his motions might reach the enemy, Montrose and his Redshanks struck off, from Lochness, into a savage and circuitous route, unvisited by the traveller, and, startling the herds of deer where mortal troops had never yet been led, sought their dreary way up the rugged bed of the Tarff, across the mountains of the awful Corryarick, (where neither military roads nor snow-posts were then,) and plunging into the valley of the rising Spey, and again crossing the wild mountains from Glen Roy to the Spean, staid not until, from the skirts of Bennevis, they saw before them, under a clear frosty sky, the yet bloodless shore of Lochiel, and the silent towers of Inverlochy.

It was on the second evening of this tremendous march, that Montrose first paused with his active vanguard, waiting for the rear to come up, but within sight of the camp of Argyle. Their presence was soon discovered, though Argyle's scouts had been cut off, for the moon was almost as bright as day, and some skirmishing took place during the night. No one imagined that it was Montrose in person, but, on the first alarm that a division of his omnipresent ravagers was reconnoitering the camp, Gillespic Gruamach betook himself to his favourite element, and from his boat, on an arm of the sea, awaited in safety the issue of the night attack. * But just as day dawned, a peculiar strain of martial music, startling the echoes of Benevis,

"By this place of Inverlochy, the sea comes close to it, and that night Argyle embarked himself in his barge, and there lay till the next morning, sending his orders of discipline to Auchinbreck, and the rest of his officers, there commanding the battle." Ormonde papers. He took on board with him Sir James Rollock, (the same he had sent to tempt Montrose, and the brother of Sir William,) the Laird of Niddry, Archibald Sydeserf, bailie of Edinburgh, and, adds Guthrie, "Mr Mungo Law, minister thereof, whom he had invited to go along with him to bear witness to the wonders he proposed to perform in that expedition."

caused Argyle to quail within his galley, for he wel. knew it indicated the presence of the Royal Standard, and Cavaliers,-and Montrose.

On the right of the Royal battle was Allaster Macdonald and one regiment of the Irish, on the left Colonel O'Kyan and another regiment of the same, Colonel James Macdonald being placed in reserve with the third. In the centre was the Standard and Montrose, accompanied by a few horse, and supported by the Highlanders of Athol, under young Inchbrakie, the Stewarts of Appin, the men of Glenco, the captain of Clanranald, Keppoch, Glengarry, and MacLean. Opposed to the Royalists, were the Lowland forces of Argyle, placed on either wing, while his main battle, and the reserve, were both composed of "those supple fellows with their plaids, targes, and dorlachs," stationed partly on a gentle ascent fortified by a piece of ordnance. Within the castle of Inverlochy Argyle had placed a garrison of forty or fifty men. The dashing O'Kyan, with Montrose's left wing, in the face of a discharge of cannon and musketry, had the honour of meeting the first onset, which was given by the flower of Diarmed. But the three divisions of the royal army charged nearly simultaneously, and, Argyle's standard being taken, the Campbells broke in irretrievable confusion. A dreadful slaughter ensued. The brave Auchinbreck and many officers of distinction died where they stood. They redeemed the name of their race from the cowardice of its chief. For nine miles, fifteen hundred slain of the "chosen children of Diarmed," cumbered the shores, and dyed the waters of the Lochy and Locheil. The men of Athol had now their revenge of Sir Duncan Campbell of Auchinbreck.* "Few of that army," adds Spalding,

See Vol. i. p. 499.

"had escaped, if Montrose had not marched the day before the fight, eighteen miles upon little food, and crossing sundry waters, wet and weary, in frost and snow, and standing in arms wet and cold the night before the fight." The price he paid for this victory was the death of Airly's second son, Sir Thomas Ogilvy, who had greatly contributed to the success. A man, says Wishart, dearly beloved by Montrose, remarkable for his loyalty and noble achievements, imbued with letters and learning—a favourite (like Montrose) of Minerva as of Mars. This was a friend he could ill spare. But the power of the Dictator was broken, and his conqueror flattered himself that the effort had not come too late to save the Monarchy. "Argyle went in duleweid to Edinburgh, sore lamenting the loss of his kin and friends, but chiefly the loss of his honour. Montrose courageously marched back through Lochaber, with displayed banner with incredible diligence."

