Battle of Prestonpans: 1715 Printed with permission of Thomas Carroll Woods History of Prestonpans Preston Tower At the beginning of the eighteenth century it seemed as if Scotland and England were drawing much closer to each other politically and further wars would be unthinkable. There had, however, been setbacks. In 1698 a Scottish colonial company had set off to colonize the area around Panama, at that time known as Darien. This piece of enterprise was warmly approved by the Scottish Parliament but William III looked coldly on the scheme, refused to confirm its privileges or to give it English backing. The Company, completely surprised by the tropical climate and diseases - for the area was outwardly attractive - had a disastrous experience, and all its settlers died. Appalled by this calamity, the Scots, looking for a cause for the disaster, soon decided that it was due to English envy, inspired by William. So high did feelings run that the Scots began to talk of a separate kingdom again. The Prime Minister, Godolphin, appreciating the dangers of the situation, pressed quickly and strongly for an act of Union to ensure that relations did not deteriorate further. The Bill was passed in 1707. It gave Scotland forty - five members in the House of Commons and sixteen in the lords. The arms of the two countries were blended by combining the white saltire of St. Andrews with the red cross of St. George. This became known as the 'Union Jack', a jack being the flag on a ship by which it shows its nationality. Nevertheless, plenty of Scots had doubts about the alleged benefits of this union and the Jacobites lost no opportunities to deplore it. Hope of any positive and successful action was slim, until Queen Anne died in 1714, leaving no direct successor, and George of Hanover, descended from Sophie, daughter of James I, was invited to take the throne. James Stuart, the Old Pretender, the son of the exiled James II, could have had the throne if he had agreed to become a Protestant, but he refused. It looked, however, as if the time might be ripe for a Scottish bid for a restoration of the Stuart line. Few English people were pleased at the arrival of an unattractive fifty-four-year-old German who spoke no word of English and had apparently no desire to learn the language of his new subjects. In Scotland dislike of this new king was increased by the fact that he was strongly supported by the Campbell clan; any cause espoused by the Campbells was certain to be detested by their ancient rivals in the Highlands. In consequence, a rebellion was planned by the Earl of Mar who was soon joined by Gordons, Murrays, Mackintoshes, Macphersons, Farquharsons, Stuarts, and Macdonalds (the last with Glencoe firmly in mind). When this force struck, similar risings were to take place elsewhere, in the Lowlands and on the Border, in Wales and in Devonshire. Unfortunately for the rebels' chances, Mar was not the man to lead them, or anybody; he was a somewhat shifty character who had earned the nickname 'Bobbing John'. The risings in Wales and Devonshire were forestalled by swift action on the part of the government, which arrested the local Jacobites before they could put their plans into action. Even so it was a dangerous moment. There were less than 10,000 English troops available, and the rebels looked like putting many more into the field. Furthermore, French support had been promised. But the Battle of '15 proved a fiasco. With Wales and Devonshire out of the fight, the only hope lay in vigorous action in the north; but vigour alas, was absent. The northern counties force, under Thomas Forster, a Northumberland squire, was surrounded by a smaller cavalry force and tamely surrendered near Preston, Lancashire. Mar began well by capturing Perth, Aberdeen, and Dundee, but then halted, leaving Edinburgh and the surrounding area to his opponents. Not until 12 November 1715, two months after he had first raised the standard, did he move south from Perth. The next day he met his opponents at Sherriffmuir, just north of Stirling. The ensuing battle was as curious as it was indecisive. The left wing of each army scattered the opposing right. Then, not knowing whether it had won or lost each army retreated. Mar fell back to Perth, his supporters quarrelling among themselves and each blaming the other for the fact that the army had not managed to force a passage through to England. Even the belated arrival of the Old Pretender himself - a month later - failed to prevent them trickling back to the Highlands. With their hopes and plans in ruins, the leaders also soon went their separate ways. James and certain others went to France, whence no assistance was forthcoming now that Louis XIV was dead. The '15, which could have altered history, quietly fizzled out. The rebel army was finally disbanded on 7 February, 1716, at Aberdeen. Reprisals were not unduly severe in the conditions of the time. Thirty of the leading figures were hanged and a number were transported, but many kept out of the way and received a pardon later. Many, however, had their estates and property confiscated. Even less successful was an attempt in 1719. This time three hundred Spanish soldiers were to land in Rossshire where they would find Jacobite allies. Five thousand more Spaniards were to follow. The three hundred landed and were joined by a thousand clansmen under the Marquis of Tullibardine. The five thousand never arrived at all because their transports were all destroyed in a storm. In consequence it was a relatively simple matter for government forces to scatter the insurgents at Glenshiel. Two important and lasting results followed from these actions: One was that General Wade, who had been appointed Commander-in-Chief for Scotland built a series of roads, small by modern standards, but large and impressive in their time. These, marked on the map as 'General Wade's military roads' were a ten-year programme which made the Highlands accessible, although they covered approximately only 250 miles. Not least of their benefits were the bridges which carried them over difficult watercourses. A second result was the famous Black Watch regiment which was originally raised by Wade as a local police force. The Black Watch subsequently fought as the 42nd, distinguishing itself on the Alma Heights in the Crimea, and on many other battlefields. Next