66 LOCAL CHIT-CHAT OF THE FORTY-FIVE." By Lieut.-Gen. the Hon. Sir E. Cust, D.C.L. &c., President. (READ 7TH NOVEMBER, 1861.)* THE following correspondence relates to a very interesting period in the history of England. After a long interval of peace, both at home and abroad, the country was suddenly alarmed by the victorious march of a wild multitude out of the Scotch Highlands, who, led by a young Prince of the house of Stuart, had not only defeated and dispersed the King's troops and already taken possession of the northern capital, but now threatened an inroad into England. It may well be conceived what a commotion must have been occasioned in the quiet hills and valleys of the border counties by the expectation of a sudden condition of intestine war, and how Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales would soon catch the infection. There was well known to be, in those counties, a strong party in favour of the old family, and, when no one at such a moment dared trust his neighbour, there could be none so fit to rely upon for advice or information as a friend in the capital especially when it is remembered that a newspaper was at that period but a hebdomadal luxury, and the market gossip was very uncertain and not likely to be at all assuring at such a moment of peril and alarm to a country community. The private letters of a barrister to a country gentleman are not likely to add much to our knowledge of the secret causes of events, but they are interesting in a lower degree, as illustrating what the mass of the community thought of the * Vol. II, N.S., p. 173. events of the period, and especially to the Historic Society, when it is considered that the palatine counties of Chester and Lancaster were, to a very considerable degree, affected by the episode of the "forty-five;" and indeed the more especially because there is now conclusive ground for believing that it had been the intention of the rebels to pass through them into North Wales. The first letter of this collection is dated October, 1745. The Pretender was at this time at Edinburgh. He had entered that city, with his army, after the battle of Prestonpans, with every token of triumph. The news of this battle, which told the complete overthrow of all the force that Government had been able to send against the insurgents, occasioned a violent revulsion of public feeling in favour of the victor, and spread proportionate consternation among all who had any interest in the Hanoverian cause. The whole of the Scottish state-officers, as well as many inferior persons enjoying public trust, betook themselves to flight in disguise to England or to remote parts of their own country; and in all Scotland there did not remain a single friend of Government who ventured to declare himself, excepting those who kept the fortresses; for the main strength of the British army was absent at this moment in Flanders. It is the opinion of many that had Charles at the time made a descent upon England, he might have dislodged his Majesty from St. James's and exchanged with him, for a time at least, the titles of King and Pretender. However, the royal cause recovered heart, as may be seen from an extract of a letter from London : October, 1745. I think I may now congratulate you upon the appearances we have of bringing our enemy's schemes to destruction; and I cannot help thinking but that Cope's miscarriage has been the means of rousing great numbers out of that great indifference which has been too long shown for the Government, and will, for many years to come, make us more united than we have been for many years past. Until this time the English Government had thought but lightly of this rebellion; but now that matters had become alarming, King George returned in haste from Hanover, and an army was sent to the North, under Marshal Wade, to meet the Highland army; but by the time this reached Newcastle the Pretender was already on his march into England. In the meanwhile, on the 13th of November, after a short siege, Carlisle capitulated and the insurgents seemed to have nothing to do but to go forward to London, in order to accomplish their object. Their route lay by Shap, Kendal and Lancaster to Preston, where the army rested on the 27th. From Preston they marched to Wigan and from Wigan to Manchester. At Manchester a circumstance occurred, which is worth recalling to our memory, as it shows the individual enterprise and courage of the Scottish partisans and the general terror with which the English were already seized. A man named Dickson, a sergeant, enlisted from the prisoners taken at Preston, having got a day's march ahead of the army, entered Manchester, with a boldness which almost surpasses belief, on the morning of the 29th, with his mistress and a drummer, and immediately began to beat up for recruits. The populace at first did not interrupt him, conceiving the whole rebel army to be near the town; but as soon as they knew that it would not arrive till the evening, they surrounded him in a tumultuous manner, with the intention of taking him prisoner, dead or alive. Dickson presented his blunderbuss, which was charged with slugs, threatening to blow out the brains of those who first dared to lay hands on himself or the two who accompanied him; and by turning round continually, facing in all directions and behaving en vrai lion, he soon enlarged the circle which a crowd of people had formed around him. Having continued for some time to manœuvre in this way, those of the inhabitants of Manchester who were attached to the house of Stuart took arms and flew to the assistance of Dickson, in order to rescue him from the fury of the mob-so that he had soon some five or six hundred men to aid him, who dispersed the crowd in a very short time. Dickson now triumphed in his turn and, putting himself at the head of his followers, proudly paraded the town undisturbed the whole day, with his drummer, enlisting all who offered themselves to be enrolled in the Pretender's cause. That same evening, on presenting 180 recruits to the Highland army on their march, it was found that his whole expenses did not exceed three guineas. This adventure afterwards gave rise to many a joke at the expense of the town of Manchester, from the circumstance of its having been taken, with all its 30,000 inhabitants, by a sergeant, a drummer and a girl! The recruits were immediately embodied with the others who had joined in England-the whole taking the name of "The Manchester Regiment," and were commanded by Mr. F. Townley, of a very old Roman Catholic family in Lancashire, one of the few volunteers who had yet joined the Prince. Such accessions, however, were very far inferior to what the insurgents had expected, or their predesessors had experienced in 1715. At that period Lancashire was nearly all devoted to the Stuart cause; but it is evident that the lapse of thirty years had quenched the flame of Jacobitism among the common people, and that even in the minds of the gentry it then burned only with a dim and wavering light. It was now expected that the Pretender and his army would march into Wales; and all the bridges over the Mersey in that direction had been broken down to retard their motions. It was at Manchester that Charles published the following curious proclamation: To the Inhabitants of Manchester. His R. H. being informed that several bridges had been pulled down in this country, he has given orders to repair them forthwith, particularly that at Crossford, which is to be done this night by his own troops, though his R. H. does not propose to use it for his own army, but believes it will be of service to the country; and if any forces that were with General Wade be coming this road, they may have the benefit of it. Manchester, November 30, 1745. The following letter is dated November 28th, 1745, and shows the fears that were entertained by those who had friends in Wales. It was written by Mr. Hutton of Hertfordshire, to his brother-in-law, Mr. Yorke of Erddig. If Dear Sir, I begin to be in concern for you and your family, on account of the rebels; but, by the best intelligence I can get, I hope they will not be able to reach Wales; however, I don't in the least doubt, from your great prudence and good judgement, but that you will take all proper precaution in case they should. you should think it advisable to come southward, as far as us, you can surely want no invitation. We should all, I daresay, rejoice to see you; and I don't doubt but my mother has mentioned it to you if not, I am sure it proceeds from not knowing the danger you are in. I have it for good authority that the rebels have dwindled to about 4,000 fighting men, which, compared to Ligonier's army, is but an handful of men. Judge Reynolds assured me to-day he will have 12,000 old disciplined troops, with three battalion of the guards at the head of them, besides the now raised regiments, and he thinks they cannot get by him into Wales. Warrington bridge is broke down, which, Mr. Perkins tells me, will retard the march of the rebels two days. I saw a letter from Penrith, which gives an account that the rebels are drawing their baggage back to Carlisle, and it is supposed from thence they are about to retreat. You have seen the account of the privateer taken by the Sheerness man-of-war. We have no |