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The Skirmish at
Clifton
SKIRMISH AT PENRITH IN 1745.
Springfield Mount, Leeds, 12 Jan.
MR URBAN, - AS the accounts of eye-witnesses of memorable
transactions are always the most valuable, especially so
when, as in the present instance, they were not immediately
concerned in the affairs related, and, as much as may be,
unswayed by prejudices of party, the following letter from
Clifton, near Penrith, detailing the last struggles of the
House of Stuart in the year 1745 to regain a lost throne, is
both interesting and valuable, not only as showing the
position and anxieties of a private individual at that
fearful crisis, but also in a national and historical point
of view. As the document has never before been published, to
the best of my knowledge and belief, you will probably not
deem it unworthy a place in your Magazine.
The writer, it will be perceived, was a member of the
Society of Friends, a circumstance which will amply secure
the credibilty of all he relates, - the peaceable principles
of the denomination to which he belonged (without
diminishing in the least from their feelings of loyalty) not
allowing him to take part in sanguinary conflicts. I need
only add that the original letter is in the possession of
his grand-daughter, now resident near London; and the
son-in-law he alludes to was the great-grandfather of a lady
of Penrith who kindly transcribed it for me.
Yours, &c. C. J. ARMISTEAD.
Letter from a Friend at Clifton, written in 1745,
relating to a skirmish with the Rebels near Penrith.
Clifton, 29th of 11th mo. 1745.
Esteemed friend, Richd. Partridge, -
By this know thine I received, and shall hereby give thee
hints of the affair here, as it was from the beginning to
the end; I being both eye and ear-witness to the truth
thereof. But in the first place I cannot easily omit
acknowledging the great favour and protecting hand of power
to us manifested in so great a danger, as thou by the
following account may understand.
First, as to the rebels: when they came south we did not
suffer much, but they seemed to have great assurance that
they would proclaim their king in London on the 24th of last
month, and crown him on New Year's Day, and then they would
send Geordey, as they called him, over to Hanover, and would
tread down his turnip-field dikes, highly dis-esteeming the
Duke, calling him Geordey's lad and Geordey's Wolly, with
many more opprobrious speeches. But on their return north
they were cruelly barbarous and inhuman when here; for their
leaders gave them liberty to plunder for four hours, and
then to burn Lowther, Clifton, Bridge, and Penrith, and some
say for six miles around; but, thanks to the Most High,
whose power is above the power of man, often preventing the
wicked from prosecuting their wicked designs, it certainly
was the Lord's doing in bringing forward the noble Duke and
his men in the very hour of great distress; as for my part,
I must ever love and esteem him as a man of worth.
Now I shall give thee to understand the beginning and the
end of the engagement:-
First the rebel Hussars, being gone part way to Penrith,
came riding back by my door in haste, between one and two in
the afternoon; then in an hour came back again, driving up
the rear of their army with whips to my door, and then
others took their place, and they wheeled off, and set
themselves to ambush against my barn side, being so enclosed
with cross houses that our King's men could not see them
until close to them, we not knowiing their designs, but I
firmly believing them to be evil, and so went into my house,
yet could not long be easy there, and ventured forth again,
and looking about me I espied the commanders of the King's
men appearing on the hill, about 400 yards south of my
house, for whom my very heart was in pain; for believing
that a great number might be cut off before they were aware,
so our care was to give the King's men notice, for which my
son ventured his life, and gave them notice about 300 yards
before they came to a place where in the meantime a second
ambush was laid, about 100 yards nearer
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