Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Volume 2Scott, Walter
History
Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Volume 2
Scott, Walter
Historical fiction; Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746 -- Fiction; Scotland -- History -- 18th century -- Fiction
'Events of this kind pass in less time than the description of
them can be written, or than it can be read. The Colonel was for a
few moments supported by his men, and particularly by that worthy
person Lieutenant-Colonel Whitney, who was shot through the arm
here, and a few months after fell nobly at the battle of Falkirk,
and by Lieutenant West, a man of distinguished bravery, as also by
about fifteen dragoons, who stood by him to the last. But after a
faint fire, the regiment in general was seized with a panic; and
though their Colonel and some other gallant officers did what they
could to rally them once or twice, they at last took a precipitate
flight. And just in the moment when Colonel Gardiner seemed to be
making a pause to deliberate what duty required him to do in such
circumstances, an accident happened, which must, I think, in the
judgment of every worthy and generous man, be allowed a sufficient
apology for exposing his life to so great hazard, when his
regiment had left him. He saw a party of the foot, who were then
bravely fighting near him, and whom he was ordered to support, had
no officer to head them; upon which he said eagerly, in the
hearing of the person from whom I had this account, "These brave
fellows will be cut to pieces for want of a commander," or words
to that effect; which while he was speaking he rode up to them and
cried out, "Fire on, my lads, and fear nothing." But just as the
words were out of his mouth, a Highlander advanced towards him
with a scythe fastened to a long pole, with which he gave him so
dreadful a wound on his right arm, that his sword dropped out of
his hand; and at the same time several others coming about him
while he was thus dreadfully entangled with that cruel weapon, he
was dragged off from his horse. The moment he fell, another
Highlander, who, if the king's evidence at Carlisle may be
credited (as I know not why they should not, though the unhappy
creature died denying it), was one Mac-Naught, who was executed
about a year after, gave him a stroke either with a broadsword or
a Lochaber-axe (for my informant could not exactly distinguish) on
the hinder part of his head, which was the mortal blow. All that
his faithful attendant saw farther at this time was that, as his
hat was fallen off, he took it in his left hand and waved it as a
signal to him to retreat, and added, what were the last words he
ever heard him speak, "Take care of yourself"; upon which the
servant retired.'--Some Remarkable Passages in the Life of Colonel
James Gardiner. By P. Doddridge, D.D. London, 1747, P.187.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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