Lady Anne Farquharson-Mackintosh

(Engraving of Lady Mackintosh based on painting by Allan Ramsay, found in Life and Adventures of Bonnie Prince Charlie volume 3 by W. Drummond Norie)

One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God fighteth for you, as he hath promised you--Joshua 23:10


Lady Mackintosh giving final instructions just before the rout of Moy (drawing by the author).

The noble lady I chose for the month of February is Lady Anne Farquharson-Mackintosh. When Prince Charles Edward Stuart, a. k. a. "Bonnie Prince Charlie" landed in Scotland in 1745 to rally Jacobites for one last attempt to regain the crown of his forefathers, Lady Anne raised the members of Clan Mackintosh and the Chattan Confederation (of which the Mackintoshes were chief) for the Prince. The new regiment was dubbed Lady Mackintosh's Regiment, and she received the title of "Colonel" Anne. But this was not the only contribution of Lady Mackintosh to the Jacobites

"Bonnie Prince Charlie" was staying at Lady Mackintosh's house named Moy Hall when she received word that the enemy commander, Lord Loudon, was marching with two thousand men to capture the Prince. Lady Mackintosh sent the Prince away while she formed a distraction. To quote Fitzroy Maclean, historian,

"She had, with great presence of mind, sent the blacksmith of Moy, one Donald Fraser, and four others to take up a position 'upon a muir, at some distance from Moy, towards Inverness, and there await the approach of Lord Loudon's men." (read more about the rout of Moy from Mr. Maclean here).

In the darkness, the five men hid until Loudon's force approached. Then the five fired and shouted Highland war cries. Lord Loudon and his men believed that they had stumbled into an army, and fled for Inverness. The Prince was saved and the enemy humilated in what became known as "The Rout of Moy".