Iain mac Mhurchaidh, alias John MacRae ( 1725 – ), was a Scotland-born bard from Kintail, a member of Clan Macrae, and an early immigrant to the Colony of North Carolina. MacRae has been termed one of the "earliest Scottish Gaelic poets in North America about whom we know anything."
MacRae fought as a Loyalist soldier during the American Revolution at the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge and at the Battle of King's Mountain. His many war poems which celebrate the British cause during the Revolutionary War are an important part of Scottish Gaelic literature and remain popular among speakers of Canadian Gaelic.
According to Michael Newton, MacRae the war poet so inspired the Gaels settled along the Cape Fear River to rise up and fight for King George III that American Patriots, "treated him with great severity."Michael Newton (2001), We're Indians Sure Enough: The Legacy of the Scottish Highlanders in the United States, Saorsa Media. Page 25. During the 21st century, his song () ("I am weary of this exile"), was recorded for the soundtrack to the 7th season of the television series Outlander.6 details you might have missed in the 'Outlander' season 7 midseason finale, by Eve Crosbie, Business Insider, 11 August 2023.
Early life Iain mac Mhurchaidh was born at Lianag a’ Chùl Doire in Kintail. He was the son of Murdo, who was the son of Farquhar, who was the fourth son of Alasdair MacRae of Inverinate (), a gentleman in the service of the Earls of Seaforth.
Through their mutual descent from Alasdair MacRae, 8th of Inverinate, Iain mac Mhurchaidh was the first cousin once removed of fellow Kintyre Gaelic poet Donnchadh MacRae, 9th of Inverinate, the scribe of the Fernaig manuscript.
The MacRaes of Inverinate were well known for their loyalty to the chief () of Clan MacKenzie (). In view of their loyal and effective service to the Mackenzie Chiefs, Clan Macrae of Kintail was known as Clan Mackenzie's "shirt of mail."
Despite the sitting Chief's decision to side with the House of Hanover during the Jacobite rising of 1745, however, Clan Macrae was divided. A number of Macraes are known to have fought for Prince Charles Edward Stuart under George Mackenzie. Others joined the government's Independent Highland Companies under Captain Colin Mackenzie.Simpson, Peter. (1996). The Independent Highland Companies, 1603–1760. . pp. 127 – 128 and 130. In June 1746, the Mackenzie Company at Shiramore in Badenoch had over sixty Macraes, including an Ensign John MacRae.
In interviews with John Lorne Campbell, Barra seanchaidh John The Coddy MacPherson recalled that Clan Macrae of Kintail were famous throughout Scotland for cooking high quality moonshine, or "peatreek" in Scots, from illegal pot stills ().The Coddy (2001), Tales from Barra, Birlinn Limited, pages 73–75.
As a member of the minor Scottish gentry, MacRae lived a very privileged life compared with the vast majority of his fellow Gaels following the Battle of Culloden in 1746. MacRae served Kenneth Mackenzie, Chief of Clan MacKenzie, as a ground-officer, deer stalker, and forester throughout Kintail and Lochalsh. This was a very comfortable and well-paid position. Furthermore, MacRae's wit made him so popular among both the Scottish nobility () and commons that no formal dress ball or village ceilidh was considered complete without his presence.Michael Newton (2001), We're Indians Sure Enough: The Legacy of the Scottish Highlanders in the United States, Saorsa Media. Page 93.
Decision to emigrate Around 1773, MacRae received a letter encouraging him to emigrate from an t-Urr. Iain Beutan (Rev. John Bethune), a native of Glenelg and minister of the Barbecue Presbyterian Church in would later become Harnett County, in the Colony of North Carolina. Although it is not known what Rev. Beutan's letter said, it is considered likely by literary scholars that he mentioned the abundance of wild game in the New World.Michael Newton (2001), We're Indians Sure Enough: The Legacy of the Scottish Highlanders in the United States, Saorsa Media. Page 94.
In Scottish culture, deer hunting was a traditional pastime for both nobles and warriors and eating fish or seafood was considered a sign a low birth or status. By this time, however, hunting was being increasingly treated as poaching by the Anglo-Scottish landlords. Iain mac Mhurchaidh had already composed a poem complaining that his hunting rights were being restricted and, for this and many other reasons, he decided on taking the minister's advice and emigrating to North Carolina.Michael Newton (2001), We're Indians Sure Enough: The Legacy of the Scottish Highlanders in the United States, Saorsa Media. Page 95.
As news spread of Iain Mac Mhuirchaidh's plans, his friends and relations were reportedly very distressed. Three noblemen with massive holdings in Ross-shire lavishly entertained MacRae at dinner and offered him any farm on their estates he desired, but to no avail.
MacRae, however, had no intention of going alone and composed many Gaelic poems and songs in which he urged his friends and relations to join him. In those poems, like many other Gaelic poets of the era who favored voluntary emigration, MacRae complained that warriors were no longer valued and that greed had come to mean more to the Chiefs and the Tacksmen than family or clan ties. Iain mac Mhurchaidh always concluded his poems by arguing that the Gaels would do well to emigrate to the New World and abandon such a corrupted nobility.
