Jean-Chretien and his Chasseurs

Jean-Chretien de Fischer entered the French army in 1737.  In 1741, he became a valet to a French officer during the Sieges of Prague.  Fischer took care of his master's horse, taking it outside the city and across the river to graze.  Many other servants and horses followed Fischer.  But one day, wild Hungarian hussars swept down on them all, to carry away the horses.  Fischer and his fellow-servants beat them off.  General Saxe heard of this and put all the servants under Fischer's command, creating an Independent Company for him.  These Chasseurs de Fischer served in Alsace, at Lauffeldt and Bergen-op-Zoom.  After the Treaty of Aix-la-Chappelle, Fischer was the only light corps commander to have his corps not disbanded.  In the Seven Years' War, Fischer's Chasseurs would go on to further glory in Hanover, Sandershausen, Krefeld, Bergen, Minden, Kloster Kamp, Lutterberg and Warburg.

Jean-Chretien de Fischer was an organizer of men.  In addition to raising the Chasseurs de Fischer, he raised a unit of light troops sent to India, and the Volontaires-Etrangers.  He died in 1762.  His story is an excellent example of Matthew 25:21:

"His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."

Empress Anne of Russia

"Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head."--Romans 12:20

Anne, Empress of Russia was born on February 7, 1693.  She married Frederick Wilhelm on November 11, 1710 and was crowned Empress of Russia on April 28, 1730.  Anne was not a model empress, being capricious, as well as rejecting the "Conditions", an early form of constitution to limit the monarch. 

In 1733, the War of the Polish Succession broke out.  France backed King Stanislas I while Austria and Russia supported Augustus III.  Comte de Plelo organized a French expedition to relieve Stanislas who was besieged in Danzig.  In a daring attack, Plelo was killed and his small army dispersed.  The Russians captured the remainer of the French expedition and shipped them to St. Petersburg.  In honor of her victory, Anne held a fete at the palace, which she compelled the French to attend:
"The Empress, however, seemed to have treated them with kindness otherwise.  On that same occasion at the palace, the officers were even allowed to wear their swords in Her Majesty's presence, and they were entertained as guests.  The Empress also gave to every common soldier a coat lined with sheep-skin, and every officer one lined with fox-skin, when the weather turned cold."--pg. 30, War of the Polish Succession by Vajiravudh, Prince of Siam

R. Nisbet Bain adds: "'It must be confessed,' wrote Mr. Rondeau some time later, 'that Her Majesty has been very kind to the three French regiments, most of whom would have perished here of cold if the Tsaritsa had not been so good to give every common soldier a greatcoat lined with sheepskin, and to every officer one lined with fine foxskin.'"--pg. 225, The Pupils of Peter the Great by R. Nisbet Bain (quotation from Rondeau: Dispatches)

This illustration by the author depicts the French officers and Empress Anne (center).  On the dais (raised platform) stands a nobleman and the elite Grenadier-Guards.  The captain of the Grenadier-Guards wears a green waistcoat, while the two soldiers wear red.  Comte de la Motte is bowing to the Empress and the officers stand behind him, in the uniforms of Regiments Blesois, Perigord, and La Marche, some with long greatcoats.  A gathering of gentlemen (including an officer of the Preobrazenskiy Guards) and ladies watch the captives.

Louisa Maria Teresa Stuart

"The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice; and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.  Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice"--Proverbs 23:24-25

"Adieu, my dear child.  Serve your creator in the days of your youth.  Consider virtue as the greatest ornament of your sex.  Follow close the great pattern of it, your mother, who has been, no less than myself, over-clouded with calumny.  But time, the mother of truth, will, I hope, at last make her virtues shine as bright as the sun."--advice from James II to his young daughter Louisa Maria Teresa Stuart

Louisa Maria Teresa Stuart was born on June 28, 1692 to James II, King of England and Mary of Modena.  She was born in France, as by 1692 King James had been forced to flee there following the "Glorious Revolution".  James himself said that Louisa had been sent by God to him as a consolation in his distress.  The young princess in exile became very popular with the French for her kind nature.  There were plans for her to marry Charles XII of Sweden, but they fell through. 

She died on April 18, 1712, regretted by many, French and English alike. 

A French noble wrote this to a friend: "My Lord, I send to you by these the sad and deplorable news of the much lamented death of the Princess Royal of England who died of the smallpox the 18th of this month at St Germains who as she was one of the greatest ornaments of that afflicted court, so she was the admiration of all Europe; never Princess was so universally regretted. Her death has filled all France with sighs, groans and tears. She was a Princess of a majestical mien and port; every motion spoke grandeur, every action was easy and without any affectation or meanness, and proclaim'd her a heroine descended from the long race of so many paternal and maternal heroes..."

