ports of the circumstances of Colonel Gardiner's death, that I had almost despaired of being able to give my reader any particular satisfaction concerning so interesting a scene. But by a happy accident I have very lately had an opportunity of being exactly informed of the whole, by that brave man Mr. John Forster, his faithful servant, and worthy of the honour of serving such a master, whom I had seen with him at my house some years before. He attended him in his last hours, and gave me the narration at large; which he would be ready, if it were requisite, to attest upon oath. From his mouth I wrote it down with the utmost exactness, and could easily believe from the genuine and affectionate manner, in which he related the particulars, that according to his own striking expression, "his eye and his heart were always upon his honoured master, during the whole time.”*. § 151. On Friday, September 20, (the day before the battle, which transmitted him to his immortal crown,) the Colonel drew up his regiment in the afternoon, and rode through all their ranks; addressing them at once, in the most respectful and animating manner, both as soldiers, and as Christians, to engage them to exert themselves courageously in the service of their country, and to neglect nothing, that might have a tendency to prepare them for whatever event might happen. They seemed much affected with the address, and expressed a very ardent desire of attacking the enemy immediately: A desire, in which he and another very gallant officer of distinguished rank, dignity, and character both for bravery and conduct, would gladly have gratified them, if it had been in the power of either. He earnestly pressed it on the commanding officer, both as the soldiers were then in better spirits, than it could be supposed they would be, after having passed the night under arms; and also, as the circumstance of making an attack, would be some encouragement to them, and probably some terror to the enemy, who would have had the disadvantage of standing on the defence: A disadvantage, with which those wild barbarians, for such most of them were, perhaps, would have been more struck than better disciplined troops; especially, when they fought against the laws of their country too. He also apprehended, * Just as I am putting the last hand to these memoirs, March 2, 1716-7, I have met with a corporal in Colonel Lascelle's regiment, who was also an eye-witness to what happened at Preston-Pans on the day of the battle, and the day before: And the account he has given me of some memorable particulars is so exactly agreeable to that which I received from Mr. Forster, that it would much corroborate his testimony, if there were not so many other considerations to render it convincing. that by marching to meet them, some advantage might have been secured with regard to the ground; with which, it is natural to imagine, he must have been perfectly acquainted, as it lay just at his own door, and he had rode over it so many hundred times. When I mention these things, I do not pretend to be capable of judging, how far this advice was, on the whole, right. A variety of circumstances, to me unknown, might make it otherwise. It is certain, however, that it was brave. But it was over-ruled in this respect, as it also was in the disposition of the cannon, which he would have had planted in the centre of our small army, rather than just before his regiment, which was in the right wing; where he was apprehensive, that the horses, which had not been in any engagement before, might be thrown into some disorder by the discharge so very near them. He urged this the more, as he thought, the attack of the rebels might probably be made on the centre of the foot; where he knew there were some brave men, on whose standing he thought, under God, the success of the day depended. When he found, that he could not carry either of these points, nor some others, which out of regard to the common safety, he insisted upon with some unusual earnestness, he dropped some intimations of the consequences, which he apprehended, and which did, in fact, follow; and submitting to Providence, spent the remainder of the day in making as good a disposition, as circumstances would allow *. § 152. He continued all night under arms, wrapped up in his cloak, and generally sheltered under a rick of barley, which happened to be in the field. About three in the morning, he called his domestic servants to him, of which there were four in waiting. He dismissed three of them, with most affectionate Christian advice, and such solemn charges relating to the performance of their duty and the care of their souls, as seemed plainly to intimate, that he apprehended it at least very probable, he was taking his last farewell of them. There is great reason to believe, that he spent the little remainder of the time, Several of these circumstances have since been confirmed by the concurrent testimony of another very credible person, Mr. Robert Douglas, now a surgeon in the navy, who was a volunteer at Edinburgh, just before the rebels entered the place; who saw Colonel Gardiner come from Haddington to the field of battle, the day before the action, in a chaise, being, as from that circumstance he supposed, in so weak a state, that he could not well endure the fatigue of riding on horseback. He observed Colonel Gardiner in discourse with several officers, the evening before the engagement; at which time, it was afterwards reported, he gave his advice to attack the rebels: And when it was overruled, he afterwards saw the Colonel walk by himself in a very pensive manner. which could not be much above an hour, in those devout exercises of soul, which had so long been habitual to him, and to which so many circumstances did then concur to call him. The army was alarmed by break of day, by the noise of the rebels' approach, and the attack was made before sunrise; yet, when it was light enough to discern what passed. As soon as the enemy came within gun-shot, they made a furious fire; and it is said, that the dragoons, which constituted the left wing, immediately fled. The Colonel, at the beginning of the onset, which, in the whole, lasted but a few minutes, received a wound by a bullet in his left breast, which made him give a sudden spring in his saddle; upon which his servant, who had the led horse, would have persuaded him to retreat: But he said, it was only a wound in the flesh; and fought on, though he presently after received a shot in his right thigh. In the mean time, it was discerned, that some of the enemics fell by him; and particularly one man, who had made him a treacherous visit but a few days before, with great professions of zeal for the present establishment. §153. 