Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

COLONEL GARDINER.

shall not spare it." He continued all night under arms, wrapped up in his cloak, and sheltered by a rick of barley. At three in the morning he called his four domestic servants to him, and addressing them in a pathetic tone of christian exhortation, bade them farewell, as if for ever.

"There is great

reason to believe," says Doddridge, his spiritual friend and biographer, "that he spent the little remainder of the time, which could not be much above an hour, in those devout exercises of the soul, which had been so long habitual to him, and to which so many circumstances did then concur to call him."

Early in the battle, which commenced
before sunrise and continued only a
few minutes, he received a bullet in his
left breast, and soon afterwards another
in his right thigh. He still, however,
though pressed to retreat, fought on,
and some of the enemy, it is said, fell
by his hand. Deserted by his regiment,
which he had in vain attempted to rally,
he placed himself at the head of a party
of foot, whom he had been ordered to
support, and who were bravely fighting
near him, but without a commander.
On riding towards them, he exclaimed,
"Fire on my lads, and fear nothing!"
These words were scarcely uttered,
when a Highlander wounded him so
severely in the right arm, with a scythe,
that the sword dropped from his hand.
While still entangled with his assailant's
weapon, other insurgents came up and
dragged him from his horse; and one
of these, the moment he fell, struck
him a mortal blow, either with a broad-
sword or a Lochaber axe, on the back of
the head. He caught his hat as it
dropped, with his left hand, and waved
it to his servant as a signal to retreat,
exclaiming, with his last breath," Take
care of yourself!"

Although the young Pretender, in
going over the field, after the battle, is
said to have gently raised this brave
soldier's head, and to have exclaimed,
"Poor Gardiner! would to God I could
restore thy life!" yet, it is asserted, that
the rebels treated his body with great
indignity, and stripped his house, which
adjoined the scene of contest, of every
He was interred
article it contained.
in the burial ground of Tranant, his

parish church, at which he had been a
By his wife, a
constant attendant.
daughter of the Earl of Buchan, he
had eleven children, but only five sur-
vived him. His father died of fatigue
at the battle of Hochstet; his maternal
uncle was killed at Steenkirk; and his
eldest brother, when only sixteen years
old, fell at the siege of Namur.

In person, Colonel Gardiner was
strongly built, and well-proportioned;
in stature, unusually tall; and in the
expression of his countenance, intellec-
tual and dignified. In calm heroism,
he has never been excelled. He once
refused a challenge; but, so highly was
he esteemed for courage, without any
imputation on his character as a soldier.
"I fear sinning," said he, on this occa-
sion, "though you know I do not fear
fighting!" The energy he displayed,
notwithstanding his bodily infirmities,
on the day preceding the fight, at Pres-
ton-Pans, his pious exhortation to his
domestics, his devotion before the battle,
and his calm, unflinching bravery, during
the contest, have thrown a romantic
charm around his memory, by which
embalmed.
it will, doubtless, be long and deservedly

In conversation he was

cheerful, and eminently persuasive; in
disposition, exceedingly charitable; and,
in religious principles, though a strict
dissenter, amiably tolerant to those
who most materially differed from him
in doctrinal points. The circumstance
which led to his conversion from lewd-
ness and impiety to enthusiastic devo-
tion, may be easily explained without
the intervention of supernatural agency.
He had passed the evening amid the
excitation of gay, and, perhaps, dis-
solute society; he was about to trans-
gress one of those holy ordinances, an
obedience to which, the book that fell
into his hands most probably enjoined;
he had previously, at times, suffered
most bitterly from the compunctions
of conscience; and, not long before, had
been thrown from his horse with such
violence, that his brain, perhaps, was
slightly affected by the fall: these cir-
cumstances, acting on so susceptible an
imagination as Gardiner appears to have
possessed, doubtless, produced that de-
lusion of the senses, to which the happy
amelioration of his conduct has been
principally attributed.

SIR JOHN COPE.

