A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans : with an ...

MATTLE OF GLENLIVET, 225
manoeuvred liis troops so well as to succeed iu cutting off the earl of
Errol and placing him between his own body and that of Argyle, by
whose joint forces he was completely surrounded. At this important
crisis when no hopes of retreat remained, and when Errol and Iiis men
were in danger of being cut to pieces, the earl of Huntly, very fortunately,
came up to his assistance and relieved him from his embarrassment.
The battle was now renewed and continueil for two hours, during whicl
both parties fought witii great bravery, the one. says Sir Robert Gordon,
' lor glorie, the other for neccssitie." In the heat of tlie action the eail
of Huntly had a horse shot under him, and was in imminent danger of
his life; but another horse was immediately procured tor him. After a
hard contest the main body of Argyle's army began to give way, and re-
treated towards the rivulet of Altchonlachan; but Maclean still kept the
field and continued to support the falling fortune of the day. At length,
finding the contest hopeless, and after losing many of his men, he retired
in good order with the small company that still remained about him.
Huntly pursued the retiring foe beyond the «ater of Altchonlachan
when he was jirevented from following them further by the steepness of
the hills so unfavourable to the operations of cavalry. The success of
Huntly \\as mainly owing to the treachery of Lochnell and of John
Grant of Gartinbeg, one of Huntly's vassals, who, in terms of a concerted
plan, retreated with his men as soon as the action began, by which act
the centre and the left wing of Argyle's army was completely broken.
On the side of Argyle five hundred men were killed besides Mac-
neill of Barra, and Lochnell, and Auchinbreck, the two cousins of
Argyle. The earl of Huntly's loss was comparatively trifling. About
fourteen gentlemen were slain, including Sir Patrick Gordon of
Auchindun and the Laird of Gight ; and the earl of Errol and a con-
siderable number of persons were wounded. At the conclusion of the
battle the conquerors returned thanks to God on the field for the victory
they had achieved. This battle is called by some %vTiters the battle of
Glenlivet, and by others the battle of Altchonlachan. Among the tro-
phies found on the field was the ensign belonging to the earl of Argyle,
which was carried with other spoils to Strathbogie, and placed upon the
top of the great tower. So certain had Argyle been of success in his
enterprize, that he had made out a paper apportioning the lands of the
Gordons, the Hays, and all who were suspected to favour them, among
the chief officers of his army. This document was found among the
baggage which he left behind him on the field of battle.*
When Lord Forbes, Lesley of Balquhain, and Irving of Drum, who
had assembled all their forces and followers for the purpose of joining
Argyle, heard of his defeat, they resolved to unite themselves with the
Dunbars and the other forces which were marching from the provinces
of Ross and Moray to assist Argyle, and to make an attack upon the
• Si I- 11. Gordon, pp. 22o, 227, 22S, 229 Shaw's Moray, pp. 206, 207, 208.