Lord George Murray (general)
Encyclopedia
Lord George Murray was a Scottish Jacobite
general, most noted for his 1745 campaign under Bonnie Prince Charlie
into England. Lord George was the sixth son of John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl
, who was the chief of Clan Murray
, by his first wife, Catherine, daughter of the 3rd Duke of Hamilton.
, Murray joined the army in Flanders
in 1712 at the age of eighteen. Three years later against his father's wishes, he and his brothers, the marquis of Tullibardine and Lord Charles Murray
joined the Jacobite rebels under the earl of Mar
, with each brother commanding a regiment of the men of Atholl
. Lord Charles was taken captive at Preston, but following the collapse of the rising, Lord George escaped with Tullibardine to South Uist, and thence to France
.
In 1719, Murray was involved in Jacobite military affairs in the Western Highlands, where Tullibardine and the Earl Marischal had joined forces with Spaniards, which terminated at the Battle of Glenshiel on the 10th June. Murray was wounded on the final day of combat whilst commanding the Jacobite right wing. He spent the next few months hiding in the Highlands and later made his way towards Rotterdam
where he arrived in May, 1720. Little is known of Murray's life on the continent. Some scholars have theorised that he served in the Sardinian army, though the supporting evidence has drawn much criticism. He returned to Scotland in 1724 when the duke of Atholl died, and was succeeded in his title by his second son, James, owing to the attainder of Tullibardine. Following this, Lord George leased from his brother the old family property of Tullibardine in Strathearn
. The government pursued a strategy of weakening the Jacobite sympathies of elite families by acts of clemency and following solicitation by Murray's father he was pardoned in 1725.
In 1728, he married Amelia, daughter and heiress of James Murray of Strowan and Glencarse. They had three sons and two daughters.
but in 1739 he took the oath of allegiance. The duke of Perth made overtures to Murray on behalf of Charles Edward Stuart but Murray, who had been living quietly since 1725, remained skeptical even after Charles' arrival in Scotland that July with the accompaniment of Tullibardine. On the 21st August, Murray accompanied his brother the duke to pay his respects to Sir John Cope, the commander of the government troops. During this visit, Cope appointed Murray Deputy-Sheriff of Perthshire
. Given his later affiliations, it has been suggested both that Murray acted with duplicity towards Cope and that his hesitation regarding Charles was genuine. In September, when Charles was at Blair Castle
(vacated by the duke upon his advance), Murray publicly espoused to the Jacobite cause. He wrote to his brother explaining that he did so for reasons of conscience, realising the risk of ruin his actions carried with them
intrigued against Murray and insinuated he was a traitor . Despite this, Murray exerted himself successfully at Perth, bringing discipline and order to his new army, winning the confidence of the Highland levies with whose ways he was familiar, resolving a dispute over who was to have the place of honor in the right of the line, and used his influence to prevent the exactions and arbitrary interference with civil rights which others had counseled Charles to implement. By the 21st September, Murray led the Jacobite left wing in person and was practically commander-in-chief
of the force, having ordered the successful attack at Battle of Prestonpans
on his own initiative.
Murray disagreed with Charles' plans to invade England and counseled against them. Nevertheless, when the decision was made, he prevailed upon the Prince to march for Cumberland
which hilly ground would be more favourable to highlander tactics, rather than an open assault against General Wade, whose army was posted at Newcastle
. Murray conducted the Siege of Carlisle
but when the town was surrendered on the 14th November, he resigned his command on the grounds that his authority had been undermined by the Prince, and obtained permission to serve as a volunteer in the Atholl levies. The army however, were unhappy with his replacement, the duke of Perth, and so Charles quickly reinstated Murray, who commanded the army on its march towards Derby. Whilst occupying the city on the 5th December, Murray urged the Prince to retreat, citing the lack of support from France
and English Jacobites as factors against the success of the invasion. Murray now commanded the support of the council and so the retreat was agreed upon, but Charles was furious at the decision and never forgave Murray. Despite this apparent lack of confidence, Murray's aide-de-camp
, James Chevalier de Johnstone
has been quoted as saying that, "had Prince Charles slept during the whole of the expedition, and allowed Lord George Murray to act for him according to his own judgment, he would have found the crown of Great Britain on his head when he awoke." His "Memoire of the Rebellion 1745-1746" lays the blame for the failure on Charles' refusal to follow the advice of Murray.
