The Jacobite Rebellion continued (again)....

April is the Cruellest Month:

In Scotland, as March ends, we still have a large Government army dominating the Glasgow-Edinburgh pinch-point and Government garrisons in The Great Glen, as well as a small, mainly Scots, Government force operating on the far north Scottish coast. 

Basically the Jacobites now only hold the Western Isles, the adjacent north east coastline (the sea routes between the islands being free for Jacobite use only because the Royal Navy has largely been pulled south to meet any French invasion), Inverness and Stirling (if only because Cope hasn't got round to destroying its small garrison yet).

An unbloodied  Highland army under Cromarty sits in MacLeod territory, well aware that it is outnumbered and outmatched by the forces at Cope's disposal.

In England a tiny Jacobite detachment still holds Carlisle, while Charles's “Army of England” sits at Alnwick, trying to make good its losses by recruiting locally and awaiting reinforcement from overseas.

Much of its Scottish element is now wondering why they are in England at all - not least because any hopes of a mass rising of Tories, Catholics and those otherwise discontented with the Government in support of the Stuarts south of the border have clearly been dashed.

A series of indecisive Jacobite Councils of War (four in total) throughout April shows how low spirits have sunk, with talk of Prince Charlie pulling out of England (likely abandoning much of the English and Scots elements of the army) and heading north, or for the continent, by ship.

Even news that that the French fleet has again sallied out into the Channel to try to gain control of the narrow seas and fought a successful action, forcing the Royal Navy to withdraw to port, does not lift their spirits. But no clear decisions are made.

As May arrives the Council finally decides something: Charlie and as many of the Irish and French (plus the gold of course) as can fit into the available ships are to sail for Scotland...

Murray, and the remaining Scots, Irish, French and guns, are to try to make their way back to the Highlands as best they can.

The English Jacobite volunteers are to be left (abandoned?) as garrisons at Newcastle & Berwick.

The plan, in so much as there is one, appears to be to build a force in Scotland, drive the Government supporters from the Highlands, retake Edinburgh and the Lowlands and try to negotiate a settlement... Hmmm.... Like THAT'S going to work... Unless....

Meanwhile, the Government armies are strangely inactive during all this.

Remember that French Invasion force..? Despite the Royal Navy trying to assemble a scratch fleet in the Channel, the French come out again, this time loaded with troops. There is another sea battle, with the Royal Navy being outnumbered and defeated. A few French ships and troops are lost, but the bulk of the Invasion Fleet are safe. Hooray!

Mid May the French make the Channel crossing, landing (unexpectedly) at Hastings (a good omen?)..*

[*Dice decision outside my control. The French are, of course, playing their own game. Basically a 2x6D test, avoiding garrisoned locations. Initial test possibilities are: 2-4 Land in Ireland. 5 - Land at Weymouth (threatening to cut off the South West; providing a possible safe haven/recruiting ground for Charlie there..?). 6 - A landing at Poole (threatening Southampton and Portsmouth). 7 – A landing at Brighton (to threaten Portsmouth and London. In reality I guess this means nearby Shoreham or Newhaven with their harbours, rather than the harbourless, decaying and relatively insignificant fishing town of Brighton itself). 8 – Land at Hastings (threatening London and Dover) 9-12: Push up into the North Sea..] 

The Government forces react swiftly. Troops in the north of England are rushed towards London. Troops at Southampton ditto.  The King moves to Windsor to meet the latter.  The fleet (at now vulnerable Portsmouth) moves to distant Plymouth. Hessian battalions, put onto ships in Holland, are diverted to London.  

Richelieu, in contrast, is slow off the mark* (waiting for the second wave?), and before he advances on London the Hessians and Albermarle (marching from the Midlands) arrive in London to meet the King marching from Windsor. There is no way the French can take the city against an army near twice their size. Richelieu remains at Chatham, considering his options.

Meanwhile, Murray has moved south to Newcastle again and Charlie has arrived on the Scottish mainland in the north west. There is now a major, mainly Highland, army at his command there.

 [*The Gov't get the initiative next map move. Dammit...]

The ships which brought the Hessians meet with the fleet from Plymouth – to run interference on any French reinforcement. 

The large army in London now advances towards Chatham. Richelieu, outnumbered about two to one calls a Council of War with his colonels. There is no doubt as to the Council's feelings. The majority of colonels are eager to fight.

It looks like we have "The Battle of Chatham" in the offing......