Welcome to "This Day in Scottish History." I'm your host, Colin MacDonald, and today we turn our attention to a crucial moment in the Jacobite Rising of 1745—the Battle of Prestonpans, fought on September 21, 1745. Also known as the Battle of Gladsmuir, it was the first major engagement of the rebellion, and it ended in a decisive victory for the Jacobite forces under Charles Edward Stuart, or as many of you may know him, Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Let’s dive into the events leading up to this important day.

By early 1745, much of the British military was involved in the War of the Austrian Succession, leaving Scotland relatively unprotected. This presented an opportunity for Bonnie Prince Charlie, who sought to reclaim the British throne for the exiled House of Stuart. His landing in Scotland in July 1745 ignited the flames of rebellion. He was met with caution by many clan leaders, but key figures like Donald Cameron of Lochiel eventually lent their support, boosting the Jacobite cause.

On August 19, 1745, the rebellion officially began with the raising of the Jacobite standard at Glenfinnan. With the Scottish capital of Edinburgh in their sights, the Jacobite army, though small and poorly equipped, was determined. Meanwhile, the government forces, led by Sir John Cope, struggled to gather an effective defense. Cope, despite being an experienced soldier, was hampered by poor intelligence and the inexperience of his troops, many of whom had little combat training.

Cope's initial plan was to block the Jacobite advance by taking control of the Corrieyairack Pass, but he found it already occupied by the Highlanders and withdrew to Inverness. When he learned that the Jacobites were marching toward Edinburgh, Cope decided to take his troops to Dunbar by sea, hoping to regroup and defend the capital.

By September 17, 1745, Cope’s troops had begun disembarking at Dunbar, joining forces with a cavalry detachment led by Colonel Thomas Fowke. Cope believed he was well-prepared to crush the Jacobites, who numbered fewer than 2,000. However, as his forces marched toward Edinburgh, they found themselves facing the Jacobites near the small town of Prestonpans, just east of the city.

On the afternoon of September 20, the two armies made contact. Cope positioned his forces defensively, placing his troops behind marshland and along the embankments of the Tranent to Cockenzie Waggonway—a coal transport route that crossed the battlefield. Although Cope’s positioning was tactically sound, his army was undermined by several factors, including the inexperience of his men and the panic that had spread among his cavalry after a skirmish days earlier.

The Jacobites, led by George Murray, scouted the battlefield and quickly realized that a frontal assault across the marshy terrain would be disastrous. Instead, a local farmer named Robert Anderson guided the Jacobite army through a narrow path known as the Riggonhead Defile, allowing them to flank Cope’s forces from the east. At 4 a.m. on September 21, the Jacobites moved into position, undetected by Cope’s sentries.

As dawn broke, the Highlanders launched their infamous charge. The government artillery, manned by untrained sailors, proved ineffective, and the two dragoon regiments on the flanks quickly panicked and fled the battlefield. With their flanks exposed, Cope’s infantry was overwhelmed in a matter of minutes. The battle lasted less than half an hour, and the government forces were either killed, captured, or routed. Sir John Cope himself managed to escape, along with a few survivors, retreating to Berwick-upon-Tweed.

The Jacobite victory at Prestonpans was stunning. Around 300 government soldiers were killed or wounded, and another 500 were taken prisoner. Jacobite casualties were relatively light, with only around 40 dead and 80 wounded. For Bonnie Prince Charlie and his supporters, this victory was a massive morale boost, proving that the Jacobite cause was a real threat to the British government.

In the immediate aftermath of the battle, Sir John Cope wrote to his superiors, disclaiming responsibility for the defeat, and a subsequent court-martial cleared him of any wrongdoing. However, the defeat effectively ended Cope’s military career. Despite his personal exoneration, the battle became synonymous with his failure as a commander, immortalized in the satirical song, "Hey, Johnnie Cope, Are Ye Waking Yet?", which mocks his inability to stop the Jacobite forces.

For the Jacobites, the victory at Prestonpans solidified their control over much of Scotland and sent shockwaves through Britain. It also attracted international attention, with French support arriving in the form of arms and money in the weeks following the battle. However, the Jacobite leadership soon became divided over strategy. Prince Charles wanted to march south into England, while many of his Scottish supporters preferred to consolidate their gains in Scotland. This tension would continue to plague the Jacobite campaign and ultimately contribute to its failure at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

The Battle of Prestonpans marked a high point in the Jacobite Rising of 1745. It demonstrated the ferocity and effectiveness of the Highland charge and showed that the rebellion was far from a mere local uprising. While the victory gave the Jacobites control over Scotland, it also exposed cracks in their leadership that would later prove fatal.

Thank you for joining me on this journey through history. As we remember the events of September 21, 1745, we’re reminded of the complex forces that shaped Scotland’s past and the enduring legacy of the Jacobite cause.

Tune in next time for another fascinating episode of "This Day in Scottish History." I'm Colin MacDonald, and until next time, haste ye back!

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