Battle of Preston (1715)

Final action of the Jacobite rising of 1715

For the battle of the Second English Civil War, see Battle of Preston (1648).

"Preston Fight" redirects here. For the William Harrison Ainsworth novel, see Preston Fight (novel).

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Battle of Preston

Part of the Jacobite rising of 1715

A map of 18th-century Preston
| Date| 9–14 November 1715

|

Location|

Preston, Lancashire

53°45′14″N 2°42′04″W﻿ / ﻿53.754°N 2.701°W﻿ / 53.754; -2.701
Result|  Government victory
Belligerents
Great Britain|  Jacobites
Commanders and leaders
Charles Wills
George Carpenter|  William Mackintosh
William Maxwell
Lord Derwentwater
Thomas Forster
Henry Oxburgh
Strength
2,500–3,000|  1,700
Casualties and losses
300 killed or wounded|  17 dead
25 wounded
1,468 captured

class=notpageimage|

Location within England

* v
* t
* e

Jacobite rising of 1715

* Cornwall
* Culloden House
* Alness
* Dunfermline
* Preston
* Inverness
* Sheriffmuir
* Brahan

The Battle of Preston (9–14 November 1715) was the final action of the Jacobite rising of 1715, an attempt to put James Francis Edward Stuart on the British throne in place of George I. After two days of street-fighting, the Jacobite commander Thomas Forster surrendered to government troops under General Charles Wills. It was arguably the last battle fought on English soil.

## Background

[edit]

The Jacobites moved south into England with little opposition, and by the time they reached Preston, Lancashire had grown to about 4,000 in number. Their cavalry entered Preston on the night of 9 November 1715, and as they approached two troops of dragoons and part of a militia regiment retreated to Wigan.

General Charles Wills was ordered to halt their advance, and left Manchester on 11 November with six regiments, arriving on 12 November. The Jacobite leader was Thomas Forster, a Northumberland squire with minimal military experience, selected largely because he was a Protestant; learning of Wills's approach, he decided to stay and made the mistake of withdrawing troops from a strong defensive position at Ribble bridge, 0.5 miles (0.8 km) outside Preston.

## Battle

[edit]

The Jacobites had barricaded the principal streets of Preston, and Wills ordered an immediate attack, which met with fire from the barricades and from houses, resulting in the Hanoverian attack being repulsed with heavy losses. Wills then had houses set on fire, with the aim of fires spreading along to the Jacobite positions, and the Jacobites tried to do the same to houses taken as government positions. At night, Wills's order to light the government-held positions for identification helped the Jacobite snipers, but overnight many Jacobites left the town. The legend of these actions is recounted in a well-known Lancashire ballad, Lo! The Bird is Fallen.[1]

On 13 November, additional government forces arrived from Newcastle under George Carpenter, which Wills deployed to ensure the besieged Jacobites could not escape. Although casualties were relatively low, their position was hopeless, and Forster was advised by his subordinate Henry Oxburgh to open negotiations with Wills for surrender on terms. The Scots were not informed and on learning of this they paraded through the streets, threatening any Jacobites who might even allude to a surrender, killing or wounding several people. At 7:00 am on Monday 14 November, Forster offered an unconditional surrender, which Wills rejected unless it also applied to the Scots; after some discussion, they confirmed they would surrender on the same terms.[2]

## Aftermath

[edit]

1,468 Jacobites were taken prisoner, 463 of them English. George Seton, 5th Earl of Winton, William Gordon, 6th Viscount of Kenmure, William Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale, James Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Derwentwater, and William Murray, 2nd Lord Nairne, were among those captured and later sentenced to be executed for treason under an act of attainder. However, Winton and Nithsdale escaped from the Tower of London. In May 1716 Colonel Oxburgh was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn for his part in the rising. All surviving prisoners except for members of the Clan Gregor were later pardoned by the Indemnity Act 1717.

Seventeen Jacobites were killed and twenty-five wounded. Government casualties were close to 300 killed and wounded.[3] Of the ordinary Highland clansmen captured at the Battle of Preston, many were transported to the Americas.[4]

## Last battle on English soil

[edit]

Main article: Last battle on British soil

The battle of Preston is often claimed to have been the last fought on English soil, but this depends on the definition of "battle", for which there are different interpretations. Preston was a siege rather than a pitched battle, so the Battle of Sedgemoor fought in 1685 is also a contender for the title of the last battle, as is the skirmish at Clifton Moor near Penrith in Cumbria on 18 December 1745 during the 'Forty-Five' Jacobite rebellion. However, there was a great deal of savage fighting in streets all over the town during the Battle of Preston, far more than in most sieges. It was as much of a battle as, for example, the Battle of St Albans (1455) in the Wars of the Roses, which was also fought in the streets of a town, but which is generally regarded as a battle and not a siege, as is the Battle of Reading of 1688. The Battle of Bossenden Wood, fought on 31 May 1838, is a much later contender.

