Series 3 > Miscellany of the Scottish History Society (Fourth volume)

112 ON THE EXPEDITION TO SCOTLAND
Fort William. This was a very important castle, but
difficult to capture, not so much on account of its position
and the strength of its fortifications, as because it was
defended by Scott, a man of the highest courage and spirit,
who was strangely hostile to the Stuarts. Moreover, the
fact that the King’s army was close at hand and help
certain animated the garrison to put up a stout defence.
However, Edward1 urged on his men to the task, helping
to fill the trenches and pushing on his works and pressing
the siege with all the means in his power. For thirteen
whole days he continued to pound the walls with his guns
and to attempt to assail the fort, but without success.
At last, hearing that the King’s army was moving to its
assistance and had already reached the Spey, he was
compelled to give up the attempt as hopeless.
Then came the 27th April, the fatal day which was to
leave him with nothing of all his great achievements
except the glory of having attempted them, and to extinguish
the last spark of hope. This is the story of that most
lamentable event.
Fifty days had gone by since the King’s army had taken
up winter quarters in Aberdeen, and the winter was giving
place to early spring, the best season for campaigning.
As soon as the snow began to melt, the weather to become
finer, and the days longer, the Duke of Cumberland ordered
his army to get under arms. When everything was ready
and in good order, he marched from the county of Mar
into that of Buchan, which is bounded on the north by
the Spey, and, when he began to approach its mouth, he
sent forward his cavalry to try to ford it. The passage of
the river was impeded not so much by the depth of the
water as by the resistance of the Jacobite troops, who,
being concealed on the opposite bank and well protected
by earthworks, kept up a continuous fire 2 on the advancing
cavalry and held it at bay. However, a crossing was
1 The Prince was not present himself. The siege lasted from 5th March until
4th April, when it was abandoned and the troops were recalled to Inverness.
2 This is not accurate. The Duke of Perth, who had no guns, did not put
up any resistance to the crossing of the Spey.