Clifton Moor Skirmish - Arrival at Clifton

Arrival At Clifton

On the morning of the 18th the Jacobite rearguard left Shap. It had not proceeded far when some parties of English light horse were seen in the distance on the eminences behind the rear-guard. Lord George Murray notified the circumstances to Charles at Penrith, but it was believed that these were militia and the information was treated lightly. On the 18th a body of between 200 and 300 horse of the Duke of Cumberland's forces formed in front of the rear-guard to make a stand. The government party was observed marching two and two abreast on the top of the hill. They disappeared to form themselves in order of battle behind the eminence, and made a great noise with trumpets and kettledrums. At this time two of the companies of Roy Stuart's regiment, which the Duke of Perth had attached to the artillery, were at the head of the column. The guns and ammunition wagons followed, behind the two other companies of the same regiment. The Clan MacDonnell of Glengarry regiment, which marched with Lord George Murray at its head, was in the rear of the column. Believing, from the great number of trumpets and kettle-drums, that the British army was at hand, the Jacobites remained stationary for a short time.

It was the opinion of Colonel Brown, an officer of Lally's regiment, who was at the head of the column, that they should attack their enemy sword in hand, and either open a passage to the army at Penrith, or perish in the attempt. Adopting this opinion, men of the four companies immediately ran up the hill, without informing Lord George Murray. Murray, observing this movement, immediately ordered the MacDonnell of Glengarry men to proceed across the enclosure and ascend the hill from another quarter, as they could not conveniently pass the wagons which had almost blocked up the roads. The Glengarry men reached the summit of the hill almost as soon as the head of the other column. Both parties were surprised to find the only enemy in view was the light horse they had observed a few minutes before, and who, alarmed at the appearance of the Jacobites, galloped off in disorder. One of them fell from his horse, and was cut to pieces in an instant by the Jacobites.

The rear-guard resumed its march, and on reaching the village of Clifton, Lord George Murray sent the artillery and heavy baggage forward to Penrith under a small escort. Being well acquainted with all the enclosures and parks about Lowther Hall, the seat of Lord Lonsdale, about the distance of a mile from Clifton, Lord George Murray, at the head of the Glengarry regiment and some horse, examined these parks and enclosures in the hope of attacking the English light horse. Although he saw several of them, he only succeeded in taking two prisoners. These prisoners informed Murray that the Duke of Cumberland himself, with a body of 4,000 horse, was about a mile behind him. As Clifton was a very good post, Murray resolved to remain there. On his return to the village, he sent Colonel Roy Stuart with the two prisoners to Penrith, to inform Prince Charles of the approach of the duke, and that he would remain at Clifton until further orders. In the event of the prince approving of his intention of making a stand at Clifton, his lordship requested that 1,000 men might be sent him from Penrith. On returning to Clifton from Lowther parks, Murray found the Duke of Perth there as well as Colonel Roy Stuart's men, amounting to about 200. He also found the Clan Macpherson with their chief, Cluny Macpherson, and the Stewarts of Appin, headed by Stewart of Ardshiel.

Within the enclosures to the west of the highway he posted the Glengarry men, and within those to the east he placed the Stewarts of Appin and the Macphersons. On the side of the highway and close to the village of Clifton, he placed Colonel John Roy Stuart's regiment. As some ditches at the foot stretched further towards the moor on the west than on the east, and as that part was also covered by Lord Lonsdale's other enclosures, the party on the west could not easily be attacked. This advantage meant that they could enfilade the enemy with fire when they attacked the east.