Henry Hawley and George Murray - the two respective leaders of the Hanoverian and Jacobite Forces at The Battle of Falkirk Muir had much in common. They both came from families that were part of the landed gentry, but neither had greatly benefited from that - Hawley's father, Baron Hawley, died in battle leaving the family penniless, and Murray was the 6th son of The Duke of Atholl, and unlikely to inherit much. Both had turned to the military for a career and the continent provided an abundance of opportunities for men who regarded themselves as born to lead, as during this period there were numerous armed conflicts ongoing across Europe. Both were aloof figures, unpopular with their troops for different reasons, and neither were open to military advice from colleagues and peers. Both had fought in earlier Jacobite uprisings. The differences between the two however, had a marked effect on the Battle outcome.
The Commander Of The Hanoverian Force
Lieutenant General Henry Hawley had served in a number of significant battles prior to Falkirk Muir. During the Jacobite rising of 1745, he was recalled to Britain and appointed commander in Scotland in December, replacing the recently defeated John Cope. Hawley was very much the military 'sidekick' of The Duke of Cumberland (3rd son to King George II), who was responsible for most of his assignments. Hawley was a cavalry man, perhaps more so than an all round military commander.
Henry Hawley
Hawley had worked his way up the ranks through his European battles, and was a strict disciplinarian, referred to by contemporaries as 'Hangman Hawley'. He was also thought to later be responsible for the killing of Jacobite wounded after Culloden, and his assistant at the time, James Wolfe, documented how he had refused Hawley's command to order the shooting of a wounded Highland Officer . Documents record Hawley's instruction at Culloden that "as few Highlanders as possible are to be made prisoner".
Hawley had fought in the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion Battle of Sheriffmuir and his experiences at Sherriffmuir, where cavalry won the day against the Jacobites, probably shaped some of his tactics at Falkirk Muir. His decision at Falkirk Muir to have the cavalry lead the march to the battlefield was however a critical error and contributed to defeat.
The Commander Of The Jacobite Forces
George Murray was the 6th son of the Duke of Atholl, and a member of the long-established Murray family of Perthsire nobles. He was a seasoned soldier having taken part in the Jacobite rebellions of 1715, 1719, and played a senior role in the 1745 Jacobite invaision of England.
Pardoned for his involvement in the earlier Jacobite uprisings, Murray had taken an oath of allegiance to the King. When the 1745 uprising began he was appointed the deputy to the Hanvoverian government commander in Scotland. He soon defected to the Jacobean side, but many of the Jacobean leaders and soldiers viewed him with suspicion. He didn't lead the Jacobite army alone, as Bonnie Prince Charlie had a hand in its strategy along with a gaggle of his foreign advisors. This confused leadership led to the Jacobite army being reduced in effectiveness.
George Murray
Murray was a serious individual, with a short temper not afraid to speak his opinions, which included that Bonnie Prince Charlie was a 'reckless adventurer'. He had little time for his intended monarch or his collection of exiles serving as miliary advisors. Although he was unpopular, and untrusted, Murray knew highland battle tactics and played the clansmen to their strengths. Ultimately Murray's refusal to take advice led to his disastrous decision to do a night march when he and Hawley would next meet on the battlefield, at Culloden.
