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

402 HISTORY OP THE HIGHLANDS
explained by stating the matter in General Baillie's own words. " A
little above the park (the king's park at Stirling), I halted until the
Fife regiments were brought up, liearing that the rebels were marching
towards Kilsyth. After the upcoming of these regiments, the marquis
of Argyle, earl of Crawford, and Lord Burleigh, and, if I mistake not,
the earl of TuUiebardin, the Lords Elcho and Balcarras, with some
others, came up. My lord marquis asked me what next was to be
done. I answered, the direction sliould come from his lordship and
those of the committee. My lord demanded what reason was for tliis ?
I answered, I found myself so sliahted in every thing belonging to a
commander-in-chief, that, for the sliort time I was to stay with them, I
would absolutely submit to their direction and follow it. The marquis
desired me to explain myself, which I did in these particulars, sufficient-
ly knovin to my lord marquis and the other lords and gentlemen then
present. I told his lordship, (1.) Prisoners of all sorts were exchanged
without my knowledge ; the traffickers therein received passes from
others, and sometimes passing within two miles of me, did neither
acquaint me with their business, nor, at their return, where, or in wliat
posture, thej' iiad left the enemy : (2.) ^Vhile I was present, others
did sometimes undertake the command of the army : (:3.) Without
either my order or knowledge, fire was raised, and that destroyed, which
might have been a recompense to some good deserver, for which I
would not be answerable to the public. All which tilings considered, 1
should in any thing freely give my own opinion, but follow the judgment
of the committee, and the rather because that was the last day of
my undertaking." * It is here necessary to state, by way of explana-
tion, that Baillie had, in consequence of the previous conduct of the
committee, resigned his commission, and had only been induced at the
earnest solicitation of the parliament, to continue his services for a de-
finite period, which, it appears, was just on the point of expiring.
The difierences between Baillie and the committee being patched up,
the covenanting army proceeded on the fourteenth of August in the
direction of Denny, and having crossed the Carron at Hollandbush, en-
camped, as we have stated, about tliree miles from Kilsyth.
Before the arrival of Baillie, Montrose had received information,
which made him resolve to hazard a battle immediately. The intelli-
Scnce he had obtained was to this eflect, that the earls of Cassillis,
Eglinton, and Glencairn, and otlier heads of the covenanters, were
actively engaged in levying forces in tlie west of Scotland, and tiiat the
earl of Lanark had already raised a body of a thousand foot and five
hundred horse in Clydesdale, among the vassals and dependents of the
Hamilton family, and that this force was within twelve miles of Kilsyth.
Having taken his resolution, Montrose made the necessary arrange-
ments for receiving the enemy, by placing his men in the best position
• li.iieriil Biiillie's Narrative, Baillie's Letters, vol. ii. |,ip. 270, 1^1.