Obituary Ranald McDonell 1815

Taken from the Inverness Journal of 15th December 1815.

Died, at his house, in Knoidart, on Monday the 27th of November last, Mr Ranald McDonell, Skamadale, Ensign on the Retired List of Captain Rose's Independent Company of Veterans, in the ninety first year of his age, respected and admired as a genuine Highlander of the Old School, and quite unmatched in the very general circle of his acquaintances. He followed the fortunes of Prince Charles Stuart from Prestonpans to Culloden, and served with distinguished zeal in both those actions, for which he afterwards suffered banishment to India, for seven years, during which period he served in the hussars; and when returning to England, the vessel in which he sailed happening to be boarded by a French man-of-war before Ranald was aware of what was passing on deck and had furnished himself with a cutlas; he darting like an eagle among the victors, actually retook the British ship, killing, single handed, all the astonished Frenchmen who attempted to withstand his athletic rage, and driving the rest over the vessels broadside into the sea. His retentive memory and mental facilities were spared him till within a few days of his last; and till above ninety, he had the use of his powerful limbs. His father, his brother and his nephew, as well as himself, all served the Prince at the same time, and were personally known to H.R.H.: the father had, however, drawn his first sword with his Chief, Glengarry, under Viscount Dundee in the battle of Killiecrankie, who had the Royal Standard entrusted to his care, and commanded the whole of the "Clandonuill" drawn up, as of old, on the right of the army, which was composed almost entirely of the Highland Clans - The mortal remains of this hero of the last century were deposited with the dust of his Fathers, in "Killechoan" on Friday the 1st of December, leaving a Wife, three Daughters, many Grand Children, and several Great Grand Children, to bewail his death, exclusive of Sons who had fallen in the service of their country, two of whom had followed the Young McDonell, in the 1792, into the first Fencible Regiment, thence into the Glengarry (or 1st British) Fencibles, and from that into the line.

Charles MacDonell.