nemy, but now they were menaced on two sides. General
Wade--'Grandmother Wade' the Jacobite soldiers called him--by slow
marches through Yorkshire had arrived within three days' march of them
on one side, while, far more formidable, in front of them at Stafford
lay the Duke of Cumberland with 10,000 men. He was a brave leader, and
the troops under him were seasoned and experienced. At last the English
Government had wakened up to the seriousness of the danger which they
had made light of as long as it only affected Scotland. When news came
that the Scots had got beyond Manchester, a most unmanly panic prevailed
in London. Shops were shut, there was a run on the Bank, it has even
been asserted that George II. himself had many of his valuables removed
on to yachts in the Thames, and held himself in readiness to fly at any
moment.

The Duke of Cumberland and his forces were the only obstacle between the
Prince's army and London. Lord George Murray, with his usual sagacity,
determined to slip past this enemy also, as he had already slipped past
Wade. While the Prince, with one division of the army, marched straight
for Derby, he himself led the remaining troops apparently to meet the
Duke of Cumberland. That able general fell into the snare and marched up
his men to meet the Highlanders at Congleton. Then Lord George broke up
his camp at midnight (of December 2), and, marching across country in
the darkness, joined the Prince at Leek, a day's journey short of Derby.
By this clever stratagem the Highland army got a start of at least a
day's march on their way to London.

On the 4th, the Highland army entered Derby, marching in all day in
detachments. Here Charles learned the good news from Scotland that Lord
John Drummond had landed at Montrose with 1,000 French soldiers and
supplies of money and arms. Never had fortune seemed to shine more
brightly on the young Prince. He was sure now of French assistance, he
shut his eyes to the fact that the English people were either hostile or
indifferent; if it came to a battle he was confident that hundreds of
the enemy would desert to his standard. The road to London and to a
throne lay open before him! That night at mess he seriously discussed
how he should enter London in triumph. Should it be in Highland or
English dress? On horseback or on foot? Did he notice, one wonders, that
his gay anticipations were received in ominous silence by the chiefs? At
least the private soldiers of