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Damn Rebel Bitches
Damn’ Rebel Bitches takes a totally fresh approach to the history of the Jacobite Rising by telling fascinating stories of the many women caught up in the turbulent events of 1745–46. Many historians have ignored female participation in the ’45: this book aims to redress the balance. Drawn from many original documents and letters, the stories that emerge of the women – and their men – are often touching, occasionally light-hearted and always engrossing.
192 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2000
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About the author
Maggie Craig
26 books87 followersI'm a Scottish writer of fiction and non-fiction and love the beauty and the history of my native land. I've expressed my enthusiasm for the latter through non-fiction books. These include the definitive study of women's involvement in the 1745 Jacobite Rising, Damn' Rebel Bitches: The Women of the '45, described by one critic as a 'modern classic.' I later published its companion volume Bare-Arsed Banditti: The Men of the '45 . My most recent non-fiction book is One Week in April: The Scottish Radical Rising of 1820.
My novels split into two genres. The first six are family sagas set in my native Glasgow from the 1920s to the 1940s. I prefer to describe them as love stories crossed with social history.
I'm now writing historical novels. I call them Romance Noir, very romantic but gritty too. The first of these is a tale of young love and old Edinburgh, One Sweet Moment, set in the 1820s. One reviewer described it as 'Romance with a capital R', which it most certainly is, although I've also been told that it's not for the faint-hearted. Life wasn't easy if you were a poor young woman back then and I felt the book had to reflect that. One Sweet Moment is also about Edinburgh and its Jekyll and Hyde nature, the parlours of the New Town and the underground vaults and oyster cellars of the Old Town, the visit of King George IV to the city in 1822 and the dramatic Great Fire of Edinburgh of 1824.
My second historical novel is Gathering Storm, a novel of Jacobite intrigue and romance, the first of a suite of novels featuring the same intertwining cast of characters finding their way through the moral dilemmas, drama and battles of the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion.
It's sequel is Dance to the Storm, published in 2020.
As a reader, I love to read novels which might be described as intelligent escapism. I also love romantic suspense, the sort of books where you wonder how on earth the hero and heroine are going to make it through to a happy ending. Among my favourite authors are Georgette Heyer, Dorothy L Sayers, Elizabeth Peters and Nora Roberts. I also read a lot of non-fiction, particularly historical. Favourite periods include 18th century and World War 2 Britain and I love to read about the forgotten women of history.
My novels split into two genres. The first six are family sagas set in my native Glasgow from the 1920s to the 1940s. I prefer to describe them as love stories crossed with social history.
I'm now writing historical novels. I call them Romance Noir, very romantic but gritty too. The first of these is a tale of young love and old Edinburgh, One Sweet Moment, set in the 1820s. One reviewer described it as 'Romance with a capital R', which it most certainly is, although I've also been told that it's not for the faint-hearted. Life wasn't easy if you were a poor young woman back then and I felt the book had to reflect that. One Sweet Moment is also about Edinburgh and its Jekyll and Hyde nature, the parlours of the New Town and the underground vaults and oyster cellars of the Old Town, the visit of King George IV to the city in 1822 and the dramatic Great Fire of Edinburgh of 1824.
My second historical novel is Gathering Storm, a novel of Jacobite intrigue and romance, the first of a suite of novels featuring the same intertwining cast of characters finding their way through the moral dilemmas, drama and battles of the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion.
It's sequel is Dance to the Storm, published in 2020.
As a reader, I love to read novels which might be described as intelligent escapism. I also love romantic suspense, the sort of books where you wonder how on earth the hero and heroine are going to make it through to a happy ending. Among my favourite authors are Georgette Heyer, Dorothy L Sayers, Elizabeth Peters and Nora Roberts. I also read a lot of non-fiction, particularly historical. Favourite periods include 18th century and World War 2 Britain and I love to read about the forgotten women of history.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
December 24, 2020
At first I had some doubts about whether to give Damn' Rebel Bitches three or four stars: this book about the 1745-1746 Jacobite uprising could do with some more structure, and somewhat clearer, central messages. Instead of a handful of overarching chapters and strong concluding paragraphs, it offers dozens of shorter sections and semi-conclusions.
But perhaps that is not so much the author's fault, as it is the problem of women in the past and their subsequent histories. Unlike men's, their roles were often not clear-cut and laid out before them as they went through life. Especially histories of war too often offer only a limited mold for male characters.
