JOHN CAMERON OF FASSIFERN AND THE LINE OF GLENEVIS

[Cameronian]

It is often safer to stay within the limits of genealogy and not explore beyond these lines of descent, but, another need is imposed upon us by the history of that time, and with many hands at work much can be added to what is already known.

John Cameron of Fassifern, (son of John Cameron of Lochiel, and brother to Gentle Lochiel) had been arrested and placed in Edinburgh Castle in May 1753, in August of that year he wrote a Memorial detailing the story of his persecution down to that date in which Glenevis plays a role.

The purpose of this threat was described by Colonel Crawford as the ‘Uprooting of Fassifern’ and the manner in which it was delivered resulted in different charged being laid against him, the alleged forged deeds etc, and even after being held prisoner in Edinburgh Castle till January 1755, he was sentenced, not by any Criminal Court but by the Court of Session. Resulting in his Banishment from Scotland for 10 years. He finally returned to Fassifern where he died in 1785 and is buried at Kilmallie.

[Cameronian]

Memorial for Fassifern, written in his own hand. (I have interjected comments in brackets-changed spelling and as a concession to brevity, edited out quite an amount of text)

After I was some days prisoner at Fort William when I represented my innocence to Governor Campbell and Captain Scott (the most infamous of Cumberland’s officers) they being sensible of it gave me a protection dated 23 May 1746………(the Memorial continues to relate to the treatment he received and the removal of cattle and property from Fassifern and other Lochaber areas and carries on in this fashion until )….At the end of Harvest and beginning of Winter 1751 Colonel Crawford who commanded then at Fort William sent Captain John and Mr Gardiner to my house with orders to bring all my papers to Fort William and me prisoner there, which accordingly they did, and brought every paper I had in my house, not only mine but every paper they found in my wife’s drawers and in my Cousin Peggy Cameron’s drawers. Next day all my papers were read and examined by Mr Douglass and the Sheriff Mr Gardiner and after the narrowest examination they could make, having found nothing in them that they could in the least challenge, were all returned to me and I was set at liberty upon giving a Bond for my appearance in six months if desired.

When I was Prisoner at Fort William in 1746 I heard Captain Scott frequently say that he wanted to apprehend Glenevis (spelt Glenavash) as he was informed that he was in company with the engineer that came to take over the Fort when they began the siege and in the time of the siege was offering rewards to those that would kill any within the Fort, and that he (Glenevis) continued still with the Rebels, has a Company of men commanded by his brother the whole time of the Rebellion, mostly of his tenants, and that he received after Culloden 120 Louis d’Or from Doctor Cameron as the arrears due his company and 160 Louis d’Or from Charles Stewart.

[Cameronian]

Some time after Glenevis came home from this imprisonment in Edinburgh Castle either in the 1747 or ’48, the first time he came to my house the told me that as he was going in to his boat at Marybrough , Governor Campbell and McLauchlin his son in law in a manner forced him to go and dine with them and after dinner that they called him to a closet where they pretended a great deal of friendship for him, and that his answer to them was, how could he believe them as General Campbell showed him a letter from the Governor ……… McLachlin said he thanked God he was in good friendship with the whole Country except Fassifern and that he was very indifferent about him, and Glenevis said that his answer to him was how could he expect to be in friendship with the country and be at variance with Fassifern.

Its very well known that while Glenevis was prisoner at Inverary, Glasgow and Edinburgh that he made it his business in all companies to run down the Governor and McLachlin. Some time after Glenevis had this conversation with me at my own house, I was informed that he and McLachlin had joined the co-partnership of trade, and happening to meet him in Aug ’49 at Culchena’s (Cadet of Callart) burial after the interment he and I and a great many others returned to Culchena’s house where we took a hearty glass; at which time I told him I was surprised after what he told me at Fassifern that he should join in Company with McLachlin , he began to vindicate McLachlin and denied that he had told me a word of the conversation at Fassifern which provoked me so much that I threw a glass of punch in his face and tossed him over the bed whereon we were sitting.