Even Louis XIV himself, the "Sun King", personally wrote a letter to Queen Anne to inform her of the death of her sister.  Lord Dartmouth records that the letter contained "the highest character that ever was given to any princess of her age."

Despite her short life (living almost twenty years) Louisa Maria Teresa Stuart was loved by all for her uprightness.

Theresa Sobeska, Electress of Bavaria

"He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me"--Psalm 55:18

"The lamentable situation of the Electress and her children appealed strongly to the chivalry of Marlborough.  "It has made my heart ache," he wrote to the Duchess, "being very sensible how cruel it is to be separated from what one loves."

"On November 10 a treaty was concluded by the King of the Romans and the Bavarian representatives, whereby the Electress undertook to disband her husband's army, to surrender his fortunes, and to restore his conquests.  In return she was permitted to reside at Munich, to receive a sufficient revenue, and to maintain a personal guard of 400 men."--pp. 245, 251, Wars of Marlborough by Frank Taylor

Theresa Kundegarde Sobieska was born in 1676.  In 1695, she married Maximilian II Emmanuel, Elector of Bavaria.  1695 was the middle of the Nine Years War, as France and the Holy Roman Empire clashed in Europe.  The Nine Years War ended in 1697, and Bavaria enjoyed peace.

But the peace was broken in 1702 with the outbreak of the War of the Spanish Succession.  Max Emmanuel changed sides, joining France against the Holy Roman Empire.  This new Franco-Bavarian force was poised along the Rhine, until the Duke of Marlborough shattered it at the Battle of Blenheim.  The Elector with the remains of his army joined the French in their retreat, leaving his wife as vice-regent of Bavaria.  The Allies wasted Bavaria with fire and sword, to compel the Elector to surrender.  On November 10, 1704, the Electress signed a treaty with the Holy Roman Emperor.  When the war ended in 1713, the Elector returned to his dominions, which had been saved for him by his wife, Theresa Kundegarde Sobieska.

Queen Anne

"Honour all men.  Love the brotherhood.  Fear God.  Honour the king."--1 Peter 2:17

Queen Anne, "in dying" says Klose, confirmed the belief, that had long prevailed, of her partiality for the exiled Prince, by exclaiming, "Oh, my dear brother, how I pity you!"--pg. 322, History of the Irish Brigades in the Service of France by John Cornelius O'Callaghan.

Prince George and Princess Anne of Denmark

Queen Anne I of Great Britain was born February 6, 1665 to James, Duke of York and Anne Hyde.  On July 28, 1683, she married Prince George of Denmark, becoming Princess Anne of Denmark.  When William III invaded England, George and Anne deserted James II and joined William.

In 1702, William III died and the crown passed to Anne, who was, author G. A. Henty says "good-nature itself".  Anne determined to let her brother succeed her, perhaps in hopes of undoing her desertion of her father, and reorganized the army to that end.  Most of the people were in favor of her brother, James III, having the crown. In God's providence, however, she died just before her plans could be finished, saying that she pitied her "dear brother".

Despite the fact that her plan was undone, Queen Anne is remembered fondly today.  Under her, British troops won the War of the Spanish Succession with the Duke of Marlborough leading them.

Rather than idly wishing that her brother would succeed, she worked towards it.  So should we.

Queen Mary of Modena

"But let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price"--1 Peter 3:4

"She was 'the model of what a queen should be, and she bore her misfortunes heroically.'"--Demetrius C. Boulger, The Battle of the Boyne

"And there hope is, that when the Spouse of Christ shall have summoned her grand array to meet the Bridegroom, among the humblest of her handmaidens may be numbered the names of Francoise de Maintenon and Marie of Modena and England."--George S. Smythe, Historic Fancies

Mary of Modena was born on October 5, 1658 to the Duke and Duchess of Modena, a small state in Italy. On November 23, 1673, Mary married James, Duke of York. For over ten years she lived quietly, until February 6, 1685. Charles II died, and the English throne passed to his brother James.

James was crowned as James II and Mary of Modena became Queen. They ruled for three years until on June 10, 1688, the Queen gave birth to a son, triggering William III's invasion. I have already studied the Revolution which drove James, Mary, and their son into exile.

