Murray had led the force cross country…
April 1746 CE
This, however, had made for very slow going in the dark.
By the time the leading troop had reached Culraick, still two miles (three point two kilometers) from where Murray's wing was to cross the River Nairn and encircle the town, there was only one hour left before dawn.
After a heated council with other officers, Murray had concluded that there was not enough time to mount a surprise attack and that the offensive should be aborted.
O'Sullivan had come to inform Charles Edward Stuart of the change of plan, but missed him in the dark.
Meanwhile, instead of retracing his path back, Murray had led his men left, down the Inverness road.
In the darkness, while Murray led one-third of the Jacobite forces back to camp, the other two-thirds had continued towards their original objective, unaware of the change in plan.
One account of that night even records that Perth and Drummond made contact with government troops before realizing the rest of the Jacobite force had turned home.
Not long after the exhausted Jacobite forces had made it back to Culloden, reports came of the advancing government troops.
By then, many Jacobite soldiers had dispersed in search of food, while others were asleep in ditches and outbuildings.
Early on a rainy 16 April, the well-rested Government army strikes camp and at about 5 AM sets off towards the moorland around Culloden and Drummossie.
Jacobite pickets first sight the Government advance guard at about eight AM, when the advancing army comes within four miles (six point four kilometers) of Drummossie. Cumberland's informers alert him that the Jacobite army is forming up about one mile (one point six kilometers) from Culloden House—upon Culloden Moor.
At about eleven AM the two armies are within sight of one another with about two miles (three point two kilometers) of open moorland between them.
As the Government forces steadily advances across the moor, the driving rain and sleet blow from the northeast into the faces of the exhausted Jacobite army.
Jacobite casualties are estimated at fifteen hundred to two thousand killed or wounded.
Cumberland's official list of prisoners taken includes one hundred and fifty-four Jacobites and two hundred and twenty-two "French" prisoners (men from the 'foreign units' in the French service).
Added to the official list of those apprehended are one hundred and seventy-two of the Earl of Cromartie's men, captured after the brief engagement the day before near Littleferry.
In striking contrast to the Jacobite losses, the government forces are fifty dead and two hundred and fifty-nine wounded, although a high proportion of those recorded as wounded are likely to have died of their wounds.
For example, only twenty-nine out of one hundred and four wounded from Barrell's 4th Foot will survive to claim pensions.
All six of the artillerymen recorded as wounded will die.
The only government casualty of high rank is Lord Robert Kerr, the son of William Kerr, 3rd Marquess of Lothian.
Cumberland orders his troops to show no quarter against any remaining Jacobite rebels (French Army personnel, including those who are British- or Irish-born, are treated as legitimate combatants).
His troops traverse the battlefield and stab any of the rebel soldiers who are still alive.
When Cumberland learns that a wounded soldier lying at his feet belongs to the opposing cause he instructs a major to shoot him; when the major (James Wolfe) refuses to do so, Cumberland commands a private soldier to complete the required duty.
Following the battle, ...