land.

Meanwhile, the Government in London were not idle, and the new regiments, as fast as they were embodied, were distributed over the eastern coast of England, where a descent from France was apprehended; but no change was made in the military strength of Scotland, where the chief if not the only danger lay.

The various skeleton regiments composing the royal forces there amounted to only 2,000 men, and with these General Wightman posted himself at Stirling, where he could watch the gathering insurgents in the north, and might prevent them from uniting with the few enthusiasts who were

population were still trained to the use of the sword and pistol from boyhood, it was judged necessary to reinforce him, and a contingent of 6,000 men, which Holland had engaged to furnish, should Britain be invaded, was now ordered over for the purpose of operating in the north; while the Duke of Argyle, one of the most able generals of the time, a great statesman also, and, unquestionably, from the fighting strength of his clan, the most powerful of all the Highland chiefs, was entrusted with the supreme command of the army mustered and yet mustering to crush the insurrection.

On the 8th of September he received his final instructions, and left London, accompanied by

many Scottish members of both Houses. On the 14th he was at Edinburgh, where he inspected the fortress, and sent thence to Glasgow and Stirling all the arms and ammunition that could be spared; and on the 17th he joined General Wightman, and reviewed the forces. Two days after he was joined by 700 Glasgow volunteers, formed into ten companies, under skilful officers; and these men served during the short campaign at their own expense. Paisley furnished a band of "fencible men; " Kilmarnock sent 220, while the earl brought 130. Greenock and the Renfrewshire vil lages were all in arms in expectation of marauding visits from Rob Roy; and among the regular troops under the duke's orders were the Scots Greys (called Portmore's Dragoons), Evans's Dragoons (now 4th Hussars), George Lord Carpenter's (now 3rd Hussars), Stair's (now 6th, or Inniskilling), and Kerr's (now 7th Hussars), with Morrison's Foot (now 8th, or King's), Clayton's (14th), and Orrery's (21st Scots Fusiliers). Though the Earl of Mar had some military experience, and had commanded a regiment of Scottish infantry in 1696, he was quite unfitted for the task of leading a Highland army. He depended too much upon the unfulfilled hope of supplies and co-operation from France, and too little upon the fiery vigour of the clans. He ought at once to have broken down into the Lowlands, sword in hand, and swept away the mustering troops of King George. In this he would have acted like Montrose and Dundee, or like Prince Charles; but, instead, he loitered inactively at Perth, spending weeks in simply receiving recruits, and levying taxes and loans, and issuing against the Duke of Argyle manifestoes in this fashion

"Whereas, by the laws of God, the right of blood, and the ancient constitution of these kingdoms, our sovereign lord James VIII., by the Grace of God, of Scotland, England, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, has the undoubted right to the crown of these realms." He concludes by severe comments upon the proclamations of the "commander-in-chief of the pretended king's forces," and warned all of "the sin and danger of obeying his rebellious orders."

By the middle of October he found himself at the head of 12,000 men, led by many of the first peers and chiefs in Scotland; yet the only exploit performed was the seizure of 420 stand of arms by a small party of horse, led by the Master of Sinclair, who had formerly been captain-lieutenant of the Cameronian Regiment, with which he served at the battle of Wynendale, in 1708.

Anxious to put all to the issue of a battle, the fiery Highland officers chafed under the delay in

meeting the enemy, and loathed the novel task to which Mar had set them, of fortifying a camp. They began to murmur against a timidity which they failed to understand, and a caution which they felt would be ruinous to the cause; and one openly said that ere long the Highlanders would desert their colours in three cases-first, if they were long without being brought into action, they would tire and go home; secondly, if they fought and were victorious, they would secure their plunder and go home; and, thirdly, if they fought and were beaten, they would retreat and go home ("Browne's Highlands," Vol. II.).

Impressed at last by the defection of the Frasers, and the growing discontent, the Earl of Mar, on the 10th of November, broke up from his camp at Perth, and marched to Auchterarder, once a royal burgh, now a ruined village in Perthshire.

On the 12th he directed the main body of the northern and western clans, with their squadrons of horse, one of which was furnished by Fifeshire, to march on Dunblane; while he himself brought up another column more leisurely, intending to halt with it near Ardoch, where the ramparts of a Roman camp may still be plainly traced, and in fine preservation.

