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Culloden

     
         
  Culloden  
         
 

Culloden, 16th April 1746

The highlanders, under the Appin Stuarts banner, charge down onto Barrell's king's Own Regiment. The Jacobite rebellion led by Prince Charles Edward Stuart, came to a bloody end on a rain soaked Culloden moor South-East of Inverness.

The Duke of Cumberland had replaced General Hawley as commander of the Royal army after the defeat at Falkirk. Cumberland prepared his troops for the oncoming battle and in addition to practising volley firing the Redcoats adopted a new close-quarter fighting method with the bayonet. Rather than stabbing at the man in front each Redcoat was to stab at the man to his right, which was the vulnerable upraised sword arm of the highlanders.

The battle commenced around one o'clock with artillery fire from the Jacobite centre. The Royal cannons replied and raked the Highlanders with ball and lethal grape shot. The order was finally given for the highlanders to charge and crowds of yelling clansmen running at top speed raced towards the Royal troops.

Many highlanders never reached the redcoats, being cut down by disciplined musketry, also the boggy moorland was an obstacle causing the highland charge to get crowded and obstructing the attack. Some highlanders managed to reach Barrell's and Munro's regiment and fierce hand to hand fighting took place. Many lost their lives and those that survived the charge whilst making their way back, were fired upon by the redcoats who were in position behind a wall.

Prince Charles, seeing all was lost, left the field and Scotland, never to return. The Jacobite cause was lost.

 

 
         
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