George Wade - Jacobite Rising

Jacobite Rising

In October 1745 during the Jacobite rising Wade focussed his troops on Newcastle upon Tyne on the East coast of England; however the Jacobite forces advanced from Scotland down the West coast of England via Carlisle into Lancashire and the speed of their advance left Wade scrambling. In freezing conditions and with his men starving, he failed to counter their march into England or their subsequent retreat back from Derby to Scotland; Wade was replaced as Commander-in-Chief by Prince William, Duke of Cumberland who led the army to success at the Battle of Culloden in April 1746.

Wade received mention in a verse used as part of God Save the King circa 1745:

Lord, grant that Marshal Wade
May, by thy mighty aid,
Victory bring.
May he sedition hush
And, like a torrent, rush
Rebellious Scots to crush.
God save the King.

Wade died, unmarried, on 14 March 1748 and is buried at Westminster Abbey where his life is recognised by a monument created by Louis-François Roubiliac.