Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-04-25
FLORA MACDONALD.
Washington, Critic.

Kun J.!
Washington Critic.
FLORA MACDONALD.
copyrighted. 1888. by Funk & WagnaUs.l
In the winter of 1S49 I started to follow
the line of General Greene's famous re-
treat before CORVALLIS from the Catawba
to the Dan, in 1881 ; but soon turned east
ward to Fayetteville, North Carolina,
where 1 arrived toward sunset on mild
January day. In the evening called upon
Mrs. Mol, a sprightly Scotch woman
and widow, eighty-seven years of age
She was the ''oldest inhabitant" in all that
region. She had been brought from Scot
land when she was an infant. was told
that she we'll remembered the notable Flora
Mcdonald when that lady was resident
of North Carolina. She received me very
kindly, and seemed to be pleased to be
questioned about the famous heroine Of the
Hebrides.
81 was girl of fourteen" said Mrs. Nc
l., "when Flora and her husband
came to Cross Greek IAN old name of
Fayetteville. She was then about forty
years of age, not very tall, but very hand
some and very dignified woman, with fair
complexion, sparkling blue eyes, the finest
teeth ever saw, and hair nearly covered
with fine lace cap and slightly streaked
with white, as she had endured much
trouble. Her voice was sweet music, " con-
tinued Mrs. Mol, ''and oh, how the
poor and the church missed her when she
went home, after experiencing much trou-
BILE here. She was often at my mothers
house when she first came, and l almost
worshiped her because of her beauty and
goodness"
SIS her dwelling place here yet stand
ing?" inquired.
s'No it was partly burned in great fire
here about twenty years ago. AS you pass
from the market-house to the courthouse
you may see the ruins Of it near the creek"
The old lady then stepped to quaint
looking chest of drawers, and taking out
dingy letter written by Flora to Mrs.
Is elder sister, then maiden of
twenty, handed it to me to read. 1t was
brief note, but an exceedingly interesting
one, as it was in the bold handwriting of
the heroine of Skye. I was permitted to
make copy OF it and a tracing of Flora s
signature. Here is copy:
FEB. l, I776.
Dear Maggie: Allan leaves tomorrow to
join Donald's standard at Cross Greek, an
come an stay VII me awhile? There are
troublesome times ahead, ween. God will
keep the right. 1 hope a. our ain are i the
right, prays your guild friend,
FLoRY MACDONALD"
"You see," said Mrs. Mol, 'she
wrote her name Flory-she always did,
The letter was written at her new house at
Cameron Hill, near the Barbecue Church,
where the good Mr.. Campbell preached as
often as possible. Flora was pious men,
Der of the Barbecue congregation"
"Then she did not live here long %
said.
"No: she soon moved to Cameron Hill,
about twenty miles north of here"
On the day when that note was written
the royal Governor of North Carolina is
sued proclamation calling upon all friends
Of the King to assemble with arms at Cross
Creek and join his standard. The Mac
donalds were all staunch loyalists. They
had been loyal to the Stuarts, now they
were loyal to the House of Hanover. The
troubles of Flora in North Carolina now
began. Her husband and others, to the
number of about fifteen hundred, mostly
Scotchmen, readily obeyed the call of the
Governor.
oFlora came with her friends" said Mrs
McL.--. Il remember seeing her
riding along the line on large white horse
and encouraging her countrymen to be
faithful to the King. Why, she looked like
a queen. But che went no farther than
here, and when they marched away she re-
turned to her home. She dined with us,
and the next day sister Maggie went out to
Barbecue to stay awhile with Mrs. Mac
donald, as she had desired"
Nearly month afterward these Scotch
I'D I'd A..
oners or killed in battle at Moore's Greek
bridge. Flora's husband was among the
prisoners and was sent to Halifax Jail. He
was soon afterward released on parole,
when he left North Carolina with his fami-
" for Scotland in a British war-sloop. On
the way the vessel was attacked by a
French cruiser, when the courage of the
English seamen and marines appeared to
desert them, and capture seemed inevita-
BILE. They were about to surrender when
Flora appeared on deck, and by words and
deeds 80 stimulated their spirits that they
beat off the enemy and the Macdonalds
were landed safely on their native soil of
the Isle of Skye. During the engagement
Flora was severely wounded in the hand
She remarked, when speaking of her pecu-
liar situation, 81 have hazarded my life
both for the House of Stuart and tho
House of Hanover, and l do not see that I
am great gamer by it."
Flora Macdonald was the mother of five
sons and two daughters. She retained
much of her beauty and all of her lowell
ness of character and dignity until the
last. She was always modest, always
kind, always sweet and benevolent in dis
position. She died early 10 March, 1890,
and was buried in the cemetery at Kilmuir,
in the Isle of Skye. Her shroud, as she
had requested long before her death, was
made of the sheets on which the Young
Pretender, whom she helped to escape to
France, reposed at the house of her kinS-
man, the Laird of Kingsburgh, on the
night before he sailed for the continent
Two years later the remains of her husband
were laid by her side. Their resting place
was covered with greensward for eighty
erected over them.
death came to the Barbecue congregation,
said Mrs. McL-, "a solemn funeral
service was held in the church, when the
Rev. DIR. Hall preached sermon.'
The venerable lady attempted to tell the
story of Flora's exploit which made her
famous, but her narrative was so mixed
and meager that II was unsatisfactory. |
will epdeavor to give the narrative as con-
cisely and clearly as possible from the best
authorities, prefacing the story with the re-
mark that / regard my personal interview
with one who had converted with the he.
roiue as memorable privilege. l CRATE
fully pressed the hand of the old lady
when I babe her good-by.
The Young Pretender," as Prince
Charles Edward Stuart, grandson of James
II. OF England, was called, bad landed in
Scotland TO attempt the recovery of The
British throne, from which his grandfather
had been driven nearly sixty years before
He drew hosts of adhel ents around him.
He fought battles with the English, but