10 INSURRECTION IN SCOTLAND. [1715. about fifteen hundred regular troops. Small as this army was, the position of Argyle was such that Mar could not venture an attempt to force a passage, if he desired to move southward to assist a rising on the English border. Nor could he venture with his main body to cross the Frith of Forth, for a large naval force was cruising on that coast. Moreover, Mar, if these impediments could have been overcome, could not safely move his whole army; for he had received letters from Bolingbroke stating "that in all probability the king would land very quickly in the north of Scotland." It was therefore determined to send a large detachment of the rebel force to the aid of the southern insurgents; whilst the main army remained at Perth to await their expected royal leader. This determination was executed with skill and boldness. Two thousand five hundred men marched under the command of brigadier Mac Intosh, an experienced soldier, towards the coast of Fife, where a number of boats had been collected in various small harbours. To divert the English cruisers, an appearance of bustle in preparing craft was made in the neighbourhood of Burntisland; whilst an embarkation of troops took place at Craile, Anstruther, and other small places, where the estuary was broadest, and a passage in open boats would be considered hazardous. On the night of the 2nd of October sixteen hundred men were thus carried across to landing-places on the southern coast of the Forth, near North Berwick. Another detachment, which sailed later, was not so successful; for the government vessels were then on the alert, and a portion of the troops had to return to the Fife coast, whilst three hundred landed on the Isle of May, having been chased thither by ships of war. These men, under the leadership of lord William Murray, sustained great privations, having been blockaded on the island by the government vessels. The Master of Sinclair, who seldom indulges in panegyric, pays a tribute to the heroism of this fourth son of the duke of Athol,-"the school-boy" who kept his men together, and refused himself to leave the island, till he had brought them all safely off. Mac Intosh and his little army were tempted to depart from the instructions of Mar to go "on south, to meet our friends who are in arms there," so as to be out of Argyle's reach before he could come up with them. They resolved, on the contrary, to attack Edinburgh before Argyle could be there to defend it. But the delay of a day in their western march afforded time to the civic authorities to summon the duke from Stirling; and he was at Edinburgh with five hundred horse, as the foot soldiers of Mac Intosh arrived. They found no supporters waiting for them in arms; and they marched to Leith, which town they entered without resistance; and then posted themselves in the remains of the citadel, built by Cromwell, but demolished at the Restoration. Here, having seized some cannon and ammunition from vessels in the harbour, they were enabled to show so firm an attitude, that Argyle, having no artillery, thought it imprudent to attack them. After having held Leith for two days, the insurgents, on the night of the 15th, marched at the lowest ebb of the tide, along the sands beyond Musselburgh; and they reached Seton House, the castellated mansion of the earl of Winton, early in the morning of the 16th. Here they remained safely till the 19th; for Argyle had hurried back to Stirling, on receiving intelligence that Mar's army was moving southward. The movement of Mar was a judicious feint to avert the attack that would probably have been fatal to the band of Mac Intosh. 1715.] INSURRECTION IN ENGLAND. 11 The march of these Highlanders to the south of Scotland, and onward to Preston, has been minutely described by one who deserted their cause and gave testimony against his confederates, but whose narrative is full of those * curious details which personal observation can alone supply. On the first day of their march they reached Longformachus. On the 2nd day, at Dunse, they proclaimed king James, the Highlanders being drawn up in order of battle. On arriving at Kelso, on the 22nd, they were met, according to appointment, by a body of horsemen from the south of Scotland, and of Northumbrians. The Scots were under the command of lord Kenmure; the English under that of Mr. Forster. These leaders were chosen as being Protestants, to counteract the prevailing opinion that this was a Roman Catholic insurrection. The number of the English did not exceed three hundred. Having crossed the deep and rapid Tweed, they entered the town; and the Highlanders soon joined them from the Scottish side, "with their bag-pipes playing, led by old Mac Intosh; but they made a very indifferent figure; for the rain and their long marches had extremely fatigued them, though their old brigadier, who marched at the head of them, appeared very well." Amongst the English was lord Derwentwater, who, with many friends, and all his servants, "mounted, some upon his coach-horses, and "The History of the late Rebellion, &c. By the Rev. Mr. Robert Patten, formerly chaplain to Mr. Forster." 2d edit., 1717. Patten, p. 39. 