OF the early part of Sir John Cope's career, no particulars appear to have been preserved. In 1742, he was one of the generals appointed to command the troops despatched to the assistance of the Queen of Hungary. In 1745, he acted as commander-in-chief of the forces in Scotland, and obtained an inglorious notoriety by the disasters of his campaign against the rebels. After a variety of movements, for many of which Cope has been much condemned, the king's forces encountered the insurgents at the village of PrestonPans, on the 21st of September, 1745. At break of day the engagement commenced. The English horse, panicstruck by the impetuous onset of the Highlanders, and the peculiarity of their mode of attack, fled in confusion, leaving the artillery wholly unprotected. The infantry behaved with rather more courage and steadiness, and Cope attempted to rally the fugitives, at the end of the village, but in vain: the defeat became general, and Cope himself, putting, as it is said, a white

cockade in his hat, passed unsuspected among the enemy, and escaped.

He was now removed from his command, and, shortly afterwards, a board of general officers investigated his conduct, which, much to the surprise of the public, was pronounced to have been perfectly blameless. In 1751, he was placed on the staff in Ireland, where he died, on the 28th of May, 1760; at which time he was a knight of the Bath, a lieutenant-general, and colonel of the seventh regiment of dragoons.

Cope was not destitute of courage, but apparently possessed little or no skill as a commander. His name was long a by-word for contempt, and his defeat became the subject of numberless songs, English and Scotch. Some of these still exist, and to the inspiring tune of one of them, "Hey, Johnny Cope, are ye wauking yet," a Scotch regiment marched exultingly to the charge, at the celebrated attack on the French army, made by the troops under Lord Hill, at Arroyo Molino.

MAJOR-GENERAL HAWLEY.

Of the early part of this officer's life but little is known. He was one of the generals appointed to command the subsidiary forces sent to the aid of the Queen of Hungary, in 1742. During the rebellion of 1745, he was placed at the head of a body of troops in Scotland; with which, early in January, 1746, he determined to relieve Stirling, then besieged by the insurgents. As a preliminary movement, he sent Major General Huske to dislodge Kilmarnock from Falkirk, whence the latter retreated on Huske's approach. A plan was now laid down for attacking the royal forces in their camp. Hawley became acquainted with his opponents' design, but took no precautionary measures, being fully convinced that they

would never attempt to carry it into effect. The consequence was, that Charles Edward's troops arrived within a short distance of the position occupied by the royalists, near Falkirk, before Hawley was aware of their approach. He had often boasted that two regiments of horse would be quite sufficient to ride over the whole Highland army: his own dragoons, however, on being attacked by the rebels, gallopped from the field in a most dastardly manner; and the whole of the royal forces fled at the first onset.

Though censured and despised by the public for his conduct at the battle of Falkirk, Hawley was still treated with great cordiality by George the Second and the Duke of Cumberland:

of the latter he was always a favourite; most probably on account of his strict maintenance of discipline, for which he was called, in the army, The Chief Justice. It is related, that an early copy of a memorial, published in 1753, respecting the heir-apparent's education, having been sent to Hawley, some person maliciously observed, that the author had acted most judiciously, if he wished to have the work propagated; for, as the general could not read, he must, of necessity, communicate it to others.

He died possessed of considerable property, in or about the year 1759, leaving rather a curious will, of which the following are extracts:-" As I began the world with nothing, and as all I have is of my own acquiring, I can dispose of it as I please. I direct and order that (as there's now a peace, and

may die the common way) my carcass may be put any where-'tis equal to me; but I will have no more expense, or ridiculous show, than if a poor soldier (who is as good a man) were to be buried from the hospital. The priest, I conclude, will have his fee; let the puppy take it. Pay the carpenter for the carcass-box. I give to my sister £5,000. As to any other relations, I have none who want; and as I never was married, I have no heirs. I have, therefore, long since, taken it into my head to adopt one son and heir, after the manner of the Romans, who I hereafter name, &c. &c." have written all this," he adds, "with my own hand; and this I did, because I hate all priests of all professions, and have the worst opinion of all members of the law."

"I

WILLIAM ANNE KEPPEL, EARL OF ALBEMARLE.

THIS distinguished general, only son of the first Earl of Albemarle, a Dutchman of noble lineage, who, for his eminent services, had been raised to the earldom, by King William, was born at Whitehall, on the 5th of June, 1702, and was partly named after his godmother, Queen Anne. He received his education in Holland; and, on his return to England, in 1717, became captain of the first regiment of footguards, with the rank of lieutenantcolonel. In 1718, he succeeded to his father's title and estates; and, in 1722, being then at his family seat, in Guelderland, had the honour of entertaining the Bishop of Munster.

