rear¡¡of¡¡the¡¡rebels¡¡along¡¡their¡¡line¡¡of¡¡retreat¡¡by¡¡Penrith¡¡and
Carlisle¡£¡¡¡¡Wade's¡¡army¡¡proceeded¡¡by¡¡forced¡¡marches¡¡into¡¡Scotland£»
and¡¡at¡¡length¡¡came¡¡up¡¡with¡¡the¡¡Highlanders¡¡at¡¡Falkirk¡£¡¡¡¡Metcalf
continued¡¡with¡¡Captain¡¡Thornton¡¡and¡¡his¡¡company¡¡throughout¡¡all
these¡¡marchings¡¡and¡¡countermarchings£»¡¡determined¡¡to¡¡be¡¡of¡¡service
to¡¡his¡¡master¡¡if¡¡he¡¡could£»¡¡and¡¡at¡¡all¡¡events¡¡to¡¡see¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡the
campaign¡£¡¡¡¡At¡¡the¡¡battle¡¡of¡¡Falkirk¡¡he¡¡played¡¡his¡¡company¡¡to¡¡the
field£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡was¡¡a¡¡¡¡grossly¡mismanaged¡¡battle¡¡on¡¡the¡¡part¡¡of¡¡the
Royalist¡¡General£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡result¡¡was¡¡a¡¡total¡¡defeat¡£¡¡¡¡Twenty¡¡of
Thornton's¡¡men¡¡were¡¡made¡¡¡¡prisoners£»¡¡with¡¡the¡¡lieutenant¡¡and
ensign¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡Captain¡¡himself¡¡only¡¡¡¡escaped¡¡by¡¡taking¡¡refuge¡¡in¡¡a
poor¡¡woman's¡¡house¡¡in¡¡the¡¡town¡¡of¡¡¡¡Falkirk£»¡¡where¡¡he¡¡lay¡¡hidden¡¡for
many¡¡days£»¡¡Metcalf¡¡returning¡¡to¡¡¡¡Edinburgh¡¡with¡¡the¡¡rest¡¡of¡¡the
defeated¡¡army¡£
Some¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Dragoon¡¡officers£»¡¡hearing¡¡of¡¡Jack's¡¡escape£»¡¡sent¡¡for
him¡¡to¡¡head¡quarters¡¡at¡¡Holyrood£»¡¡to¡¡question¡¡him¡¡about¡¡his
Captain¡£¡¡¡¡One¡¡of¡¡them¡¡took¡¡occasion¡¡to¡¡speak¡¡ironically¡¡of
Thornton's¡¡men£»¡¡and¡¡asked¡¡Metcalf¡¡how¡¡he¡¡had¡¡contrived¡¡to¡¡escape¡£
¡¨Oh£¡¡¨¡¡said¡¡Jack£»¡¡¡¨I¡¡found¡¡it¡¡easy¡¡to¡¡follow¡¡the¡¡sound¡¡of¡¡the
Dragoons'¡¡horses¡¡they¡¡made¡¡such¡¡a¡¡clatter¡¡over¡¡the¡¡stones¡¡when
flying¡¡from¡¡the¡¡Highlandmen¡£¡¡¡¡Another¡¡asked¡¡him¡¡how¡¡he£»¡¡a¡¡blind
man£»¡¡durst¡¡venture¡¡upon¡¡such¡¡a¡¡service£»¡¡to¡¡which¡¡Metcalf¡¡replied£»
that¡¡had¡¡he¡¡possessed¡¡a¡¡pair¡¡of¡¡good¡¡eyes£»¡¡perhaps¡¡he¡¡would¡¡not
have¡¡come¡¡there¡¡to¡¡risk¡¡the¡¡loss¡¡of¡¡them¡¡by¡¡gunpowder¡£¡¡¡¡No¡¡more
questions¡¡were¡¡asked£»¡¡and¡¡Jack¡¡withdrew£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡was¡¡not¡¡satisfied
about¡¡the¡¡disappearance¡¡of¡¡Captain¡¡Thornton£»¡¡and¡¡determined¡¡on
going¡¡back¡¡to¡¡Falkirk£»¡¡within¡¡the¡¡enemy's¡¡lines£»¡¡to¡¡get¡¡news¡¡of
him£»¡¡and¡¡perhaps¡¡to¡¡rescue¡¡him£»¡¡if¡¡that¡¡were¡¡still¡¡possible¡£
The¡¡rest¡¡of¡¡the¡¡company¡¡were¡¡very¡¡much¡¡disheartened¡¡at¡¡the¡¡loss¡¡of
their¡¡officers¡¡and¡¡so¡¡many¡¡of¡¡their¡¡comrades£»¡¡and¡¡wished¡¡Metcalf¡¡to
furnish¡¡them¡¡with¡¡the¡¡means¡¡of¡¡returning¡¡home¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡he¡¡would¡¡not
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Prince¡¡Charles's¡¡camp¡£¡¡¡¡On¡¡reaching¡¡the¡¡outposts¡¡of¡¡the¡¡English
army£»¡¡he¡¡was¡¡urged¡¡by¡¡the¡¡officer¡¡in¡¡command¡¡to¡¡lay¡¡aside¡¡his
project£»¡¡which¡¡would¡¡certainly¡¡cost¡¡him¡¡his¡¡life¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡Metcalf¡¡was
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they¡¡met¡¡returning¡¡to¡¡Edinburgh¡¡from¡¡the¡¡field¡¡of¡¡Falkirk£»¡¡laden
with¡¡plunder£»¡¡gave¡¡Metcalf¡¡a¡¡token¡¡to¡¡her¡¡husband£»¡¡who¡¡was¡¡Lord
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Prince's¡¡quarters£»¡¡but£»¡¡notwithstanding¡¡a¡¡most¡¡diligent¡¡search£»
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character£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡was¡¡seized¡¡and¡¡put¡¡in¡¡confinement¡¡for¡¡three¡¡days£»
after¡¡which¡¡he¡¡was¡¡tried¡¡by¡¡court¡¡martial£»¡¡but¡¡as¡¡nothing¡¡could¡¡be
alleged¡¡against¡¡him£»¡¡he¡¡was¡¡acquitted£»¡¡and¡¡shortly¡¡after¡¡made¡¡his
escape¡¡from¡¡the¡¡rebel¡¡camp¡£¡¡¡¡On¡¡reaching¡¡Edinburgh£»¡¡very¡¡much¡¡to¡¡his
delight¡¡he¡¡found¡¡Captain¡¡Thornton¡¡had¡¡arrived¡¡there¡¡before¡¡him¡£
On¡¡the¡¡30th¡¡of¡¡January£»¡¡1746£»¡¡the¡¡Duke¡¡of¡¡Cumberland¡¡reached
Edinburgh£»¡¡and¡¡put¡¡himself¡¡at¡¡the¡¡head¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Royal¡¡army£»¡¡which
proceeded¡¡northward¡¡in¡¡pursuit¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Highlanders¡£¡¡¡¡At¡¡Aberdeen£»
where¡¡the¡¡Duke¡¡gave¡¡a¡¡ball£»¡¡Metcalf¡¡was¡¡found¡¡to¡¡be¡¡the¡¡only
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the¡¡company£»¡¡standing¡¡on¡¡a¡¡chair£»¡¡for¡¡eight¡¡hours£»the¡¡Duke
several¡¡times£»¡¡as¡¡he¡¡passed¡¡him£»¡¡shouting¡¡out¡¡¡¨Thornton£»¡¡play¡¡up£¡¡¨
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Captain¡¡would¡¡not¡¡allow¡¡him¡¡to¡¡receive¡¡such¡¡gifts¡¡while¡¡in¡¡his¡¡pay£»
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disastrous¡¡to¡¡the¡¡poor¡¡Highlanders£»¡¡shortly¡¡followed£»¡¡after¡¡which
Captain¡¡Thornton£»¡¡Metcalf£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Yorkshire¡¡Volunteer¡¡Company£»
proceeded¡¡homewards¡£¡¡¡¡Metcalf's¡¡young¡¡wife¡¡had¡¡been¡¡in¡¡great¡¡fears
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but¡¡she¡¡received¡¡him¡¡with¡¡open¡¡arms£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡spirit¡¡of¡¡adventure
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During¡¡his¡¡stay¡¡in¡¡Aberdeen£»¡¡Metcalf¡¡had¡¡made¡¡himself¡¡familiar¡¡with
the¡¡articles¡¡of¡¡clothing¡¡manufactured¡¡at¡¡that¡¡place£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡came¡¡to
the¡¡conclusion¡¡that¡¡a¡¡profitable¡¡trade¡¡might¡¡be¡¡carried¡¡on¡¡by
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Yorkshire¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡accordingly¡¡proceeded¡¡to¡¡Aberdeen¡¡in¡¡the¡¡following
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It¡¡is¡¡supposed¡¡that¡¡at¡¡the¡¡same¡¡time¡¡he¡¡carried¡¡on¡¡a¡¡profitable
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carrier¡¡between¡¡York¡¡and¡¡Knaresborough£»¡¡plying¡¡the¡¡first
