1715.

LORD KENMURE.

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there, as almost every where in England, was warmly in favour of the Protestant Succession: 700 men came forward to enlist as volunteers, the walls were hastily repaired, the gateways closed up with stones, and this important post was secured. Thus disappointed, the insurgents withdrew towards Hexham, where they hoped to communicate with their friends in Lancashire; and they had already sent an express to Lord Mar, to explain their want of foot soldiers, and entreat his assistance in that respect.

Meanwhile another insurrection was breaking forth in the south-west of Scotland. Lord Kenmure proclaimed the Chevalier at Moffat on the 12th of October, and next day attempted to surprise Dumfries; but the Marquis of Annandale, with some attendants, having thrown himself into that town, it was secured for the King. Within a few days, Lord Kenmure was joined by the Earls of Nithisdale, Wintoun, and Carnwath, and other persons of note; but the chief command still remained with himself.* He determined to unite his forces — they were about 200 horsemen with those of Mr. Forster, and for that object proceeded through Hawick and Jedburgh, over the border to Rothbury, where, on the 19th, he was joined by "the handful of Northumberland fox-hunters," as Sir Walter Scott contemptuously calls them.† thence the combined body, being apprised of Lord Mar's having sent Brigadier MacIntosh and a reinforcement to their aid, and of his appointing Kelso as the place of junction, directed their march to that town.

From

The expedition of Brigadier MacIntosh had been planned even before Mar received intelligence of the Northumbrian insurrection. I have already had occasion to notice his ruinous procrastination in lingering at Perth, and not attacking, as he might, and defeating, as he must, the scanty numbers of Argyle. Instead of such judicious boldness, he began to weave a complicated web of strata

* "He was of a singular good temper, and too calm and mild to "be qualified for such a post, being plain both in his dress and in "his address." (Patten's Hist. p. 52.) This is the first time, I believe, that fine clothes have been reckoned amongst the requisites for a good General.

† Note to Sinclair's MS. ad fin. VOL. I.

M

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gems, and designed, in his own phrase, to enclose the Duke "in a hose-net at Stirling. For this purpose he had already despatched to his right a body under General Gordon to seize Inverary, keep the Campbells from rising, and then descend upon the English army from the west. On his left he wished to affect a similar diversion, by sending another detachment across the Frith of Forth, and threatening Argyle from the rear. The soldiers selected by Mar for this latter service were picked men, chiefly from the clan MacIntosh, and the regiments of Lords Nairn, Strathmore, and Charles Murray they amounted to nearly 2000, and their command was intrusted to Brigadier MacIntosh of Borlum*, a veteran of very great experience, zeal, and intrepidity. It was no easy matter to cross the Frith in safety, there being then three English men-of-war at hand, to guard against any such attempt. But in hopes of mis-directing their attention, another detachment of 500 men was marched to Burntisland, and made apparent preparations for effecting a passage at that place. The consequence was, that the men-of-war immediately sailed to that point to intercept them, if they attempted to come over. No sooner was the enemy thus engaged, than MacIntosh, having obtained some open boats at Crail, Pittenweem, and Elie (small ports twenty miles to the eastward), embarked his men secretly at night, and put to sea. Next morning, the first object descried by the English seamen was the fleet of boats already half way over the channel. They attempted to give chase; but wind and tide being, as MacIntosh had calculated, both against them, they could only send their boats in pursuit, and only capture one of the enemy's. Forty insurgents were thus taken prisoners and conveyed to Leith, where they were secured in the gaol; of the others, two or three hundred, with the Earl of Strathmore, were stranded on the islet of May; but the remainder, to the number of 1600, safely reached the main land at the ports of Aberlady and North Berwick.

The local authorities at Edinburgh stood aghast at an

* Borlum was the name of the Brigadier's estate (Chambers's Rebell. p. 217.); and Mr. Hogg is mistaken in calling it Borland, after a small place in Perthshire. (Jacobite Relics, p. 151. ed. 1819.)

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BRIGADIER MACINTOSH.

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enterprise so dexterous and so daring. Their city was by no means prepared against an attack; but they had in their Provost, Sir George Warrender, an active and undaunted chief. An express was immediately sent to Argyle, entreating his assistance; and measures were taken to barricade the gates, to provide arms, and to enlist volunteers. Brigadier MacIntosh had previously formed no design against Edinburgh, nor was any such authorised by his instructions; but, hearing of the public consternation and the defenceless state of the city, and believing this great prize to be within his grasp, he determined to push forward and seize it. Accordingly, having stopped at Haddington one night to refresh his men, he, on the 14th of October, advanced against the capital; and in the evening he reached a place called Jock's Lodge, within a mile of Edinburgh. Here he learnt that the Duke of Argyle was every moment expected, and that a considerable number of the citizens had taken arms. He therefore thought it expedient to pause in his progress, and turned aside towards Leith, where he threw open the gaol, and released the forty prisoners captured in their passage. From thence late the same night, he crossed to North Leith, and took up his quarters in the citadel.

