1746 April 18th H.R.H. the Duke of Cumberland to the Duke of Newcastle, from Inverness [copy]

I had the honour to acquaint his Maj'y the 16 by Lord Bury of the compleat Victory we gained that Day over the Rebels; I must own I never expected they would have the impudence to risk a General Engagement, but their having burnt Fort Augusts the Day before, convinced me They intended to stand.

We gave our Troops a Days halt at Nairn & Yesterday Morn: marched off from thence between 4 & 5 in four Columns - the three lines of Foot [reckoning the reserve for one] were broke into three from ye Right, which made the three Columns equal & each of five battalions. The Artillery and Baggage followed the first Column on the right, & ye Cavalry made the fourth Column on ye Left.

After We had marched about 8 miles our advanced Guard comprised of about 40 of Kingston's and ye Highlanders led by ye Quarter Master General, perceived ye Rebels at some Distance making a Motion towards us on ye Left on which we immediately formed, but finding the Rebels were still a good way from us, & that ye whole Body did not come forward, We put ourselves again upon our March in our former posture, & continued it to within a Mile of Them, where We again formed in ye same Order as before; after reconnoitring their Situation We found them posted behind some old Walls & Hutts in a Line with Culloden House; as we thought our Right entirely secure GenI Hawley & GenI Bland went on to ye Left with two Regmts of Dragoons to endevour to fall on the Rebells right Flank, and Kingston's Horse were ordered to ye Reserve; the ten Pieces of Cannon were disposed two in each of ye Intervals of ye first Line, and all our Highlanders [except about 140 which were upon the Left with Genl Hawley, & who behaved extremely well] were left to guard the Baggage.

When we were advanced within Five Hundred Yards of the Rebels, I found the Morass upon Our Right Flank quite uncovered to Them. I immediately ordered Kingston's Horse from the Reserve, & a little Squadron of about Sixty of Cobhams, which had been patroling, to cover our Flank, & Pulteney's Regiment was ordered from the Reserve to the Right of the Royals.

We spent above half an Hour after that, trying which should gain the Flank of the Other, & I having sent Ld Bury forward within a Hundred Yards of the Rebels, to reconnoitre somewhat that appeared like a Battery to Us, They began firing their Cannon, which was extremely ill-served & ill pointed. Ours immediately answered them which began their Confusion. They then came running on in their wild manner, & upon the Right where I had placed Myself imagining the greatest Push would be there, they came down three several Times within a Hundred Yars of our Men, firing their pistols and brandishing their Swords, but the Royals & Pulteneys hardly took their Firelocks from their Shoulders, so that after those faint Attempts They made off; & the little Squadrons on Our Right were sent to pursue Them. General Hawley had by the Help of our Highlanders beat down two little Stone Walls, & came in upon the right Flank of their Second Line.

As their whole first Line came down to attack at once, their Right somewhat outflanked Barrel's Regiment, which was our Left, & the Greatest Part of the little Loss We had was there, but Bligh's and Sempil's giving a Fire upon those who had outflanked Barrel's soon repulsed them, & Barrel's Regiment & the Left of Monroe's fairly beat them with their Bayonets; & I dare say there was neither Soldier nor Officer of Barrel's & that Part of Monroe's which engaged, who did not kill their one or two Men with their Bayonets & Spontoons, & they so fairly drove them back, that in their Rage that They could not make any Impression upon the Batallions, They threw Stones at them for at least a Minute or two, before their total Route began.

The Cavalry which had charged from the Right & Left, met in the Centre, except two Squadrons of Dragoons which We missed & they were gone in ursuit of the Runaways. Lord Ancrarn was ordered to pursue with the Horse as far as he could, & which He did with so good Effect, that a very considerable Number were Killed in the Pursuit.

As we were on our March on to Inverness, & were near arrived there, Major General Bland sent Me the inclosed Paper, [see Appendix 2] & I immediately received the French Officers & Soldiers as Prisoners of War. Major General Bland had also made great Slaughter, & gave Quarter to None but about Fifty French Officers and Soldiers He picked up in his Pursuit.

By the best Calculation We can make, I think We may reckon the Rebels lost Two Thousand Men upon the Field of Battle and in the Pursuit, as few of their wounded got off, & We have 222 French & 326 Rebel Prisoners as by the inclosed Lists. [see Appendix 3]

Colonel Howard certainly killed Lord Strathallan, as his Seal & his different Commissions from the Pretender were found in the Pocket of the Person killed by him. It is said & I belive with some Foundation that Lord Perth, Lord Nairne, Loceil, Keppoch, & Appin Stuart are also Hled.

All their Artillery, and Ammunition, of which I shall inclose a List, is taken, as was the Pretender's and all their Baggage, which was in general plundered; there are also twelve Colours taken. [see Appendix 4]

I have the Satisfaction to say that all the General Officers & the Corps did their utmost in the May's Service, & all strove to show their Zeal & Bravery on this occasion.

The Pretender's Son, it is said, lay at Lord Lovat's House at Aird the night of ye Affair, Brigadier Mordaunt is detached with 900 Volunteers this Morning into ye Fraziers Country to destroy all ye Rebells he finds there' Lord Sutherland's & Lord Reay's People continue to exert themselves, & have taken 100 Rebels whom I have sent for, & I have great reason to believe Lord Cromarty & his son are also taken. The Monro's have knocked on ye head 50 of ye Rebels in their flight. As I don't know where the greatest Bodys of Them are, or which Way they have taken to shift for Themselves, I can't as yet determine which Way We shall march.

I had forgot to mention that ye 17th as I was at dinner, three Officers & about 16 of Fitz James's who were mounted, came and surrendered themselves Prisoners of War.

I send a List of ye killed wounded & missing on our side, which ammounts to above 300, but I hope a good many of these will be found to have drop'd behind in ye March, or to have gone out to see what they could pick up.

I have made all ye French Officers sign their Paroles, & propose sending them to Carlisle till his Mary's Pleasure shall be further known. I still continue to make that Distinction & am endevouring to find out who are Native born Subjects of the KIng, not looking upon them as Prisoners of War but as Rebels. They continue as yet dispersed, & their own Accounts make their loss greater by two thousand than I have ventured to state it.

I have four of their principal Ladys under Guard; Lady Ogilvy, Lady Kinloch, Lady Gordon & ye Laird of McIntosh's Wife. I have also retaken Major Grant, the Govr of Inverness & have ordered the Generals Hawley, Lord Albemarle, Huske & Bland toenquire into the reasons for ye Surrender of Fort George, & as I fear he will not have any good ones to give I shall order a Court Martial for his tryal, which I hope his Mary will approve of.

It will be absolutely necessary, that new Forts be erected here, & where Fort Augustus stood, & whoever his Maty may think proper to order to inspect their Construction, should be sent down immediately as ye Season is now come for Works of that kind.

I am your Affectionate Friend

WILLIAM