436 HISTORY OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES. 



thus the only chief of the Long Island with the young 

 Chevalier. On 26th August seven days after the standard 

 was raised at Glenfinnan Norman Macleod informed 

 President Forbes that Clanranald's Uist men were un- 

 willing to "risque," and had not sailed from the island 

 by the 22nd ; but we know that some of them fought at 

 Prestonpans.* 



In the month of September, President Forbes received 

 from London twenty commissions, for raising a like number 

 of Independent Companies in the Highlands, for the service 

 of the Crown. This suggestion emanated from the Earl of 

 Stair, who had complete confidence in the President's 

 discretion, as well he might. Forbes distributed the com- 

 missions among the well-disposed clans, leaving the 

 nomination of the officers in the hands of the chiefs. He 

 sent letters to the Earls of Sutherland and Cromartie, Lords 

 Fortrose and Reay, Sir Alexander Macdonald, Norman 

 Macleod, the chiefs of the Grants and other clans, desiring 

 each of them to raise a company. Want of funds and of 

 arms created much delay in enrolling these companies, and 

 it was not until several months afterwards, that the whole 

 eighteen companies two of the commissions not being 

 used were completed. The officers of the Lewis company 

 were Captain Colin Mackenzie, Lieutenant Donald 

 Macaulay and Ensign Kenneth Mackenzie. The Earl of 

 Cromartie refused the commission which was offered him. 

 His sympathies were with the Jacobites, but for some time 

 he temporised. Finally, he joined the Prince, and with 400 

 or 500 Mackenzies, fought at the battle of Falkirk. His 

 son, John Mackenzie (Lord Macleod), a youth of eighteen, 

 was less cautious. He declared himself early in the rising, 

 and endeavoured to enlist the support of some of the 

 Mackenzie chieftains on the side of the Prince. With the 

 exception of Coul and Redcastle (both of whom refused 

 commissions in the independent companies) and John 

 Mackenzie of Torridon, "one of the prettiest men in 



* See Appendix I. 



