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Of the infantry of the royal army, only about 170 escaped.
From a report made by their own sergeants and corporals, by order of Lord George Murray,
between 1,600 and 1,700 prisoners, foot and cavalry, fell into the hands of the
Highlanders, including about 70 officers. In this number were comprehended the
baggage-guard, stationed at Cockenzie, which amounted to 300 men, who, on learning the
fate of the main body and the loss of their cannon, surrendered to the Camerons. The
cannon and all the baggage of the royal army, together with the military chest, containing
£4,000, fell into the hands of the victors. The greater part of the dragoons escaped by
the two roads at the extremities of the park wall, one of which passed by Colonel
Gardiner's house in the rear on their right, and the other on their left, to the north of
Preston-house. In retiring towards these outlets, halted once or twice and faced about to
meet the enemy; but at them, they wheeled about and fled. Cope, who was by no means
deficient in personal courage, assisted by the Earls of Home and Loudon, collected about
450 of the panic-struck dragoons on the west side of the village of Preston, and attempted
to lead them back to the charge; but no entreaties could induce these cowards to advance,
and the whistling of a few bullets discharged by some Highlanders near the village, so
alarmed them, that they instantly scampered off in a southerly direction, screening their
heads behind their horses necks to avoid the bullets of the Highlanders. The general had
no alternative but to gallop off with his men. He reached Coldstream, a town about forty
miles from the field of battle, that night; and entered Berwick next day.
Among six of Cope's officers who were killed, was Colonel Gardiner, a veteran soldier who
had served under the Duke of Marlborough, and whose character combined a strong religious
feeling with the most undaunted courage. He had been decidedly opposed to the defensive
system of Cope on the preceding evening, and had counselled the general not to lose a
moment in attacking the Highlanders; but his advice was disregarded. Anticipating the fate
which awaited him, he spent the greater part of the night in devotion, and resolved at all
hazards to perform his duty. He was wounded at the first onset at the head of his
dragoons; but disdaining to follow them in their retreat, he joined a small body of foot,
which attempted to rally near the wall of his own garden, and while fighting at their head
was cut down by the murderous scythe of a Macgregor, within a few yards of his own house.
He was carried by a friend to the manse of Tranent in an almost lifeless state, where he
expired within a few hours, and was interred in the north-west corner of the church of
Tranent. Captain Brymer of Lee's regiment, who appears to have participated in Gardiner's
opinion as to attacking the Highlanders, met a similar fate. Having been at the battle of
Sheriffmuir, he was satisfied of the capability of the Highlanders to contend with regular
troops, and dreaded the result of an encounter if assailed by the Highlanders. When
encamped at Haddington, his brother officers were in high spirits, and making light of the
enemy; but Brymer viewed matters in a very different light. While reading one night in his
tent he was accosted by Mr Congalton of Congalton, his brother-in-law, who, observing him
look pensive and grave, when all the other officers appeared so cheerful, inquired the
reason. Brymer answered that the Highlanders were not to be despised, and that he was
afraid his brother officers would soon find that they had mistaken the character of the
Highlanders, who would, to a certainty, attack the royal army, with a boldness which those
only who had witnessed their prowess could have any idea of. These gloomy forebodings were
not the result of an innate cowardice - for this officer was, as he showed, a brave man -
but from a well-founded conviction that Cope's men could not stand the onset of such a
body of Highlanders as Charles had assembled. Brymer was killed, with his face to the
enemy, disdaining to turn his back when that part of the line where he was stationed was
broken in upon by the Highlanders.
The loss on the side of the Highlanders was trifling. Four officers, and between 30 and 40
privates, were killed; and 5 or 6 officers, and between 70 and 80 privates, wounded.
After the termination of the fight, the field of battle presented an appalling spectacle,
rarely exhibited in the most bloody conflicts. As almost all the slain were cut down by
the broadsword and the scythe, the ground was strewed with legs, arms, hands, noses, and
mutilated bodies, while, from the deep gashes inflicted by these dreadful weapons, the
field was literally soaked with gore. An instance of the almost resistless power of the
broadsword occurred when a Highland gentleman, who led a division, broke through Mackay's
regiment: a grenadier, having attempted to parry off with his hand a blow made at him by
the gentleman alluded to, had his hand lopped off and his skull cut above an inch deep. He
expired on the spot.