During the retreat, Murray commanded the rear-guard, a difficult task considering the proximity of government forces both to his rear and flank commanded in part by the Duke of Cumberland, as well as the negative attitude of Charles. At the Clifton Moor Skirmish
, Murray turned and fought, enabling the army to reach Carlisle without loss of stores or war material, allowing them to advance to Stirling
by the third of January 1746, where Charles laid siege to Stirling Castle
with the aid of reinforcements from Perth. Murray (who had counseled against this move) however, was kept busy with battle near Falkirk
where he defeated General Hawley. Sickness and desertion were beginning to take their toll on his force however, and with the advancement of Cumberland, retreat to the Highlands was a necessity. Charles was forced to acquiesce, angering him yet further, and causing him to accuse Murray of being a traitor. Murray's failure to capture the Atholl stronghold, Blair Castle, did nothing to refute this, though there seems to be little other than rumour and circumstance to back this claim up.
In April, the Jacobite army was near Inverness
and the prince decided to give battle to Cumberland, despite the exhaustion prevalent throughout the army. He took up a position on the left bank of the Nairn
river at Culloden
Moor, despite Murray's counsel being to set up position on the opposite bank. The Battle of Culloden
was the death blow to the Stuart cause, with the clansmen being routed by the British Army. Cumberland told his troops on the following day that Murray had given orders that they were to be shown no quarter, however seemingly original copies of Murray's orders were found in Cumberland's papers and contain no such injunction.
Following the defeat, Murray conducted a remnant of the Jacobite army to Ruthven
with a mind to organise further resistance. Charles however, had decided to abandon the cause and Murray was issued a letter dismissing him from the prince's service. The general replied by upbraiding Charles for his distrust and mismanagement.
, who granted him a pension. Despite the father's hospitality, when Murray journeyed to Paris
the following year, the prince refused to meet with him.
Murray lived in numerous places on the continent over the next few years, and eventually died in Medemblik
, Holland on the 11th October, 1760 at the age of 66. Originally he was burried inside the Bonifacius-church in Medemblik, but the church was shortened in 1860 and as a consequence his grave was outside the church henceforth. His grave-stone was removed and placed inside the smaller church. In 1880 a new stone was place on his grave by his descendant John Stewart-Murray, 7th Duke of Atholl
.
People still visit his grave, some of them bringing heather from Culloden.
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
general, most noted for his 1745 campaign under Bonnie Prince Charlie
Charles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
into England. Lord George was the sixth son of John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl
John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl
John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl, KT, PC was a Scottish nobleman, politician, and soldier. He served in numerous positions during his life, and fought in the Glorious Revolution for William III and Mary II....
, who was the chief of Clan Murray
Clan Murray
Clan Murray is a Highland Scottish clan. The Murrays were a great and powerful clan whose lands and cadet houses were scattered throughout Scotland.- Origins of the Clan :...
, by his first wife, Catherine, daughter of the 3rd Duke of Hamilton.
Early life
Born at Huntingtower near PerthPerth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
, Murray joined the army in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
in 1712 at the age of eighteen. Three years later against his father's wishes, he and his brothers, the marquis of Tullibardine and Lord Charles Murray
Lord Charles Murray
Very Rev. Lord Charles Murray-Aynsley was an English dean.Murray-Aynsley was the youngest of nine children of John Murray, 3rd Duke of Atholl, and Charlotte Murray, Duchess of Atholl, and baptized as Charles Murray. On 18 June 1793 he married Alicia Mitford , daughter of George Mitford, and...
joined the Jacobite rebels under the earl of Mar
John Erskine, 22nd Earl of Mar
John Erskine, 22nd and de jure 6th Earl of Mar, KT , Scottish Jacobite, was the eldest son of the 21st Earl of Mar , from whom he inherited estates that were heavily loaded with debt. By modern reckoning he was 22nd Earl of Mar of the first creation and de jure 6th Earl of Mar of the seventh...
, with each brother commanding a regiment of the men of Atholl
Atholl
Atholl or Athole is a large historical division in the Scottish Highlands. Today it forms the northern part of Perth and Kinross, Scotland bordering Marr, Badenoch, Breadalbane, Strathearn, Perth and Lochaber....
. Lord Charles was taken captive at Preston, but following the collapse of the rising, Lord George escaped with Tullibardine to South Uist, and thence to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
In 1719, Murray was involved in Jacobite military affairs in the Western Highlands, where Tullibardine and the Earl Marischal had joined forces with Spaniards, which terminated at the Battle of Glenshiel on the 10th June. Murray was wounded on the final day of combat whilst commanding the Jacobite right wing. He spent the next few months hiding in the Highlands and later made his way towards Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
where he arrived in May, 1720. Little is known of Murray's life on the continent. Some scholars have theorised that he served in the Sardinian army, though the supporting evidence has drawn much criticism. He returned to Scotland in 1724 when the duke of Atholl died, and was succeeded in his title by his second son, James, owing to the attainder of Tullibardine. Following this, Lord George leased from his brother the old family property of Tullibardine in Strathearn
Strathearn
Strathearn or Strath Earn is the strath of the River Earn, in Scotland. It extends from Loch Earn in Perth and Kinross to the River Tay....
