ble reason to believe that
he had formed his resolution as to his own personal conduct, which was,
"that he would not, in cases of the flight of those under his command,
retreat with them;" by which, as it seemed, he was reasonably
apprehensive that he might have stained the honour of his former
services, and have given some occasion for the enemy to have spoken
reproachfully. He much rather chose, if Providence gave him the call, to
leave in his death an example of fidelity and bravery which might very
probably be (as in fact it seems to have been) of much greater importance
to his country than any other service which, in the few days of remaining
life, he could expect to render it. I conclude these to have been his
views, not only from what I knew of his general character and temper, but
likewise from some intimations which he gave to a very worthy person from
Edinburgh, who visited him the day before the action, and to whom he
said, "I cannot influence the conduct of others as I could wish, but I
have one life to sacrifice to my country's safety, and I shall not spare
it,"--or words to that effect.

I have heard such a multitude of inconsistent reports of the
circumstances of Colonel Gardiner's death, that I had almost despaired of
being able to give my reader any particular satisfaction concerning so
interesting a scene. But, by a happy accident, I have very lately had an
opportunity of being exactly informed of the whole by that brave man, Mr.
John Foster, his faithful servant, (and worthy of the honour of serving
such a master,) whom I had seen with him at my house some years before.
He attended him in his last hours, and gave me at large the narration,
which he would be ready, if requisite, to attest upon oath. From his
mouth I wrote it down with the utmost exactness, and could easily
believe, from the genuine and affectionate manner in which he related the
particulars, that according to his own striking expression, "his eye and
his heart were always upon his honoured master during the whole time."[*]

[*Note: Just as I am putting the last hand to these memoirs, March 2,
1746-7, I have met with a corporal in Colonel Lascelles' regiment, who
was an eye-witness to what happened at Prestonpans on the day of the
battle, and the day before; and the account he has given me of some
memorable particulars is so exactly agreeable to that which I received
from Mr. Foster, that it would much corroborate his testimony, if the