Manuscripts and Special Collections
Ne C 1720 : Letter from George Jonestone, Musselburgh [Midlothian, Scotland], to Henry Pelham; 21 Jan. 1745/6, endorsed 'Account of Action in Scotland, 1745/6'
Jan[ua]ry 21st 1745/6
D[ea]r Sir
When I wrote to you last This Country was in the utmost
Consternation w[i]t[h] the News of the Defeat of our Army. But
since the Arrival of the Volunteers and of his Majestys Troops
Our Spirits are soomewhat elevated; For tho' the rebels do
brag (as I am inform'd) of having gained a compleat
Victory if not a rout of his Majestys forces, we are positively
assured there was no such thing and that on the Contrary
the rebels were so much defeated that tho' they had Wind
and Weather for them they durst not venture a second
Brush tho' our Army stood a full hour in View of them.
In short by all the acc[oun]ts that I can hear each side affirm
they g[a]ined the Day and neither will allow they lost it.
Each Side maintain they have kill'd vast Numbers of the
Enemy and none will allow they have lost any thing
considerable of their own. As Facts therefore are not yet
adjusted it is impossible for me to form any Judgement
of the Matter. But as affairs of this Consequence must
raise in you as it did in us the greatest Curiosity, it
would be acting a part to you contrary to what I pride
myself in if I conceal'd anything that might be, because
I was not absolutely certain that it was. I shall therefore
give you as acc[oun]t of w[ha]t I have heared from Eye Witness'
on one Side and from hear say o' tother and lastly of w[ha]t
both Sides agree in and leave you to judge which side
has the title to clain the Victory.
Our Army consisting of 14 Regiments of Foot,
of 3 Regiments of Dragoons, of near 1000 west Country
Militia, of 1500 Loyal Highlanders from Argyleshire,
some Yorkshire Volunteers besides the Volunteers of this
Countrey and upwards of 1000 Countrey people arm'd
as they best could, for he th[a]t had not a sword or Musket
had a good stick or a fork in his hand and this last
Circumstance I hope will convince our freinds in England
th[a]t we are not all rebels here. Our Army I say being
encamped on Friday last in the low Grounds to the westard
