We have had a small brush with them yesterday at Airth, up the Firth, with 300 men in Boats; killed & wounded about fifty, with their Chief French Ingineer; cripled two of their Guns, burnt all their Boats, & hindered their transporting their great Cannon from Alloway for some days. The Marquis of Tweeddale has resigned. This is all the News I have to tell your Lop, & am, My Lord, your most ob' humble Serv', &c. My L: P:—— No. CCCX. Gen' Wightman to the Lord President. Edinburgh, 22 Jan" 1746. I WROTE you last Week by the Vessel which the J-ce Cl-k dispatched to you. I know a digested genuine account of the late Battle will not only be agreable to you, but usefull; I therefore herewith send it you; and send this special Messenger with it, that I may ascertain myself of a Letter from you, and give you an Opportunity of writing to your friends with more Liberty than you can do under the J--ce's Cover, who, you know, loves to peep, and, like all Tyrants, is jealous of every one, even of his own tools. I send you also herewith a corrected copy of the Edinburgh Packet, which contains the Speech, printed A° 1725, in which I declare against Partyship in the strongest terms: In which Sentiment I still continue. After having said this, you'l be surprized to hear, that I supped with La Arn--n when he passed through Newcastle, and am become acquainted with his Son the Sollicitor; and at the same time am declaredly antipode to the Jce; in so much that I do not so much as see him, much less speak with him, on account of his misbehaviour to me when he was a Refugee at Berwick, notwithstanding the Civilitys I shewed him, and the Services I did him when he was at Newcastle; and this I do deliberately & resolutely, though I very well know that he is at present drunk with Power. The Marquis having demitted, the Duke comes into the same Situation he was in before the Patriots prevailed against S R. W--le; and consequently the Jce is once more depute Vice Roy. He governs all: even H――y does not do little things which concern the H- -y Army without his concurrence: so that he is Generalissimo, to the great Damnage of the Publick. For instance, there lye 3 Ships on the ground at Boristouness, driven up by the Storm in which the Fox Man of War was lost, having Linen and Woollen Manufacture aboard to the Value of £25,000. Sterling. These have been in no small danger since the Battle, for want of a party of Men posted there, or at Blackness, where they would be in absolute safety from being surprized and overpowered. I applied to G' H——y, who remitted me to the Jce Cl-k. I sent the Master of one of the Ships to him, with a Representation & Petition; whom he used rudely, on no other Ground, than that the honest Man has not thought fitt to truckle to Collector Mid-n, his tool, as having a suspicion of him as a J-te. I mention these things to you, that you may see the Necessity of your being here, rather than at Inverness; that you may cheque him, and apply some remedy to the present disorders here, and prevent some of his Blunders. This is the more needfull, that the Earle of Hume & his Brother are de-claredly in opposition to the Vice Roy. The Sq-n is routed; and thus the whole nation is in the Opposition, his tools excepted. G: D: is still at London; Ald. Ridley wrote me lately, that he heard from a friend of his, that he was married; but I doubt it, and am more afraid of it's being true than of it's being false. I have written him. pressingly to come home, and not squander his time in London, dancing Attendance to G" Cope, tho' he has procured a pair of Colours to his eldest Son George by his means, without paying any Money for it. I am sorry to tell you, that L' He and La Gl-n abandoned the Glasgow Regt on the Field of Battle, before they were formed, and fled as fast as the Irish Dragoons. G' Hy is in much the same situation as G' C-e; he was never seen in the Field during the Battle; and every thing would have gone to wreck, in a worse manner than at Preston, if G' Huske had not acted with judgment & courage, and appeared every where. Hy seems to be sensible of his misconduct; for when I was with him on Saturday morning at Linlithgow, he looked most wretchedly; even worse than C-e did a few hours after his scuille, when I saw him at Fala. This is an odd scene of things, and altogether an unexpected occurrence; and will doubtless schock the K. & the M--ry, as wel as the whole English Nation, more than the Preston affair did; but does not at all schock me: I see no one bad consequence from