MacMartin Foster Brother

[Thomas Cameron]

Here's a question for the MacMartin-Cameron experts out there:

At the Battle of Achdalieu, Sir Ewen's life was saved by his heroic MacMartin foster brother, throwing himself in the way of an enemy shot. Does anyone know who this person actually was? I know that Duncan MacMartin was the MacMartin chieftain around that time, and along with his three sons he seems to have survived past that battle.

Any guesses or definite information out there?

[ChrisDoak]

Hi Tom,

The information surviving from this period is always pretty hazy.Unfortunately,all the Cameron histories only reveal that Sir Ewen was saved by "his foster brother" at the battle in 1654.

It is believed that Ewen was fostered in his early years by Duncan McMartin,3rd of Letterfinlay.I can only come across one son - Duncan Oig McMartin,4th of Letterfinlay (a.k.a.Martin McCoinnich),who had the three sons that you mention.Duncan Oig is recorded as being alive in 1645,but dead by 1665.

It was possibly Duncan Oig that saved Lochiel's life,although he must have been about 30 years older than him.Maybe he had a brother that we don't know about.Or maybe Duncan Oig had a fourth son.

Anyone else like to speculate?

Cheers,Chris.

[Thomas Cameron]

Hi Chris,

Definitely a hazy era. I had considered Duncan Oig, but seemed to remember his mediating a disagreement between Sir Ewen and Martin, 5th of Letterfinlay. I believe that Sir Ewen and Martin had a huge falling out, and Martin was dispossed of some land by Lochiel. He was on his way out of the country before Duncan Oig intervened, on behalf of his son. This may have happened prior to Achdalieu, but that's unclear.

I agree, perhaps Duncan Oig had a younger brother or two - one of them might be the elusive foster brother?

Here's another one for you and the rest of the clan: Has anyone ever read what the Letterfinlay residence (mid 17th century) looked like? I've always wondered, but descriptions seem to be even more elusive than those of the original Achnacarry.

[ChrisDoak]

Hi Tom,

I have had a more thorough look at this query,and reckon that a lot of the more established historians are wrong about the name of Sir Ewen's foster father.

I have a note that Duncan Oig was the 4th of Letterfinlay,with all the legal entitlements,in 1620.As Sir Ewen was not born till 1629,it is logical that he was the foster father,and not his deceased father,Duncan 3rd.

We know that Duncan Oig had at least three sons - Martin Mor (Kyliross),John Roy (Stronoba),and Ewen (Ratullichbeg).As the first two were marauding round Lochaber in the 1660s,it rules them out of being the foster brother that saved Sir Ewen.I cannot,however,find any record of Ewen in Ratullichbeg after 1638.His son Donald is mentioned a lot from the 1660s onwards,as he was a bit of a thug like his uncles,so I am maybe wondering now,if his father Ewen was the man we are looking for?

Regarding the appearance of the house at Letterfinlay in the mid 1600s,I would be surprised if it was anything more than a fairly modest farmhouse.I have seen photographs of the house taken in the late 19th century,but from memory,that looked more like an early 18th century,stone-built house.I'll dig it out,and have another look.The poet Keats stayed at Letterfinlay in the early 1800s,so I shall look out his description of it as well.

Cheers,Chris.

[Thomas Cameron]

Chris,

This makes good sense. I thought that something didn't seem quite right about the dates and ages.

Ewen & Ewen, foster brothers. A good theory to examine, for certain.

I am amused to hear your description of Martin and John as thugs - nothing like some good ol' Lochaber reiving back in the day, eh? Definitely good people to stand in the way of a Macintosh invasion from the east of Loch Lochy.

I believe that the nineteenth century Letterfinlay was build in the late eighteenth century. Odds are the original (or more likely one of the more recent residences there over the centuries) was destroyed circa 1746. My guess was something near the loch's shore, just northeast of the present day Letterfinlay Lodge Hotel, on or near the point. That seems to fit the mold, so to speak.

[ChrisDoak]

Hi Tom,

Just delving a wee bit more on the house at Letterfinlay - I have read that the Inn there has been described as the former house of the McMartins of Letterfinlay - this is incorrect.I have a photograph of the Inn from a book about General Wade,in which it describes how the Inn was built as a Roadhouse by Wade,as part of his road construction plans through Lochaber.This would most likely date the building to circa 1730.

Whatever house the McMartins of Letterfinlay were living in at the time,I would imagine that the construction of the Wade road would have been something similiar to a Motorway/Highway being driven through your front garden - I don't think they would have stuck around for long.After the 1746 Rebellion,the family are often described as living in nearby Muccomir,and in 1767,George McMartin of Letterfinlay was living at a place called Ballichonise (or something similiar) in Dochanassie.

Regarding the exact location of the residence,I will have a wee look around at some old maps to see if they throw up anything relevant.

Cheers,Chris.

[Thomas Cameron]

I liked the highway comparison - never considered that aspect. Definitely a reason to relocate one's residence! We also have to consider that Loch Linnhe was 12 feet lower back then, prior to the Caledonian Canal. It's possible that a portion of the original home site might be under water at this point.

[SherbrookeJacobite]

Hi Guys,
I have been following this thread with great interest, as I had compiled quite a lot of info on this family. I'm afraid I don't have anything meaningful to add. I always was of the impression that it was Ewen of Rattulichbeg (son of Duncan, 4th of Letterfinlay) who was the foster brother in question, but I can't find anything in writing to support that assertion. It certainly makes sense - but I thought I had read it somewhere before. (I really need to get a good filing system!)

As regards the house, and its location, I had never before given it much thought. Somerled MacMillan describes it as the house that was turned into the Inn, but Chris' explanation makes far more sense. I didn't realize that Loch Lochy had risen by 12 feet, that certainly would make a lot of difference to the local geography!

Perhaps on our next visit we should take along a mask and snorkel.

Slainte,

John

[robcam]

Hi,

I have also been reading this, and finding it very interesting. I notice on the battle section of this site that it mentions Sir Ewen was saved at Killiecrankie, this time by the son of the foster brother that saved him at Achdalieu. I suppose it could just be a legend, but if true, does this provide any clues to anyone to solve the query about the MacMartin foster brother?

Thanks,

Rob