## See also

[edit]

* Battle of Sheriffmuir, a concurrent battle of the 1715 Rising fought in Scotland

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The Jollys of Mythop". Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
2. ^ Lenman 1980, pp. 124–125.
3. ^ The best discussion of this is by the historian and military expert J. Baynes in his The Jacobite Rising of 1715 (1970), pp. 126–127.
4. ^ Mackintosh Archived 19 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine at myclan.com

## Sources

[edit]

* Baynes, J. (1970). The Jacobite Rising of 1715. pp. 126–127.
* Lenman, Bruce (1980). The Jacobite Risings in Britain, 1689-1746. Methuen. ISBN 0413396509.

## External links

[edit]

* Electric Scotland 1715

* v
* t
* e

Jacobitism

* Scottish clans
* Clan chief
* Independent Highland Companies
* The Highlands
* Union of the Crowns
* Wars of the Three Kingdoms
* Restoration
* Covenanters
* The Killing Time
* James II & VII
* Glorious Revolution
* William III & II and Mary II
* Jacobite succession
* "James III & VIII", The Old Pretender
* "Charles III", The Young Pretender
* Queen Anne
* Act of Settlement 1701
* Sophie, Electress of Hanover
* George I
* George II
* Toryism
* Neo-Jacobite Revival (Royal Stuart Society)

Jacobite risings|

| First rising
(1689)|

* Williamite War in Ireland
* Nine Years' War
* King William's War
* Viscount Dundee
* Sir Ewen Cameron
* Patrick Sarsfield
* General Hugh Mackay
* Battle of Killiecrankie
* Battle of Dunkeld
* Massacre of Glencoe
* Battle of the Boyne
* Declaration of Finglas
* Battle of Aughrim
* Siege of Limerick
* Treaty of Limerick

|

The Fifteen
(1715)|

* …in Cornwall
* …in England
* 1715 general election
* Earl of Mar
* Rob Roy
* Lord Lovat
* Baronet Munro
* Battle of Preston
* Siege of Inverness
* Battle of Sheriffmuir

The Nineteen
(1719)|

* War of the Quadruple Alliance
* Earl Marischal
* Marquess of Tullibardine
* General Joseph Wightman
* Anglo-French Alliance
* Capture of Eilean Donan Castle
* Battle of Glen Shiel
* Battle of Coille Bhan

The Forty-Five
(1745)|

* War of the Austrian Succession
* Lord George Murray
* Lochiel
* Duke of Cumberland
* Battle of Prestonpans
* Siege of Carlisle
* Battle of Falkirk Muir
* Siege of Inverness
* Battle of Culloden
* Raids on Lochaber and Shiramore

Abortive|

* 1708
* 1744
* 1759

a Jacobite banner

Consequences
and later events|

| Early|

* Riot Act 1714
* Clan Act 1715
* Habeas Corpus Suspension Act 1715
* Disarming Act 1715 and 1725
* Indemnity Act 1717

|

The Forty-Five|

* Jurors Act 1745
* Act of Proscription 1746
* Dress Act 1746
* Heritable Jurisdictions Act 1746
* Sheriffs Act 1747
* Treason Outlawries Act 1748
* Traitors Transported Act 1746
* Old military roads of Scotland

Jacobite succession|

* "James III and VIII"
* "Charles III"
* "Henry IX and I"
* "Charles IV"
* Victor
* "Mary II"
* "Francis I"
* "Mary III"
* "Robert I and IV"
* Albert
* "Francis II"
* Max
* Sophie
* Joseph

* v
* t
* e

Culture and infrastructure of the City of Preston

Transport|

* Bus station
* Bypass
* Dick, Kerr & Co.
* John Fishwick & Sons
* Guild Wheel
* Longridge Railway
* Preston Corporation Tramways
* Park & ride
* Preston Bus
* Ribble Bus
* Ribble Link
* Ribble Link Trust
* Ribble Steam
* Stagecoach
* Tramroad
* Transport in Preston
* United Electric Car Company
* Whittingham Hospital Railway

* Railway stations: Preston
* Disused stations: Barton and Broughton
* Broughton
* Deepdale
* Deepdale Street
* Fishergate Hill
* Grimsargh
* Lea Road
* Maudland Bridge
* Maudlands
* Maxwell House
* Oxheys
* Ribbleton

