Many men were in the Jacobite army, both in the south and in the
north, who, judging of the future by the present, and by the
appointment of the most incompetent persons to offices of high
command, clearly foresaw that a catastrophe of a dark and terrible
kind must await the insurrection. That catastrophe, however, as far as
the little body collected in the south was concerned, was now
approaching with great rapidity.
I shall not trust to my own pen for the details of all that occurred
during the next few days, but will merely abridge, and render a little
more clear, the account of an eye-witness who shared in all the perils
of the time, but contrived in the end, by a timely recantation and
abundant testimony against his companions, to slip his own neck out of
the halter into which he aided to place theirs.
Up to the time indicated in the last chapter, General Forster, as he
was somewhat ludicrously called, and the gentlemen who accompanied
him, had entertained sanguine hopes of being able, after their
junction with Lord Kenmure, to surprise the important town of
Newcastle-upon-Tyne; but, before the evening of the eighteenth of
October ended, all such expectations were dispelled by the
intelligence that General Carpenter, a man of great experience and
decision, had thrown himself into Newcastle with one regiment of foot
and three regiments of dragoons. This was a force which they had no
means of opposing successfully, and great anxiety was felt for the
junction of the Scotch troops. That junction was effected on the
morning of the nineteenth, in an open piece of heathy ground, broken
by the remains of what was once an extensive wood, and known as
Rothbury Forest.
With no slight eagerness the two forces examined each other as they
approached; and, if the gentlemen of Northumberland felt some
disappointment at the scantiness of Kenmure's numbers, the Scotch
gentlemen experienced, perhaps, more at seeing their English friends
so ill provided with horses and arms. Lord Kenmure's little force,
consisting of four squadrons of horse, certainly displayed much more
the appearance of a royal army on a miniature scale than the irregular
body of the Northumbrians. Armed with good stout broadswords, and
mounted on strong sinewy horses, they advanced with trumpets sounding
and colours displayed, and surrounded by a chosen body of gentlemen,
was borne what they called the standard of King James, formed of blue
silk richly embroidered with the arms of Scotland on one side and the
thistle on the other, while long streamers of white ribbon hung from
the corners, likewise embroidered in gold with the words--"For our
wronged King and oppressed country." "For our lives and liberties."
The whole force when united made at this period a body of about six
hundred men; and, a hasty council being called, it was determined
immediately to march towards Wooler as preparatory to a retreat into
Scotland, which had now become inevitable. It was much to be feared,
indeed, that General Carpenter would not suffer them to effect this
object; but, happily for them, the intelligence that Brigadier
Macintosh with a large body of Highlanders had crossed the Frith of
Forth, and was in full march for the south, had reached that
distinguished officer and Lord Kenmure simultaneously; and, unable to
obtain exact information as to Macintosh's strength or line of march,
Carpenter judged it inexpedient to leave so important a place as
Newcastle without other defence than the somewhat doubtful loyalty of
the inhabitants. From Wooler the insurgent force marched straight
towards Kelso, seizing arms wherever they could find them, and also
appropriating to themselves any public money they could lay hands on.
About the middle of the day, however, they all halted on a wild moor a
few miles from the town, having received information that it was
occupied by Sir William Bennet of Grubbet, with a considerable
force--that the streets were barricaded, and several pieces of cannon
placed in position. It was soon discovered, however, that Sir William
Bennet, who was only supported by a body of militia, had taken fright
at their approach and quitted the town, leaving some store of arms and
ammunition behind him. Intelligence was also brought that Macintosh
and his Highlanders were advancing rapidly from Dunse, and it was
accordingly determined to march to Kelso at once, both in order to
join their friends, and to possess themselves of the arms which Bennet
had left behind him.
The Scotch cavalry passed through the town without halting, in order
to meet their Highland friends at Ednam Bridge; but the Northumbrian
gentlemen remained in Kelso, which had been appointed as the general
place of rendez-vous. The expectation of finding any great store of
the munitions of war were disappointed; for nothing appeared except
some small pieces of cannon taken from Hume Castle, a trifling
quantity of gunpowder, and a number of good serviceable broad swords,
which had been concealed in the church, and which proved a great
relief to the half-armed Northumbrian troops. A short time after,
Macintosh and the Highlanders entered the town, with their bagpipes
playing, and the sturdy old veteran who commanded them marching at
their head. The forces now assembled consisted of some fifteen hundred
infantry and six hundred cavalry, and many a good citizen of Kelso,
who had not yet dared to avow his attachment to the House of Stuart,
now shouted loudly for King James, adding thereunto much outcry
against the obnoxious measures of the House of Hanover.
"No malt-tax! no Union! no salt-tax!" was vociferated by several
hundred voices; but the worthy citizens confined themselves to words,
keeping cautiously clear of any overt acts.
