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'
the rebels for the Benefit of the Wind were obliged in the
pursuit to keep moving towards their right which retarded
them from following so fast as they might have done, th[a]t
when they had got far enough to the right they bore most
violently upon our left Wing and as they advanced came
nearer to our right. That our whole Army fled and that
three Regiments of foot only, and the Dragoons run in
between the two Armys and covered the retreat of those
th[a]t fled, th[a]t this Circumstance kept the Highlanders
employ'd till it was Dark and saved the Army who
lookd not over their shoulders till they had got to Linlithgow,
that the Highlanders having march'd 7 Miles, being all
Day in the rain, and having tasted no Victuals contented
themselves with the Tents Covered Wagons Arms, Ball,
Gunpowder and Artillery of our Army and surrounding the
town of Falkirk in the night where they expected our Army
to have taken up their Quarters, that there were about
6,000 of the rebels at this Engagement, tho' there were not
3,000 engaged, th[a]t the pretenders son came up to the Engagement
at last and put on his Coat of Mail, th[a]t he counted upon
the feild of Battle 100 horses kill'd and about 600 Men
& that he saw but a Highland man's body dead here and
there that they pretend that they have not lost no Men.
That there is no officer kill'd of the rebels and only the
person called Lord John Drummond wounded in the Leg and
Lockyell in the arm and two of Lochyells officers slightly
wounded, th[a]t he saw the prison and Church of Falkirk full
of Prisoners and th[a]t some were sent to Stirling, th[a]t the
prisoners taken are about 600. There were no Canon fired
of either side. As to w[ha]t is here said I pretend to no knowledge
of, as I am 300 Miles distant from the place and only
relate w[ha]t I have heard from others th[a]t you may be
able to form some Judgment of it yourself. But hope
Matters are not near so ill as is represented. The Highlanders
are in possession of the towns of Linlithgow, Falkirk &
Stirling tho' not the Castle w[hi]ch we hope will hold out.
We are terribly alarmed with the fears of a Visit at Edinburgh.
I am
S[i]r Y[ou]r most H[um]ble Serv[an]t
Geo. Jonestone
Musselburgh the 21st Jan[ua]ry 1745/6