. The government pursued a strategy of weakening the Jacobite sympathies of elite families by acts of clemency and following solicitation by Murray's father he was pardoned in 1725.
In 1728, he married Amelia, daughter and heiress of James Murray of Strowan and Glencarse. They had three sons and two daughters.
- John Murray, 3rd Duke of AthollJohn Murray, 3rd Duke of AthollJohn Murray, 3rd Duke of Atholl KT, PC , known as John Murray until 1764, was a Scottish peer and Tory politician.-Background:...
(6 May 1729 – 5 November 1774) - Amelia Murray (17 May 1732 – 24 April 1777), married first John St Clair, Master of SinclairJohn St Clair, Master of SinclairJohn St Clair, Master of Sinclair was a Scottish noble and Tory politician.-Background:He was the older son of Henry St Clair, 10th Lord Sinclair and his wife Grizel Cockburn, eldest daughter of Sir James Cockburn, 1st Baronet...
, and second, James Farquharson - James MurrayJames Murray (of Strowan)Lieutenant General James Murray , was a Scottish soldier and politician.-Background and education:A member of Clan Murray, he was the second son of Lord George Murray, fifth son of John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl. His mother was Amelia, daughter and heiress of James Murray, a surgeon, of Strowan...
(1734 – 19 March 1794) - Charlotte Murray (d. 1773)
- George MurrayGeorge Murray (MP)Vice Admiral George Murray was a Royal Navy officer and politician. He was the third son of the Jacobite general Lord George Murray.-Naval career:...
(22 August 1741 – 17 October 1797)
Decision to join the rising
Lord George Murray had been a vehement opponent of the Acts of Union 1707Acts of Union 1707
The Acts of Union were two Parliamentary Acts - the Union with Scotland Act passed in 1706 by the Parliament of England, and the Union with England Act passed in 1707 by the Parliament of Scotland - which put into effect the terms of the Treaty of Union that had been agreed on 22 July 1706,...
but in 1739 he took the oath of allegiance. The duke of Perth made overtures to Murray on behalf of Charles Edward Stuart but Murray, who had been living quietly since 1725, remained skeptical even after Charles' arrival in Scotland that July with the accompaniment of Tullibardine. On the 21st August, Murray accompanied his brother the duke to pay his respects to Sir John Cope, the commander of the government troops. During this visit, Cope appointed Murray Deputy-Sheriff of Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
. Given his later affiliations, it has been suggested both that Murray acted with duplicity towards Cope and that his hesitation regarding Charles was genuine. In September, when Charles was at Blair Castle
Blair Castle
Blair Castle stands in its grounds near the village of Blair Atholl in Perthshire in Scotland. It is the home of the Clan Murray family, who hold the title of Duke of Atholl, though the current Duke, John Murray, lives in South Africa....
(vacated by the duke upon his advance), Murray publicly espoused to the Jacobite cause. He wrote to his brother explaining that he did so for reasons of conscience, realising the risk of ruin his actions carried with them
The Jacobite Cause
Upon joining the army, he was made Lieutenant-General, but Charles' secretary John Murray of BroughtonJohn Murray of Broughton
Sir John Murray of Broughton, 7th Baronet Stanhope was a Jacobite, who served as secretary to Prince Charles Edward Stuart during the Jacobite Rising of 1745...
intrigued against Murray and insinuated he was a traitor . Despite this, Murray exerted himself successfully at Perth, bringing discipline and order to his new army, winning the confidence of the Highland levies with whose ways he was familiar, resolving a dispute over who was to have the place of honor in the right of the line, and used his influence to prevent the exactions and arbitrary interference with civil rights which others had counseled Charles to implement. By the 21st September, Murray led the Jacobite left wing in person and was practically commander-in-chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of the force, having ordered the successful attack at Battle of Prestonpans
Battle of Prestonpans
The Battle of Prestonpans was the first significant conflict in the Jacobite Rising of 1745. The battle took place at 4 am on 21 September 1745. The Jacobite army loyal to James Francis Edward Stuart and led by his son Charles Edward Stuart defeated the government army loyal to the Hanoverian...
on his own initiative.
