In June 1745 he sent instructions to his supporters in Scotland to be ready to rise, and then sailed from France with just 2 ships and a handful of supporters - the ‘Seven men of Moidart’. En route the ships encountered the Royal Naval ship HMS Lion, which badly damaged one of Charles’ ships the Elizabeth, which limped back to France, with virtually all his military stores aboard. Charles and his friends arrived on the other ship Du Teillay on July 25th to be bluntly told to go home. He spent the next three weeks emotionally blackmailing the Clan Chiefs into supporting what seemed to be a doomed uprising, against their better judgement. Eventually on August 19th 1745 he raised his standard at Glenfinnan (see illustration (left) courtesy of Aberdeen University), and with the 1200 men who gathered there marched south.

The government had few troops in Scotland to stop them - only some 3000, most of whom were garrisoning forts, but what could be gathered together was led by Sir John Cope. He at first mistakenly headed for Inverness, then manged to shadow the Jacobites. In the meantime the Jacobites had reached and marched into Edinburgh. Cope deployed his army outside the city at Prestonpans, so Charles moved his army - now 2500 strong - out to meet him, and at dawn on 21st September attacked. Cope’s army was routed by the Highland charge in just 5 minutes. Scotland, apart from a few garrisons, now seemed to be in Jacobite hands. Now the French began to look at supporting them, whilst the government started recalling troops from the continent.

After a month’s rest Charles and his army marched South, arriving at Carlisle on November 9th. When an attempt by Marshal Wade and the government army in Newcastle failed to relieve the city due to the foul weather over the Pennines, Carlisle surrendered. The Jacobites marched South via Preston and Manchester, but by now the main Government army of some 10,000 men was massing under the Duke of Cumberland at Stone in Staffordshire. The Jacobites veered over the midlands, finally reaching Derby on December 4th, where a council of war was held. Charles wanted to march on London, but his most able commander, Lord George Murray wanted to retreat back to Scotland. There had been no supporting French invasion, little support in England (only some 400 recruits), and Charles could produce no evidence there was going to be any. Government forces seemed to be closing in and false stories of an army blocking the London road at Northampton brought in by a Government spy, Dudley Bradstreet, tipped the balance. Charles was outvoted by his commanders, and the Jacobites marched out of Derby on December 7th. In fact in London there was panic, with people leaving and a run on the Stock Exchange. Cumberland followed the Jacobites north, engaging their rearguard at Clifton Moor in Cumbria. The Jacobites reached Scotland on December 20th.

Reinforced by more Highlanders and some French troops the Jacobites laid siege to Stirling. A government force under General Henry Hawley moved in and engaged the Jacobites at Falkirk on January 17th 1746. The battle left the Jacobites in possession of the field, but within days Cumberland’s army was approaching so they headed north. By February 21st the Jacobites camped in Inverness, whilst Cumberland camped in Aberdeen.

By April 8th, the weather had thawed enough for Cumberland to continue his pursuit, and his army headed north. they reached Nairn on the 15th, where his army camped and drank to celebrate their General’s birthday. By this time the Jacobites, now camped on Drummossie Moor by Culloden House had heard of this and tried a night march to attack the sleeping (and hopefully drunk) government troops. The march was a disaster and never reached Nairn by dawn, so the Jacobites retreated back to Culloden - exhausted and starving. Soon after dawn on the 16th Cumberland’s army arrived at Drummossie. Murray and others argued against giving battle, the ground favoured the Government forces and the Jacobites were exhausted, but Charles refused to listen. He didn’t trust Murray after Derby and was convinced of the Highlanders invincibility. On 16th April 1746 the battle of Culloden was fought. Cumberland’s artillery did great damage whilst his Highlanders and Cavalry outflanked the Jacobites. The Jacobites still charged only to be shot down by government volleys, at only one place did they break through the redcoat line - only to be again taken down by musketry. After 30 minutes the Jacobites ran, leaving over a thousand dead, for only 50 redcoats. In the pursuit many atrocities took place, as Cumberland hunted down Jacobites ruthlessly and persecuted the clans. Charles fled Scotland eventually after hiding out around the country for 5 months.