An Account of the ſignal Eſcape of
John Fraser.
JOHN FRASER, Enſign in the Maſter of Lovat's Regiment, was ſhot through the Thigh by a Muſket Bullet, at the Battle of Culloden, and was taken Priſoner after the Battle, at a little Diſtance from the Field, and carried to the Houſe of Culloden, where a Multitude of other wounded Priſoners lay under ſtrong Guards. There he, and the other miſerable Gentlemen (for moſt of them were Gentlemen) lay with their Wounds undreſſed, for two Days, in great Torture. Upon the third Day he was carried out of Culloden Houſe, and with other eighteen of his Fellow Priſoners flung into Carts, which they imagined were to carry them to Inverneſs to be dreſs'd of their Wounds: They were ſoon undeceived; the Carts ſtopt at a Park Dyke at ſome Diſtance from the Houſe, there they were dragged out of the Carts: The Soldiers who guarded them, under Command of three Officers, carried the Priſoners cloſe to the Wall or Park-Dyke, along which they ranged them upon their Knees, and bid them prepare for Death. The Soldiers immediately drew up oppoſite to them—It is dreadful to proceed! They levell'd their Guns; they fired among them! Mr. Fraſer fell with the reſt and did not doubt but he was ſhot. But as thoſe Gentlemen, who proceeded thus deliberately in cool Blood, had their Orders to do nothing by Halves, a Party of them went along and examined the Slaughter, and knocked out the Brains of ſuch as were not quite dead; and obſerving Signs of Life in Mr. Fraſer, one of them with the Butt of his Gun, ſtruck him on the Face, daſhed out one of his Eyes, and beat down his Noſe, flat and ſhattered, to his Cheek, and left him for dead. The Slaughter thus finiſhed, the Soldiers left the Field. In this miſerable Situation, Lord B—d riding out that Way with his Servant, eſpied ſome Life in Mr. Fraſer, who by that Time had crawled to a little Diſtance from his dead Friends, and calling our to him aſked what he was. Fraſer told him he was an Officer in the Maſter of Lovat's Corps. Lord B—d offered him Money, ſaying he had been acquainted with the Maſter of Lovat, his Colonel. Mr. Fraſer ſaid he had no Uſe for Money, but begged him for God's Sake to cauſe his Servant to carry him to a certain Mill and Cott-Houſe, where he ſaid he would be concealed and taken care of. This young Lord had the Humanity to do ſo, and in this Place Mr. Fraſer lay concealed, and by God's Providence recovered of his Wounds, and is now a living Witneſs of as unparallell'd a Story, in all its Circumſtances, as can be met with in the Hiſtory of any Age.
Mr. Fraſer is well known, and his Veracity atteſted by all the Inverneſs People.
FINIS.
