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The disembarkation of the royal army, and the advance of
Cope towards Edinburgh, were known to Charles in the course of Thursday the 19th. Judging
it of importance that no time should be lost in meeting Cope and bringing him to action,
Charles had left Holyrood house on the evening of that day, and had proceeded to
Duddingston, near which place his army encamped. Having assembled a council of war, he
proposed to march next morning and give battle to Sir John Cope. The members of the
council having signified their acquiescence, the prince then asked the Highland chiefs how
they thought their men would conduct themselves on meeting a commander who had at last
mustered courage to meet them. As Macdonald of Keppoch had served in the French army, and
was considered, on that account, to be a fit judge of what the Highlanders could do
against regular troops, he was desired by the other chiefs to give his opinion. Keppoch
observed that as the country had been long at peace, few or none of the private men had
ever seen a battle, and that it was not therefore very easy to form an opinion as to how
they would behave; but that he would venture to assure his royal highness that the
gentlemen of the army would be in the midst of the enemy, and that as the clans loved both
the cause and their chiefs, they would certainly share the danger with their leaders.
Charles thereupon declared that he would lead on the Highlanders himself, and charge at
their head; but the chiefs checked his impetuosity by pointing out the ruin that would
befall them if he perished in the field, though his army should be successful. They
declared that, should he persist in his resolution, they would return home and make the
best terms they could for themselves. This remonstrance had the desired effect upon the
young Chevalier, who agreed to take a post of less danger.
According to the calculation of Home, which had been alluded to, the Highland army, at the
date of the capture of Edinburgh, did not exceed 2,000 men; but it was increased by about
400 more, by a party of 150 Maclauchlans who joined it on the 18th, and by an accession of
250 Athole-men on the following day. This force was further augmented by the Grants of
Glenmoriston, who joined the army at Duddingston on the morning of Friday the 20th. In
pursuance of the resolution of the council, the prince put himself at the head of his army
on that morning, and presented his sword, exclaimed, "My friends, I have flung away
the scabbard!". This was answered by a loud huzza, on which the army marched forward
in one column of three files or ranks towards Musselburgh. Passing the Esk by the bridge
of Musselburgh, the army proceeded along the post road towards Pinkie. On arriving
opposite the south side of Pinkie gardens, Lord George Murray, who led the van, received
information that Sir John Cope was at or near Preston, and that his intention probably was
to gain the high ground of Fawside near Carberry. As there was no time to deliberate or
wait for orders, and as Lord George, who was very well acquainted with these grounds,
considered the occupation of them by the Highlanders as of great importance; he struck off
to the right at Edgebuckling Brae, and passing through the fields by the west side of
Wallyford, gained the eminence in less that half an hour, where he waited for the rear.
From Fawside hill the prince descried the army of Cope drawn up in the manner before
described, but its position being different from that anticipated, Charles drew off his
army towards the left, and descended the hill in the direction of Tranent, entered again
upon the post road at some distance to the west of the village, along which he continued
his march. On approaching Tranent the Highlanders were received by the king's troops with
a vehement shout of defiance, which the Highlanders answered in a similar strain. About
two o'clock in the afternoon the Highland army halted on an eminence called Birsley Brae,
about half a mile to the west of Tranent, and formed in order of battle about a mile from
the royal forces.
In the expectation that the Highlanders were advancing by the usual route through
Musselburgh, Cope had taken up the position we have described with his front to the west;
but as soon as he observed the Highlanders on the heights upon his left he changed his
front to the south. This change of position, while it secured Cope better from attack, was
not so well calculated for safety as the first position was in the event of a defeat. On
his right was the east wall of a park, belonging to Erskine of Grange, which extended a
considerable way from north to south, and still farther to the right was the village of
Preston. The village of Seaton was on his left, and the village of Cockenzie and the sea
in his rear. Almost immediately in front was a deep ditch filled with water, and a strong
and thick hedge. Farther removed from the front, and between the two armies was a morass,
the ends of which had been drained, and were intersected by numerous cuts. And on the more
firm ground at the ends were several small inclosures, with hedges, dry stone walls, and
willow trees.
As the Highlanders were in excellent spirits, and eager to close immediately with the
enemy, Charles felt very desirous to comply with their wishes; but he soon ascertained, by
examining some people of the neighbourhood, that the passage across the morass, from the
nature of the ground, would be extremely dangerous if not altogether impracticable. Not
wishing, however, in a matter of such importance to trust altogether to the opinion of the
country people, Lord George Murray ordered Colonel Ker of Gradon, an officer of some
military experience, to examine the ground, and to report. Mounted upon a little white
pony he descended alone into the plain below, and with the greatest coolness and
deliberation surveyed the morass on all sides. As he went along the morass several shots
were fired at him, by some of Cope's men, from the sides of the ditches; but he paid so
little regard to these annoyances that, on coming to a dry stone wall which stood in his
way, he dismounted, and making a gap in it led his horse through. After finishing this
perilous duty he returned to the army, and reported to the lieutenant-general that he
considered it impracticable to pass the morass and attack the enemy in front, without
risking the whole army, and that it was impossible for the men to pass the ditches in a
line.