In 1725, he was created a knight companion of the Bath, and, in March, 1727, nominated aid-de-camp to the king. In 1731, he obtained the command of the ninth regiment of foot, then at Gibraltar; and, two years afterwards, that of the third troop of horseguards. He was appointed governor of Virginia, on the 26th of December, 1737; a brigadier-general, on the 2nd of July, 1739; a major-general, on the 20th of February, 1741; and second in command, of the British forces in the Netherlands, under field-marshal

Stair, on the 14th of April, 1742. In the following year he became a lieutenant-general, and displayed great gallantry at the battle of Dettingen. In 1744, he served with Marshal Wade; and, in 1745, fought and was wounded at the battle of Fontenoy. In 1746, he commanded the right wing of the royal army, at the battle of Culloden; and was soon afterwards appointed general and commander-in-chief of his majesty's forces in Scotland.

In 1747, he commanded the British infantry, at Vall, and continued to serve under the Duke of Cumberland until the termination of hostilities, when he proceeded to the French court as British ambassador and plenipotentiary. On the 12th of July, 1750, he was installed, by proxy, a knight of the Garter; in the following year, he became groom of the stole, and a member of the privycouncil; and acted as one of the lords justices of the kingdom, during the king's visit to Hanover, in 1752. the 22nd of December, 1754, he died suddenly at Paris; whither he had been despatched to demand the liberation of some British subjects, who had been unwarrantably detained by the French government. His remains were brought

On

VOL. II.

over to England, and privately interred at South Audley street chapel, near Grosvenor square. He appears to have been held in great estimation by George the Second, (to whom, as well before as after his accession, he was a lord of the

bedchamber,) for integrity, courage,

and talent.

By his wife, Anne, daughter of Charles, the first Duke of Richmond, to whom he was united in 1723, he had eight sons and seven daughters.

CHARLES SPENCER, DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH.

THIS nobleman was born on the 22nd of November, 1706. In 1729, he succeeded his elder brother in the earldom of Sunderland; and, in 1733, became Duke of Marlborough, as heir to his mother, the daughter and co-heiress of John Churchill, the first duke. In 1740, he was made captain and colonel of the second troop of horse-guards, and was soon after installed a knight of the Garter. In 1743, he accompanied the king to Germany; and, at the battle of Dettingen, where he commanded the brigade of foot-guards, he particularly distinguished himself.

Disgusted by the political animosities which soon afterwards prevailed, he resigned his regiment; yet, in 1745, he was one of the first to raise a military force, for the support of government against the insurgent Jacobites. He subsequently became a lieutenantgeneral, steward of the king's household, member of the privy-council, and a lord justice during the king's absence on the continent. In 1755, he was keeper of the privy seal; and, in 1757, president of the board of general officers, convened to inquire into the conduct of the commander of the troops in the unsuccessful expedition against Rochefort.

On the 29th of November, 1757, the duke received a letter, from an unknown hand, signed Felton, which contained the following extraordinary passages:-"It has employed my invention, for some time, to find out a method of destroying another, without exposing my own life this I have accomplished, and defy the law. Now for the application of it: I am desperate, and must be provided for. You have it in your power-it is my business to make it your inclination, to serve me; which you must comply with, by procuring

me a genteel support; otherwise, my life, or your own, will be at a period before this session of parliament is over. I have more motives than one for singling you out first upon this occasion; and I give you this fair warning, because the means I shall make use of are too fatal to be eluded by the power of physic. If you think this of any consequence, you will not fail to meet the author on Sunday next, at ten in the morning, (or on Monday, if the weather should prove rainy on Sunday) near the first tree beyond the stile, in the foot-walk to Kensington."

