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The Battle of Culloden 1745
War: The Jacobite Rebellion of 1745
Date: 16th April 1746
Place: South east of Inverness and a few
miles south west of Nairn in Scotland
Combatants: The Highland Army of Prince Charles and the Royal
Troops of George II
Generals: Prince Charles, Lord George Murray and the Duke
of Cumberland.Size of the Armies: 7,000 in the highland army and 8,000 in
the royal army.
Winner: the royal troops under the Duke of Cumberland.
British Regiments: Culloden is not a battle honour for British
regiments in spite of being a victory. |
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Prince Charles Edward Stuart
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The regiments present at the battle were: Cobham’s (10th) and
Kerr’s (11th) dragoons, Kingston’s Light Dragoons, the Royals
(1st), Howard’s Old Buffs (3rd), Barrel’s King’s Own (4th) Wolfe’s
(8th), Pulteney’s (13th), Price’s (14th), Bligh’s (20th),
Campbell’s Royal Scots Fusiliers (21st), Sempill’s (25th),
Blakeney’s (27th), Cholmondeley’s (34th), Fleming’s (36th),
Munro’s (37th), Ligonier’s (48th) and Battereau’s (62nd) Foot.
The Highland attack on the Grenadier Company of Barrell's King's
Own Royal Regiment" by David Morier; painted in 1746 for the Duke
of Cumberland, reputedly using members of the regiment and
highland prisoners as models.
Colonel Francis Ligonier (brother of Lieutenant General Sir John
Ligonier) had died soon after Falkirk and Sir Robert Munro was killed
at that battle. Their regiments of foot became Conway’s and Dejean’s.
Colonel Conway was one of the Duke’s aides de camp at Culloden.
Bligh’s became Bury’s, Lord Bury being another adc. James Wolfe became
the lieutenant colonel of Bury’s.
Royal Artillery under Colonel Belfort.
Barrell’s 4th King’s Own Royal Regiment with the 5th and 6th Foot
(from Tim Reese’s CD Rom of 20 illustrations of British Regiments as
recorded by the painter David Morier. For details on how to buy the
CD click on the illustration).
Buy the Uniforms of David Morier CD |
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Account:
the Duke of Cumberland arrived in Edinburgh on 30th January 1746 to
take over command of the royal army from General Hawley, following
the unsuccessful battle of Falkirk. The next day Cumberland marched
north taking the circuitous route along the coast so the army could
be supplied by the fleet. The army halted for some weeks at
Aberdeen.
Unable to capture Stirling Castle from the redoubtable General
Blakeney, Prince Charles’s Army retreated north to Inverness. From
there he undertook operations across the Highlands, capturing Fort
George and Fort Augustus and harrying the remaining government
forces.
While at Aberdeen Cumberland prepared his troops for the forthcoming
battle against the highlanders. He and his soldiers were determined
there should not be another defeat like Prestonpans and Falkirk. In
addition to practising volley firing the troops were taught a form
of bayonet fighting; the first time in the British army that the use
of the bayonet had been the subject of tuition.
The Battle of Culloden
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The Duke of Cumberland was admired and liked by “Tommy Lobster”
(the nickname for soldiers coming into use). He had been with them
at Dettingen in 1743, where he had been wounded in the leg, and he
had led the renowned infantry attack on the French at Fontenoy in
1745, an episode that attracted admiration and derision in equal
measure.
| In the 18th Century military authority was uncertain,
particularly above regimental level. Cope and Hawley, although
generals, did not have the clout to ensure their armies were
properly equipped. The Duke was the second son of the monarch, a
decisive source of authority, and was able to ensure his army
had the equipment and support it needed from all departments of
government. The fleet provided his supply and the Ordnance, a
department independent of the Army, provided his powerful and
well led train of artillery. In Colonel Belford Cumberland had
Britain’s leading gunner. By the time the Royal Army marched
north it was ready for the decisive encounter with the
highlanders.
