In 1707 the two kingdoms of Scotland and England had
been united, a highly unpopular move across much of Scottish society.
The Jacobites sought to exploit this not simply to reverse the union,
but to gain the crown of both England and Scotland. An abortive rising
took place in 1708. Then, in 1714, when the Elector of Hanover succeeded
Queen Anne to the throne he alienated a range of former supporters of
Anne. One of these, the Earl of Mar, threw in his lot with the
Jacobites. In September he began to raise forces to march south to join
with English Jacobites, in an attempt to return a Stuart to the throne.
To counter the uprising the government dispatched a combination of
Scottish and English regiments under the command of the Duke of Argyll.
During October there were various manoeuvres, including against
Edinburgh. Then on the 10th November the Jacobite army marched south
from Perth, reaching Kinbuck, just north east of Dunblane, on the 12th.
Argyll had marched north and was already at Dunblane, intending to
intercept the Jacobite force. The government army may have been
outnumbered by about 2:1, but it was made up of regulars fighting under
an experienced commander.
The two armies clashed on Sheriffmuir,
north east of Dunblane in what was to prove the key battle of the 1715
Jacobite rebellion. Though Mar might claim that he held the field, in
reality it was a Jacobite defeat, for he retreated back to Perth and the
momentum of the uprising was lost.
During the Jacobite risings,
the Douglases continued their support for the British Government.
Archibald Douglas, 1st Duke
of Douglas led the volunteer horse during the Battle of Sheriffmuir
in 1715. He had assembled and trained 300 of his tenantry to
garrison Douglas Castle and
town, while he led 'the gentlemen of Lanarkshire' to meet the Duke of
Argyll at Stirling. In the battle he served on Argyll's personal staff
and 'charged with the cavalry as a volunteer'.
Also at that fight
was the Duke's young cousin,
Archibald Douglas, 2nd Earl of Forfar, colonel of the 3rd Regiment
of Foot but in charge of a brigade, and who was taken prisoner but died
of wounds taken there shortly afterwards.
Footnote:
Charles
Stirling 3rd of Kippendavie, born Dec. 14, 1680; married first, in 1703,
Katherine, second daughter of Alexander Arbuthnott of Knox, second son of the first Viscount Arbuthnott;
married second (contract dated Mar. 9, 1709) Christian Douglas,
widow of Douglas of Garvald. She is referred to by Sir Walter
Scott in his " Tales of a Grandfather," Vol. II, 3d series, p.
24, as assisting the adherents of the Stuart family in the
rising of 1715 : " Fresh intelligence came to them from Lady Kippendavie, who seems to have been as correct in her
intelligence and accurate in communicating with the insurgent
army, as she was singular in her choice of messengers. This last
being an old woman, who confirmed the tidings of the enemy's
approach." Sheriffmuir, at which the battle of 1715 was fought,
is on the property of Kippendavie and is close to the mansion
house.
Charles Stirling of Kippendavie died before Nov. 6,
1736. (His son, Patrick Stirling, 4th of Kippendavie married
Margaret Douglas daughter of Sylvester Douglas, of
Whiteriggs)
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