Winter 1751, Mrs Cameron came to my house and told me at Glenevis’ desire she was come to receive payment of money due by him and his brother. I told I would not interfere betwixt them , she went to Glenevis and when she returned to my house she told me Glenevis would not give her one half penny. She sent several messages to him and to his brother upon that subject but all to no purpose. About the time she was leaving the country she then threatened she would put the debt in other people’s hands

[Cameronian]

Some little time before this happened, there was the murder of Glenuir . A precognition taken upon Oath of Glenevis, Blairfildich, and Kinlochleven when the rest of the country was sworn, and they deposed then that they knew of none that had any manner of hand in that murder by advice threatening otherwise. In about eight days after this first Oath, Glen, Blair, and Angus, Glenevis’ brother sent a message to me by William Steuart, if I would not keep Mrs Cameron from putting her threats in execution that they would ruin me, which accordingly they attempted by the second Oath they gave quite contrary to the first.

Upon my hearing of this I went directly and waited of Colonel Crawford and Barcaldine and showed them Blair’s letter to me and represented to them the malice of these people against me. They both seemed to be satisfied of the falsehood of what Glenevis and his knights of the Post declared. Charles Steuart told me that in Spring 1752 at Drumnasallie’s burial, that Duncan Cameron Toullie (?) insinuated to him that he would have what money he desired provided he would make discoveries against me.

About the end of Harvest 1752 a party went from Lagan Achdrom to search Glenevis’ house for Arms, there they found five or six guns. They brought himself and his Arms into Fort William. It is to be observed that Glenevis’ rental does not entitle him to carry arms thought he qualified and instead of being prosecuted for the Arms found with him, in a few days thereafter he got warrants for six stand of Arms. The next attempt he made upon me, being disappointed in the first was in Winter 1752. He came to the Sheriff Douglass and swore to him that , having left Maryborough at twelve of the clock at night in his way to his own house, within pistol shot of the Garrison, there was a priming burnt at him and when he went forward a short mile further two men met him and asked him if he was Glenevis to whom he answered, what if he was, upon which they fired two shot at him. It’s to be observed that he was then two miles from his own house and but a mile from Fort William and a house aside him and several houses betwixt him and his own house that he did not call at any of these houses or return to Fort William but went straight to his own house and neither his clothes nor his horse touched. Upon this there was one order to take precognitions of every one he suspected and the first question asked at each of them was if ever they heard me threaten him or proposed to do him any injury.

To be continued…..

[SherbrookeJacobite]

This is fascinating stuff Val! Thank you for taking the time to post it.

I am looking forward to the next "chapter".

Slainte

John

[Cameronian]

Notwithstanding of the strictest inquiry that he could make it come to nothing and thought there was people, close to the place he pretended he was fired at watching a Corps, there was none of them heard a shot so that all he gained by this adventure was that every person believed that he perjured himself, beside it can be proven that a few nights after the shooting match he travelled home all alone under night. And when this second attempt upon me failed he has now made a third in which, though he has put me to a great deal of expense and trouble, yet I hope he will be disappointed as I understand after the strictest enquiry he could point our of Evidence against me that they could lay nothing to my charge.

Its to be observed that Duncan McVicar collector of the Customs at Marybrough was the only persons allowed to be present at the first examination and directed the Judge what questions he was to ask those that were examined, and at the second examination Glenevis pointed out the witness and , I’m told, directed the Judge as to the questions. It is to be observed that this McVicar has been most intimate with Glenevis these several years and they go hand in hand in everything and when Blair and young Kinlochleven gave the last oath in regard to Glenuire, McVicar made it his business to represent to every person that Blair and Kinlochleven were men of good character and never known to tell anything that was false, though he made some insinuations about me as to old Kinlochleven desiring him to stand Glenevis friend against me. And in the time that Mr Douglass and he had a law plea he threatened he would do me all the hurt in his power which William Stewart, Merchant in Marybrough can testify and several others including Dr McLaurin resident there.

