Manuscripts and Special Collections
Ne C 1625/2 : Copy of letter from [A. Campbell] 3rd Duke of Argyll to Sir John Cope; n.d. [c. Aug 1745], enclosed in General Cope's letter of 13 Aug. 1745 to Henry Pelham
Informs that upon the 26th of July
a ship having eighteen carriage guns mounted and six upon
deck arrived at the Mouth of Lochinert [now Lochailort] on the coast of Moydart
or Croy-dard and that Angus McDonald brother to Kinloch
Moydart who has been these twelve years in France, landed
out of said ship, as the informer was told.
The current news of the country was that the said ship was
convoy'd by a sixty gun ship from France, till westward
from Ireland a British Man of War came up with them
on the 8th July aforesaid and then a sharpe engagement follow'd b
etwixt the two bigg ships, till they were both disabled; the
small French ship stood away from them, to a great distance
all the time of the fight. It was thought this was owing to
her having the valuable cargoe undermentioned. Next morning
the small ship spoke with the bigg French ship and was told
the latter had lost 200 men, and that she was disabled to that
degree that she would have enough to do to get home, so
advis'd the small ship to proceed in her intended voyage.
The first land the small ship made was Berrahead and
took three men from that island for pilots to the main land.
At Lochinert they gave themselves out at first to be Dutch.
None of them landed save said Mr. McDonald, but country
men who were thereafter allow'd to go on board, told they
had seen a great many gentlemen there richly cloath'd and
that the ship was loaded with arms and ammunition.
Upon the 27th young Clanronald, Glenalandal, and Kinloch
Moydart went on board, and upon the 28th Kinloch Moydart
came ashore and went up Lochseall under night to Fassefern
where John Cameron brother to Lochiel lives. He heard he
went thence to Locheil and Glencoe and was to go towards
Drummond Castle.
Clanronald went to the point of Sleat to meet with Sir
Alexander McDonald, and Glenallandall with several of
Kinloch Moydart's brothers staid on board and were there
when the informer came from Moydart on Monday last
the 5th current.
The countrymen were telling they were not to arm till a landing
of men from France in the north and that then the Popish
Bishop was to take their Oaths that they would be true to
