glish
were, fell on their knees, and began to cut down the hedges with their
dirks. This precaution was necessary, for their limbs were unprotected
by anything lower than their kilts. During this operation, they
sustained the fire of the English with admirable firmness. As soon as
the hedges were cut down, they jumped into the enclosures sword in hand,
and broke the English battalions. A fierce and deadly contest ensued.
The English were nearly cut to pieces without quitting their ground.
Platoons might, indeed, be seen, composed of forty or fifty men falling
beneath the Highlanders, yet they remained firm, closing up their ranks,
as fast as an opening was made by the broad-swords of the Highlanders.
This remarkable attack was made in person by Lord George Murray, at the
head of the Macphersons, whom he ordered to charge. At length the
English dragoons were driven from their posts, and closely pursued until
they arrived at the moor where their main body was planted. In this
"scuffle" the Macphersons lost only twelve men; about one hundred of the
English were killed or wounded. A footman in the service of the Duke of
Cumberland was the only prisoner made by the Highlanders. This man
declared that his royal master would have been killed, if the pistol,
with which a Highlander took aim at his head, had not missed fire.
Prince Charles, with much courtesy, sent him back instantly to the
Duke.[148]

Such is a brief account of the engagement which Lord George Murray calls
a "little skirmish," but which must have afforded, at all events, some
notion of Highland valour to the Duke of Cumberland and his dragoons.
But, independent of the dauntless bravery of the Macphersons, to the
skill of Lord George Murray may be attributed much of the success of the
action. Before the firing began, he contrived, by rolling up his
colours, and causing them to be carried half open to different places,
to deceive the enemy with regard to the numbers of the Highland force;
and to make them conclude that the whole of the army was posted in the
village of Clifton. With about a thousand men in all, he contrived to
defeat five hundred dragoons, backed by a great body of cavalry, all
well disciplined troops. The moon, which was in its second quarter,
appeared at intervals during the close of the action, and gave but a
fitful light, being often over-clouded, so that the combatants fought
almost in gloom, except for a few minutes at a time. The English,