1746
The King's Own were afterwards ordered to march to Edinburgh, where they arrived on the 10th of January, 1746, and the appearance of the royal forces at that city was hailed with illuminations and public rejoicings.
The rebels undertook the siege of Stirling Castle, and a detached party of Highlanders under Lord George Murray advanced to Linlithgow, from whence they were driven on the 13th of January by a body of troops under Major-General Huske. On the following day the Buffs, King's Own, and Pulteney's (now thirteenth) regiment, advanced to Barrowstownness; and on the 16th, these troops having pitched their tents near Falkirk, were joined by the remainder of the army under Lieut.-General Hawley.
On the 17th of January, as the King's troops were at dinner in the camp, the advance of the enemy was discovered; the royal forces seized their arms, and proceeded along some rugged and difficult grounds to a large moor, where the rebel army appeared in order of battle.
Success or failure in the hour of battle has sometimes been found to depend upon accidental circumstances over which the commanders of armies have no control. Such was the case at the battle of Falkirk, where a tempest of wind and rain beat so violently in the faces of the royal forces at the moment when they engaged their adversaries, that the ammunition was spoiled in the act of loading; the soldiers could not see their opponents, and several regiments gave way. The King's Own, however, evinced the same valour and intrepidity which were so successfully displayed at the fortress of Gibraltar; they were formed in brigade with Price's (now fourteenth) regiment under the orders of Brigadier-General Cholmondeley, and these two corps withstood the fury of the charging Highland host with a firmness which redounded to their honour.[22] Having been joined by the Royals, Buffs, and Ligonier's (now forty-eighth), these five regiments repulsed one wing of the rebel army, and continued on the field of battle until night, when they returned to the camp, and subsequently proceeded to Edinburgh.
The King's Own formed part of the army under His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland which advanced from Edinburgh, on the 31st of January, towards Stirling, when the Highlanders made a precipitate retreat. The royal forces followed in pursuit, but were delayed in their advance by severe weather. The King's Own formed part of the advance-guard under Major-General Bland which proceeded to Inverary on the 12th of March, and on the 17th advanced towards Strathsbogie to attack a thousand rebel foot and sixty hussars, posted at that place under Roy Stewart; but the enemy fled on the approach of the King's troops, and were pursued for several miles: the Marquis of Granby, Colonel Conway, Captain Holden, and several other officers, displayed their zeal for the royal cause by the spirited manner in which they pursued the Highlanders.
On the 12th of April the army crossed the river Spey, and on the 16th of that month the King's Own were engaged in the action with the rebels on Culloden Moor. The regiment was posted on the left of the front line of the royal army. After a sharp cannonade several select clans of mountaineers sprang forward, and with shouts and dismal yells attacked the King's forces sword in hand. This regiment had to bear the brunt of the furious onset of the clans: for a moment it was disordered by the weight of the attacking column, and the men staggered; but only for a moment: two battalions advanced to sustain them, and recovering, they rushed upon their kilted adversaries with a resolution and valour which proved they were not unworthy of their distinguished title of the King's Own. A furious conflict ensued; the Highlanders with their swords and targets were unable to withstand the ruthless charge of the royal forces; the carnage was dreadful, and the ground was literally covered with slaughtered rebels.[23] A decisive victory was gained; and the rebellion was effectually suppressed. When the news of this event reached England, the nation was transported with joy; both houses of parliament addressed His Majesty on the subject, and passed a vote of thanks to the Duke of Cumberland and the brave troops who had fought under his orders.
The regiment lost in this action Captain Lord Robert Kerr and seventeen men killed; and had Lieut.-Colonel Rich, Captain Romer, Lieutenant Edmonds, Ensigns Campbell and Brown, and one hundred and eight non-commissioned officers and private men, wounded.
1747
After halting a short time at Inverness, the army advanced into the highlands, and encamped in the gloomy valley surrounded by rugged precipices near Fort Augustus, from whence detachments were sent out to search for arms, and for persons who had been engaged in the rebellion, and also to execute summary punishment on the guilty clans. This regiment afterwards marched back to Stirling; and it was employed in home duties for a period of eight years.