What if the Jacobites had invaded straight after Prestonpans?

[The Ranger]

What if after Lieutenant-General Sir "Johnnie" Cope had been beaten at the battle of Prestonpans in 1745, the Highland Army had headed south almost straight away, releying on the fear the English had of them and their relitive speed? Would they have any chance of success or would they just be surrounded and cut to pieces by the English army?

[Calgacus]

What if after Lieutenant-General Sir "Johnnie" Cope had been beaten at the battle of Prestonpans in 1745, the Highland Army had headed south almost straight away, releying on the fear the English had of them and their relitive speed? Would they have any chance of success or would they just be surrounded and cut to pieces by the English army?

AFAIK, there wasn't much of an "English" (more correct term would be "Government" or "Hanoverian" as Scots and English fought on both sides) army at the time - Wade was charged with assembling an army to confront the Jacobites after Prestonpans, but I don't know how many units he had at his disposal. Most of the British army were on the continent at this point, and most home units were second rate or volunteer formations.

Conversely, the Jacobites themselves were probably in poor shape, having been through a strenuous campaign of manoeuvre and a major battle. The stopover in Edinburgh was mainly to rouse support and gather supplies IIRC. Without this, they might have struggled.