[Cameronian]

The said Mr McVicar has got possession last Whitsunday of the Lands I was dispossessed of and wants to ruin me in order he may get all my possessions in that country.

Its to be observed that Blairmacfildich is cousin german to Glenevis and married to his Cousin german, and has received some of the pretender’s gold from him, and young Kinlochleven is in love with Glenevis daughter and received of the Pretender’s gold from Glenevis by which he has forced him to say or do whatever he has frequently heard .

The Captain that was stationed at Erict and Sheriff Douglass can testify it was I who put them onto the scheme of employing Sanders Cameron to apprehend the thieves which has had a very good effect in civilizing the Country. All the Gentlemen in the Neighbourhood of the country where I live can testify that I always contributed all in my power to curb all disorders in the country and to discourage theft and depredations, and my behaviour in the 1745 and 1746 is without exception as is attested by his Royal Highness the Duke, my Lord Breadalbine, Colonel York and Captain Scott and the deceased Governor Campbell and I believe all he Officers that have been at Fort William since will attest to my character.

It is to be observed that, when we were at Lithgow on our way here in the presence of Captain Duprisinie, and other officers. Charles Steuart was talking of a woman in Glasgow, Glenevis then said that the servant he had with him at present offered to him to take off that woman’s head for five guineas and while we were observing his servant walking by the side of the coach he pointed him out to us and said, there is the man who offered to take off the woman’s head. His name is McMillan, which showed us just what kind of man Glenevis is and what rascally servants he keeps

[Cameronian]

Now sadly it appears that this is all that I had typed at the Inverness Highland Archives, but rest assured that I shall be back there in June to finish this all off, however perhaps Chris or others can put another side to Glenevis ……. Obviously Fassifern’s memorial detailing the threats did not help in the end.

[Cameronian]

Like I said “ with many hands at work much can be added to what is already known”

An overnight email from a Canadian ‘cousin’ contributes the following:

Hi Val, the original hardcover publication of this book included genealogy wherein "the MacMillan" who was servant/bodyguard to Alexander of Glennevis is mentioned.... …..Sanders Cameron was John Cameron of Inveruiskavouline's father...(a non Jacobite)

Macmillan: The American Grain Family
by W Duncan Macmillan
To say that the MacMillans have achieved financial success would be understating the fact considerably. The MacMillans, with their Cargill cousins, are today the owners of the largest privately held company in the world: Cargill, Inc. An engrossing saga of pluck and daring, love and loss, triumph and failure, "MacMillan" is the last great American success story with its roots in the nineteenth century.”

[ChrisDoak]

Thanks,Val,for putting John Cameron's Memorial on the Forum.It is not one that I have seen before,and has taken me a few readings for me to get a handle on the contents.

Certainly there was mutual hatred between John Cameron of Fassifern and Alexander Cameron of Glenevis,mostly a case of smouldering resentment over a number of years,but things had lately come to a head over the distribution of "The Loch Arkaig Treasure",and the Glenevis family connection with the capture and execution of John's brother Dr Archibald Cameron.

I would imagine that Alexander Cameron had real reason to be afraid of John Cameron of Fassifern - unarguably the most powerful civilian in Lochaber - wealthy in possessions,and wealthy in contacts.(You would not want to mess with Mr Big!).Both men were ostensibly "neutral" for the period of the Jacobite Rebellion;John Cameron in order to protect the interests of the Lochiel family,and Alexander (probobly) to protect the interests of his pocket.

Both men,however,were not as neutral as they wished to appear.Cameron of Fassifern was offering assistance to the Jacobite cause wherever he was able,and,as mentioned in his Memorial above,assisting loyal vigilante Alexander (Sanders) Cameron of Inveruskivullin in the scurging of thieves in the neighbourhood.Alexander Cameron of Glenevis?He was quite happy to cosy up to both sides as well,but in a more extreme fashion.

