FIELD OF CULLODEN.
was therefore agreed to return. Charles had never come up to the front himself, but sent O'Sullivan to say that he should have been glad of the attack, but that lord George Murray would judge whether it were practicable.
The retreat was made, and the men found themselves again in the morning on the bleak, black heath of Drummosie, hungry and worn out, yet in expectation of a battle. The duke of Cumberland, according to Home, had been quite aware of their night march, and ready to receive the enemy. There was yet time to do the only wise thing — retreat into the mountains, and depend upon a guerilla warfare, in which they would have the decided advantage. Lord George Murray now earnestly proposed this, but in vain. "Why," says lord George, "what I have now nentioned was not performed, let them answer who were determined against a hill campaign, as they called it. What I can aver is, that myself and most of the clans — at least, all those I spoke with — were for this operation; and his royal highness could have supported the fatigue as well any person in the army. It is trus. Sir Thomas Sheridan, &c., could not have undergone it; so we were obliged to be undone for their ease. As to provisions, had I been allowed any direction we would not have wanted, though, perhaps, not the best, for years, so long as there were cattle in the Highlands, or meal in the Lowlands."
This was the advice of a good general. Lord George contended that they ought, in the unfit state of the men, to cross to the south side of the river Nairn, where the country was hilly, and inaccessible to cavalry; but, as lord George intimates. Sir Thomas Sheridan and other officers from France grew outrageous at that proposal, contending that they could easily beat the English, as they had done at Prestonpans and Falkirk—forgetting that the Highlanders then were full of vigour and spirit. Unfortunately, Charles listened to this foolish reasoning and the fatal die was cast.
The English army was now in full march against them. About eight o'clock in the morning one of the men who had been left asleep in the wood of Kilravock, came running to Culloden House, where Charles and his chief officers were resting, to announce that Cumberland's troops were coming. There was then a hurried running and riding to get the army drawn up to receive them. Cumberland came on with his army, divided into three columns of five battalions each. The artillery and baggage followed the second column along the sea-coast on the right; the cavalry covered the left wing, which stretched toward the hills. The men were all in the highest spirits, and even the regiments of horse, which had hitherto behaved so ill, seemed as though they meant to retrieve their characters to-day. The Highlanders were drawn up about half a mile from the part of the moor where they stood the day before, forming a sad contrast to Cumberland's troops, looking thin, and dreadfully fatigued. In placing, also, a most fatal mistake was made. They were drawn up in two lines, with a body of reserve; but the clan Macdonald, which had always been accustomed to take their place on the right since Robert Bruce placed them there in the battle of Bannockburn, were disgusted to find themselves now occupying the left. Instead of the Macdonalds, now, stood the Athol brigade, and in the centre the Camerons of Lochiel, the Stuarts of Appin, the Frazers, Macintoshes, Maclauchlins, Macleans, Fergusons, and the Roy Stuarts.
