Candelabrum

The Candelabrum is not that old having been a gift of clansmen and friends to "Old Cluny" the 20th Chief of the Clan and Lady Cluny Sarah Justina Davidson on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary, 20 December 1882. It stands 4 feet high. Still, it is the event that it represents that makes this more than just another fine piece of artwork by James Aitchison of Edinburgh to the design of Clark Stanton A.R.S.A.

Ewan Macpherson of the '45 (seen holding the horse) had remained in Badenoch for nine years after the Battle of Culloden, The Army spent a great amount of effort in apprehending him and a reward of a Thousand Guineas and a Company offered to any person that would take him, Dead or Alive. After some 7 years had passed, instead of relaxing, they redoubled their Vigilance, and placed a Detachment of Soldiers in almost every Town in the Parishes of Laggan and Kingussie. It is said that it so resembled the movement of troops before the Massacre of Glencoe, that some residents left the country. The British Officer on the horse is an Ensign Munroe.

The following is an excerpt from a letter written by his son, Duncan of the Kiln, to Col. Stewart of Garth, putting on record the story of the event.

"My father was at Cluny, in a small House inhabited by the family after the castle was burned, when the House was suddenly surrounded by a Party of Soldiers (Red Coats as they were called) commanded by Ensign Munroe, whose information was so correct, and managed matters so secretly that there was no possibility of my Father's making his Escape, but in this Emergency, his presence of mind did not forsake him, and he stood firm and collected in himself, and altho' he saw himself on the brink of Destruction, and falling into the hands of his Persecutors, by which he must suffer and ignominious death, he deliberately stept into the Kitchen, where a servant man was sitting and exchanged clothes with him, all of which was the work of a few moments, and when the Officer commanding the Party rode up to the Door, he, without any hesitation, ran out, held the stirrup while dismounting; walked the Horse about while the Officer was in the House, and when he came out again, held the Stirrup to him to mount; on which the Officer asked him if he knew where Cluny was, he answered, he did not, and if he did, he would not tell him,; when the Officer replied, "I believe you would not, You are a good fellow, Here is a shilling for you." It is true that he possessed Vigilance and foresight in a very extraordinary degree, and many instances might be related to prove that he had an extensive knowledge of human nature; yet the result proved that all his precautions with respect to his Own Clan were unnecessary, for during the Nine Years of his Outlawry, only one man attempted to betray him and that Man was obliged to fly the Country and never afterwards returned.".