12 INSURRECTION IN ENGLAND. [1715. others upon very good useful horses, and all very well armed," had united his fortunes, and given the countenance of his excellent character, to this feeble attempt to overthrow a strong government. On Sunday, the 23rd, the reverend Mr. Patten was directed to preach "at the great kirk of Kelso," the grand old Norman abbey church. Protestants and Papists both attended the service; and the chaplain pays his tribute of admiration to the decency and reverence with which the common Highlanders behaved. A Presbyterian clergyman preached in the afternoon. On the Monday, king James was proclaimed, "with colours flying, drums beating, and bag-pipes playing;" and a long document was read, entitled "Manifesto by the noblemen, gentlemen, and others, who dutifully appear at this time in asserting the undoubted right of their lawful sovereign, James VIII., by the grace of God king of Scotland, England, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c., and for relieving this, his ancient kingdom, from the oppressions and grievances it lies under." The evils of the Union were dwelt upon in this manifesto. It talked about the preservation of laws, liberties, and property, with freedom from foreign domination; and it inferred that the restoration of the Stuarts would be the best security for the Protestant religion. Never were words more unmeaningly used, to cover the one design which was clearly enough expressed in the text which Mr. Patten chose for his sermon; "The right of the first-born is his." And so the borderers who stood armed in the market-place at Kelso shouted "No Union! No malt-tax! No salt-tax!" and the poor Highlanders probably wondered how nobly the English gentlemen, who were assembled with their fiery racers and hunters, and were surrounded by their liveried servants, would be able to reward them for having left their native hills to engage in a cause of which nothing was said that they could comprehend. The insurgents lingered at Kelso for five days; and then the little army of about fourteen hundred men moved forward. They at last moved, after much debate whether they should march to the west of Scotland, and attack Dumfries and Glasgow; or return northward, and give battle to general Carpenter, who was following them, as they knew; or go boldly into England, where they were assured twenty thousand men of Lancashire would join them. This plan was at last resolved upon; and the march was commenced to Jedburgh, and thence to Hawick. Here the Highlanders resisted the decision to cross the Border. They separated themselves, and went to the top of a rising ground; there resting their arms, and declaring that "they would fight if they would lead them on to the enemy, but they would not go to England." Lord Winton had told them, that if they went to England, they would be all cut in pieces, or sold for slaves. They, however, agreed to keep together as long as they stayed in Scotland. As the little army advanced in a westerly direction along the border, their discontent became more manifest. They were threatened by their southern allies, whom they appeared more ready to fight than to obey. They were tempted by the offer of sixpence a daya promise to them of fabulous wealth. But five hundred of the obstinate mountaineers went off, and dispersed themselves in the hills and moors, in the hope to reach, sooner or later, their distant homes. On the 31st of October, the diminished forces had reached Longtown. When they were on 1715.] THE MARCH TO PRESTON. 13 English ground, the command of the whole band was assumed by Mr. Forster, who held his commission from the earl of Mar. The insurgent force, although under imperfect discipline, and irregularly armed, was so formidable in its appearance, that fifteen thousand of the posse comitatus, called out to oppose them, fled in terror at their approach to Penrith. Of this valiant body lord Lonsdale and the bishop of Carlisle were the chief leaders. Patten, with a covert sarcasm, says that many blamed lord Lonsdale for his retreat; but those who knew how unprepared with arms and stores the multitude was, justly commended his wise conduct. At Penrith king James was proclaimed; and the Highlanders had the comfort of finding abundant good cheer which had been prepared for the English whom they had scared away. They conducted themselves with civility towards the inhabitants, who gazed with wonder, not unmixed with fear, upon the brigadier, who "looked with a grim countenance" as he rode at the head of his strangely accoutred men. Reaching Lancaster on the 7th of November, they were welcomed by Roman Catholic families; and it is recorded that "the gentlemen soldiers dressed and trimmed themselves up in their best clothes, for to drink a dish of tea with the ladies of this town."