However, Craig's book colourfully shows the many awkward, dangerous and tragic positions women found themselves in during this proto-nationalist and dynastic war. Women within the Jacobite movement (supporters of the dethroned Stuart dynasty) acted as moral supporters for their men; served in intelligence and communication roles; built support for the movement; sheltered Jacobite fugitives; and had their image torn apart by the enemy press in their attempt to discredit the Jacobite cause. Jenny Cameron, for example, became widely known more for her being depicted as an 'unwomanly' person, than for who she really was.
Therefore, in all, Craig's book offers refreshing insights - not only for '45 enthousiasts. It paved the way for a more holistic understanding of war.
But perhaps that is not so much the author's fault, as it is the problem of women in the past and their subsequent histories. Unlike men's, their roles were often not clear-cut and laid out before them as they went through life. Especially histories of war too often offer only a limited mold for male characters.
However, Craig's book colourfully shows the many awkward, dangerous and tragic positions women found themselves in during this proto-nationalist and dynastic war. Women within the Jacobite movement (supporters of the dethroned Stuart dynasty) acted as moral supporters for their men; served in intelligence and communication roles; built support for the movement; sheltered Jacobite fugitives; and had their image torn apart by the enemy press in their attempt to discredit the Jacobite cause. Jenny Cameron, for example, became widely known more for her being depicted as an 'unwomanly' person, than for who she really was.
Therefore, in all, Craig's book offers refreshing insights - not only for '45 enthousiasts. It paved the way for a more holistic understanding of war.
February 1, 2013
DAMN' REBEL BITCHES: THE WOMEN OF THE '45 by Maggie Craig was an absolutely amazing look at the women who, for various reasons, were active in the Highland Rising of 1745-46 in support of the House of Stuart. I have read other books on this topic but never have seen one devoted to the women's stories like this book is. I have heard bits and pieces of some of these stories before ( I mean, who with any knowledge of Scottish history has not heard of Flora MacDonald or Jenny Cameron). But to have all the stories in one place and in such depth is a real treat. Maggie Craig did an incredible amount of research, and did it well from what I can tell based on my previous reading. These are not dry impersonal tales; each and every person in the book is very surely brought to life. These were real women with families, who at times maybe disagreed with them. These were strong women, some of whom had political leanings but others of them just did what had to be done to help their families, neighbors and country survive in a difficult time. I loved the title. It would have grabbed my attention even without any other interest in the subject.
September 22, 2016
This was a fascinating perspective on a historical event that has considerably dark repercussions. Despite the grim position that hindsight offers us towards such historical events, Craig was able to successfully harness the use of humour and sarcasm in her work, combining it with stories of amusing close-shaves (the one where Lady Strange's future husband hides literally under her skirts from English officers comes to mind) to create that offered up refreshing breaks from accounts of the ghastly aftermath of Culloden.
Craig does not just explore the actions of the women belonging to a higher social class or those whom the rebellion made famous, but she also examines the stories of the every day women who are often silent or go unheard. Some of the stories she sheds light on are about women whose names are unknown and lost to history, but nevertheless they are just as fascinating - if not more - than some of the noble or more well-known women. The bravery and courage that they showed is truly tremendous, and their contributions to the Stuart Rising were often just as important or crucial as those of their masculine counterparts.
My only complaint is that perhaps for a bit more clarity Craig could have presented her chapters in a way that dealt with the rebellion in a more linear fashion. Nonetheless, it is a small complaint about a highly readable and engaging book. We need more history books like this.
Craig does not just explore the actions of the women belonging to a higher social class or those whom the rebellion made famous, but she also examines the stories of the every day women who are often silent or go unheard. Some of the stories she sheds light on are about women whose names are unknown and lost to history, but nevertheless they are just as fascinating - if not more - than some of the noble or more well-known women. The bravery and courage that they showed is truly tremendous, and their contributions to the Stuart Rising were often just as important or crucial as those of their masculine counterparts.
My only complaint is that perhaps for a bit more clarity Craig could have presented her chapters in a way that dealt with the rebellion in a more linear fashion. Nonetheless, it is a small complaint about a highly readable and engaging book. We need more history books like this.
