f the forces. By a letter from one of the Prince's
aides-de-camp, Alexander Macleod, to Clunie Macpherson, on the very day
of the battle, it appears that his party soon hoped, or pretended to
hope, "to pay Cumberland back in his own coin." A review of the fragment
of the army was projected at Fort-Augustus, on the seventeenth of April;
and amends were promised to be made for the "ruffle at Culloden."[200]
"For God's sake," wrote Mr. Macleod, "make haste to join us; and bring
with you all the people that can possibly be got together. Take care in
particular of Lumisden and Sheridan, as they carry with them the sinews
of war."

To this letter Lord George Murray added some lines, which prove how
hopeless, at that moment, he considered any project of rallying; and,
indeed, even before the epistle was dispatched to Clunie, the Prince had
left Gorteleg, and taken refuge in "Clanranald's country."

Notwithstanding the Prince's flight, Lord George Murray, presuming that
he could still make a stand, remained at Ruthven, where a force of
between two and three thousand men was assembled. It was found, however,
impossible, from the want of provisions, to keep such an army together;
and, in a few days, a message from Charles, ordering his ill-fated
adherents to disperse, decided their fate. At this epoch Lord George
Murray addressed a letter to Charles, certainly not calculated to soothe
the feelings of the unfortunate young man, nor to conciliate the bitter
spirit which afterwards, during the lapse of years, never abated towards
his former General. The letter began thus.[201]

"May it please your Royal Highness,

As no person in these Kingdoms ventured more frankly in the cause
than myself, and as I had more at stake than almost all the others
put together, I cannot but be very deeply affected with our late
loss, and present situation; and I declare, that were your Royal
Highness's person in safety, the loss of the cause, and the
unfortunate and unhappy state of my countrymen is the only thing
that grieves me; for I thank God I have resolution to bear my own
family's ruin without a grudge."

After this preface Lord George, in no softened terms, pointed out what
he conceived to be the causes of the failure of the enterprise;--the
imprudence of having set up the standard without aid from France; the
deficiencies and blunders of Mr. O'Sullivan, whose business it was to
reconnoitre the field of