Mackenzie was a young man, of respectable family, who
joined the Prince at Edinburgh, and served as one of his life-guards.
Being about the same age as his Royal Highness, and, like him, tall,
somewhat slender, and with features in some degree resembling his, he
might, by ordinary observers not accustomed to see the two together,
have passed for the Prince himself. As Roderick could not venture
with safety to return to Edinburgh, where still lived his two maiden
sisters, he after the battle of Culloden fled to the Highlands and
lurked among the hills of Glenmoriston, where, about the middle of
July, he was surprised by a party of Government soldiers. Mackenzie
endeavoured to escape, but, being overtaken, he turned on his
pursuers, and, drawing his sword, bravely defended himself. He was
ultimately shot by one of the red-coats, but as he fell, mortally
wounded, he exclaimed, "You have killed your Prince! You
have killed your Prince!" whereupon he immediately expired. The
soldiers, overjoyed at their supposed good fortune, cut off his
head, and hurried off to Fort-Augustus with their prize. The Duke
of Cumberland, quite convinced that he had now obtained the head of
his Royal relative, packed it up carefully, ordered a post-chaise,
and at once went off to London, taking the head along with him.
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