encamped at Perth were able to defy the English army, although now
supplied with artillery and ammunition from Berwick. Their security was
furthermore increased by a heavy fall of snow succeeding a partial thaw,
and followed by a frost, which rendered the roads more impracticable
than ever, especially for the foot-soldiers. This circumstance had even
occasioned some deliberation whether it would not be advisable for the
Duke of Argyle to defer his march to Perth until the winter should be
ended. Until the middle of January, it was the full intention of the
Highlanders, and also that of the Earl of Mar, to stand the event of a
battle, let the enemy's force be what it might. That they purposed thus
to maintain their ancient character for valour, was, even as those most
adverse to them allow, the prevalent report. It is borne out by the Earl
of Mar's correspondence. On the twenty-third of January he thus writes
to Captain Straiton:
"The 23rd January.
"I have yours of the seventeenth and the twentieth both togather
last night, and a paket from H. in the last. I wrote to you on
Saturday the old way, and sent you a paket enclosed, which I belive
is of consequence, so I hope it's come safe, and that H. has gott
it. He has had two or three sent him from this of late, different
ways, and one goes of this day by the near way he sometimes uses. We
hear from all hands of the preparations against us, but we resolve
to stand it, cost what it will, and if they come out we will
certainly give them battle, lett their number be never so great. It
must now be plain to all that will allow themselves to see, that
nothing less is designed by the present managers than the intire
ruin and destruction of this poor country, and of every honest man
in it; and if this will not be an awakened people, I know nothing
that will. Since this then is plainly the case, there can be no
choise in dying honourably in the field for so just a cause, or
leving to see the ruin and intire destruction of our country, our
King, and our friends and relations. For my part, I shall prefer the
first with all cheerfulness, and never desire to live to be a
witness to the latter, which certainly will be the case if it please
God our King should be defeat."
The next paragraph of this letter speaks mournfully of disappointment in
those on whose aid the Earl had counted.
"It must be a strange infatuation that has gott amongst people,
especially those that always pretended to be friends to our cause,
many of whom told before the King came that they wad certainly joyn
him when he landed, and made his not being with us the only
objection, and now when he is come they make some other shift;--I
must say such people are worse than our greatest enemies; and if any
misfortune should befal the King or his cause, (which God forbid!) I
think they that pretended to be our friends have very much to count
for, and are more the cause of it than any others, since no doubt
the ashourances that many gave to joyn us when the King landed was
a chief motive for his comming to us. I hope in God we shall be able
to opose them tho' their numbers should be greater, and to their
shame and confusion be it if they come against us. I hope very soon
the King will have such assistance as will defeat all their designs,
and that his affairs will take a sudden turn in other pairts."
The most serious defection from the Jacobite cause was the submission of
the Marquis of Huntley and the Earl of Seaforth to the victorious arms
of the Earl of Sutherland, aided by Lord Lovat, in Invernesshire.
Seaforth had collected, on the Moor of Gilliechrist, twelve hundred men,
the remnant of those whom he had been able to save from Sherriff Muir;
but finding that Lord Sutherland had resolved to force him into an
engagement, he owned King George as his lawful Sovereign, and promised
to lay down his arms. This had occurred early in December, and,
according to Lord Mar, before the Earl of Seaforth, in those remote
regions, could have heard of the Chevalier's landing. Mar therefore
regarded it as a temporary cessation on the part of Seaforth and
Huntley, for a given period, of hostilities against the Government.
As far as related to Lord Seaforth, the belief of Lord Mar was correct.
At the end of the days agreed upon for the cessation of arms, Seaforth
drew his people together, the influence of clanship enabling him to
summon them at will, like a king; and again appeared in arms. This was
the consequence of the news that James had landed having reached
Inverness. But Seaforth could not retrieve the cause of James in the
North, nor repair the effects of even a temporary submission. Eventually
he returned to the party which he had espoused, and escaped to France.
The Marquis of Huntley made his own terms with the Government.
