FLORA MACDONALD IN
AMERICA.
Marjorie Taylor.
Flora MacDonald was fifty-two years of age when she and her husband, Allan, accompanied by two of their sons, Alexander and James, arrived in North Carolina from the Isle of Skye in 1774. Her daughter, Anne, her husband, Alexander Macleod, and their two small sons, also came to America and may have made the long six-weeks journey on the same ship. The other children in the family included Ranald in the Marines, Charles with the East India Company, John, 15, a student in Edinburgh, and Fanny, 8, who remained in Scotland and did not see her mother until the latter's return to her homeland five years later.(1)
They had sailed from Campbeltown, Argyll, and landed near Campbeltown on the Cape Fear River. This settlement was later renamed Fayetteville, honoring General Lafayette who became very popular in America during the Revolution.
The depressed economic conditions in Scotland influenced many Scots to migrate, and no doubt Allan and Flora had serious financial problems. With the increase in rent it was becoming more difficult to meet expenses. The price of cattle, the chief source of income for Allan and Flora, had been declining and they were badly in debt. Many of their cattle and horses had died as Flora noted in 1774 they had lost 327 head during the preceeding three years.(2)
There were relatives living in America including Hugh MacDonald, Flora's stepfather, her half-sister, Annabella, and her husband, Alexander MacDonald. On their arrival Flora and her family were guests for a time of Annabella at her home at Mt Pleasant, located more then 100 miles from the coast and near Barbecue Church where the Reverend James Campbell preached in both English and Gaelic. He had come to America from Campbeltown in Argyll in the 1730's, and had been licensed as a Presbyterian preacher in Pennsylvania in 1735, and had gone down to North Carolina in l758.(3)
Alexander and Anne MacLeod soon established their home in Cumberland County. Flora and Allan settled in Anson (now Montgomery) County with their two sons, their furniture, silver and books, and their eight indentured servants. They were only five miles from her stepfather, Hugh MacDonald, and about twenty-five miles from Anne.
All these former residents of Skye were probably comfortably established by the spring of 1775 just as the "Troubles" which led to the American Revolution were becoming very serious.
There had been dissatisfaction in the Colonies especially since the Peace of Paris of 1763 and the Proclamation, also of 1763, which prohibited settlements beyond the mountains on the land they felt they had won from the French and the Indians. There was also resentment because of the trade regulations and taxes Parliament had enacted.
After the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in September 1774 the possibility of conflict was openly discussed. Flora, her husband, and her son-in-law were soon actively promoting the cause of the King.
A letter dated November 12, 1775, from Governor Martin of North Carolina to the Earl of Dartmouth stated "the Scotch Highlanders here are generally and almost without exception staunch to Government." He continued mentioning "Captain Alex MacLeod, a Gentleman from the Highlands of Scotland, later as Officer in the Marines who had been settled in this Province about a year and is one of the Gentlemen I had the honor to recommend to your Lordship to be appointed a Captain in the Battalion of Highlanders ....his father-in-law, Mr. Allan MacDonald, proposed by me for Major of the intended Corps moved by my encouragements have each raised a company of Highlanders."(4)
The patriots were anxious as to the activities of the Highlanders and in July the Wilmington Committee of Safety resolved their chairman should "write Allan MacDonald, of Cumberland County" (he had moved to Anson County)" to know from himself the reports of his having an intention to raise Troops to support measures against the Americans in this Colony and whether he had offered his services to Governor Martin."(5) There had been pressure for Allan to join the Whigs in their opposition to the King but he was never interested.
Meetings in private homes increased support for the cause of George III and according to tradition Flora made speeches which added to their enthusiasm. Because of her aid to Prince Charles Edward following his defeat at Culloden, she was well known on both sides of the Atlantic and her opinions carried a great deal of influence. There was discussion in the fall of 1775 regarding a campaign proposed for the following spring.
Donald MacDonald who had fought at Bunker Hill and had come south to recruit men was commissioned a Brigadier General in His Majesty's Forces by Governor Martin of North Carolina. He was placed in command of Loyalist land forces while Sir Henry Clinton, at sea with a small fleet and seven Corps of Irish Regulars had orders to meet the land forces at the mouth of the Cape Fear early in the year 1776. They were determined to defend the King's authority which was being rejected by the Americans.(6)
When they left home to join the Loyalist troops, Allan MacDonald, his sons, Alexander and James, and three servants carrried their "family arms" valued at over forty-two pounds. Allan had also purchased arms, shirts, blankets, and shoes, valued at eighteen pounds and arms costing forty-seven pounds for distribution to the Loyalists who did not have adequate equipment. His son-in-law, Alexander MacLeod, contributed guns, swords, and pistols valued at ninety-one pounds.(7)
When the Committee of Safety in both New Bern and Willington became aware of the activities of the Loyalists, American troops were ordered out to prevent their reaching the coast. As both the Tories and Whigs were manoeuving for any advantage Colonel Caswell, Commander of the American forces, arranged for the removal of one portion of the planks from the bridge over Moore's Creek and ordered the framework to be greased with soft soap and tallow.(8)
This slippery bridge was a very important factor when the Loyalists and Whigs met there in battle just before daylight February 27, 1776. Following a verbal exchange part of which was in Gaelic, the Highlanders, in tartans and kilts, who advanced with the battle cry "King George and the Broadswords", accompanied by pipes and drums were soundly defeated in less than five minutes. The victorious Whigs, 1100 in number, captured 859 troops, 350 guns, 150 swords, 1500 rifles, 13 wagons with horses, medical supplies and 1500 pounds sterling. At least seventy Loyalists lost their lives including some who fell into the creek as they attempted to cross the slippery bridge from which some of the planks had been removed. (9) The Americans reported two men wounded, one of whom died later.(10)
Allan MacDonald, the husband of Flora, Alexander, their son, Alexander MacDonald of Cuildreach, the husband of Flora's sister, Annabella, and two of his brothers were among the prisoners. Alexander MacLeod, Flora's son-in-law, had avoided capture by hiding in the woods and eventually rejoined the royalist forces.
