Established with a whisper, the last Scottish Rising embraced whoops of joy, then exhalations of woe and expired with a whimper. The Battle of Culloden Moor was the final death blow to the hopes of the Stuart dynasty; but more than that, it signaled an end to a culture that had existed in the Highlands and Islands of the Kingdom of Scotland for a millennium or more. Though Highland Clans and Lowland Scots fought on both sides of this conflict it was the Highlanders and the Clan system of governance that took the brunt of the defeat from the British government.
The Last Stuart King
The Catholic King James VII & II of England had been forced out of Great Britain in 1688 - his detractors said he abdicated - to make way for the Protestant Royal Duo of William and Mary. There were many who disagreed with this move for various political, religious and cultural reasons. Those who supported the return of the Stuart reign were called Jacobites (Jacob is Latin for James). More Jacobites resided in Scotland than England and, it seemed, more in the Scottish Highlands than the Lowlands. This was most likely due to the cultural significance of Clan life and the oath the Highland Chiefs took to serve their chief, King James. King James VII & II died in 1701 leaving his son King James VIII & III as his heir. He became known as “The Pretender” and was the last Stuart to be recognized to have a claim to the thrones of England and Scotland
The Bonnie Prince
King James VIII & III had a son named Charles Edward Stuart who was born in 1720. He was an engaging and good looking young man who was raised in Italy and became known to the Scots as Bonnie Prince Charlie. It was this youthful Prince who came to France and lobbied his cousins there to support his father in an attempt to restore him to his rightful place as King of Scotland and England. The French Court had little time for Prince Charlie but saw him as a useful tool in weakening the government of Great Britain. With promises of French gold and troops, Charles raised the standard of his father on Scottish soil at Glenfinnan. The response to this was weak at first but then began to build and there was some immediate success with his mostly Highland Army. He had swift victories at Edinburgh, Prestonpans and Carlisle. He was now at the head of an army numbering 6000 that penetrated England as far as Derbyshire.
Culloden Moor
However, despite the fact that King George was concerned enough that he was ready to leave London, the Jacobites in England did not rally to the cause. With reluctance, Prince Charlie retreated to Scotland and was chased to Inverness by British troops who were now commanded by the Duke of Cumberland, the son of King George II. Prince Charlie ignored the advice of his advisors and decided to meet Cumberland on the very disadvantageous Moor of Culloden with troops who had been starving and forced to be awake for the last two days. While the subsequent Highland charge succeeded in actually reaching the government troops through a hail of grapeshot, the artillery and musketry of Cumberland’s troops won the day decidedly. About 50 British troops were killed that day compared to over 2000 Jacobites. Many more were chased down and captured. While a great number of these Highlander prisoners were simply put to death, the Duke of Cumberland also meant to “civilize these savages” by making even their established customs a crime. It became a capitol offense to own a weapon and wearing a kilt or even playing the bagpipes got you six months in prson. The effect on the Highland way of life was devastating and the decline of the rule of clan chieftains can be traced back to this battle.
Sources
Culloden Papers printed for T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1815
Culloden Moor 1746: The Death of the Jacobite Cause by Stuart Reid and Gerry Embleton, Osprey Publishing, 2002
A Compleat History of the Rebellion: From its First Rise, in 1745, to its Total Suppression at the Glorious Battle of Culloden, in April, 1746 by James Ray 1749
Roger Saunders - Roger Saunders is a 9th generation American. On his father’s side, his 6th Great Grandfather came to Fairfax Co. VA in the Early ...
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