Mary of Modena "bore her misfortunes heroically" as she fled England and sailed to France. Her heroism won praise from Louis XIV, as she endured disaster after disaster including defeats at the Boyne (1690) and Aughrim (1691), and the death of James II (1702). Mary of Modena had one more child: Louisa Maria Teresa Stuart, born on June 28, 1692.

She died in exile on May 7, 1718, but her legacy of perseverance lives on.

Marquis de Montcalm

One of my heroes is Louis-Joseph, Marquis de Montcalm. Montcalm was born exactly 300 years ago, on February 29, 1712. When he was 12, he joined the French army and served in the War of the Polish Succession (1733-36). On October 3, 1736, Montcalm married Louise-Angelique Talon de Boulay. They had 10 children, but only 6 survived to adulthood. Throughout his life, Montcalm's heart was always with his family, even when he was absent.

Montcalm fought in the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48). When the war was over, he was allowed to raise a cavalry regiment, the Regiment de Montcalm. In 1756, France and England declared war on each other, beginning the Seven Years' War. Montcalm was sent to New France (Canada) as commander of French regular troops. Montcalm besieged and took Fort Oswego (1756) and Fort William-Henry (1757). He also shattered a British army attacking Fort Carillon (1758).

But the British were not Montcalm's chief enemies. The French-Canadian leaders made life difficult for Montcalm. Governor Vaudreuil was a man with, it seems, little character and a big ego. He was not a bad man per se, but was surrounded by evil counsellors like Intendant Bigot and M. Pean. Bigot and Pean were bureaucrats who stole money from the King. They did not like Montcalm's candor in exposing their official stealing.

1759 saw Montcalm defending Quebec against James Wolfe. Both were killed in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham.

Montcalm held the line against not only the British, but also the corrupt Canadian bureaucrats. He held to principles of Biblical warfare. But a characteristic that is not often seen in other generals was his modesty. Louis XV awarded him the Cross of Saint-Louis. He wrote to his wife about this honour, adding, "But I think I am better pleased with what you tell me of the success of my oil-mill."

Montcalm's priorities were his family and his church, and he never forgot them, even in the heat of campaigning or the battles with the Canadian bureaucrats.

Recommended reading: The Passing of New France: A Chronicle of Montcalm by William C. H. Wood. This is an excellent study of Montcalm and the French & Indian War.

Lady Margaret Ogilvy of Airlie

"A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband; but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones."--Proverbs 12:5

After the success of last year's calendar, I made another one, containing 12 more noble women. The first one is Lady Margaret Ogilvy of Airlie. The dates of her birth and marriage are unknown, but I believe that c. 1590 and c. 1613 are fairly close (one son who inherited the title Lord Airlie was born c. 1615).

Much of her life is unknown, being recorded chiefly in a ballad named The Bonnie Hoose of Airlie. This ballad is set in 1640, during the beginning of the turmoil of the English Civil War. As the song goes, Lord Airlie and his men went to join the King's forces in Scotland, leaving Airlie Castle relatively undefended. A Covenanting army under the Marquis of Argyle appeared and Argyle asked for "one kiss" from Lady Airlie. Despite an overwhelming enemy army, she scorned the proposal. Furious, Argyle fired Airlie Castle, burning the lady inside.

When the Royalists found out about Argyle's faithless attack:

"'Draa yir dirks, draa yir dirks!' cried brave Lochiel;

'Unsheathe yir swords!' cried Chairlie,

'An we'll kennle sic a lowe roond the fause Argyll

'An we'll licht it wi a spark oot'n Airlie!'"

Facing a strong enemy army, Lady Airlie had held Airlie Castle--and her honour--for her husband, and she is to be commended.

Note 1: versions of The Bonnie Hoose o' Airlie differ, mine taken from http://www.lochiel.net/archives/arch221.html

Note 2: Despite references to "Chairlie" and "Lochiel", this song is set in 1640, not 1745. "Lochiel" refers to Allan Cameron of Lochiel.

Louise de la Valliere

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions--Psalm 51:1

"My sin has been public; my repentance must be public too"--Louise de la Valliere

"I speak knowingly, and nothing but what I have seen and has been related to me by undeniable witnesses, and I never knew or heard of but one [Louise de la Valliere] who did not one way or other deceive their gallant, and am persuaded that she was misled merely by the love of the person of the prince which she has shown by her quitting the world and going into a nunnery of a very strict rule, where she has lived ever since a great example of penance and mortification;"--James II

Of all the powerful posts in Louis XIV's France, Louise de la Valliere held the highest as the King's mistress. However, by the grace of God, she saw the error of her ways, renounced her position in deep repentance, and joined a convent. Louis XIV's court did not understand her, and apparently persecuted her for her decision, for she said "When I am in trouble at the Carmelites' [convent], I will think of what those people have made me suffer." They could not understand why she would give up wealth, titles, position, and even love...for what? For something that is worth far more than all of these.