This was surely one of the most difficult times in Flora's life. Her husband was a prisoner of war, and she was in a community which had been disrupted by the military defeat. Women whose husbands, fathers, and sons had been captured by the American forces resented the encouragement given by Flora and her husband prior to the battle and many considered them responsible for their troubles. A year later, in 1777, their plantation was confiscated when Flora refused to take the oath of allegiance to North Carolina. Her daughter, Anne, also fled from her home where property valued at 1500 pounds was stolen or destroyed. However in February 1776, two years after the action at Moore's Creek, Major Alexander MacLeod, serving with the British Army, was able to arrange with Sir Henry Clinton for a flag of truce for his family. His wife, Anne, their four children, her mother, Flora MacDonald, and their indentured servants sailed from North Carolina to New York, then under the control of the royalist forces.
As a captive of the Americans, Allan had walked the 700 miles from Moore's Creek to Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. He felt the severe hardship of this trip caused him to lose the use of his legs in later life. Following an exchange of prisoners he was allowed to go to New York where he met Flora and their daughter, in April 1778. Later that year Alexander MacLeod took his family to London, but he later returned to America and fought under Cornwallis in 1780.(12) Allan was assigned to Halifax in Canada where Flora spent a miserable, cold winter. She had injured her wrist, she was homesick, and she had not seen her two youngest children for five years. Then in October 1779 her husband arranged for her passage to London. But there was bad news, for on her arrival she learned of the death of her son, Alexander, at sea. He had been on leave because of his bad health which was probably due to a wound received at Moore's Creek in 1776.(13) Two years later her son, Ranald, of the Marines, also died at sea.
Flora was reunited with two of her children, Anne MacLeod, and Fanny, her youngest, whom she had not seen since she and Allan had left for America five years before. It is not known if she met her son, John, before his departure for India where he was to live for many years.(14) Allan remained in Canada when the war was over in 1783 and the 84th Regiment was disbanded. He hoped to develop the 3000 acre regimental grant in Nova Scotia which he had received, but abandoned the place because of lack of capital.
Six years after Flora had left America, Allan too decided to go to London where he hoped to be repaid for his losses suffered during the War. He filed claims for his two plantations, grist mill, furniture, books, plate , horses, saddles, baggage, and personal expenses which he valued at 1,341 pounds. It must have been a disappointment when he was awarded the sum of 440 pounds.(15)
Allan and Flora MacDonald, their surviving sons, Charles and James, and their daughters, Anne and Fanny, all returned home to Skye with stories and memories of exciting experiences. Flora died in 1790 and Allan in 1792. Both are buried on the Isle of Skye.
We respect Flora MacDonald for her great courage and inspiration exhibited both in Scotland and in America.
FOOTNOTES:
1. Vining, Elizabeth Grey, Flora A Biography. J.B.Lippincott, Philadelphia and New York, 1966, p. 129
2. Vining, Ibid., p. 118
3. Weis, Frederick Lewis, The Colonial Clergy of Virginia, North
Carolina and South Carolina.
Geneological Publishing Company, Inc., Baltimore,
1976,p.60.
4. Colonial Records of North Carolina. William L. Saunders, Secretary of State, Raleigh, North Carolina, 1890, Vol.X.p.325.
5. Colonial Records of North Carolina, Ibid., p. 65.
6. Maclean, J.P., An Historical Accounts of the Settlements of Scotch Highlanders in America Prior to the Peace of 1783. Hickman Taylor Co:, Cleveland & Glasgow, 1900, p. 125.
7. Vining, Ibid.,p. 162.
8. Rankin, Hugh, "The Moore's Creek Bridge Campaign," North Carolina Historical Review, Vol.XXX. p.50.
10. Commager, Henry Steele, Morris, Richard B., The Spirit of Seventy-Six. Harper & Row, New York, 1967, p. 115.
11. Vining, Ibid.,p.171.
12. Vining. Ibid., p. 182.
13. Vining, Ibid., p. 185.
14. Dictionary of National Biography, Edited by Sidney Lee, MacMillan & Co., New York, Smith Elder & Co., London 1892 Vol.XXXV, pp. 40, 41.
14. Vining, Ibid., p.190.
15. Vining, Ibid., p.192.
JOHN PAUL JONES: BIOGRAPHY.
Campbeltown Town Minutes. Campbeltown Custom House Records.
"A Ramble through Old Kilkerran Graveyard. " Col. C. Mactaggart.
"Ben Franklin's Privateers." William Bell Clark. Louisiana State University Press, 1956.
"Life and Character of John Paul Jones." John Henry Sherburne, Adriance Sherwood & Co. New York, 1851
"The Life of Rear-Admiral Jones." George R. Preedy. Herbert Jenkins Ltd. 1940.
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