Bonnie Prince Charlie Stays in Scotland

In 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie managed to seize control of much of Scotland and took his seat in the ancestral Stuart palace before he marched south into England and ultimately was defeated at Culloden.

Prior to the march south, some of his commanders advised that it would be better to stay in Scotland and consolidate their position rather than move southward, but he and others thought waiting would enable the Hanoverians to gather strength.

What if he had decided to stay in Scotland, consolidate his position, and try to force the Hanoverians to come to him?
 
He could potentially present more of a nuisance, which would butterfly out by distracting Britain from other theatres of the war, but the forces which dished him at Culloden still exist and they will still eventually come north.

The Jacobites didn't really control Scotland: they had set up shop in Holyrood and compelled every mobile British force to leave the field, but there were plenty of garrisons still holding out all over the place (including Edinburgh Castle itself, which made the Jacobite control of my home a bit of a joke) and wherever there weren't Jacobite troops or people liable to support them (that is, Catholics and Episcopalians) in positions of influence, people just carried on as British subjects. In the old Presbytarian stronghold of the southwest, there was actual partisan activity, and Jacobite supply columns were plundered around the border.

Once the government comes north, the Jacobites have to give ground until they choose to stand and fight. Without a silly English adventure, they could do so earlier and in better shape, and with more government forces locked up in garrisons; but ultimately, when we're talking about a gaggle of militias with obsolete weapons taking on the British army, the eventual result will always be the same.

The interesting things are the butterflies in Europe, and the possibility of capturing BCP.
 
How much damage to the garrison troops, the Presbyterian partisans, etc. could the Jacobites do prior to the Hanoverians coming north?

I assume that's what BPC's more cautious supporters wanted him to deal with first.
 
They not only held out but took ground back from the Stuarts so the position of Bonnie Prince Charlie was fading even in Scotland.

Of course, since a matter of weeks would mean the British and their Dutch allies had a force vastly superior available for use against him staying in Scotland won't help either.

Then again, he also threw away a tenth or more of his total forces to keep a single town in England under the delusion that the British would somehow have difficulty finding artillery...:rolleyes:
 
He could potentially present more of a nuisance, which would butterfly out by distracting Britain from other theatres of the war, but the forces which dished him at Culloden still exist and they will still eventually come north.

Is there any way he could have held out for French support to reach him?
 
Certainly any attempts were blocked by Rear Admiral Byng's squadron OTL.


What kills BPC's chances is that his claim to Scotland is no more or less valid than his claim to England so a compromise is impossible and powerful forces in Scotland are against him while no one in England is for him.
 
The bulk of Scotland was not on his side especially in the Lowlands as the reformation went a lot further in Scotland than England. Glasgow in particularly was not Jacobite territory. Even in the highlands there was by no means universal support. The Campbells were Anti-Jacobite and several clan chiefs had one son on either side to ensure their lands weren't forefeited. Eventually the Duke of Cumberland and Marshall Wade would have won
 
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