September 29, 2016
This book is such a worthwhile read, I can't recommend it highly enough. Women & what they did during the rebellions of the 18th century have been sidelined and ignored for a very long time, it's delightful to actually hear about them. This book focuses on the Jacobite women, however it does discuss the Hanoverian women too. Maggie Craig does a very good job of discussing the topic in a very easy to read narrative, not so much setting up a strict timeline of events as telling many many stories and explaining the context & meaning behind each event. The stories were at times funny, distressingly heartbreaking, angering and always interesting. As a book it doesn't need to be read cover to cover in one sitting, it's laid out in a way that allows people to dip in and out of chapters as they wish. A good read.
April 17, 2023
A really good look into how women effected and influenced the history of Scotland (and therefore the rest of the UK) and the '45 Jacobite rebellion. A part played which is usually left to just Flora MacDonald to represent despite there being far more women involved.
The issue is that each chapter is somewhat disconnected from the last, and some mention people who were briefly mentioned 50 pages ago and expect you to remember who Lady or Lord someoneorother was. You really do need a knowledge of the rebellion already to understand this book for that reason, also because it really does assume that you already know about Jacobitism, Bonnt Prince Charlie and the Stuart claim to the thrones of England and Scotland, as well as knowledge of what lead to the battle of Culloden in order to properly understand how these fascinating and historymaking women fit into the whole affair.
Overall though I am very glad I read this book, and I now have some great stories to slip into commentary with my guests, as well as a much better understanding of the '45 and in particular the role that various gallus quines played in shaping the history of two nations. It also gave me a great insight into the various ways women have been romanticised in Jacobite history, and how everything is much more nuanced than it first appears. A must read to anyone interested in the Jacobite history of Scotland.
The issue is that each chapter is somewhat disconnected from the last, and some mention people who were briefly mentioned 50 pages ago and expect you to remember who Lady or Lord someoneorother was. You really do need a knowledge of the rebellion already to understand this book for that reason, also because it really does assume that you already know about Jacobitism, Bonnt Prince Charlie and the Stuart claim to the thrones of England and Scotland, as well as knowledge of what lead to the battle of Culloden in order to properly understand how these fascinating and historymaking women fit into the whole affair.
Overall though I am very glad I read this book, and I now have some great stories to slip into commentary with my guests, as well as a much better understanding of the '45 and in particular the role that various gallus quines played in shaping the history of two nations. It also gave me a great insight into the various ways women have been romanticised in Jacobite history, and how everything is much more nuanced than it first appears. A must read to anyone interested in the Jacobite history of Scotland.
April 3, 2019
The writing is easy to read and often amusing. This is the story of women involved in the Jacobite uprising of 1745-46, whether they wanted to or were caught up by happening around them. Some actively supported Bonnie Prince Charlie, some badgered their husbands until they joined the cause, some tried to keep their husbands from going off to support the rebellion, some husbands were conscripted and their wives and children bore the brunt of it, others were pressed into aiding the cause by their families and had their reputations ruint by it when the cause failed.
The book is well researched. The author obviously looks positively at the Jacobites, but is rather endearing. She does try to balance harsh criticism and condemnation heaped on the subjects of the book by the victors. There is a bibliography at the end and credit is given throughout, so that a curious reader can track down the original document and read it for themselves. There are two books mentioned near the end which I would like to read eventually: "Flemington" by Violet Jacob and "The Flight of the Heron" by D.K. Broster.
Borrowed from the library. Life kept getting in the way, which is why it took me quite some time to read this.
The book is well researched. The author obviously looks positively at the Jacobites, but is rather endearing. She does try to balance harsh criticism and condemnation heaped on the subjects of the book by the victors. There is a bibliography at the end and credit is given throughout, so that a curious reader can track down the original document and read it for themselves. There are two books mentioned near the end which I would like to read eventually: "Flemington" by Violet Jacob and "The Flight of the Heron" by D.K. Broster.
Borrowed from the library. Life kept getting in the way, which is why it took me quite some time to read this.
May 9, 2020
The research and detail in this book amazed me. It was a bit confusing because she wrote about many of the same people in different chapters, but the witty writing and incredible tales of bravery made me proud to be a woman with Scottish ancestors. The female bashing was used for propaganda to turn readers away from any sympathy people might have had for the heroines. Spin doctors of 1745 depicted women as harlots, witches or, heaven forbid, as masculine! Not much has changed, strong women are still maligned in the same manner. We will rise again to fight for freedom of being labeled Damn’ Rebel Bitches.
