A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans : with an ...

DEATH OF DONALD FAROOHARSOK. 371
tiose arrived at Kiiitore, and took up lus own quarters in the house
of John Cheyne, the minister of the place, whence he issued an order
commanding each parisli witliin the presbytery of Aberdeen, (with the
exception of the town of Aberdeen,) to send to him two commission-
ers who wore required to bring along with them a complete roll of the
whole heritors, feuars and lifercnters of each parisli. His object, in re-
quiring such a list, was to ascertain the number of men capable of serving,
ar.d also the names of those who should refuse to join iiim. Commis-
sioners were accordingly sent from the parislics, and the consequence
was, that Montrose was joined daily Ijy many men, who would not
otherwise have assisted him, but who were now alarmed for the safety
of their properties. While at Kintore, an occurrence took place which
vexed Montrose exceedingly.
To reconnoitre and watch the motions of the enemy, Montrose
iiad, on the twelfth of March, sent Sir Nathaniel Gordon along with
Donald Farquharson, Captain Mortimer, and other well mounted cava-
liers, to the number of about eighty, to Aberdeen. Tliis party per-
ceiving no enemy in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen, utterly neglected
to place any sentinels at the gates of the town, and spent their time at
(heir lodgings in entertainments and amusements. This careless conduct
did not pass unobserved by some of the covenanters in the town, who,
it is said, sent notice thereof to Major-General Hurry, the second in
command under General Baillie, who was then lying at the North
Water Bridge with Lord Balcarras* and other foot regiments. On re-
ceiving this intelligence. Hurry put himself at the head of one hundred
and sixty horse and foot, taken from the regular regiments, and some
troopers and musketeers, and rode off to Alierdeen in great haste,
where he arrived on the fifteenth of JMarch at eiglit o'clock in the even-
ing. Having posted sentinels at the gates to prevent any of Montrose's
party from escaping, he entered the town at an hour when they were
all dispersed through the town, carelessly enjoying themselves in their
lodgings, quite unapprehensive of such a visit. The noise in the streets,
occasioned by the tramping of the horses, was the first indication they
had of the presence of the enemy, but it was then too late for them to
defend themselves. Donald Farquharson was killed in the street op-
posite the guard-house, " a brave gentleman," sajs Spalding, " and
one of the noblest captains amongst all the Highlanders of Scotland,
and the king's man for life and death." The enemy stript him of a
rich dress he had put on the same day, and left his body lying naked
in the street. A few other gentlemen were also killed, and some taken
prisoners, but the greater part escaped. The prisoners were sent
to Edinburgh, and put in irons within the tolbooth there. Hurry
left the town next day, and, on his return to Baillie's camp, he en-
tered the town of Montrose, and carried off Lord Graham, Montrose's
second son, a boy of fourteen years of age, then at scliool, who, along
with his teacher, was sent to Edinburgh, and committed to the castle.