While his lieutenant-general was, in consequence of this information, planning a different
mode of attack, the prince himself was moving with a great part of his army towards
Solphinstone on Cope's right. Halting opposite Preston tower he seemed to threaten that
flank of the English general, who, thereupon, returned to his original position with his
front to Preston, and his right towards the sea. As Lord George Murray considered that the
only practicable mode of attacking Cope was by advancing from the east, he led off part of
the army about sunset through the village of Tranent, and sent notice to the prince to
follow him with the remainder as quickly as possible. When passing through the village
Lord George was joined by fifty of the Camerons, who had been posted by O'Sullivan in the
churchyard at the foot of Tranent. This party being within half cannon shot of Cope's
artillery, had been exposed during the afternoon to a fire from their cannon, and one or
two of the Camerons had been wounded. To frighten the Highlanders, who, they imagined, had
never seen cannon before, Cope's men huzzaed at every discharge; but the Camerons remained
in their position, till, on the representation of Lochiel, who went and viewed the ground,
and found his men unnecessarily exposed, they were ordered to retire in the direction of
Tranent. O'Sullivan, who was in the rear when this order was given, came up on the
junction of the party, and asking Lord George the meaning of the movement he was making,
was told by him, that as it was not possible to attack the enemy with any chance of
success on the west side of the village, he had resolved to assail them from the east, and
that he would satisfy the prince that his plan was quite practicable, - that for this
purpose he had ordered the army to march to the east side of the village, where there were
good dry fields covered with stubble, on which the men could bivouack during the night, -
and that with regard to the withdrawal of the party which O'Sullivan had posted in the
churchyard, they could be of no service there, and were unnecessarily exposed. On being
informed of the movement made by Lord George Murray, Charles proceeded to follow him, but
it was dark before the rear had passed the village. To watch Cope's motions on the west,
Charles left behind the Athole brigade, consisting of 500 men under Lord Nairne, which he
posted near Preston above Colonel Gardiner's parks.
After the Highland army had halted on the fields to the east of Tranent, a council of war
was held, at which Lord George Murray proposed to attack the enemy at break of day. He
assured the members of the council that the plan was not only practicable, but that it
would in all probability be attended with success, - that he knew the ground himself, and
that he had just seen one or two gentlemen who were also well acquainted with every part
of it. He added, that there was indeed a small defile at the east end of the ditches, but
if once passed there would be no farther hindrance, and though, from being obliged to
march in a column, they would necessarily consume a considerable time on their march, yet
when the whole line had passed the defile they would have nothing to do but face to the
left, form in a moment, and commence the attack. Charles was highly pleased with the
proposal of the lieutenant-general; which having received the unanimous approbation of the
council, a few piquets were, by order of Lord George, placed around the bivouack, and the
Highlanders, after having supped, wrapped themselves up in their plaids, and lay down upon
the ground to repose for the night. Charles, taking a sheaf of pease for a pillow,
stretched himself upon the stubble, surrounded by his principal officers, all of whom
followed his example. Before the army went to rest, notice was sent to Lord Nairne to
leave his post with the Athole brigade at two o'clock in the morning as quietly as
possible. To conceal their position from the English general, no fires or lights were
allowed, and orders were issued and scrupulously obeyed, that strict silence should be
kept, and that no man should stir from his place till directed.
When Cope observed Charles returning towards Tranent, he resumed his former position with
his front to the west and his right to the sea. he now began to perceive that his
situation was not so favourable as he had imagined, and that while the insurgents could
move about at discretion, select their ground, and choose their time and mode of attack,
he was cramped in his own movements, and could act only on the defensive. The spectators,
who felt an interest in the fate of the army, and who had calculated upon certain success
to Cope;s arms during the day, now, that night was at hand, began to forebode the most
gloomy results. Instead of a bold and decided movement on the part of Cope to meet the
enemy, they observed that he had spent the day in doing absolutely nothing, - that he was
in fact hemmed in by the Highlanders, and forced at pleasure to change his position at
every movement they were pleased to make. They dreaded that an army which was obliged to
act thus upon the defensive, and which would, therefore, be obliged to pass the ensuing
night under arms, could not successfully resist an attack next morning from men, who,
sheltered from the cold by their plaids, could enjoy the sweets of repose and rise fresh
and vigorous for battle.