It was for this reason that I believe Alexander Cameron was suffering from paranoia,seeing an assassin's gun behind every bush - he believed his activities during,and since,the Rebellion,had been rumbled,and at the time of Fassifern's Memorial,I suspect he had.

After the defeat of the Jacobites at Culloden in April 1746,"neutral" Alexander turned himself in to Campbell of Mamore,and he was to spend the next twelve months in prison.It is a bit unclear why he took this course of action,but if we have a wee look at the first Memorial that he penned to secure his release,things might become a bit clearer!

[ChrisDoak]

MEMORIAL.18 August 1746.

"To His Excellency Major General John Campbell.

Alexander Cameron of Glenevis,
Most humbly representeth:

That altho' I always made it My principal and study,not only to live in the outmost subjection and obedience,but to do all the good offices in my power to this present King and Government,yet since the commencement of the late,wicked,unnatural Rebellion,I have been unlucky as to suffer,both in my means of person,in such a gross manner,that I daresay,None in Britain can parallell the singularity of my Case.Which will appear the more obvious,when my conduct of behaviour all along is considered in the following circumstances.

1745,July or 1st August.That on my return home from Perthshire of this date,and getting notice of the Pretender's son's landing,I immediately waited of,and apprized Mr Duncan McVicar,now Collector of Customs at Fort William,thereof,and recommended to him at the same time to communicate the same furthwith to Captain Alexander Campbell,Deputy Governor of Fort William,and other persons well affected to the Government;and also to tell him I would wait of him the next day,which accordingly I did.So as a speedy method might then be fallen on for quashing the Rebellion in the budd,and at the meeting,proposed,as I had dealt in some branches of Trade,and had sundrie debts owing one in that Country,I should be allow'd and actuallt obtain'd leave from the said Deputy Governor and Captain James Miller of General Guise's Regiment,then Commandant of the Forces at Fort William,to go on pretence of collecting my debts,among such as was then understood,intended to join the Pretender's son's interests,but withall,merely in order to see what I would learn of his and adherent's schemes,and accordingly on my return,made a faithful report to the above named Gentlemen of all I then heard or saw concerning the matter.

That upon a Spanish Vessel's landing in Arrasaig in the months of October or November last,with some Treasure or ammunition for supporting the Rebellion,I,at the earnest request of the Gentlemen above named,ventured to go in person to Arrasaig on pretence of private business,but merely in order to discover the truth of that landing,what number of men escorted it,and to learn the most elligble method of intercepting and hindering the same's reaching the Rebel Army.Accordingly on my return reported that there were 42,000 Pieces of Eight,2,500 stand of Arms,100 barrels of Gun Powder,and a dice proportion of Ball brought in the said ship.That some part of the said cargo had been landed in Barrae,and the rest in Arrasaig,that how soon the Rebells had then understood that Lord Loudon with some of the forces had sett out from Inverness,in Orders to secure the Treasure and Ammunition,and likewise give timeous notice that I was credibly inform'd that a large body of Rebells had assembled,and actually marched forward to the Nine Mile Bridge,in order to meet with,and disconcert his Lordship's scheme.Whereof had he not been timeously apprized by any means as above,his Lordship and Command behoved of course to have fallen in the Rebell's hands.

That thereafter I kept close correspondence with the said Captain James Miller in relation to whatever I could learn of the Rebell's motions and schemes whilst in the South,and on their return North."

(To be continued).

[ChrisDoak]

"That upon the Rebells their first assembling at the Head of Lochiell,I frankly made offer of providing the Forces with Beef,Money,and anything else that lay in my power,and yet,as all communication was stopped,proposed to go in person and bring their money safe from any place they then had credit.

