Clan Donald Magazine No11 (1987) Online
Donald Roy MacDonald by David McDonald
Donald Roy, who was born in about 1708,
was the third son of Ranald Macdonald, 1st of Baleshare, a small
island to the west of North Uist. Ranald's wife was Marion, daughter
of Donald Macdonald, 18th of Clanranald. Virtually nothing is known
of Donald Roy's early life other than he was educated under the
direction of Mr. John MacPherson, a noted schoolteacher in the Isle
of Skye.
Donald Roy was of the Sleat branch of Clan Donald, his father being
a natural son of Sir James Macdonald, 2nd Baronet of Sleat. He has
the distinction of being one of only two gentlemen of the Sleat
branch of the clan known to have risen in arms on behalf of the
exiled King James in 1745. Donald Roy was at Monkstadt the home of
Sir Alexander Macdonald of Sleat, in Trotternish, Skye, at the time
of Prince Charles' arrival on the mainland of Scotland. Sir
Alexander detained Donald Roy for about a month at Monkstadt, he
being uncertain whether or not to raise his men in support of the
Prince. Donald Roy who made no secret of where his sympathies lay
was anxious to join the Prince, but remained until it was clear that
Sir Alexander would take no action. He then set off alone, Sir
Alexander making no attempt to detain him.
While at the house of Donald Macdonell of Scotus, in Knoydart,
Donald Roy received news of the victory at the battle of Prestonpans.
He immediately resumed his journey meeting up with John MacKinnon of
MacKinnon and his men five miles south of Crieff at the Bridge of
Ardoch. The Prince's army was at Edinburgh and on arrival there with
MacKinnon, Donald Roy was given a Lieutenant's commission in the
Keppoch Regiment. With this regiment Donald Roy would have taken
part in the march into England and subsequent retreat from Derby.
Donald Roy took part in the battle of Falkirk, and afterwards Ranald
Macdonald, younger of Clanranald, having taken a liking to him, he
was given a Captain's commission in the Clanranald Regiment. Shortly
afterwards Donald Roy was dispatched to Skye with a letter for Sir
Alexander of Sleat signed by all the Highland chiefs in the Prince's
army urging that he raise his clan and join them forthwith. Donald
Roy delivered the letter to Sir Alexander at i lie same time that
other letters arrived from Lord Loudon, Forbes of Culloden and
Macleod of Macleod. Sir Alexander believing from the contents of
these letters that the Prince's cause had little chance of success
decided to do nothing. He wrote to Alexander Macdonell of Keppoch:
"Seeing I look upon your affairs as in a desperate way I will not
join you; but then I assure you I will as In tie rise against you.
If any misfortune shall happen to yourself I desire you may leave
your son, Ranald, to my care, etc." Sir Alexander gave this letter
to Donald Roy to deliver, but urged him not to be in any hurry as it
was believed that there would soon be an engagement between the
Prince's army and that of Lord Loudon, and that it would be unwise
for him to run the risk of killing or being killed by any of his own
relations, he having several cousins in Loudon's command.
Donald Roy, despite his chief's advice, set off for Kyle from where
the mainland ferry operated. At Kyle he found his eldest brother
Hugh, 2nd of Baleshare, who was in command of a company of militia
there. There was a great deal of sympathy for the Prince's cause
among the militia and Donald Roy remained with them for three days,
drinking with his friends and eating King George's beef, all the
time wearing the white cockade in his bonnet. Before Donald Roy took
his leave, his friends in the militia drank the health of the
Prince.
By this time the Prince's army had occupied Inverness and it was
there that Donald Roy rejoined his regiment. Not long afterwards on
the 16th April, 1746 Donald Roy took part in the battle of Culloden.
In the retreat he twice saw Alexander of Keppoch fall to the ground
wounded. After the second fall Keppoch looked up at Donald Roy and
said: "O God, have mercy upon me. Donald do the best for yourself,
for I am gone." Donald Roy then left him and in leaving the field he
received a musket wound which went in at the sole of the left foot
and out at the buckle. Another of the wounded lying on the field,
Ranald Macdonald of Belfinlay, a Captain of Clanranald's, later
recorded that Donald Roy paused by him to express his concern, but
being wounded himself he was unable to assist him. Donald Roy
managed to evade pursuit and walked five miles without stopping, his
wounded foot badly swollen and without a shoe.