The Highland Army was not so well placed. It had been in
serious decline since Falkirk, many of the highlanders leaving
for home after the battle. Supply was badly organised and the
regiments that assembled on the moorland outside Inverness to
meet the Royal Army were on short ratioins. There was dissent
among the senior officers and Prince Charles refused to concern
himself with his deteriorating military situation. |
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Lord George Murray, Prince Charles' main commander |
Map of the Battle of Culloden
A position was selected by Secretary O’Sullivan, Prince Charles’
adjutant general, on which the Highland Army would give battle to
Cumberland’s troops. O’Sullivan chose a stretch of open moorland
enclosed between the walled Culloden enclosures to the North and the
walls of Culloden Park to the South. Lord George Murray and other
senior officers pointed out the unsuitability of such open land in
view of Cumberland’s powerful artillery. The Prince refused to
change O’Sullivan’s choice.
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Highlander |
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On 15th April 1746 the Royal Army camped at Nairn, where it
celebrated the Duke’s birthday. On that night the Highland Army
attempted a night attack on Cumberland’s camp. The approach march
was a failure, with men falling far behind and losing themselves in
the boggy country. With dawn breaking the Highland Army was not near
enough to launch its attack and was forced to return to Culloden,
exhausted, discouraged and hungry. This failure exacerbated the split between Prince Charles and
some of his most important commanders. Many of the highlanders went
off to search for food or to sleep.
The Royal Army rose early on 16th April 1746 and began its
approach march to Culloden, moving onto the moor in four columns.
The troops were well fed and rested, confident and determined. The
Argyll Militia, comprising Campbell highlanders, and Kingston’s
Light Horse reconnoitred in advance of the army.
The alarm was given in the Highland camp and guns were fired to
summon the clans to their battle positions.
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In addition to the shortage of supplies and the exhaustion of the
men, the Highland Army was beset with difficulties. Important
sections of the army were in the North pursuing Loudon’s government
forces. Many of the men who had left their regiments to forage and
sleep failed to hear the summons. The waning fortunes of the
rebellion had brought out stresses within the army. A dispute
between the Clanranald and Glengarry sections of the Clan McDonald
had caused many to return home. The remaining MacDonalds were upset
that they had been allotted the left flank of the army rather than
the right. In the event they could not be persuaded to charge.
| The first line of the Highland Army formed with the Atholl
regiments on the right flank, then the Camerons of Locheil, Stewarts
of Appin, Frasers, Mackintoshes, Macleans and Maclachlans,
Farquarharsons, Stuarts and the Macdonalds. The second line comprised the various mounted regiments, much
depleted by the wear on the horses of the long campaign, the regular
regiments of Scots and Irish foot from the French army and a few
further clan regiments. Placed in the centre and on each flank was the motley assemblage
of cannon possessed by the army, largely manned by scratch teams of
inexperienced gunners.
Once assembled the Highland Army numbered some 5,000.
At around midday the Royal Army arrived on the field of battle,
after marching some 10 miles across the moorland from the camp at
Nairn, the regiments forming 3 lines. The army then advanced
in line to bring itself closer to the rebels and halted. 2
regiments were brought from the third into the first and
second lines to extend the flank on the right, and the
dragoon regiments stationed on the outside. |
A Grenadier and Drummer of Barrell's King's Own Regiment. |
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Cumberland’s regiments stood from right to left: in the
front line: Pulteney’s, the Royal Regiment, Cholmondeley’s, Price’s,
the Royal Scots Fusiliers, Munro’s and Barrel’s: in the second line:
Campbell’s, Battereau’s, Howard’s, Fleming’s, Bligh’s, Sempill’s and
Ligonier’s. Blakeney’s regiment formed the third line alone.
Wolfe’s Regiment took post behind the wall that led
forward from Barrel’s left flank, so as to provide
enfillading fire across the army’s front. The 6 pounder guns
were placed in pairs between the front line regiments and
the mortars in a battery behind the first line. The two
armies stood some 300 yards apart.
