The chiefs of Grant - Electric Scotland

1773] KKI.ATIOXS WITH J.olM) l.olDorx. 423
I\Ii'. (Imiit's zeal i'or (lie puMic service dis[iiise(l liiiii to ()\'er]uiik any
censorious rellectiiMis sue.L as these, Imt lie couM nut do otliei'wise than
return home ^vhen he had so clear a. discharge iVoni tlmse iii authority.
The course indicated was opjutsed to ^Mr. (Jra)ii's own inclinations, ;:id to
tin- '
jKiuion
o' his fVieiids, hut his deierminat'ioM to return av;-, strcre hened
by ..'Ir. Lacl:;.!!! (Jraiit, whom ho liad sent to l^ord Loud.'Mn fd orders,
and wlio stated that Lord J^oud vui expressly advised his red.rn to
Sti'athspey. iMr. Grant, therefore intimated his resolutiini tt) ]\l,ic]eod
and Culcairn, hoth of whom expressed great regret at losing ^Ir. (^rant's
assistance, Imt appro^'ed his action in the circumstances.'
Kext day, therefore, ^Ir. (uaiit letuined to Keith, on his wa\- home,
but i-emembering that I^ord Findlatei' had expressed a fear that after the
(io\'ernment troojjs had ])assed, new parties of I'cbels mi^'ht steal down
into the low country and distress the neighbourhood, he detached a j)artv
for the protection of the district, who did good service afterwards. On
resuming the march he received two lettei's from Lord Loudoun, one
addressed to hinisell'. dated iTtli, and one to Sir Ilai-ry Innes, dated the
18tli December.- Both of these letters were comjilimentary, ajjproving of
AL-. Grant's inarch, and of tlie service thereby done, but as they gave Mr.
Grant ]io reason to believe that the recall expressed in the Ibrnier letters
was revoked, and as the nmnber of the rebels at Aberdeen was not so n'reat
as to render the assistance of his clan absolutely necessary, he dispersed
Ills men.'
When he reached Castle Grant lie received a letter from his bailie at
L'rqidiart informing him that it was impossible any longer to restrain the
people of that district from joining the Highland army, and that disputes
liad arisen between tlie bailie and them on the suljject. Lhis letter no
doubt caused much annoyance to Mr. Grant, but it does not ap)pear that
he took any action upon it. His attention Avas suddenly engaged bv a
matter of more seriotis importance, and which might have had disastrous
conseqtiences, had the rebels been in gi'eater force or more united in their
counsels.
' MS, ii.irrative by Sir Archibald Grant. Vol. ii. - Vol. ii. of this work, iiji. 1^7, 200.
of this woik, jip L!OU,
'-'01. • ^ MS. n.irrative liy Sir Archib.ilJ Liraut.