Rob Roy
Robert Roy MacGregor, (1671 - 1734) usually known simply as Rob Roy, was by turn soldier, businessman, castle-rustler and outlaw. But above all he was a folk hero, a latter day Robin Hood whose transformation into a larger-than-life figure began with Daniel Defoe's fictionalised biography "Highland Rogue". This was published while Rob Roy's was still alive and led to the Royal Pardon in 1726 that allowed him to live out his final years quietly, literally a legend in his own lifetime. Rob MacGregor was born in February 1671 at Glengyle at the head of Loch Katrine in the Trossachs. He was the third son of clan chief Donald Glas MacGregor of Glengyle. His mother Mary was a Campbell, and it was from her that he inherited his red hair, leading to his nickname, Rob Ruadh (Gaelic for Red) which was later anglicised into Rob Roy.
The MacGregors supported the Jacobite cause in the first Jacobite uprising led by Viscount Dundee in July 1689. Both Rob Roy aged 18, and his father took part in the Battle of Killiecrankie, which the Jacobites won despite the death of their leader.
Driving Highland Cattle To Crieff
Rob Roy, who used his mother's name of Campbell (the MacGregor name had been proscribed since 1603 in reprisal for the clan's part in a bloody raid on Glenfruin), moved on to set up a business driving Highland cattle to market in Crieff. He was very successful and used his growing wealth to become the laird of Inversnaid, on the east side of Loch Lomond.
In January 1693 he married his cousin Mary Helen MacGregor of Comar and they subsequently had four sons: James Mor, Ranald, Coll, and Robin Oig who himself went on to achieve literary distinction in a cameo role in Robert Louis Stevenson's "Kidnapped".
Late in 1711 Rob Roy borrowed £1,000 from the Duke of Montrose, a landowner based at Mugdock Castle near Milngavie to north of Glasgow, to purchase cattle for the following year's market. But in early 1712 Rob Roy's head drover, having purchased the cattle, then sold it on and disappeared with the funds. Rob Roy returned from an unsuccessful search for the drover to find he had been bankrupted and outlawed by the Duke of Montrose, his lands had been seized and his family evicted.
Revenge On The Duke Of Montrose
Rob Roy sought revenge on the Duke of Montrose through a sustained campaign of cattle-rustling, theft and banditry. This included kidnapping Montrose's factor, complete with over £3,000 of rent money he was carrying at the time. Gradually the targets for Rob Roy's banditry grew to include other landowners who were not prepared to pay him to "protect" their stock and property. Meanwhile, his vendetta against the Duke of Montrose gained him a powerful ally in the Duke of Argyll, a long-standing enemy of Montrose.
During the 1715 Jacobite uprising, Rob Roy was used to raise the MacGregors in Aberdeenshire, and he also acted as guide to the Jacobite army as it marched from Perth towards Stirling in November 1715. This culminated in the Battle of Sheriffmuir in which a much smaller Government army under the Duke of Argyll prevented the Jacobites from reaching the Lowlands. Rob Roy's loyalties were split between his Jacobite upbringing and his alliance with the Duke of Argyll and he seems to have been an onlooker at the battle itself, though claims he was secretly working for the Duke of Argyll have never been proved.
Nonetheless, for his part in the uprising Rob Roy emerged with a price on his head for treason in addition to the earlier charges of banditry. For safety he set up home close to the Duke of Argyll's base in Inveraray and went on to play a minor role in the 1719 Jacobite uprising culminating in the defeat of the Jacobites and Spanish troops at the Battle of Glen Shiel.
Daniel Defoes´s "Highland Rogue"
Tales of Rob Roy's exploits grew with the telling: he was captured more than once only to escape. Then in 1723 Daniel Defoe published "Highland Rogue", and in 1726 Rob Roy received his Royal Pardon by public acclaim.
Rob Roy MacGregor died on 28 December 1734 in Balquhidder Glen and was buried in the yard of the Old Kirk in Balquhidder. The original grave markers of Rob Roy, his wife and two of his four sons has been embellished by a later rail and gravestone erected in 1981 proclaiming "MacGregor Despite Them" and incorrectly aging Rob Roy as 70 when he died (he was 63).
The legend of Robert Roy MacGregor was the inspiration for the novel Rob Roy by Sir Walter Scott. Adaptations of his story have also been told in film, most notably Rob Roy, starring Liam Neeson in the title role.
