Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 32 on 13/04/2007.

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Lord George and the last siege in Britain

James Irvine Robertson looks at one of Scotland’s greatest military leaders

In September 1745, Prince Charles Edward Stuart made Lord George Murray a Lieutenant General. The second Jacobite Rising was a couple of months old, and the little rebel army had entered Perth.

Lord George was in his 50s with little military training or experience and had been living peacefully on the family estates in Highland Perthshire for 20 years. But he was brother to the Duke of Atholl, and thus commanded loyalty amongst the men of Atholl and that meant the potential of 3,000 of Scotland’s best warriors.

He turned out to be one of that handful of great leaders of Highland Infantry in the mould of the legendary Marquis of Montrose and John Graham of Claverhouse, otherwise known as “Bonnie Dundee.” But he did not suffer fools gladly, which did not help his relationship with many of the Prince’s advisers. Or with the Prince himself.

In Perth, Lord George gained the confidence of his men. He was effectively in command of the Jacobite Army at the Battle of Prestonpans, during the march down to Derby, and during the retreat north that began on 5th December. The Battle of Falkirk on 17th January 1746 was a rude shock to the British Government. General Hawley had been given the task of mopping up what the authorities thought was the dying embers of the rebellion. He was beaten by the discipline of Lord George’s Athollmen and was rapidly replaced as Commander-in-Chief by the King’s brother, the Duke of Cumberland.

The Jacobite army’s retreat north continued. Prince Charles .....

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By James Irvine Robertson

Section : Scottish History

Page number : 38