At this critical juncture, unanimity still prevailed, according to Lord
Mar, among the assembled chieftains at Perth. "I do assure you," he
writes, "that since the arms came here, there has not been a quarrel of
any kind happened among us--not even among the Highland men, which is
very extraordinary; and you may depend upon it there is the greatest
unanimity here just now, and all fully resolved to stand to it, let what
will come. I pray God preserve our King from the wicked and hellish
designs of his enemies! I hope we will be apprized of their motions, so
as to be in readiness to receive them."
These expressions were written, but the letter which contained them was
not sent, on the twenty-third of January. The postscript, written in a
hurried hand, shows that the camp at Perth was not unprepared for the
coming attack.
"Since writing of the inclosed, I have two from which I gott last
night with the paket; and ane account of that detachment of horse
comming out, who we hear came the lenth of Acterardie,[140] upon
which account the whole army here were ordred to be in a readyness
to march this morning, and we have no account they are returned: we
hear it was to vew the roads, and to try if it was practicable to
march their army, which they will find very hard to doe while this
weather holds. The account you gave in yours of their motions and
that detachment was very distinct. The K. read it himself,--it came
prety quick. I entreat you fail not to lett us have what accounts
you can learn, for what comes from you are among the best we can
gett.
"The K. ordered a review of the whole army here this morning, and
they are all to hold themselves ready at one half ane hour's
advertisment. Lett me hear from you soon. Adieu."
Again, on the twenty-fourth of January:
"What is above should have gone this morning, but was delyed. Six
hundered of the clans are gone out this night to reinforce the
garison of Braco and Crief. I hear they have orders to destroy the
corn-yards and barns about Achterardir and Black Ford, which we hear
were revewed by the enemy yesterday. The King signed thir orders, I
can ashour you, most unwillingly; and caused put it in the order
that every thing should be made good to the poor people, with a
gratuity; and if any of them pleased to come to Perth, they should
be maintained and all care taken of them. This you may take for
truth, for no doubt they will make a great noise about it.
"We have just now got ane account of a ship being come into
Montross, but we know not yett what she brings. Adieu,--writte soon.
I am in haste."
"Eleven att night."
On the twenty-fourth of January, the Duke of Argyle marched to Dumblane,
with two hundred horse, to reconnoitre the roads. The report that the
enemy was approaching, was quickly conveyed to Perth; and now was the
order to burn and destroy the village of Auchterarder, the contents of
the houses, all stores of corn and forage, mournfully and promptly
executed. It was supposed by this, that the march of Argyle's forces
would be impeded; but it produced no other inconvenience to that army
than obliging them to lie one night in the open air; whilst the
unpopularity it brought on James and his advisers, was long the subject
of comment to their enemies. It is consolatory to those who wish to
judge favourably of James to find this declaration in Lord Mar's
correspondence.
"The King was forced, sore against his will, to give these burning
orders, as all of us were, could we have helped it; but this
extraordinary manoeuvre of the enemy made it absolutely necessary.
A finger must be cut off to save the whole body. I have ordered some
copies of a proclamation to be sent you. There is about two of the
places burnt, and there's another ordred about the rest. Adieu.
"It was not amiss that this proclamation were sent to London."
In pursuance of the cruel and impolitic commands to which Lord Mar
refers, three thousand Highlanders were sent forth to the act of
destruction. Auchterarder, Crieff, Blackford, Denning and Muthel, were
mercilessly burned; and the wretched inhabitants turned out at that
inclement season to destitution without a roof to shelter them. Many
decrepid people and children perished in the flames.[141] Had James
sought, in truth, to prepare a way for the Government in the hearts of
the people, he could not have adopted a more suitable means. In the Duke
of Argyle, he had a generous and humane adversary to deal with,--one
whose forbearance laid him under the imputation of a want of zeal for
the cause of the Government, and rendered him no favourite at the
English Court. The fashion at the Court of St. James's, according to a
letter in the Mar Papers, was, to rail against the Duke, and even George
the First and those about him joined in the unjust and ungrateful abuse.
Even so late as Sunday, the twenty-ninth of January, when Argyle's
troops left Stirling and advanced to Braco Castle, Lord Mar appears to
have been in ignorance of their actual movements. Perhaps, like the busy
world of London politicians, he regarded the project of an attempt upon
Perth in such weather as impracticable. Such was the opinion at St.
