Summer Hunting a Prince

Summer Hunting A Prince

The Escape of Charles Edward Stuart

The rescue of Prince Charles Edward Stuart by frigates from France, in the Autumn of 1746 was the culmination of 5 months of frantic activity. During these months 5 early attempts at escape failed as the determined Hanovarian authorities pursued their quarry. The pursuit was made all the more sweet with a remarkable price of £30,000 offered for the Prince's capture. Little wonder that the General commanding the pursuit with grim humour termed the period "the Summer's Hunting".

The story of the Summer's Hunting has involved extensive reappraisal by the authors of the new source material. They have examined French National Archives and the Records of the Royal Navy in London to give quite detailed descriptions of the opposing role played by the naval forces of the two nations. Equally relevant to an understanding of this period is a realisation of the role played by Hebrideans and Highlanders who through guile and stealth successfully confused pursuing authorities eventually to lose forever their prized quarry.