Page:English Historical Review Volume 37.djvu/374

 366 THE HIGHLAND FORTS July Corryairack, where want of success might have had terrible consequences. 1 But after the very great disappointment of the rebels at Corryairack he was hopeful that he might at least secure the tranquillity of the country. When, however, the news of Prestonpans reached the highlands men began to gather for the invader's service, a thousand rumours were flying abroad, and giddy people endeavouring to raise men. To Forbes it seemed essential to keep as many as possible out of the rebellion, and the surest means was, as he judged, to enlist them in the king's service. But he was short of money, could not command a shilling that was his own, and bank bills were of course of no currency. Out of his own resources he made shift to provide for the urgent needs of the independent companies, but the regular troops in Fort George and Fort Augustus had likewise no more money than would provide pay for two or three weeks. There were some 700 stand of arms in Fort George, but these were not enough to furnish the men whom they could get together if only they had the means. 2 Again and again Forbes sent messages to England repeating the urgent need for money and arms. 3 None were forth- coming till too late ; yet it would not be fair to put the whole blame on the government, when news was slow to come and response in the stormy whiter season difficult. At the end of September the earl of Loudoun, a capable soldier, was sent to take command from Inverness to Inverlochy. He reached Inverness on 9 October, bringing with him a supply of arms and money, but of neither nearly enough. Loudoun and Forbes, who worked together in harmony, had their hands full ; the rebels' success had blown the spirit of mutiny to such a pitch that nothing was heard of but labelling and gathering together of men in the neighbourhood. Every petty head of a tribe, who was in any degree tinged with Jacobitism or desperate in his circumstances, assembled his kindred and made use of the most malicious to drag the most peaceable out of their beds and to force others to list by threatening destruction to their cattle and other effects, whilst we were unable to give them any assistance or protection. 4 Loudoun had at first only a handful of men, with which to hold a defenceless town in a restless neighbourhood. Forbes himself was in danger, and a few days after Loudoun's arrival a party of 200 rebels made an unsuccessful attack on Culloden House. The Jacobites on their part were active, and some clans that had hitherto been quiet began to stir. The Frasers in parti- 1 State Papers, Scotland, ii. 26, no. 30. Duncan Forbes on 20 September. 1 Ibid. nos. 50, 58. Duncan Forbes on 3 and 10 October. Culloden Papers, pp. 408, 417, 420, 471. See also Loudoun on 11 October when announcing his arrival (State Papers, Scotland, ii. 26, no. 60).
 * On 20 September and 3 and 10 October 1745, and on 26 January 1746. Cf.
 * Ibid. no. 78. Duncan Forbes on 13 November.