Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-06-17
'''' "' REV RESiEw 1oFNEw SOCKS.

,-rhc follpSing account of the skirmishes at Cliff
fou Is extracted from tbs manuscript Memoirs OF
Evan Macpherson, of Cluny, chief Of the Chan, Mac
Pssssa who m. had the merit q s pns
pear to have been composed about 1855, only ten
years utter the action had taken place. They were
written in France, whore that gallant chet resided,
n exile. which accounts for some GaIllcsus that &C.
cur in Tho narrative. sIn the princes return from
Derby. back towards Scotland, my Lord George
Murfay lieutenant general, chcerfully charged him
self with the command Ut the rear; post which, al
though honorable, attended with great DANGER
many difficulties, and no small fa,igue for the prince
being apprchensvc that his retreat to Scotland might
be cut off by bfarischsll w ade who lay to the north
ward Of him with an army much superior to what
his royal highness had, while the Duke OF, Comber-
land with his whole cavalry followed hard in the
rear, Obliged to hasten his marches. II was not,
therefore, possible for the artcrc to march fast
the princes army, in the depth of winter, extremely
bad weather, and the worst roads in Engand Lord
George Murray was obliged often TO continue his
marches long after il was dark almost every night,
while at the same time he had frequent ularn,s and
disturbances from the Duke of Cumberlands advan-
ced parties. Towards tie evening Of the twcniie-
eight December, i7is the prince cnterethc town Of
Penfinth, in heyprovince of Cumberland. But rs
Lord George Murray could not bring up the artille
lie so fast as he would have wished. he obliged
Co pass the night six miles short Of that town. togeh
CT with regiment Of McDonel of Glengarrie,
which that day happened to have the arrcar guard.
The Prince in order to rrfresirhs arTne, and to give
my Lord George and the ar,il.erie time TO CRIME up
resolvcdto srour the 10Th at Pcnri,; ordered his
little army To oppear in the morning under arms, in
order To be reviewed. end 10 lnow in what manner
The numbers stood from his having entered England.
10 did not ut that time aaovut 10 5000 foot in AL
with about 400 cavarie composed of the nobesse who
served as volunteers, part of whom formed first
troop guards for the prince, under the command of
my Lord Elchoe, now Comte de Wecms who, benp
prescribed, is presently in France. Another part
formed a second troop OF guards undcr the command
ofmy Lord Balmriuo who was bGheoded a. the Tower
of London. third part served under my Lord 10
Comic de kimarncck, who was likewise behcadcd at
the Tower. a fourth part serred under my Lord
Pitshgow, who IS also prescribed; which cavalry,
though very few III numbers being all nobesse were
gerry brave, and of infinite advantage TO the foot not
only in the day of battle, bat III serving ne advanced
guards the several marches, and in patsolnr ,lu
ring the night on the different roads which led to-
wards the towns where the amy happened TO quar-
Ter. While this small army was out III body on
tho 29th December upon rising ground to the
northward of Peurith, passing review, Mons. dc Gu
ny, with his tribe, ordered to the Bridge OF Cliff.
fop, about milo to southwark of Penrh, after ba.
wing passed in review before Mons. Pattallo who
iyas charged With the inspection Of the troops and
was like-ways quartey-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 artiirie, whom Mons. dc Cuny had
orders to in passing the bridge. They arrived
about sunset. closely pursued by the Duke Of Com
5erand with the whole body of his cavalre, reckon
ed upwards of 5000 strong; about 1000 of whom, as
might be computed dismounted, in order to
cut ofthe passage ofthe artrie towards the bridge
while the Duke and the others remained horseback
in order to attack the rear.--My Lord George Muir
ray advanced, and although he found Mons. de Gu.
NY and his tribe in good spirits under arms, vet the
circumstance appeared extremely delicate. The
numbers were vastly unequal, and the attack seemd
very dangerous; SO my Lord George declined giving
orders to snch time as ne askd Mons. de Clunys
opinion. Il will attack them with all my heart, says
Mons de Cluny, If you order me- Il do order it.
them answered my Lord George and Immediately
went on himself along with Mons. de Cluny, and
fought sword in hand foot at the head of the SIM
gle tribe OF Macphersons.-They in a moment made
their way through strong hedge of thoTns, under
the cover whereofthe cavalry had taken their station
in the struggle of passing which hedge my Lord
George Murray, being dressed en- moptdgnard as all
the army were, lost his bonnet and wig continued
TO fight bearheaded during the action. They at first
made brisk discharge of their fire the en-
envy then attacked them with their sabres, and made
a great slaughter considerable time, which obliged
Cumberland and his cavalrie to fly with precipitation
and in great confusion in much that If the pnncei
had been provided in sufficient number of caVarie
have taken advantage of the disorder, Il 10 beyond
onestion that the Duke CT Cumberland and the bulk
of his cayalre had been taken prisoners. BY this
time it was SO dark that it was not possible tovew
or number the slain, who filed all the bitches which
happened to be the ground where they stood But
il was computed that besides those who went Off
wounded upwards of hundred at least were left on
the spot, among whom was Colonel Honeywood, who
commanded the dsmounted cayalre, whose sabre, of
considerable vaiue, Mons. de Cluny bro't off and
still preserves; and his tribe like ways brot of many
arms; the colonel was afterwards taken UP, and his
wounds being dressed with great difcultie recover
ed Mons. de Cluny lost only, in the action, twelve
Ineb Of whom, some having becen only wounded, fell
Afterwards into tho hands Of the enemy, and were
sent as slaves Anerca; whence several Of hem
turDed and one OF them is in France, sergeant
in the regiment Of Royal Scots. How soon the uc-
counts OF the enemies approach had reached the
Srnce his royal highness had immediately ordered
Toy I.ordfc Compile de Maine, brigadier, who, being
prescribed IS nowin France, With the three botalicn
the Duke Of Athol, tho battalion Of the Duke III
Perth. and some other troops under his commad,
iaorder 10 support Cluny, and 70 bring off the arll'
tie. But the action was entirely over befop tnel
4 Comte dc Nairne, with his command, couteach
nigh to the place. They therefore returned III tot
Penrith, aud the aTtiIirie marched mp in ood or
der. Nor did the Duke Of Cumberland eur alter
spara dare TO came within DAVIS march ofno prince