In one such poem, he bade farewell to his fellow Gaels in Glen Cannich and Strathglass, whom he highly praised, according to Colin Chisholm, for, "their well known hospitality and convivial habits; [and] the musical sweetness and modest demeanor of their matrons and maidens, uncontaminated by modern fashions and frivolities."Colin Chisholm (1885), Unpublished Old Gaelic Songs with Illustrative Traditions, Printed at the Courier Office, Inverness. pp. 15-17.
After making the final arrangements for his departure, Iain hosted the Captain of the emigrant ship to dinner at his house. According to an 1882 article in The Celtic Monthly, "His guest, seeing his table better provided with good things than was the ordinary lot of common emigrants, enquired of his host if he was always able to have such a spread for himself. Being answered in the affirmative, the captain told the bard that he would not be able to have such in America and, at the same time, advised him to stay at home. His wife and many of his friends he was leaving behind him also urged him to do this. Being undecided as to what in the circumstances, he should do, his friend Ardintoul pointed out to him that, if he turned home after all that he had said, sang, and done, he would live despised ever after as a weak-minded coward. The thought of being held dishonoured and a coward decided the matter."
Revolutionary War Poet Iain mac Mhuirchaidh arrived in North Carolina in 1774. By 1775, he had amassed enough wealth to purchase 150 acres along McLendons Creek, in what is now Moore County.Michael Newton (2001), We're Indians Sure Enough: The Legacy of the Scottish Highlanders in the United States, Saorsa Media, pg. 141.
Following his emigration Iain mac Mhuirchaidh is believed by some scholars to have composed the Gaelic lullaby Dèan cadalan sàmhach, a chuilean a rùin ("Go to sleep peacefully, little beloved one").Michael Newton (2001), We're Indians Sure Enough: The Legacy of the Scottish Highlanders in the United States, Saorsa Media, pp. 175–178.Robert Crawford and Mick Imlah (2006), The Penguin Book of Scottish Verse, Penguin Classics, pp. 254–255.
Marcus Tanner has called Iain mac Mhurchaidh's arrival in the New World, "a real case of bad timing", as he, "had hardly gotten himself established before he was fighting his fellow Americans."Marcus Tanner (2004), The Last of the Celts, Yale University Press, page 289.
At the beginning of the American Revolution Allan Maclean of Torloisk dispatched Brigadier General Donald MacDonald and Major Alexander MacLean of the 84th Regiment of Foot to North Carolina on a covert mission. After successfully bluffing their way through an interrogation by the North Carolina Committee of Safety, both British officers arrived in the Cape Fear Valley and issued an appeal to all Scottish Gaels in the Colony to take up arms on behalf of the Loyalist cause. Proclamations were sent out demanding that, "all the King's loyal subjects... repair to the King's Royal Standard, at Cross Creek ... to join the King's Army; otherwise, they must expect to fall under the melancholy consequences of a declared rebellion, and expose themselves to the just resentment of an injured, though gracious Sovereign."J.P. MacLean (1900), An Historical Account of the Settlements of Scotch Highlanders in America, Cleveland, Ohio. Page 62. The latter statement would have been understood by North Carolina Highlanders as a threat that those who refused military service would be treated to both the land confiscations and the "arbitrary and malicious violence" used in the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden, which is still referred to in the Highlands and Islands as Bliadhna nan Creach ("The Year of the Pillaging").Michael Newton (2001), We're Indians Sure Enough: The Legacy of the Scottish Highlanders in the United States, Saorsa Media, pg. 32.
Beginning what would later be dubbed "The Insurrection of Clan Donald",J.P. MacLean (1900), An Historical Account of the Settlements of Scotch Highlanders in America, Cleveland, Ohio. Page 55. on 1 February 1776, Brigadier General MacDonald raised the Royal Standard in the Public Square of Cross Creek. Nightly balls were held and all other means were used to instill the military spirit. Meanwhile, Iain mac Mhuirchaidh was one of the first North Carolina Gaels to enlist.
Even though Loyalist Gaels in North Carolina were often accused at the time accused of ingratitude by their Patriot neighbors, according Michael Newton, they themselves felt very differently; "Gaelic poetry of the Jacobite period discussed the conflict in the following terms: the ultimate reason for taking action is consistently presented as a moral imperative – (), 'right, what one should do', () 'what is right, just', and () 'what is due (to and from one)' being the operative terms. The Gaelic worldview, and sense of right and wrong, had been forged during centuries of life in a kin-based society with a strong sense of hereditary right and loyalty to leadership."Michael Newton (2001), We're Indians Sure Enough: The Legacy of the Scottish Highlanders in the United States, Saorsa Media, p. 119.
When Loyalist forces gathered at Cross Creek on 15 February 1776, they numbered about 3,500 men. According to John Patterson MacLean, "When the day came, the Highlanders were seen coming from near and from far, from the wide plantations on the river bottoms, and from the rude cabins in the depths of the lonely pine forests, with broadswords at their side, in tartan garments and feather bonnet, and keeping step to the shrill music of the bag-pipe. There came, first of all, Clan MacDonald with Clan MacLeod near at hand, with lesser numbers of Clan MacKenzie, Clan Macrae, Clan MacLean, Clan MacKay, Clan MacLachlan, and still others – variously estimated at fifteen hundred to three thousand, including about two hundred others, principally Regulators. However, all who were capable of bearing arms did not respond to the summons, for some would not engage in a cause where their traditions and affections had no part. Many of them hid in the swamps and in the forests."