James's. "Argyle's friends here," writes one near the Court, "speak of
the march and the attempt at present as madness." And another individual
writes, that "one half of their people must die of cold, and the other
be knocked o' the head. So it seems Argyle is dragg'd to this matter. We
cannot perceive, by all the letters that come up, any particular
certainty as to Lord Mar's number and his designs. The Court are
positive he will not stand; and they, as well as Ridpeath, assert
strongly that the Pretender is gone already as far as Glammis. The
Jacobites fancy that if he went thither, it was to meet and assemble
these officers that were landed."[142]
Whilst in this state of perplexity Lord Mar thus writes:
"Jan. 29th.
"Sir,
"I have keept the man that brought yours of the nineteenth and
twentieth, from A. W., on Saturday, till now, that I might have a
sure and speedy way of writeing to you when anything of consequence
happened, which we were expecting every minut last night. I wrote
one to you when I belived the enemie's front to be at Auchterarder,
and despatcht it; but late at night getting intelligence of that
party of the enemie who were marching towards Aucterarder haveing
marcht back without comeing the lenth of that place to Dumblain, if
not to Stirling, without halting by the way, I stopt my letter and
kepp it till they actually march, and then perhaps I may yet send it
to you, there being some other things in it necessary for you to
know upon that emergance which is needless other wayes.
"In it I told you of my haveing received yours of the eighteenth on
Sunday, and last night those of the fifteenth and twenty-first both
togither.
"By all appearance the enemie resolve to march against us, as one
might say, whether it be possible or not. They sent a party of horse
and foot to Dumblain on Sunday, which came near to Auchterarder
yesterday, I belive to try if the thing was practicable, but they
returned to Dumblain as above. We shall be forced to burn and
distroy a good deal of the country to prevent their marching, which
goes very, _very_ much against the King's mind, as it does mine and
more of us; but ther's an absolat necessity for it, and I believe it
will be put in execution this night or to-morrow morning, which
grieves me. Could it be helpt? this way of their makeing warr in
this, I may say, impracticable season, must have extraordinary
methods to oppose it. And I hope in God, any that suffers now, it
shall soon be in the King's power to make them a large reparation.
After all, when they have no cover left them, I see not how it is
possible for them to march. We are like to be froze in the house;
and how they can endure the cold for one night in the fields, I
cannot conceive; and then the roads are so, that but one can go
abreast, as their party did yesterday; and ther's no going off the
road for horse and scarce for foot, without being lost in the snow;
but if, after all, they do march, we must do our best, and I hope
God will preserve and yet prosper the King, who is the best prince I
belive in the world.
"As for news in the kingdome of Fife, I suppose you wou'd hear that
a party of the M^{c}Grigors some dayes ago from Faulkland attacquet
a party of Swise and militia from Leslie and beat them, takeing
thirty-two prisoners, wherof eleven horse, as I hear. I have not
time to say more, so adieu."
"January 29th, 1715-16."
Again, in another letter on the same day, the Earl still seems to
consider the game as not then lost. It is amusing to find how, in the
carrying on of his projects, he availed himself of the aid of ladies,
and how troubled he sometimes found himself with "busie women." Whilst
this letter was being penned, Argyle was employing the country people
around Auchterarder in clearing the roads of snow: and on the following
day, he had advanced towards Tullibardine, within eight miles of Perth.
On that very Sunday, Lord Mar thus writes: it is evident he had at this
time formed no plan of retreat.
"Sunday, 11 o'clock forenoon, Janu 29th, 1715-16.
"Sir,
"Since I wrote to you I have got yours of the twenty-second, one of
the twenty-third, and two of the twenty-fifth; the last of which,
tho' the first wrote, I got not til this morning. I wou'd have wrote
to you these two dayes by post, but we have had so many alarms of
the enimie's marching towards us, that I had not time, as I have
very little to say anything just now, for I expect ivery minut to
hear of their being marcht from Dumblain, where a considerable
number of them have been these two dayes this way.
