Waverley; Or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since by Walter Scott
CHAPTER XLVI
THE EVE OF BATTLE
Although the Highlanders marched on very fast, the sun was decliningwhen they arrived upon the brow of those high grounds which command anopen and extensive plain stretching northward to the sea, on which aresituated, but at a considerable distance from each other, the smallvillages of Seaton and Cockenzie, and the larger one of Preston. One ofthe low coast-roads to Edinburgh passed through this plain, issuing uponit from the enclosures of Seaton-house, and at the town or village ofPreston again entering the defiles of an enclosed country. By this waythe English general had chosen to approach the metropolis, both as mostcommodious for his cavalry, and being probably of opinion that, by doingso, he would meet in front with the Highlanders advancing from Edinburghin the opposite direction. In this he was mistaken; for the soundjudgement of the Chevalier, or of those to whose advice he listened,left the direct passage free, but occupied the strong ground by which itwas overlooked and commanded.
When the Highlanders reached the heights above the plain described, theywere immediately formed in army of battle along the brow of the hill.Almost at the same instant the van of the English appeared issuing fromamong the trees and enclosures of Seaton, with the purpose of occupyingthe level plain between the high ground and the sea; the space whichdivided the armies being only about half a mile in breadth. Waverleycould plainly see the squadrons of dragoons issue, one after another,from the defiles, with their videttes in front, and form upon theplain, with their front opposed to that of the Prince's army. They werefollowed by a train of field-pieces, which, when they reached the flankof the dragoons, were also brought into line, and pointed against theheights. The march was continued by three or four regiments of infantrymarching in open column, their fixed bayonets showing like successivehedges of steel, and their arms glancing like lightning, as, at asignal given, they also at once wheeled up, and were placed in directopposition to the Highlanders. A second train of artillery, with anotherregiment of horse, closed the long march, and formed on the left flankof the infantry, the whole line facing southward.
While the English army went through these evolutions, the Highlandersshowed equal promptitude and zeal for battle. As fast as the clans cameupon the ridge which fronted their enemy, they were formed into line, sothat both armies got into complete order of battle at the same moment.When this was accomplished, the Highlanders set up a tremendous yell,which was re-echoed by the heights behind them. The regulars, who werein high spirits, returned a loud shout of defiance, and fired one ortwo of their cannon upon an advanced post of the Highlanders. The latterdisplayed great earnestness to proceed instantly to the attack, Evan Dhuurging to Fergus, by way of argument, that 'the SIDIER ROY was totteringlike an egg upon a staff, and that they had a' the vantage of the onset,for even a haggis (God bless her!) could charge down hill.'
But the ground through which the mountaineers must have descended,although not of great extent, was impracticable in its character, beingnot only marshy, but intersected with walls of dry-stone, and traversedin its whole length by a very broad and deep ditch, circumstances whichmust have given the musketry of the regulars dreadful advantages, beforethe mountaineers could have used their swords, on which they were taughtto rely. The authority of the commanders was therefore interposed tocurb the impetuosity of the Highlanders, and only a few marksmen weresent down the descent to skirmish with the enemy's advanced posts, andto reconnoitre the ground.
Here, then, was a military spectacle of no ordinary interest, or usualoccurrence. The two armies, so different in aspect and discipline,yet each admirably trained in its own peculiar mode of war, upon whoseconflict the temporary fate at least of Scotland appeared to depend, nowfaced each other like two gladiators in the arena, each meditatingupon the mode of attacking their enemy. The leading officers, and thegeneral's staff of each army, could be distinguished in front of theirlines, busied with spy-glasses to watch each other's motions, andoccupied in dispatching the orders and receiving the intelligenceconveyed, by the aides-de-camp and orderly men, who gave life to thescene by galloping along in different directions as if the fate ofthe day depended upon the speed of their horses. The space between thearmies was at times occupied by the partial and irregular contests ofindividual sharpshooters, and a hat or bonnet was occasionally seen tofall, as a wounded man was borne off by his comrades. These, however,were but trifling skirmishes, for it suited the views of neitherparty to advance in that direction. From the neighbouring hamlets, thepeasantry cautiously showed themselves, as if watching the issue ofthe expected engagement; and at no great distance in the bay were twosquare-rigged vessels, bearing the English flag, whose tops and yardswere crowded with less timid spectators.
When this awful pause had lasted for a short time, Fergus, with anotherchieftain, received orders to detach their clans towards the village ofPreston, in order to threaten the right flank of Cope's army, and compelhim to a change of position. To enable him to execute these orders, theChief of Glennaquoich occupied the churchyard of Tranent, a commandingsituation, and a convenient place, as Evan Dhu remarked, 'for anygentleman who might have the misfortune to be killed, and chanced to becurious about Christian burial.' To check or dislodge this party, theEnglish general detached two guns escorted by a strong party of cavalry.They approached so near, that Waverley could plainly recognize thestandard of the troop he had formerly commanded, and hear the trumpetsand kettledrums sound the signal of advance, which he had so oftenobeyed. He could hear, too, the well-known word given in theEnglish dialect, by the equally well-distinguished voice of thecommanding-officer, for whom he had once felt so much respect. It wasat that instant, that, looking around him, he saw the wild dress andappearance of his Highland associates, heard their whispers in anuncouth and unknown language, looked upon his own dress, so unlike thatwhich he had worn from his infancy, and wished to awake from what seemedat the moment a dream, strange, horrible, and unnatural. 'Good God!' hemuttered, 'am I then a traitor to my country, a renegade to my standard,and a foe, as that poor dying wretch expressed himself, to my nativeEngland?'