At Bunchrew, two miles beyond Inverness, Donald Roy obtained a horse
and rode a further eight miles that day, making his way towards
Skye. His foot was now so swollen that he was unable to put it into
the stirrup. On the following day, the 17th April, having travelled
fifteen miles, Donald Roy arrived at the house of Mackenzie of
Kirnag, where he found one Balfour who had been surgeon to the
MacGregor Regiment in the Prince's army. Balfour dressed Donald
Roy's foot and he continued on his way in the company of Malcolm
MacLeod, his wife, and Murdoch MacLeod, Raasay's third son, whom he
had also found at Kirnag. At the ferry they parted company, Donald
Roy crossing to Skye and the MacLeods to Raasay.
Donald Roy arrived on Skye on the 23rd
April, and made his way to the home of John MacLean, surgeon in
Trotternish, where his foot was dressed for the second time. He soon
afterwards made a sham surrender of his arms to Lieutenant MacLeod,
a friend in the militia, having first obtained some indifferent arms
to surrender in place of his good arms which he had safely conveyed
to his brother Hugh in North Uist.
On or about the 22nd June Donald Roy received two letters sent by
his brother Hugh. One was to himself, and the other, written by the
Prince, was to be handed to Sir Alexander's wife, Lady Margaret. The
letter to Donald Roy was to the effect that the Prince intended to
leave South Uist where he had been hiding, and land on Fladda Chuain,
a small island to the north of Trotternish. Donald Roy was to meet
the Prince and provide him with necessaries, particularly shirts and
blankets. He borrowed Dr. MacLean's horse and rode to Monkstadt
where he delivered the Prince's letter to Lady Margaret. Sir
Alexander was at this time on the mainland. Lady Margaret provided
six of her husband's best shirts, which she pretended were a gift to
Donald Roy who had lost all his baggage at Culloden. She also gave
him twenty guineas for the Prince's use. Donald Roy made his way to
the island but found it deserted. He therefore returned the shirts
and money to Lady Margaret and rode back to the surgeon's house four
miles away.
On the 29th June, Donald Roy received a
letter from Lady Margaret requesting that he return to Monkstadt as
soon as possible as she had something very important to communicate
to him. He set off immediately, and on arrival found Lady Margaret
and Alexander Macdonald of Kingsburgh walking together. She informed
him that the Prince had landed on Skye only a short distance away,
but that as Lieutenant MacLeod was in the house with Flora
Macdonald, who had brought the Prince from South Uist, this would
put them in some danger. Donald Roy promised to do whatever he could
for the safety of the Prince even at the hazard of his own life. It
was proposed by Kingsburgh that the Prince should go to the island
of Raasay, it being too dangerous to remain on Skye with the militia
searching the island. It was eventually agreed that the Prince
should travel overland to Portree and then to Raasay. It was further
agreed that Malcolm MacLeod of Raasay should be sought in order that
he should undertake the Prince's protection, and that Donald Roy
should go to John, younger of Raasay in order to find out his
father's whereabouts. Donald Roy was then to go to Portree and await
the Prince who would then travel to Raasay and from there with
Malcolm of Raasay to the Earl of Seaforth's country on the mainland
where it was felt that the Prince would be safer.
Donald Roy set out to find Young Raasay, whom it was believed was at
Tottrome. When within two miles of Tottrome he was informed that
Young Raasay was in fact at Tote. Donald Roy decided to go to Tote,
but in case he missed him there, he gave his informant a note to
take to Tottrome, asking Young Raasay to meet him at Portree. Young
Raasay returned to Tottrome, having left Tote before Donald Roy's
arrival, but having read the note, he made his way to Portree. The
two met at the Inn there, Young Raasay at first denying any
knowledge of his father's whereabouts. It was only when Donald Roy
informed him of the Prince's presence on Skye that Young Raasay
admitted that his father was in hiding in Knoydart and that he would
get word to him. Young Raasay then left having undertaken to provide
a boat to transport the Prince to Raasay.