it, unless H--y's disgrace be reckoned one; and I apprehend sev" good ones; such as the Duke's coming down hither, and our having an Army of 20,000 Men in this Country for some Months; to which I add G' Huske's advancement, who is indeed an excellent Officer, and open, honest Man. I say this, because we commenced intimat acquaintance at Newcastle, which will continue during life; whereas I despised the Fop M-1, your old acquaintance: he has made his exit just as I expected. I only add, that Pottosi Affairs go on without intermission successfully; and I find ways and means to get a little money when nobody else here can do it. I give my humble Service to Lord Loudoun if he is still with you, and ever am, My dear Friend, W inviolable attach", yours, R. W. P. S. Ime under little apprehension of Stirlin Castle's being taken, if the Governor & Garrison do their Duty; and tho they get itt, they must quitt it on our Army's Approach. The Hessians are hourly expected, the thaw having sett the Transports at liberty, and the Wind & Weather being favourable. Let me begg of you to come hither as soon as you can; your coming will do an infinite Service at this Juncture. Adieu. N. B. I must not ommitt to tell you, that a furious Storm of Wind & Rain arose critically, which blew directly in the faces of our Men when engaged in Battle, and prevented the pursuit of the Rebells. This I was opportuned accurately to observe; for I saw it coming, & put on, to get in to Boristouness ere it came on. This is providential, and looks w' a bad aspect upon us; it is as if owr defence was departed from us, yea acted against us. Please pay the bearer out of public money, for I have none to spare. My Lord, No. CCCXI. Sir Harry Monro, of Fowlis, to the Lord President. I THINK it my duty to acquaint your Lop of the deplorable situation I am in. The Engag' between the King's troops and the Highlanders on Thursday last, w'in a mile of Falkirk, proves to me a series of woe: There both my dear father & uncle Obsdale were slain: The last, your Lop knows, had no particular business to go to the Action; but, out of a most tender love & concern for his Brother, cou'd not be dissuaded from attending him, to give assistance if need required. My father, after being deserted, was attacked by six of Locheal's Reg', & for some time defended himself w his half Pike. Two of the six, I'm inform'd, he kill'd; a seventh, coming up, fired MM 2 fired a Pistol into my father's Groin; upon wh falling, the Highlander wh his sword gave him two strokes in the face, one over the Eyes & another on the mouth, wch instantly ended a brave Man. The same Highlander fired another Pistol into my uncle's breast, & wh his Sword terribly slashed him; whom w" killed, he then dispatch a Serv' of my father's. That thus my dearest father & uncle perish'd, I am informed; & this information I can depend on, as it comes from some who were Eye-witnesses to it. My father's Corpse was honourably interred in the Church-ŷd of Falkirk by direction of the E. of Cromertie & the M'Donalds, & all the Chieffs attended his funeralls. Sir Robert's was the only body on the field on our side that was taken care of. Now, my Lord, you may easily conceive, all circumstances duly weighed, how dismal my situation is. I depend on y' advice & assistance. Edinh I am, with great regard, Your Lordship's most obed Cousin & Serv', No. CCCXII. From the Lord President to Culloden, 26th Jan 1746. THIS day I had letters from Edin. dated Wednesday 22°, from a Gentleman who was present at the Action at Falkirk on the 17. He says, it began in the Afternoon, by the Highlanders marching up to attack the King's troops; that the troops, upon their Approach, marched hastily from their Camp to meet them, without their Artillery, which did not come up during the Action; that at the first onset, part of the Dragoons posted on the left were put in disorder, and some of the foot nearest to them obliged to reel by the Dragoons falling foul of them; but that the Foot quickly recovering themselves, and some of the Dragoons returning to the Charge, soon obliged the Highlanders who made this impression to retire. That the Highlanders advanced with a rapid motion, about 20 deep, to attack the Center, and put the first line in disorder; but the 2d advancing, soon forced them to retire with great loss, and were pursuing them, when a vast storm of Wind with rain, which was ready to make their Firelocks unserviceable, together with the night's approach, obliged the General to beat a retreat. That when they