; and in a short
time ordered them all to go to Ruthven of Badenoch, where he would send
them orders; but before they had rode a mile, he sent Mr. Sheridan after
them, to tell them that they might disperse, and everybody shift for
himself the best way he could. Lord George Murray and Lord John Drummond
repeated the same orders to all the body of the army that had assembled
at Ruthven. The Prince kept with him some of Fitzjames's Horse, and went
that night to a house in the head of Stratherick, where he met Lord
Lovat and a great many other Scots' gentlemen, who advised him not to
quit the country, but to stay and gather together his scattered forces.
But he was so prejudiced against the Scots, that he was afraid they
would give him up to make their peace with the Government; for some of
the Irish were at pains to relate to him, in very strong terms, how the
Scots had already sold his great-grandfather to the English: and, as he
was naturally of a suspicious temper, it was not a difficult matter to
persuade him of it. And he always believed it until the fidelity of the
Highlanders shown to him during the long time he was hid in their
country, convinced him and everybody else of the contrary."[198]

This history of distrust and ingratitude is, however, to be contrasted
with very different statements. When the Prince heard from Colonel Ker,
after the battle, that Lord George Murray had been thrown from his
horse, but was not wounded, Charles, in the presence of all the officers
who were assembled around his person, desired Colonel Ker to find out
Lord George, and to "take particular care of him." Nor was there, among
the whole number of those writers who witnessed the battle of Culloden,
a dissentient voice with regard to the bravery of their
Lieutenant-General and to the admirable disposition of his troops. Had
he, like Lord Strathallan, sought and found his fate upon the field of
battle, his memory would have been exalted into that of a hero.

Two days after the defeat, the Duke of Perth, the Marquis of
Tullibardine, Lord George Murray, Lord Ogilvie, Lord Nairn, and several
other chieftains and officers met at Ruthven in Badenoch, and discussed
the events which had ended in the ruin of their cause. They were
unanimous in concluding that the night attack, upon which many persons
insisted as practicable, could not have been attempted.[199]

For some time after the battle, hopes were entertained of an effectual
rallying o