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Cobham’s dragoons and the Campbell highlanders moved off to
infiltrate through the park on the left around the highland flank.
During the course of the morning there had been heavy showers of
rain, the last of which fell as the Royal Army was forming. The
troops kept their muskets dry by folding them in their coat lapels.
It says much for the lack of forethought in military provision of
the time that there was no issue item for keeping soldiers’
firelocks dry in wet weather.
The battle began at around one o’clock with the makeshift
Jacobite artillery opening fire from its position in the centre of
the line. Their target was the group of mounted officers around the
Duke of Cumberland.
The Royal guns opened fire in reply. The first rounds fired by
Belford’s gunners were aimed at the Prince and his staff in
reprisal. Senior Jacobite officers insisted that the Prince move out
of sight of the royal guns. In his new position Prince Charles was
unable to see what was happening to his army. Probably for around
half an hour Belford’s guns bombarded the highland line, using ball
and grape shot. The impact was considerable and many casualties were
inflicted.
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Highlander |
It was Prince Charles’ expectation that Cumberland would attack
first. He waited for the word that he was advancing, but the Royal
Army did not move. The bombardment continued inflicting more
casualties on the highlanders and wreaking havoc with the morale of
many of the less steadfast rebel regiments.Prince Charles was finally persuaded that he must order the
highlanders to charge before the army began to melt away. He
dispatched aides de camp to give the word to the various parts of
the first line to attack.
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Harry Rowe : Trumpeter of Kingston's Light Horse at
Culloden in later life |
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On the left the Duke of Perth attempted to persuade the McDonalds to
charge, but they refused.
Elsewhere in the highland front line the order was instantly
obeyed, the highlanders keen to escape from the galling gunfire and
get to grips with the enemy. The first regiment away was the
MacIntosh, known as Clan Chattan, led by its yellow haired colonel,
McGillivray of Dunmaglass.
The highlanders’ charge was a fearsome spectacle; crowds of
clansmen running at top speed with broadswords, target shields and
dirks, yelling their clan war cries. One of the drawbacks to the
position selected by O’Sullivan was an area of boggy ground that lay
unnoticed to its front. To maintain momentum the Clan Chattan veered
to its right, avoiding the bog and following the the road that
passed diagonally on firm ground across the moor. They crowded
across in front of the clan regiments to their right, obstructing
the path of the attack and pushing their neighbours towards the park
wall.
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Pushing through the confusion, the Frasers, Appin Stewarts,
Locheil’s Camerons and the three regiments of Athollmen charged home
on Cumberland’s left wing striking Barrel’s King’s Own Regiment on
the extreme flank.
All the regiments of foot in the Royal first line fired on the
attacking highlanders, the guns discharging cannisters of ball. The
wind was behind them pushing the choking clouds of powder smoke, a
feature of every 18th Century battle, down on the highlanders.
Wolfe’s regiment fired into the flank of the highland charge from
its position behind the wall, inflicting many casualties.
The Battle of Culloden
The surviving highlanders smashed into Barrel’s and Munro’s. Hand
to hand fighting of considerable ferocity took place. This time,
unlike the two earlier battles, the royal troops fought it out. Lord
Robert Kerr, a captain in Barrel’s, was killed with a smashing blow
from a broadsword. Robert Rich, the lieutenant colonel of the
regiment, lost his left hand to a sword cut and nearly lost the
right forearm to another, in addition to six cuts to his head.
Munro's Foot receives the Highland Charge
Cumberland ordered up Bligh’s and Sempill’s regiments in support
and the highlanders who managed to pass through the front line were
shot down by these regiments.
Those highlanders that survived the charge made their way back to
rebel lines, receiving further fire from Wolfe’s as they passed.
The royal dragoons moved forward, ranging across the battlefield,
and the Campbells crossed Culloden Park, coming out behind the
rebels right flank.
