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

MADE BY CHARLES EDWARD STUART 131
endure what cannot be cured and make a virtue of neces¬
sity. You do not give the enemy credit for much sense,
if you think he will leave us time to rally our army. He
is pursuing us everywhere with his victorious cavalry, hold¬
ing the roads and following up his victory remorselessly.
In all probability, while we are talking about remedies he
is hard upon us, bringing us the worst of all evils. But
let us even suppose-—and I cannot believe it—that he is
slackening his efforts and acting less energetically against
us. Are we who, with eight thousand of the bravest
troops thoroughly experienced in battle, have suffered
so crushing a defeat, still in a position to resist a conqueror,
with a reduced army consisting of panic-stricken men,
most of them got together anyhow, without money,
without food, without arms ? Blind I may be, but I see
no other way, except for the Prince to escape at once to
the Continent, preserving his life for better times, should
they come.’
This plain speaking hurt Elcho. He was deeply offended
when he heard himself accused of being the cause of the
defeat, and loudly demanded satisfaction for the outrageous
charge thus insolently and haughtily made against him,
threatening to press matters to extremes. But the Prince
interposed, begging them not to let their private differences
injure the common cause, and by his authority nipped the
threatening quarrel in the bud, He bade the others also
express their opinions freely.
Sullivan agreed with Sheridan, adding a few other
reasons why the departure to the Continent should be
hastened. Lovat seemed at first inclined to side with
Elcho, but, after further consideration, he remained un¬
decided. The rest, as usually happens when things have
gone badly and there seems no certainty of safety, whatever
steps are taken, were more inclined to look to others to
decide what should be done than to express an opinion
of their own which might lead to disaster. But they were
ready to run any risk for the safety of their Prince. The
one thing on which they were all agreed was that it was
too dangerous to remain longer in Aird. They were of