he morning of the
eighteenth of March, began the siege of Blair.

Many have been the accounts given, and various are the surmises upon the
motives of Lord George in not reducing the castle; but in estimating the
real difficulties of his undertaking, the testimony of a soldier and a
contemporary must be taken in evidence.

Blair was defended by a man of no ordinary character, Sir Andrew Agnew,
Lieutenant-Colonel of the Royal North British Fusiliers, who had been
sent with a detachment from Perth by the route of Dunkeld, through the
pass of Killicrankie, to take possession of the Castle.

When Sir Andrew first posted himself in Blair no apprehensions of a
blockade were entertained; and no fear of a supply of provisions being
cut off was suggested. The quantity of garrison provisions sent into it
was therefore extremely small, as was also the store of ammunition. In
regard to water, the garrison were in a better condition. A draw-well in
the castle supplied them after the blockade: previously, the inhabitants
had usually fetched the water they required from a neighbouring barn or
brook, which formed itself into a pool in front of the house.[180]

Blair Castle was then an irregular and very high building, with walls
of great thickness, having a great tower, called Cumming's Tower,
projecting from the west end of the front of the house, which faces the
north. This tower could be defended by musket shot from its windows.

Adjoining to the eastern gavel of the old house a new building had been
begun, but had only been carried up a few feet at the time of the siege.
Since the year 1745, great alterations have been made in this building,
which has been lowered and modernized, and the Cumming's Tower wholly
taken away.

It was between nine and ten in the morning when Lord George Murray
appeared before Blair Castle, and planted his men so as to prevent the
garrison from sallying out, or from getting in provisions.[181] The
castle was soon so completely invested by the advanced guard of the
Jacobites, that they fired from behind the nearest walls and enclosures
at the picket guard of the besieged. Some horses were hurriedly taken
into the Castle with a small quantity of provender; and in such haste,
that one of these animals was put into the lower part of Cumming's Tower
without forage or water.

There was a great entrance and staircase on the east side of the Castle;
this was now barricaded, and a small guard placed near it