Episode 19: Rattray, Wemyss, and Mercer
The Secret of St. Andrews involves many fascinating historical characters, but three, in particular, are worth noting. One was the Tiger Woods of his day, another was a Scottish nobleman exiled to France, and the third became an American war hero. They were Scottish patriots who fought at the Battle of Culloden, and they last saw each other on that fateful spring day in 1746, when the Jacobites suffered their final defeat.
John Rattray was Bonnie Prince Charlie's personal physician, and Hugh Mercer was an intern working for Rattray as a field surgeon. Rattray was Edinburgh's champion golfer in 1744 and 1745. Before he joined the Jacobite cause, he was asked to endorse the original 13 rules of golf—an honor he gladly accepted.
Hugh Mercer was being mentored by Rattray, the son of an Episcopalian priest, who was fond of the young man from Aberdeen, whose father was a minister in the Church of Scotland. The aristocrat David Wemyss, also known as Lord Elcho, was the prince's aide-de-camp, a member of his war council, and he commanded the lifeguards, who were the personal protectors of the young prince.
The Battle of Culloden lasted only 40 minutes, and the prince fled the scene as soon as he saw the Jacobites’ left flank giving way. Wemyss managed to escape and later found the prince in hiding about four miles away. Lord Elcho pleaded with the prince to rally his forces, but Stuart dismissed him and ordered all Jacobite forces to disband.
This infuriated Lord Elcho, who called the prince a "damned Italian coward" and left. A few weeks later, Wemyss boarded a boat that took him to France, not knowing then that he'd never again set foot in his beloved Scotland. The young Hugh Mercer also escaped capture but was hunted as a fugitive before finding his way aboard a merchant ship in Edinburgh bound for the American colonies.
His boss, John Rattray, wasn't as fortunate. Rattray was captured and imprisoned at Inverness. While in custody, British soldiers seized his surgical instruments and refused to allow him to treat other wounded Jacobite prisoners. Upon recognizing Rattray, one British officer said, "We know well what you are, sir, the Pretender’s surgeon. If anyone hangs, you shall."
Rattray's release was negotiated by his golfing partner back in Edinburgh, Duncan Forbes, who appealed to the Duke of Cumberland.
Once Lord Elcho arrived safely in Paris, he began checking on the safety and whereabouts of his fellow Jacobites. It was then that he learned of Rattray's capture and imprisonment. Nearly a year passed before Wemyss learned of his friend's release. Wemyss sent a letter to Rattray congratulating him on his freedom and asking for his assistance. Wemyss had been accused of war crimes, including a proposal to sever the thumbs of British prisoners of war so they could no longer bear arms.
Rattray knew these claims to be false and was willing to advocate for his old friend. The men corresponded frequently on the matter, but in the end, Rattray's efforts were unsuccessful. Lord Elcho lived out his life in exile in France, joining the French military and becoming a colonel in the Royal Écossais, garrisoned in Dunkirk.
One of the few Jacobites not pardoned in the Act of Indemnity of 1747, his land and titles were forever forfeited. His family funneled him a healthy allowance, which he used to purchase properties in Paris and Switzerland. He enjoyed a comfortable, if not tortured, existence, forever barred from returning to his beloved Scotland.
Before he managed to board the merchant ship bound for Pennsylvania, Hugh Mercer had heard of Rattray's capture and assumed he had been executed. This troubled the young man, who viewed Rattray as a mentor and somewhat of a father figure. Upon his arrival in Pennsylvania, Mercer informed his family in Aberdeen of his safe arrival and asked them to send word of his condolences to Rattray's family.
Months later, Mercer received a cheerful letter from John Rattray himself, assuring his young protégé of his safety and well-being. Rattray offered his support to Mercer and other Scottish immigrants in the colonies. Mercer settled in Pennsylvania and would later become a colonel in the Colonial Militia, developing a close friendship with a young officer from Virginia by the name of George Washington, who was six years his junior.
Mercer became a mentor for the future American president early in his military career and a respected member of the community, eventually commanding Fort Pitt.
In the years to follow, Rattray corresponded frequently with Mercer and Wemyss. Their communication was both personal and purposeful. Rattray returned to Edinburgh, keeping a low profile, but became a respected voice in post-war efforts to advance Scottish interests. He advocated for fair treatment of Scottish immigrants and provided counsel to Hugh Mercer as his military career advanced in the Colonial Militia.
Rattray also received military updates from Wemyss in France. Ironically, Wemyss and Mercer found themselves on opposite sides during the Seven Years' War. Through it all, their love for Scotland remained steadfast.
When Rattray learned of Ben Franklin's trip to St. Andrews, he seized the opportunity to form a small but powerful intelligence network, advancing Scotland's political and economic interests. This intelligence became a central part of secret diplomatic efforts with Franklin, ultimately influencing the American Revolution.
In the years to come, Hugh Mercer became a brigadier general in Washington's Continental Army, while Lord Elcho was awarded France's Order of Military Merit for his service. Rattray led these efforts until his death in 1771. His protégé Hugh Mercer and friend David Wemyss continued his work, leaving behind a legacy of resilience and loyalty to Scotland.
Hugh Mercer died on the battlefield in Princeton, New Jersey, in 1777, and Lord Elcho passed in Paris in 1787. Only David Wemyss, Lord Elcho, witnessed America's birth.