The duke punctually attended this appointment, and within about twenty yards of the tree mentioned in the letter, he saw a man, whom he thus addressed:

"I believe you have something to say to me." "No," replied the man, "I don't know you." "I am the Duke of Marlborough," said his grace; "now that you know me, I imagine you have something to say." The man briefly answered that he had not, and the duke, who was on horseback, then rode away. It appears, that, on this occasion, he wore his star, carried pistols in his holsters, and had posted a friend at some distance from the appointed place of meeting. Two or three days afterwards, he received a second letter, signed F., in which the writer acknowledged the duke's punctuality, and added, "it was owing to you that it answered no purpose. The pageantry of being armed, and the ensign of your order, were useless, and too conspicuous. You needed no attendant; the place not being calculated for mischief, nor was there any intended. If you walk in the west aisle of Westminster abbey, towards eleven o'clock, on Sunday next, your sagacity will point out

DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH.

the person, whom you will address, by asking his company, to take a turn or two with you.'

[ocr errors]

"I

On the following Sunday, the duke accordingly went to Westminster abbey, about the appointed hour, and after he had been there a few minutes, saw the same person whom he had met in the park, looking at the monuments. asked him," observes the duke, in his account of the transaction, "if he had any thing to say to, or any commands for me. He replied, No, my lord, I have not.' I said, Surely you have.' He He walked up said, 'No, my lord." and down one side of the aisle, and I the other, to give him a little more time; but he did not speak. I then went out at the great door, and left him in the abbey. There were two or three people placed in disguise, ready, if I had given them the signal, to have taken him up."

Soon afterwards, the duke received a third letter from his mysterious correspondent, who, after stating his conviction that the duke had had a companion with him in the abbey, proceeded thus:-"You will see me again soon; as it were, by accident, and may easily find where I go to, in consequence of which, by being sent to, I shall wait on your grace, but expect to be quite alone, and to converse in whispers." "The family of the Bloods," added he, "is not extinct, though they Subseare not in my scheme."

quently, a fourth letter was sent to the
duke, in which the writer stated, that
the son of one Barnard, a surveyor, in
Abingdon buildings, was acquainted
with some secrets that nearly con-
cerned his grace's safety. In conse-
quence of this, the duke sent a mes-
sage to young Mr. Barnard, requesting
him to call at Marlborough house.
Barnard replied, that he would wait on
his grace, at half past ten o'clock in
the morning of the following Friday.
He faithfully kept his appointment;
and immediately, on entering the
duke's room, his grace knew him, as
he states, to be the same person to
whom he had spoken in the park and
the abbey. The duke then mentioned
the various threatening letters he had
received; of which Barnard denied all
previous knowledge.

apprehended, and, on his trial, which
took place at the Old Bailey, in May,
1758, all the preceding circumstances
were given in evidence against him.
For his defence, he called several wit-
nesses, who gave him an excellent cha-
racter. They also proved that he was
in a very respectable station in life,
above pecuniary wants, and the pre-
sumptive successor to his father's busi-
ness, which was very extensive. He
had, as it appeared, accurately related
to many individuals, the particulars of
his interviews with the duke, whose
conduct he had designated as being ex-
It was proved, that,
cessively odd.
when the prosecutor saw him in the
park, he was on his way to Kensington;
whither his father had sent him with a
message to a person named Calcut, to
whom, as well as to his uncle, with
whom he dined, he related the circum-
stance of his having been accosted by
the duke.

In order to account for the singular
coincidence, of his being in the abbey
at the precise hour appointed for a
meeting there, by the second letter to
the duke, a brewer, named Greenwood,
was called, of whose evidence, the fol-
lowing is an abridgment :-"I break-
fasted at the prisoner's father's, on the
Sunday in question, and, with great
difficulty, prevailed on young Barnard
to dress himself, and walk with me to
the park. When we reached Henry the
Eighth's chapel, I took him by the
sleeve, and said, ' Barnard, you shall go
After we had
through the abbey.'
looked for some time at the monuments,
I saw the Duke of Marlborough, and
having been previously informed of what
had taken place between my companion
and his grace, in the park, and noticing
the particular behaviour of the duke, I
observed to Barnard, He certainly has
will go into
something to say to you;

as his

the choir, but do you walk up and down,
and possibly he will speak.' Soon after,
I saw the duke and the prisoner con-
versing together, and as soon
grace departed, I returned to Barnard,
who told me what had passed." On
this and the previous evidence Barnard
was acquitted.

The duke never discovered the mysterious disturber of his peace; whose object, as an historian suggests, was, He was, however, soon afterwards perhaps, nothing more than to gratify

« VorigeDoorgaan »