Education|

* University of Central Lancashire

* Schools: Archbishop Temple
* Ashton
* Broughton
* Cardinal Newman
* Christ the King
* Corpus Christi
* Fulwood Academy
* Moor Park
* Our Lady's
* Preston's College
* Preston Muslim Girls
* Closed: Catholic College
* Larkhill
* Winckley Square

Sport|

* Deepdale
* Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C.
* Preston (speedway)
* Preston Grasshoppers R.F.C.
* Preston Mountaineering Club
* Preston North End F.C.
* Preston North End W.F.C.
* Preston Zingari F.C.
* Pro Championship Wrestling
* West Cliff

History|

* Battles of Preston
* 1648
* 1715
* County Borough of Preston
* Fulwood Urban District
* Preston Castle
* Preston Pals
* Preston Passion
* Preston Rural District
* Preston Strike of 1842
* Preston strike of 1853–4
* Preston Tithebarn redevelopment

Media|

* The Bee
* 106.5 Central Radio
* Farmers Guardian
* Lancashire Evening Post
* Preston FM
* Preston is My Paris
* Red Rose Radio
* Rock FM
* Greatest Hits Radio Lancashire

Companies|

* BAE Systems Military Air & Information
* Booths
* Edugeek
* Horrockses, Crewdson & Co.
* Recycling Lives
* Skiddle

Politics|

* Council elections
* 1945
* 46
* 47
* 49
* 50
* 95
* 96
* 98
* 99
* 2000
* 02
* 03
* 04
* 06
* 07
* 08
* 10
* 11
* 12
* 14
* 15
* 16
* 18
* 19
* 21

* Wards: Ashton
* Brookfield
* Cadley
* College
* Deepdale
* Greyfriars
* Ingol
* Larches
* Lea
* Moor Park
* Preston Rural East
* Preston Rural North
* Ribbleton
* Riversway
* St George's
* St Matthew's
* Sharoe Green
* Town Centre
* Tulketh

* Constituencies: Preston
* By-elections: 1929
* 36
* 40
* 46
* 2000
* Preston North
* Preston South
* Wyre and Preston North

* v
* t
* e

Scottish clan battles

Wars of Scottish Independence|

| First War of Scottish Independence|

* First Berwick
* Dunbar
* Lanark
* Stirling Bridge
* Falkirk
* Roslin
* Happrew
* Stirling Castle
* Methven
* Dalrigh
* Turnberry
* Loch Ryan
* Glen Trool
* Loudoun Hill
* Slioch
* Inverurie
* Buchan
* Pass of Brander
* Bannockburn
* Campaign in Ireland
* Moiry Pass
* Connor
* Kells
* Skerries
* Skaithmuir
* Second Berwick
* Faughart
* Myton
* Arbroath Declaration
* Great Raid of 1322
* Old Byland
* Corbeil Treaty
* Stanhope Park
* Edinburgh-Northampton Treaty

|

Second War of Scottish Independence|

* Wester Kinghorn
* Dupplin Moor
* Annan
* Dornock
* Berwick (1333)
* Halidon Hill
* Boroughmuir
* Culblean
* Neville's Cross
* Nisbet Moor (1355)
* Berwick (1357)

Anglo-Scottish Wars|

| Border wars|

* Duns
* Otterburn
* 1385
* 1400
* Nesbit Moor (1402)
* Homildon Hill
* Yeavering
* Piperdean
* Sark
* Roxburgh
* Berwick (1482)
* Redeswire

|

Flodden campaign|

* Flodden Field

Solway Moss campaign|

* Haddon Rig
* Solway Moss

Rough Wooing|

* Edinburgh
* Ancrum Moor
* Pinkie
* Inchkeith
* Haddington
* Broughty Castle

Private and local clan battles
(Many of these also had links at national
level, including the feuds between Clan Donald
and the Crown, Clan Douglas and the Crown
and the Mary, Queen of Scots civil war)|

| 13th century|

* Embo (1245)
* Largs (1263)
* Red Ford (1294/96)

|

14th century|

* Dalrigh (1306)
* Pass of Brander (1308)
* Drumlui (1330/37)
* Invernahavon (1370/86)
* Angus (1391)
* North Inch (1396)

