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*... I went to the Road-Side where the
Chevalier, who by Advice of Perth, &c. had sent to Edinburgh
for Surgeons, was standing. He was dad as an ordinary
Captain, in a coarse Plaid and blue Bonnet, his Boots
and Knees were much dirtied; he seemed to have fallen
into a Ditch, which I was told by one of his Lifeguards
he had. He was exceeding merry: Speaking of his Army,
he said twice, "My High- landmen have lost their Plaids."
At which he laughed very heartily. When talking of the
Wounded, he seemed no Way affected. There were seven
Standards taken, which when he saw, he said in French,
a Language he frequently spoke in, "We have missed some
of them." Then he refreshed himself upon the Field and
with the utmost Composure eat a Piece of cold Beef,
and drank a Glass of Wine, amidst the deep and piercing
Groans of the wounded and dying, who had fallen a Sacrifice
to his Ambition.' |
Henderson's tribute to the Duke of Perth was well deserved,
for he and Lord George Murray did their best to see that
the wounded on both sides were properly cared for. Most
of the badly wounded Highlanders were taken to Bankton House,
which was turned into a hospital, although this did not
save it from being plundered' to the very Curtains of the
Beds, and Hangings of the Rooms'. At Preston- pans, where
two of the dragoon surgeons were attending to the wounded
officers of the royal army, Carlyle saw a young man, Captain
Blake, who had had a piece of his skull shorn off by a broadsword.
Although apparently dying, his skull was skilfully trepanned,
and 5 5 years later he sent Carlyle an invitation to visit
him in London. In contrast to the Jacobites' humanity some
of the local inhabitants seem to have shown the utmost callousness.
For when walking over the battlefield in the afternoon Lord
George saw a few of the worst-wounded of Cope's men still
lying there,' and though there were several of the country
people of that neighbour- hood looking at them, I could
not prevail with them to carry them to houses, but got some
of our people to do it'.
Nearly 80 of the royal army officers were taken prisoner,
many of them wounded, but thanks to the intervention of
the Jacobite leaders no more than seven were killed. Among
them was Colonel Gardiner, whose end is dramatically described
by Dr. Doddridge. Shot in the left breast at the beginning
of the action, and soon after- wards in the right thigh,
the Colonel stood his ground after his squadron had fled,
and seeing a party of foot still fighting without an officer
to lead them, he rode up and called out to them, 'Fire on,
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