Editing Charles Edward Stuart (section)

===Early stages and victory at Prestonpans: 1745===
Although several clan chiefs initially discouraged him, he gained the crucial support of [[Donald Cameron of Lochiel]], Chief of [[Clan Cameron]], after Charles provided "security for the full value of his estate should the rising prove abortive."{{sfn|Riding|2016|pp=465–467}} Thereafter, support continued to grow.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=77}} It is recorded that during this time, Charles began to take lessons in conversational [[Gaelic languages|Gaelic]] under the tutorship of [[Alasdair mac Mhaighstir Alasdair]].{{sfn|Pininski|2010|page=32}} On 19 August, he raised his father's standard at [[Glenfinnan]] and gathered a force large enough to enable him to march towards [[Edinburgh]].{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=79}} The force proceeded eastwards, reaching [[Invergarry Castle]] by the last week of August.{{sfn|Preston|1995|page=70}} Charles's forces continued on via the [[Corrieyairack Pass]], where their control of the pass persuaded advancing government forces to withdraw from the area.{{sfn|Preston|1995|page=70}} Stopping briefly first at [[Blair Castle]],{{sfn|Preston|1995|page=73}} Charles and his forces reached [[Perth, Scotland|Perth]] on 4 September.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=87}} At Perth, his ranks were joined by more sympathisers, including [[Lord George Murray (general)|Lord George Murray]].{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=87}} Previously pardoned for his participation in the 1715 and 1719 risings, Murray took over from O'Sullivan due to his better understanding of Highland military customs, and the Jacobites spent the next week re-organising their forces.{{sfn|Riding|2016|pp=123–125}} On 14 September, Charles and his forces took [[Falkirk]], and Charles stayed at [[Callendar House]], where he persuaded the [[William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock|Earl of Kilmarnock]] to join him.{{efn|name=Callendar House|Charles would stay again at Callendar House before the Battle of Falkirk Muir. The Earl however would later be executed for his support of Charles in August 1746.}}{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=90}}

Charles's progress onto Edinburgh was helped by the action of the British leader, [[John Cope (British Army officer)|General Sir John Cope]], who had marched to [[Inverness]], leaving the south country undefended.{{sfn|Vaughan|1911|p=941}} On 16 September, Charles and his army encamped outside the city at Gray's Mill in [[Longstone, Edinburgh|Longstone]].{{sfn|Norie|1907|p=54}} [[Archibald Stewart (Lord Provost)|Lord Provost Archibald Stewart]] controlled the city, which quickly surrendered. However, the castle under the command of [[George Preston (Jacobite)|George Preston]] did not surrender and was blockaded until Charles later called off the siege owing to a lack of artillery.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=111}} On 17 September, Charles entered Edinburgh, accompanied by around 2,400 men.<ref>{{cite web |title=Charles Edward, the Young Pretender |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Edward-the-Young-Pretender |website=Britannica |date=27 December 2023 |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.}}</ref> During this time, Charles also gave trophies to his supporters, a prominent example being [[Prince Charlie's Targe]]. [[Allan Ramsay (artist)|Allan Ramsay]] painted a [[Lost portrait of Charles Edward Stuart|portrait of Charles]] while he was in Edinburgh,<ref name=beeb>{{cite news|title=Lost Bonnie Prince Charlie portrait found in Scotland|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-26287887|access-date=23 February 2014|newspaper=BBC News|date=22 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221160456/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-26287887|archive-date=21 February 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> which survived in the collection of the [[Earl of Wemyss]] at [[Gosford House]] and, {{As of|2016|lc=y}}, was on display at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ferguson|first1=Brian|title=Unique Bonnie Prince Charlie painting secured for Scotland |url=http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/unique-bonnie-prince-charlie-painting-secured-for-scotland-1-4085879|access-date=15 February 2020 |work=Edinburgh News|date=30 March 2016}}</ref> 
[[File:Bonnie Prince Charlie by John Pettie.jpg|thumb|right|Bonnie Prince Charlie entering the Ballroom at Holyroodhouse flanked by [[Donald Cameron of Lochiel]] and [[Alexander Forbes, 4th Lord Forbes of Pitsligo|Alexander Forbes, Lord Pitsligo]], painted by [[John Pettie]], {{circa|1892}}]]
Meanwhile, Sir John Cope had brought his forces by sea to [[Dunbar]], a decision he would soon regret.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=98}} On 20 September, Charles mustered and joined his forces at [[Duddingston]].{{sfn|Preston|1995|page=86}} On 21 September, Charles and his forces defeated Cope's army, the only government army in Scotland, at the [[Battle of Prestonpans]].{{sfn|Vaughan|1911|p=941}}{{efn|name=JohnnieCope|Cope and his army's disastrous defence against the Jacobites was later immortalised in the song "[[Johnnie Cope]]".}} Charles was said to have been only 50 paces from the front-line of the battle,{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=103}} and he later expressed remorse that the victory involved killing his own subjects.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=105}} It was reported during the battle that Charles and Lord Murray had argued over the disposition of forces.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=99}} The historian Hugh Douglas argues this was to result in an ever-worsening relationship between the two that would culminate with ultimate defeat later at Culloden.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=99}}