Clan Donald Magazine No13 (1995) Online
The Prince and the
MacDonalds of Baleshare by Gloria S. Ross
After
the disastrous outcome of the Battle of Culloden, one of the
families most active in helping Prince Charles Edward Stuart to
elude the government forces unleashed by the Duke of Cumberland, was
the family of Baleshare. Hugh MacDonald of Baleshare had succeeded
his father Ranald, natural son of Sir James Mor MacDonald, as factor
of North Uist in 1733. At the time of the Rising, he was made an
officer in one of the Independent Companies raised for the
Government by Sir Alexander of Sleat, Chief of the MacDonalds. This
appointment did not prevent Lady Margaret of Sleat from using Hugh
as intermediary in sending newspapers and messages to the Prince
during his "skulking " on the Long Island. Hugh's merry carousal
with the Prince, MacDonald of Boisdale and several Clanranald
MacDonalds is well documented in the "Lyon in Mourning". Hugh later
reported the Prince was the best "bowlsman" he had ever seen. Hugh
was certainly the "gentleman from the north" who declined Flora
MacDonald's suggestion that he hide the Prince on his North Uist
estate, fearing his actions might harm his chief.
Catherine MacDonald of Baleshare, daughter of Ranald, lived on the
Island of Scalpay; her husband, Donald Campbell held this tack, off
Harris, from MacLeod of Dunvegan. When the Prince sought refuge on
the island, even the reward of thirty thousand pounds did not tempt
this family to report his whereabouts, but rather, they showed his
party true Highland hospitality. It is told that the Prince would
rise early in the morning, quietly go to the box-bed and ask
Catherine to cook for him, fresh eggs that he had found in the hen's
nest. During their five-day stay, the Prince felt relaxed enough to
go fishing with Kenneth, the young son of the Campbells and even
helped him rescue a cow which was mired in a bog. It was at the
Campbell home where he exchanged his wet plaid, a gift of Lady
Borradale, for the dry one of his host. Fragments of the plaid
formed the basis of the reconstructed tartan now known as the "Lady
Borradale's
Gift".
Captain Donald Roy MacDonald is perhaps the most famous member of
the Baleshares. Like his brother, Hugh, he seems to have been aware
of the movements of the Prince during most of his travels around the
Outer Hebrides. As the government forces began searchimg both North
and South Uist, Hugh sent word by Donald Roy to Lady Margaret
suggesting
the Prince might find a
hiding place on Fladdachuan, a small island off Troternish,
investigation proved it was unsuitable. When the Prince landed with
Flora near Mugstot, it was to Donald Roy that Lady Margaret turned
for help to move the fugitive quickly through Skye and on to the
mainland. Every landing place was guarded by soldiers and one of
their officers was at that moment being entertained at her home.
Donald Roy was just a few miles away at the house of Dr. John
MacLean, receiving treatment for the wound to his foot, suffered at
the Battle of Culloden.
Donald left Mugstot that night to make arrangements for the Prince
to escape from Portree to the Island of Raasay. At the Portree inn
of Charles MacNabb, Donald Roy waited for Flora and the Prince who
had stayed overnight at Kingsburgh's house. Flora, on horseback,
arrived first. She and Donald Roy anxiously awaited the arrival of
the Prince who had walked through the hills with a young boy. He
arrived tired and was happy to have a hot meal before the fire. He
had entered the inn dripping wet, wearing a plaid without trews,
breeches, or feilebeag. They gave him a dry shirt and Captain Donald
Roy gave him his feilebeag; he left Skye wearing these dry clothes.
On parting, the Prince begged Donald to go along, but he refused as
his wounded foot would slow them down and might even result in
capture by the pursuers. Their planned meeting later that week did
not go as arranged and the Prince sent
a cryptic message of thanks signed, James Thomson. Thus, as
with Flora MacDonald, after the goodbye at Portree, Donald Roy never
saw Charles Edward Stuart again.
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