fire. No such misgiving
seems to have disturbed Sir John Cope. On Friday the 20th the Hanoverian
army reached Prestonpans, and formed its ranks on a plain between the
sea on the north and the ridge of Carberry Hill on the south. The road
from Edinburgh to Haddington passed through this plain, and the simple
old general argued that the advancing army would be sure to take the
easiest road. Fortunately Lord George Murray knew better where the
peculiar strength of the Highlanders lay.

Early on Friday morning the Prince's army broke up from their camp at
Duddingstone. Charles himself was the first man on the field. As the
troops began their march, he drew his sword and cried: 'Gentlemen, I
have thrown away the scabbard;' high-spirited words which found an echo
in the hearts of all the brave men present.

The army marched in column, three abreast, the various clans holding
together under their own chiefs. Two miles short of Prestonpans Lord
George learned the position of Cope's army, and at once led his
light-footed soldiers up the slopes that commanded the plain. The
English general was hourly expecting to see his enemies approach from
the west by the road, and he was fully prepared to meet them at that
point. At two in the afternoon, to his amazement, they suddenly appeared
from the south, marching over the ridge of the hill.

The Hanoverian soldiers had enough spirit to receive them with cheers,
to which the Highlanders responded by wild yells. They longed ardently
to sweep down the slope and give instant battle, but the nature of the
ground made this impossible even to a Highland army. Intersecting the
hillside were high stone walls, which would have to be scaled under a
hot fire from below, and at the bottom was a swamp, a wide ditch, and a
high hedge. A certain gentleman in the Prince's army--Mr. Ker of
Gordon--rode over the ground on his pony to examine its possibilities.
He went to work as coolly as if he were on the hunting-field, making
breaches in the wall and leading his pony through, in spite of a
dropping fire from the Hanoverians. He reported that to charge over such
ground was impossible. The Highlanders were bitterly disappointed; their
one fear was that Cope should again slip away under cover of darkness.
To prevent this Lord Nairne and 600 Perthshire men were sent to guard
the road to Edinburgh. Seeing that nothing more could be done that
night, both armies settled down to rest; General Cope lay in comf