What Happened at the Battle of Culloden?

In 1603, Scotland and England were joined together under one king, an event known as the Union of the Crowns. The king was James VI of Scotland and I of England. He was from a line of Tudor Kings and Queens, and began the line of the Stuart monarchs. Bonnie Prince Charlie, or Charles Edward Stuart to use his given name, was born in 1720. He was the great-great-grandson of James VI/I. We’ll discuss him more later.

Meanwhile, the Stuart line continued after the death of James VI/I with his son, Charles I. His reign was at a time of social unrest, fuelled by a combination of constitutional argument, religious divides, political upheaval and financial disputes. This was the time of the Civil War, with the Royalists against Oliver Cromwell’s Roundheads. Charles I was defeated and he was beheaded in 1649. His son, the future King Charles II, went into exile and did not return until the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660.

Charles II was a popular monarch, but this did not mean that his rule was without challenges. One issue was that he married a Catholic, Catherine of Braganza, daughter of King John IV of Portugal. At a time of religious divide, and when the Protestants still held a lot of power in the country, Charles II navigated these difficult waters. He did so for most of his life before ultimately converting to Catholicism on his deathbed. Charles II was succeeded his younger brother, the Catholic James II of England and VII of Scotland.

In Scotland, the Civil War had played out slightly differently, and many Scottish Protestants embraced Presbyterianism, a form of Christian church government based on rule by elders or presbyters. Catholic faith also retained a following in pockets of the country, particularly the Highlands.

Bonnie Prince Charlie continued to gain support from Scottish clan chiefs after raising his standard at Glenfinnan in August 1745, but many did so with the promise that there would be French troops fighting alongside them. While some clans did turn out in support, others advised Charles that his was a lost cause and he should return to the continent. Previous uprisings had shown there would be harsh consequences should the Bonnie Prince fail; this was a game of high stakes.

The Young Pretender did have the promise of powerful support for his cause. Both the French and Spanish courts had offered assistance, from arms and men to money. However, they were both also fighting wars on other fronts. Nevertheless, the Jacobite cause gathered pace and an army was amassed. They travelled south, defeating the government forces at the Battle of Prestonpans in September 1745 before continuing on to occupy the Scottish capital of Edinburgh. By November, the Jacobite army had entered England. However, dispute amongst Bonnie Prince Charlie’s advisors meant that the Jacobite army did not capitalise on their successes. Despite reaching as far south as Derby, the army turned around rather than continue south to London.

They decided to push north again to defend Inverness from attack by the government troops, now led by the Captain General of the British Army, William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland. The Duke of Cumberland was an enthusiastic military man, and the son of the then King of Great Britain, George II.

From Derby, the Jacobite army began the return journey north. After success at Falkirk in January 1746 and bolstered by news of French reinforcements, the army was optimistic. This began to change, with many wondering why they had turned around at Derby. Fractions were starting to show in Bonnie Prince Charlie’s leadership. They had been on the move for months and were being pursued by the British Army. Food was running very low for the Jacobite forces, and morale was mixed. On the eve of 15th April 1746, the Duke of Cumberland and his men were camped near Nairn, just 19 km/12 miles east of Culloden.

On the eve of the Battle of Culloden, Bonnie Prince Charlie made a rash decision that would have devastating consequences. It was the Duke of Cumberland’s 25th birthday, and he rewarded his men with extra rations to celebrate. They would be eating, drinking and, crucially, distracted. With the Jacobites arguing amongst themselves, the Bonnie Prince insisted his army launch a surprise attack on Cumberland’s forces.

The Jacobite leadership was indecisive. Their army was not at full force as some men had gone to Inverness for food while others had yet to arrive at the Jacobite camp. Poor ground conditions further hampered the planned attack. The group moved at different speeds as men got lost and succumbed to exhaustion and hunger.

When the Jacobite army arrived at Cumberland’s camp, it was too close to daybreak for a surprise attack. They were forced to turn around and march back to the site of the battle. Today we know it as Culloden Moor, but in the 18th century, it was better known as Drumossie Moor.

Culloden was the last pitched battle fought on British soil, but it is important for other reasons too. To prevent further rebellion, the government enforced strict rules and punishment on the people of Scotland, especially those in the Highlands.

The 1746 ‘Dress Act’ was designed to secure peace in the Highlands and followed earlier Acts in 1716 and 1725 (remember, there had been earlier uprisings in 1715 and 1719). In this Act, wearing “Highland clothes… or any part whatsoever of what peculiarly belongs to the Highland Garb” was banned for men who were not part of the British Forces. The British government clamped down on tartan and plaid use for coats because this was part of the uniform of a Jacobite officer. Dressing in the Highland style was also banned as they were seen to be more accountable for the rebellion. The punishment for being caught breaking these rules was imprisonment and, for a second offence, transportation. Highland Dress was banned under an Act that was not repealed until 1782, by which time the tradition of this style of everyday use had been lost in the Highlands of Scotland.

It was not just the traditional dress that was lost but also the culture of Highland life. Over the course of the 1700s, life in the Highlands changed dramatically. It is important to remember that this affected those who fought on the government and the Jacobite sides.

Find out more about the author of this article, Gill McMillan at Hike Highlands.