fact that he probably suspected O'Sullivan of having been
responsible for the order may have accounted for Lord George's
loss of temper, but it seems hard that the Prince should have
had to bear the brunt of it.
For some little time the Camerons who had been posted in the
churchyard were undetected, but on one of Cope's volunteers
riding up to reconnoitre the Heugh they drew attention to
themselves by sniping at him, and Whitefoord was ordered to
dislodge them with the artillery. Although mortar-fire would
have been more effective than gun-fire, experience had shown
that the shells were far from reliable, ' having been long
in Store in Edinburgh Castle, prepared, and many of the Fuzes
damnified'. It was therefore decided to make use of the cannon,
and two of the 1 1/2-pounders were run forward to the edge
of the ditch, where they were loaded and fired with the help
of the seaman-gunners, some of whom must have been com- paratively
sober. At each discharge the troops gave a cheer, and although
the little round-shot were barely 2 1/4 inches in diameter
and the range about 800 yards, the shooting was sufficiently
accurate to inflict some casualties. On being informed of
them, Lochiel, who saw no purpose in allowing his men to remain
exposed, appealed to Lord George Murray for permission to
withdraw the party, and he at once agreed. It was not before
time, for additional guns were being brought forward to bear
on the churchyard.
Murray was by now convinced that the only direction from which
to launch a successful attack on the royal army was from the
east, and having come to this decision he wasted no time in
putting it into effect. Without bothering to consult his fellow-commanders,
he ordered Lochiel's regiment to march through Tranent and
draw up in the fields to the east of the village, at the same
time sending an A.D.C. to the Prince to explain his intentions
and request him to follow with the rest of the front-line
troops. In deciding to make this movement Lord George was
not only influenced by tactical con- siderations. Among his
more valuable qualities as a leader was his understanding
of the Highland mind, and knowing that the High- landers '
had a freit not to turn their backs upon the first sight of
the enemy', he realised that it would help to counteract any
bad effect resulting from their withdrawal from the churchyard.
Lord George himself had no such 'freits', and during the march
he was amused to see two further examples of Highland superstition.
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