* Lancaster, with its castle, offered a strong position for defence; but, says Patten," our infatuations were not yet over." Having halted for two days, they marched on to Preston, through roads which long after were described as the worst in England. This town obtained its name of "proud Preston," as being a favourite residence of the rich Catholic families. Two troops of dragoons quartered here moved off on the approach of the rebels. It seemed to them as if England could offer no resistance to their march. At Preston they were joined by many of the Catholic gentry, with their tenants and servants. Although this accession of strength fell far short of their expectation of a general rising in the northern counties, the insurgents were full of confidence. They abandoned themselves to the pleasures of the hour as if no danger were at hand. "The ladies in this town," writes one Peter Clark, "are so very beautiful, and so richly attired, that the gentlemen soldiers, from Wednesday to Saturday, minded nothing but courting and feasting." Mr. Forster, the commander of the rebel forces, seems to have been wholly unequal to the duty he had assumed. He relied upon the sanguine assurances of the Lancashire Jacobites that no force could approach Preston on the English side. He was contented to have intelligence of general Carpenter's movements in his advance from Scotland. On the night of Friday, the 11th of November, the news came that a force under general Wills was marching from Wigan upon Preston. A council of war was immediately held, but without the chief in command, who, it was alleged, had received "some damage at a convivial entertainment," so that it became necessary he should retire to bed. The orders given by this council were countermanded by Forster the next morning. He went forth to look upon the enemy when he could no longer doubt of their approach. At the bridge over the Ribble, about half a mile from the town, Forster had stationed a small detachment; but it was soon withdrawn by him; and the road to Preston from the south was left open instead of being resolutely defended. Patten says that general Wills expected that the rebels would have made a stand "Lancashire Memorials," quoted in Burton. 14 SURRENDER OF THE REBELS. (1715. at the bridge, which they might have barricaded; and he therefore advanced cautiously through the deep and narrow lane which led from the bridge. This lane was the place where Oliver Cromwell was resisted in an uncommon manner, according to Patten's narrative, by the king's forces in 1648, "who, from the height, rolled down upon him and his men, when they had entered the lane, huge large mill-stones." Cromwell makes no mention of this incident in his despatch of the 20th of August; but he describes the place as "a lane, very deep and ill, up to the enemy's army, and leading to the town." In this lane, and on either side, Cromwell was fighting for four hours, in what he calls "a hedge dispute," before he "charged the enemy in the town and cleared the streets." Along this famous lane Wills advanced cautiously. He began to think that the rebels had quitted the town; but when he entered the street, he found that barricades had been thrown up, which presented a formidable defence. Two of his dragoons having been shot, no summons to surrender was required; and an attack was immediately made on the barrier of the street, near the church, which led to the Wigan road. MacIntosh here commanded. A hundred and twenty of the king's troops fell in a few minutes from the deadly aim of the Highland marksmen. But other entrances to the town by bye-lanes were soon occupied by the besiegers; and they possessed themselves of two houses which became strong positions. Three other barriers were the scenes of sharp conflicts. Houses set on fire burnt on through the night, whilst the unceasing sound of musketry proclaimed how deadly was the struggle. The insurgents who had marched from Scotland held their ground bravely; but many of the new recruits took the opportunity of making their escape from such perilous strifes, over an unguarded ford of the Ribble. The morning of Sunday, the 13th, brought to the rebel army the sad conviction that the game was nearly played out. General Carpenter had reached Preston with two thousand five hundred cavalry; and the town was effectually surrounded on every side. Carpenter, though of superior rank, did not supersede Wills in his command. The Highlanders wished to make a daring attempt to cut their way through the king's forces. Forster and the English made an effort to obtain favourable terms of surrender. In the subsequent trials of some of the unfortunate leaders of this insurrection, general Wills deposed, and his deposition was fully confirmed by other officers, that colonel Oxburgh, an Irishman, having been deputed by Mr. Forster, offered that the besieged should lay down their arms, on condition of being received as prisoners of war, and recommended to the royal mercy. Wills replied that he would not treat with rebels. All that he would do for them was, that if they laid down their arms, and submitted prisoners at discretion, he would prevent the soldiers cutting them in pieces, till he had further orders. Other negotiators came to the general; and the surrender was finally postponed to the next morning. But no promise of applying for the royal mercy could be obtained from Wills. Oxburgh, who forfeited his own life, declared upon the scaffold that the general said, "You cannot better entitle yourselves to that clemency than by surrendering yourselves prisoners at discretion." There were, of course, two modes of interpreting such a loose |