She sacrificed to follow the Word of God.

Madame de Montcalm

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies--Proverbs 31:10

"She was as tender a wife as she was a devoted mother"--Abbe H. R. Casgrain

Louise-Angelique, Madame de Montcalm was born in 1709 or possibly early in 1710. I do not yet know the exact date of her birth; however, she was born after her father died, and he died on July 10, 1709. On October 3, 1734, she married a young soldier named Louis-Joseph, Marquis de Montcalm. Montcalm dearly loved his wife and six children, and his wife reciprocated this love. In 1756, as the Seven Years' War broke out, the Minister of War sent Montcalm to Canada to command French troops there. Madame de Montcalm did not wish to see him so far away, but she let him go--and never saw him again. Even through the rigors of campaign, and the battles with Governor Vaudreuil, he never forgot his wife and six children who were waiting in France for him. "Adieu, my heart, I believe I love you more than ever!" is the affectionate closing to one of his last letters home. Montcalm died shortly after the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. One of his last acts was to write a letter for every member of his family.

She died on March 12, 1788, thirty-nine years after her beloved husband.

I have not yet found any portrait, engraving, illustration, or any other picture of Madame de Montcalm, so I drew one.

Apparently Montcalm liked green coats, so in my drawing, he wears one, while Madame de Montcalm has a green dress. His two sons (one as colonel of the Regiment de Montcalm) are represented, as well as his four daughters. The one in green is Mirete, who died while Montcalm was fighting in Canada. Under magnification, one might notice a bird on the left. That is a tribute to Montcalm's verse, written when some said the number of his children was too many for such a small fortune: "Small birds He (God) gives the pasture, And His goodness extends to all nature."

An excellent tribute to the faith of Montcalm and his wife.

Beatrix Jenkinson

"If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men"--Romans 12:18

Picture from www.battleofprestonpans1745.org From left to right: Mary Jenkinson, Charles Edward Stuart, Beatrix Jenkinson.

Beatrix Jenkinson is relatively unknown. I have not yet found the date of her birth, death, or marriage (supposing she was married). She appears for a short time on the stage of history and disappears just as suddenly, leaving behind a reputation for kindness.


One thing that is known is that she had at least one sister named Mary and one brother. Her father was minister at Tranent Church in Scotland. In the year 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie landed in Scotland to reclaim the crown of England, Scotland, and Ireland for the Stuarts. He raised an army of Highland Scots and marched on Edinburgh, which was defended by General Sir John Cope. On his march, Prince Charles stopped at Duddingston, where he met Beatrix and Mary Jenkinson. He called them the "bonniest lassies I have seen in Scotland".


On September 21, Charlie finally brought General Cope's army to battle at Preston Pans. In fifteen minutes the British were routed, with General Cope running for dear life. Only his subordinate Colonel James Gardiner continued the battle until he was wounded with a Lochaber axe. Colonel Gardiner was carried to Tranent Church and cared for by Beatrix Jenkinson until he died on the morning of September 22.


This, then, is all that is known of Miss Jenkinson, who met Prince Charles and cared for his enemy, Colonel Gardiner.

Queen Marie Lesczcynska

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil--1 Corinthians 13:4-5

Queen Marie Lesczcynska ("Frenchified" into Lezincka) is certainly one of the most forgotten queens of France. She was born in 1702 to Stanislas and Katarzina Lesczcynska, in the midst of international turmoil. In 1700, Peter the Great (of Russia) and Augustus II (of Poland) had devised a scheme to rob the 18 year old King of Sweden, Charles XII, of his Swedish empire. However, they picked the wrong man. In the first large battle of the Great Northern War, Charles XII crushed the Russians at Narva. In 1702, Charles turned against the Poles, and defeated them at Klissow. He deposed Augustus II, and installed Stanislas as King of Poland. Stanislas was king of Poland for four years until 1709, until Charles XII was defeated at Poltava and Stanislas resigned as king.

He and his family (he had two daughters, Marie and Anne) moved to Alsace, a territory somewhat under French control.

