The University and the '45

The Jacobite Army of Charles Edward Stuart ('Bonnie Prince Charlie') occupied Edinburgh between 16 September and 1 November 1745. In anticipation of their arrival, University classes were suspended, a pro-Government company of University volunteers was formed (including William Robertson (1721-1793), the future Principal), and Colin Maclaurin (1698-1746), Professor of Mathematics, was employed as a military engineer to fortify the city.

Colin MacLaurin Fortifies the City

Colin MacLaurin had held the Chair of Mathematics since 1745. In a letter of 9 December 1745 to Duncan Forbes, Lord Culloden, he wrote that 'as soon as the danger from the Rebels seem'd imminent', he left his country house in Dalkeith and came to the capital. Here he joined the pro-Government Volunteers and did his utmost to raise the spirit of resistence 'amongst the Gentlemen in hopes it would have raised likewise amongst the Burghers & trades'. Immediately 'the care of the walls' was assigned to MacLaurin. He 'laboured night & day' to fortify the city 'under infinite discouragements from superior powers'. He was promised 'hundreds of workmen' but 'could hardly get as many dozens'. Despite daily complaints to the City Council (whose Lord Provost, Archibald Stewart, was suspected of Jacobitism), he was only given the assistance he required in the last two days before the Jacobite occupation, and that was too late. MacLaurin was incensed because he firmly believed that 'the Town was in a condition to have stood out for two or three days against men improvided with Artillery unskillfull & then unarmed, and there was a double expection of relief viz. from the Dutch & Sr John Cope

At the time of the city's surrender, he was 'loading the cannon at the Westport, & pressing the finishing of some works there. Maclaurin bitterly regretted that the Volunteers let their arms fall into enemy hands rather than delivering to General Guest's garrison at Edinburgh Castle which held out throughout the Jacobite occupation. During the occupation itself, MacLaurin wrote that:

we have neither Law nor Gospel at Edinburgh; no Courts are kept; no Churches assemble; nor have we Colleges. Tho' their Officers from a Political Goodness endeavour to prevent disorders, the Cloven Foot appeard [sic] early, and they pilfer and rob in and about the Town (letter to Rev. John Hill, 20 October 1745)

Charles Edward Stuart issued a proclamation, promising an indemnity to all Volunteers who submitted to his Government within twenty days. 'Determined to make no submission', MacLaurin 'endeavour'd to settle my family at Dalkeith as well as I could and crost the border of England on the 19th day of those allow'd' (ibid.). He would rather entrust his family to the 'Protection of Providence' than have 'communication with the Rebels'. From the safety of Newcastle he wrote, that:

I have never yet entertain'd any Fear of the Conclusion of this Affair, tho' deeply concerned for the dishonour and distress it brings on some parts of the Country, and particularly on Edinburgh' (ibid.).

In England, he accepted an invitation to lodge with Thomas Herring, Archbishop of York. In his absence, no fewer than eight Jacobite soldiers were quartered on his house in Dalkeith. His wife, 'tho' indisposed' had entertained them well and endeavoured to extract information from them as to the strength of the Jacobite army.

MacLaurin had proposed to re-enter Edinburgh with General Wade's enemny, but in fact, made his way back safely on 14 November 1745, but at great cost to his health. Crossing snowbound countryside between Morpeth and Wooler, he caught 'the most dangerous cold I ever had'. Within a week, he was endeavouring to raise a new body of volunteers but was hampered by ill-health. Indeed, MacLaurin's always delicate constitution never seems to have recovered from his exertions to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobites. He died on 14 June 1746, two months after the final defeat of the Jacobites at Culloden.

According to MacLaurin, university classes resumed on 21 November 1745 but 'promise poorly'. Certainly no graduations are recorded for the academic year 1745-1746.

Sources

• A Catalogue of the Graduates in the Faculties of Arts, Divinity, and Law, of the University of Edinburgh since its Foundation (Edinburgh: Printed by Neill and Company, 1858)
• Colin MacLaurin, The Collected Letters of Colin MacLaurin, ed. Stella Mills (Nantwich: Shiva, 1982)