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1745 Rebellion,
Carlisle
Article accompanying a map of the Countries Adjacent to
Carlisle shewing the Route of the Rebels by G Smith,
published in the Gentleman's Magazine, London, May 1746.
A Letter to a friend, containing an account of the march of
the rebels into England, description of the castle of
Carlisle, and a dissertation on the old Roman wall; with
respect to the map of it, and the adjacent country, the plan
of Carlisle, and the view of its castle, just publish'd in
two sheets; the draughts of which were favourably received
by the duke of Cumberland on his forming the attack on
Carlisle castle; and now are dedicated to his royal
highness; by G. Smith.
SIR,
SO many idle rumours of the march of the rebels into
England, had been spread previous to the fact, that to
flatter our indolence we presumed it to be impossible, and
therefore took no measures to prevent it; we cloister'd up
the light horse and militia of both counties within the
walls of Carlisle, and left the country to shift for itself;
our nobility, except lord Lonsdale, did nothing, even those
whose fortunes depended greatly on the route of the rebels,
raised not a single man in the cause.
By letters from Scotland on Tuesday Nov. 5, we began to
understand that the long projected expedition was now
actually undertaken, and our frontiers quite open and
unguarded; the garrison of Carlisle were under no
apprehensions, judging they would march past them as in the
rebellion of 1715. We secreted our most valuable effects,
and sent the ladies eastward from these miscreants, of whom
we had most terrible representations, determined to abide
them ourselves.
On Thursday the eastermost column had gained Stangarth side
on the English border, and we suspected their intention was
to penetrate thro' the wastes of Beu-castle for Brampton,
being the properest place to subsist so numerous a corps;
but that night we learn'd that they had turn'd to the right
for Longtown, which gave us hopes that they would continue
their march for Row-cliff and pass the river Eden there, the
dryness of the season having reduc'd that stream to a
tolerable fording in several places below Carlisle.
On Friday the middlemost column join'd them, and on Saturday
their hussars advanced to Stanwix bank, to take a view of
the city; on which the 8 gun battery at B fir'd from the
castle and they disappear'd. On Sunday they invested the
city on all sides, having passed Eden at several fords
below. The marq. of Tullibardin was driven with his corps
from Shaddan-gate by the four gun battery at D, and those on
the north under the duke of Perth remained in the village of
Stanwix, where some houses received considerable damage from
the continued fire of the eight gun battery.
The troops on the south side under the pretender's son were
in like manner repuls'd by the citadel and turret guns.
Being in want of materials for a siege a resolution was that
night taken to remove to Brampton, and the quarter masters
accordingly came into that place about midnight.
On Monday the 11th the prince's lifeguards, as they were
called, came to Naworth Castle the earl of Carlisle's seat,
and I went to see them, they behaved in general with much
complaisance and were well-dress'd, good-looking men: they
were very solicitous to see a map of England, and I carry'd
them one on Tuesday morning, to try if I could penetrate
their intentions; but these were inscrutable; only I
observed they made great enquiry about Wales, and afterwards
about other places, artfully to disguise their aim; which
however I am apt to think they scarce knew themselves.
The same morning capt. Hamilton, quarter-master general of
the foot, came to Naworth, demanding billets for 6000 men:
the guards look'd very blank at the proposal, and began to
secure their portables, and I soon found what a nest of
thieves we were going to have.
About noon several hundreds of a wretched, ill-looking,
shabby crew pass'd by armed with targets, broad swords,
muskets, &c. and seemed very angry if no deference was
paid to their flag: that afternoon and all next day they
spent in shooting sheep, geese, &c. and robbing on the
highway: tho' their chiefs express'd great dissatisfaction
at their proceedings, yet they dar'd not restrain them for
fear of putting them out of humour. Betwixt that and the
16th, I had some of their hussars, an audacious, insolent,
lying rabble, and on Saturday the 16th six of the officers
of the M'Phersons, who were by far the civilest of their
foot, and pay'd for what they had in a genteel manner
enough; it was not my business to expose their extravagant
chimeras, but I found they were kept extremely ignorant of
our affairs, by the artifice of their superiors. Some of
them had their sons in his majesty's army, but were made to
believe that all our regular forces were detained by the
French in Flanders, and they already possessed London in
their elevated ima-
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