came back to their camp, they found many of their Baggagemen and most of their Artillerymen gone with the Horses; amongst which last was one Cunningham, an Irishman, and an Officer of the Train, who, to avoid disgrace, has since cut an Artery; and then they took this Party off, retiring to Linlithgow, and from thence to Edinburgh the next day. This Gentleman says, the loss of the Highlanders, at the lowest compu tation, was supposed to be 1000; and that there were no more than 200 of the regular troops (who called out aloud to be led to another brush) missing. The Messenger who brought this letter, and who seems to be a sensible fellow, says, he also saw this Engagement, and describes it pretty much in the same manner the letter does. He makes. the Loss of the Highlanders from common Report, and from his own opinion of the gaps he saw made in them, above double the number that is mentioned in the Letter. He says, the troops lost but part of their tents and baggage; that they carried alongst with them so much as they found horses to carry off; and that they burnt what they could not carry off on the field. He says also, that they nailed up the Field-pieces which they could not carry with them; and that they marched away with the greatest regularity, unpursued. He says, the Regiment of Militia under Lord Home behaved well, well, and suffered a little, and that they retired alongst with the troops. He says, the Argyleshire Highlanders were, when he left Edinburgh, quartered in Queensferry and the neighbouring Farms, ready to march back with the troops, who have received a reinforcement of two Regiments of foot, and one of Dragoons; and he says, it was reported and believed, that Lord John Drummond, the Duke of Perth, & Lochiel, were wounded; the first dangerously, the last two slightly. He asserts, that the Preston prisoners, who were detained at Glamis, were rescued by a Gang of Maltmen and other tradesmen from Dundee, mixed with a multitude of Seceders, who pressed Boats to ferry them over the Water; and that he actually saw some of them at Edin', where, he says, the Duke of Cumberland, as well as the Hessians, were daily expected. My Lord, No. CCCXIII. Mr. Corse to the Lord President. I HAVE unluckily miss'd several opportunities of writing to your Lop by Sea; partly owing to my having been in a very unsettled way since these troubles began; & the rest I charge upon W. Forbes, who omitted to give me notice when the Ships were to sail. I beg leave to return your Lop my most sincere thanks for your recommendation in my favour to a Professorship in Glasgow; which has so far prevail'd. that I have seen a Letter from the Duke of Argyll to the Provost of Glasgow, that he had recommended me; and that some days after M' Pelham told him, that his recommendation was to take place. I suppose you have heard something to the same purpose; so that, though it is not yet done, it looks almost as well as things of that nature can do. I mention this only to thank your Lop; for in such times these things ought not to be thought of. I wish they may have a good Historian; for, that about 4,500 Men should come from the remotest parts of Scotland, penetrate into the heart of England, fight battles, and lay siege to Castles, seems pretty odd, & must contain things worthy of our Curiosity. The little of it that I imagine fell w'in my Ken I send your Lop; which, as it contains little more than the Newspapers, you may either read or lay aside. The Highlanders left us the 1 & 2 of November, & march'd for England; and a few Days after, both Ministrys, properly attended wh the Gentlemen of ye neighbouring Counties, enter'd Ed w ringing of Bells & under a discharge of the Cannon f ye Castle; we last Circumstance had near spoil'd the Cavalcade. They inform'd us, that Two Regiments of Foot & 400 Dragoons were behind them; which we thought very probable; & accordingly in Two Days they arriv'd, & were quarter'd within Ed, where the Troops have been constantly quartered since. As these Troops were but few, & the Rebels beginning to assemble about Perth, & it was fear'd they might lay hold of Ed', a project was set on foot to raise Militia at the Expence of the Country. The Burghers of Ed' offer'd to raise & subsist for Three Months 1,000 Men. It was agreed that the E. of Home should command the Regiment; and he got a Brevet Colonel to command ye Forces to be rais'd at Ed' and Glasgow. From this Time the L' Justice Clerk took the management of affairs. L' Home went to Glasgow, & I was desired to go along