330 OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH. 1174S- .
to England or theremote districts of Scotland. The
old Chevalier was proclaimed as James VIII., in
all large towns where, and particularly in the capital,
the concealed friends of his cause avowed their
sentiments, and joined the old Jacobites in drinking
deep potations to a prince, who, as his organ
the Caledonian Mercury, had it, ?? could eat a dry
crust, sleep on pease straw, take his dinner in four
minutes, and win a battle in five.? The ladies
especially, by their enthusiasm, contributed not a
little to produce great action in his favour. ?All
Jacobites,? wrote President Forbes at this time, to
Sir Andrew Mitchell, ? how prudent soever, became
mad ; all doubtful people became Jacobites; all
bankrupts became heroes, and talked of nothing but
hereditary rights and victory. And what was more
grievous to men of gallantry-and, if you will
believe me, much more mischievous to the public
-all the fine ladies, if you will except one or two,
became passionately fond of the young adventurer,
and used all their arts and industry for him in the
most temperate manner.?
Meanwhile the gamson in the Castle obtained
from certain Whig friends a supply of provisions,
which, by ropes, they drew up in barrels and baskets,
on the west side of the rock ; but neither the Highlanders
nor the citizens suffered any molestation
till the night of the 25th September, when the
veteran Preston, on going his rounds in a wheelchair,
being alarmed by a sound like that of goats
scrambling among the rocks, he declared it to be a
Highland escalade, and opened a fire of musketry
and cannon from Drury?s battery, beating down
several houses in the West Port.
In consequence of this the prince strengthened
his picket at the Weigh-house, to prevent all intercourse
with the fortress, upon which Preston
wrote to Provost Stewart, intimating that unless
free communication was permitted he would
open- a heavy cannonade. On this, the town
council represented to the prince the danger in
which the city stood. ? Gentlemen,? he replied,
<?I ani equally concerned and surprised at the
barbarity of those who would bring distress upon
the city for what its inhabitants have not the powei
to prevent; but if, out of compassion, I should
Temove my guards from the Castle, you might with
equal reason require me to abandon the city.?
He also assured them that the injuries of the
citizens would be repaid out of the estates of the
0fficers.h the Castle, ?and that reprisals would be
made upon all who were known abettors of the
German government.? General Preston being
further informed that his brother?s house at Valleyfield
would be destroyed, he replied that in that
case he would cause the war-ships in the Forth to
burn down Wemyss Castle, the seat of Lord Elcho?s
father; but after some altercation with the council,
the grim veteran agreed to suspend hostilities till he
received fresh orders from London. Next day, however,
owing to some misunderstanding, the Highland
picket fired on certain persons who were conveying
provisions into the Castle, the guns of which opened
on the Weigh-house, killing and wounding several
in the streets. Charles retaliated by enforcing a
strict blockade ; and, in revenge, Preston?s gamson
fired on every Highlander that came in sight.
On this, by order of the Adjutant-General, Lord
George Murray, the picket was removed to the
north side of the High Street ; but, as it was found
inconvenient to relieve the post by corps, the gallant
Lochiel undertook the entire blockade with his
Camerons, who for that purpose were placed in the
Parliament House.
Several loose characters, among whom was
Daddie Ratcliff-who occupies so prominent a
post in Scott?s ?Heart of Midlothian ?-dressed as
Highlanders, committed some outrages and robberies
; but all were captured and shot, chiefly by
Perth?s Regiment, on Leith Links.
Charles contemplated the summons of a Scottish
Parliament, but contented himself with denouncing,
on the 3rd of October, ?? the pretended Parliament
summoned by the Elector of Hanover at Westminster,?
and declaring it treason for the Scots to attend.
On the preceding day the following proclamation
was issued from Holyrood.
?CHARLES P. R. being resolved that no communication
?shall be open between the Castle and
town of Edinburgh during our residence in the
capital, and to prevent the bad effects of reciprocal
firing, from thence and from our troops, whereby
the houses and inhabitants of our city may
innocently suffer, we hereby make public notice,
that none shall dare, without a special pass, signed
by our secretary, upon pain of death, either resort
to, or come from the said Castle, upon any pretence
whatsoever ; with certification of any persons convicted
of having had such intercourse, after this our
proclamation shall immediately be carried to execution.
Given at our palace of Holyrood House,
2nd Oct., 1745.
Another guard was posted the next day at the
West Church, while the Camerons began to form
a trench and breastwork below the reservoir
across the Castle Hill, but were compelled to retire
under a fire of cannon from the Half-moon, and
musketry from the iite-du@nf, with the loss of
some killed and wounded. Among the former was
me officer. Another picket was now placed at
(Signed) J. MURRAY.?
