218 JOHN METCALF, ROAD MAKER. TART III. 



having to fill up ditches and clear away many obstruc- 

 tions in making a practicable passage for the artillery 

 and baggage. The army was only able to reach Oving- 

 ham, a distance of little more than ten miles, after fifteen 

 hours' marching. The night was bitter cold, the ground 

 was frozen so hard that but few of the tent-pins could be 

 driven, and the men lay down upon the earth amongst 

 their straw. Metcalf, to keep up the spirits of his company 

 for sleep was next to impossible took out his fiddle 

 and played lively tunes whilst the men danced round 

 the straw, which they set on fire. 



Next day the army marched to Hexham ; but the 

 rebels having already passed southward, General Wade 

 retraced his steps to Newcastle to gain the high road 

 leading to Yorkshire, whither he marched in all haste ; 

 and for a time his army lay before Leeds on fields now 

 covered with streets, some of which still bear the names 

 of Wade-lane, Camp-road, and Camp-field, in consequence 

 of the visit. On the retreat of Prince Charles from 

 Derby, General Wade again proceeded to Newcastle, 

 whilst the Duke of Cumberland hung upon the rear of 

 the rebels along their line of retreat by Penrith and 

 Carlisle. Wade's army proceeded by forced marches 

 into Scotland, and at length came up with the High- 

 landers at Falkirk. Metcalf continued with Captain 

 Thornton and his company throughout all these march- 

 ings and countermarchings, determined to be of service 

 to his master if he could, and at all events to see the end 

 of the campaign. At the battle of Falkirk he played 

 his company to the field ; but it was a grossly-mis- 

 managed battle on the part of the E.oyalist General, and 

 the result was a total defeat. Twenty of Thornton's 

 men were made prisoners, with the lieutenant and 

 ensign : Captain Thornton himself only escaped by 

 taking refuge in a poor woman's house in the town of 

 Falkirk, where he lay hid for many days ; Metcalf return- 

 ing to Edinburgh with the rest of the defeated army. 



