The Scottish Jacobite Army 1745–46

Osprey Elite #149

by Stuart Reid, Gary Zaboly (Illustrations)

Osprey's examination of the Scottish Jacobite army during the Jacobite Rising of 1745. The heart of this book is the story of Bonnie Prince Charlie's army at Culloden. It strips away the myth and exposes the realities of life in the Jacobite rebel army. It begins with the raising of the army which included volunteers, 'pressed men' and mercenaries, as well as French forces that were sent over to assist as part of the 'Auld Alliance'. Unit organization, weapons, and tactics are discussed and the book also details the vicious battles that were fought in this doomed attempt to secure the British crown.

After the Jacobite rebellion was finally crushed at Culloden, many of the survivors were surprisingly drafted into the British Army alongside their former enemies and saw service in North America during the French-Indian War (1754-1763). The wonderful color plates and rare images illustrate the variety of uniforms that were worn ranging from tartan to regular army dress. This is an essential introductory guide to the Jacobite armies as well as a definitive reference to the uniforms and weaponry of the period.

Genres: Nonfiction, Military History, History, Scotland, Research, 18th Century

64 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2006

Reviews

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of the same comments apply as for the other military intro books I've reviewed: this is a useful introduction to the topic, there are bits of it that are not explained well (particularly there isn't much in the way of a history of the Jacobite uprising), and there are some sections that seem to get excessive attention (especially the listing of regiments with minor details about them).

[Mike O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elite #149
The Scottish Jacobite Army 1745-1746 $18.95
The book specifically focuses on the last Stuart rebellion unde Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Young Pretender) in 1745.
There’s a lot more detail on the specific troops in the Jacobite army including the Lowland Scots, Highlanders, and French allies.
Again, the tartans are going to be a part of any miniature painting on this army.
It’s not a comprehensive book, but it’s a very good starting point. The color plates are great and informative, the weapons, tactics, uniforms, and personalities are covered. No bibliography though.

Definitely a useful book for anyone interested in the period.
There are plenty of games on the ‘45, and I again recommend Rank and File as a starting point for rules.

[océane (desbouquinsdanslamain) · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was really interesting in terms of war tactics and learning more about the clansmen, i did learn a lot about how they operated once on the field which was really highlighting! sadly it did not tell much about the actual rising and the battle of Culloden :(