The wife of the Laird of Kippendavie-the Scottish ladies of those days being generally in the cavalier interest-sent intelligence to the first division, as it drew near Dunblane, that the Duke of Argyle had already appeared there, and was at the head of the Government forces. On this the Jacobite army was concentrated, and the whole occupied the eminence north of Sheriffmuir, where they spent the night of the 12th of November under arms.

Argyle, who had accurate information of the movements of the insurgents, quitted Stirling on the morning of the same day, and marched to Dunblane; but, dreading a surprise, bivouacked his troops two miles to the north-east of the old cathedral city, near the manor-house of Kippenross. The night proved one of bitter cold, yet he issued the most peremptory orders that no tent was to be pitched, even for officers; and he passed the dark hours in a sheep-cot at the foot of a hill, seated on a bundle of straw.

After midnight he ordered six rounds of ammunition per man to be issued, in addition to the twenty-four which each would appear to have had in his pouch; and when day dawned the hostile armies were found to be only separated by the elevated and uneven waste called Sheriffmuir, from its having formerly been the rendezvous for the militia of the ancient sheriffdom of Monteith.

Sheriffmuir.]

It is a boggy and uncultivated tract, in the lower part of the parish of Dunblane, and lies in the broad valley which separates the Grampian Mountains from the green and beautiful chain of the Ochils, and close by a pleasant, sequestered, and peaceful village, whilom an episcopal city, on the border of the Allan Water, and overlooked by the high square tower of the half-ruined cathedral.

Owing to its elevation and extent, the moor affords a full view of the adjacent country, while its own surface comes as completely within the range of vision; yet, though neither of the armies could take up a position without the movements of each being visible to the other, such was the peculiarity of the ground, that when it was occupied at the same time by both armies, they might at certain places be veiled from each other's observation.

The morning of Sunday, the 13th of November, found both armies under arms, and in order of battle.

The troops of the Earl of Mar were formed in two lines. The first consisted of ten battalions of infantry, all clansmen in tartan, armed with claymore and dirk, pistols and target, under General Gordon, Clanronald, Glengarry, Sir John Maclean, and other Highland chiefs.

The second line consisted of the Mackenzies of Seaforth, the Macraes from Kintail, the Gordons, and the battalions of Lord Panmure, the Marquis of Tullibardine, Viscount Strathallan, Drummond of Logie Almond, and the Robertsons, under Struan, the eminent Jacobite chief and poet. He had 500 of his surname in the field, and brought with them the Clach na Brattich, or Stone of the Banner, an old amulet of Druid times, which was fixed to their standard pole, and was believed to ensure victory, and is still preserved.

The flanks of both lines were protected by cavalry. The Perthshire Horse were on the left of the first line; the Angus squadron covered the left of the second; while the right was protected by two squadrons mounted by the Marquis of Huntly, and by one called the Stirling squadron, composed entirely of gentlemen, who had with them the royal standard, called "The Restoration." Two squadrons, under the Earl Marischal, were also on the right of the second line.

A corps de reserve of 800 chosen men was formed in rear of the whole, to act when required.

Mar's standard was a blue silk. It bore a golden thistle, and the words "No Union."

The Mackzenies and Macraes were drawn up side by side, as, according to Highland tradition, they are supposed to be descended from two

543 brothers. On this day the latter tribe were led by Duncan Mhor, of Torluish, who seems to have had the presentiment sometimes experienced by brave men, that he would never return, for when the clan commenced its march, he took up a large stone, and tossing it to an immense distance, exclaimed

"May the day never come when the Macraes will not find among them a man who will throw the stone farther than that!"

And the stone lies to this day where he tossed it, in Cin Chinntaile.

With Lord Mar were a few of the Breadalbane Campbells, under Duncan, Lord Ormalie, known as "The Disenherited."

Argyle's forces were small in number. His first line consisted of six battalions, all old troops, under General Wightman, but each numbered only 300 Their right flank was covered by Evans's Dragoons, Stair's Dragoons, and the Scots Greys, under Argyle in person.

men.

On the left flank, under General Witham, were the dragoon regiments of Carpenter and Kerr, and one squadron of Stair's.

His second line consisted of only two battalions of infantry, flanked by two squadrons of horse; while a troop of Whig nobles and gentlemen, sixty in number, were formed apart on the right, covering the rear of Evans's Dragoons.

After much parading and bluster, the Glasgow volunteers, under Colonel Blackadder, contrived on this day "to be left behind," and were not in the field. But a company from Edinburgh was present, under George Drummond, of Newton (afterwards Lord Provost of that city), who dispatched to the magistrates the earliest notice of the battle, written on horseback in the field.

