Page:History of the Scottish rebellion, 1745.pdf/19

 On the 31st January 1746, the Prince left Glasgow: and on the 5th, having got the best part of his forces together, he summoned the town of Stirling to surrender; but General Blackney, who commanded there for the king gave him a flat denial declaring, "He would sooner have his life than betray the trust that was reposed in him " However, the town being of no great strength, though the castle is, the inhabitants, after some hours spent to treaty, obtained their own terms of surrender, and next morning the Prince took possession. Meanwhile Lieutenant General Hawley, commander in chief of the English forces in Scotland, was assembling a strong, though not numerous army, in the neighborhood of Edinburgh, and encamped at Falkirk.

On the Evening of the 16th the Prince gave orders for a review of the whole army next morning at daybreak. When the review was over he made the army face to the right, and immediately march off, without any person knowing his intention, as he did not at first appear to take the road leading to the English army. At length, having passed through the village of Dumpace, a short distance from Falkirk, they arrived upon the heights near that town, in sight of the English army, and within 900 yards of their camp, before Hawley knew of their departure from Stirling.

General Hawley drew up his army in order of battle in two lines. His cavalry was placed before his infantry, on the left wing of the first line. The English began the attack with a body of 1100 cavalry, who did not halt within 20 paces of the first