Page:English Historical Review Volume 37.djvu/373

 1922 IN THE ' FORTY-FIVE ' 365 in the little town of Kuthven about three hundred of the enemy, and sent proposals to me to surrender this redoubt upon conditions that I should have liberty to carry off bag and baggage. My answer was : ' I was too old a soldier to surrender a garrison of such strength without bloody noses.' They threatened hanging me and my men for refusal. I told them I would take my chance. This morning they attacked me about 12 o'clock (by my information) with about 150 men ; they attacked foregate and sally- port, and attempted to set the sally-port on fire with some old barrels and other combustibles, which took blaze immediately, but the attempter lost his life by it. They drew off about half an hour after three. About two hours after, they sent word to me that two of their chiefs wanted to talk to me ; I admitted and spoke to them from the parapet. They offered conditions : I refused. They desired liberty to carry off their dead men : I granted. There is two men since dead of their wounds in the town, and three more they took with them, as I'm informed. . . . I lost one man, shot through the head by foolishly holding his head too high over the parapet, contrary to orders. I prevented the sally-port taking fire by pouring water over the parapet. I expect another visit this night, I am informed, with their pattararoes ; but I shall give them the warmest reception my weak party can afford. 1 The attack on Buthven was only a passing episode, after which the fort was held without difficulty for over five months. Prince Charles Edward seized the attractive chance of slipping behind Cope to capture Edinburgh, and, abandoning the prospect of securing his position in the north by the reduction of the forts, determined to hazard all on the possible achievement of a sudden stroke. The first-fruits were dramatic enough : the entry into Edin- burgh, the defeat of Cope at Prestonpans, and the adventurous advance into England. Then came the disastrous retreat, broken only by the imperfect victory at Falkirk and the attempted siege of Stirling. The third week in February 1746 saw the whole highland host back in their native mountains. Theoretically the intervening period should have enabled the forts to be put in a state of proper defence, and to be secured with sufficient garrisons. But the representatives of the English government in the highlands had more than enough to do to maintain themselves in their precarious position. All communication by land was cut off, and communication by sea was difficult and uncertain. It was on Duncan Forbes of Culloden, the lord president of the court of session, that the chief burden fell. Temperate though he was in his opinion, he was indefatigable in his loyalty, and it was with good reason that the Jacobites saw in him the man ' that obstructed them more than anybody hi this country '. 2 He had heard of Cope's march north with grave apprehension, and with relief of his turning aside from 1 State Papers, Scotland, ii. 25, no. 106. The letter is printed in full in my Story of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, p. 35. 2 State Papers, Scotland, ii. 26, no. 78.