Page 75 - All About History - Issue 34-16

Highland vs Lowland
A common misconception is that the Jacobite
Rebellions were conflicts fought between
England and Scotland. There were men from both
countries on each side, with French and Irish also
entering the fray.

THE BATTLE

OFCULLODEN

INVERNESS, NORTHERN SCOTLAND

16 APRIL 1746

here was three attempts by the descendants January 1746. Due to the confusion that followed,
of the Stuart King James VII and II to reclaim however, the Jacobites were not able to capitalise on
the throne of Scotland and England, and their victory and the decision was made to withdraw
they are known as the Jacobite Rebellions. further north. There they would gather their
T The third and final attempt was made by the strength over the winter months and the Jacobite
exiled Charles Edward Stuart, better known as the campaign would start again in the spring. Hearing of
‘Young Pretender’ or ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’. With the government’s defeat at Falkirk, Cumberland, who
the Austrian Wars of Succession raging in Europe, had recently returned from campaigning in Europe,
the Bonnie Prince, the exiled grandson of James VII, raced north to take command of the royal army. The
saw his opportunity and sailed for Scotland intent Jacobites’ campaign in Scotland had left their forces
on reclaiming what he saw as his birthright. Landing stretched thin, so when the Bonnie Prince decided
in the Highlands of Scotland with only a handful of to meet Cumberland for the battle, a move that his
men, Charles used the promise of French aid and advisers warned against, he was not in the strongest
his own charm to win the nobility of Scotland round position he could have been.
to his cause. The Bonnie Prince’s standard was The two forces met at Culloden Moor, near to
raised at Glenfinnan on 19 August 1745; the rebellion Nairn and Inverness, where the boggy ground was
against the Hanoverian king George II had begun. unfavourable to the Jacobites who relied on a fierce
Moving quickly, the Young Pretender soon charge to break their enemies. Cumberland had
delivered Edinburgh into Jacobite hands, and would the advantage in artillery and had drilled his men
score a decisive defeat over the royal army at the to face the charge of the Jacobites. It was these,
Battle of Prestonpans. Everything was looking up and other factors, that led to the Hanoverian forces
for the young prince as his army marched into completely routing the Jacobites on the field.
England. He hoped that a quick victory would After the battle was over, the government forces
gain him support from the English Jacobites as the harried the Jacobites mercilessly across the country.
majority of the government army were fighting on Because of the atrocities that were committed on
the continent. They penetrated deep into England his orders, the Duke of Cumberland earned himself
and by December had reached Derby, only 125 the name ‘Butcher’. Bonnie Prince Charlie, dejected
miles from London. However, lack of support from and defeated, would eventually be smuggled out
English Jacobites and pressure from the Duke of of Scotland to France. While escaping, he sailed to
Cumberland’s force meant that the Bonnie Prince Skye and inspired the popular folk song The Skye
had to withdraw north for fear of losing his army. Boat Song. Europe would be both the prince’s and
On returning to Scotland, the Jacobites again his cause’s final resting place; there would never be
vanquished the government forces at Falkirk on 17 another Stuart attempt on the throne.

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