William "Captain" Kidd
Kidd was born into a reputable family in Greenock, Scotland. As a young man he chose to head out to sea, and bounced around freely from ship to ship for three decades. After war broke out between England and France, he showed courage and a bit of lucky timing in winning a French ship and saving English troops from destruction. With his newfound prestige, he finally settled in New York in 1691, at the age of forty-seven. During this time Kidd was respected as an honest, hard-working ship captain. He befriended many prominent colonial citizens, including three governors.
Later that year, on orders from the province of New York, Massachusetts, he captured an enemy privateer on the New England coast. Shortly thereafter, Kidd was awarded GBP150 for successful privateering in the Caribbean. One year later, "Captain" Culliford, a notorious pirate, stole Kidd's ship while he was ashore at Antigua in the West Indies. In 1695, William III of England replaced the corrupt governor Benjamin Fletcher, known for accepting bribes of one hundred dollars to allow illegal trading of pirate loot, with Richard Coote, Earl of Bellomont.
On December 11 that same year, Coote, who was now governing New York, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, asked the "trusty and well beloved Captain Kidd" (Hamilton, 1961) to attack Thomas Tew, John Ireland, Thomas Wake, William Maze, and all others who associated themselves with pirates, along with any enemy French ships. This preceded the voyage which established his reputation as a pirate, and cemented his image in history and folklore.
Four-fifths of the cost for the venture was paid for by noble lords, who were amongst the most powerful men in England; the Earl of Orford, The Baron of Romney, the Duke of Shrewsbury and Sir John Somers. According to Henry Gilbert writing in The Book of Pirates, Kidd's backers were rumoured to include King William himself. In fact, according to a time-honoured practice, the King would receive a tenth share of everything captured. Kidd and an acquaintance, Colonel Robert Livingston, who orchestrated the whole thing, paid for the rest. Kidd had to sell his ship the Antigua to raise funds.
The British Navy Enlists Most of Kidd´s Men
The new ship, the Adventure Galley, was well suited to the task of catching pirates; weighing over 284 tons, it was equipped with 34 cannons, oars, and 150 men. The oars were a key advantage as it would enable him to manoeuvre in a battle when the winds had calmed and other ships were floating free. Kidd took pride in personally selecting the crew, choosing only those he deemed to be the best and most loyal officers. Unfortunately, soon after setting sail he was stopped by the HMS Duchess, whose captain enlisted much of Kidd's crew for service in the navy, despite rampant protest. To make up for the lack of officers, Kidd was sent replacement crew, the vast majority of whom were known and hardened criminals, some undoubtedly former pirates.
In September of 1696, Kidd finally set sail again. However, more bad luck struck and a third of his crew soon perished due to the uncontrolled spread of cholera. To make matters worse, the brand-new ship developed many leaks. According to Gilbert, after taking a single French ship (which was legal under his commission) on the first leg of his voyage, he proceeded eastward to Madagascar but was not able to find pirates to take in that vicinity. Kidd then sailed to the Malabar Coast. During this time Kidd never attacked a single richly-laden Indian ship that passed before him, and probably was not yet pirate at the time. However, as it became obvious his ambitious enterprise was failing he became understandably desperate to cover its costs. But, once again, Kidd failed to attack several ships when given a chance, including a Dutchman and New York privateer. Some of the crew now deserted Kidd the next time the Adventure Galley anchored offshore, and those who decided to stay behind made constant open-threats of mutiny.
A Deadly Incident
On October 30, 1697, an argument developed between Kidd and his gunner William Moore, a strong follower of the mutinous crew. While Moore was on deck sharpening a chisel, Kidd called him a lousy dog. Moore retorted, "If I am a lousy dog, you have made me so; you have brought me to ruin and many more." After an exchange of strong words, Kidd snatched up and heaved an ironbound bucket at Moore. Moore fell to the deck of a fractured skull, and died the following day.
Acts of savagery on Kidd’s part were reported by escaped prisoners, who told of being hoisted up by the arms and drubbed with a naked cutlass. In truth, he was first declared pirate by a Royal Navy officer whom he had promised "thirty men or so" (Hamilton, 1961) but snuck off into the night rather than subject his men to Royal Navy enlistment. The British East India Company happily took care of the task of spreading rumours of Kidd's exploits, where his actions grew more vicious with each retelling.