It was a most fortunate circumstance that the Highlanders, having no revengeful feeling to
gratify on the present occasion, were easily induced to listen to the dictates of
humanity. After the fury of their onset was abated, they not only readily gave, but even
offered quarter; and when the action was over, appear to have displayed an unwonted
sympathy for the wounded. A Highland officer this exultingly notices the conduct of his
companions in arms. "Now, whatever notions or sentiments the low country people may
entertain of our Highlanders, this day there were many proofs to a diligent spectator,
amidst all the bloodshed, (which at the first shock was unavoidable), of their humanity
and mercy; for I can, with the strictest truth and sincerity, declare, that I often heard
our people call out to the soldiers if they wanted quarter; and we, the officers exerted
our utmost pains to protect the soldiers from their first fury, when either through their
stubbornness or want of language they did not cry for quarters, and I observed some of our
private men run to Port Seaton for ale and other liquors to
support the wounded. And as one proof for all, to my own particular observation, I saw a
Highlander supporting a poor wounded soldier and carry him on his back into his horse, and
left him a sixpence at parting.
In their attentions to the wounded, the Highlanders had a good example in Charles himself,
who not only issued orders for taking care of the wounded, but also remained on the field
of battle till mid-day to see that his orders were fulfilled. Finding the few surgeons he
had carried along with him inadequate to meet the demands of the wounded, he despatched
one of his officers to Edinburgh to bring out all the surgeons, who accordingly instantly
repaired to the field of battle. As the Highlanders felt an aversion to bury the dead, and
as the country people could not be prevailed upon to assist in the care of the wounded,
Charles experienced great obstacles in carrying through his humane intentions. Writing to
his father, on the evening of the battle, he thus alludes to them: "Tis hard my
victory should put me under new difficulties which I did not feel before, and yet this is
the case. I am charged both with the care of my friends and enemies. Those who should bury
the dead are run away, as if it were no business of theirs. My Highlanders think it
beneath them to do it, and the country people are fled away. However, I am determined to
try if I can get people for money to undertake it, for I cannot bear the thought of
suffering Englishmen to rot above the ground. I am in great difficulties how I shall
dispose of my wounded prisoners. If I make a hospital of the church, it will be lookt upon
as a great profanation, and of having violated my manifesto, in which I promise to violate
no man's property. If the magistrates would act, they would help me out of this
difficulty. Come what will, I am resolved not to let the poor wounded men lye in the
streets, and if I can do no better, I will make a hospital of the palace and leave it to
them.
When congratulating themselves on the victory they had obtained, the Highlanders related
to each other what they had done or seen. Instances were given of individual prowess which
might appear incredible, were it not well-known that when fear seizes an army all
confidence in themselves or their numbers is completely destroyed. On this occasion
"the panic-terror of the English surpassed all imagination. They threw down their
arms that they might run with more speed, thus depriving themselves by their fears of the
only means of arresting the vengeance of the Highlanders. Of so many, in a condition from
their numbers to preserve order in their retreat, not one thought of defending himself.
Terror had taken entire possession of their minds". Of the cases mentioned, one was
that of a young Highlander about fourteen years of age, scarcely formed, who was presented
to the prince as a prodigy, having, it was said, killed fourteen of the enemy. Charles
asking him if this was true, he replied, "I do not know if I killed them, but I
brought fourteen soldiers to the ground with my sword". Another instance was that of
a Highlander, who brought ten soldiers, whom he had made prisoners, to the prince, driving
them before him like a flock of sheep. With unexampled rashness, he had pursued a party of
Cope's men to some distance from the field of battle, along a road between two inclosures,
and striking down the hindermost man of the party with a blow of his sword, called aloud
at the same time, "Down with your arms". The soldiers, terror-struck, complied
with the order without looking behind them; and the Highlander, with a pistol in one hand
and a sword in the other, made them do as he pleased. Yet, as the Chevalier Johnstone
observes, these were "the same English soldiers who had distinguished themselves at
Dettingen and Fontenoy, and who might justly be
ranked amongst the bravest troops of Europe".
After doing every thing in his power for the relief of the wounded of both armies, and
giving directions for the disposal of his prisoners, Charles partook of a small repast
upon the field of battle, and thereafter proceeded to Pinkie House, a seat of the Marquis
of Tweeddale, where he passed the night. |
