And on his counsel being declined,
Lord Elcho took leave of him with a bitter execration, swearing he would
never look on his face again, and kept his word.
On the other hand, it seems to have been the opinion of almost all the
other officers that the day was irretrievably lost, one wing of the
Highlanders being entirely routed, the rest of the army outnumbered,
outflanked, and in a condition totally hopeless. In this situation of
things the Irish officers who surrounded Charles's person interfered to
force him off the field. A cornet who was close to the Prince left a
strong attestation that he had seen Sir Thomas Sheridan seize the bridle
of his horse and turn him round. There is some discrepancy of evidence;
but the opinion of Lord Elcho, a man of fiery temper and desperate at the
ruin which he beheld impending, cannot fairly be taken in prejudice of a
character for courage which is intimated by the nature of the enterprise
itself, by the Prince's eagerness to fight on all occasions, by his
determination to advance from Derby to London, and by the presence of
mind which he manifested during the romantic perils of his escape. The
author is far from claiming for this unfortunate person the praise due to
splendid talents; but he continues to be of opinion that at the period of
his enterprise he had a mind capable of facing danger and aspiring to
fame.
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