There are both stories and poems in his two books about this seminal event in Scotland's history. The following one has the following footnote, "the Author had the pleasure of meeting the 'hero of Culloden field' (who was then about 100 years old), of whom mention is made above."
A Culloden Jacobite
The thoucts o'bygane years
Still fling their shadows o'er my path -
A blink o'langsyne. - Motherwell
It happened ance upon a time
Whan' Donal' Gow was in his prime,
An' fou' o' fun an' glee,
He met a wheen o' Hielan' chiels -
A' rantin', roarin', reckless chiels,
An' bent upon a spree.
They marshall'd were by Donal' Gow
An' landed in the Tallysow*
Then kept by ane Macphee,
An' there they met, uncow'd by eild,
A hero of Culloden field -
Nae brisker man than he.
When sappit wi' the mountain dew
The fun an' mirth stil louder grew -
An' wild the soun' did swell.
They sang, they reel wi' mad delight,
Still the Culloden Jacobite
Among them bore the bell.
Wi' staff an' potlid for a targe,
He show'd hoo clansmen fiercely charge
Sae fiercely grew his martial rage
He fairly seemed ance mair to wage
The battle wi' his foes.
***************
From mem'ry's roll I canna tyne
The stalwart clansmen o' langsyne;
They were a noble race -
Brave heroes of the hill an' glen,
Ance nursing-ground o' gallant men -
Ye gods! what fills their place?
The hero of the forty-five,
I see him yet as when alive,
The brave auld Jacobite,
Wha that day in the Tallysow
Did show, though hoary was his pow,
He still was fu' o' fight.
Peace to his manes, now lang since gane,
An' I am left, the only ane
That saw him in his glee.
His banes are mixed wi' kindred dust,
His fiery saul is noo, I trust,
Frae strife an' battle free.
* a public-house near Invergarry.
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