May 12, 2012
Picked this book up from the Library, where I am fast running out of new books to read. The '45 is not really my thing - I take the view that the Jacobites were Wromantic but Wrong, and that the whole thing would have been better avoided.
Anyway, this book describes the deeds and eventual fate of various Jacobite women, ranging from duchesses to ordinary women. Some actually took an active part 'recruiting' men often with threats of violence. Some of the 'ladies' even went against their husband's political policies and raised the clan in his despite! Others simply followed their man to war, in some cases because they had no other means of living.
Two familar issues emerge. 1. Sexism - the more famous of the ladies had their morals traduced by Hanoverian propaganda. Nearly all of them were alleged to have gone to bed with Charles Stuart, when apparently only one did. Many were also accused of unfeminine and even barbaric behaviour - the 'she-wolf' argument. Again, much of this was grossly exaggerated.
2. Class. The 'ladies' all got off with at worst, a brief term of imprisonment. Some made pretty speeches to King George and got their husbands released and their lands restored. Even when in prison they were well treated, and allowed their silk gowns and nice food. This applied even in cases where they were clearly guilty of treason. 'Common women', on the other hand, mostly got shipped off to the West Indies as slaves for life, usually for doing nothing more than following their husbands on campaign. Chivalry, eh?
Anyway, this book describes the deeds and eventual fate of various Jacobite women, ranging from duchesses to ordinary women. Some actually took an active part 'recruiting' men often with threats of violence. Some of the 'ladies' even went against their husband's political policies and raised the clan in his despite! Others simply followed their man to war, in some cases because they had no other means of living.
Two familar issues emerge. 1. Sexism - the more famous of the ladies had their morals traduced by Hanoverian propaganda. Nearly all of them were alleged to have gone to bed with Charles Stuart, when apparently only one did. Many were also accused of unfeminine and even barbaric behaviour - the 'she-wolf' argument. Again, much of this was grossly exaggerated.
2. Class. The 'ladies' all got off with at worst, a brief term of imprisonment. Some made pretty speeches to King George and got their husbands released and their lands restored. Even when in prison they were well treated, and allowed their silk gowns and nice food. This applied even in cases where they were clearly guilty of treason. 'Common women', on the other hand, mostly got shipped off to the West Indies as slaves for life, usually for doing nothing more than following their husbands on campaign. Chivalry, eh?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2012
An interesting take on the Jacobite uprising of 1745 and its disastrous after-effects, from the perspective of some of the woman affected on both sides.
September 23, 2016
The book is entertaining and does provide some decent information. However, in trying to use this book for research? I would not suggest it.
January 3, 2018
Great historical read! I love Maggie Craig's writing! It's great to hear stories of the rebellion with women as the focus!
July 22, 2018
I have read this book cover-to-cover twice and now am in and out of it as a reference so often it would probably count as 5+ reads. I will always have this book near.
August 25, 2019
Five stars aren't enough. Lively, engaging, occasionally grim, and definitely thought provoking. Go read it!
October 26, 2025
General Thoughts: My paperback copy of this book was missing entire chapters! It jumps from pg 48 to 65, chapter 5 to the last page of 8 - I don't factor this into the rating since it's not the author's fault (though the first sentence on pg 65 reads "It was no accident".... so maybe it was intentional? Just kidding, total printing error.) Although I would love to have those missing pages - what did I miss?! It read more like anecdotes, but once I adjusted my reading expectations, I was good. It was well written and well-researched.
Writing Style: 4/5 - While it read more like vignettes or anecdotes, it was still well written and well-researched. It was engaging and entertaining and educating.
Content: 4/5 - I loved the idea of focusing on the lesser known women of the ‘45 - not Flora McDonald (who is fabulous in her own right but as Craig points out numerous times, usually the only female focus of the ‘45, even though there were plenty of other women that were involved - and indeed crucial in this fight.) Some of the content felt as if it repeated - the chapters felt more like themes and some of the women repeated in various chapters. I know material is limited on this subject material, but I’d love there to be more in this book on each woman.
Enjoyment: 4.5/5 - I enjoyed the reading, I just wanted more.
Total: 12.5/3 = 4.16
Writing Style: 4/5 - While it read more like vignettes or anecdotes, it was still well written and well-researched. It was engaging and entertaining and educating.
