pursuit, they
received a volley from this part of the English army, which brought them
to a pause, and caused them to draw back to their former ground, their
impression being that some ambuscade was intended. This saved the
English army from destruction. A pause took place, during which the bulk
of the English infantry got back to Falkirk. It was not until Lord
George Murray brought up the second line of his wing and the pickets,
with some others on the other wing, that General Huske drew off his
party, which he did in good order."

The seat of war was now removed to the North. The month of April, 1746,
found Prince Charles in possession of Inverness, with an army sorely
dwindled in numbers, and in great want of necessaries and provisions.
Many of the Highlanders had retired for the winter to their native
glens, and had not yet rejoined the standard. The Duke of Cumberland,
who now commanded the English army, with a reputation not diminished by
the unfortunate issue of Fontenoy, was at the head of a large body of
tried and disciplined troops, in the best condition, and supported by
the powerful arm of artillery. He effected the passage of the Spey, a
large and rapid river which intersects the Highlands, without
encountering any opposition, and on the 15th of the month had arrived at
Nairn, about nine miles distant from the position occupied by his
kinsman and opponent. His superiority in point of strength was so great
that the boldest of the insurgent chiefs hesitated as to the policy of
giving immediate battle, and nothing but the desire of covering
Inverness prevented the council from recommencing a further retreat into
the mountains, where they could not have been easily followed, and where
they were certain to have met with reinforcements. As to the Prince, his
confidence in the prowess of the Highlanders was so unbounded, that,
even with such odds against him, he would not listen to a proposal for
delay.

There yet remained, says Mr. Chambers, before playing the great stake of
a pitched battle, one chance of success by the irregular mode of warfare
to which the army was accustomed, and Charles resolved to put it to
trial. This was a night-attack upon the camp of the Duke of Cumberland.
He rightly argued that if his men could approach without being
discovered, and make a simultaneous attack in more than one place, the
royal forces, then probably either engaged in drinking their commander's
health (the 15th happen