Bonnie Prince Charlie | Page 4

night the
struggle went on. At each of our posts we beat them back over and over
again. The town was on fire in half a dozen places, but luckily the night
was still and the flames did not spread. We knew that it was a hopeless
fight we were making; for, from some prisoners, we learned that three
regiments of dragoons were also coming up against us, and had already
arrived at Clitheroe. From some inhabitants, I suppose, the enemy
learned that the street leading to Wigan had nor been barricaded, and
Lord Forrester brought up Preston's regiment by this way, and suddenly
fell on the flank of our barrier. It was a tough fight, but we held our
own till the news came that Forster had agreed to capitulate.
"I don't say that our case wasn't hopeless. We were outnumbered and
had no leader; sooner or later we must have been overpowered. Still, no
capitulation should have been made except on the terms of mercy to all
concerned. But Forster no doubt felt safe about himself, and that was
all he cared for; and the end showed that he knew what he was about,
for while all the brave young noblemen, and numbers of others, were
either executed or punished in other ways, Forster, who had been the
leading spirit who had persuaded them to rise, and led them into this
strait, was after a short imprisonment suffered to go free. I tell you,
brother Andrew, if I were to meet him now, even if it were in a church,
I would drive my dagger into his heart.

"However, there we were. So furious were we that it was with difficulty
the officers could prevent us from sallying out sword in hand and trying
to cut our way through the enemy. As to Forster, if he had appeared in
the streets he would have been hewn to pieces. However, it was useless
to resist now; the English troops marched in and we laid down our arms,
and our battalions marched into a church and were guarded as prisoners.
It was not a great army they had taken, for there were but one thousand
four hundred and ninety captured, including noblemen, gentlemen, and
officers.
"Many of us were wounded more or less. I had got a slice on the
shoulder from a dragoon's sword. This I gained when rushing out to
rescue Leslie, who had been knocked down, and would have been slain
by three dragoons had I not stood over him till some of our men rushed
out and carried him in. He was not badly hurt, the sword having turned
as it cut through his bonnet. My action won his regard, and from that
time until a month since we have never been separated. Under a strong
escort of soldiers we were marched south. In most places the country
people mocked us as we passed; but here and there we saw among the
crowds who gathered in the streets of the towns through which we
passed, faces which we passed, faces which expressed pity and
sympathy
"We were not badly treated on the march by our guard, and had little to
complain of. When we reached Barnet we fell out as usual when the
march was over, and I went up to the door of a house and asked a
woman, who looked pityingly at us, for a drink of water. She brought
me some, and while I drank she said:
"'We are Catholics and well wishers of the Chevalier; if you can
manage to slip in here after it is dark we will furnish you with a
disguise, and will direct you to friends who will pass you on until you
can escape.
"'Can you give me disguises for two?' I asked. `I will not go without my
captain.'
"'Yes,' she said, `for two, but no more.'
"`I will steal away after dark,' I said as I gave her back the jug.
"I told Leslie what had happened, and he agreed to join me in time to
escape, for there was no saying what fate might befall us in London;
and, indeed, the very next morning severities commenced, the whole of

the troops being obliged to suffer the indignity of having their arms tied
behind them, and so being marched into London.
"After it was dark Leslie and I managed to steal away from our guards,
who were not very watchful, for our uniform would at once have
betrayed us, and the country people would have seized and handed us
over. The woman was on the watch, and as soon as we neared the door
she opened it. Her husband was with her and received us kindly. He at
once furnished us with the attire of two countrymen,