“As messengers, Jacobite Scotswomen personally hand delivered secret correspondence as a safeg

“As messengers, Jacobite Scotswomen personally hand delivered secret correspondence as a safeguard against discovery. After the ‘Forty-five, Jean Cameron of Dungallon (c. 1705-1753?) — wife of the well-known doctor Archibald Cameron of Lochiel, brother of the Gentle Lochiel [XIX Chief of Clan Cameron] and the last Jacobite to be executed for treason in 1753 — was employed by one of the Highland chiefs to transmit messages of intelligence in the area. According to two different sources of enemy intelligence, Jean Cameron, who was living in Strontian, Western Lochaber, was working alongside the younger Clanranald, who had been left behind by those fleeing Scotland, ‘to be at hand to receive such ships and dispatch Expresses with accounts of their news.’ Jean’s job was to carry the intelligence and the ships’ news to a contact in Dounan in Rannoch, who would then forward them to important Jacobite officers such as Cluny and Ardsheal. She was also noted by another government agent, Aeneas McDonnell, as receiving messages from Lochiel. She was requested to deliver them to Jacobites in hiding with the instructions ‘to come to him, but not in a body so as to be taken notice of.’ Although these are the only accounts of Jean Cameron’s role as a messenger, it is quite likely that she was used at other points throughout the ‘Forty-five and it’s aftermath. Using a Highland lady to deliver messages may have been done at this time with the hope that she was less conspicuous and suspicious than a Highlander on the road, who would likely have been searched for weapons, etc., if seen by the frequent Red Coat patrols. This was therefore a precaution against capture and interception; however the acknowledgement of her actions in enemy intelligence reveals that the ploy of using a woman had failed. This could likely be due to an informant or a double agent, of which there were several known at this time and in this region. Yet the success of others could be one reason why little is known about such roles performed by Scotswomen.” — Anita Randell Fairney, “Petticoat patronage": Elite Scotswomen’s Roles, Identity, and Agency in Jacobite Political Affairs, 1688-1766 [Jean Cameron of Dungallon is not to be confused/conflated with Jean Cameron of Glendessary.] -- source link

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