Having received intelligence that Marshal Wade was advancing
from Newcastle to relieve Carlisle, and that he had already arrived at Hexham
(Click here for Map), Charles resolved to meet him on
some of the hilly grounds between Newcastle and Carlisle. Leaving, therefore a sufficient
force to blockade Carlisle, he departed with the remainder of the army on the morning of
the 11th, and reached Warwick castle about ten o'clock. He then despatched Colonel Ker
with a party of horse, in the direction of Hexham, to reconnoitre, and ordered his men to
take up their quarters for the night. Ker having ascertained that the news of Wade's march
was false, returned to Brampton (Click here for Map), and made his report. After
waiting two days at Brampton without hearing any thing of Wade, a council of war was held,
at which several opinions were offered. One opinion, in which Charles concurred, was that
the army should advance to Newcastle, and give battle to Wade. Some of the council thought
that this would be a dangerous step; for even were they to defeat the marshal, his army
might take refuge in Newcastle, which it was vain for them to think of taking, as, besides
the strength of the place, the army had lost many men upon its march. Others were for
returning to Scotland till joined by a greater body of their friends; but Lord George
Murray opposed all these views, and proposed, that while one part of the party should
besiege and blockade Carlisle, the other should remain at Brampton. The Duke of Perth
seconded this opinion, and offered to undertake the charge of the battery, if Lord George
would take the command of the blockade. The council having all agreed to Lord George's
proposal, six of the Lowland regiments were sent to blockade the town, besides the Duke of
Perth's, which was to be employed on the battery.
Whilst the main body of the army was at Brampton, the party left before the city occupied
themselves in cutting down wood in Corby and Warwick parks, with which they made
scaling-ladders, fascines, and carriages. On the 13th, about noon, the regiments appointed
for the blockade and siege of the city re-appeared before it. Lord George Murray took up
his quarters at Harbery, and posted his men in the villages around the city to stop all
communication with it. The besieging party broke ground in the evening within musket-shot
of the walls, about half-way between the English and Scotch gates. A constant firing was
kept up from the city; but as these operations were carried on under cloud of night, the
party in the trenches received no injury. Having completed their battery, the besiegers
brought up all their cannon, consisting of thirteen pieces, to play upon the town. Next
morning the fire from the garrison was renewed, but with little effect, and the besiegers,
instead of returning the fire, held up their bonnets on the end of their spades in
derision.
Alarmed by the preparations of the Highlanders, and the state of affairs within the city,
a meeting of the inhabitants was held, at which it was resolved to surrender the town. For
seven days the garrison of the city, kept in constant alarm by the Highlanders, had
scarcely enjoyed an hour's continued repose; and while many of the men had, from illness,
absolutely refused to assist any longer in the defence of the city, numbers were hourly
leaving it clandestinely by slipping over the walls; so that in several cases the officers
of some companies had not more than three of four men left. In this state of matters the
only alternative was a surrender; and as a crisis appeared to be at hand, a white flag was
exhibited from the walls, and a messenger despatched to the Duke of Perth to request
terms. His Grace sent an express to Brampton to know the prince's pleasure; but his Royal
Highness refused to grant any terms to the city unless the castle surrendered at the same
time. At the request of the mayor, a cessation of arms was granted till next day; but
before the time expired, Colonel Durand, the commander of the castle, agreed to surrender
the fortress along with the town. The conditions were, that the liberties and properties
of the inhabitants, and all the privileges of the town, should be preserved inviolate; -
that both garrisons on taking an oath not to serve against the house of Stuart for one
year, should be allowed to retire, - and that all the arms and ammunition in the castle
and the city, and all the horses belonging to the militia, should be delivered up to the
prince. This capitulation was signed by the Duke of Perth and Colonel Durand on the night
of the 14th.
Next morning at ten o'clock the Duke of Perth entered the city at the head of his
regiment, and was followed by the other regiments at one o'clock in the afternoon. The
castle, however, was not given up till next morning. The Duke of Perth shook hands with
the men of the garrison, told them they were brave fellows, and offered them a large
bounty to enlist in the service of the prince. The mayor and his attendants went to
Brampton, and delivered the keys of the city to the prince. The Duke found 1,000 stand of
arms in the castle, besides those of the militia. He also found 200 good horses in the
city, and a large quantity of valuable effects in the castle, which had been lodged there
by the gentry of the neighbourhood for safety.
On the day following the surrender, the Chevalier de St. George was proclaimed in the city
with the usual formalities; and, to give greater eclat to the ceremony, the mayor and
aldermen were compelled to attend with the sword and mace carried before them. Along with
the manifestos formerly noticed, another declaration for England, dates from Rome, 23d
December, 1743, was also read, or much the same tenor as the others.
After the Chevalier had been proclaimed, and the different manifestos read, the
corporation went out to meet the prince, who entered the city under a general salute of
artillery.
In many points of view the capture of Carlisle would have been of great importance to the
prince, if he had been strong enough to have availed himself of the state of terror which
that event, and his subsequent advance into the very heart of England, had thrown the
people of that kingdom; but his means were soon found quite inadequate to accomplish his
end. Even if his resources had been much greater then ever they were, it seems doubtful
whether the jealousies and dissension's, which, at an early period, began to distract his
councils, would not have rendered all his exertions, for obtaining the great object of his
ambition, unavailable. |
