A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans : with an ...
A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans : with an ...
A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans : with an ...
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BATTLE OF AI7LDEARV. 381<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r Highl<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong>ers who had obtained, or ra<strong>the</strong>r taken, leave <strong>of</strong> ab^^oneo<br />
after <strong>the</strong> battle <strong>of</strong> Inverlocliy, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> also by Macdonald <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> his party.<br />
On arriving in <strong>the</strong> neighbourhood <strong>of</strong> Aucliindoun, he was met by Lord<br />
Gordon at <strong>the</strong> head <strong>of</strong> a tlious<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> foot <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> two hundred horse. He<br />
crossed <strong>the</strong> Dee on <strong>the</strong> first <strong>of</strong> iSIay at <strong>the</strong> mill <strong>of</strong> Cruthie, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> sent<br />
Lord Aboyne, <strong>the</strong> same day, down Dee-side <strong>with</strong> eighty horse to Aber-<br />
deen in quest <strong>of</strong> powder, <strong>of</strong> which his army stood in great w<strong>an</strong>t. His<br />
lordship had <strong>the</strong> good fortune to find no less th<strong>an</strong> twenty barrels <strong>of</strong><br />
powder in <strong>the</strong> ships which lay in <strong>the</strong> harbour, which he immediately<br />
carried <strong>of</strong>f <strong>with</strong> him to <strong>the</strong> army, which he joined <strong>the</strong> same night at<br />
Skene, where Montrose had pitched his camp. *<br />
Thus reinforced <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> well provided <strong>with</strong> ammunition, Montrose con-<br />
tinued his march towards <strong>the</strong> Spey, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> before Hurry was even aware<br />
that he had crossed tlie Grampi<strong>an</strong>s, he found Montrose <strong>with</strong>in six miles<br />
<strong>of</strong> his camp. The sudden appear<strong>an</strong>ce <strong>of</strong> Montrose <strong>with</strong> such a supe-<br />
rior force—for Hurry had only at this time about a thous<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> foot<br />
<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> two hundred horse— greatly alarmed him, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> raising his camp, he<br />
crossed <strong>the</strong> Spey in great haste, <strong>with</strong> <strong>the</strong> intention <strong>of</strong> marching to Inverness,<br />
where he would be joined by <strong>the</strong> troops <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> garrison, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong><br />
receive lara;e reinforcements from <strong>the</strong> neighbouring countries. Mon-<br />
trose immediately pursued liim, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> followed close upon his heels suc-<br />
cessively through Elgin <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> Forres, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> for fourteen miles beyond <strong>the</strong><br />
latter, when, favoured by <strong>the</strong> darkness <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> night. Hurry eiTected his<br />
escape, <strong>with</strong> little loss, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> arrived at Inverness.<br />
The p<strong>an</strong>ic into which Hurry had been thrown soon gave way to a<br />
very different feeling, as he found <strong>the</strong> earls <strong>of</strong> Seaforth <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> Su<strong>the</strong>rl<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong><br />
<strong>with</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir retainers, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> <strong>the</strong> Cl<strong>an</strong>-Fraser, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs from Moray <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong><br />
Caithness, all assembled at Inverness, as he had directed. This acces-<br />
sion <strong>of</strong> force increased his army to three thous<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> five hundred foot,<br />
ind four hundred horse. He, <strong>the</strong>refore, resolved to act on <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>fensive<br />
by giving battle to Montrose immediately.<br />
Montrose had taken up a position at <strong>the</strong> village <strong>of</strong> Auldearn, between<br />
three <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> tour miles from Nairn, on <strong>the</strong> morning after <strong>the</strong> pursuit. In<br />
<strong>the</strong> course <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> day. Hurry adv<strong>an</strong>ced <strong>with</strong> all his forces, including <strong>the</strong><br />
garrison <strong>of</strong> Inverness, towards Nairn, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong>, on approaching Auldearn,<br />
formed his army in order <strong>of</strong> battle. Montrose's force, wluch had been<br />
greatly weakened by <strong>the</strong> return <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Athole-men <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r Highl<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong>ers,<br />
to defend <strong>the</strong>ir country from <strong>the</strong> depredations <strong>of</strong> Baillie's army, now<br />
consisted <strong>of</strong> only fifteen Imndred foot, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> two hundred <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> fifty horse.<br />
It w;is not, <strong>the</strong>refore, <strong>with</strong>out great reluct<strong>an</strong>ce, that he resolved to risk<br />
a battle <strong>with</strong> <strong>an</strong> enemy more th<strong>an</strong> double in point <strong>of</strong> numbers, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> com-<br />
posed in great part <strong>of</strong> veter<strong>an</strong> troops ; but, pressed as he was by Hurry,<br />
<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> in d<strong>an</strong>ger <strong>of</strong> being attacked in his rear by Baillie, who was adv<strong>an</strong>-<br />
• Siialdiiig, »ol. ii. p. 316.
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