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

BATTLE OF CULLODEN. 247
upon an immediate advance, but before he had tniie to issue ihe
order aloiiK the line, the Mackintoshes, with a lieroism wortliy of that
brave clan, rushed forward enveloped in the smoke of tlie enemy's
cannon. The fire of the centre field-pieces, and a discharge of mus-
quetry from tlie Scotch Fusileers, forced them to incline a little to the
right ; but all the regiments to their right, led on by Lord George Mur-
raj' in person, and the united regiment of the Maclauchlans and Mac-
leans on their left, coming down close after them, the whole moved
forward together at a pretty quick pace. When within pistol-shot of
the English line, they received a murderous fire, not only in front
from some field-pieces, which for the first time were now loaded with
grape-shot, but in fiank from a side battery supported by the Campbells,
and Lord Loudon's Highlanders. Whole ranks were literally swept
away by the terrible fire of the English. Yet, notwithstanding tb.e
dreadful carnage in their ranks, the Highlanders continued to ad-
vance, and, after giving their fire close to the English line, which,
from the density of the smoke, was scarcely perceptible even within
pistol-shot, the right wing, consisting of the Athole Highlanders and
the Camerons, rushed in sword in hand, and broke through Barrel's
and Monroe's regiments, which stood on the left of the first line.
These regiments bravely defended themselves with their spontoons
and bayonets, but such was the impetuosity of the onset, that they
would entirely have been cut to pieces had they not been immediately
supported by two regiments from the second line, on the approach of
which they retired behind the regiments on tlieir right, after sustaining a
loss in killed and wounded of upwards of two hundred men. After
breaking through these two regiments, the Highlanders, passing by the
two field-pieces which had annoyed them in front, hurried forward to
attack the left of the second line. They were met by a tremendous fire
of grape-shot from the three field-pieces on the left of the second line,
and by a discharge of musquetry from Bligh's and Sempill's regiments,
which carried havock through their ranks, and made them at first re-
coil ; but, maddened by despair, and utterly regardless of their lives,
they rushed upon an enemy whom they felt but could not see, amid
the cloud of smoke in which the assailants were buried. The same
kind of charge was made by the Stewaits of Appin, the Erasers, Mack-
intoshes, and the other centre regiments upon the regiments in their
front, which they drove back upon the second line, which they also at-
tempted to break ; but finding themselves unable they gave up the con-
test, but not until numbers had been cut down at the mouths of the can-
non. While advancing towards the second line, Lord George iNIurray,
in attempting to dismount from his horse, which had become unman-
ageable, was thrown ; but, recovering himself, he ran to the rear and
brought up two or three regiments from the second line to support the
first; but although they gave their fire, nothing could be done, — all was
lost. Unable to break the second line, and being greatly cut up by