Exclusive:Jacobite snuff box from Battle of Culloden goes on display
Fort William museum says it is ‘exceptionally fortunate’
It is a keepsake from a fallen captain that was salvaged from one of the most monumental battles in Scottish history.
The West Highland Museum has expressed delight after being loaned a rare artefact that once belonged to a Jacobite soldier at the Battle of Culloden.
The distinctive ram’s horn snuff box belonged to Angus MacKintosh of Farr, who served as a captain in the Dunmaglass regiment. He was among around 1,500 Jacobites who perished in the battle, which saw forces loyal to Bonnie Prince Charlie defeated by the Duke of Cumberland's government army
The snuff mull features a silver lid inscribed with the motto of Clan Chattan, which states: “Do not touch the cat without a glove.” It was designed to send a warning that the clan was especially dangerous when provoked.
The unique confederation of Highland clans, led by Alexander MacGillivray, played a key role on the Jacobite right wing during the bloody 1746 battle, and was only repulsed after fierce hand-to-hand combat.
A handwritten note accompanying the snuff box confirms that it was recovered from the battlefield by an English soldier, before being obtained by James MacKintosh, an innkeeper at Glamis. It was subsequently passed to Lieutenant James MacKintosh, who served in the 42nd Regiment, and in turn presented it to a legal practitioner and historian of the MacKintoshes, Simon Fraser MacKintosh.
He is the author of the Farr manuscript, which recounts the tale of Angus’s son, James MacKintosh, who was attending school just north of Culloden at Petty at the time of the battle. He and several classmates chose to skip classes that day to observe the fighting, including Archibald Fraser, the son of Lord Lovat.
However, James later recounted how he witnessed his father grimly march with the other men towards the desolate moor, a look of despair etched on his face that he would never forget. The Farr manuscript notes that they witnessed the initial assault of the battle, after which they were so frightened that they quickly returned home.
While the story of the boys watching the battle has been documented, this marks the first occasion in nearly 200 years that the snuff mull and its associated narrative have come to light. The item itself was discovered in an attic, and is now on display in the West Highland Museum as part of a five year loan.
Chris Robinson, vice-chairman of the museum in Fort William, said: “The museum has been exceptionally fortunate to receive a long-term loan of this object, which is currently exhibited.”
It is among a host of objects held by the museum relating to the Jacobite cause. They include a copy of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s original death mask , and fragments of a dress and shoe buckles worn by Flora MacDonald, who helped Charles evade government troops after the fateful battle.
The museum, which has become a key visitor destination for fans of the Outlander books and television series, is seeking to expand its offering to create more space for visitors and exhibitions, with its trustees hoping to secure millions of pounds in funding for the redevelopment.
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