15th century|

* Drumoak (1402)
* Tuiteam Tarbhach (1406)
* Dingwall (1411)
* Harlaw (1411)
* Harpsdale (1426)
* Drumnacoub (1427/33)
* Lochaber (1429)
* Palm Sunday (1429)
* Inverness (1429)
* Mamsha (1429)
* Inverlochy (1431)
* Sandside Chase (1437)
* Craignaught Hill (1439)
* Craig Cailloch (1441)
* Arbroath (1445/46)
* Brechin (1452)
* Bealach nam Broig (1452)
* Clachnaharry (1454)
* Arkinholm (1455)
* Skibo and Strathfleet (1455)
* Tannach (1464/38)
* Champions (1464/78)
* Stalc (1468)
* Corpach (1470)
* Tarbat (1480)
* Lagabraad (1480/83)
* Bloody Bay (1480/83)
* Lochmaben Fair (1484)
* Aldy Charrish (1487)
* Blar Na Pairce (1485/91)
* Raid on Ross (1491)
* Drumchatt (1497)
* Black Mount (1497/98)
* Daltullich (1499)

16th century|

* Drumchatt (1501)
* Achnashellach (1505)
* Knock Mary (1511)
* Glendale (1513)
* Torran Dubh (1517)
* Alltachuilain (1518/19)
* Cleanse the Causeway (1520)
* Glenboultachan (1522)
* Melrose (1526)
* Linlithgow Bridge (1526)
* Summerdale (1529)
* Alltan-Beath (1542)
* Shirts (1544)
* Raids of Urquhart (1544/45)
* Garbharry (1555)
* Corrichie (1562)
* Inverness (1562)
* Chaseabout Raid (1565)
* Carberry Hill (1567)
* Langside (1568)
* Chanonry of Ross (1569 - 1573)
* Garbhain (1570)
* Torran-Roy (1570)
* Craibstone (1571)
* Tillieangus (1571)
* Beauly (1577/78)
* Spoiling Dyke (1578)
* Allt Camhna (1586)
* Leckmelm (1586)
* Western Isles (1586)
* Clynetradwell (1590)
* Dryfe Sands (1593)
* Glenlivet (1594)
* Logiebride (1597)
* Traigh Ghruinneart (1598)
* Benbigrie (1598)

Early 17th century|

* Bengrime (1601)
* Carinish (1601)
* Coire Na Creich (1601)
* Morar (1602)
* Glen Fruin (1603)
* Braes of Strathdearn (1645)

Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms|

| Bishops Wars|

* Brig of Dee
* Newburn

|

First English Civil War|

* Boldon Hill
* Newcastle
* York
* Marston Moor
* Carlisle
* Tippermuir
* Aberdeen (1644)
* Inverlochy
* Auldearn
* Alford
* Kilsyth
* Philiphaugh
* Lagganmore
* Aberdeen (1646)
* Rhunahaorine Moss
* Dunaverty

Second English Civil War|

* Mauchline Muir
* Preston

Third English Civil War|

* Whiggamore Raid
* Stirling
* 1st Inverness
* 2nd Inverness
* Carbisdale
* Dunbar
* Inverkeithing
* Worcester

Glencairn's rising|

* Tullich
* Dalnaspidal

Period from Restoration of 1660 to Glorious Revolution of 1688|

| Private and local clan battles|

* Fords of Arkaig (1665)
* Altimarlach (1680)
* Mulroy (1688)

|

Covenanter rebellion of 1679|

* Drumclog
* Bothwell Bridge
* The Killing Time

Monmouth Rebellion|

* Argyll's Rising

Jacobite risings|

| Jacobite rising of 1689|

* Loup Hill
* Killiecrankie
* Dunkeld
* Cromdale
* Glencoe

|

Jacobite rising of 1715|

* Cornwall
* Culloden House
* Alness
* Dunfermline
* Preston
* Inverness
* Sheriffmuir
* Brahan

Jacobite rising of 1719|

* Eilean Donan
* Glen Shiel
* Glen Affric
* Coille Bhan

Jacobite rising of 1745|

* Highbridge
* 1st Ruthven
* Prestonpans
* Culloden House
* 1st Carlisle
* Clifton
* 2nd Carlisle
* 1st Fort Augustus
* Inverurie
* Falkirk
* Stirling
* 2nd Ruthven
* Moy
* Inverness
* 2nd Fort Augustus
* Atholl
* Blair Castle
* Keith
* Fort William
* Dornoch
* Tongue
* Littleferry
* Culloden
* Loch nan Uamh
* Loch Ailort
* Arisaig
* Lochaber and Shiramore
* Killin
* Appin Murder
* Rannoch

See also|

* Scottish clan
* Marian civil war
* Military of Scotland
* Independent Highland Companies
* Manrent
* List of battles involving the Kingdom of Scotland

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