The following day, being Sunday, was spent in religious observance,
and on the Monday, the whole troops being drawn up in the
market-place, King James III. was proclaimed with great solemnity, and
a lengthy manifesto read, sufficient to tire the patience of the best
disposed. Not content with dealing more in words than actions, the
insurgent force continued idle in Kelso till the Thursday following,
wasting the three most precious days which were granted to them in the
whole course of the insurrection. The troops of General Carpenter were
fatigued and discouraged; his numbers were inferior to their own; the
whole south of Scotland was open to them, and every inducement,
combined with opportunity, to lead them in an active and energetic
course.
But division was in their councils. One proposed that they should
cross the Tweed and boldly attack Carpenter's force before it had
recovered from long and frequent marches; another strongly urged to
march to the westward in order to join the western clans, and, with
their aid, attack Dumfries and Glasgow, threatening the flank and rear
of the Duke of Argyle's army, while Mar, attacked him in the front.
The English gentlemen, on the contrary, strongly advocated a sudden
and rapid incursion into England; declaring their conviction that
multitudes would rise and join them as they passed through Lancashire,
while Carpenter, with his wearied and harassed forces, would be unable
to follow, or might easily be defeated if he did. Every officer of any
experience opposed this insane suggestion; but, nevertheless, it
prevailed, and each day brought over fresh converts to that opinion
from amongst the thoughtless and inexperienced.
It would seem that no decision had been arrived at, when they marched
for Jedburgh on Thursday the twenty-seventh of October, and hesitation
and some symptoms of panic were very evident on the way. Twice or
thrice, an alarm of the enemy being upon them created great confusion,
ending in merriment when they discovered that parties of their own
troops were the cause of all their apprehensions. At Jedburgh a halt
of two days took place, and here the fatal resolution of entering
England was adopted. An unexpected difficulty, however, arose. The
Highlanders--at the suggestion, it is supposed, of the Earl of
Wintoun, who was highly popular with them--piled their arms, and
refused positively to march out of their own country.
After long discussions, they were persuaded to proceed as far as
Hawick, and indecision again appeared in the councils of the leaders.
The opinion of the wiser party had gained strength by the resolute
opposition of the Highlanders, and so far prevailed, that a
considerable party of horse was detached towards Dumfries, with the
promise of being followed by the whole of the army. Hardly had this
body departed, however, when another change of resolution took place.
The English gentlemen received, or pretended to have received,
dispatches from Lancashire, assuring them of the support of twenty
thousand men, and an immediate march into England was determined.
Messengers were sent to recall the party which had been detached to
Ecclesfechan; but the great difficulty still remained with the
Highlanders, who once more positively refused to cross the border.
Persuasions, entreaties, and even bribes, as it is said, were urged
upon both leaders and men, and proved so far successful that a
considerable body at length agreed to march. More than five hundred,
however, adhered to their first resolution, and, separating into small
parties, abandoned the army, and took their way homeward by the west.
The other diminished body of the insurgents marched on towards
Carlisle by Langholm and Longtown, gaining here and there a few
volunteers, and hearing rumours of parties of the enemy's cavalry
hovering about them in different directions. Money, which was much
wanted, was gained at several places by the confiscation of the public
revenues; but the people in general looked upon the progress of the
Jacobites with indifference, and no signs for some time appeared of
any general movement in favour of the Stuart cause.
After crossing the border, Forster assumed the command of the whole
army, in virtue of a commission from the Earl of Mar; and, wisely
judging that Carlisle, though but poorly garrisoned, was too strong
for his small force, he marched to Brampton, and thence advanced
towards Penrith, where a bloodless triumph awaited him over a body of
men collected to oppose his march. The Lord Lonsdale, strongly
attached to the cause of the House of Hanover, and, though still very
young, a man of courage and decision, had collected a considerable
body of the horse-militia of Westmoreland and Lancashire, and added to
it the _posse comitatus_ of the shire. He was strenuously aided by the
Bishop of Carlisle, and the numbers collected at a little distance to
the northward of Penrith amounted to no less than fourteen thousand
men.
This undisciplined mob was drawn up on a small moor across which the
insurgent army was likely to pass, with some woody lanes and broken
ground at a little distance in the front. Intelligence of their
proceedings had reached the insurgent leaders, but they resolutely
marched on, prepared and eager for battle. The Highlanders, it would
seem, were the first who issued from the lanes; but they did so in
good order, and immediately extended themselves in battle array. The
cavalry followed; but the very sight of anything like a disciplined
army was sufficient to overthrow all confidence in the _posse
comitatus_; the spirit of flight seized on them all; arms were thrown
away in haste, and the whole country was speedily covered with the
flying multitude. Lord Lonsdale, left with a few of his own servants,
was forced to take refuge in Appleby Castle, and the Bishop of
Carlisle was hotly pursued on his road to Rose Castle by a worthy
belligerent clergyman, who had formerly been a curate in his diocese.
