MACPHERSONS WITH A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW

      Although the Clan was predominantly royalist (and later on, Jacobite) it was also represented on the side of the Commonwealth. Dougal Macpherson of Powrie (a member of the Ballachroan family) was commander of Blair Castle in 1644 and captain of Ruthven Castle in 1648. He was also joint commander (with Locheil and Mackintosh) of Argyll's forces in Badenoch and bailie of Badenoch for Argyll in 1650.

      In 1662, after Charles II was restored to the throne in England, John Macpherson of Dalraddie, a brother of William of Invereshie who died of wounds sustained while fighting for Montrose at Auldearn, and Ewan Macpherson, tutor and legal guardian to the young chief Andrew of Cluny, were both fined £600 for their adherence to the Commonwealth.

     

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MONTROSE'S VIEW OF EWAN OG OF CLUNIE

      As we have seen, Ewan Macpherson was one of the great leaders of the Clan. Montrose himself testified to this view under tragic circumstances. We are told that in May 1650 when Montrose was being taken to Edinburgh as a prisoner, "two or three gentlemen of the name Macpherson happening accidentally [to be] at Inverness as Montrose was led prisoner that way . . . he knowing them as he passed by he saluted them and asked if Ewan Macpherson was still in life. They told him no and at which drawing his hat over his eyes he wept exceedingly and said 'Waes me then, for I am a gone man', adding that if he were still in life he would expect to be released ere he past the Spey."

     

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THE FATE OF ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL

      He was the 1st and only Marquis of Argyll and arch-enemy of Montrose. He suffered an ignominious defeat at Inverlochy in 1645 but had the satisfaction of watching Montrose go to his death on the scaffold in 1650. Yet he was instrumental in bringing Charles II to Scotland in 1650 and placed the crown on his head at the coronation ceremony in1651. When Cromwell took over Scotland in 1652, Argyll was arrested and induced to sign an oath to live peacefully under the new regime. Eventually he become MP for Aberdeen. After the restoration in 1660 he went to London but was thrown into prison on his arrival. Taken back to Scotland for trial, he was found guilty on dubious evidence and executed on 27 May 1661 at the same place where Montrose met his fate. As was the case of Montrose he was disembowelled and his head placed on top of the Edinburgh Tollbooth where Montrose's had been.