Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 2

DUNBAR
DUNBAR
render their work more easy by the gaining of time.
Whereupon we marched to Musselburgh to victual, and
to ship away our sick men ; where we sent aboard near
500 sick and wounded soldiers.
' And upon serious consideration, finding our weakness
so to increase, and the enemy lying upon his advantage,
at a general council it was thought fit to march to Dun-
bar, and there to fortify the town. Which, we thought,
if any thing, would provoke them to engage. As also,
that the having a garrison there would furnish us with
accommodation for our sick men, and would be a good
magazine, which we exceedingly wanted, being put to
depend upon the uncertainty of weather for landing pro-
visions, which many times cannot be done, though the
being of the whole army lay upon it ; all the coasts
from Berwick to Leith not having one good harbour.
As also, to lie more conveniently to receive our recruits
of horse and foot from Berwick.
' Having these considerations, upon Saturday, the
30th of August, we marched from Musselburgh to Had-
dington. Where, by that time we had got the van-
brigade of our horse, and our foot and train, into their
quarters, the enemy had marched with that exceeding
expedition that they fell upon the rear-forlorn of our
horse, and put it in some disorder ; and indeed had like
to have engaged our rear-brigade of horse with their
whole army, had not the Lord, by His Providence, put
a cloud over the moon, thereby giving us opportunity to
draw off those horse to the rest of the army. Which
accordingly was done without any loss, save of three or
four of our afore-mentioned forlorn ; wherein the enemy
— as we believe — received more loss.
' The army being put into a reasonable secure posture,
towards midnight the enemy attempted our quarters, on
the W end of Haddington ; but through the goodness
of God we repulsed them. The next morning we drew
into an open field, on the S side of Haddington ; we not
judging it safe for us to draw to the enemy upon his
own ground, he being prepossessed thereof; but rather
drew back, to give him way to come to us, if he had so
thought fit. And having waited about the space of four
or five hours, to see if he would come to us, and not
finding any inclination in the enemy so to do, we
resolved to go, according to our first intendment, to
Dunbar.
' By that time we had marched three or four miles, we
saw some bodies of the enemy's horse draw out of their
quarters ; and by that time our carriages were gotten
near Dunbar, their whole army was upon their march
after us. And, indeed, our drawing back in this man-
ner with the addition of three new regiments added to
them, did much heighten their confidence, if not pre-
sumption and arrogancy. The enemy that night, we
perceived, gathered towards the hills, labouring to
make a perfect interposition between us and Berwick.
And having in this posture a great advantage, through
his better knowledge of the country he effected it, by
sending a considerable party to the strait pass at Cop-
perspath [Cockburnspath], where ten men to hinder,
are better than forty to make their way. And truly
this was an exigent to us, wherewith the enemy re-
proached us ; as with that condition the Parliament's
army was in, when it made its hard conditions with the
King in Cornwall. By some reports that have come to
us, they had disposed of us, and of their business, in
sufficient revenge and wrath towards our persons, and
had swallowed up the poor interest of England, believing
that their army and their king would have marched to
London without any interruption ; it being told us, we
know not how truly, by a prisoner we took the night
before the fight, that their king was very suddenly to
come amongst them, with those English they allowed
to be about him. But in what they were thus lifted up,
the Lord was above them.
' The enemy lying in the posture before mentioned,
having those advantages ; we lay very near him, being
sensible of our disadvantages ; having some weakness of
flesh, but yet consolation and support from the Lord
Himself to our poor weak faith, wherein I believe not a
few amongst us stand : That because of their numbers,
because of their advantages, because of their confidence,
because of our weakness, because of our strait, we were
in the Mount, and in the Mount the Lord woidd be
seen ; and that He would find out a way of deliverance
and salvation for us ; and indeed we had our consola-
tions and our hopes.
' Upon Monday evening — the enemy's whole numbers
were very great, as we heard, about 6000 horse and
16,000 foot at least ; ours drawn down, as to sound men,
to about 7500 foot and 3500 horse, — upon Monday
evening, the enemy drew down to the right wing about
two-thirds of their left wing of horse. To the right
wing ; shogging also their foot and train much to the
right, causing their right wing of horse to edge down
towards the sea. We could not well imagine but that
the enemy intended to attempt upon us, or to place
themselves in a more exact position of interposition.
The Major-General and myself coming to the Earl
Roxburgh's house [Broxmouth], and observing this
posture, I told him I thought it did give us an oppor-
tunity and advantage to attempt upon the enemy. To
which he immediately replied, that he had thought to
have said the same thing to me. So that it pleased the
Lord to set this apprehension upon both of our hearts at
the same instant. We called for Colonel Monk, and
showed him the thing ; and coming to our quarters at
night, and demonstrating our apprehensions to some of
the colonels, they also cheerfully concurred.
' We resolved, therefore, to put our business into this
posture : That six regiments of horse and three regiments
and a half of foot should march in the van ; and that the
Major-General, the Lieutenant-General of the horse, and
the Commissary-General, and Colonel Monk to com-
mand the brigade of foot, should lead on the business ;
and that Colonel Pride's brigade, Colonel Overton's
brigade, and the remaining two regiments of horse,
should bring up the cannon and rear. The time of
falling-on to be by break of day ; but, through some
delays, it proved not to be so ; not till six o'clock in the
morning.
' The enemy's word was The Covenant, which it had
been for diver days. Ours, The Lord of Hosts. The
Major-General, Lieutenant-General Fleetwood, and Com-
missary-General Whalley, and Colonel Twisleton, gave
the onset ; the enemy being in a very good posture to
receive them, having the advantage of their cannon and
foot against our horse. Before our foot could come up,
the enemy made a gallant resistance, and there was a
very hot dispute at sword's point between our horse and
theirs. Our first foot, after they had discharged their
duty, being overpowered with the enemy, received some
repidse, which they soon recovered. For my own regi-
ment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Goffe,
and my Major, White, did come seasonably in ; and, at
the push of pike, did repel the stoutest regiment the
enemy had there, merely with the courage the Lord was
pleased to give. Which proved a great amazement to
the residue of their foot ; this being the first action be-
tween the foot. The horse in the meantime did, with a
great deal of courage and spirit, beat back all opposition,
charging through the bodies of the enemy's horse, and
of their foot ; who were, after the first repulse given,
made by the Lord of Hosts as stubble to their swords.
Indeed, I believe I may speak it without partiality,
both your chief commanders and others in their several
places, and soldiers also, were acted [actuated] with as
much courage as ever hath been seen in any action since
this war. I know they look to be named ; and there-
fore I forbear particulars.
' The best of the enemy's horse being broken through
and through in less than an hour's dispute, their whole
army being put into confusion, it became a total rout ;
our men having the chase and execution of them near
eight miles. We believe that upoji the place and near
about it were about three thousand slain. Prisoners taken:
of their officers, you have this enclosed list ; of private
soldiers, near 10,000. Thewhole baggage and train taken;
wherein was good store of match, powder, and bullet;
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