To secure his army from surprise during the night, Cope placed advanced piquets of horse
and foot along the side of the morass, extending nearly as far east as the village of
Seaton. He, at the same time, sent his baggage and military chest down to Cockenzie under
a guard of 40 men of the line and all the Highlanders of the army, consisting of four
companies, viz, two of newly raised men belonging to Loudon's regiments, and two
additional companies of Lord John Murray's regiment, which had been diminished by
desertion to fifteen men each. Although the weather had been very fine, and the days were
still warm, yet the nights were now getting cold and occasionally frosty. As the night in
question, that of Friday the 20th of September, was very cold, Cope ordered fires to be
kindled along the front of his line, to keep his men warm. During the night he amused
himself by firing off, at random, some cohorts, probably to alarms the Highlanders or
disturb their slumbers, but these hardy mountaineers, if perchance they awoke for a time,
disregarded these empty bravadoes, and fell back again into the arms of sleep.
In point of numbers the army of Cope was rather inferior to that of Charles; but many of
the Highlanders were badly armed, and some of them were without arms. The royal forces
amounted altogether to about 2,300 men; but the number in the field was diminished to
2,100 by the separation of the baggage-guard which was sent to Cockenzie. The order of
battle formed by Cope along the north side of the morass was as follows:- He drew up his
foot in one line, in the centre of which were eight companies of Lacelles's regiment, and
two of Guise's. On the right were five companies of Lee's regiment, and on the left the
regiment of Murray, with a number of recruits for different regiments at home and abroad.
Two squadrons of Gardiner's dragoons formed the right wing, and a similar number of
Hamilton's composed the left. The remaining squadron of each regiment was placed in the
rear of its companions as a reserve. On the left of the army, near the wagon-road from
Tranent to Cockenzie, were placed the artillery, consisting of six or seven pieces of
cannon, and four cohorts, under the orders of Lieutenant-colonel Whiteford, and guarded by
a company of Lee's regiment, commanded by Captain Cochrane. Besides the regular troops
there were some volunteers, consisting principally of small parties of the neighbouring
tenantry, headed by their respective landlords. Some Seceders, actuated by religious zeal,
had also placed themselves under the royal standard.
Pursuant to the orders he had received, Lord Nairne left the position he had occupied
during the night at the appointed hour, and rejoined the main body about three o'clock in
the morning. Instead of continuing the order of march of the preceding night, it has been
determined by the council of war to reverse it. The charge of this movement was entrusted
to Colonel Ker, who had signalized himself by the calm intrepidity with which he had
surveyed the marsh on the preceding day. To carry this plan into effect, Ker went to the
head of the column, and passing along the line, desired the men to observe profound
silence, and not to stir a step till he should return to them. On reaching the rear he
ordered it to march from the left, and to pass close in front of the column, and returning
along the line, he continued to repeat the order till the whole army was in motion. This
evolution was accomplished without the least confusion, and before four o'clock in the
morning the whole army was in full march.
The Duke of Perth, who was to command the right wing, was at the head of the inverted
column. He was attended by Hepburn of Keith, and Mr Robert Anderson, son of Anderson of
Whitbrough, who, from his intimate knowledge of the morass, was sent forward to lead the
way. A little in advance of the van was a select party of 60 men doubly armed, under the
command of Macdonald of Glenalladale, major of the regiment of Clanranald, whose appointed
duty it was to seize the enemy's baggage. The army proceeded in an easterly direction till
near the farm of Ringanhead, when, turning to the left, they marched in a northerly
direction through a small valley which intersects the farm. During the march the utmost
silence was observed by the men, not even a whisper being heard; and lest the trampling of
horses might discover their advance, the few that were in the army were left behind. The
ford or path across the morass was so narrow that the column, which marched three men
abreast, had scarcely sufficient standing room, and the ground along it was so soft, than
many of the men were almost at every step up to the knees in mud. The path in question,
which was about two hundred paces to the west of the stone-bridge afterwards built across
Seaton mill-dam, led to a small wooden bridge which had been thrown over the large ditch
that ran through the morass from east to west. This bridge, and the continuation of the
path on the north of it, were a little to the east of Cope's left. From ignorance of the
existence of this bridge, from oversight, or from a supposition that the mash was not
passable in that quarter, Cope had placed no guards in that direction, and the consequence
was, that the Highland army, whose march across could have been effectually stopped by a
handful of men, passed the bridge and cleared the marsh without interruption.