The citadel of Leith was a square fort with four demibastions, and a dry ditch around it, built in the time of Cromwell, but since in a great measure dismantled. It afforded, however, to MacIntosh no contemptible position for defence; and during the night, he obtained from the government stores at the Custom-house a large quantity of meal, brandy, and other articles of provision; he took eight pieces of cannon from the vessels in the harbour to mount upon his ramparts, and he supplied the place of gates by hasty barricades of wood; so that the next morning found him ready, if required, to stand a siege.

On the other side, the Duke of Argyle had answered the call of the Provost with remarkable promptitude and judgment. He took with him two or three hundred dragoons, and about as many foot, whom he mounted on country horses, and, by dint of great expedition, he came in sight of Edinburgh a few hours after MacIntosh, and entered the city at 10 o'clock that night. Being

joined next morning by the horse militia of the neighbouring district, and also by the city guard and volunteers, he found himself at the head of about 1200 men ; with which force he marched to North Leith; and coming before the citadel, sent forward a messenger with a summons to surrender, and a threat, that, if compelled to use force, he would give no quarter.

A Highland gentleman, the Laird of Kinnachin, appeared upon the ramparts to answer this summons. "Surrender," he said, "was a word they did not under“stand, and he hoped never would. Quarter they were "determined neither to take nor to give. As for an "assault, if his Grace were prepared to give, they were no less prepared to receive it."

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Argyle was, in fact, by no means able to execute his threat. He dismounted, and deliberately walked round the citadel, surveying it both on the land and sea side; but finding no vulnerable point, he determined to postpone the attack till next morning, when he expected the aid of some artillery; and for that day accordingly he marched back with his force to Edinburgh. But it was now apparent to MacIntosh that the arrival of this force from Stirling had blighted his hopes of reducing the city. On the contrary, it was far more probable that he himself would be taken, so soon as artillery was brought against him. Moreover, he felt that acting as he did against his instructions he was liable to a heavy responsibility, and could only escape the most severe censure by the most splendid success. On these grounds he determined to resume his original plan, to steal forth from the citadel of Leith that night, and direct his march to the south of Scotland.

Having thus resolved, MacIntosh sent a boat over the Frith, to inform Mar of his designs; and, as the vessel· left the shore, he directed a shot to be fired after it; by: which stratagem, he deceived the crews of the English men-of-war, who supposed the boat to belong to one of their friends, and made no attempt to intercept it. When night had completely set in, MacIntosh silently marched from the citadel, proceeding along the beach, and across the head of the pier, where his men were knee deep in water. He entered Musselburgh before midnight, and

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MACINTOSH RETREATS.

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early on Sunday, the 16th, he arrived at Seton Palace, the seat of their partisan, the Earl of Wintoun, about seven miles from Edinburgh*, where he availed himself of a very strong garden wall as an intrenchment, and prepared for a vigorous defence in case of pursuit from Argyle.

Meanwhile, Lord Mar had been rejoined by Lord Strath more and the troops stranded in the Isle of May, who unable to fulfil their original destination, had found an opportunity of sailing back to Fife. The insurgent general had also received early tidings of the deviation of MacIntosh from his instructions, and of the departure of Argyle from Stirling. He perceived that the only diversion which he could make in behalf of his lieutenant was by marching forwards with his army towards Stirling, since thus he might probably draw the Duke from Edinburgh, and rescue MacIntosh from danger. If, on the other hand, Argyle should remain absent, it might then be easy for Mar to disperse the remaining English troops, and effect the passage of the Forth. With these views, he immediately put his army in motion. Startled at his approach, General Whitham, who was second in command at Stirling, immediately despatched a pressing letter to Argyle, entreating him to return as soon as possible with his detachment.

This express reached the Duke on the night of Sunday, the 16th. He had already been apprised of the new position of the insurgents at Seton House, and had determined to assail them the next day. But the danger of Stirling, and of his whole army, overbore every other

* Seton House had some time before been forcibly entered and rifled by the Lothian militia. Lord Wintoun, in his answer to the articles of impeachment against him (Jan. 23. 1716), ascribes their conduct entirely to "private pique and revenge. The most sacred "places," he adds, "did not escape their fury and resentment: they "broke into his (Roman Catholic) chapel, defaced the monuments of "his ancestors, took up the stones of their sepulchres, thrust irons 66 through their bodies, and treated them in a most barbarous, inhu'man, and unchristian-like manner!" (Parl. Hist. vol. vii. p. 280.) I wish that I were able to contradict this disgraceful charge. Lord Wintoun had not at that time taken arms against the government : he was living peaceably in his own house; so that there was no pretext, but his religion, for such outrages.

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