The flight and utter dispersion of the enemy gave great encouragement
to the insurgents, and the spoils of the field supplied them with many
articles of which they stood in great need. Arms, horses, and powder
were taken in considerable quantities, and they entered Penrith the
same day in good order, and flushed with success. They were very
civilly received in the town, and further stores, as well as a
considerable sum of money, were obtained. After refreshing themselves
for a day at Penrith, the insurgents moved on to Appleby, without
receiving any of the reinforcements which they expected. On the
contrary, indeed, it would seem that many desertions took place; for
no great confidence was entertained by the men in their commanders,
and little obedience shown except in moments of urgent danger.
From Appleby to Kendal, and thence to Kirby Lonsdale, they marched on
unopposed; but neither from Westmoreland nor Cumberland did they
receive any of the reinforcements they expected, till on their march
from the latter place towards Lancaster. Here, however, they were
joined by a number of the Roman Catholic gentry, and were farther
encouraged by the news from Lancashire, which represented the whole
county is ready to rise and join them. Manchester, then comparatively
an insignificant little town, but somewhat famous for the unruly
disposition of its inhabitants, declared for King James, with very
little reserve, and began to raise and arm bodies of men for his
service. Lancaster, however, had well nigh proved a stumbling-block in
their way; for Colonel Chartres, and some other officers attached to
the House of Hanover, were anxious to take measures for its defence,
and even proposed to blow up the bridge. The fears, however, and,
perhaps, the disaffection of the majority of the inhabitants,
frustrated all their designs; and, marching into the town, the
insurgents possessed themselves not only of money, arms, and
ammunition, but also of six pieces of cannon, which they found in a
ship belonging to so peaceable a personage as a Quaker.
These cannon were speedily mounted upon wheels; and during the stay of
the insurgent force, which was from the seventh to the ninth of
November, small parties of gentlemen continually came in, unhappily
for themselves, and joined in an enterprise which was now fast tending
to a disastrous conclusion. It must be said, however, that they aided
greatly to hurry the catastrophe. During the whole of the long march
from Jedburgh to Lancaster, the leaders of the insurrection, as may
well be supposed, had been anxious to obtain information of the
movements of the enemy's troops. General Carpenter's small corps was
that which they principally dreaded, and we are assured that Forster
spared neither money nor exertion to gain intelligence. It was known
that Carpenter had immediately pursued the insurgent force as soon as
he learned their line of march; but he was reported to be at a
considerable distance in their rear; and a certain Mr. Paul, another
Jacobite clergyman, who had doffed the cassock to assume military
costume, brought positive intelligence into Lancaster that General
Carpenter was at Barnard's Castle in Durham with men and horses sorely
fatigued. The other Lancashire gentlemen, who came in from time to
time, assured Forster and his companions that no body of King George's
troops could approach within forty miles without their receiving
intelligence of it; and, in an evil hour, it was determined to waste
more time in Lancaster merely as a resting-place, even after the plan
had been decided upon for advancing into a district where a great
accession of force was to be expected.
That plan was generally as follows; viz., to march direct upon
Manchester, where the cause of the House of Stuart had numerous
partisans, to seize upon Warrington Bridge, and to extend their
operations to Liverpool, of which they hoped easily to make themselves
masters. Orders were even given, it is said, for advancing at once;
but the acquisition of cannon, and the rumours from the country,
rendered them somewhat apathetic; so that from Monday the seventh,
till Wednesday the ninth, of November, they remained refreshing
themselves in Lancaster, while the forces of their adversaries were
drawing closer and closer around them. The ninth proved a very wet and
stormy day; but the march towards Preston was begun early in the
morning; and it would seem that some misgivings began to be
entertained regarding the intelligence which had been received from
the country. Rumours spread through the small force, that large bodies
of King George's troops were being collected to oppose their advance;
and the necessity of taking up a position which would enable all their
friends in the midland and western counties to join them was felt, but
too late.
The roads were bad, and rendered nearly impassable by torrents of
rain; the infantry struggled on, fatigued and somewhat disheartened,
and even the cavalry found it difficult to advance in anything like
order. Accordingly, at the small town of Garstang, it was determined
that the foot-soldiers should halt for the night, while the cavalry
pushed on for Preston, and dislodged a small body of dragoons
quartered in that place. The dragoons did not pause to be attacked,
but marched out at the approach of the insurgents, who rejoiced as for
a victory, and took up their quarters in the town. On the following
day, Thursday, the tenth of November, the whole of General Forster's
force was reunited in Preston, and the usual ceremonies of proclaiming
King James III., and praying for him, by name, in the church, took
place.
At Preston another delay occurred. No intelligence of the enemy's
proximity was received; and, instead of marching upon Manchester on
the Friday morning, as had been first determined; a halt was resolved
upon until Saturday. During the whole of Friday the insurgents enjoyed
themselves in Preston with a feeling of the utmost security, and it
was not till the troops were under arms on Saturday that any
intimation was received of the rapid advance of General Wills upon
Preston.