Gents Mag 1746 p.234

Gents Mag 1746 p.234




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	Gentleman's Magazine 1746 p.234 [ima]ginations without drawing a sword. The fate of Carlisle you must have heard from other hands, we are yet in doubt whether that ignominious surrender was caused by cowardice or treachery, or both; I think it most probable that it was lost thro' a presumption that it would never be attack'd, and for want of a regular discipline among the men. The map exhibits that pretended battery which contributed to this false step, to which I refer you. The pretender's son was proclaimed at the cross, the keys of the city being carry'd to him at Brampton by the mayor and attendants; it should seem a necessary question how the keys of a garrison town, the custody of which was always till then committed to the governor, nominal or residential, came to be delivered into the mayor's hands for such a use at such a time. During the pretended siege the garrison had a lad kill'd on the citadel by a musket shot, and one by the accidental firing of a piece on the walls, which was all their loss slain or wounded. What the rebels lost is not to be ascertain'd, a person of distinction was reported to be kill'd near Harraby, and bury'd with great solemnity at Wetheral; a principal engineer was seen to fall by a shot from the citadel at the head of their pretended battery: doubtless they lost more, but I am apt to believe not many, because they kept at too great a distance, and could not be discover'd for a very thick and uncommon mist which continued all the time; so that the garrison may be said to have fir'd in the dark, directing their guns only by the sound of their pipes or voices. Their own reports were not at all to be credited, some of them pretending that the cannon balls had hit them without hurting them, credat Judaeus Apella. On Tuesday the 19th, about 100 horse more came to Brampton from Scotland, and the greatest part of the inhabitants of the country, tir'd out with finding subsistence for such a voracious crew, fled. I went to Halt-wesel, hearing that general Wade's army was in full march for our relief, determining to join him, but the day following that rout was countermanded, on hearing that the rebels were proceeding southward. Such was the position of our affairs, from the 5th till the 20th of November; a long period of uneasiness and expence in carrying off and bringing back effects. I must do the rebels the justice to say, that they never used so much as a single woman in the whole country with the least indecency, notwithstanding the crimes of that nature laid to their charge: 'Tis said that their prince had given strict orders to the contrary, and declared that every oficer should suffer as the criminal for actions of that nature, committed by any of the ruffians under him: whether true or not I cannot say. All the time they lay in this neighbourhood they were marching and countermarching constantly, the better to conceal their numbers, which they reported to be 22000, but were only about one third of that number. From the time that the rebels left this neighbourhood, every day brought different accounts of them, which were all reported with so many improbable circumstances that they gained no credit. We too plainly perceiv'd that they had many well-wishers, who industriously conceal'd whatever might be to their prejudice, and exaggerated every circumstance in their favour. Sometimes it was reported that they were defeated, and presently afterwards that they were within a day's march of London, and that the mob had taken arms to support them: Every thing began to be in confusion, for those who had nothing to lose were ready to break down the partition wall that separated properties; what contributed greatly to our uneasiness was that we could gain no intelligence that could be rely'd upon; the intercourse between Newcastle and Carlisle, being in a manner suspended after that city fell into the enemies hands. It was not long before several of the inhabitants of that and the neighbouring places, exasperated against the tyranny of the Highland government, began to rouze themselves, necessity inspiring them with courage; associations were formed to regain their liberty, and a scheme laid to storm the castle, and destroy the rebel garrison; chimerical as this project may appear, it terrify'd the governor into an artful invitation of the mayor and aldermen to an entertainment within his precincts; which they accepted for fear of giving offence, and were immediately secur'd, tho' soon after released, on parole that they would encourage no such attempt for the future; others were confined on suspicion, and every village in the neighbourhood of the city search'd for arms or ammunition by the rebels, who nevertheless were continually deserting as apprehensive of surprize. The governor neglected nothing to keep them in spirits,

	gazetteer links
	-- Carlisle
	-- Harraby


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