Battle of Falkirk (1746)

In January 1746 the Jacobites split into two groups as they retreated into Scotland after their ill-fated invasion of England. They stopped to refurbish supplies at Glasgow, where they encountered open hostility. Some of the troops reacted by wanting to burn the city. They had to be persuaded against the plan, and frustrated with both the Glasgowans and their leadership, about 500 troops deserted. Avoiding Edinburgh, the Jacobites moved on to the Stirling area. Their 400 clansmen arrived with Lady MacKintosh to join the Jacobite forces. This brought the number of troops to about 9200. A siege on Stirling castle began, but the fortress seemed impenetrable and impossible to take. Charles left 1200 men to continue the siege of Castle Stirling, while he marched south with 8000 toward Bannockburn. There he waited two days for news from Lord Murray, his commander. When it came, Murray advised the Prince to march on to Falkirk Muir, where he might find a strategic position for the coming battle. They moved by night and prepared to face the government forces led by General Hawley. The Battle of Falkirk that followed left 420 Hanoverians (after George I, the Elector of Hanover, and his son George II) and about 50 Jacobites dead. The 'weaker forces' of Scots had once again disgraced the Hanoverian troops. Hawley blamed his men for the defeat, and had 60 of them executed for cowardice. The victory was questioned for significant reasons: Stirling castle remained in enemy hands, Jacobite desertions continued; and the Duke of Cumberland moved north with a large force that seriously outnumbered and out gunned the Jacobite forces. These factors, combined with Prince Charles' poor health, made retreat the only viable option for the Jacobites.