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 in 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 regi ment, 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 a circumstance, 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 *The colonel, who was well acquainted with military history, might possibly remember, that in the battle at Blenheim, the illustrious Prince Eugene, when the horse of the wing, he commanded had run away thrice, charged at the head of the foot, and thereby greatly contributed to the glorious success of the day. At least such an example may conduce to vindicate that noble ardour, which, amidst all the applauses of his country, some have been so cool and so critical as to blame. For my own part, I thank God, that I am not called to apologize for his following his troops in their flight; which I fear would have been a much harder task, and which, 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, "Those 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 aloud, "Fire on, my lads, and fear nothing." But just as the words were out of his mouth, an highlander advanced towards him with a scythe, fastened to a long pole, with which he gave him such a deep 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 Macnaught, who was executed about a year after, gave him a stroke, either with a broad sword, 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 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. $154. It was reported at Edinburgh, on the day of the battle, by what seemed a considerable authority, that as the Colonel lay in his wounds, he said to a chief of the opposite side, "You are fighting for an earthly crown, I am going to receive an heavenly one;" or something to that purpose. When I preached the sermon, long since printed, on occasion of his death, I had great reason to believe, this report was truc; though before the publication of it, I began to be in doubt: And on the whole, after the most accurate enquiry I could possibly make, at this distance, I cannot get any convincing evidence of it. Yet I must here observe, that it does not appear impossible, that something of this kind might indeed be uttered by him; as his servant testifies, that he spoke to him after receiving that fatal blow, which would seem most likely to have taken away the power of speech; and as it is certain, he lived several hours after he fell. If therefore any dear as he was to me, would have grieved me much more than his death, with these heroic circumstances attending it. thing of this kind did happen, it must have been just about this instant. But as to the story of his being taken prisoner, and carried to the pretended prince, (who, by the way, afterwards rode his horse, and entered upon it into Derby,) with several other circumstances which were grafted upon that interview, there is the most undoubted evidence of its falsehood. For his attendant mentioned above assures me, that he himself immediately fled to a mill, at the distance of about two miles, from the spot of ground, on which the Colonel fell; where he changed his dress, and, disguised like a miller's servant, returned with a cart as soon as possible; which yet was not till near two hours after the engagement. The hurry of the action was then pretty well over, and he found his much honoured Master, not only plundered of his watch and other things of value, but also stripped of his upper garments and boots; yet still breathing: And adds, that though he were not capable of speech, yet, on taking him up, he opened his eyes; which makes it something questionable, whether he were altogether insensible. In this condition, and in this manner, he conveyed him to the church of Tranent, from whence he was immediately taken into the minister's house, and laid in bed; where he continued breathing, and frequently groaning, till about eleven in the forenoon; when he took his final leave of pain and sorrow, and undoubtedly rose to those distinguished glories, which are reserved for those who have been so eminently and remarkably faithful unto death. § 155. From the moment in which he fell, it was no longer a battle, but a rout and carnage. The cruelties, which the rebels, as it is generally said, under the command of Lord Elcho, inflicted on some of the king's troops after they had asked quarter, are dreadfully legible on the countenances of many who survived it. They entered Colonel Gardiner's house, before he was carried off from the field; and, notwithstanding the strict orders which the unhappy Duke of Perth whose conduct is said to have been very humane in many instances, gave to the contrary, every thing of value was plundered, to the very curtains of the beds, and hangings of the rooms. His papers were all thrown into the wildest disorder, and his house made an hospital, for the reception of those who were wounded in the action. 156. Such was the close of a life, which had been so zealously devoted to God, and filled up with so many honourable services. This was the death of him, who had been so |