Battle of Culloden

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Accounts of this battle and its aftermath vary and are contradictory on some points. This article attempts to provide a reasonable summary.

Battle of Culloden
Part of the Jacobite Rising of 1745-46
Battle of Culloden, by David Morier
Date April 16, 1746 Location Culloden, Scotland Result Decisive Victory for King George II
Combatants
Royal Army	Jacobite Forces
Commanders
William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland	Charles Edward Stuart, the Young Pretender
Strength
ca. 9,000 men	ca. 5,400 men
Casualties
52 killed, 259 wounded	1,250 killed, 1,000 wounded, 558 captured

Second Jacobite Rising
Highbridge – Prestonpans – Carlisle – Clifton – Inverurie – Falkirk – Culloden

The Battle of Culloden (April 16, 1746), was the final clash between the Jacobites and the Hanoverians in the 1745 Jacobite Rising. It was the last battle to be fought on mainland Britain, and brought the Jacobite cause—to restore the House of Stuart to the throne of Great Britain—to a decisive defeat from which it never recovered.

The Jacobites—most of them Highland Scots—supported the claim of Charles Edward Stuart (aka "Bonnie Prince Charlie" or "The Young Pretender") to the throne; the British army, under the Duke of Cumberland, younger son of the Hanoverian sovereign, King George II, supported his father's cause.

The aftermath of the battle was brutal and earned the victorious general the name "Butcher" Cumberland. Charles Edward Stuart eventually left Britain and went to Rome, never to attempt to take the throne again. Civil penalties were also severe. New laws dismantled the Highlanders' feudal clan system, and even highland dress was outlawed.

Contents 1 Background 2 Armies 2.1 Jacobite Army 2.2 British Government Army 3 Battle 4 Aftermath 5 Order Of Battle 5.1 Jacobite Army 5.2 British Government Army 6 References and further reading 7 Film and documentaries 8 External links

[edit] Background

For further detail see Jacobite Rising.

Prince Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or the Young Pretender, successfully raised forces, mainly of Scottish Highland clansmen, which took Edinburgh and defeated the Royal Army stationed in Scotland at the Battle of Prestonpans. The British government began bringing forces back from the war with France in Flanders to deal with the Jacobite rebellion.

After a lengthy wait, Charles persuaded his generals that English Jacobites would stage a rising and the French would invade to assist them. His army of around 5000 invaded England on November 8, 1745 and advanced through Carlisle and Manchester to Derby, a position where they appeared to threaten London, leading King George II to make plans to decamp to Hanover. The Jacobites met only token resistance in England; however, there was also very little active support from English Jacobites, and the French invasion fleet was still being assembled, the armies of General George Wade and of William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, also known as the "Wee German Lairdy" and "The Butcher", were approaching, a militia was forming in London and they had (fictitious) reports of a third army closing on them. The Jacobite general Lord George Murray and the Council of War insisted on returning to join their growing force in Scotland and on 6 December 1745 they withdrew, with the Prince petulantly leaving the command to Murray.

The Jacobite forces reached Glasgow by 25 December, reprovisioned, and were joined by a few thousand extra men. They then clashed with the forces of General Henry Hawley near Falkirk and were victorious. The Duke of Cumberland arrived in Edinburgh on 30 January to take over command of the government army from General Hawley, then marched north along the coast with the army being supplied by sea. They assembled at Aberdeen and spent six weeks in careful training.

The King's forces continued to pressure Charles, and he retired northwards, losing men and failing to take Stirling Castle or Fort William but investing Fort Augustus and Fort George in Inverness by early April. Charles now took charge again, insisting on fighting a defensive action.

[edit] Armies

[edit] Jacobite Army

• Nearly three quarters of the Jacobite army was formed of Scottish Highland clansmen, the majority of them being Roman Catholic but more than a third being Scottish Episcopalians.
• Around a quarter of the total force were Episcopalians from the north-east Scottish Lowlands north of the River Tay so that more than half the total was Episcopalian, but the lowland contribution was obscured by their tendency to wear Highland dress as a kind of Jacobite uniform.
• Only 20-25% of the highlanders were armed with swords, some having spears or axes and the remainder makeshift or captured weapons.
• During the invasion of England about 300 English Catholics from Manchester formed a regiment, but were left behind for a rearguard action at Carlisle.
• At the end of November French ships arrived in Scotland with 800 men from the Écossais Royeaux (Royal Scots) and Irish Brigade (French) Regiments of the French army. Many of the Highlanders had left for home after Falkirk, and the army was badly provisioned and on short rations.