It was on the morning of the 2d of February that the battle was fought. Upon Wednesday the 12th, a pitiable figure," having his left arm tied up in a scarf, as if he had been at bones-breaking," appeared before the covenanting Parliament in Edinburgh. It was Argyle. "This day," notes the Lord Lyon, " the Marquis of Argyle came to the House, and made a full relation of all his proceedings since his last going away from this. The House were fully satisfied with my Lord Marquis of Argyle's relation, and desired the President, in their names, to render him hartly thanks for his great pains, and travel taken for the public, and withal intreated him to continue in so laudable a course of doing for the weill and peace of his country." But Argyle's relation was as usual untrue. He misled Balmerino to affirm upon his honour to the General Assembly that the great loss was but the invention

of the malignants, and that Argyle had not thirty persons killed in all. The Kirk-militant was becoming doubtful of their champion, and required some management. The clerical version of Inverlochy we learn from Baillie.

"The world believed that Argyle could have been maintained against the greatest army as a country inaccessible. But we see there is no strength or refuge on earth against the Lord. The Marquis did his best to be revenged-with an army sufficient overtook the rogues in Lochaber at Inverlochy. We hoped they might have been easily defeated-but behold the indignation of the Lord! Argyle, having a hurt in his arm and face, got by a casual fall from his horse some weeks before, whereby he was disabled to use either sword or pistol, * his cousin Auchinbreck took the leading of his army. No appearance but of courage and success. Yet no sooner did the enemy set on, but all our people, overtaken with a panic fear, without any necessity turned backs and fled. Auchinbreck, a stout soldier, but a very vicious man, and many special gentlemen of Argyle's friends were killed. This disaster did extremely amaze us. I verily think had Montrose come presently from that battle he should have had no great opposition in all the Highlands, in the Lennox, and the sheriffdom of Ayr, Glasgow, Clydesdale, scarce till he had come to Edinburgh. But God in mercy put other thoughts in his heart."

* Strafford, when racked with a complication of the most excruciating complaints, was ever ready to mount his horse at a moment's warning, and lead the troops in Ireland. "Do not think," writes his friend Lord Conway jocularly," the gout is an excuse from fighting, for the Count Mansfelt had the gout that day he fought the battle of Fleury." But Argyle's excuse is worthy of him whose courage was only proved after his death, by the anatomical demonstration that his stomach, in articulo mortis, had digested a partridge.

CHAPTER XIII.

ILLUSTRATIVE OF MONTROSE'S CRUELTIES.

MONTROSE, instead of a precarious expedition into the lowlands, with fluctuating troops, who seemed only to fight as it were in the leading strings of their native mountains, turned northward to reap the fruits he anticipated from the important lesson the Highlands had now been taught on the subject of Mac Cailinmor. It was his object, moreover, to destroy the covenanting armies in Scotland, and create a powerful diversion there in favour of the King. The very first blow he struck caused old Leven to send Calendar back to Scotland, and after the second, General Baillie* was compelled to take the command against him. Subsequently, at

* After the battle of Kilsyth, General Baillie wrote a vindication of himself to the Reverend Robert Baillie, having been required by that reverend gentleman to explain why “ James Graham” was so constantly victorious. This vindication is among Robert Baillie's letters and journals. It seems that although the Marquis of Argyle had thrown up his commission, to avoid the danger and responsibility of the command in chief, he still expected to command behind the curtain. General Baillie was sent for from England. "I immediately obeyed the order," he says, "and at my coming I found that neither the Marquis of Argyle, nor the Earl of Lothian, could be persuaded to continue in their employment against these rebels, nor yet the Earl of Calendar could be induced to undertake the charge of that war; for which I was pressed, or rather forced, by the persuasion of some friends, to give obedience to the Estates, and undertake the command of the country's forces, for pursuing its enemies. But, because I would not consent to receive orders from the Marquis of Argyle, if casually we should have met together, after I had received commission to command in chief over all the forces within the kingdom, my Lord seemed to be displeased, and expressed himself so unto some, that if he lived he should remember it; wherein his Lordship indeed hath superabundantly been as good as his word."