a rising ground to the northward of Penrith, passing review, Mons. de
Cluny with his tribe, was ordered to the Bridge of Clifton, about a
mile to southward of Penrith, after having pass'd in review before Mons.
Patullo, who was charged with the inspection of the troops, and was
likewise Quarter Master General of the army, and is now in France. They
remained under arms at the Bridge, waiting the arrival of My Lord George
Murray with the artilirie, whom Mons. de Cluny had orders to cover in
passing the bridge. They arrived about sunsett closely pursued by the
Duke of Comberland with the whole body of his cavalrie, reckoned upwards
of 3000 strong, about a thousand of whom, as near as might be computed,
dismounted, in order to cut off the passage of the artilirie towards the
bridge, while the Duke and the others remained on horseback in order to
attack the arrear. My Lord George Murray advanced, and although he
found Mons. de Cluny and his tribe in good spirits under arms, yet
the circumstance appear'd extremely delicate. The numbers were vastly
unequall, and the attack seem'd very dangerous; so my Lord George
declin'd giving orders to such time as he ask'd Mons. de Cluny's
oppinion. "I will attack them with all my heart," says Mons. de Cluny,
"if you order me." "I do order it then," answered my Lord George, and
immediately went on himself along with Mons. de Cluny, and fought sword
in hand on foot, at the head of the single tribe of Macphersons. They
in a moment made their way through a strong hedge of thorns, under the
cover whereof the cavalrie had taken their station, in the struggle of
passing which hedge My Lord George Murray, being dressed EN MONTAGNARD,
as all the army were, lost his bonnet and wig; so continued to fight
bare-headed during the action, They at first made a brisk discharge of
their firearms on the enemy, then attacked them with their sabres, and
made a great slaughter a considerable time, which obliged Comberland
and his cavalrie to fly with precipitation and in great confusion; in
so much, that if the Prince had been provided in a sufficient number of
cavalrie to have taken advantage of the disorder, it is beyond question
that the Duke of Comberland and the bulk of his cavalrie had been taken
prisoners. By this time it was so dark that it was not possible to view
or number the slain, who filled all the ditches which happened to be on
the ground where they stood. But it was computed that, besides those