The Two Lives of Flora MacDonald

The astonishing life of one of Scotland’s most famous daughters Anyone who knows about the abortive 1745 Jacobite Rising in Scotland, knows the romantic tale of how, after the catastrophic defeat at Culloden, the pretender, ‘Bonnie’ Prince Charlie fled for his life through the heather, eventually arriving at the island of Benbecula. There lived the MacDonald’s who were secretly Jacobite sympathisers. Among their number was young Flora MacDonald, aged just 24, who as a simple act of charity, agreed to assist the prince to elude capture by the redcoats and effect an escape to the Continent. There followed a fascinating adventure that has become immortalised in song and which has endured undimmed in its poignancy to the present day. The first part of this book covers these famous events which would have been sufficient adventure for the lives of most young women. Most people do not know that Flora MacDonald was far from done with adventures, for she married an officer of the 87th Regiment of Foot—the Royal Highland Emigrants—and sailed to America. While serving the Crown in the American War of Independence, Flora’s husband, Allen, was captured at Moore’s Creek Bridge in 1777 and Flora had to go into hiding from rampaging American patriot forces. After the war the couple were reunited and sailed home to Scotland. Their ship was attacked by pirates and Flora was wounded in the action. Flora MacDonald’s incredible life is chronicled in detail in the pages of this book which contains two works each concentrating on one of her ‘two lives’.Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.