• Jacobite clans who fought at the Battle of Culloden included: Clan Stuart, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, Clan MacDonnell of Glengarry, Clan MacDonald of Clan Ranald, Clan Cameron,Clan Campbell (Some clansmen of Clan Campbell defected to the Royalist army) Clan Gordon, Clan Fraser, Clan MacLean, Clan MacLeod, Clan Ogilvy, Clan Chisholm, Clan MacLaren, Clan MacBain, Clan MacLachlan and the Chattan Confederation of Clan MacKintosh and Clan Farquharson.

[edit] British Government Army

The British Army under Cumberland, assembled and trained at Aberdeen, was well supplied. It included:

• Three regiments of horse which were mostly English but possibly also included German Hanoverians.
• Twelve battalions of foot one third of which was made from Lowland Scottish clansmen plus over six hundred Scottish Highland clansmen:
• One battalion and a militia had been largely raised from Clan Campbell Scottish Highlanders.
• Other Scottish Highland clans that fought on side with the government army at the Battle of Culloden included the Clan Munro and the Clan Ross who had both previously fought for the British against the French at the Battle of Fontenoy. Also the Clan Sutherland, Clan Grant and others.
• Three battalions of Scottish Lowlanders foot soldiers supported the government at the Battle of Culloden from Clan Cathcart, Clan Colville, Clan Sempill, Clan Kerr, Clan Cunningham (company of artillery) and others. Most of the these clans fought in mixed regiments often under the name of an English officer. For example Barrel's Regiment of Foot and the Royal Scots Regiment of Foot.
• Other Highland clans such as Clan MacKay, Clan Gunn, Clan MacNab and many others sided with the government during the uprisings but were assigned other military duties. The Clan MacKay intercepted and captured gold and supplies to stop them reaching Jacobite leader Bonnie Prince Charlie.

[edit] Battle

The Duke of Cumberland and his army of around 8,000 arrived at Nairn on 14 April. The Jacobite forces of about 5,400 left their base at Inverness, leaving most of their supplies, and assembled 5 miles (8 km) to the east near Drummossie, around 12 miles (19 km) before Nairn. Prince Charles had decided to take personal command of his forces and took the advice of his adjutant general, Secretary O’Sullivan, who chose to stage a defensive action at Drummossie Moor, a stretch of open moorland enclosed between the walled Culloden enclosures to the North and the walls of Culloden Park to the South. Lord George Murray "did not like the ground" and with other senior officers pointed out the unsuitability of the rough moorland terrain which was highly advantageous to the Duke with the marshy and uneven ground making the famed Highland charge somewhat more difficult while remaining open to Cumberland’s powerful artillery. They had argued for a guerilla campaign, but the Prince refused to change his mind.

On 15 April the Government army celebrated Cumberland's birthday, drinking his health at his expense. At the suggestion of Murray the Jacobites tried that evening to repeat the success of Prestonpans by carrying out a night attack on the government army encampment, but the half-starved Highlanders who had only had one biscuit apiece during the day were still 2 miles (3 km) short of Nairn by dawn and had to march back, then dispersed to search for food or fell asleep in ditches and outbuildings. Many of them lay exhausted in the grounds of Culloden House throughout the battle.

Early on 16 April the Government army marched from Nairn, and Jacobite guns sounded the alarm (though not all heard) to bring their troops to form two lines. The front line of exhausted highland foot soldiers had guns in the centre and on the flanks, the second line included their horse regiments, worn out from the night march, and the Scots and Irish regiments of the French army. The weather was very poor with a gale driving sleety rain into the faces of the Jacobites. The Duke's forces arrived around mid day and arrayed themselves in two lines to face the Jacobite forces, their left flank anchored on a low stone wall running along the south end of the field towards Culloden Park. Horse Dragoons and Government militia moved round behind the wall to infiltrate the park around the Jacobite flank. The Prince's artillery, outnumbered some three to one, opened fire first but due to a lack of trained gunners had little impact.

Over the next twenty minutes Cumberland's superior artillery continued to batter the Jacobite lines, while Charles, moved for safety out of sight of his own forces, waited for the government forces to move. Inexplicably, he left his forces arrayed under the Government fire for over half an hour. Although the marshy terrain minimised casualties, the morale of the Jacobites began to suffer. Several clan leaders, angry at the lack of action, pressured Charles to issue the order to charge. When he was eventually persuaded to issue the order, the McDonalds refused, angry because they had been placed on the left flank overturning their traditional right to take the right flank. The Clan Chattan was first away, but an area of boggy ground in front of them forced them to veer right so that they obstructed the following regiments and the attack was pushed towards the wall. The Highlanders advanced on the left flank of the Government troops but were subjected to several volleys of musket fire and the artillery which had switched from roundshot to grapeshot.

