Start date 1745 | End date December 30, 1745 | |
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Result British-Hanoverian Government victory Location Carlisle, Cumbria, United Kingdom Similar Jacobite rising of 1745, Siege of Ruthven Barracks, Siege of Stirling Castle, Skirmish of Tongue, Siege of Inverness | ||
The Siege of Carlisle took place during the Jacobite rising of 1745–46 after Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) was forced to retreat north back into Scotland. As the retreat was totally against his will, he left a small force of 400 men to garrison Carlisle mainly consisting of members of the English Jacobite regiment called the Manchester Regiment, so that Charles could say that he at least held one town in England for his hoped-for return. The Jacobite garrison left to hold Carlisle surrendered to overwhelming Hanoverian forces under the Duke of Cumberland.
The prisoners were held in a dungeon in Carlisle Castle without food, water or sanitation facilities until they were brought out for execution. The so-called "licking-stones", where desperate prisoners licked the walls to obtain some moisture, can still be seen today. [1] The executions were staggered, with some of the officers sent to London to be hanged, drawn and quartered for high treason.