That same short time before the opening of the Seige of Fort William,Lodovick Cameron of Torcastle sent a strong command of the Rebells,who apprehended me while I lived peaceably in my house,and laid such a restraint on my person that I durst not,on my account either to move therefrom,or Correspond with any concerned in the Government,without leave.Under which restraint I was continued during the whole time of the Seige,and upon the Rebell's retiring,they were cruell as to carry me Prisoner along with them in a litter,altho' at the same time I labour'd under a violent flux,and at length they thought proper to drop me at the Nine Mile Water.

It's true while I was confin'd at my house,the Officers who Commanded these attending the Seige,took it in their head to bring me one day along with them to the Sugar Loaf Battery,where I was kept for some short space.But I apprehend that can never be constructed to be any Guilt in one,since while I was their Prisoner,I behoved of course to comply with their Commands.This being promis'd,it's humbly hopt it will appear evident to the world my main intention of study was during the late Rebellion to do all the good offices in my power in serving any Righteous King and Government,until I was therefrom by any being made Prisoner as foresaid.

Yet notwithstanding whereof upon the unlucky abuse given by the Rebells to two of the soldiers of,and near,Garrison of Fort William,the Forces station'd there apprehending that some of my Tennants were neccesary to that horrid piece of cruelty,thought proper without making the due inquiry after the real actors,that ought previously to have been done,not only to to rifle,plunder,and burn both my own mansion house and office houses,as well as those of my Tennandry,and cruelly stripp'd and abus'd both my wife and theirs,and carry'd off 150 Cows,and twenty five piece of Horse of mine,and upwards of sixty head of Cattle of theirs.Besides either burnt or carry'd off the Grounds Papers of considerable debts due to me,and other Papers of importance,so that my loss,everything considered,by this Desolation,must swell up to such a considerable sum,that it has in effect utterly ruin'd one,and that at our Depauperating any Tennandry,whereby my small Estate is,and must for some time,remain waste.

That upon these misfortunes,my poor wife and five small children were oblig'd to betake themselves to the wild hills,where they still remain,and were and are expos'd to both cold and hunger.And yea thereby one of my Children perish'd in the mountains,which could not with any decency be brought to be interr'd in a Christian Burial Place,because of the daily heard of threatenings and resentment the Military most causlesly bore against me and my poor family.

And now (by the Blessing of God) that their rage and resentment has somewhat coold,on account of their being in some measures convinc'd of my Tennants entire innocency of being acessary to the abuse done to the said soldiers,I thought it my duty to wait of your Excellency on purpose to lay their genuine singular state of my Case before you,and which wou'd have been done long ago ere now,cou'd I with any safety to my person have got access to you,in order that if there's any criminal thing found in my conduct during the late unnatural Rebellion,I am most willing instantly either to surrender myself,or find undoubled Baill to present any Person for my standing Tryal at any time and place your Excellency shall think fit.

May it therefore please your Excellency to consider the Premises,and in the meantime,not only to allow my poor wife,children,and servants to attend the manufacturing my small Crops,which is the only fund now remains for their subsistance,but to recommend to the Officers of the Military in my Neighbourhood to give them no further Disturbance until my Case is fully consider'd and determin'd.

And your Petitioner shall ever pray,

Alex.Cameron".

[National Library of Scotland.
Saltoun Papers,Vol.17518,folio 62.]

[ChrisDoak]

So how successful was Alexander's Memorial?

Not as much as he had hoped,for he was retained in prison for another year,until his release under a general amnesty in July 1747.

In the intervening period he penned at least one other Memorial (and others too,doubtless) in an effort to gain his freedom - this time from Edinburgh Castle in March 1747.The format and the details of this one closely followed the previous Memorial,with added embellishments of how "because of his name he was in a position at the time of the Rebellion to know a great deal of what was doing",and that "he was only now under suspicion because of his misfortune in sharing his surname".Further,he added "the only connection with the Rebellion he had,was when through destitution,he contacted Lochiel after Culloden about money that was owed to him,and received it."

