Memoirs of the Jacobites of 1715 and 1745 | Page 9

severely ridiculed. He
alluded to "the greatest power in Europe, which was setting up a
Pretender to the throne; the winds alone having hindered an invasion
and protected Britain." He warned the Lords, that the rebellion which
he anticipated would be "fought on British ground." The memorable
oration in which he unfolded these sentiments, which were delivered
with great emotion, touched the heart of Frederic Prince of Wales; who
arose, quitted his seat, and, taking Lord Orford by the hand, expressed
his acknowledgments.[22] That warning was the last effort of one
sinking under an excruciating disease, and to whose memory the
tragedy of 1715 must still have been present.
Charles Edward, to whose ill-omened attempts to sail from Dunkirk,
Walpole had thus alluded, had borne that disastrous endeavour with a
fortitude which augured well for his future powers of endurance. Mr.
Maxwell[23] thus describes his commencement of the voyage. "Most
of the troops," he says, "were already embarked, when a furious storm
dispersed the ships of war, and drove the transports on the coast: the
troops already embarked were glad to gain the shore, having lost some
of their number. It is hardly possible to conceive a greater
disappointment than that which the Prince met with on this occasion.
How severely soever he might feel it, he did not seem dejected; on the
contrary, he was in appearance cheerful and easy; encouraged such of
his friends as seemed most deeply affected, telling them Providence
would furnish him with other occasions of delivering his father's
subjects, and making them happy. Immediately after this disaster the
expedition was given up, and the Prince returned to Paris, where he
lived incognito till he set out for Scotland. Not long after his return to
Paris, war was declared betwixt France and England, which gave him
fresh hopes that something would be undertaken. But after several
months, seeing no appearance, he grew very impatient, and began to
think of trying his fortune with such friends as would follow him: he
was sick of the obscure way he was in; he thought himself neglected by
the court of France, but could not bear the thoughts of returning to
Rome. He had heard much of the loyalty and bravery of the Scotch

Highlanders; but the number of those Clans he could depend upon was
too inconsiderable to do anything effectual. While he was thus
perplexed and fluctuating, John Murray of Broughton arrived from
Scotland."
In this emergency, the flattering representations of Murray of
Broughton found a ready response in the young Prince's heart.
Notwithstanding the assertions of that individual in his evidence at
Lovat's trial, that he had used every means to dissuade the Prince from
going to Scotland,[24] it is expressly stated by Mr. Maxwell,[25] that
he "advised the Prince, in his own name, to come to Scotland at any
rate; it was his opinion that the Prince should come as well provided
and attended as possible, but rather come alone than delay coming; that
those who had invited the Prince, and promised to join him if he came
at the head of four or five thousand regular troops, would do the same if
he came without any troops at all; in fine, that he had a very strong
party in Scotland, and would have a very good chance of succeeding.
This was more than enough to determine the Prince. The expedition
was resolved upon, and Murray despatched to Scotland with such
orders and instructions as were thought proper at that juncture."
Mr. Murray may therefore be considered as in a great measure
responsible for the event of that proceeding, which he afterwards
denounced as a "desperate undertaking." He found, unhappily, ready
instruments in the unfortunate Marquis of Tullibardine, in Mr.
Radcliffe, and others, whose fate he may thus be considered to have
hastened by his alluring representations of the prospects of success.
When it was decided that Charles Edward should throw himself on the
loyalty of the Clans, and intimation was given of the whole scheme,
Lord George Murray prepared for action. The landing of the Prince, the
erection of a standard at Glenfinnin, the march through Lochiel, and the
encampment between Glengarry and Fort Augustus, were events which
he did not personally aid by his presence. He was, indeed, busily
employed in assembling his father's tenantry; and it was not until the
Prince arrived at Perth that Lord George Murray was presented to him;
he was almost immediately created a Lieutenant-General in the Prince's

service. His power in the Highlands was, indeed, of a far greater extent
than that military rank would seem to imply; for, although the Marquis
of Tullibardine was the nominal commander in the North, to Lord
George Murray was entrusted the actual management of affairs; an
arrangement with which the modest and