Murray disagreed with Charles' plans to invade England and counseled against them. Nevertheless, when the decision was made, he prevailed upon the Prince to march for Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
which hilly ground would be more favourable to highlander tactics, rather than an open assault against General Wade, whose army was posted at Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. Murray conducted the Siege of Carlisle
Siege of Carlisle
The Siege of Carlisle may refer to:*Siege of Carlisle , Andrew Harclay, 1st Earl of Carlisle drove off Robert I of Scotland from a siege of Carlisle...
but when the town was surrendered on the 14th November, he resigned his command on the grounds that his authority had been undermined by the Prince, and obtained permission to serve as a volunteer in the Atholl levies. The army however, were unhappy with his replacement, the duke of Perth, and so Charles quickly reinstated Murray, who commanded the army on its march towards Derby. Whilst occupying the city on the 5th December, Murray urged the Prince to retreat, citing the lack of support from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and English Jacobites as factors against the success of the invasion. Murray now commanded the support of the council and so the retreat was agreed upon, but Charles was furious at the decision and never forgave Murray. Despite this apparent lack of confidence, Murray's aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
, James Chevalier de Johnstone
Chevalier de Johnstone
James Johnstone , also known as Chevalier de Johnstone, and who sometimes signed himself as Johnstone de Moffatt was an army officer who took part in the Jacobite Rising of 1745 and the Seven Years' War. He is notable for his memoirs.Johnstone joined the Jacobite Army in Perth shortly after the...
has been quoted as saying that, "had Prince Charles slept during the whole of the expedition, and allowed Lord George Murray to act for him according to his own judgment, he would have found the crown of Great Britain on his head when he awoke." His "Memoire of the Rebellion 1745-1746" lays the blame for the failure on Charles' refusal to follow the advice of Murray.
During the retreat, Murray commanded the rear-guard, a difficult task considering the proximity of government forces both to his rear and flank commanded in part by the Duke of Cumberland, as well as the negative attitude of Charles. At the Clifton Moor Skirmish
Clifton Moor Skirmish
The Clifton Moor Skirmish took place between forces of the British Hanoverian government and Jacobite rebels on 19 December 1745. Since the commander of the British forces, the Duke of Cumberland, was aware of the Jacobite presence in Derby, the Jacobite leader Prince Charles Edward Stuart decided...
, Murray turned and fought, enabling the army to reach Carlisle without loss of stores or war material, allowing them to advance to Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
by the third of January 1746, where Charles laid siege to Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep...
with the aid of reinforcements from Perth. Murray (who had counseled against this move) however, was kept busy with battle near Falkirk
Falkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
where he defeated General Hawley. Sickness and desertion were beginning to take their toll on his force however, and with the advancement of Cumberland, retreat to the Highlands was a necessity. Charles was forced to acquiesce, angering him yet further, and causing him to accuse Murray of being a traitor. Murray's failure to capture the Atholl stronghold, Blair Castle, did nothing to refute this, though there seems to be little other than rumour and circumstance to back this claim up.
In April, the Jacobite army was near Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
and the prince decided to give battle to Cumberland, despite the exhaustion prevalent throughout the army. He took up a position on the left bank of the Nairn
Nairn
Nairn is a town and former burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness...
river at Culloden
Culloden
Culloden may refer to any of the following:*Culloden, Highland, a village in Scotland**The Battle of Culloden, a battle which took place there in 1746...
Moor, despite Murray's counsel being to set up position on the opposite bank. The Battle of Culloden
Battle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
was the death blow to the Stuart cause, with the clansmen being routed by the British Army. Cumberland told his troops on the following day that Murray had given orders that they were to be shown no quarter, however seemingly original copies of Murray's orders were found in Cumberland's papers and contain no such injunction.
Following the defeat, Murray conducted a remnant of the Jacobite army to Ruthven
Ruthven
-Places:In Scotland:*Ruthven, Aberdeenshire*Ruthven, Angus*Ruthven Castle, Angus*Ruthven, Highland*Ruthven Barracks, Highland*Ruthven Castle, also known as Huntingtower Castle, north of Perth*Loch Ruthven, nature reserve to the south west of Inverness...
with a mind to organise further resistance. Charles however, had decided to abandon the cause and Murray was issued a letter dismissing him from the prince's service. The general replied by upbraiding Charles for his distrust and mismanagement.
Later life
Murray escaped to the continent in December 1746, and was well received in Rome by the prince's father, James StuartJames Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
, who granted him a pension. Despite the father's hospitality, when Murray journeyed to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
the following year, the prince refused to meet with him.
Murray lived in numerous places on the continent over the next few years, and eventually died in Medemblik
Medemblik
Medemblik is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia.- History :...
, Holland on the 11th October, 1760 at the age of 66. Originally he was burried inside the Bonifacius-church in Medemblik, but the church was shortened in 1860 and as a consequence his grave was outside the church henceforth. His grave-stone was removed and placed inside the smaller church. In 1880 a new stone was place on his grave by his descendant John Stewart-Murray, 7th Duke of Atholl
John Stewart-Murray, 7th Duke of Atholl
John James Hugh Henry Stewart-Murray, 7th Duke of Atholl KT , styled Marquess of Tullibardine between 1846 and 1864, was a a Scottish peer.-Background and education:...
.
People still visit his grave, some of them bringing heather from Culloden.