As a bonus,in this Memorial Alexander had managed to get references to his good character and Loyal service,from Rev.Thomas Montford of the Parish of Kilmallie,and Duncan McVicar,Collector of Customs (remember his name - it has cropped up before,and it will crop up again!).

So if Alexander was such a Loyal subject,why had he not been released sooner?

Simply,because his story was not believed.

His Memorials had been passed for comment to Alexander Campbell,Deputy Governor of Fort William,and Campbell quite strongly disputed the Loyalty of Alexander Cameron of Glenevis.

Campbell,in an equally long response to Alexander's Memorials,clarified that Cameron had been confined by the Garrison of Fort William for a few weeks,after he had attended the Rebels at Glenfinnan,as they believed he might have been useful to them.He was subsequently paroled on the condition that he should return to the Garrison should he be requested.When Cameron had gone to Arrasaig to get intelligence on the Spanish ship,Campbell had paid him 50 shillings to report back,and given him £40 to aquire for the Garrison,Brandy brought over for the Pretender.Campbell was later approached and informed by Cameron of Drimsallie,that Alexander Cameron had been at his house for some days,but could not truthfully say if Alexander had travelled any further.

Campbell continued,that when the Rebells came from Fort Augustus,Cameron was summoned to return to Fort William.Alexander,however,had written to Campbell stating that he could not attend,as he had been made prisoner by Cameron of Torcastle,and his brother-in-law Dungallon.Alexander had also informed Campbell's son-in-law Mr McLauchlan,that Old and Young Lochiel,and many French Officers were to be at his house in Glen Nevis,with an intent to besiege the Fort.Circumstances proved this to be grossly exaggerated and false,and was believed by Campbell to have been a ruse by Alexander to deceive them into surrendering.Additionally,whilst supposedly imprisoned by Torcastle and Dungallon,Alexander Cameron had been identified in the proximity of the Fort,strolling with his walking stick,and without any restraints at all.

Was he a double-agent then?

[ianjonefan]

Did this John Cameron of Fassiefern have either a son , or a grandson who was a Col. in the Gordon Highlanders. Iwas wondering because my brach of the Cameron line is supposed to have some connection to this John Cameron. All we have is the date and place of his death.According to the meager information this John Cameron was killed in 1815b during the Battgle of Waterloo If there's anyone out thier that could hekp me I would greatly appreciate it. Maybe I have information that someone's looking for. If there are any interested cameron that wants a copy of the information I haveplease e-mail me your name , Street Address , and City. and I'll send you copies of what I have. you can contact me by e-mail which is [e-mail].

[Eilidh]

Hi ianjonefan
Colonel John Cameron of Fassiefern was born in 1771. He was a son of Ewen Cameron of Fassiefern and his wife Louisa or Lucy Campbell of Barcaldine(one of six children) and grandson of John Cameron of Fassiefern (brother of The Gentle Lochiel).

Lt Col Cameron of the 92nd Gordon Highlanders became a full Colonel on 15 June 1815 and was killed at Quatre Bras (Belgium) on 16 June 1815 (two days after the battle of Waterloo). There is a nice photo of him on <www.ambaile.org.uk> in highland history and culture. His body was brought back to Scotland and is buried in the churchyard at Kilmallie where there is a large monument to him.He is often mentioned as " the valiant Fassiefern ". To find out more just put [John Cameron Quatre Bras] in Google.

So your John Cameron IS the grandson of that John Cameron of Fassiefern mentioned in this site. You can really claim to be a Lochiel Cameron. Regards Ele

[Eilidh]

Hi Further info on Colonel John Cameron of Fassiefern who, by the way was never married and apparently had no children, there is a digitised copy of a memoir on the internet.Type <Memoir of Colonel John Cameron of Fassiefern> into Google. One of the first articles is- Internet Archive subject Cameron- go down until you find John Cameron and than you can read the book. Very interesting (has the photo that I mentioned before). Book was written by Rev Archibald Clerk and printed for John's brother Sir Duncan Cameron, so it is contemporary Regards Ele