Despite this, a large number of Jacobites reached the Government lines; however, unlike in previous battles, their uncoordinated charge meant that the line arrived piecemeal. The newly introduced bayonet drill used by the government troops meant that in many places the charge, already flagging, was crushed against the Government lines. Despite this, the right flank of the Jacobites broke through the first line of Government troops and was only halted by Cumberland's second line of defence.

A captain of Munro's regiment later recounted that "In the midst of this action the officer that led on the Clan Camerons called to me to take quarter, which I refused and I bid the rebel scoundrel advance. He did, and fired at me, but providentially missed his mark. I then shot him dead and took his pistol and dirk..."

While the attack was still in progress, a small number of the Government forces had breached the park wall and the Campbell militia advanced unseen to fire at the right flank of the Jacobite lines. This added to all the other brutal gunfire, and threatened by cavalry the Jacobites were forced to retreat. The Duke ordered in his dragoons to rout the Jacobite forces, but the small contingent of elite Irish and other regular regiments covered the retreat as the Jacobites withdrew.

In a total of about 60 minutes the Duke was victorious, around 1,250 Jacobites were dead, a similar number were wounded, and 558 prisoners were taken. Cumberland lost about 52 dead and 259 wounded among his Government forces.

[edit] Aftermath

After their victory, Cumberland ordered his men to execute all the Jacobite wounded and prisoners, an act for which he was known afterwards as "the Butcher". Certain higher-ranking prisoners did survive to be tried and executed later in Inverness.

The Prince fled the battlefield and survived for five months in Scotland despite a £30,000 reward for his capture. The Prince eventually returned to France, making a dramatic if humiliating escape disguised as a "lady's maid" to Flora Macdonald.

Immediately after the battle, Cumberland rode into Inverness, his drawn sword still covered in blood, a symbolic and menacing gesture. The following day, the slaughter continued, when patrols were sent back to the battlefield to kill any survivors; contemporary sources indicate that about 70 more Jacobites were killed as a result of this. Cumberland emptied the jails of English prisoners, and replaced them with Jacobite sympathisers. Numbers of the prisoners were brought south to England to stand trial, charged with high treason, with trials taking place at Berwick, York and London. Executions were conducted on the basis of drawing lots on a ratio of about 1 in 20. In total 3,470 Jacobites, supporters and others were taken prisoner in the aftermath of Culloden, with 120 of them being executed and 88 dying in prison; 936 transported to the colonies and 222 more "banished". While many were eventually released, the fate of nearly 700 is unknown. As well as dealing out summary justice to his captives, Cumberland was equally ruthless with deserters from his own forces found amongst the prisoners, executing 36 of them.

By contrast with the ruthless treatment shown to many of the captured clansmen, the detachments of Irish soldiers from the French army were permitted to formally surrender, were treated well and eventually returned to France. They were considered as regular soldiers of a foreign ruler and accordingly subject to the normal practices of warfare. The captured Jacobites were regarded as traitors (even if many had had no choice but to follow their clan leaders) and treated accordingly.

The Hanoverian forces' assault on the Jacobite sympathizers continued in the coming months—destroying the clan system with the Act of Proscription disarming them, banning the kilt and the tartan, the Tenures Abolition Act ending the feudal bond of military service and the Heritable Jurisdictions Act removing the virtually sovereign power the chiefs had over their clan. Statute provisions were aimed at proscribing the perceived religion of the Jacobites, Episcopalianism (Catholicism was already banned). Government troops were stationed in the Highlands and built more roads and barracks to better control the region, adding to the Wade roads constructed for Major-General George Wade after the 'Fifteen rising, as well a new fortress at Fort George to the east of Inverness. The proscribed clan dress of kilt and tartan was, at least officially, only permitted in the Highland regiments serving in the British Army.