Deeming it necessary to make a personal reconnaisance, the Duke of Argyle with his staff rode forward to a little eminence above Dunblane, whence he could see the dark and cloud-like masses of the clans, some in red tartan and others in green, as they deployed and wheeled into position.

About the same time the Earl of Mar called a Council of War in front of his cavalry, and, addressing the assembled chiefs and officers in an animated speech, "depicted the wrongs of their king and country, and congratulated them that they had now an opportunity of avenging these in open battle! Are you ready to engage?" he concluded, drawing his sword.

The personal appearance of Mar was graceful and commanding; and in intellect and talents Sir Robert Douglas hesitates not to say that he was not surpassed by any of the age in which he lived.

The Marquis of Huntly alone had some doubts about the battle; but his voice was drowned amid loud shouts of "Fight! fight!" and every officer then repaired to his post, and each commander was welcomed along the line by loud cheers, by the brandishing of swords, and the throwing up of hats and bonnets.

The great numerical inferiority of Argyle's troops was well compensated by their fine discipline, their bravery, and hardihood, though opposed to some of the most martial of the Highland clans. The duke had perfect confidence in himself and in his little army. Still, he knew that the usual headlong charge of the clansman might in a moment, with whirlwind fury, sweep down and rout it; for frequently had a disciplined force, deploying strictly according to rule, and handled by a general who was carrying out an elaborate plan of battle, been broken, cut up, and dispersed by the sudden as sault of an irregular body of Highlanders, sweeping with resistless onset on the opposing ranks.

At eleven o'clock Argyle ordered his drums to beat the "general," an old cadence that was long used to announce a march, and the royal forces began to move forward; but owing to the inequalities of the ground, the hostile armies did not fully see each other till they were almost within pistolshot. When the lines drew nearer, on the summit of the moorland, it was found that each had diverged considerably to the right, so that the left wings of both were outflanked.

Argyle's right wing was fully formed; but a portion of the centre and left had not yet deployed into line; and, on perceiving this, Mar instantly resolved to begin the attack. He put himself at the head of the first line of clans, and, waving his hat, led them on.

"Gentlemen," cried the chief of the Macleans with a loud voice, as he rushed to the front, "this is the day we have long wished to see. Yonder stands Maccallumore for King George, and here is Maclean for King James! God bless King James and Maclean! Charge, gentlemen, charge!"

In a moment the Highlanders had tossed aside their plaids, fired a volley, and flung down their muskets; then charging sword in hand amid the smoke, they fell with loud yells and tumultuous shouts upon the troops, who returned their fire, by which, among many others, the young heir of Clanronald fell mortally wounded. This was Allan Muidartich, famed in the Highlands to this day for maintaining the character of a chief with almost princely state, and for an Ossianic degree of heroism.

His clansmen gathered round him, causing a

Roused by this appeal, the Highlanders resumed their headlong charge, and breaking completely through the first line of Argyle, drove it from the field with great slaughter, and by sheer dint of claymore and dirk. General Witham, with some of the cavalry, fled as far as Stirling, where he gave out that all was lost.

The first volley of the clans had been delivered with an accuracy of aim unsurpassed by any regular troops, and it was observed that they were not "in the least discomposed by the musketry which the British regiments opened upon them in turn.”

The Earl of Mar pursued the fugitives for half an hour, and took a great number of prisoners; but intelligence having reached him that a disaster had befallen his left wing, he retraced his steps, and took up a position on the stony hill of Kippendavie.

The left wing of the insurgents had kept its ground for some time, pouring in a steady fire upon the duke's right, till he perceived that he could make no impression upon them; and fearing that they might outflank him, he ordered Colonel Cathcart to lead a body of cavalry across a morass which the frost had rendered passable, and charge the Highlanders in flank. The movement was executed by that officer with great spirit and promptitude.

Borne down by the superior weight of the regular cavalry, the insurgent horse gave way. The clansmen were at the same time attacked and driven back by Argyle's infantry. The first line of Mar's left wing was thus mingled indiscriminately with the second, and a general rout ensued. Though broken, the insurgents made desperate efforts to retrieve the fortunes of the day; and, while retreating, the cavalier horse, being chiefly composed of Perthshire and Angus gentry, rallied no less than ten times, and charged their pursuers.

Their light horses were unable to withstand the heavy chargers of the regulars, who, after three hours' hard fighting, drove Mar's left wing completely across the Allan, fully three miles from the field of battle. The London Gazette states, “that Portmore's (the Greys) and Evans's Dragoons, drove the rebels before them with great slaughter for two miles."

