’In the Prince’s return from Derby back towards Scotland, my Lord George Murray, Lieutenant-General, cheerfully charg’d himself with the command of the rear; a post, which, altho’ honourable, was attended with great danger, many difficulties, and no small fatigue; for the Prince being apprehensive that his retreat to Scotland might be cut off by Marischall Wade, who lay to the northward of him with an armie much superior to what H. R. H. had, while the Duke of Comberland with his whole cavalrie followed hard in the rear, was obliged to hasten his marches.  It was not, therefore, possible for the artilirie to march so fast as the Prince’s armie, in the depth of winter, extremely bad weather, and the worst roads in England; so Lord George Murray was obliged often to continue his marches long after it was dark almost every night, while at the same time, he had frequent allarms and disturbances from the Duke of Comberland’s advanc’d parties.  Towards the evening of the twentie-eight December 1745, the Prince entered the town of Penrith, in the Province of Comberland.  But as Lord George Murray could not bring up the artilirie so fast as he wou’d have wish’d, he was obliged to pass the night six miles short of that town, together with the regiment of Mac-Donel of Glengarrie, which that day happened to have the arrear guard.  The Prince, in order to refresh his armie, and to give my Lord George and the artilirie time to come up, resolved to sejour the 29th at Penrith; so ordered his little army to appear in the morning under arms, in order to be reviewed, and to know in what manner the numbers stood from his haveing entered England.  It did not at that time amount to 5000 foot in all, with about 400 cavalrie, composed of the noblesse who serv’d as volunteers, part of whom form’d a first troop of guards for the Prince, under the command of My Lord Elchoe, now Comte de Weems, who, being proscribed, is presently in France.  Another part formed a second troup of guards under the command of My Lord Balmirino, who was beheaded at the Tower of London.  A third part serv’d under My Lord le Comte de Kilmarnock, who was likewise beheaded at the Tower.  A fourth part serv’d under My Lord Pitsligow, who is also proscribed; which cavalrie, tho’ very few in numbers, being all Noblesse, were very brave, and of infinite advantage to the foot, not only in the day of battle, but in serving as advanced guards on the several marches, and in patroling dureing the night on the different roads which led towards the towns where the army happened to quarter.

’While this small army was out in a body on the 29th December, upon a rising ground to the northward of Penrith, passing review, Mons. de Cluny with his tribe, was ordered to the Bridge of Clifton, about a mile to southward of Penrith, after having pass’d in review before Mons. Patullo, who was charged with the inspection of the troops, and was likewise Quarter Master General of the army, and is now in France.