Flora Macdonald arrived at Portree from Kingsburgh on the 30th June,
and informed Donald Roy that the Prince was on his way. Later that
evening a boy named MacQueen, who was acting as guide to the Prince,
arrived at the Inn and asked for Donald Roy. Donald left the Inn
with the boy who informed him that the Prince was nearby with Neil
Maceachen. Leaving the boy at the Inn Donald Roy went to the Prince
who "...no sooner saw him than he took him in his arms, and by way
of salutation put his head over one shoulder of the Captain, and
then over the other, expressly forbidding the Captain to use any
ceremony, they not knowing who (under cover of night) might be near
them to make observations." The Prince, Donald Roy and Neil
Maceachen then went into the Inn where the Prince changed his shirt
and had a meal. The three between them also consumed a bottle of
whisky.
The Prince pressed Donald Roy to go to Raasay with him saying that
Kingsburgh had assured him that he would do so. To this Donald Roy
replied that he would be of little use to the Prince in view of the
open wound to his foot, and would only prove a burden. The Prince
then said that "...he had always found himself safe in the hands of
the MacDonalds, and so long as he could have a MacDonald along with
him he still would think himself safe enough." The Prince persisted
and so Donald Roy informed him of the plan to go to Seaforth's
country and that if the Prince agreed to this scheme he would
accompany him. The Prince appeared to be pleased with the plan but
still wished Donald Roy to accompany him to Raasay. It was finally
agreed that Donald Roy would remain on Skye in order to find out if
the Prince's crossing to Raasay had become known to the militia, and
would follow later.
Soon after the Prince's arrival at the Inn, Young Raasay, his
brother Murdoch, and Malcolm MacLeod, landed their boat near Portree.
Malcolm went to the Inn and sent in a message asking Donald Roy to
come out and speak with a friend. Donald Roy went out and informed
Malcolm that the Prince was at the Inn. Malcolm urged that the
Prince should leave as soon as possible and so Donald Roy returned
to the Inn promising all possible speed. The Prince bid his
farewells to Flora Macdonald and Neil Maceachen and then made his
way with Donald Roy to the boat. The Prince took his leave at dawn
on the 1st July, having insisted that Young Raasay should return to
Skye on the 3rd, meet Donald Roy at Tottrome, and take him over to
Raasay on the following day.
Donald Roy returning to the Inn found the landlord, Charles MacNab,
asking questions about the identity of the Prince. Donald Roy
explained that he was only a fellow rebel, an Irish gentleman, Sir
John Macdonald, who had been hiding on Skye and had now crossed to
the mainland. After sleeping at the Inn for part of the day Donald
Roy went to Kingsburgh to inform Alexander that the Prince was
safely away. He then made his way to Monkstadt to see Lady Margaret,
and there he met his friend Lieutenant MacLeod. MacLeod insisted
that Donald Roy return with him to his quarters just over a mile
from Monkstadt. Here he spent the night and was pleased to note that
MacLeod had no suspicion that the Prince had been on Skye.
From the Lieutenant's quarters, Donald Roy returned to Dr MacLean's
house, where he settled his account, before setting dim on foot the
following day for Monkstadt. Here he provided himself with a pistol
and dirk, and was given a letter for the Prince by Lady Margaret.
Donald Roy then travelled by horse to Kingsburgh where he arranged
for a boy to go to Tottrome with him in order to return with the
borrowed horse. At Tottrome on the 3rd July he met Young Raasay who
informed him that he had left the Prince with Malcolm and Murdoch
MacLeod in a byre near Scorrybreck. The Prince had decided to return
to Skye and wished to see Donald Roy. However it was now evening and
Donald Roy was very tired after his journeying and was in pain; he
therefore agreed to go to the Prince at daylight after he had
rested. When he reached the byre on the following morning it was to
find that the Prince and Malcolm MacLeod had gone, leaving Murdoch
to tell Donald Roy that they would meet him at Camastianavaig, south
of Portree, on the evening of the 6th or morning of the 7th at the
latest.
