BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 277
however, might have taught him to form a different estimate. The fact is,
Wesley’s Arminianism and soft persuasive eloquence were ill-suited to the
genius of a people stern, fervid, and passionate; and accustomed to regard
the doctrines of Calvin as the only doctrines which could teach a man how
to be saved.
No. CXIII.
SIR JAMES GRANT OF GRANT, BART.,
WITH A VIEW OF HIS REGIMENT, THE STRATHSPEY OR GRANT FENCIBLES.
AT a period when many of the extensive Highland proprietors, actuated by a
violent frenzy for improvement, were driving whole districts of people from the
abodes of their forefathers, and compelling them to seek for that shelter in a
foreign land which was denied them in their own-when absenteeism, and the
vices of courtly intrigue and fashionable dissipation, had sapped the morality of
too many of our landholders, SIR JAMES GRANT escaped the contagion ; and,
during a long life, was distinguished for the possession of those virtues which
are the surest bulwarks of the peace, happiness, and strength of a country.
Possessed of extensive estates, and surrounded by a numerous tenantry, his
exertions seemed to be equally devoted to the progressive improvement of the
one, and the present comfort and enjoyment of the other.
Sir James was born in 1’138, and succeeded to the family estates and title
on the death of his father, Ludovic, in 1773. He represented the county of
Moray in Parliament so early as 1761, and for several years afterwards. He
was also sometime menber for Banff; and, although he made no attempt
to figure in the political arena, or to become an intriguing partisan of either
party, his zeal for constitutional liberty, in the hour of danger, was neither
less prompt nor less efficient than that of some blustering persons, misnamed
patriots, who attempted to make their local influence the pedestal of future
elevation.
On the declaration of war in 1793, Sir James was among the first, if not
the very first, to step forward in the service of the country with a regiment of
Fencibles, raised almost exclusively among his own tenantry, and with such
alacrity, that in less than two months eyen more than the complement of men
were assembled at Forres, the head-quarters of the regiment. Almost immediately
after the Fencibles were embodied, Sir James raised another corps, called
the 97th, or Strathspey Regiment, for more extended service, which consisted
of eighteen hundred men. This regiment was embodied in 1794, and immediately
marched into England. Of both these regiments Sir James was, of course,
appointed ColoneL Next year, the 97th were drafted into other corps-the
278 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
two flank companies being incorporated with the 42d, then preparing for the
West Indies.
The Fencibles continued embodied till 1799, and did duty in various parts
of Scotland. While stationed at Linlithgow, proposals were made for extending
the services of the regiment to England and Ireland ; but, from some misunderstanding
on the subject among the men, they would not agree. This attempt
on the part of the officers, who acted without duly consulting the soldiers in a
matter which concerned them so materially, gave rise to much discontent and
distrust in the ranks ; but confidence was soon restored by the presence of Sir
James, who hurried to join the regiment as soon as he was aware of the circumstances.
In 1795 the Strathspey Fencibles were quartered at Dumfries, where a
trifling affair happened, which, as it constitutes the only warlike affray that
occurred in Scotland during the whole volunteer and fencible era, is perhaps
worth recording. “ On the evening of the 9th June, the civil magistrates of
Dumfries applied to the commanding officer of the 1st Fencibles for a party
to aid in apprehending some Irish tinkers, who were in a house about a mile
and a half distant from the town. On the party’s approaching the house, and
requiring admittance, the tinkers fired on them, and wounded Sergeant Beaton
very severely in the head and groin ; John Grant, a grenadier, in both legs ;
and one Fraser, of the light company, in the arm : the two last were very much
hurt, the tinkers’ arms being loaded with rugged slugs and small bullets. The
party pushed on to the house ; and, though they suffered so severely, abstained
from bayoneting them when they called for mercy. One man, and two women
in men’s clothes, were brought in prisoners. Two men, in the darkness of the
night, made their escape ; but one of them was apprehended and brought in
next morning, and a party went out, upon information, to apprehend the other.
Fraser’s arm received the whole charge, which, it is believed, saved his heart.
Beaton, it is expected, will soon recover.” So says the chronicle of this event.
One of the soldiers, however, afterwards died of his wounds. The leader of the
tinkers, named John ONeill, was brought to Edinburgh for trial. He was a
Roman Catholic ; and at that time a number of genteel catholic families being
resident in Dumfries, they resolved to be at the expense of defending O’Neill,
on the ground that he was justifiable in resisting any attempt to enter his own
house. With this view, they prevailed on the late Mrs. Riddell of Woodley
Park’ to go to Edinburgh and procure counsel. She found no difficulty in
obtaining the services of Henry Erskine, without fee or reward ; but, notwithstanding,
O’Neill was found guilty and condemned to be hanged. The good
offices of Mrs. Riddell, however, did not terminate here. She applied to
Charles Fox ; and, through him, obtained a commutation of his sentence.
A still more unpleasant affiir occurred in the regiment while at Dumfries
only a few days after hhe encounter with the tinkers. One of the men being
Mn. Riddell was P great beauty, and a poetess of no inconsiderable note. She wrote a critique
on the poem of Bun~s, and materially assisted Dr. Currie in writing the life of the pet.