King Louis XIV died in 1715, and his great-grandson Louis XV succeeded him. In 1725, the Regent (Louis, Duke of Bourbon) was looking for a suitable queen for the young king, because there was a fear that he would die childless. His choice fell on Marie. When Stanislas heard it, he went to inform his wife and daughter (Anne had died at this time) of the good news:

"Fall we on our knees, and thank God!"

"My dear father, can you be recalled to the throne of Poland?"

"God has done us a more astounding grace, you are Queen of France!"

In 1733, Augustus II died, and Stanislas returned to the throne, backed by France. Russia and Austria put Augustus III on the throne instead, igniting the War of the Polish Succession. Stanislas was forced out of Poland, but France compensated him with the duchies of Lorraine and Barrois (conquered by the French in the war).

Marie was a good wife to Louis XV, but he was a terrible husband to her. However, Marie seems to have borne it patiently. She has the distinction of being grandmother to three French kings: Louis XVI, Louis XVIII, and Charles X.

She died in 1762, four years before her father died.

Lady Anne (Livingston) Boyd, Countess of Kilmarnock

General Hawley receiving the messenger informing him of the Jacobite march. The messenger is, unfortunately, incorrect, having a 1750s light dragoon helmet. Picture by the author.

And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not--Judges 5:15a

"She was a woman of splendid pers and manners; and Hawley, completely fascinated by her well-acted blandishments, spent the whole of this important forenoon in her company, without casting a thought upon his army"--Robert Chambers, historian

When Charles Edward Stuart a.k.a. "Bonnie Prince Charlie" landed in Scotland in 1745, William Boyd, Earl of Kilmarnock, joined him with a troop of Horse Grenadiers. When the Horse Grenadiers gave up their horses, Kilmarnock turned them into the Footguards.

After retreating from England, the Jacobites besieged Stirling Castle. British General Henry Hawley gathered an army to relieve Stirling. The Jacobites took up a position near Falkirk, but there was some danger that Hawley would strike before they were fully deployed.

The Countess of Kilmarnock solved the dilemma by inviting General Hawley to breakfast. Hawley apparently enjoyed himself, for he stayed until the battle began around 1 P.M.; then he departed in haste, taking her napkin and forgetting his hat (see author's illustration above).

Charles's Jacobites defeated Hawley's soldiers, and the Battle of Falkirk was a victory for the Prince. However, Lady Kilmarnock had made a very important contribution.

She died September 16, 1747, after the execution of her husband, Lord Kilmarnock.

Lord and Lady Kilmarnock from Panel #43 of the Prestonpans Tapestry

Let Them Eat Cake...or not

Marie-Antoinette is accused of being uncaring towards the peasants of France. When someone told her about the shortage of bread across France, she allegedly responded, "Let them eat cake (brioche)!" However, problems abound with attributing this saying to Marie-Antoinette.

Firstly, the only period source for the quote is Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Confessions. Rousseau says, "Finally I recalled the stopgap solution of a great princess who was told that the peasants had no bread, and who responded: 'Let them eat brioche.'"

Rousseau does not even cite the name of the "great princess".

Secondly, Rousseau wrote his Confessions in 1765, and they were published in 1782. In 1765, when he wrote the statement, Marie-Antoinette was nine and not even French! She was born in Austria in 1754, and married the future Louis XVI in 1770. Until 1770, the French population knew her only as the daughter of Austrian Empress Maria-Theresa. It is absurd to say that an Austrian archduchess of nine years should make a comment on the starving people of France!

Finally, a letter from Marie-Antoinette to her family in Austria,

"It is quite certain that in seeing the people who treat us so well despite their own misfortune, we are more obliged than ever to work hard for their happiness. The King seems to understand this truth."

Quite a different mindset on the peasants and their well-being than is traditionally ascribed to the last Queen of France!

Marie-Antoinette

For lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD.--Psalm 59:3

"The winners get to write history"--attributed to Napoleon

Marie-Antoinette (1753-1793) is possibly the most controversial woman on this calendar. She is frequently denounced as spending millions of the French treasury on fountains or candles, thus bankrupting the French crown, being uncaring about the peasants (e.g. "Let them eat cake"), and ultimately causing the French Revolution which guillotined her. However, I believe this portrait is too harsh. Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette were the best monarchs that France had had for over one hundred years. Marie-Antoinette gave to the poor "bountifully" as M. Guizot says in his History of France. In gratitude they erected a monument of snow which said, "Fair queen, whose goodness is thy chiefest grace/With our good king here occupy thy place/Though this frail monument be ice or snow/Our warm hearts are not so." The problems with the Treasury began after the disaster of the Seven Years' War, and were only made worse by a spendthrift Minister of Finance. Marie-Antoinette had very little to do with the bankruptcy of the Crown. In fact, she rejected a diamond necklace after being informed that it cost the equivalent of two frigates (fast ships of 40-60 cannons). The French Revolution was caused more by Louis XV than by Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette.

