NIGHT MOVES

The 15th of April, 1746, was the 25th birthday of William Augustus the Duke of Cumberland. His army was now camped near Nairn, some 11 miles east of the Jacobite army position. Reports were that the Hanoverian army was in a celebratory mood and drinking brandy to mark the Duke's birthday. According to the Prince, and possibly to reason, the last thing the Duke's army would be expecting was attack.

The Prince devised a plan for a dawn attack on the camp, believing the Hanoverian troops would be somewhat 'hung-over' and tired after their night of drinking and celebration. However, Lord George Murray the Jacobite commander-in-chief, was not too enthusiastic about the proposed attack. No doubt he was concerned about the condition of the Highland army, many of which had now wandered off to find food or a place to sleep. He also felt that reinforcements should arrive before any move was made at all.

However, before long, a scouting patrol brought news that the Hanoverian camp did indeed appear to be quiet and relaxed. A regiment led by MacDonell of Keppoch also arrived, boosting the confidence of Lord George Murray and the credibility of the Prince's idea. The plan was to split the Jacobite army into two divisions. They would proceed towards the Hanoverian camp under the cover of darkness and out of sight from any place of activity or residence. The first division, led by Lord George Murray would attack the camp from the rear and the left flank, while the second division, Led by the Duke of Perth and the Prince would carry out an attack on the front of the camp.

The concerns that Lord George Murray had about the condition of the Jacobite men were to become more evident as the men were mustered for the attack. For starters, only 4000 men turned up and many of them were severely demoralized and disheartened as well as cold, tired and very hungry. The Jacobite supply lines were a sham, lacking in co-ordination and administration. Officers were sent out to assemble the wandering Jacobite soldiers for the attack, but many point-blank refused to return without food and sleep. Now Lord George was re-thinking the idea again, and his concerns were expressed to the Prince. These concerns fell on deaf ears, it seems, as Lord George Murray was ordered to commence the movement of the Jacobite army towards the Hanoverian camp as planned.

Much of the Highlands is covered in boggy marsh or peat ground, which is difficult to walk on for any distance at the best of times, and was no different for the Jacobite army. Progress was frustratingly slow and tiring, with some sections of the army, namely the highlanders, making faster headway as they were more used to the conditions. Consequently they were ordered numerous times to slow down and allow the rest to catch up. By the time the hour of attack, 2.00am, had arrived, they were only at Knockanbuie, three miles short of their intended destination.

Although the ground after this point begins to improve, the commander-in-chief Lord George Murray made the difficult decision to cancel the attack altogether. The advance was dependant on the element of surprise and it was felt that the delays in arriving to the point of Knockanbuie would remove this advantage.

The Prince was further behind and it it not known if he was aware of or approved the decision taken by Lord George Murray. Nevertheless, the Jacobites began their long and difficult march back to, taking the same route they had followed down. At 6.00am on the morning of 16th April, 1745, they arrived back at Culloden, even more exhausted, hungry and demoralized than before. Many of the men lay in the heather and began to sleep, while still more made off in search of food. The rest those men had was much needed, but as they slept on that cold Highland morning, the 9000 strong government army was heading towards them and their encounter on the moor at Culloden.