In the mêlée the Duke of Argyle was frequently

heard to call upon them " to spare the poor blue bonnets." The young Earl of Strathmore, who showed great gallantry in rallying his regiment of men from the Braes of Angus, was killed by a dragoon in cold blood, after quarter had been given him; and the Earl of Panmure was wounded and taken, but was afterwards rescued by his brother, Harry Maule, of Kellie. Struan was also taken prisoner, but was afterwards rescued in the confusion.

Under Duncan Mhor the Macraes made a desperate resistance, and are said to have died almost to a man. During the struggle, while his people were falling around him, and ere he fell himself, he was frequently seen to wave his reeking sword on high, and heard to shout

"Cobhair cobhair! an aium Dhia 'son Righ Hamish !" ("Relief! relief! in the name of God and King James !").

A recent writer in the Inverness Courier states that before Duncan fell he slew fifteen men with his own hand, which was so much swollen in the hilt of his claymore that it could with difficulty be extricated.

It was at this period the duke received information of the defeat of his left wing, on which he relinquished the pursuit of the enemy, and returned to the field. As he rode back, an officer remarked that he feared the victory was not complete, to which the duke replied, in the words of an old song called "Bob o' Dunblane "

"If it was na weel bobbit,

We'll bob it again."

He had now with him scarcely a thousand men, and these were much exhausted; while the victorious right wing of the insurgents, which still crowned the hill of Kippendavie, mustered fully four times that number.

In this melancholy strife, "many of the officers on the various sides were acquainted with each other," says Robert Chambers; "many had sat together in the senate of their country; many had caroused together at good men's feasts; and some even were related. It may, therefore, be supposed that the feeling of the hour was not as it might have been under other instances, one of uncompromising hostility. On the contrary, the hand which raised the sword or pistol against the bodies of the foe would in many cases have been more willingly extended to give the grasp of friendship. The duke himself offered quarter to all he recognised, and was seen on one occasion to parry three strokes which one of his dragoons had aimed at a wounded gentleman."

545

He now deemed it prudent to act on the defensive, and with General Wightman, having posted his men behind some enclosures, hedgerows, and turf-walls, at the foot of the hill, with two pieces of cannon on his right flank, and two on his left, he quietly awaited an attack from the Jacobite forces; but, inspired by some incomprehensible doubt, the Earl of Mar evinced no inclination to renew the conflict. Then it was that an aged Highlander, enraged by his incapacity and inactivity, raised his eyes to heaven, and, in the bitterness of his heart, exclaimed

"Oh, for one hour of Dundee !"

On this day the famous Rob Roy, who led a body of Macgregors and Macphersons, is accused by his enemies of standing aloof from the action. Lack of interest in King James's cause or lack of courage could not be laid to Rob's charge; yet his conduct was incomprehensible. Scott relates in his history that when ordered by one of Mar's aides-de-camp to charge, he replied

"If the earl cannot win the field without me now, he cannot win it with me."

When night fell, the Highlanders began to retire from the hill towards their rear; and Argyle, on hearing the receding sound of the bagpipes, and seeing that their front was fast diminishing, drew off his troops to the right and towards Dunblane.

A wing of each army had been defeated, so the battle of Sheriffmuir thus remained a drawn one; but Argyle, on visiting the field early next morning, took possession of six pieces of abandoned cannon, brass and iron, seven wagons of stores, one silver trumpet, and a vast quantity of swords, muskets, and plaids, which the Highlanders had thrown away when charging. Thirteen pairs of colours, including the Royal Standard, those of Huntly, Tullibardine, Panmure, Logie-Drummond, and Mar, also fell into his hands. Many of the broadswords found had silver hilts.

The insurgents are supposed to have lost about 800 men of all ranks, including James, Earl of Strathmore; while, according to official returns, the Government troops had only 290 killed, 187 wounded, and 133 taken prisoners, making a total loss of 610 (Patten).

Archibald Douglas, second and last Earl of Forfar, a lieutenant-colonel, received (according to "Analecta Scotica") no less than sixteen swordwounds, besides a pistol-shot in the knee, at the head of the 8th Regiment. He was taken prisoner, and died of his sufferings three weeks after at Stirling. There were also taken the Laird of Glenkindy and Lieutenant-Colonel Lawrence. Argyle took many prisoners; but in the confusion