He left Inverness about the middle of March, with about 400 Athole
men, a considerable number of whom were Menzies', and planned the capture of
several posts so well that they were all captured within a few hours of each other.
He then laid siege to Blair, which they withdrew from on the approach of a large
force of Cumberland's army, but the Menzies' and other Athole men kept possession
of Pitlochry. Many were the skirmishes between them at this time. Blair was on
the point of surrendering when, on receipt of a dispatch from the prince, Clan
Menzies with the Highland army departed for Inverness on the 1st April 1746,
as news of the intended approach of Cumberland had reached him.