?745.1 THE CASTLE BLOCKADE WITHDRAWN. 331
Livingstone?s Yard, where a Highlander was
assassinated by a soldier, who crept towards him
with a pistol. The same night a party of the 47th
made a sally against the same post, and captured
Captain Robert Taylor and thirty privates.
On the morning of the 4th Preston commenced
a wanton and destructive bombardment, chiefly in
the direction of James?s Court, and continued it till
dusk, when, ?led by Major Robertson, a strong
party, with slung muskets, sallied with spades and
axes to the Castle Hill, where they formed a trench
fourteen feet broad and sixteen deep, midway
between the gate and the reservoir. From the
breastwork formed by the de?bris that night zoo
muskets, besides field pieces, continued to blaze
upon the city, in unison with the heavy 32-pounders,
which from the lofty batteries above swept the
entire length of the High Street with round shot,
grape, and canister. Many persons were killed
and wounded; but the following night the Same
operations were renewed with greater vigour.
Under this tremendous fire the 47th (then numbered
as the 48th) made another sally, pillaged all the
houses in their vicinity, and, after obtaining a
supply of bread and ale, and several barrels of
water from the reservoir, set on fire several houses,
and a deserted foundry, after which they retired
behind their trench. Many of the poor citizens
who attempted to extinguish the flames were killed,
for once more the batteries opened with greater
fury than ever. The glare of the burning houses,
the boom of so many field and battery guns, the
hallooing of the soldiers, the crash of masonry and
timber as chimneys and outshots came thundering
down on all sides, together with the incessant roar
of zoo muskets, struck the inhabitants with such
consternation, that, abandoning their houses, goods,
and chattels, they thought only of saving themselves
by flight. A miserable band of half-clad
and terrified . fugitives, bearing their children, their
aged parents, their sick and infirm friends, to the
number of many hundreds, issued from the Nether
Bow Gate, and fled towards Leith, but were met
midway by the inhabitants of that place, flying
from similar destruction, for at that time the Fox,
and LudZow CastZe, two frigates (whose captains,
from the Roads, had heard the cannonading, and
seen the blaze of the conflagration) were hauled
close in-shore, and lay broadside towards Leith,
and with a villainous cruelty-for which English
hostility towards Scotland was no apology-were
raking and bombarding the streets with the most
fatal effects. . When the fugitives met ?all was
perplexity and dismay ; the unhappy citizens stood
still, wringing their hmds, and exe,crating the cruel
necessities of war.? Fodteen days after, the Pox
was wrecked on the rocks of Dunbar, when Captain
Edmond Beavor and all his crew perished.?
The Highlanders maintained their posts without
Bmching amid all this peril and consternation, and
at five o?clock next evening, in defiance of field
and battery guns, led by their officers, and inspired
by their pipers, they stormed the breastwork by one
wild rush,.sword in hand, driving in the garrison,
which retired firing by platoons; but the capture
was made with such rapidity that the Prince lost.
only one officer and twenty privates. As the
trench was too exposed, it was abandoned. Several
balls went through the Luckenbooths, and many
lodged in the walls of the Weigh-house, where they
were found on its demolition in 1822 j and Charles
Edward, seeing the misery to which Preston ex-.
posed the people, generously withdrew the blockade;
and thus ended the last investment of the
Castle of Edinburgh ; and it was said to be about
this time that he made the narrow escape from,
capture in the Provost?s house in the West Bow.
An act of hostility was committed by General,
Preston on the z 1st September, when, overhearing
some altercation in the dark at the West Port,
where the Highland guard made some delay about.
admitting a lady in a coach drawn by six horses,
he ordered three guns to be loaded with grape,.
depressed, and fired. Though aimed at random,
the coach was pierced by several balls, and its fair
occupant, Mrs. Cockburn, authoress of the modern
version of the ?:Flower$ of the Forest,? had a
narrow escape, while Willkm Earl of Dundonald,.
captain in Forbes?s Foot, who rode by her side,
had his horse shot under him. At that moment,
hlrs. Cockburn, who was returning from Ravelston,
and who was a keen Whig, had in her pocket a
burlesque parody on one cif Prince Charles?s proclamations,
to the air of ?? Clout the Cauldron.?
Another hostile act was committed when the
Highland army, now increased to double its first
strength, was reviewed on the Lipks of Leith prior
to the march for England, when the guns from the
Argyle Battery compelled Charles to change the
scene of his operations to the Links of Musselburgh,
at a time when the Forth was completely
blocked up by ships of war. On the 30th the
Prince slept at Pinkie House, and ?on the 31st
he commenced his memorable invasion of England,
with an army only six thousand in number, but onein
rivalry and valour. They departed in three
columns ; at the head of the third Charles marched
on foot, clad in the Highland garb, with his clay--
more in his hand, and a target slung over his left
s!ioulder.?
