Customer Reviews

William Augustus Duke of Cumberland: A Life

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Labeled the butcher by Jacobites, William, Duke of Cumberland is remembered mainly for his command of the British army which defeated Charles Stuart, the young pretender at Culloden. This book show's he was more than a butcher. He was a devoted son, and friend to his father, George II. He was the first Hanover Prince born in England. He was a brilliant General and dedicated to his troops. William even came to the aid of his nephew George III and helped set up a new government when most men would have just stayed in retirement. I enjoyed the tale of Mr. Whitworth's, and I now believe that history should re-judge this man by his life and deed's.

Rex Whitworth's biography on William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland proves to be a very interesting and informative reading material. The book which proves to be well written and very sympathetic in outlook toward the Duke of Cumberland's career as soldier and as a son of King George II and uncle to George III. As the book reads on, it was interesting to see the many facets of this man who may have been a royal blood but always a soldier first.

Cumberland is best known for his actions during the Jacobite Uprising of 1745 and his victory at Culloden where he completely destroyed all hopes of the Stuart restoration. He is also best known for the aftermath of that battle where many Scottish survivors were ruthlessly hunted down and killed or sold into white slavery oversea. Due to these actions, Cumberland was forever tainted by historians as "Butcher of Culloden".

One of the more damning evidences of Cumberland's "war crimes" as we may put it today is the controversy over a supposed forged order of battle where the Jacobites were to give no quarters once they defeat the British. Jacobites and the later on the Scots claims that Cumberland forged such an order to give justification to his own butchery after the battle of Culloden. When I visited the Culloden Visitor Centre in August 2006, the exhibit there make a great deal on this matter and its their assumption Cumberland forged the order to justified his brutal actions during the aftermath of the battle. The author on the other hand, on pages 89-90 of the book, believed that the order written for the suppose night attack on Cumberland's army which was cancelled, was a real Jacobite order and not a forgery. The author also stated that this order was well known throughout the Jacobite army before and during the battle of Culloden.

Overall, I found the book to be a good reading material and it should be considered as a mandoratory biography to read for anyone interested in the Jacobite rebellion as well as the mid-Georgian military history. There is no doubt that Duke of Cumberland led a very controverisal life and this is a good book to start off understanding him - even if you may be biased against him.