Lieut.-General Sir John Cope, in the meanwhile, had marched with his troops from Inverness to Aberdeen, where they took shipping, and landed at Dunbar, twenty-seven miles east of Edinburgh, on the 18th of September, when he was reinforced by Brigadier-General Fowke, with two regiments of dragoons, from Edinburgh. The next day he advanced towards that city to observe the disposition of the rebels, who were now increased to upwards of five thousand men.
On the 20th of September Lieut.-General Sir John Cope encamped in the neighbourhood of Preston-Pans,[9] near the sea, and seven miles from Edinburgh. His army consisted of the following regiments:—
| Gardiner's (13th) and Hamilton's (14th) dragoons | 567 |
| Two companies of Guise's (6th) and eight of Lascelles' (47th) foot | 570 |
| Five companies of Lee's (44th) regiment | 291 |
| Murray's (now 46th) regiment | 580 |
| Highlanders | 183 |
| —— | |
| Total | 2,191 |
| —— |
Information being received of the approach of the enemy, Sir John Cope drew up his army at Gladsmuir Heath, between the hamlets of Preston-Pans and Cockenzie. About three o'clock on the morning of the 21st of September, large bodies of rebel Highlanders were in motion, and before daybreak a chosen band of these hardy mountaineers advanced with great celerity and intrepidity to attack the royalists. As they drew near, they raised a fearful yell, fired a volley, threw down their muskets, and rushed sword in hand upon the troops which guarded the artillery. The sudden advance of the Highlanders in the dark, their superior numbers, and peculiar mode of fighting, dismayed the two hundred soldiers appointed to guard the artillery on the right, who saw themselves assaulted by more than three times their own numbers, and as they caught the gleam of steel flashing in their faces, gave way and fled. The two hundred and fifty dragoons on the right, seeing the artillery lost, became disheartened; they advanced to charge a large mass of Highlanders, but observing the disparity of numbers, they were seized with a panic and galloped from the field.
This inauspicious commencement of the action damped the spirits of the infantry, and the panic spread from rank to rank; several companies made resistance, and feats of valour were displayed by individuals and small parties; all semblance of order was, however, soon lost, and a confused rout ensued.
About four hundred of the royal forces were killed or wounded, and the prisoners, who amounted to nearly twelve hundred men, were removed to Edinburgh, and afterwards to the Highlands.
The FIFTY-SEVENTH regiment had the following officers taken prisoners: Lieut.-Colonel Clayton, Major Talbot, Captains Reid, John Cochran, Scot, Thomas Leslie, and Blackes; Lieutenants Thomas Hay, Cranston, Disney, Wale, Wry, and Simms; Ensigns Sutherland, Lucey, Holdane, Birnie, and L'Estrange; and Adjutant Spencer.
This successful commencement of the rebellion caused numerous adherents to flock to the Prince's standard; several regiments were recalled from the continent in October, and His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland proceeded to take the command of the royal army. The young Pretender, elated with the capture of Carlisle, marched as far as Derby, from whence, however, he commenced his retreat to the north on the 6th of December, as he found but few partisans in England to join him in his expedition.
The Duke of Cumberland, after capturing the rebel garrison of Carlisle, returned to London, leaving the command of the army to Lieut.-General Hawley.
1746