sloop that carried the young prince and his fortunes at length moored near the island of South Uist, one of the isles belonging to MacDonald of Clanranald and his kinsfolk. Clanranald was himself on the mainland; but his uncle, MacDonald of Boisdale, by whose superior talents and sagacity the young chief was much guided, was at that time on South Uist, where his own property lay. On being summoned by the prince, he came on board the Doutelle. Charles Edward immediately proposed to Boisdale to take arms, and to engage his powerful neighbours, sir Alexander MacDonald, and the chief of the MacLeods, in his cause. These two chiefs could each bring to the field from 1200 to 1500 men. Boisdale replied, with a bluntness to which the adventurer had not been accustomed, that the enterprise was rash to the verge of insanity; that he could assure him that sir Alexander MacDonald and the laird of MacLeod were positively determined not to join him unless on his bringing the forces stipulated by the unanimous determination of the friends of his family; and that, by his advice, his nephew Clanranald would also adopt the resolution of remaining quiet. The young chevalier argued the point for some time, still steering towards the mainland; until, finding Boisdale inexorable, he at length dismissed him, and suffered him to take his boat and return to South Uist. It is said, that this interview with Boisdale had such an influence on the mind of Charles, that he called a council of the principal followers who accompanied him in the Doutelle, when all voices, save one, were unanimous for returning, and Charles himself seemed for a moment disposed to relinquish the expedition. Sir Thomas Sheridan alone, an Irish gentleman, who had been his tutor, was inclined to prosecute the adventure farther, and encouraged his pupil to stand his ground, and consult some more of his Scottish partisans before renouncing a plan, on which he had ventured so far, that to relinquish it without farther trial would be an act of cowardice, implying a renunciation of the birthright he came to seek. His opinion determined his pupil, who was on all occasions much guided by it, to make another appeal to the spirit of the highland leaders. Advancing still towards the mainland, Charles with his sloop of war entered the bay of Lochnannagh, between Moidart and Arisaig, and sent a messenger ashore to apprise Clanranald of his arrival. That chieftain immediately came on board, with his relation, MacDonald of Kinloch-Moidart, and one or two others. Charles applied to them the same arguments which he had in vain exhausted upon Boisdale, their relation, and received the same reply, that an attempt at the present time, and with such slender means, could end in nothing but ruin. A young highlander, a brother of Kinloch-Moidart, began now to understand before whom he stood, and, grasping his sword, showed visible signs of impatience at the reluctance manifested by his chief and his brother to join their prince. Charles marked his agitation, and availed himself of it. He turned suddenly towards the young highlander, and said, "You at least will not forsake me?" "I will follow you to death," said Ranald, "were there no other to draw a sword in your cause." The chief, and relative of the warm-hearted young man, caught his enthusiasm, and declared, that since the prince was determined, they would no longer dispute his pleasure. He landed accordingly, and was conducted to the house of Borodale, as a temporary place of residence. Seven persons came ashore as his suite. These were the marquis of Tullibardine, outlawed for his share in the insurrection of 1715, elder brother of James, the actual duke of Athole; sir Thomas Sheridan, the prince's tutor; sir John MacDonald, an officer in the Spanish service; Francis Strictland, an English gentleman; Kelly, who had been implicated in what was called the bishop of Rochester's plot; Æneas MacDonald, a banker in Paris, a SIR W. SCOTT.] THE ENTERPRISE OF CHARLES EDWARD. brother of Kinoch-Moidart; and Buchanan, who had been intrusted with the war. The This memorable landing in Moidart took place on the 25th July, 1745. place where Charles was lodged was remarkably well situated for concealment, and for communication with friendly clans, both in the islands and on the mainland, without whose countenance and concurrence it was impossible that his enterprise could succeed. Cameron of Lochiel had an early summons from the prince, and waited on him as He came fully convinced of the utter madness of the undersoon as he received it. taking, and determined, as he thought, to counsel the adventurer to return to France, and wait a more favourable opportunity. "If such is your purpose, Donald," said Cameron of Fassiefern to his brother of Lochiel, "write to the prince your opinion; but do not trust yourself within the I know you better than you know yourself, and you fascination of his presence. will be unable to refuse compliance." Fassiefern prophesied truly. While the prince confined himself to argument, Lochiel remained firm, and answered all his reasoning. At length Charles, finding it impossible to subdue the chief's judgment, made a powerful appeal to his feelings. "I have come hither," he said, "with my mind unalterably made up, to reclaim my rights or to perish. Be the issue what will, I am determined to display my standard, and take the field with such as may join it. Lochiel, whom my father esteemed the best friend of our family, may remain at home, and learn his prince's fate from the newspapers." "Not so," replied the chief, much affected, "if you are resolved on this rash undertaking, I will go with you, and so shall every one over whom I have influence." Thus was Lochiel's sagacity overpowered by his sense of what he esteemed honour and loyalty, which induced him to front the prospect of ruin with a disinterested devotion, not unworthy the best days of chivalry. His decision was the signal for the commencement of the Rebellion; for it was generally understood at the time, that there was not a chief in the highlands who would have risen, if Lochiel had anaintained his pacific purpose. He had no sooner embraced the chevalier's proposal, than messengers were dispatched in every direction to summon such clans as were judged friendly, announcing that the royal