The Treasure Ship
On January 30, 1698 he raised French colours and took his greatest prize, an Armenian ship, the 400 ton Quedagh Merchant, which was loaded with satins, muslins, gold, silver, an incredible variety of East Indian merchandise, as well as extremely valuable silks. The captain of the Quedagh Merchant was an Englishman named Wright, who was sailing under the promised protection of the French government. However, after realizing the captain of the taken vessel was an Englishman, Kidd tried to persuade his crew to return the ship to its owners but they refused, knowing that their prey was perfectly legal as Kidd was commissioned to take French ships. Thus, Kidd changed his focus and took his prize claiming it was legal prey for an English privateer. Unfortunately, when news of the deed reached England, along with horrifying tales of torture, the British East India Company declared Kidd a pirate. Various naval commanders were ordered to “pursue and seize the said Kidd and his accomplices” for the "notorious piracies" (Hamilton, 1961) they had committed. All the while Kidd believed that he was still following his commission, for he kept the French commission of the Quedagh Merchant and was still on the lookout for pirates.
On April 1, 1698 Kidd reached Madagascar. Here Kidd found the first pirate of his voyage, Robert Culliford, (the same man who had stolen Kidd’s ship years before) and his crew sailing the Mocha Frigate. Kidd ordered his men to capture the Mocha Frigate. Instead his men mutinied and joined the pirates of the Mocha Frigate. Only 13 of Kidd’s men remained loyal to him.
Deciding to return home, Kidd left the Adventure Galley behind ordering her to be burnt because she had become worm-eaten and leaky. By burning the ship, he was able to salvage every last scrap of metal, for example hinges. With the loyal remnant of his crew, he returned home.
Captain Kidd Is Arrested
Prior to Kidd returning to New York City, he learned that he was a wanted pirate, and that several English men-of-war (armed naval vessel) were searching for him. The governor (an investor) was away in Boston, Massachusetts. With the help of his lawyer, he negotiated with the governor in Boston and eventually agreed to come in to town. Nevertheless, (on July 6, 1699) he was arrested with his crew and placed in Stone Prison, spending most of the time in solitary confinement.
He was eventually (after over a year) sent to England to stand trial, and on May 8 he was tried by High Court of Admirality in London for the charges of piracy on high seas and the murder of William Moore. Whilst awaiting trial, Kidd was imprisoned in the infamous Newgate Prison and wrote several letters to the joint sovereigns, William III of England and Mary II of England, demanding clemency.
He stood trial without representation and was shocked to learn at trial that he was charged with murder. He was found guilty on all charges (murder and five counts of piracy) and was hanged on May 23, 1701 at 'Execution Dock', Wapping, in London. During the execution, the hangman's rope broke and Kidd was hanged on the second attempt. His body was gibbeted — left to hang in an iron cage over the River Thames, London, as a warning to future would-be pirates for two years. His associates Richard Barleycorn, Robert Lamley, William Jenkins, Gabriel Loffe, Able Owens, and Hugh Parrot were convicted, but pardoned just prior to hanging at Execution Dock.
The Trial Is A Farce
Kidd's Whig backers were embarrassed by his trial. Gilbert indicates that they participated in the effort to convict him by depriving him of the money and information which might have provided him with some legal defence. In particular, his two sets of papers that showed that the two ships he had taken were French were missing at his trial. These French papers (and others dated 1700) resurfaced in the early 20th century, misfiled with other government papers in a London building. These papers call the extent of Kidd's guilt into question. Along with the papers, many goods were brought from the ships and soon auctioned off as "pirate plunder." They were never mentioned in the trial.
The belief that Kidd left a buried treasure somewhere contributed considerably to the growth of his legend. This belief made its contribution to literature in Edgar Allan Poe's The Gold Bug and Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. It also gave impetus to the never-ending treasure hunts on Oak Island in Nova Scotia, in Suffolk County, Long Island in New York where Gardiner's Island is located, Charles Island in Milford, Connecticut, and in the Thimble Islands in Connecticut.
Captain Kidd did bury a small cache of treasure on Gardiner's Island in a spot known as Cherry Tree Field however it was removed by Governor Bellomont and sent to England to be used as evidence against him.
Kidd also visited Block Island around 1699, where he was apparently supplied by Mrs. Mercy (Sands) Raymond, daughter of the mariner James Sands. The story has it that, for her hospitality, she was bid to hold out her apron, into which Kidd threw gold and jewels until it was full. After her husband Joshua Raymond died, Mrs. Raymond removed with her family to northern New London, Connecticut (later Montville), where she bought much land. This Raymond family was thus said to have been "enriched by the apron".