[edit] Order Of Battle

[edit] Jacobite Army

(approximately 5,400 men)

• Army Commander - Prince Charles Edward Stuart

• FIRST LINE - 3,810 men
  • Right Wing - 1,150 men (Lord George Murray, brother of the Chief of Clan Murray)
    • Atholl Highlanders Regiment - 500 men (William Murray Lord Nairne)
    • Clan Cameron Regiment - 400 men (Donald Cameron of Lochiel, de facto Chief of Clan Cameron)
    • Clan Stewart of Appin Regiment - 250 men (Charles Stewart of Ardshiel, uncle to the Chief of Clan Stewart of Appin)

• • Centre - 1,760 men (Lord John Drummond)
    • Frasers of Lovat Regiment - 400 men (Charles Fraser of Inverallachie)
    • Chattan Confederation Regiment - 350 men (Alexander MacGillivray of Dunmaglass, Chief of Clan MacGillivray, for Lady Anne Farquharson MacIntosh, "Colonel Anne", wife of the Chief of Clan MacKintosh, Captain of the Clan Chattan Confederation and daughter of John Farquharson of Invercauld)
    • Clan Farquharson Regiment - 250 men (James Farquharson of Balmoral, "Balmoral the Brave")
    • Clan MacLachlan & Clan MacLean Regiment - 290 men (Lachlan MacLachlan of MacLachlan, Chief of Clan MacLachlan and aide de camp to the Prince, with Charles MacLean of Drimnin as second-in-command)
      • Clan MacLeod Unit - 120 men (Malcolm MacLeod of Raasay) - attached to Clans MacLachlan & MacLean Regiment
    • Edinburgh Regiment - 200 men (John Roy Stewart)
    • Clan Chisholm Regiment - 150 men (Roderick Chisholm of Comar, son of the Chief of Clan Chisholm)

• • Left Wing - 900 men (James Drummond, 3rd Duke of Perth, Chief of Clan Drummond)
    • Clan MacDonald of Clan Ranald - 200 men (Ranald MacDonald of Clan Ranald, "Young Clanranald", son of the Chief of Clan MacDonald of Clan Ranald)
    • Clan MacDonald of Keppoch Regiment - 200 men (Alexander MacDonnell of Keppoch, Chief of Clan MacDonnell of Keppoch)
    • Clan MacDonnell of Glengarry Regiment - 420 men (Donald MacDonell of Lochgarry)
      • Clan Grant of Glenmorriston Unit - 80 men (Alexander Grant of Corrimony) - attached to Clan MacDonnell of Glengarry Regiment

• SECOND LINE - 1,190 men (Lt.Col. Walter Stapleton)
  • Clan Ogilvy Angus Regiment (Lord David Ogilvy, son of the Chief of Clan Ogilvy)
  • 1st Clan Gordon Regiment (Lord Lewis Gordon, brother of the Chief of Clan Gordon)
  • 2nd Clan Gordon Regiment (John Gordon of Glenbucket)
  • Duke of Perth's Regiment (Unknown)
  • Regiment Eccosais Royeaux (Lord Louis Drummond)
  • Irish Piquets Regiment (Maj. Summan)

• • THIRD LINE - 400 men
  • Kilmarnock's Regiment (William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock, Chief of Clan Boyd)
  • Pitsligo's Regiment (Alexander Baron Forbes of Pitsligo)
  • Regiment Baggot (Unknown)
  • Lord Elcho's Horse (David Wemyss Lord Elcho, son of the Chief of Clan Wemyss)
  • Life Guards (Unknown)
  • FitzJames's Horse (Sir Jean McDonell)

• • ARTILLERY (Unknown)
    • 2 x 2pdr cannon
    • 3 x 4pdr cannon
    • 3 x 6pdr cannon

Note 1: Of the commanding officers listed above:

• Donald Cameron of Lochiel, de facto Chief of Clan Cameron, was wounded and had to be carried from the field;
• Charles Fraser of Inverallachie was mortally wounded;
• Alexander MacGillivray of Dunmaglass, Chief of Clan MacGillivray, was killed, with all but three officers of the Clan Chattan Regiment;
• Lachlan MacLachlan of MacLachlan, Chief of Clan MacLachlan, was killed;
• Charles MacLean of Drimnin was killed, with two of his sons;
• James Drummond, 3rd Duke of Perth and Chief of Clan Drummond, was severely wounded - he was carried from the field, but died on his way to France;
• Alexander MacDonell of Keppoch, Chief of Clan MacDonell of Keppoch, was killed.

Other persons of note on the Jacobite side to be killed at Culloden were:

• William Drummond of Machany, 4th Viscount of Strathallan;
• Robert Mercer of Aldie, an officer in the Atholl Highlanders Regiment;
• Gillies Mhor MacBean of Dalmagerry, who led the MacBeans of the Clan Chattan Regiment.

Note 2: More clans fought (and died) at Culloden than is apparent from this order of battle.

The Atholl Highlanders Regiment (also known as the Atholl Brigade) was mostly made up of members of Clan Murray, Clan Ferguson, Clan Stewart of Atholl, Clan Menzies, and Clan Robertson.

