Rebellion of the '15: Prelude to our Battle of Edinburgh

After the defeat at Braemar, Argyll retreated to Perth, where he was greeted by General George Carpenter, 1^st Baron Carpenter, who was advancing through Perth with a Regiment of Foote (Harrison’s 15^th) a Regiment of Horse (Montjoy’s 3^rd) and a Squadron of Dragoons (Stairs- The Inniskillings (6^th) ) and a battery of Medium guns.

These went some way to making up the losses from Braemar.  Argyll continued to retreat to Stirling and with the addition of the garrison there (Egerton’s -36^th Foote) decided to leave his troops to await the Jacobites while he went south to face the Court of Inquiry. 



Clansmen from the Macdonalds of Clanranald

 Meanwhile the Jacobites had two sets of reinforcements......


The first, led by the James Radcliffe the 2^nd Earl of Derwentwater, had a clan unit, a Lowland Regular unit and one of Highland Horse. Derwentwater had (historically) raised the banner of rebellion in southern Scotland and after a short advance into northern England was defeated at Prestons. In our campaign, he instead marched by a circuitous route in western Scotland and now joined Marr at Braemar. The second reinforcements were the long awaited French battalions. Landing at Aberdeen, their commander the Maquis de Conde led four regiments of Foot and two of Horse to Braemar. These regular troops were a very welcome addition to the Jacobite force which was now double the size it had been in September when the rebellion was first declared.  The Jacobite Juggernaut then quickly marched towards Stirling. There Argyll, realising that he was substantially outnumbered fell back to Edinburgh.



View of the Rear Rankers: Clansmen from the Macleods!

 

At the Scottish Capital, Argyll’s troops stripped the fortifications of their huge 32 pounders and now had Siege guns to support his troops in the field and defend Edinburgh. He knew that reinforcements were also due- and they did not disappoint- Dutch Regiments of Foot, Horse and Artillery arrived in the days before the Jacobites. And as long as he remained in command he could also count on the men from Clan Campbell…after all he was a Campbell! So in mid-January- in the biting cold of winter, Argyll – exonerated by the Court of Inquiry- prepared to fight, to save the Hanoverian cause and restore his own reputation! Read about it at the end of April!

Rear view of the Siege Guns



Front view through the Gabions





Side View



Hanoverian Units resting and refitting at Newcastle:
Morrison’s (8^th – Queen’s, now the King’s)
Montague’s (11^th)
Orrey’s (21^st   Scots Fusiliers)
Shannon’s (25^th)



Scots Horse: The Earl of Marr's

THE FORCES:

Third Engagement of Campaign- West of Edinburgh-  First Week of January  1716

THE JACOBITES

CinC:  ‘The Old Pretender” James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales LR 0.

Senior Commander:  John Eskine 6^th Earl of Mar  (LR 1)

Senior Commander:  Brig. William Mackintosh- Laird of Borlum  (LR 3)

Marr’s 1^st  Column- Commanded by Viscount Strathallan            (LR 1)
A- Highland unit- Clans Drummond/Struan with muskets                                         SOLDIER
E - Highland Unit – Clan Seaforth                                                                               WARRIOR
H -One Lowland Unit- Drilled as regular infantry. Pike and shot armed                   DRILLED

Marr’s 2^nd  Column--- John Cameron XVIII Capt and Chief of Clan Cameron (LR 1)
F- Highland Unit- Clans Macdonald with muskets                                                     WARRIOR
M-Highland Unit- Clans Macdonald with muskets                                                     SOLDIER
D Highland Unit – Clan Stewart with Muskets                                                           WARRIOR

Marr’s  3^rd Column - John St Clair, Master of Sinclair (LR 1)
A- Highland Horse- Earl of Angus Horse                                                                    WARRIOR
B- - Highland Horse- Earl of Marr’s Horse                                                                 LEVY
C—Highland Horse-  Glengarry Horse                                                                       WARRIOR

Marr’s 4^th Column       Rob Roy MacGregor (LR2)
I - Highland Unit- Clan MacGregor                                                                            SOLDIER
J - Highland Unit- Clan Mcleod                                                                                   LEVY
B - Highland Unit- Clan Macdonald of Clanranald                                                     WARRIOR
L - Highland Unit—Clan Huntly                                                                                  WARRIOR