"The enclosed you must take care to send by the first post which is
opened again on purpose for you to read, but I'm affraid you will
not understand it all. As to that paper you sent me which came from
England, there can be nothing said to it from hence just now, only
that they are to do the best they can; and I hope shortly that
country shall have sent them where withall to enable them to make a
better figur than they have hitherto done. We are not in a condition
here to give them any help just now. Ther's one Mrs. Lawson, who
seems to be a diligent body, that complains a little that you do not
allow her to see you often enough, which I take to be the complaint
of an over busie woman, than which ther's nothing more uneasie; but
just now such people must be humoured, and she has really been
usefull. Before this goes 'tis very likely I may have occassion to
inclose one I formerly wrote to you upon a certain occasion, but
did not then send as I told you in another, the thing not then
hapning, but we expect it every minut. Deserters of all kinds come
in to us pritty fast, foreigners as well as subjects; and if they
but give them time, I am perswaded great numbers will.
"'Tis now five o'clock and we have no accounts of any of the enimie
being come further than Dodoch, where a partie of them came last
night, so I'll detain the messenger. This goes by no stranger.
Perhaps they may find the roads impracticable, and by the burning
that they can advance no further,--at which, indeed, I shall not be
much surprised; and if so, may be forced to delay their
extraordinary march til more human weather for making warr. The King
was forced, sore against his will, to give these burning orders,--as
all of us were, could wee have helpt it; but this extrodinar manuver
of the enimie made it absolutly necessary: a fingor must be cut of
to save the whole body. I have ordered some copies of a proclamation
to be sent you, there is about two of the places burnt, and ther's
another order about the rest. Adieu.
"It were not amiss that this proclamation was sent to London. The
little young letter enclosed is for Lady Wigton, which pray cause
deliver."
On Tuesday, the last day of January, the Duke of Argyle passed the river
Eru, and took possession of Tullibardine. It has been stated by several
historians that the Jacobites fled from Perth on the same day; but the
following letter from Lord Mar, dated the first of February, shows that
the flight could not have taken place until the following day. This
curious letter, which was written at the early hour of six in the
morning, is unfinished. It is the last in the series of that
correspondence which has formed of itself a narrative of Lord Mar's
life, from his first taking upon himself the office of General and
Commander-in-Chief, to the hour when he virtually resigned that command.
In the midst of pressing danger his sanguine nature seems not to have
deserted him: his love of the underplots of life, the influence of "Kate
Bruce," and the arrangements for a coronation, were as much in his
thoughts as in the more hopeful days before Sherriff Muir and Preston.
"Wednesday, about six forenoon, ffebruary 1st, 1716.
"On Monday evening I gave you the trouble of a greatly long letter,
mostly on indifferent subjects, and sent it off yesterday to A. W.
If I was too tedious upon what concerned a woman and a Prince, it
was with a good intent, and to make matters plain. By what I hear
from R. B., and the Hole, that Argyle's forces were yesterday
forenoon at Stirling, and so was the regiments of dragoons there and
St. Ninian's, for accounts of motions there and thereabouts, on both
sydes of the river,--you may expect it best sent from R. B., the
Hole, and a grave gentleman.
"By yesternight's post I sent of M^{c}Quart's letter; and indeed, in
most or all letters I write to that quarter for ten weeks past, I
alwayes requested that whatever was to be done might be quickly
done. I lykeways sent to London between fyve or six, several honest
hands, to put off the proclamation declaration about burning, and
that paper of which I some days ago sent you two copies. And now I
begin to think I have been in the wrong to Mr. S----g, in the short
character I gave you of him, at least, if it be true that I am told,
that he is not only author of that paper I sent you the two copies
of, but has got a very great number of them printed; and tho' I may
be an insufficient judge, I must acknowledge I am very well pleased
with the paper, for I think it full of plain truths; and besydes
other dispersings, I did indeed yesterday cause putt in fiftein
copies of it in the Lords of Session's boxes.
"The litle letter to my good Lady W.[143] I caused carefully to be
delivered. I wish all women had some share of her good, sweet, easie
temper, for, as you will observe, over-busied women are most
uneasie; and I have had much experience of it within these four
months past in many instances, and with more persons than one or
two. The only inconvenience I had by Kate Bruce lodging in the same
house with me was, it brought in too many women upon me, and some
of these brought in others, and to this minute I cannot with
descretion get quit of them.