Also, the clan regiments are not quite as easily defined as their names suggest. Note that:

• in the Clan Cameron Regiment there were also members of Clan MacFie and Clan MacMillan;
• the Clan Stewart of Appin Regiment was not only made up of members of Clan Stewart of Appin, but also of Clan MacLaren, Clan MacColl, Clan MacInnes, Clan MacIntyre, and Clan Livingstone;
• the Clan Chattan Regiment was mostly made up of Clan MacIntosh, Clan MacGillivray, and Clan MacBean, but also included members of Clan MacKinnon and Clan MacTavish, which were not part of the Clan Chattan Confederation;
• the Clan MacDonnell of Keppoch Regiment included, apart from Clan MacDonnell of Keppoch, also Clan MacDonald of Glencoe (also known as Clan MacIan), Clan MacGregor, and Clan MacIver;
• Lord Ogilvy's Angus Regiment consisted mainly of members of Clan Ogilvy and Clan Ramsay;
• the Duke of Perth's Regiment consisted mainly of members of Clan Drummond;
• Kilmarnock's Regiment consisted mainly of members of Clan Boyd;
• Pitsligo's Regiment consisted mainly of members of Clan Forbes;
• and Lord Elcho's Horse consisted mainly of members of Clan Wemyss.

---

[edit] British Government Army

• Army Commander - 'William Duke of Cumberland

• FIRST LINE - Earl of Abermarle
• Kerr's Dragoons (protected the left flank, led by Lord Mark Kerr of Clan Kerr).
  • Barrel's 4th Regiment of Foot (led by Lord Robert chief of Clan Kerr).
  • Munro's 37th Regiment of Foot (led by Sir Harry Munro chief of Clan Munro).
  • Campbell's, 21st Regiment of Foot, (led by 'Charles' chief of Clan Colville). (Today called the Royal Scots Fusiliers).
  • Price's Regiment 14th Regiment of Foot. (later The West Yorkshire Regiment).
  • Cholmondley's 34th Regiment of Foot. (later The Border Regiment).
  • The Royal Regiment of Foot (led by Charles Cathcart chief of Clan Cathcart. Today called the The Royal Scots).

• SECOND LINE - Maj.Gen John Huske
  • Semphill's, 25th Regiment of Foot (led by "Hugh" chief of Clan Sempill and Capt. Campbell), (later named the King's Own Scottish Borderers).
  • Wolfe's 8th Regiment of Foot (Lt.Col James Wolfe) (later called later The King’s Liverpool Regiment).
  • Bligh's 20th Regiment of Foot (later called The Lancashire Fusiliers).
  • Conway's 48th Regiment of Foot (later called The Northamptonshire Regiment).
  • Fleming's 36th Regiment of Foot (later called The Worcestershire Regiment).
  • Howard's 3rd Regiment of Foot (later called The Royal East Kents, the Buffs)

• THIRD LINE - Brig.Gen Mordaunt
  • Blakeney's 27th Regiment of Foot (from Ireland, later named Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers).
  • Battereau's 62nd Regiment of Foot (later disbanded)
  • Pulteney's 13th Regiment of Foot (later The Somerset Light Infantry).
  • Royal Artillery (led by Captin Cunningham of Clan Cunningham)
    • 10 x 3pdr cannon
  • Clan Campbell's Militia (Col. Jack Campbell)
  • Cobham's Dragoons (renamed the 10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own)
  • Kingston's Regiment of Horse (later disbanded).

[edit] References and further reading

• Duffy, Christopher, The '45: Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Untold Story of the Jacobite Rising, Cassel, 2003, ISBN 0-304-35525-9
• Harrington, Peter, Culloden 1746, The Highland Clans' Last Charge; Osprey Campaign Series #12; Osprey Publishing 1991
• Maclean, Fitzroy, Scotland, A Concise History, Thames and Hudson 1991, ISBN 0-500-27706-0
• Prebble, John, Culloden, Atheneum 1962
• Prebble, John, The Lion in the North, Penguin Books 1973, ISBN 0-14-003652-0
• Reid, Stuart, Culloden Moor 1746, The death of the Jacobite cause; Osprey Campaign Series #106; Osprey Publishing 2002

[edit] Film and documentaries

• Watkins, Peter, Culloden, BBC documentary, 1964 (based on Prebble)
• Battlefield Britain episode, BBC documentary

[edit] External links

• Ascanius; or, the Young Adventurer
• Bloody Culloden
• Culloden Moor and the Story of the Battle (1867 account)
• National Trust for Scotland Culloden Moor page
• Culloden Walk
• A map of the battle, dated 1746
• A personal account of the battle.
• http://ourpasthistory.com/battlefields/culloden/