Donald Roy went to Camastianavaig and went to the house of Peter
MacQueen. In the evening a stranger came to the house and gave
Donald Roy a letter which it transpired had been written by the
Prince and sent by Malcolm MacLeod:
"SIR, �I have
parted (I thank God) as intended. Make my compliments to all
those to whom I have given trouble. � I am, Sir, your humble
servant, JAMES THOMSON."
By the contents of this letter Donald
Roy knew that the Prince had left Skye. He borrowed another horse
and rode to Armadale in Sleat where Flora Macdonald's mother lived
with her second husband Hugh Macdonald of Armadale. Hugh, a Captain
of militia had provided the pass for Flora and the Prince to leave
South Uist for Skye. Flora herself had arrived at Armadale sometime
previously.
On the 9th or 10th July a message arrived at Armadale from Donald
Macdonald of Castleton, a captain in one of the MacLeod militia
companies, inviting Flora to his house. Donald Roy was suspicious
and advised her not to go. When it became clear that Flora intended
to accept the invitation, Donald Roy asked her to leave with him the
letter which Armadale had written as a pass for her and the Prince.
Flora seeing the wisdom of this gave the letter to Donald Roy. It
was fortunate that she did so, because on her way to see Castleton,
Flora was arrested by a party of soldiers who took her aboard the
sloop 'Furnace'. Donald Roy on hearing of this destroyed the letter
from Lady Margaret to the Prince and the letter to himself from
"James Thomson". On the following day he delivered Flora's letter to
Armadale, who immediately burnt it.
On discovering that information had been given against him to the
authorities, Donald Roy was forced to go into hiding. During the
next eight weeks he hid in caves, being supplied with provisions and
necessaries by Lady Margaret, and with dressings for his wound by
Doctor MacLean. His main danger at this time was from marines landed
from naval vessels. Major-General Campbell, while on Skye, also made
enquiries about him. During his period of hiding, Donald Roy
composed poems in Latin to occupy his time, including a lament on
Culloden and an ode to his wounded foot. Having received information
that the independent militia companies were to be disbanded Donald
Roy wrote to Sir Alexander of Sleat asking what he should do. He was
advised that it should be safe for him to start appearing in public,
but to avoid the militia if possible until they should be broken up.
Donald Roy was not exempted from the Act of Indemnity in 1747 and so
was able to resume his normal life.
In January 1748, Donald Roy made several visits to Rev. Robert
Forbes, later Bishop of Ross and Caithness, at Leith. Forbes was
collecting information in relation to the late Jacobite uprising and
Donald Roy gave him an account of his own participation. These
papers were eventually published under the title "The Lyon in
Mourning". Forbes described Donald Roy as being "....a tall, sturdy
man about six foot high, exceedingly well shaped, and about forty
years of age."
Following the Act of Indemnity Donald Roy had returned to North Uist,
where he taught the children of the local gentry. Some time before
1764 he received a tack of the lands of Kyles Bernera, at the North
end of North Uist, from the tutors of Sir James Macdonald of Sleat,
where he combined farming with schoolteaching. Donald Roy later
retired to live at Shulista, where he is known to have read the
Greek classics including Homer's "Iliad". His name is prominently
mentioned in a lawsuit between Macdonald of Sleat and MacLeod of
MacLeod concerning seaweed rights in the Sound of Bernera. It is in
this connection that the last reference to Donald Roy is found in a
letter on the subject of the lawsuit written by Donald Macdonald of
Balranald on the 2nd June, 1770. Donald Roy's death probably took
place within a few years of this letter. There is no record of the
name of Donald Roy's wife, but it is known that he had a son called
Hugh who lived at Port Clair in the Parish of Boleskine. He married
Janet Fraser and had a son, Alexander.
THE CLAN DONALD: REVS. A. & A. MACDONALD
THE LYON IN MOURNING: BISHOP ROBERT FORBES
MEMORIALS OF THE '45: REV. A. MACDONALD
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