Series 2 > Origins of the 'Forty-five

194
JOHN DANIEL’S PROGRESS
especially the English, who were to be made sacrifices of ;
and also did generally the whole army, many of them
wishing they had been there, nay even to be made victims
of to Cumberland’s fury !
We had now scarce got well into the siege of the Castle,
before news came, on the other hand, that General Hawley
was advancing towards us with about eleven or twelve
thousand men. The Prince’s Army at this time amounted
to about eight thousand effective men, having been joined
by Lord John Drummond’s Regiment, and Lord Lewis
Gordon’s, of whom I have spoken before, and some few
others. So, seeing we must inevitably fight we endea¬
voured to prepare ourselves in the best manner for that
purpose. The enemy, we heard, were now come to
Falkirk, which was only eight or ten miles distant from
us. We waited two days in expectation of their coming
on to attack us : but finding that they continued at
Falkirk, we on the third morning, leaving a sufficient
force for the siege of Stirling, boldly marched out in quest
of them. And here it was the soldiers shewed the greatest
alacrity; the foot marching with such celerity as kept
the horse on a full trot, so that by two o’Clock in the
afternoon we came up with them, notwithstanding we
almost marched round them, in order to have the wind
somewhat favourable for us. And now the day, from
being an exceeding fine one, became on a sudden obscure ;
the sun which till then shone upon us, was now as it were
eclipsed, and all the elements in confusion, so that the
heavens seemed to fulminate their anger down upon us,
by the impetuous storm of hail, wind and rain, that fell
just at the time of the engagement. The enemy at this
time scarcely knew any thing of our march towards them
till it had been almost too late ; as they lay in an entire
security and defiance of us, thinking it not worth their
while to take the necessary precaution of having spies
out, as other prudent Generals would have done, not¬
withstanding the contempt they might have had for us.
We now roused them out of their lethargy, being just
upon them at their going to dinner. Cursing their bad