Witness to Rebellion: John Maclean's Diary of the Forty-five and the Penicuik Drawings [Paperback]

 

 

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Intended to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the 1745/46 Jacobite Rising, the publication of Captain John MacLean's journal along with the now famous Penicuik drawings are a welcome addition to studies of this profoundly important period in Scottish history. Both the journal and the drawings are first hand 'primary' historical sources, the former produced by an active participant in the Rising and the latter by an unknown artist (artists?) thought to be an onlooker to events as they unfolded.

As the authors highlight, the journal of John MacLean is a straight-forward, soldier's point of view on the campaign, focusing on marches, logistics and place names rather than wider political, religious and military issues that were at work during the '45. MacLean himself, formerly a captain of the Black Watch, was a fairly low ranking officer in the Jacobite army and it is perhaps this fact that distinguishes his journal from that of higher ranking officers such as Murray, O'Sullivan and Chevalier de Johnstone whose work was created with the benefit of hindsight and is often riddled with inaccuracies and self-justification. Death at the Battle of Culloden 'robbed (MacLean) of the benefit of hindsight' but his work has left us with a vivid picture of the the route the Jacobite army took on it's marches, the speed at which the army marched, the daily struggles experienced by MacLean and his comrades and the remarkable discipline of the clansmen campaigning in often hostile territory.

A competent, insightful commentary is provided by the authors to accompany the Penicuik Drawings which, despite the underlying humour apparent in their creation, provide us with valuable detail with regards to the equipment, clothing and (to an extent) the appearance of soldiers on the respective sides. Common misconceptions of the Highland clansmen are strongly evident in the work of the artist(/s)- the clansmen appear as hunched, ragged, savage figures clutching fearsome weapons- which is an interesting gauge of the level of misunderstanding existant at that time.

Those seeking an opinionated journal with adrenaline filled descriptions of battles and the opposing enemy may be disappointed with what they find in Captain MacLean's account: MacLean was clearly a level-headed, sensible individual with a curiosity of the world surrounding him and it is perhaps this down to earth quality which endears his character to the reader despite the lack of heart-pounding action described. The journal perhaps serves to remind us that these men were ordinary individuals with thoughts we today can strongly associate with and are often a far-cry from the figures of mythological status we read about in more fanciful accounts of the campaign. This account serves to enhance our understanding of the Jacobite soldier and is a rare glimpse of what it was like to serve in the front line of what was essentially an irregular army in an event which, without exaggeration, has had an effect on the world we live in today.

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