Highlander: Clan Seaforth

Marr’s 5^th Column   James Radcliffe , Earl of Derwentwater (LR 1)
C Highland Unit- Clan Armstrong                                                                               LEVY
K Lowland Unit- REGULAR UNIT Clan Douglas                                                           RAW
D- Highland Horse-  Earl OF Derwentwater’s Horse                                                  LEVY   

Brigade of Foot ( Foreign)              Brig Gen O’Brien LR 2
Regt Bulkeley                          1 Battalion                                                     (Irish/Veteran)
Regt La Couronne                   1 Battalion                                                      (Drilled/French)
Regt Picardie                          1 Battalion                                                      (Drilled/French)
Regt Auvergne                                    1 Battalion                                           (Drilled/French)
Regt Bourbon                          1 Battalion                                                      (Drilled/French)
Brigade of Horse (Foreign) ____________Maquis du Conde (LR 2)
Regt. Le Conde            2 Squadrons                                                    (Drilled/ French)
Regt Brissac                2 Squadrons                                                    (Drilled/French)            
Artillery
1 Battery of Light Guns                                                                                      DRILLED
1 Battery of Medium Guns (Captured)                                                           DRILLED
1 Battery of Heavy Guns (French)                                                                   DRILLED

TOTAL:  7 Regular Foot, 4 Squadrons Regular Horse, 4 Irregular Horse,  10 Clan Regiments, 1 light guns, 1 Medium battery, 1 Heavy battery,  10 Officers


The Veteran Irish

The Earl of Derwentwater's Lowland Foot

Clansmen

THE HANOVERIANS:

CinC John Campbell 2^nd Duke of Argyle (LR 1)

 Brigade of Dragoons-                                   John Dalrymple Earl of Stair (LR 1)
Portmore’s  Dragoons  (RSG-2^nd )– 2 squadrons                                        Veteran
Stairs Dragoons(6^th) – 2 Squadrons                                                               Drilled
Kerr’s Dragoons (7^th)  2 Squadrons (1 dismounted)                                    Raw

Portmore's Dragoons

1^st Brigade of Foot-                                    Major General William Wightman (LR2)
Forfar’s Regiment of Foote (3^rd)                                                                        Drilled
Wightman’s Regiment of Foote (17^th)                                                  Drilled
Harrison’s Regiment of Foote ( 15^th )                                                   Drilled

2^nd  Brigade of Foote –                                              Brig. General John Wills (LR 1)
Clayton’s Regiment of Foote (14^th)                                                       Drilled
Preston’s Regiment of Foote (26^th)                                                       Drilled
Egerton’s Regiment of Foote (36^th)                                                       Raw
1 Regiment- Clan Campbell                                                                     Warrior

1^st Brigade of Horse                                             General George Carpenter (LR 2)
Montjoy’s Horse (3^rd)                                                                               Drilled

Dutch Brigade of  Foot                                           Brig. Gen Van Welderen     LR 1
Regt. Van Welderen                      1 Battalion                            (Dutch/Veteran)
Regt. Nassau-Friesland                 1 Battalion                            (Dutch/Veteran)
Regt. Pallandt                                  1 Battalion                            (Dutch/Drilled)
Regt Brandenburg                         1 Battalion                            (Dutch/Drilled)
Regt. Van Nassau                           1 Battalion                            (Dutch/Drilled)      

DUTCH BRIGADE OF HORSE                                     Brig Gen.Van Voorst       LR 2
Regt du Wurtemburg                    2 Squadrons                        (Dutch/Drilled)
Regt Nassau Sarrebruck               2 Squadrons                         (Dutch/Drilled)




Stair's Dragoons

Artillery
1 batteries Medium guns                                                                         Drilled
2 Batteries Light Guns (Dutch)                                                               Drilled
1 Battery Siege Guns                                                                                 Drilled
1 Battery Coehorn Mortars                                                                     Drilled

TOTAL: 11 Regiments of Foot, 6 Squadrons of Horse, 6 Squadrons of Dragoons (1 Dismounted), 1 Clan Regiment, 5 batteries of guns ( 1 medieum, 2 light, 1 siege, 1 mortar), 7 officers.

The Mortars!

The Siege Guns prepare.