+Source.+--_Memoirs of the Life of Sir John Clerk of Penicuik,
Bart.: extracted by himself from his own Journals, 1676-1755_, p.
89. Edited by John M. Gray. (Edinburgh: Scottish Historical Society,
1892.)
In the mean time it must be confessed that their courage and conduct in
Scotland far exceeded what was expected, for the Earl of Mar had so much
address as to bring to the town of Perth, the center of all the
enterprise, at least 10,000 men, some have carried the number to 12,000,
which _I_ am inclined to believe, provided the 1600 men be included that
past the Frith of Forth near the Island of May, of which hereafter.
During these convulsions in my native country, I was obliged to change
my course of living and turn a military man, for being appointed one of
the Lieutenants of the Shire of Edin., I was obliged to act my part in
bringing the militia together. These consisted of a few men, horse and
foot, who never continued 3 days together, and signified nothing in the
military way, the lowland men being a great deal more unfit for warlike
expeditions than the Highlanders who had joined the Earl of Mar.
However, with these militia troops we sometimes made a show, and perhaps
they served to intimidate those who knew nothing about them. They were
particularly useful and active when the Highlanders above mentioned past
the Forth and were marching to take possession of Edin., for being drawn
up on the high way a mile east of Edin., where these Highlanders were to
march in order to take possession of the town, they found themselves
obliged to turn to the right and take possession of the citadel of
Lieth, the ----[52] of October, 1715.
That same night, to the joy of the inhabitants of Edin., who expected to
be plundered by the Highlanders, the Duke of Argyll arrived from
Stirling with 200 chosen foot and 300 dragoons, the foot mounted on
country horses for more expedition. Next morning the Deputy Lieutenants
and all the well affected to the Government of K. George waited on him,
and immediately he ordered all his troops to march down with him to the
attaque of the Citadel of Lieth.
I waited on his Grace, and we never halted till we were within 300 paces
of that place. Here all our men were drawn up in 2 lines for the
attaque. The foot in the center, and the horse on the wings, our number
was as follows. 300 Dragoons, 200 Regular foot, about 200 of the Town
Guards of Edin., and about 500 volunteers, with a regiment of militia.
These amounting in all to about 1500 men, were drawn up on the crofts to
the westward of the citadel. There were likeways two regiments of
militia from the shires of Merse and Teviotdale, who were drawn up on
the Links on the south side of the town to prevent the Highlanders from
escaping.
The Duke called a Council of War, consisting of the principal officers
present, in sight of the enemy, here it was debated in what manner to
attaque the citadel, for the duke had never seen it, and the issue was
that in regard we had neither cannon, bombs, nor granads, it was
impossible to do anything to purpose, for that our men would be
destroied by the fire of the enemy before they came near the ramparts,
for altho' these ramparts and bastions were ruined ever since the days
of Oliver Cromwell, who about the years 1654 and 1655 ordered them to be
repaired out of the old fortifications of Lieth, yet they were
sufficient against such a body of men as we were who came there to
attaque them. On these considerations we were obliged to return to the
town in a very disconsolet manner.
The Duke might have been informed of the condition of that place before
he marched there, but he thought nothing in Scotland, except castles,
impregnable to his troops, and we who knew the citadel never doubted but
dismounted Dragoons cou'd force the place sword in hand. The next thing
to be done was to provide artillery from the Castle of Edin., in order
to attaque the citadel next day, but that night the Highlanders, who
were under the command of one Brigadier Macintosh, marched off to
Seaton House, where they staid 3 or 4 days. Here several detachments
were sent out of Edin. to attaque them, but being without cannon we
cou'd do nothing.