Clifton Moor Skirmish - Retreat From England

Retreat From England

The Jacobite army stayed on the first night of retreat at the town of Ashbourne, Derbyshire. They reached the town of Leek the following day. However, Leek being too small to accommodate the entire army, Elcho's and Pitsligo's horse and Ogilvy's and Roy Stuart's regiments of foot, went to the town of Macclesfield where they stayed the night. The remainder of the army which had stayed at Leek came to Macclesfield the next day and those who had stayed the night at Macclesfield went on to Stockport. On the 9th both of the Jacobite divisions met on the road to Manchester and entered the city as one body. The Jacobite army left Manchester on the 10th and reached Wigan that night. The next day they reached Preston where they stayed until the 12th. James Drummond, the Duke of Perth, was dispatched with 100 horse to travel north and bring back reinforcements from Perth. The Prince and his Jacobite army arrived in Lancaster on the evening of the 13th. Charles had decided to stay and fight at Lancaster. A survey of the surrounding ground at Lancaster was carried out by the Jacobite commanders Lord George Murray and Cameron of Lochiel. They found the ground suitable for their army to fight on; however, Murray had also received reports that a large body of General George Wade's dragoons had entered Preston not long after they had left. Charles changed his mind and decided to continue with their march back north.

The government forces under Wade and the Duke of Cumberland had not arrived in Macclesfield until the 10th of December, the day the Jacobites had arrived in Wigan. At Macclesfield the duke received intelligence that the Jacobites had left Manchester that day. Leaving Lancaster on the 15th, Charles' army was scarcely out of the town when some of the government horse entered it. The Jacobites formed in order of battle; but the alarm turning out to be false, the army continued its march to Kendal The British horse followed for two or three miles, and appeared frequently in small parties, but attempted nothing. The Jacobite army entered Kendal that night, where they were met by the Duke of Perth and his party. On his way north, the duke had been attacked in this town by a mob, which he soon dispersed by firing on them; but in the neighbourhood of Penrith he met with a more serious obstruction, having been attacked by a considerable body of militia, both horse and foot, and being vastly outnumbered, was obliged to retreat to Kendal.

On the advice of Murray the Jacobite army then marched to the village of Shap where they passed the night from the 16th-17th. On the 17th, on orders from Charles, the Jacobite army marched to the village of Clifton.

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