Page 76 - All About History - Issue 34-16
P. 76

Greatest Battles








            Jacobites                   01    Time to engage
                                              With the campaign stretching its forces out
        TROOPS 7,000                    across the Highlands, the Jacobite army does not meet
                                        the government troops with its full strength. Despite
                                        being urged by his advisers to retreat, the Bonnie
                                        Prince disregards their advice and pushes on to engage
                                        Cumberland’s forces on unsuitable ground. With his
                                        weaker position, Charles would need to plan well if he had
                                        any chance of victory.







                                        02     In the black of night
                                               Eager to catch the enemy forces
                                        flatfooted, the Jacobites plan a bold night raid
        PRINCECHARLES                   on the Hanoverian camp. In the pitch black,
                                        the two columns that had been dispatched
        EDWARDSTUART                    get separated and many men become lost
                                        in the rough terrain. Fearing the element of
        LEADER                          surprise has passed, the officers call the attack
                                        off, leaving the deflated, tired and hungry
        Grandson to the exiled king James
                                        Jacobites to trudge back to their lines.
        II, the young prince hoped to win
        the throne back from George II.
        Strengths Personal charm and a
        strong claim to the throne.
        Weakness Poor decisions                                                                            06
        ultimately led to his defeat.
                                                                    08
                                                                                                                       03



                                               Battle lines
                                        03drawn
                                        Exhausted from the botched raid,
                                        the Jacobites line up against the
                                        fresh and ready Hanoverians.                               01
                                        The government forces are in
        HIGHLANDER                      high spirits having celebrated the
                                        duke’s 25th birthday.
        UNIT
        With experience in the military and
        skirmishes with neighbouring clans,
        these men were tough warriors.
        Strengths The devastating
        Highland Charge.
        Weakness Hot headed and not
        always willing to follow orders.                                    09
                                                                                                      02
                                               Cracks begin
                                        04to show
                                        The right wing of the Jacobite
                                        army skirts a swamp that is
                                        blocking its path and attempts
                                        to move into a more favourable
                                        position without express orders.              Cannons blaze
                                        This disrupts the entire line and      05     The Duke of Cumberland orders
                                        leads to large gaps opening in the     his superior artillery to open fire. Waiting for
        BROADSWORD                      Jacobite army, leaving it exposed      the Hanoverians to advance, Bonnie Prince
        KEY WEAPON                      to enemy fire.                         Charlie lets his forces wither under the fire for
        Although not carried by all                                            30 minutes. While the marshy terrain keeps
                                                                               casualties to a minimum, the fire begins to take a
        Jacobites, the broadsword was
                                                                               toll on the Jacobites’ morale. The Highland chiefs,
        lethal in close combat.
        Strengths Brutal and deadly in                                         furious at this inaction, press for a charge and the
                                                                               ability to take the fight to the enemy.
        close quarters.
        Weakness Its extremely limited
        range made the wielder vulnerable
        to musket and cannon fire.
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