standard was to be erected at Glenfinnan on the 19th of August, and requiring them to attend on it with their followers in arms. Sir Alexander MacDonald of Sleat, and MacLeod of MacLeod, were, as already mentioned, men of the greatest note in the Hebrides, and their joint forces were They had declared themselves computed at more than three thousand men. friendly to the prince's cause, and Clanranald was dispatched to them to hasten their junction. The envoy found them both at sir Alexander MacDonald's, and said all he could to decide them to raise their following; but that chieftain alleged that he had never come under any explicit engagement to join Charles, nor could he be persuaded to do so in such a desperate undertaking. MacLeod's engagements are said to have been more peremptory; but he appears to have been as reluctant as sir Alexander MacDonald to comply with Charles Edward's summons, alleging that his agreement depended on the prince bringing certain auxiliaries and supplies, which were not forthcoming. He, moreover, pleaded to Clanranald, that a number KK 2 of his men resided in the distant islands, as an additional excuse for not joining the standard immediately. Clanranald's mission was therefore unsuccessful, and the defection of these two powerful chiefs was indifferently supplied by the zeal displayed by others of less power. Charles, however, displayed great skill in managing the tempers, and gaining the affections, of such highlanders as were introduced to him during his abode at Borodale. The memoirs of an officer, named MacDonald, engaged in his army, give an interesting account of his person and behaviour. * * * The prince's lowland friends were also acquainted with his arrival, and prepared for his designs. Government was, at the same time, rendered vigilant, by the visible stir which seemed to take place among the Jacobites, and proceeded to the arrest of suspicious persons. Among these, one of the principal was the titular duke of Perth, upon whose ancestor the court of St. Germains had conferred that rank. He was son of lord John Drummond, who flourished in 1715, and grandson of the unfortunate earl of Perth, lord chancellor to James VII. before the Revolution. The present descendant of that honourable house was a man respected for his high rank, popular manners, dauntless bravery, and sweetness of disposition, but not possessed of any extraordinary degree of talent. This nobleman was residing at Castle-Drummond, when captain Campbell of Inveraw, who commanded an independent highland company lying at Muthil, in the neighbourhood, received orders to lay him under arrest. Campbell, by the mediation of a friend, procured himself an invitation to dine at Drummond-castle, and caused his men to approach the place as near as they could without causing suspicion. When dinner was over, and the ladies had retired, Inveraw put the arrest into execution, and told the duke he was his prisoner, stating, at the same time, his orders in apology. The duke seemed to treat the thing with indifference, and said, since it was so there was no help for it. But, in leaving the apartment, he made the captain pass before him as if by a natural motion of politeness, and turning short on his heel, instead of following him, left the room, and by a private door fled from the house into the wood. There was an instant pursuit, and the duke would probably have been retaken, had he not found a pony, and leapt upon its back, with only a halter on its head, and without a saddle. By the advantage thus afforded him, he was enabled to escape to the neighbouring highlands, where he lay safe from pursuit, and soon after obtained knowledge of the young chevalier's having landed, and made preparation to join him. John Murray of Broughton, in the meanwhile, had discharged the perilous task of having the manifestoes printed, which were to be dispersed when the invasion should become public, as well as that of warning several persons who had agreed to give supplies of money and arms. He now left his house, where he had lived for the last three weeks in constant danger, and fear of arrest, and set out to join the prince. His active genius meditated some other exploits. By the assistance of a Jacobite friend, of a fearless and enterprising disposition, he laid a scheme for surprising the duke of Argyle, (brother and successor to the famous duke John,) and making him prisoner at his own castle of Inverary. Another project was to cause government to receive information, which, though false in the main, was yet coloured with so many circumstances of truth as to make it seem plausible, and which came to them through a channel which they did not mistrust. The reports thus conveyed to them bore, that the Jacobite chiefs were to hold a great consultation in the wilds of Rannoch, and that Murray had left his house in the south to be present at the meeting. It was proposed to those managing on the part of government to seize the opportunity of dispatching parties from Fort William and Fort Augustus to secure the conspirators at their rendezvous. The object of the scheme was, that the highlanders might have an opportunity of surprising the forts, when the garrison should be diminished by the proposed detachments. Mr. Murray, having thus planned two exploits, which, had they succeeded, must have been most advantageous to the prince's cause, proceeded to join Charles Edward, whom he found at the house of MacDonald of Kinloch-Moidart, who had advanced to that place from Borodale. Many highland gentlemen had joined him, and his enterprise seemed to be generally favoured by the chiefs on the mainland. Clanranald had also joined, with three hundred and upwards of his clan. Regular guards were mounted on the person of the prince; his arms and treasure were disembarked from the Doutelle, and distributed amongst those who seemed most able to serve him. Yet he remained straitened for want of provisions, which might have disconcerted his expedition, had not the Doutelle fallen in with and captured two vessels laden with oatmeal, a supply which enabled him to keep his followers together, and to look with confidence to the moment which had been fixed for displaying his standard. Mr. Murray, to whose management so much of the private politics of prince Charles had been confided, was