Ossian Collection > History of the Highlands and of the Highland clans > Volume 3

244 HISTORY OF THE HIGHLANDS.
tliP Other troops, and bring dii^lionour and disgract on the army undtr liis
command.
As the Highlanders remained in their position, the duke of Cumberland
again put his army in marching order, and, after it had advanced, with
fixed bayonets, within half a mile of tlie front line of the Highlanders, it
again formed as before. In this last movement the English army had
to pass a piece of hollow ground, « hich was so soft and swampy, that
the horses which drew the cannon sunk ; and some of the soldiers, after
slinging their firelocks and unyoking the horses, had to drag the can-
non across the bog. As by this last movement the army advanced be-
yond the morass which protected the right flank, the duke immediately
ordered up Kingston's horse from the reserve, and a small squadron of
Cobhain's dragoons, which had been patrolling, to cover it ; and to ex-
tend his line, and prevent his being outflanked on the right, he also at
same time ordered up Pulteney's regiment, (the 13th,) from the second
line to the right of the royals; and Fleming's, (the ."^Cth,) Howard's,
(the 3d,) and Battereau's, (the 62d,) to the right of Bligh's, (the 20th,)
in the second line, leaving Blakeney's, (the 27th,) as a reserve.
During an interval of about half an hour which elapsed before the
action commenced, some manceuvring took place in attempts by both
armies to outflank one another. While these raanueuvres were making,
a heavy shower of sleet came on, which, though discouraging to the
duke's army, from the recollection of the untoward occurrence at Fal-
kirk, was not considered very dangerous, as they had now the wind in
their backs. To encourage his men, the duke of Cumberland rode along
the lines addressing himself hurriedly to every regiment as he passed.
He exhorted his men to rely chiefly upon their bayonets, and to allow the
Highlanders to mingle with them that they might make them " know the
men they had to deal with." After the changes mentioned had been exe-
cuted, his royal highness took his station behind the royals, between the
first and second line, and almost in front of the left of Howard's regiment,
waiting for the expected attack. Meanwhile, a singular occurrence took
place, characteristic of the self-devotion which the Highlanders were
ready on all occasions to manifest towards the prince and his cause. Con-
ceiving that by assassinating the duke of Cumberland he would confer
an essential service to the prince, a Highlander resolved, at the certain
sacrifice of his own life, to make the attempt. With this intention, he
entered the English lines as a deserter, and being granted quarter, was
allowed to go through the ranks. He wandered about with apparent
indifference, eyeing the ditterent officers as he passed along, and it was
not long till an opportunity occurred, as he conceived, for executing his
fell purpose. The duke having ordered Lord Bury, oue of his aides-de-
camp, to reconnoitre, his lordship crossed the path of the Highlander,
who, mistaking him, from his dress, for the duke, (the regimentals ot
both being similar,) instantly seized a musket which lay on the grounW,