e. On the sixteenth day of April, the duke of Cumberland, having
made the proper dispositions, decamped from Nairn early in the morning,
and after a march of nine miles perceived the highlanders drawn up
in order of battle, to the number of four thou-sand men, in thirteen
divisions, supplied with some pieces of artillery. The royal army, which
was much more numerous, the duke immediately formed into three lines,
disposed in excellent order: and about one o'clock in the afternoon the
cannonading began. The artillery of the rebels was ill served, and
did very little execution; but that of the king's troops made dreadful
havock among the enemy. Impatient of this fire, their front line
advanced to the attack, and about five hundred of the clans charged
the duke's left wing with their usual impetuosity. One regiment was
disordered by the weight of this column; but two battalions advancing
from the second line, sustained the first, and soon put a stop to their
career, by a severe fire, that killed a great number. At the same time
the dragoons under Hawley, and the Argyleshire militia, pulled down a
park wall that covered their flank, and the cavalry falling in among
the rebels sword in hand, completed their confusion. The French picquets
on their left, covered the retreat of the highlanders by a close and
regular fire; and then retired to Inverness, where they surrendered
themselves prison-ers of war. An entire body of the rebels marched
off the field in order, with their pipes playing, and the pre-tender's
standard displayed; the rest were routed with great slaughter; and their
prince was with reluctance prevailed upon to retire. In less than thirty
minutes they were totally defeated, and the field covered with the
slain. The road, as far as Inverness, was strewed with dead bodies; and
a great number of people, who from motives of curiosity had come to
see the battle, were sacrificed to the undistinguished vengeance of the
victors. Twelve hundred rebels were slain or wounded on the field, and
in the pursuit. The earl of Kilmarnock was taken; and in a few days
lord Balmerino surrendered to a country gentleman, at whose house he
presented himself for this purpose. The glory of the victory was sullied
by the barbarity of the soldiers. They had been provoked by their former
disgraces to the most savage thirst of revenge. Not contented with the
blood which was so profusely shed in the heat of action, they traversed
the field after