The action did not begin until late afternoon, in failing light and heavy rain; while technically a draw, it enabled Murray to retreat in good order and escape into Scotland.

On Murray's advice the Jacobite army passed the night of 16 December at Shap, arriving at the village of Clifton the following day.

While Charles and the lead Jacobite forces had reached Penrith, the rearguard, under Murray, left Shap on the morning of 18 December, followed at a distance by local militia.

Around 2-300 government cavalry formed up on Thrimby Hill in the rearguard's path; unsure of the size of the forces facing him, Murray initially held his position.

[3] Colonel Brown, a professional in the Irish Brigade who led the Jacobite column, moved several companies of the Edinburgh Regiment forward in attack.

Both parties were surprised to find the only enemy in view was the light horse they had observed a few minutes before, who galloped off in disorder at the Jacobites' appearance.

The rearguard resumed its march, and on reaching the village of Clifton, Murray sent the artillery and heavy baggage forward to Penrith under a small escort.

He placed several units in the enclosures around Lowther Hall in the hope of attacking the government cavalry; they succeeded in taking two prisoners, who told Murray that Cumberland himself, with 4,000 horse, was about a mile behind him.

Murray gave verbal orders to the Glengarry officers to support an attack on the hedges and ditches separating the dragoons from their positions; he then returned east of the road and placed himself at the head of the Macphersons.

[citation needed] A skeleton wearing tartan, found in the 1920s near Stanhope, is believed to have been a Jacobite casualty of the skirmish, though this is uncertain.