He was a nephew of Macdonald of Keppoch, one of the seven men of
Moidart, and was personally requested by Lady Seaforth to take up
arms for the Prince, and he attached himself, with the personal
following who attended him, to his uncle's standard. The Macdonalds,
in Strong resentment for having been placed on the left instead
of the right of Charles Edward, refused to charge when ordered
by their commander. Keppoch, uttering the touching exclamation,
"My God! that I should live to be deserted by my own children then
charged, accompanied by my grandfather and his small following.
He soon fell pierced by balls and then, while my grandfather wept
over him, exhorted him to leave the field as the brief action
was already over, and the dragoons were already scattering over
the field in pursuit.
Some of the Macdonalds placed themselves under their Chief's
favourite nephew, as he is called in Scott's account of the battle.
Tradition says that some of them were disposed to run when they
saw parties of the dragoons approaching them, but that Torridon,
spoke briefly, "Keep together men. If we stand shoulder to
shoulder these men will be far more frightened at us than we can
be of them.
Pages:
928
929
930
931
932
933
934
935
936
937
938
939
940
941
942
943
944
945
946
947
948
949
950
951
952