Flora MacDonald

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy--Matthew 5:13

Miss Flora MacDonald (1722-1790) ferried "Bonnie Prince Charlie" to the Isle of Skye. After the Battle of Culloden, Prince Charles fled through Scotland. He was on the west coast of Scotland, and the British were hunting for him. Captain O'Neil, one of Charles's companions, enlisted the help of Flora MacDonald to sail the Prince from the mainland to Skye. Flora disguised the Prince as her maid, Betty Burke, and sailed for the island. Prince Charles reached Skye, and with the help of French ships, regained the Continent. Flora MacDonald was arrested, but not punished. She later married, emigrated to the British colonies, and encouraged the 84th Royal Highland Emigrants during the American War for Independence. She died in 1790, and has been highly praised by many.

"Miss Flora is about twenty four years of age, of a middle stature, well shaped, a very pretty agreeable person, of great Sprightliness in her Looks, and abounds with good Sense, Modesty, Good-nature, and Humanity."--John Burton, contemporary of Flora MacDonald

Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough

"Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land"-Proverbs 31:23

"She (that is, Sarah Churchill) on her part was equally attached to him (her husband, the Duke of Marlborough), but much as she strove to add to his power and to forward his plans, her haughty and violent temper was the main cause of the unmerited disgrace into which he fell with his royal mistress (Queen Anne I), who owed so much to him personally, and whose reign he did so much to render a brilliant and successful one."--pg. 44, The Cornet of Horse by G. A. Henty.

Sarah Churchill--as Henty said--made her husband's career and broke it. It was her influence with Queen Anne I (Sarah was Lady of the Bedchamber to the Queen) that appointed the Duke of Marlborough as British commander in Flanders during the War of the Spanish Succession. He was a great general, and it was no fault of his that his family lost their government positions.

The Marlborough family. From left to right: the Duke, Elizabeth, Mary, the Duchess, Henrietta, Anne (their daughter, not the queen), and John

(picture from www.britishbattles.com)

Madeleine de Vercheres

Engraving by C. W. Jefferys, found at Canadian Military History Gateway

"That thy beloved may be saved: save with thy right hand, and hear me"--Psalm 60:12

"I went up onto the bastion where the sentry was...I then transfomed myself, putting the soldier's hat on my head, and with some small guestures tried to make it seem that there were many people, although there was only this soldier."--Madeleine de Vercheres

Marie-Madeleine de Vercheres was born in Canada in 1678 and died in 1747. When she was twelve (1689), the Nine Years' War broke out in Europe. France and the Irish fought the League of Augsburg (Austria, Holland, Savoy, and England). The conflict spread to the colonies, where the English-allied Iroquois attacked the family settlement, Fort Vercheres. Madeleine's mother with four or five men repelled them. Young Madeleine would use the lesson in two years.

In 1692, Monsieur and Madame de Vercheres travelled to Montreal, leaving Madeleine at the settlement, with only one soldier. The Indians struck, and captured twenty settlers working outside the walls. Madeleine herself was outside the wall and her neckerchief was seized by an Indian. She loosed it and outran the Indians into the fort, where she quickly shut the gates.

There was a cannon, and Madeleine fired it to warn all the other settlements of an Indian attack. Madeleine donned the soldier's hat and gestured, to deceive the Indians into thinking that the stockade was well guarded.
The Indians were disappointed at not being able to catch the settlement unawares, and retreated. Canadian troops and their Indian allies arrived at the fort in six days, relieving fifteen-year-old Madeleine.

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".

Maria Theresa

(painting in the public domain, found on www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Maria_Theresia_Familie.jpg

For the next twelve months, I hope to provide biographies of noble women of the 17th and 18th centuries, one per month. The idea is based on a present I designed for one of my sisters. The month of January is about the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, and her effective rallying of the Empire against the invader in the province of Silesia, Frederick II of Prussia.

(picture from A History of France by M. Guzot, public domain)

"She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms"--Proverbs 31:13

Her youth, beauty and dauntless spirit won all her subjects' hearts, and appealed with tenfold force to the chivalrous Hungarians--Fontenoy and Great Britain's Share in the War of the Austrian Succession by Francis Skrine (public domain)