Content: 4/5 - I loved the idea of focusing on the lesser known women of the ‘45 - not Flora McDonald (who is fabulous in her own right but as Craig points out numerous times, usually the only female focus of the ‘45, even though there were plenty of other women that were involved - and indeed crucial in this fight.) Some of the content felt as if it repeated - the chapters felt more like themes and some of the women repeated in various chapters. I know material is limited on this subject material, but I’d love there to be more in this book on each woman.
Enjoyment: 4.5/5 - I enjoyed the reading, I just wanted more.
Total: 12.5/3 = 4.16
November 7, 2022
I really enjoyed this history of the '45 Rising, and the women who participated in it on both sides. The text follows a less academic and more narrative tone but was thoroughly researched, as evidenced by the bibliography and references to other texts throughout the work. Craig is a gifted storyteller and weaves many threads together to bring the people of the Rising to life again.This book is a great introduction to the '45 for those less familiar with it, and a skillful history of the women in particular.
December 7, 2024
Anyone who knows me knows that Scottish history is a favourite subject of mine- all the more when its related to women, minorities, folklore, etc. So this book should be perfect or? Unfortunately the weird structure really let the quality of the research down. There would be one paragraph about someone then suddenly jump to another person- not helped by the fact Anne's and Margaret's make up a sizable chunk of the people mentioned.
All in all a bit disappointing but respect to the quality of the research in depth and breadth.
All in all a bit disappointing but respect to the quality of the research in depth and breadth.
January 25, 2019
Such a good book for my HSC major work. The opinions met my needs and I’m happy to say that the book flows and connects together like a ton of giant magnetised blocks. Craig has fascinating opinions and uses much contemporary historical evidence. Whilst it isn’t directly referenced most of the time, when she did reference it was in the right place and extremely helpful.
April 12, 2020
I can appreciate the fact checking and research in order to write this novel. I also appreciate how well women were represented to show their involvement in one of the biggest battles in Scotland. The novel lacked intrigue for me and the mentioning of soooooo many people left me confused and uninterested. It was information overload to the point I could not keep things straight.
March 17, 2024
An absolutely fantastic collection of stories of our stubborn, gentle, fierce women. With historical stories an author can tend to put a reader to sleep with mere fact-telling but this book comes from passion and the heart, asking so many questions I would die to know the answers to. Long live the women of the ‘45🏴
May 26, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. It captured the spirit of the women, who, although they didn't fight, were fierce Jacobites. It also captured the dreadful treatment of the Highlanders who survived and ended up in the prisons or transported.
August 17, 2020
Took a while to get into but then was well worth the effort. Interesting insight from a female point of view. Very hard to keep track of all the surnames and characters relationships but overall enjoyable illuminating read.
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April 9, 2022Excellent read. Brings to life the women who were also part of the ‘45 rebellion. Long has history cast Flora McDonald as the lone heroine. The women of Scotland did not sit idly by while the men did the intrigue and fighting. Maggie Craig bring the women rich and poor to the forefront.
May 26, 2024
If you love strong women and scottish history - this is for you! I devoured this book and was educated on what happened to regular highland folk - which most books only focus on the wealthy. Very good read and fascinating, I will be checking out this authors fiction !
June 27, 2024
Great insight to the lives of these women. History also forgets how cruel women can be (to their tenants/subjects).
My only criticism is that, the writer writes occasionally in conversational and I felt that it was more cringey than enjoyable at times.
Overall a good book.
My only criticism is that, the writer writes occasionally in conversational and I felt that it was more cringey than enjoyable at times.
Overall a good book.
September 30, 2017
Well researched and engagingly written. Maggie Craig treats her subjects with dignity, as real human women rather than just bit-players on the stage of history. Highly recommended.
December 10, 2017
I don't know why but this was really a slog.
April 15, 2018
Informative, opinionated, hilarious and often unexpected. Exactly how I like my non-fiction. An excellent read, offering an often forgotten perspective!
September 23, 2020
Fascinating, well researched and I loved the way she weaved the different historical threads together.
January 17, 2021
Maggie Cole researches well and writes history from a variety of viewpoints, I trust her interpretations
December 5, 2021
What a great book, focusing on a different side of the ‘45. It was brutal and had the same terrible ending, but the story told about the denial side of the battle was quite fascinating.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews