Smeaton struck the banks of the stream some little distance above the
bridge, and with a keen and rapid eye traced the whole distance within
the range of sight. He instantly marked a spot where there was a
gentle undulation of the ground, and where the river spread out wide.
"There must be one ford," he thought; but, not satisfied without
positive proof, he rode quickly on till he reached the place, and
pushed his horse through the water and back again. Then turning round,
he was tracing the stream towards the bridge, when he perceived Van
Noost mounted on a tall horse, and pursuing a course at an acute angle
with his own, as if tending towards Preston. The statuary rode on at a
rapid rate; and his short broad frame was agitated terribly by the
quick pace of his rough-trotting horse. The legs flew out; the
shoulders heaved at every stretch; and the bent back and head
leaning far over the saddle bow showed how he laboured in the
effort. The voice of Smeaton, raised loud to call his attention, made
him give a sudden start in the saddle which had nearly overset the
equilibrium--for he was no very skilful cavalier; but as soon as he
perceived who it was, he pulled hard at the right rein and rushed
across the little piece of open ground towards his noble friend.
"They are coming, my Lord, they are coming!" he cried, in a voice full
of excitement, evidently not of the most pleasant kind. "I have seen
their advance-guard myself. It is impossible to pass them; and I don't
know what to do. I must back to Preston, I suppose, even though they
catch me and cut my head off, leaving my body like a collar of brawn."
"Come here with me," cried Smeaton. "I will show you a way." And,
without waiting for a reply, he rode on to the ford he had discovered,
and pointed to it with his hand. "Over there, Van Noost," he said.
"Take the left-hand road, and then make a circuit, keeping to the
westward, till--"
"But, my Lord, my Lord," interrupted Van Noost, "they say General
Carpenter is at Clitheroe, or very near it."
"If you keep well to the west," remarked Smeaton, "you will come to
Garstang and Lancaster; but speed on, my good friend. No time is to be
lost."
"I shall never find it," replied Van Noost, with a rueful shake of the
head. "Cannot you come, my Lord, and show me the way?" The young Earl
smiled at the little kindly cunning of his poor friend; but he shook
his head, saying:
"No, no, Van Noost, I must back to Preston. Remember my message to my
dear lady, and tell her, if she sees me no more, that I loved her with
my whole heart to my last hour. Away, away, my good friend! No more
words."
Seeing the good man pass safely through the ford, he once more turned
his horse towards the bridge. When he reached it, he found that,
according to the orders which had been sent, Farquharson and his
Highlanders had abandoned its defence. He could just catch a sight of
the tartans winding up the narrow lane; but he paused for a moment to
gaze at the bridge before he rode after them. It was long, narrow,
flanked with stout stone walls, and every foot of the ground on the
Preston side was defensible. The young nobleman felt that a great
mistake had been committed; that _there_ was the place to fight, and
that upon such a spot a small and irregular army like that of the
insurgents, aided by cannon and sheltered by the hedges and high
banks, might have won a victory even against a superior force of
regular troops. He sighed as he turned away, and rode after the
withdrawing party. When he reached its head, he bowed to the
commander, with whom he had a slight acquaintance, saying:
"So you have been withdrawn from the bridge, Colonel Farquharson."
"Even so, my good Lord; and now for the rat-trap," replied
Farquharson, with a light indifferent laugh, adding, the moment
after--"We shall bite our catcher's fingers, however, I dare say; and
that is some satisfaction."
"But a poor one," rejoined Smeaton. "I would rather have flown at
their throats by the side of the Ribble."
So saying, he rode on.
All was bustle and activity when he entered Preston; the scene was
completely changed from the morning; the excitement of preparation,
the prospect of speedy battle, the very occupation of mind and body,
had restored spirit and energy everywhere except amongst the superior
officers, who, conscious by this time, of their general's incapacity,
entertained no very sanguine expectation of the result. Some, sullen
and gloomy, watched all that was taking place, giving a few
directions, but sharing little in the toil; others remained in the
inns and private houses in melancholy despondency; but others, amongst
whom was the young Earl of Derwentwater, laboured cheerfully and
zealously in the construction of the barricades which were already in
rapid progress. Their example cheered, and their looks inspirited, the
men; and Smeaton was soon in the midst of them, labouring with the
best.
Bid little time was allowed for the construction of the defences, and
that little was only obtained in consequence of General Wills being
unable to conceive it possible that Forster had abandoned so important
a point as the bridge over the Ribble. He hesitated in attempting to
pass it; he caused the whole ground in the neighbourhood to be
carefully reconnoitred, fully believing that the hedges would be found
lined with musketry, and his march was thus retarded nearly an hour.
At length, however, the first men of his small army were seen from the
tall house of Sir Henry Haughton; but, by that time, all was prepared
to receive them. Four main barricades had been erected, with a number
of smaller ones in different streets; the windows of the houses on
each side, together with the lanes and inclosures, had been garnished
with infantry as far as the smallness of the force would permit, and
everything showed the determination of making a resolute defence. But
the leaders of the insurrection had, strangely enough, determined to
defend only what may be called the heart of the town; so that the
barricades had not been pushed to the entrance of any one of the
streets, and several narrow lanes gave the enemy an opportunity of
penetrating some way, at least, into the place completely unmolested.
Smeaton found the barricades nearly half completed when he re-entered
the town. Following the example of the Earl of Derwentwater, he cast
off his coat and laboured with the best to complete the defence which
was being constructed in the main street, a little below the church.
He could not refrain, however, while pausing for a moment to take
rest, from expressing his surprise to old Brigadier Macintosh, who
stood near, that the barricade had not been placed at the extreme end
of the street towards Wigan.
"If the enemy push forward," he said, "with anything like vigour, a
third of the town will be in their hands in five minutes."
"My good Lord," replied the old officer, somewhat sullenly, "even if
you were right--which I think you are not--it is too late to mend the
matter now. To defend the extreme ends of the streets, where there are
so many narrow lanes and avenues, would require three times the force
of foot I have at command."
"This barricade, at all events," observed Smeaton, "might have been
placed near the corner of that other street a hundred yards below--I
mean just near the sign of the Ram there. It would then command both
the approaches, and the flank could no more be turned there than here.
If the enemy get possession of that tall house, they will gall us
sorely."
"Ah!" retorted the old officer, "young men are always wiser than their
elders."
And, turning away, he walked to the other end of the barricade.
"Let him alone, Eskdale," said Lord Derwentwater. "He is as obstinate
as an old pig, and gets perverse and sullen in proportion to
difficulties and dangers."
"I _will_ let him alone, my good Lord," replied the young nobleman;
"but I think it a duty to myself and to all, to do what I can to
remedy the mistake which has been committed. You keep the men to their
work, and I will be back in a minute or two. That great cart, if it
could be brought down, turned over, and filled with stones and earth,
would make a very good defence at the corner there."
"What are you going to do?" asked Lord Derwentwater, seeing Smeaton
resume his coat and turn away.
"I am going to seek for Captain Hunter," replied Smeaton. "He is a man
of activity, resource, and shrewdness, and will, I doubt not, lend me
a few of his marksmen, if he can spare them, to occupy those houses
down below, so as both to keep them for ourselves, and to gall the
enemy in their advance up the street. Where do you think I shall find
him?"
"He is up with Miller and Douglas on the Liverpool road," answered
Lord Derwentwater. "Add my request to your own; the idea is a very
good one." And, while Smeaton remounted his horse and hurried away,
the other nobleman continued to animate the men, not only by his own
personal exertions, but by distributing amongst them all the money he
had about him.
In ten minutes, Smeaton returned with a body of some fifty men and
Captain Hunter, the borderer, whose moss-trooping propensities and
experience had rendered him a very serviceable man of action in any
great emergency. Passing the barricade, without speaking to any one,
they hurried on down the street till they reached the first turning
out of it, where, dividing into two bodies, the one dispersed through
the neighbouring houses on either hand, taking post at the windows,
while the other body, consisting of about twenty men, advanced some
way down the narrow lanes, which led out into the fields near the
entrance of the high road to Wigan.
In the meantime, Brigadier Macintosh had remained watching the
operation with his arms crossed on his chest; but the moment he saw
the men enter the mouth of the lane, he despatched a messenger after
them, to order them instantly back. They returned unwillingly, with
Hunter at their head; but those in the houses were suffered to remain,
and did good service throughout the day.
At some period during the morning, and before the attack actually
commenced, Captain Innes, with a body of about fifty Highlanders, was
thrown into the tall house belonging to Sir Henry Haughton which the
young Earl of Eskdale had pointed out; but they were recalled almost
immediately, and the house left to its fate. In the confusion and
hurry of that fatal day, it was not known who gave the order for their
advance, or that for their recall.
The cannon of which the insurgents had possessed themselves was
divided amongst the different barricades; but the difficulty was to
find gunners; for only one man in the whole army even pretended ever
to have fired a cannon in his life; and he, by the time the guns were
planted, had imbibed a sufficient quantity of brandy to render the
accuracy of his aim rather doubtful. A small powder-magazine was
established near the centre of the town, and a lame man, incapable of
any great exertion on foot, but zealous, active, and determined, was
appointed to carry supplies on horseback to the several barricades.
As soon as all the arrangements were completed, and the foot-soldiers
stationed behind the hasty works which had been constructed, the
gentlemen volunteers, as they were called, retired to the churchyard,
with their horses at hand, ready to sally out upon the enemy whenever
a favourable occasion occurred. General Forster established his
head-quarters at the Mitre Inn, with his horses at the door, ready to
carry him wherever his presence might be needed, and it is now
admitted on all hands that he showed no lack of courage or activity
during the day.
When all was ready, a sort of solemn pause succeeded to the bustle;
the noise and confusion died away in the town, and the occasional
subdued talking of people in knots, with, from time to time, a
loud-spoken word of command, or a call from one officer to another at
a distance, were the only sounds that arose in the streets of Preston.
From the fields and lanes beyond, however, came the beat of the drum
and the blast of the trumpet, nearer, nearer, nearer yet; first in one
spot, then from two or three different points around, showing that the
forces of King George had reached the outskirts of the city, and were
spreading themselves round it preparatory to a general attack. In
silent and awful expectation the insurgents awaited the appearance of
the heads of the enemy's columns. Sternly and steadfastly they gazed
over the barricades, and no sign of fear or wavering was visible; yet
it was a terrible situation, to be thus waiting inactive for the
commencement of a struggle which all well knew was for life or death.
At length, some boys, and a woman with a child in her arms, came
running up into the main street out of the lane in which Smeaton had
posted the party of Hunter's troop, afterwards withdrawn, and fled at
full speed towards Macintosh's barricade. They were suffered to pass,
and entered, exclaiming breathlessly--
"They are coming up the lane, they are coming up the lane!"
No body of soldiers appeared, however, for several minutes, and
neither drum nor fife was heard. At length, however, a young officer,
in his full uniform and with his sword drawn, entered the street
from the head of the lane, paused calmly in the midst, and gazed up
and down. In an instant, the word was given at the barricade, the
muskets were levelled, and the shot poured down the street. But there
the young officer still stood, now examining the barricade, now
raising his eyes to the houses on either side, amidst the rattle of
musketry and the whizzing of balls, as calmly as if he had been in a
drawing-room.
"Upon my life, that is a gallant fellow," said Smeaton, to the Earl of
Carnwath, who was standing near. "I wonder who he is."
"That is Lord Forester," replied the other nobleman. "I know him well
by sight. He is lieutenant colonel of Preston's regiment, the old
Cameronians. I did not know they would be brought against us. If he
does not mind, he will be shot down, poor fellow."
As he spoke; however, the young officer retired into the lane; but it
was only to return at the head of his regiment and to charge up the
street. A small body of dragoons appeared at the same time to support
the infantry; but a tremendous fire was opened upon the whole force,
both from the barricade and the houses around, which instantly checked
their advance; a number of the Cameronians and several of the dragoons
were seen to fall; and, drawing up his men across the street, Lord
Forester restored order which had been lost for a moment or two,
directing the men to keep up a sharp fire upon the barricade, while
detached parties from the rear and flanks stormed some of the houses
and took possession of the mansion of Sir Henry Haughton, which had so
imprudently been left undefended.
Though the troops of the government made no progress up the street,
they still remained firm in face of the barricade, and the drunken
gunner was now ordered to point and fire the cannon upon them. He
adjusted both guns before he fired either; but, from haste, stupidity,
or drunkenness, the elevation of the first he discharged was so high
that the ball, passing far over the heads of the soldiers, struck the
chimney of a low house at the side of the street, and brought it
thundering down upon the heads of some of Honywood's dragoons behind.
The other gun was more accurately adjusted, and the ball went straight
through the attacking force, killing and wounding several men in its
passage. All haste was made to reload the two cannons; and, in the
mean time, a continual sharp fire was kept upon the Cameronians from
the barricade and the houses round. Nevertheless, Lord Forester
maintained his ground; Haughton's house was filled with musketeers;
several other houses were taken after a severe struggle, and a
constant fire was kept up from the front upon the insurgents of the
barricade. At length, however, the young officer was seen to fall; but
he rose again immediately, and continued to give his orders, pointing
here and there with his sword, while one of the men tied a
handkerchief round his leg.
"A charge of cavalry," observed Smeaton, to Lord Kenmure, "would drive
them out of the town."
"Well, try it gentlemen, try it," said General Forster, who had just
ridden up, and was speaking to Lord Derwentwater. "Mount your horses
and follow me. We will get the brigadier to open a way for us."
Every one was in the saddle in a moment, and moved in good order down
the street, while Forster rode on before; and the fire of the King's
troops, passing over the barricade, struck down one or two of the
volunteers and several of their horses. As they approached the
barricade, no movement was made to let them pass out; and Forster was
seen speaking vehemently to Brigadier Macintosh, who, with a dogged
look of defiance, turned sullenly away just as Smeaton arrived upon
the ground. What had passed before, none of the other gentlemen heard;
but Forster now exclaimed, in a loud and angry tone--"Very well, sir,
very well. Please God, if we are successful, and your master and mine
ever obtains his rights, I will bring you to a court martial for your
conduct."
Then, turning to the noblemen and gentlemen who had come up on
horseback, he said, "Brigadier Macintosh objects to our making this
sally, my lords. We had better therefore retire again to the
churchyard, as there is no need of our exposing ourselves here when we
cannot be of service. My Lord Derwentwater, I will ride up to one of
the other barricades, and see if there is nothing to be done there;
for I feel that this inactivity must be painful to a body of zealous
and brave men, all burning for his Majesty's service."
Thus saying, he rode away; and the other gentlemen retired slowly up
the street, with the bullets still flying amongst them, conversing,
even in a laughing tone, upon what had taken place, and the conduct of
those with whom they were engaged.
"I hope Macintosh will not let them gain the barricade," said Lord
Derwentwater, looking towards Smeaton as the most experienced amongst
them.
"No fear at present, my lord," rejoined the young Earl. "He has stout
men enough with him to keep out any force they can bring against him
without cannon. He is a dogged resolute fellow too; and his honour is
now staked upon the result, as he refuses counsel and assistance. Do
you know where Colonel Oxburgh is, my lord? I have not seen him all
day?"
"In an ale-house, at his prayers," replied Lord Derwentwater, with a
laugh. "So I am told, at least. When I saw him this morning, he was
telling his beads with great devotion. And my good Lord Widrington,
too, is absent from amongst us; but he has the gout, you know."
Just as he spoke, a foot soldier ran up, saying, "They want more
powder, my lord, at the barricade. Have you any in the churchyard?"
"Not a spoonful," replied Lord Derwentwater, turning in at the gates
of the cemetery, while the bullets whistled thicker and more fiercely
up the street, as if the troops below had been reinforced, and a
gentleman of the name of Ferguson was struck from his horse, with his
leg shattered in a fearful manner.
"I will ride up and send some down directly," said Smeaton, galloping
on.
The firing still increased; and the street, rising with a considerable
slope, exposed any one passing along it near the top, more than even
at the barricade. But the young Earl passed unscathed, and, reaching a
narrow little court where the powder was piled up in bags, he found
the lame man, waiting on horseback with a considerable load behind
him, ready to set out in whatever direction he might be wanted.
"They are in great need of powder, my good friend," said Smeaton, "at
the brigadier's barricade; but pause a moment till the fire slackens a
little."
The man, however, put his horse in motion, and one of his companions,
who stood near, exclaimed, "You will be killed, Rob, to a certainty,
if you attempt to carry it up to the barricade now."
"I know that," replied the other, calmly. "That I cannot avoid; but,
as they want it, although I cannot carry it quite up to them, I will
carry it as far as I can." And, so saying, he rode on.
Smeaton turned out of the little court, and looked after him down the
street. He saw him pass the churchyard, and get nearer and nearer to
the barricade; but, while he was still at about fifty yards' distance,
he beheld the poor fellow fall forward on the horse's neck, clutching
convulsively at the mane. In another instant he would have fallen from
the saddle; but, before he did so, a ball struck the horse also; and
both went down together. Some men ran out of one of the neighbouring
houses and took the poor fellow up, while the powder was carried
forward to the barricade by others on foot.
But Smeaton's attention was now drawn another way by sounds which came
from a different part of the town. A loud shout like a cheer, mingled
with the report of musketry and artillery, showed that the battle was
raging fiercely there also; and, turning his horse, he rode quickly in
the direction whence the sounds proceeded, to see if anything was
wanted or could be done. Guided by the ear, he made his way down a
long narrow lane, which led out into the fields, and soon came in
sight of another barricade, at which Lord Charles Murray, a son of the
Duke of Athol, commanded. This young nobleman had seen some service as
a cornet of horse in the reign of Queen Anne; but he had thrown up his
commission at the commencement of the insurrection, and now appeared
at the head of a body of his clan, dressed in the Highland garb, and
covered with smoke and blood. The firing had ceased for the time; but
a good many dead and wounded men lay both before and behind the
barricade; and the young officer was leaning on his sword, speaking to
Patten, the clergyman, who was beside him on horseback.
"Ah, my good Lord," said the young nobleman, as soon as he perceived
the Earl of Eskdale, "I am sending Patten here for some aid from the
churchyard. We have had a sharp affair, as it seems you have had down
below; but we have beaten the Hanover people back for the present,
and, with a little aid, can maintain our ground till nightfall, which
is not far off, I see. You are welcome to share in our work. If you
will take a musket, there lies one in the hands of poor Jock Murray,
who had just killed a stout Londoner with it before he was shot down
himself. I hope it will be as fortunate in your hands."
"I hope so," replied Smeaton, laughing, and springing to the ground.
"Mr. Patten, if you send up men, send up my servant with them to hold
my horse."
The pugnacious clergyman promised not to forget; and in a few minutes
Higham came running up, long before the appearance of the expected
succour. The attack upon the barricade had been in the meantime
renewed, and a furious fire was kept up by both parties. Lord Charles
Murray was mounted on a pile of stones, giving his orders as coolly as
if out of all danger, and the Earl of Eskdale, at a part of the
barricade which had by some means been destroyed, was supplying by his
own skill and experience the inefficiency of the only gunner who had
been found to serve the two cannon which had been allotted to this
position.
The servant ran up with a boldness and activity which a little
surprised his lord; and when he received orders to look after the
horse, which had been left in charge of a Highland soldier, he
contented himself with tying the beast to a hook on a neighbouring
barn, and then, mounting the barricade close to where his master
stood, discharged a musket at the advancing enemy.
"What have you done with the horse, Higham?" asked Smeaton, somewhat
sharply. "I ordered you to take care of him."
"He is quite safe, my lord," replied the man, "and out of reach of the
fire. I do beseech you, let me have a shot or two at these men. They
killed my father when I was but a child--shot him at the back of his
own cottage door."
"None of these before you, Higham," said the Earl; "these seem all
mere lads. But do as you please if the horse be safe. Only come down
from the top of the barricade. You can fire as effectually from behind
it."
"Oh, my good lord, if you would but let me speak a few words with
you!" said the man, in an earnest tone. "When we have beat them back,
pray let me speak with you!"
"Well, so be it," replied his master, struck by the man's eagerness.
"But come down at once, my good fellow. Come down, I say!"
Almost as he spoke, Higham turned to obey; but he either missed his
footing, or some of the heterogeneous material of the barricade gave
way under his feet; for he suddenly fell headlong down behind the
defence.
The young Earl had not time to ascertain if he were hurt or not; for,
led on by their gallant officers with a loud cheer, the party of
assailants rushed forward to the charge, determined, apparently, to
storm the barricade. A well-directed and sustained fire from the
Highlanders, and from both pieces of cannon, however, checked them
before they were within a hundred yards of the defence, and they were
once more driven back in confusion.
A few minutes after, a party of fifty gentlemen volunteers came up to
support the weary defenders of the barricade; and when Smeaton turned
to look for his servant, the poor fellow was nowhere to be seen.
A very short space of time was allowed for enquiry or repose. The
troops of the Government were speedily rallied, and again brought
forward; but the effect of the reinforcement, both upon the energy of
the defenders and the heaviness of the fire, was soon perceptible to
the officers of the attacking body. Their men were repulsed more
rapidly than before, and fled in greater confusion from the hail of
shot that was poured upon them. Night was approaching; it was evident
that the barricade could not be carried by the force then before it;
and slowly and reluctantly the commander of the assailants withdrew
his force, just as the sky was growing dark. An angle of the road
concealed, in a great degree, their movements, and some men were sent
out over the barricade to ascertain whether the attack was actually
abandoned. But even after they returned, announcing that the
Government troops were in full retreat, a hurried and desultory
conversation was carried on amongst the officers and gentlemen within
the barricade, in regard to the events of the day.
Lord Charles Murray was almost ignorant of what had taken place at the
other points of defence; but the gratifying news was brought in that
the enemy had been repulsed at all points, except in front of
Brigadier Macintosh's barricade, where they still maintained
possession of some houses, and kept up a severe fire on all who
attempted to pass. There were many words, and even some laughter and
rejoicing, on the bloody spot where they stood, but little of what
could be called either conversation or counsel. Yet some ventured to
suggest one thing as advisable to be done, and some another; and Lord
Charles Murray, without expressing an opinion, gave some directions
for guarding the defence. Taking Smeaton's arm, he turned away,
saying--
"By my soul, I must have some food and drink, Eskdale. I have been
fighting here since two o'clock, and, though the men have had brandy
and beer enough, I have tasted nothing."
Smeaton walked away with him, unfastening his horse, and leading him
as he went. As soon they were out of ear-shot of the rest, his gallant
companion asked, in a low voice--
"And what do you think had better be done in this affair?"
"Give the men three hours' rest, and then either retreat upon
Lancaster, through the meadows, or attack General Wills in his camp,"
replied the young Earl. "He is evidently but little of a commander,
and I think we might have an easy victory before he is reinforced, or
effect a quiet retreat to a more defensible place, for the town is not
one half invested."
"We must abide the commands of our elders and betters, I suppose,"
replied Lord Charles, "though it is certain that, if Wills is a bad
general, Forster is a worse. However, here I stop to feed like a tired
horse, if I can. Will you come in and sup?"
"Thank you, no," replied the young Earl; "I must go to look for my
servant, who, I fear, is wounded, poor fellow!"
Thus saying, he and Lord Charles parted.
As Smeaton walked back to the upper part of the town, Preston
presented a strange and gloomy scene. The firing at the other
barricades had ceased; but still from time to time a single shot or a
whole volley was heard from the houses near Macintosh's barrier, where
either party had lodged itself; and there, it must be remarked, the
struggle continued throughout the night. The shops and dwellings were
all closed along the streets; the inhabitants kept carefully within
doors, and few people were met, except here and there a soldier
hastening from one point to another, a wounded man plodding painfully
to seek for relief, or a dead or dying man borne along by three or
four others. From different parts on the outskirts of the town rose up
a lurid glare, which lightened the vacant streets, showing that one
party or the other had fired some of the houses in the suburbs, and
the distant drum and trumpet-call from without, mingled wildly with
the sound of the bagpipe which was heard from two of the barricades.
The only groups of any size were collected round the doors of
different public-houses, which were kept open for the entertainment of
the men, and at these Smeaton received full confirmation of the fact
that the troops of the Government had, as he supposed, been repulsed
at all points. A feeling of triumph animated all with whom he spoke,
in which he was far from sharing; but it is not impossible that, had
the commanders been capable of taking advantage of the spirit of the
hour, a different result might have attended the defence of Preston.
Nowhere, however, could Smeaton hear of his servant; and, after a long
and fruitless search, he retired to his quarters, and threw himself
down to rest after his fatigues.