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

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HISTORY OF THE HIGHLANDS.
this movement, was to seize Inverness, which was then only protected
1)V two regiments, in tlie expectation that its capture would operate as
ii stimulus to the northern clans, who had not yet declared themselves.
This resolution was by no means altered on reaching the head of Loch-
ness, where he learned that the earl of Seaforth w.as advancnig (o meet
him with an army of five thousand horse and foot, collected from Mo-
•ray, Ross, Sutherland, and Caithness, including the veteran garrison of
Inverness, and the clan of the Frasers. Although Montrose had only
it this time about fifteen hundred men, in consequence of the temporary
absence of the Highlanders, who, according to custdm, were occupied
in securing at home the booty which they had acquired in Argyle, he
resolved to encounter Seaforth's army, which, with the exception of the
two regular regiments, was composed of raw and undisciplined levies.
While proceeding, howe\-er, through Abertarf, a person arrived in great
haste at Kilcummin, the present Fort Augustus, who brought him the sur-
prising intelligence that Argyle had entered Lochaber with an army of
three thousand men ;
that he was burning and laying waste the country,
and that his head quarters were at the old castle of Inverlochy. After
Argvle had effected his escape from Inverary, he had gone to Dumbar-
ton, where he remained till Montrose's departure from his territory.
While there, a body of covenanting troops, who had served in England,
arrived under the command of Major-General Baillie, for the purpose
of assisting Argyle in expelling iNIontrose from his bounds ; but on
learning that Montrose had left Argyle, and was inarching through
Glencoe and Lochaber, General Baillie, instead of proceeding into Ar-
gyle for the purpose of following Montrose, determined to lead his
armv in an easterly direction through the Lowlands, with the intention
of intercepting Montrose, should he attempt a descent. At the same
time it was arranged between Baillie and Argyle, that the latter, who
had now recovered from his panic, in consequence of Montrose's de-
parture, should return to Argyle and collect his men from their hiding-
places and retreats ; but as it was not improbable that Montrose might
renew his visit, the Committee of Estates allowed Baillie to place eleven
hundred of his men at the disposal of Argyle, who, as soon as he was
able to muster his men, was to follow Montrose's rear, yet so as to avoid
an engagement, till Baillie, who, on hearing of Argyle's advance into
Lochaber, was to march suddenly across the Grampians, should attack
Montrose in front. To assist him in levying and organizing his clan,
Argyle called over Campbell of Auchinbreck, his kinsman, from Ireland,
who had considerable reputation as a military commander. In terms of his
instructions, therefore, Argyle had entered Lochaber, and had advanced
as far as Inverlochy, when, as we have seen, the news of his arrival
was brought to Montrose.
Montrose was at first almost disinclined to believe, from the wellknown
character of Argyle, the truth of this intelligence, but being
fully assured of its correctness from the apparent sincerity of his in-