The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-10-16

Mosr readers are familiar with tho
story of Flora Macdonald's heroic rescue
of Prince Charles Edward, but there are
few who associate her with our Revolu'
tionary War. The following extract is
from Amelia E. Barr's interesting arti'
Gle entitled "A Romance OF the hebrl'
des," in Harper's Magazine:
On her return to Skye she was mar
ried to young Macdonald of kingsburgh,
and on the death of his father became
the lady of Kingsburgh, But the estate
was greatly impoverished by war, fines
and unstinted hospitality, and when all
hopes Of the Stuarts' return had been
abandoned, Flora and her husband re-
solved to emigrate to the Carolinas: 1t
was at this time they had visit from
DR.. johnson, and it was very amusing
to find Flora writing to q friend two
weeks before it, saying, ~ am expect.
ing from the mainland Mr.. Boswell, and
one Mr.. johnson, a gay young EngIssh
buck, with him."
The Macdonalds settled near Halifax,
in North Carolina, and seem to have
been regarded as the head Of a large
Scotch emigration scattered around that
vicinity. Unfortunately the Revolution
airy War broke out before they had be.
come attached to their new home, and
Macdonald, who had given his alle'
glance to the house of Hanover when
Charles's cause became dead and hope
less, transferred with it the rigid loyalty
that had been so marked q character
istic of his race. A soldier of a long
line Of soldiers, and an intense partisan
Of loyalty, he was quite unable to sym.
pathize with republican ideas, or to see
any reason in popular rights.
lie raised first the royal or Tory
standard in the Carolinas, and, it is
said, was urged into active warfare by
his wife. A regiment of Highlanders,
known as the Eighty.fourth, was
formed, Flora's husband being its
Colonel, and her eldest son, a lad Of six.
teen, one of its Captains. The first
hght between it and the colonists took
place at Moore's Creek, February p,
l776. Early at daybeak the shrill
notes of the bagpipes called the High
landmen to battle, but Macdonald was
seriously i'll, and had to depute the com.
mand to Macleod and Campbell. Both
were kille 1t the very first onset, and
the battle-which was the initial one OF
the Revolution in North Caro]ina--was
a brilliant victory for the colonists under
Generals Moore and Casweli.
After the battle of Moore's Greek,
Flora's husband remained some time a
prisoner in Halifax Jail, and on his re.
lease served with his regiment in Cana.
da. During these years Flora endured
many hardships. and at the close OF
the war General Macdonald retired on
half-pay, and they returned to theil
home in the barren, cloudy mountains
of Skye.
Their homeward journey was not un'
eyentful. They were attacked by
French privateer, and severe conflict
took place. Flora remained on deck
during the whole battle, succoring and
stimulating the sailors by her heroic
speeches and behavior. Her foot slip
ped in the blood which covered thu
deck, and she fell and broke her arm
but not even this calamity induced hel
to leave the scene until satisfied that bel
services were no longer needed.
She rejolced greatly to be once AGAR
in the wild desolate freedom of tn,
Hebrides, and she never more left them
AS q wife she had shared all her hus
bands dangers and labors; as q mother
she strove with passionate earnestnes!
to make her five sons worthy of theil
illustrious name. Every one of then
became soldiers. Charles, the eldest
was Captain in the Queens Rangers,
"There lies the most finished gentle
man of my family and name," sale
Lord Macdonald, when he saw hin
lowered into the grave. Alexander
also an officer, was lost at sea. TIL
third son, Ranald, famous for his hand
some person and elegant manners, ha'
q professional character equal to hi
personal one, and was q Captain of ma
rines; James was an officer in the Brit
ish Legion; and John, the youngest
rose to the rank of Lieutenant-colOn
Flora retained to the last her beauty
her vivacity, and her spirit. She die
on the 5th Of March, 1870, at the age Q
seventy years. Her winding. sheet wa
actually one of those in which Prime
Charles had slept 4 Kingsburgh.