Battle of Prestonpans

Prestonpans

Rabbie was tripping with eagerness, and the big redheaded one looked down at him with amusement in his eyes. "Are ye alright there, wee Rabbie?" The man was enormous, and Rabbie had to drag his stare away from the long sword the big Scot had by his side. "Red Jamie" was famous, and a good friend of the Prince himself. Rabbie looked at the young boy beside him, unsure what to say. He started talking fast and stumbled in the words. Jamie squatted down in front of him and smiled, he didn't look so scary then. Rabbie took a deep breath.

It was late September, and the British were waiting just a stone-throw away. They could see fire burning and hear talking when the wind blew their way. Some said it was five thousand men waiting, with Sir John Cope in the lead with a hundred canons. This had been a long time coming, the clans that had been at Glenfinnan in august said it was only a matter of time before prince Charles sat on the throne and down with King George. Rabbie had been dead still while his Uncle Gregor, that had been present at the Clan-gathering, told the story. The light had flickered over his bearded face, and Rabbie thought he could see tears in his uncle's eyes.

"When the Cameron's came down that hill... Aye, the look in the Prince's eyes. He knew that he was loved and awaited. And then Tullibardine read out the manifesto and everyone knew that Scotland would soon be free from the English."

At this, he saw his Da roll his eyes and whisper something to Rabbie's older brother. Rabbie ignored them. To meet a Prince! A real Prince.

Now, almost a month to the day later, they were here, right at his doorstep. Rabbie couldn't believe his luck. Mam had said that he wasn't allowed near the battlefield, but he had snuck out. No way that he would miss this, when his brother and father was among the men fighting. His brother was only five years older than him, and he knew just as much, or just as little as him about how to shoot a gun or yield a sword. In fact, they didn't have any of that. They were armed with pitch forks from the farm, but the Murray in charge had thanked them for their sacrifice and said that their help was priceless.

He'd tried to find his father, but it was dark, and the Scottish army counted around 2500 men. He'd been standing bewildered outside the church, searching for someone that could take him to the Commander, when a boy much younger than him, spoke to him with a heavy French accent. Rabbie had explained and the lad ran into to church murmuring something about his Mistress. Some minutes later he came out with a pretty lady in tow. Her strange, but kind eyes had met his and he started speaking. Without further ado, she had said that Fergus, the lad, would bring him to her husband, who was preparing the fight at the front line. They had to make way through hundreeds of men, Rabbie marvelled at the fact that Fergus could find his master among all these soldiers. The small boy lit up and pointed at a tall man, with flaming red hair. When Rabbie recognised the big man, he'd been starstruck. He'd seen him in town, talking to the prince and the generals. Now he thought of something his mam had said about his wife. Some said she was a witch, and he could almost believe it. When she looked at him, she saw straight into his soul, but that was what had gotten him this far, so she was alright, he guessed.

"There's a path."

Jamie nodded for him to continue.

"There's a way around the marsh, and it isn't visible from the field. You have to know about it to know it's there."

Jamie took his big hand and grabbed his shoulder.

"Come with me, lad."

Next thing he found himself in a small cottage filled with men and their arms. The smell of the men hit him as he walked in, but that just added to the excitement. He saw Murray, O'Sullivan and the prince himself in the far end of the room. They appeared to be arguing. Murray threw his hands in the air and shouted angrily to the two others, but the prince just shook his head and looked at Murray over his long nose. Red Jamie frowned at them but didn't say anything. Instead, he brought Rabbie to a big table that took up most of the space. The table was filled with maps, drawings and lists. Jamie searched through the papers and motioned for him to get closer.