being
all on horseback, were just visible to their foes, but the "little
Highlanders" were in darkness. "We had the advantage," observes Lord
George, "of seeing their disposition, but they could not see ours."[149]
This encounter had the effect of saving the Prince and the whole army.
"It was lucky," calmly remarks Lord George Murray, "that I made that
stand at Clifton, for otherwise the enemy would have been at our heels,
and come straight to Penrith, where, after refreshing two or three
hours, they might have come up with us before we got to Carlisle."[150]

Lord George was in imminent danger during the action at Clifton.
Fortunately, an old man, Glenbucket, who was very infirm, remained at
the end of the village on horseback. He entreated Lord George to be very
careful, "for if any accident happened, he would be blamed." "He gave
me," relates Lord George, "his targe; it was convex, and covered with a
plate of metal, which was painted; the paint was cleared in two or
three places, with the enemy's bullets; and, indeed, they were so thick
about me, that I felt them hot about my head, and I thought some of them
went through my hair, which was about two inches long, my bonnet having
fallen off."[151]

In this skirmish Lord George commanded the Glengarry regiment, who had
remained, at the General's request, in the rear, to guard the baggage.
The officers, observes Lord George, "behaved to my wish, and punctually
obeyed the orders they received. That very morning, however, the
Glengarry regiment had told Lord George that they would not have stayed
three days behind the rest of the army to guard the baggage for any man
but himself." The Stewarts, of Appin, were also among the most valiant
of the combatants; but the most signal instances of courage were shown
by Macpherson of Clunie, and his fierce band.

This unfortunate chief was engaged in the insurrection of 1715; that
circumstance had been overlooked by Government; and, in the very year
1745, he had been appointed to a company in Lord Loudon's regiment, and
had taken the oaths to Government. His clan were, however, anxious to
espouse the cause of Charles Edward. Whilst Clunie wavered, his honour
requiring the fulfilment of his oaths, his affections, and his
hereditary principles leading him to follow Charles, his wife, although
a stanch Jacobite, and a daughter of Lord Lovat, entreated him not to
break his oaths, and represented that nothing would end well which began