BattlefieldsLord George Murray rear-guard action at Carlisle December 1745
Jacobite Risings

Lord George Murray rear-guard action at Carlisle December 1745

1745
England
Era
Jacobite Risings
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Cumberland's advance cavalry pressing the retreat
VS
Victor
Jacobite rear-guard under Lord George Murray
Forces
Jacobite rear-guard under Lord George Murray
Outcome
Murray rear-guard holds Carlisle approaches long enough for main Jacobite army to cross River Eden; Manchester Regiment left behind
The Battle

History & Significance

During the Jacobite retreat through Carlisle in December 1745, Lord George Murray commanded the rear-guard that entered and passed through the city while the Manchester Regiment garrison was being left behind. Murray fought a skillful delaying action at the south end of Carlisle, holding off Cumberland's advance cavalry long enough for the main Jacobite army to cross the River Eden. The decision to leave the Manchester Regiment as a garrison was made against Murray's advice — he knew the men would be captured. His rear-guard actions in and around Carlisle on 19-20 December 1745 were among his finest small-unit leadership moments, keeping the pursuit cavalry at bay.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around this battlefield

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in Britain — drawing on Domesday records, scheduled monuments, Victorian OS maps, geological data and archaeological archives to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near this battlefield