with him, where in ten days a Regiment of 600 Men effective was rais'd & march'd to Stirling at the expence of the Inhabitants. The two Regiments of foot lying at Ed', & about 50 dismounted, were sent thither. The foot were n t above 600 Men, including incorporated Straglers from y Regiments which had been at Preston. We had been there about ten days or a fortnight, amused wh Storys of y Highlandlers being shut up in Lancaster; when at last the true intelligence came, & ve were were all order'd to Ed' about the 21 of Dec'; & were to have gone to Berwick, if they had come to Ed'. We were in some apprehension, between Stirling & Ed'; for the march was forc'd in less than 24 hours; but, luckily for us, they took the Road to Glasgow. That place was in no small consternation; the Militia was gathered into: the Town; they had about 1,200 stand of Government Arms, & Blakeney had promised to come to their Assistance. But upon the Troops & their own Regiment marching to Ed', they sent their Arms to Dunbarton Castle, and submitted. The Rebells entered the town on Xmas day, lived at free quarter, & new cloath'd their Men at the Town's expence, which amounted to about £8,000 excluding the £5,500 they had. paid before. They stayed there only ten days, & then mov'd to Stirling, for fear the Troops, which had then begun to arrive at Ed', should get between them and their friends; and likewise to lay siege to the Castle of Stirling, where they made a very poor figure. 1 The Troops were march'd to Ed' by Detachments of Two Regiments at a Time; & with one of the last arriv'd M' Hawley, who, upon his coming, enquir'd for the Provost and y Judge Advocate, & caus'd immediately two pair of Gallows to be set up; one in ye Grass Market, & the other between Leith and Edin'. This was his first Exploit. His Army was to have consisted of 14 Battalions, Cobham, & Mark Ker's, Hamilton, & Gardner's Dragoons, besides the Glasgow & Argyleshire Men. But so soon as he, had got 12 Battalions together, w'out any other Dragoons than Hamilton and Gardner's, he sent five Regiments of foot & the Dragoons on to Lithco, & the Glasgow Regiment to the Queensferry; whose approach was so sudden & unexpected, that they had very near surprized 1,500 of the Rebels at Lithco, who retir'd immediately to Falkirk. This motion, made upon the Monday before the Battle, was generally disapproved of, because we then knew if all the Highlanders were join'd; & it was thought to be exposing almost y one half of the Army to. the Enemy's whole force, who might have surprised them by a night march, when they were at too great a Distance to be supported from Ed'. However, nothing happen'd; and next day three more Regiments were sent to support them; & on the Wednesday three more, with whom, M. Gen" Husk march'd on the Thursday to Falkirk, & encamp'd on the North side of the Town, the front of the Camp towards Stirling; & the same Evening he was join'd by another Regiment of foot, with ten pieces of Cannon, from Six pounders to a pound and half. The same Evening M' Hawley arriv'd at Callendar House about 8 o'Clock at night, & turn'd me and some more of us out of our Beds. He left that place, & went to the Camp about 5 o'clock of the Morning; about 9 o'Clock we were join'd by about 800 Argyleshire Men & Cobham's Dragoons, who had march'd from Lithco that Morning; & then the whole was together; viz. 12 Battalions of foot, wch, to the best of my computation, might show in the field, one with another, about 400 Men a-piece. Three Regiments of Dragoons about 200 a piece. 800 Argyleshire Men; in which were three Companys of La Loudoun's, & one of La John Murray's; besides the Glasgow people, who then were about 700 strong, & tolerably disciplin'd. The Highlanders lay behind the Torwood, having left about 800 Men before Stirling, 300 of which were French-Irish, as some of these Men told me themselves. I am pretty sure the Army they led on that day to the Battle did not much exceed 5,000 Men of all kinds. Causa Scientia when I was at Stirling, I saw M' Blakeney's Intelligence, & the people who gave it were mostly Glasgow people; which made them on the North Side of Tay about 2000 strong, to which I add 500, as an allowance for what accession they got after we left Stirling. On this side they were counted at Glasgow by 18 different people, whose accounts ran from 3,400 to 3,900. About 10 o'clock M Hawley went out to a little eminence on the left of the Camp, & 500 yards nearer the Enemy, to reconnoitre the Grounds between our Camp & ye Torwood; |