e opposite to Lord Crawford at Pittachrie, and then
retreated before him, in order to draw him into the pass of
Killicrankie; but Lord Crawford never moved, but sent for reinforcements
to the Prince of Hesse. Lord George, upon hearing of the march of that
reinforcement to sustain Lord Crawford, and that the body of Hessians
from Lay Bridge were marching to Blair by Kinachin, quitted the country
and marched his men to Strathspan, and from thence to Speyside. He
himself went to Inverness, where he found his enemies had persuaded the
Prince that he might have taken Blair Castle if he had had a mind, but
that he had spared it because it was his brother's house; and in short
they made the Prince believe, that in the letter he had wrote to the
Prince of Hesse, he had engaged to betray him the first opportunity; and
that by the Prince of Hesse and his brother's means, he was entirely
reconciled to the government. What Mr. Murray had insinuated to the
Prince about Lord George, on his first coming to Perth had made such an
impression, that the Prince always believed it, notwithstanding Lord
George's behaviour was such (especially in action) as to convince the
whole army of the falsity of such accusations. However it opened his
mind upon the matter of the Irish officers, so far as to make some of
them promise to watch Lord George's motions, particularly in case of a
battle, and they promised the Prince to shoot him, if they could find he
intended to betray him."

From the following letter addressed by Lord George Murray to his brother
the Marquis of Tullibardine, it is evident that he had had it in
contemplation during some time, to abandon the siege of Blair, and that
the sudden appearance of the body of Hessians six thousand strong,
within a day's march of Blair, was not the only cause of his raising a
siege which every one acknowledges must have terminated in favour of the
besiegers within a few days.

"Blair, 29th of March, 1746.

"Dear Brother,[186]

"I received your letter of the 26th; I am sorry you seem to think I
told you a sham story (as you express it) about our expedition here.
I told you we were to endeavour to take possession of Castle Grant,
and try to hinder that Clan taking party against us; this was done
so far as in our power. I also told you if we could contrive to
surprise any of the parties in this country we might attempt it; but
th