Manchester Regiment (Jacobite)
Encyclopedia
The Manchester Regiment was a unit of English
soldiers recruited by the Jacobites
during the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion
. They owed their allegiance to Charles Edward Stuart
and the House of Stuart
and were in rebellion against George II
.
Having landed in Scotland in 1745, during the War of the Austrian Succession
, Charles Edward Stuart had succeeded in gathering a large army of Highlanders
which captured Edinburgh
after defeating Government forces during the Battle of Prestonpans
. The Jacobite army then advanced into England, where it was believed there was strong support for a Stuart restoration.
Reaching Manchester
, the Jacobites received only limited support. The 300 volunteers recruited there were formed into a Manchester Regiment, mainly drawn from the unemployed
of the town. They were commanded by Colonel Francis Towneley
of the Burnley
Towneley family
, who had returned from serving in the French army. Despite the optimistic reports, there turned out to be very little overt support by the English populace. Although only an untested force of militia
stood between the Jacobites and their goal of capturing London
, the decision was made to withdraw back to Scotland.
Charles saw the withdrawal as only being a temporary tactical retreat and to maintain his claim to the throne he ordered the Manchester Regiment to remain and garrison Carlisle which had been captured by the Jacobites. When the town was re-captured by government forces in the subsequent Siege of Carlisle
the regiment was imprisoned, with many including Colonel Towneley executed. However a small detachment from the Manchester Regiment is now known to have left with Charles's main force and their task was to man the Jacobite artillary where they were subsequently defeated at the Battle of Culloden
and the rebellion collapsed.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
soldiers recruited by the Jacobites
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...
during the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion
Jacobite Rising of 1745
The Jacobite rising of 1745, often referred to as "The 'Forty-Five," was the attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for the exiled House of Stuart. The rising occurred during the War of the Austrian Succession when most of the British Army was on the European continent...
. They owed their allegiance to Charles Edward Stuart
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...
and the House of Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
and were in rebellion against George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
.
Having landed in Scotland in 1745, during the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
, Charles Edward Stuart had succeeded in gathering a large army of Highlanders
Gàidhealtachd
The Gàidhealtachd , sometimes known as A' Ghàidhealtachd , usually refers to the Scottish highlands and islands, and especially the Scottish Gaelic culture of the area. The corresponding Irish word Gaeltacht however refers strictly to an Irish speaking area...
which captured Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
after defeating Government forces during the 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...
. The Jacobite army then advanced into England, where it was believed there was strong support for a Stuart restoration.
Reaching Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, the Jacobites received only limited support. The 300 volunteers recruited there were formed into a Manchester Regiment, mainly drawn from the unemployed
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
of the town. They were commanded by Colonel Francis Towneley
Francis Towneley
Francis Towneley , was an English Jacobite who was executed for his role in the rebellion of 1745.-Early life:He was the fifth son of Charles Towneley of Towneley Hall, Lancashire, by his wife Ursula, daughter of Richard Fermor of Tusmore, Oxfordshire.His family were Roman catholics and Jacobite...
of the Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
Towneley family
Towneley (family)
The Towneley or Townley family are an English recusant family whose ancestry can be traced back to Norman England. They take their name from Towneley Hall in Burnley, Lancashire, which was the family seat until its sale in 1901.-The Towneleys of Towneley Hall:...
, who had returned from serving in the French army. Despite the optimistic reports, there turned out to be very little overt support by the English populace. Although only an untested force of militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
stood between the Jacobites and their goal of capturing London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the decision was made to withdraw back to Scotland.
Charles saw the withdrawal as only being a temporary tactical retreat and to maintain his claim to the throne he ordered the Manchester Regiment to remain and garrison Carlisle which had been captured by the Jacobites. When the town was re-captured by government forces in the subsequent Siege of Carlisle
Siege of Carlisle (December 1745)
The Siege of Carlisle took place during the Jacobite rebellion of 1745–46 after Charles Edward Stuart was forced to retreat north back into Scotland...
the regiment was imprisoned, with many including Colonel Towneley executed. However a small detachment from the Manchester Regiment is now known to have left with Charles's main force and their task was to man the Jacobite artillary where they were subsequently defeated at 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...
and the rebellion collapsed.