The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

CHAP. VI] O F S C O T L A N D 95
on the west coast of Scotland, raised the standard of revolt in
Glenfinan, and was, in the course of a few days, joined by some
1500 clansmen. With this insignificant force he boldly set
forward to assert his right to the British crown, his strength
daily and rapidly increasing until it augmented to about 5000
men. But the ardour of his disposition, and that of his devoted
followers, compensated for the want of numerical force, and he
urged his headlong progress with a degree of success of which
history affords few examples ; after defeating a greatly superior
force of regular troops at Prestonpans, he penetrated with his
small army into the very heart of a strong and populous country,
nor suspended his progress until within ninety miles of the
metropolis of England. Circumstances had rendered some
space for deliberation now necessary, and, considering the very
inadequate character of their resources, to enable them for any
length of time to maintain their ground in the midst of an
enemy's country, the only chance of success seemed to be, in
resolving at all hazards to push on to London, and under the
walls of the metropolis to dispute the pretensions of the reigning
monarch to the throne. But, unhappily for their cause, the con-
fidence of the Scottish levies had rapidly declined in proportion
as they found themselves removed to a distance from their
native hills ; conflicting opinions began to prevail, the prudence
of timely retreat was urged upon the Prince, and his reluctant
assent to that disheartening measure finally attained. It is not
my object here to detail the events of this romantic enterprise ;
suffice it to say, that even in the discouragement of retreat, the
gallantry and characteristic hardihood of the clansmen were
conspicuous ; they defeated the King's troops at Falkirk, but
every hope of ultimate success was finally extinguished on the
disastrous field of Culloden.
The government were now too painfully aware of the formid-
able character of the Highlanders in arms, wild and undisciplined
as they were, and of the constancy of their loyal attachment to
the exiled house of Stuart, not to adopt the most severe measures
to crush their spirit, and the universal alarm which their progress
had created throughout the kingdom, was too great to be for-
gotten, when the opportunity of revenge at length presented
itself Every atrocity which it is possible to conceive an army,