recognised as his secretary of state, and trusted with all the internal management of the momentous undertaking. BATTLE OF PRESTONPANS. SIR WALTER SCOTT. When the highlanders had advanced as far as Falside hill, near Carberry, their scouts brought in notice that they had seen parties of dragoons about Tranent, and it was reported that sir John Cope was in that quarter with his whole army. The chevalier's army, which had hitherto marched in one column, now divided into two, being their intended line of battle, and keeping towards the right, so as to preserve the upper ground, which was a great point in highland tactics, marched onwards with steadiness and celerity. When they arrived where the hill immediately above Tranent slopes suddenly down upon a large cultivated plain, then in stubble, the harvest having been unusually early, the highlanders beheld the enemy near the western extremity of this plain, with their front towards the ridge of high ground which they themselves occupied. It appears that sir John Cope had directed his march under the idea, that because a road, passing from Seaton House to Preston, was the usual highway from Haddington, therefore the highlanders would make use of that, and no other, for their advance. He either did not know, or forgot, that an irregular army of mountaineers, unencumbered with baggage, and inured to marching, would not hesitate to prefer the rougher and less level road, if it possessed any advantages. Two mounted volunteers, Francis Garden, afterwards lord Gardenstone, and a Mr. Cunninghame, had been detached by the English general to collect intelligence; but unhappily, as they halted to refresh themselves beyond Musselburgh, they fell into the hands of John Roy Stewart, a more skilful partisan than themselves, by whom they were made prisoners, and led captive to the chevalier's head-quarters. Sir John Cope, deprived of the information he expected from his scouts, seems to have continued to expect the approach of the rebels from the west, until he suddenly saw them appear from the southward, on the ridge of the acclivity upon his left. He immediately changed his front, and drew up his troops with military precision in order of battle. His foot were placed in the centre, with a regiment of dragoons and three pieces of artillery upon each flank. The wall of colonel Gardiner's park (for his mansion was in the vicinity of the plain which was destined to prove fatal to him,) as well as that of Mr. Erskine of Grange, covered the right flank of the regulars; Cope's baggage was stationed at Cockenzie, on the rear of his left, and a small reserve was stationed in front of the village of Prestonpans, which lay on the rear of the general's right. In front of both armies, and separating the higher ground on which the highland army was drawn up from the firm and level plain on which the regulars were posted, lay a piece of steep and swampy ground, intersected with ditches and enclosures, and traversed near the bottom by a thick strong hedge running along a broad wet ditch, and covering the front of the royal army. It was the object of the chevalier to indulge the impatience of his troops, by pressing forward to instant battle. For this purpose he employed an officer of experience, Mr. Ker of Graden, who, mounted on a grey pony, coolly reconnoitred the seemingly impracticable ground which divided the armies, crossed it in several directions, deliberately alighted, pulled down gaps in one or two walls of dry stone, and led his horse over them, many balls being fired at him while performing this duty. This intrepid gentleman returned to the chevalier, to inform him that the morass could not be passed so as to attack the front of general Cope's army, without sustaining a heavy and destructive fire of some continuance. A waggon-way for the conveyance of coal worked in the vicinity of Tranent, for the use of the saltworks at Cockenzie, did indeed cross the morass, but it would have been ruinous to have engaged troops in such a narrow road, which was exposed to be swept in every direction both by artillery and musketry. The position of general Cope might therefore be considered as unassailable; and that general, with a moderation which marked his mediocrity of talent, was happy in having found, as he thought, safety, when he ought to have looked for victory. Lieutenant-colonel Gardiner, and other officers, pressed on the commander the necessity of a bolder line of tactics. They were of opinion that the regular soldiers should be led against the rebels while the former showed spirit for the encounter, and that remaining merely on the defensive was likely to sink the courage of the troops, as delay gave the infantry time to recollect that they had avoided an encounter with these highlanders at Corryarrack, and the cavalry leisure to remember their recent and ignominious flight from the vicinity of Edinburgh, before this new description of enemy. The lieutenant-colonel pressed his advice with earnestness, dropped some expressions of the result which was to be apprehended, and, finding his suggestions rejected, made the preparations of a good and brave man for doing his duty, and, if necessary, for dying in the discharge of it. an Some movements now took place. The regular troops huzza'd, to show their willingness to come to action; the highlanders replied in their manner, by wild shouts. A party of highlanders were stationed in Tranent churchyard, as advantageous post; but sir John Cope, advancing two light field pieces, made that position too hot for them. Still the insurgents continued anxiously bent on battle, and expressed the most earnest desire to attack the enemy, who, they supposed, intended to escape from them, as at Corryarrack. They offered to make the attack through the morass, without regard to the difficulties of the ground, and to carry fascines with them, for the purpose of rendering the ditch passable. They were exhorted to patience by their chiefs; and, to allay their fears of the escape of the nemy, the chevalier detached lord Nairne with five hundred men to the westward, that he might be in a situation to intercept sir John Cope, in case he should attempt to move off towards Edinburgh without fighting. Satisfied with this precaution, the highlanders lay down to rest in a field of pease, |