ort at
Cockenzie, Prince Charles on the field; a bundle of peastraw served for
his pillow; a long white cloak thrown over his plaid for a covering.

Among the volunteers who had recently joined the Prince was an East
Lothian laird called Anderson. He had often shot over the fields about
Prestonpans. During the night he suddenly remembered a path which led
from the heights, down through the morass on to the plain, slightly to
the east of Cope's army. He sought out Lord George and told him of this
path, and he, struck with the possibility of making immediate use of the
information, took him without delay to the Prince. Charles was alert on
the instant, entered into the plan proposed, and the next moment the
word of command was passed along the sleeping lines. A few moments later
the whole army was moving along the ridge in the dim starlight. But here
a difficulty occurred. At Bannockburn, and in all great battles
afterwards, except Killiekrankie, the Macdonalds had held the place of
honour on the right wing of the army. They claimed that position now
with haughty tenacity. The other clans, equally brave and equally proud,
disputed the claim. It was decided to draw lots to settle the question.
Lots were drawn, and the place of honour fell to the Camerons and
Stewarts. An ominous cloud gathered on the brows of the Macdonald
chiefs, but Locheil, as sagacious as he was courteous, induced the other
chiefs to waive their right, and, well content, the clan Macdonald
marched on in the van.

Up on the hill the sky was clear, but a thick white mist covered the
plain. Under cover of this the Highlanders passed the morass in the one
fordable place. In the darkness the Prince missed a stepping-stone and
slipped into the bog, but recovered so quickly that no one had time to
draw a bad omen from the accident. A Hanoverian dragoon, standing
sentinel near this point, heard the march of the soldiers while they
were still invisible in the dusk, and galloped off to give the alarm,
but not before the Highland army was free from the swamp and had formed
in two lines on the plain. Macdonalds and Camerons and Stewarts were in
the first line; behind, at a distance of fifty yards, the Perthshiremen
and other regiments led by Charles himself.

Learning that the enemy was now approaching from the east side of the
plain, Cope drew up his men to face their approach. In the centre was
the infantry--the steadiest body in his army--on his left, near th