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respectability¡¡and¡¡comfort¡£
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life¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡reader¡¡will¡¡already¡¡have¡¡observed¡¡how¡¡strong¡¡of¡¡heart
and¡¡¡¡resolute¡¡of¡¡purpose¡¡he¡¡was¡£¡¡¡¡During¡¡his¡¡adventurous¡¡career¡¡he
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world¡£¡¡¡¡Stone¡¡blind¡¡as¡¡he¡¡was¡¡from¡¡his¡¡childhood£»¡¡he¡¡had¡¡not¡¡been
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as¡¡we¡¡have¡¡seen£»¡¡he¡¡could¡¡follow¡¡the¡¡hounds¡¡on¡¡horse¡¡or¡¡on¡¡foot£»
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and¡¡waggoner£»¡¡had¡¡given¡¡him¡¡a¡¡perfectly¡¡familiar¡¡acquaintance¡¡with
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and¡¡rapidly¡¡reduce¡¡their¡¡contents¡¡to¡¡feet¡¡and¡¡inches¡¡after¡¡a¡¡mental
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activity¡¡and¡¡spirit¡¡of¡¡enterprise£»¡¡which£»¡¡had¡¡his¡¡sight¡¡been¡¡spared
him£»¡¡would¡¡probably¡¡have¡¡rendered¡¡him¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡most¡¡extraordinary
men¡¡of¡¡his¡¡age¡£¡¡¡¡As¡¡it¡¡was£»¡¡Metcalf¡¡now¡¡became¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡greatest
of¡¡its¡¡road¡makers¡¡and¡¡bridge¡builders¡£
£§Image£§¡¡John¡¡Metcalf£»¡¡the¡¡blind¡¡road¡maker¡£
About¡¡the¡¡year¡¡1765¡¡an¡¡Act¡¡was¡¡passed¡¡empowering¡¡a¡¡turnpike¡road¡¡to
be¡¡constructed¡¡between¡¡Harrogate¡¡and¡¡Boroughbridge¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡business
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road¡making¡¡much¡¡understood£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡a¡¡remote¡¡country¡¡place¡¡such¡¡as
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capable¡¡of¡¡executing¡¡the¡¡necessary¡¡work¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡shrewd¡¡Metcalf
discerned¡¡in¡¡the¡¡proposed¡¡enterprise¡¡the¡¡first¡¡of¡¡a¡¡series¡¡of
public¡¡roads¡¡of¡¡a¡¡similar¡¡kind¡¡throughout¡¡the¡¡northern¡¡counties£»
for¡¡none¡¡knew¡¡better¡¡than¡¡he¡¡did¡¡how¡¡great¡¡was¡¡the¡¡need¡¡of¡¡them¡£
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knew¡¡the¡¡man¡¡well£»¡¡and¡¡having¡¡the¡¡greatest¡¡confidence¡¡in¡¡his
abilities£»¡¡he¡¡let¡¡him¡¡the¡¡contract¡£¡¡¡¡Metcalf¡¡sold¡¡his¡¡stage¡waggons
and¡¡his¡¡interest¡¡in¡¡the¡¡carrying¡¡business¡¡between¡¡York¡¡and
Knaresborough£»¡¡and¡¡at¡¡once¡¡proceeded¡¡with¡¡his¡¡new¡¡undertaking¡£
The¡¡materials¡¡for¡¡metaling¡¡the¡¡road¡¡were¡¡to¡¡be¡¡obtained¡¡from¡¡one
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large¡¡scale¡¡¡¡accordingly£»¡¡hauling¡¡out¡¡the¡¡ballast¡¡with¡¡unusual
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which¡¡Metcalf¡¡was¡¡afterwards¡¡engaged£»¡¡extending¡¡over¡¡a¡¡period¡¡of
more¡¡than¡¡thirty¡¡years¡£¡¡¡¡By¡¡the¡¡time¡¡that¡¡he¡¡had¡¡fi
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