The army was divided into two columns or lines, with an interval between them. After the
first line had got out of the marsh. Lord George Murray sent the Chevalier Johnstone, one
of his aide-de-camp, to hasten the march of the second, which was conducted by the prince
in person, and to see that it passed without noise and confusion. At the remote end of the
marsh there was a deep ditch, three of four feet broad, over which the men had to leap. In
jumping across this ditch, Charles fell upon his knees on the other side, and was
immediately raised by the Chevalier Johnstone, who says, that Charles looked as if he
considered the accident a bad omen.
Hitherto the darkness had concealed the march of the Highlanders; but the morning was now
about to dawn, and at the time the order to halt was given, some of Cope's piquets,
stationed on his left, for the first time heard the tramp of the Highlanders. The
Highlanders then heard distinctly these advanced guards repeatedly call out, "Who is
there?". No answer having been returned, the piquets immediately have the alarm, and
the cry of "cannons, cannons; get ready the cannons, cannoneers", resounded on
Cope's left wing.
Charles proceeded instantly to give directions for attacking Cope before he should have
time to change his position by opposing his front to that of the Highland army. It was not
in compliance with any rule in military science, that the order of march of the Highland
army had been reversed; but in accordance with an established puctilio among the clans,
which, for upwards of seven centuries, had assigned the right wing, regarded as the post
of honour, to the Macdonalds. As arranged at the council of war on the preceding evening,
the army was drawn up in two lines. The first consisted of the regiments of Clanraland,
Keppoch, Glengary, and Glencoe, under their respective chiefs. These regiments formed the
right wing, which was commanded by the Duke of Perth. The Duke of Perth's men and the
Macgregors composed the centre; while the left wing, commanded by Lord George Murray, was
formed of the Camerons under Lochiel, their chief, and the Stewarts of Appin commanded by
Stewart of Ardshiel. The second line, which was to serve as a reserve, consisted of the
Athole-men, the Robertsons of Strowan, and the Maclauchlans. This body was placed under
the command of Lord Nairne.
As soon as Cope received intelligence of the advance of the Highlanders, he gave orders to
change his front to the east. Some confusion took place in carrying these orders into
execution, from the advanced guards belonging to the foot not being able to find out the
regiments to which they belonged, and who, in consequence, stationed themselves on the
right of Lee's five companies, and thereby prevented the two squadrons of Gardiner's
dragoons, which had been posted on the right of the line, from forming properly. For want
of room the squadron under Colonel Gardiner drew up behind that commanded by
Lieutenant-colonel Whitney. In all other respects the disposition of each regiment was the
same; but the artillery, which before the change had been on the left, and close to that
wing, was now on the right somewhat farther from the line, and in front of Whitney's
squadron.
There was now no longer any impediment to prevent the armies from coming into collision;
and if Cope had had the choice he could not have selected ground more favourable for the
operations of cavalry than that which lay between the two armies. It was a level field of
considerable extent without bush of tree, and had just been cleared of its crop of grain.
But unfortunately for the English general, the celerity with which the Highlanders
commenced the attack prevented him from availing himself of this local advantage.
After both lines of the Highland army had formed, Charles addressed his army in these
words:- "Follow me, gentlemen; and by the assistance of God I will, this day, make
you a free and happy people". He then went up to the right wing and spent a little
time in earnest conversation with the Duke of Perth and Clanranald, and, having given his
last instructions to them, returned to the station which, in compliance with the wish of
his council, he had taken between the lines, where, surrounded by his guard, he waited the
signal to advance. If, as alleged by Chevalier Johnstone, Charles exhibited symptoms of
alarm when he fell on crossing the ditch, he now certainly showed that fear had no longer
a place in his mind. The coolness and self-possession which he displayed when giving his
orders would have done honour to the most experienced general; but these qualities are to
be still more valued in a young man playing the important and dangerous game that Charles
had undertaken. The officer to whose tuition Charles had been indebted for the little
knowledge he had acquired of Gaelic, mentions an occurrence indicative of the prince's
firmness on this occasion. In returning from the right wing to his guard after giving his
orders to the Duke of Perth and Clanranald, he saw the officer alluded to passing near
him, and with a smile, said to him in Gaelic, - "Gres-ort, gres-ort!" that is,
"Make haste, make haste!".
By the time the arrangements for commencing the attack were completed, the morning had
fully dawned, and the beams of the rising sun were beginning to illuminate the horizon;
but the mist which still hovered over the corn fields prevented the two armies from seeing
each other. Every thing being now in readiness for advancing, the Highlanders took off
their bonnets, and placing themselves in an attitude of devotion, with upraised eyes
uttered a short prayer. As the Highlanders had advanced considerably beyond the main
ditch, Lord George Murray was apprehensive that Cope might turn the left flank, and to
guard against such a contingency, he desired Lochiel, who was on the extreme left, to
order his men in advancing to incline to the left. |
