BATTLE OF PRESTON-PANS. 63 



he inquired the reason ; and on her assigning the natural cause, instead of 

 offering her the consolation he had usually done on such occasions, he only 

 replied, " We have an eternity to spend together." " Honest, pious, bold 

 Gardiner," says General Wightman, in a letter to the lord president, " died in 

 the field, and was stript, it is said, very near his own house. I believe he 

 prayed for it, and got his desire ; for his heart was broken by the behaviour 

 of the dogs he commanded." Deserted by his own squadron, and suffering from 

 two shot and sabre wounds — one in the shoulder, the other in the forehead — 

 he still attempted to rally a party of infantry, but in vain ; and was cut down 

 from behind, by the stroke of a scythe — a weapon with which many of the 

 Macgregors were armed. 



As one of many anecdotes illustrative of the true Highland character, it is 

 told, that when Macgregor of Glengyle, son to the famous Rob Roy, was 

 advancing to the charge, he received five wounds — two of them from bullets, 

 which, according to the phrase, had let in the light at both sides — and sank 

 exhausted on the field. Raising himself on his hand, however, and sternly 

 fixing his eye on his advancing clansmen — " Look ye, my lads," said he, " I am 

 not dead ! By I shall see if a man of you does not do his duty." 



In the midst of victory, Prince Charles maintained a spirit of exemplary 

 moderation and humanity. He gave particular orders for the relief of the 

 wounded who had opposed, as well as those who had served him, and did not 

 quit the field tdl late in the day. He then proceeded to Pinkie House, where 

 he slept, and next day returned to Holyrood Palace — " but there," says a French 

 poet, " the pleasures of Edinburgh proved a second Capua."* 



When the six field-pieces which composed the English battery were stormed 

 and carried by the Camerons under Lochiel, and the Stuarts of Appin under 

 Ardshiel ; one officer, with sword in hand, though deserted by those under 

 his command, still remained, to guard, with unflinching intrepidity, the 

 fatal post committed to his charge. A shew of resistance, vmder such cir- 

 cumstances, struck the Highlanders with admiration and surprise ; but- there 



• The passRge may be new to most of our readers : — 



" Cope d'abord charge d'arreter ses progrfis 



En vain, 4 Preston-Pans, s'oppose a ses succds; 



Bientot ce general contraint rl la retraite 



Laisse aux fiers Montagnards la victoire complete ! 



Mais, soit par imprudence, ou par fataiite, 



Edouard ne sut jouir de sa prosperite : 



Et, nouvel Annibal, de qui le sort se joue, 



Pour ce Prince, Edimbourg est une autre Capoiie.'' — Lenoir. 



