THE TWO MEN OF CLUNY

      In July 1865, Queen Victoria commissioned Kenneth Macleay, RSA, to paint watercolours of Balmoral retainers. In November 1867, Macleay travelled to Badenoch to paint the two Macphersons. Described at the time as "The finest men yet taken for the series of Highlanders." Lachlan Macpherson is splendidly attired in the dress tartan and in his left hand he is holding the Bratach Uaine, the famous ancient Green Banner of the Chiefs of the Clan Macpherson. When carrying the Bratach Uaine the Macphersons never knew defeat in battle. In his right hand he is holding a basket-hilted sword. Ewen Macpherson is dressed in the hunting tartan and supporting a two-handed sword with his right hand. The sword is reported to have been in possession of the Frasers of Struy for 200 years, the last of whom bequeathed it to 'Old Cluny'. In his left hand he is holding the silver mounted targe or target said to have belonged to Prince Charles Edward Stuart. Following the Battle of Culloden, the Chiefs of the Clan Macpherson held the targe until it was sold for 4,000 guineas in 1928. Splendidly decorated with silver mounts, it has a grotesque central Medusa's head with open mouth threaded to take a spike. The targe is now on display in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

      Ewen Macpherson was born in 1803 at Strone near Kingussie, on the property of Colonel Macpherson of Belleville (Balavil). His father, John Macpherson, was a shepherd; married Margaret Miller, and had four sons (each of them about 6'3" in height), and five daughters; he died at the age of 63. Ewen was a shepherd; he lived formerly at Strone, and Dail-Chuaich and then Garvamore, in the Braes of Badenoch. He stood pivot man on the right of his Chief when Cluny, to receive Queen Victoria at Loch Laggan in 1847 drew up the 'Macpherson men'. Ewen married, in 1845, Ann Cattanach, daughter of Thomas Cattanach, in the parish of Kingussie; and had five sons and five daughters. Ewen's grandfather's name was also Ewen Macpherson, and he was called in Gaelic Eobhan MacIan, Mhic Eobhain, Mhic Mhuric, a concise list of the names of his ancestors for four generations. Ewen's grandmother was a Macpherson, and after her husband's death was called a Bhantrach Bhuidh (the yellow haired widow), and celebrated in song. Ewen's uncle was called Paul na Brataich, he and his fathers having carried the standard, known as the Bratach Uaine Clann Chattan, under successive chiefs.

      Lachlan Macpherson was born at Cat Lodge, in the Parish of Laggan, on the property of Cluny Macpherson. His father, Angus Macpherson, was mail contractor, he married Elizabeth Macpherson, and died at Dunkeld, 1832, aged 56. His eldest son, John, was house steward to the late Marquis of Breadalbane, for upwards of twenty years, and held and appointment in the Lord Chamberlain's office. Lachlan Macpherson lived formerly at Blair Atholl and at Dunkeld; he had afterwards a hotel and farm at Birnam. H e was unmarried and a tenant at the Farm of Laggan, in the parish of Monzievaird, near Crieff. He was commonly called Lachlan Mor, and was for many years Champion of Scotland for all athletic games. Lachlan's grandfather was Alexander Macpherson, and his grandmother Flora Macpherson. His two grandfathers, together with their fathers, followed their Chief Cluny Macpherson, on Prince Charles's side, in 1745.