24 April 1725: Major-General George Wade, Member of Parliament for Bath, was appointed to take over from Lieutenant-General George Carpenter as commander-in-chief in Scotland. On 1 June, Wade received his warrant under Royal sign-manual, and he arrived in Edinburgh two weeks later, just at the beginning of the malt tax disturbances. Wade’s first task was to re-establish the Independent Highland Companies and begin the disarming of the highland clans. Wade is best remembered for planning and overseeing the construction of 240+ miles of military road and over 40 bridges.
