Lot Essay
Although the Battle of Sherrifmuir (13 November 1715) was inconclusive, in practical effect it was as terminal for the cause of James VIII, The Old Pretender, as was Culloden for his son, 'Bonnie Prince Charlie', a little over 30 years later.
Having raised Prince James's Standard on 6 September 1715, the Earl of Mar quickly recruited over 10,000 men, but failed to capture Edinburgh; Perth was seized on 14 September, but Mar delayed there uncertain whether or when to advance. Government forces under the relatively experienced 2nd Duke of Argyll, despite being heavily outnumbered, moved out from Stirling to the barren uplands of Sherrifmuir, 2 miles north-east of Dunblane.
This important painting (seen from behind the Government lines) portrays in the rather rigid formal style of such 18th Century battlescenes both armies in formation at the opening confrontation. The disparity in numbers is evident but the artist rather over-estimates the Jacobite cavalry
The Jacobite vanguard began to advance as Argyll expected, while Mar held a Council of War and harangued his troops. However, the vanguard soon swung left, warning Argyll that a marsh, which he had supposed to be impassable, was frozen. His army was now in danger as, indeed was his own observation point.
Argyll ordered his army to re-form simultaneously in two lines and move to its right, uphill, a manoeuvre which forms the main subject of the painting. The Earl Marischal arrived on the ridge in time to find it just completed and the whole Royal Army marching forwards 'without beat of drum, about two musket shot away'. The cavalry that should have protected the right also found itself forming in the centre, so Mar had to order to the right of his front line the horsemen in his rear line that had been guarding his left. This can be seen on the right of this painting, where the horseless Jacobite left is to be seen, firing upon their opponents. There, the enthusiastic Jacobite troops advanced with such great speed that their commander, General Hamilton, lost effective control and their two lines became muddled into one. Attacked by Portmore's Dragoons, they fought bravely while retreating for three hours, before being driven across the Allan Water near Kinbuck.
Argyll himself joined in the pursuit and tried to restrain his men from unnecessary slaughter with the famous words. 'Oh spare the poor Blue Bonnets'; the bonnets can be clearly seen in the painting.
The Dragoons' colleagues on the left of Argyll's line were still forming up when ordered to advance and did so in confusion, the lie of the land preventing them from seeing that the Jacobite line was extended well to their left. General Gordon saw his opportunity and attacked fiercely with his Highlanders. Argyll's left broke ranks and fled as a mob with Mar pursuing them. He reached Dunblane before re-forming and marching back to Sherrifmuir.
There, he found Argyll who had returned to the battlefield with only three battalions of infantry and five squadrons of horse, totalling perhaps 1,000 men. Although Mar advanced a little way towards Argyll, his nerve failed him and he hesitated long enough for the Duke to place his men under cover, behind some turf dykes. Fading light made further fighting impossible and Mar marched off to find the remains of the left of the army.
Whilst some Jacobites were prepared to suffer, others hesitated. A small group of men may be seen in the left (or West) of the picture, near the road and behind the Jacobite army, apparently having made their way South. There is a possibility that they were a group of some 400 men who were late for a rendezvous at Ardoch. Rather than join the battle, their leader decided that they should watch until the result became certain. The leader later boasted to General Wade of having passed information to Argyll during the Fifteen. He was that noble hero of the cinema, Rob Roy.
The Old Pretender landed at Peterhead five weeks later (December 22) and marched to Perth, spending 7 January at Fingask, before setting up Court at Scone. Fearing that Argyll's advance in late January would inflict greater hardship on his supporters he left Scotland on 4 February 1716 after only forty-five days.
The Rebellion's initial optimism had been snuffed out here at Sherrifmuir.
Having raised Prince James's Standard on 6 September 1715, the Earl of Mar quickly recruited over 10,000 men, but failed to capture Edinburgh; Perth was seized on 14 September, but Mar delayed there uncertain whether or when to advance. Government forces under the relatively experienced 2nd Duke of Argyll, despite being heavily outnumbered, moved out from Stirling to the barren uplands of Sherrifmuir, 2 miles north-east of Dunblane.
This important painting (seen from behind the Government lines) portrays in the rather rigid formal style of such 18th Century battlescenes both armies in formation at the opening confrontation. The disparity in numbers is evident but the artist rather over-estimates the Jacobite cavalry
The Jacobite vanguard began to advance as Argyll expected, while Mar held a Council of War and harangued his troops. However, the vanguard soon swung left, warning Argyll that a marsh, which he had supposed to be impassable, was frozen. His army was now in danger as, indeed was his own observation point.
Argyll ordered his army to re-form simultaneously in two lines and move to its right, uphill, a manoeuvre which forms the main subject of the painting. The Earl Marischal arrived on the ridge in time to find it just completed and the whole Royal Army marching forwards 'without beat of drum, about two musket shot away'. The cavalry that should have protected the right also found itself forming in the centre, so Mar had to order to the right of his front line the horsemen in his rear line that had been guarding his left. This can be seen on the right of this painting, where the horseless Jacobite left is to be seen, firing upon their opponents. There, the enthusiastic Jacobite troops advanced with such great speed that their commander, General Hamilton, lost effective control and their two lines became muddled into one. Attacked by Portmore's Dragoons, they fought bravely while retreating for three hours, before being driven across the Allan Water near Kinbuck.
Argyll himself joined in the pursuit and tried to restrain his men from unnecessary slaughter with the famous words. 'Oh spare the poor Blue Bonnets'; the bonnets can be clearly seen in the painting.
The Dragoons' colleagues on the left of Argyll's line were still forming up when ordered to advance and did so in confusion, the lie of the land preventing them from seeing that the Jacobite line was extended well to their left. General Gordon saw his opportunity and attacked fiercely with his Highlanders. Argyll's left broke ranks and fled as a mob with Mar pursuing them. He reached Dunblane before re-forming and marching back to Sherrifmuir.
There, he found Argyll who had returned to the battlefield with only three battalions of infantry and five squadrons of horse, totalling perhaps 1,000 men. Although Mar advanced a little way towards Argyll, his nerve failed him and he hesitated long enough for the Duke to place his men under cover, behind some turf dykes. Fading light made further fighting impossible and Mar marched off to find the remains of the left of the army.
Whilst some Jacobites were prepared to suffer, others hesitated. A small group of men may be seen in the left (or West) of the picture, near the road and behind the Jacobite army, apparently having made their way South. There is a possibility that they were a group of some 400 men who were late for a rendezvous at Ardoch. Rather than join the battle, their leader decided that they should watch until the result became certain. The leader later boasted to General Wade of having passed information to Argyll during the Fifteen. He was that noble hero of the cinema, Rob Roy.
The Old Pretender landed at Peterhead five weeks later (December 22) and marched to Perth, spending 7 January at Fingask, before setting up Court at Scone. Fearing that Argyll's advance in late January would inflict greater hardship on his supporters he left Scotland on 4 February 1716 after only forty-five days.
The Rebellion's initial optimism had been snuffed out here at Sherrifmuir.