The British army’s role in 18th-century Scotland is little known today, except perhaps for the savage repression of the Highland population following the final Jacobite defeat at Culloden in April 1746. Yet for half a century, the army formed the front-line of defence against a movement dedicated to removing Britain’s ruling royal dynasty. How was the army organised and armed to meet the Jacobite challenge? What was it like as a fighting force, and what mark did it leave on Scotland after crushing the Stuart cause?
This article also assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the Jacobite armies. Often underestimated in the past as brave but poorly organised Highlanders, there is now a much fuller appreciation of the threat they posed, especially in the two largest uprisings of 1715 and 1745. This was a force which, in its last appearance, won two of the three battles it fought – at Prestonpans and Falkirk Muir – and came within 125 miles of London. The Jacobites should not be lightly dismissed – their opponents, after all, did not make that mistake at the time.
A Highland police
By Continental standards, the British army of the early 18th century was relatively small. Although it expanded in response to periodic crises, there were usually no more than 12,000 troops stationed in Scotland. This reflected traditional unease that a large standing army might be used as an instrument of state tyranny. As it was, the force that existed was composed of Highland and Lowland Scots as well as English soldiers. There was a deep social divide between the rank-and-file and their officers, who typically came from the gentry and bought their commissions – a practice that was not abolished until 1871.