Ere he could digest or smother the recollection, the tall militaryform of his late commander came full in view, for the purpose ofreconnoitring. 'I can hit him now,' said Callum, cautiously raising hisfusee over the wall under which he lay couched, at scarce sixty yards'distance.
Edward felt as if he was about to see a parricide committed in hispresence; for the venerable grey hair and striking countenance of theveteran recalled the almost paternal respect with which his officersuniversally regarded him. But ere he could say 'Hold!' an agedHighlander, who lay beside Callum Beg, stopped his arm. 'Spare yourshot,' said the seer, 'his hour is not yet come. But let him beware ofto-morrow.--I see his winding-sheet high upon his breast.'
Callum, flint to other considerations, was penetrable to superstition.He turned pale at the words of the TAISHATR, and recovered his piece.Colonel Gardiner, unconscious of the danger he had escaped, turned hishorse round, and rode slowly back to the front of his regiment.
By this time the regular army had assumed a new line, with one flankinclined towards the sea, and the other resting upon the village ofPreston; and as similar difficulties occurred in attacking their newposition, Fergus and the rest of the detachment were recalled to theirformer post. This alteration created the necessity of a correspondingchange in General Cope's army, which was again brought into a lineparallel with that of the Highlanders. In these manoeuvres on both sidesthe daylight was nearly consumed, and both armies prepared to rest upontheir arms for the night in the lines which they respectively occupied.
'There will be nothing done to-night,' said Fergus to his friendWaverley. 'Ere we wrap ourselves in our plaids, let us go see what theBaron is doing in the rear of the line.'
When they approached his post, they found the good old careful officer,after having sent out his night patrols, and posted his sentinels,engaged in reading the Evening Service of the Episcopal Church to theremainder of his troop.
'I have confessed to-day, ere you were awake,' whispered Fergus toWaverley; 'yet I am not so strict a Catholic as to refuse to join inthis good man's prayers.'
Edward assented, and they remained till the Baron had concluded theservice.
As he shut the book, 'Now, lads,' said he, 'have at them in the morning,with heavy hands and light consciences.' He then kindly greeted Mac-Ivorand Waverley, who requested to know his opinion of their situation.'Why, you know, Tacitus saith, "IN REBUS BELLICIS MAXIME DOMINATURFORTUNA," which is equiponderate with our vernacular adage, "Luck canmaist in the mellee." But credit me, gentlemen, yon man is not a deacono' his craft. He damps the spirits of the poor lads he commands, bykeeping them on the defensive, whilk of itself implies inferiority orfear. Now will they lie on their arms yonder, as anxious and as ill atease as a toad under a harrow, while our men will be quite fresh andblithe for action in the morning. Well, goodnight.--One thing troublesme, but if to-morrow goes well off, I will consult you about it,Glennaquoich.'--
'I could almost apply to Mr. Bradwardine the character which Henry givesof Fluellen,' said Waverley, as his friend and he walked towards theirBIVOUAC:
Though it appears a little out of fashion, There is much care and valour in this 'Scotchman.'
'He has seen much service,' answered Fergus, 'and one is sometimesastonished to find how much nonsense and reason are mingled in hiscomposition, I wonder what can be troubling his mind--probably somethingabout Rose.--Hark! the English are setting their watch.'
The roll of the drum and shrill accompaniment of the fifes swelled upthe hill-died away--resumed its thunder--and was at length hushed. Thetrumpets and kettledrums of the cavalry were next heard to perform thebeautiful and wild point of war appropriated as a signal for that pieceof nocturnal duty, and then finally sank upon the wind with a shrill andmournful cadence.
The friends, who had now reached their post, stood and looked round themere they lay down to rest. The western sky twinkled with stars, buta frost-mist, rising from the ocean, covered the eastern horizon, androlled in white wreaths along the plain where the adverse army laycouched upon their arms. Their advanced posts were pushed as far as theside of the great ditch at the bottom of the descent, and had kindledlarge fires at different intervals, gleaming with obscure and hazylustre through the heavy fog which encircled them with a doubtful halo.
The Highlanders, 'thick as leaves in Vallombrosa,' lay stretched uponthe ridge of the hill, buried (excepting their sentinels) in the mostprofound repose. 'How many of these brave fellows will sleep moresoundly before to-morrow night, Fergus!' said Waverley, with aninvoluntary sigh.
'You must not think of that,' answered Fergus, whose ideas were entirelymilitary. 'You must only think of your sword, and by whom it was given.All other reflections are now TOO LATE.'
With the opiate contained in this undeniable remark, Edward endeavouredto lull the tumult of his conflicting feelings. The Chieftain and he,combining their plaids, made a comfortable and warm couch. Callum,sitting down at their head (for it was his duty to watch upon theimmediate person of the Chief), began a long mournful song in Gaelic, toa low and uniform tune, which, like the sound of the wind at a distance,soon lulled them to sleep.