1776: "There Are Troublesome Times Ahead"

Flora MacDonald was legendary in North Carolina and among the Scottish Highlanders for helping Charles Edward Stuart (a prince attempting to restore the Stuart monarchy through an uprising in Scotland) escape capture after his defeat at the Battle of Culloden in April 1746. She and her husband, Allan MacDonald, emigrated from Scotland to the the colony of North Carolina in 1773 and lived among other Scots. 

The following account includes oral history recorded by Benson J. Lossing in 1849 when he travelled in North Carolina, interviewing people who had taken part in the American Revolution. An elderly woman only identified as Mrs. McL— in the account shared her memories of Flora MacDonald and the rallying of the Scots before the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge.

Spelling is original. The sections in quotes are recorded as Mrs. McL—'s words while the additional information is how Lossing wrote his summaries.

"I was a girl of fourteen when Flora and her husband came to Cross Creek (the old name of Fayetteville). She was then about fifty years of age, not very tall, but a very handsome and very dignified woman, with fair complexion, sparkling blue eyes, the finest teeth I ever saw, and hair nearly covered with a lace cap and slrighly streaked with white. She had endured much trouble. Her voice was sweet music and oh, how the poor and the church missed her when she went home, after experiencing much trouble here! She was often at my mother's house when she first came, and I almost worshipped her because of her beauty and goodness."

The old lady [Mrs. McL] then stepped to a quaint-looking chest of drawers, and taking out a dingy letter written by Flora to Mrs. McL—'s elder sister, then a maiden of twenty, handed it to me to read. It was a brief note, but an exceedingly interesting one, as it was in bold handwriting of the heroine of Skye. I was permitted to make a copy of it and a tracing of Flora's signature. Here is a copy:

February 1, 1776

Dear Maggie: Allan leaves tomorrow to join Donald's standard at Cross Creek, an' I shall be alone wi' my three bairns. Canna ye com' an' stay wi' me awhile? There are troublesome times ahead, I ween. God will keep the right. I hope a' our ain are i' the right, prays your guid friend, 

Flory MacDonald

"You see," said Mrs. McL—, "she wrote her name Flory—she always did. The letter was written at her new house at Cameron Hill, near the Barbacue Church, where the good Mr. Campbell preached as often as possible. Flora was a pious member of the Barbacue congregation. . . ."

On the day when that note was written the royal Governor of North Carolina issued a proclamation calling upon all friends of the Kin to assemble with arms at Cross Creek and join his standard. The Macdonalds were all stanch loyalists. They had been loyal to the Stuarts, now they are loyal to the House of Hanover.

The troubles of Flora in North Carolina now began. Her husband and others, to the number of about fifteen hundred, mostly Scotchmen, readily obeyed the call of the governor.

"Flora came with her friends," said Mrs. McL----. "I remember seeing her riding along the line on a large white horse and encouraging her countrymen to be faithful to the King. Why, she looked like a queen. But she went no farther than here, and when they marched away she returned to her home. She dined with us, and the next day sister Maggie went out to Barbacue to stay awhile with Mrs. Macdonald, as she desired."

Nearly a month afterward these Scotch loyalists were routed, dispersed, made pisoners, or killed in battle at Moore's Creek Bridge. Flora's husband was among the prisoners, and was sent to Halifax jail. He was soon afterward released on parole, when he left North Carolina with his family for Scotland, in a British war-sloop. . . .

Flora Macdonald was the mother of five sons and two daughters. She retained much of her beauty and all o fher loveliness of character and dignity to the last. She was always modest, always kind, always sweet and benevolent in disposition. She died early in March 1790, and was buired in the cemetery at Kilmuir, in the Isle of Skye. . . .

"When the news of Flora Macdonald's death came to the Barbacue congregation," said Mrs. McL—, "a solemn funeral service was held in the church, where the Rev. Dr. Hall preached a sermon."

Source:

Benson J. Lossing, Reflections of Rebellion: House with the Living Men and Women of the Revolution (reprinted by The History Press, 2005), excerpts from pages 69-73.