"A good time ago you were pleased to tell me you could not well
conceive how I got myself keept free, but if you now knew what a
multitude knows where I lodge, you would wonder more; and indeed it
is no litle admiration to myself: but as soon as I have so much
strenth, and can fynd a convenient place (which is not easie), I
will change my quarters, if it were for no other reason than to be
quit of useless people of both sexes, that interrupt me from
busieness, or trouble with impertinent questions. And whyle I am
accuseing others of indescretion, I wish I am not so myself in so
much insisting upon and troubling you with such matters.
"At Perth I have gott a collection of all papers relating to the
coronation of King Charles the First and Second, and shall send them
whenever you think fitt; but I suppose it may be convenient to lett
the present hurrie a little over before I send them to you.
"How the great Generalls can imploy their hors to great purpose in
the deep snow, or how men and hors will long hold out in such
weather, is what I do not understand. I hope a shorter time than
they imagine will destroy, even without the help of an enemy,--at
least, make many, both men and hors, inserviceable."
Much had been going on in the meantime, to which Lord Mar, perhaps from
the fear of spreading a panic, does not even allude to his correspondent
in Edinburgh. When it became known in Perth that Argyle had left
Stirling, the advisers of the Chevalier were dismayed and distracted by
contending counsels. But the mass of the army expressed a very different
sentiment, rejoicing that the opportunity of a rencontre with the enemy
was so near: congratulations were heard passing from officers to their
brother officers, and the soldiers, as they drank, pledged their cups to
the good day near at hand. The council, meantime, sat all night: the
irresolution of that body, towards morning, was disclosed to the
impatient soldiery: the indignation of the brave men, and more
especially of the Highlanders, burst forth upon the disclosure of what
had passed in the council. The gentlemen volunteers resented the
pusillanimity of their leaders: and one of them was heard to propose
that the clans should take the Chevalier out of the hands of those who
counselled him to retreat, and added that he would find ten thousand
gentlemen in Scotland that would risk their lives for him. A friend of
Mar, after remonstrating with these malcontents, asked "What they wished
their officers to do?" "Do!" was the reply; "what did you call on us to
take arms for? was it to run away? What did the King come hither for?
was it to see his people butchered by hangmen and not strike a note for
their lives? Let us die like men, and not live dogs."[144]
On the thirtieth of January the Chevalier himself opened another council
in the evening, and in a few words proposed a retreat. Lord Mar then
addressed the meeting, and advocated the measure with a degree of
ingenuity and eloquence which, at that moment, we are disposed rather to
condemn than applaud; yet, his reasons for abandoning Perth were such,
as in cool reflection were not devoid of justice, and they might be
founded upon a humane consideration for the brave adherents of a lost
cause. He stated, first, as the cause of his proposal, the failure of
the Duke of Ormond's invasion of England. Secondly, the accession of
foreign troops to the Duke of Argyle's force. Lastly, the reduced number
of the Chevalier's troops, which then amounted to four thousand, only
two thousand three hundred of which were properly armed. Even in that
weak condition the Chevalier would, according to Lord Mar's subsequent
statement, gladly have maintained Perth, or ventured a battle; but when
the enemy with an army of eight thousand men were actually advanced near
to the place, it was found impracticable to defend Perth, the town being
little more at that time than an open village; and the river Tay on one
side, and the fosse on the other, being both frozen over, it would have
been easy to enter the town at any quarter. Added to this, the mills had
been long stopped by the frost, so that there were not above two days'
provision in the town. There were no coals to be procured: the enemy had
possession of the coal mines in Fife, and wood was scarce. The Earl also
contended that the Highlanders, however able in attack, were not
accustomed to the defence of towns.
Reasons equally cogent were employed against going out to fight the
enemy, and a retreat northwards was at length proposed. But it was no
easy task to bring the brave spirits who had hailed the approach of
Argyle, to accord in sentiments which might spring from discretion, but
which ill agreed with the Highland notions of honour. The council, after
a stormy debate, was broken up in confusion, and adjourned until the
next morning.