Prince Charles rode away and the clan regiments left the field,
their retreat covered by the Irish Pickets and the other regular
regiments of foot. The battle was over.
Casualties:
| Royal Army: |
Killed |
Wounded |
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A private soldier of Cholmondeley's 34th Foot |
| The Royals (1st) |
0 |
4 |
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| Howard's Old Buffs (3rd) |
1 |
2 |
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| Barrel's King's Own (4th) |
17 |
108 |
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| Wolfe’s (8th) |
0 |
1 |
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| Cholmondeley’s (34th) |
1 |
2 |
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| Price’s (14th) |
1 |
9 |
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| Ligonier’s (48th), (Conway’s) |
1 |
5 |
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| Pulteney’s (13th) |
0 |
0 |
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| Sempill’s (25th), |
1 |
13 |
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| Campbell’s RSF (21st) |
0 |
7 |
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| Blakeney’s (27th) |
0 |
0 |
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| Munro’s (37th), (Dejean’s) |
14 |
69 |
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| Fleming’s (36th) |
0 |
6 |
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| Bligh's (20th) |
4 |
17 |
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| Battereau’s (62nd) Foot. |
0 |
3 |
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| Highland Militia |
6 |
4 |
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| Cobham’s Dragoons |
1 |
0 |
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| Kerr’s Dragoons |
3 |
3 |
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| Kingston’s Dragoons |
0 |
1 |
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The casualties of the Highland army are unknown but are believed to
have been around 1,000.
Follow-up:
Culloden marked the end of the military phase of the Jacobite
Rebellion of 1745/6. The battle was followed by a lengthy period of
suppression in the Highlands marked by massacre and despoiling. Of the
officers and chiefs who escaped the battle, those who could fled to
Europe and served in foreign armies. Some were in due course permitted
to return. Many of the Jacobite rank and file fled to the American
colonies. The prisoners were tried at Berwick, York and London and
around 80 were executed, the last in 1754.Regimental anecdotes and traditions:
Culloden is a battle that has bred many anecdotes and traditions. It
is only possible to refer to a few:
The Duke of Cumberland is reputed to have said to his army before
the battle “If there is any man who does not wish to fight the
highlanders, I beg him in God’s name to go. I would rather fight with
one thousand resolute men than ten thousand half-hearted.”
Following the battle Handel wrote his oratorio Judas Maccabaeus to
honour the Duke of Cumberland, with the aria “See how the conquering
hero comes”.
It is said that after the battle the Duke pointed at a wounded higlander and directed Major James Wolfe to shoot him. Wolfe is
reputed to have said that his commission was at the disposal of the
Duke but not his honour. A soldier shot the highlander who is said to
have been Charles Fraser of Inverallochy, lieutenant colonel of
Lovat’s regiment.
It is a regimental tradition of the Somerset Light Infantry (13th
Foot) that their sergeants wear their sashes over the left shoulder to
mark the fact that after Culloden the sergeants took the regiment out
of action, all the officers being casualties. In fact the 13th had no
casualties at Culloden and probably did not fire.
The lieutenant colonel of Barrel’s, Sir Robert Rich, lost a
hand and an eye in the battle. Lord Robert Kerr, a captain in
Barrel’s attacked a highlander with his spontoon and was immediately
cut to pieces. The colours of Barrel’s are displayed in the Royal
Scottish United Services Museum in Edinburgh Castle next to the
standard of the Appin Stewarts who attacked them. |
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King's colour of Barrell's regiment |
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The ensign of the Appin Stuarts; one of the clans that
attacked Barrell's Regiment |
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The Duke of Cumberland at the battle of Culloden |
References:
• Fortescue’s History of the British Army Volume 1 Part II
• Battles of the ’45 by Tomasson and Buist
• Gideon’s Sword Bearers by John Mackenzie, book 2 in the history of a
fictional English regiment, “Villier’s Foot” click on
“The Duke of Cumberland at the Battle of Culloden"
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