The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

The Battlefield of Killiecrankie. 68
trained in the foreign wars, were of the opinion that it
would be extremely rash to risk an engagement against a
highly trained army that so greatly outnumbered them.
But both Lochiel and Glengarry advised Dundee to " fight
at once," Dundee himself was strongly of this opinion, and
ultimately the resolution to fight was unopposed, greatly to
the delight of the Highlanders. The clans were then
arranged in dense columns irrespective of their numbers,
with long intervals between the columns so that they might
not be outflanked by the long line of the Royalists. The
Macdonalds of Glengarry and the Macleans of Mull were
posted on the right wing ;
Clanranald, 300 Irish levies, and
about 50 cavalry under Dundee himself, formed the centre
the Camerons, under Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, and
the Macdonalds of Skj-e under Sir Donald Macdonald of
Sleat, formed the left wing. The Highlanders now divested
themselves of their plaids and shoes, as these would only
retard their speed. They came down the hill, cheering
loudly ; and the Royalists feebly responded. The clans
regarded this as a good omen. When they had advanced
well within range they fired one well-directed volley, threw
down their muskets, and rushed at their utmost speed upon
the enemy. The clans, however, received three deadly
volleys, by which at least 600 of them fell. But still the
furious survivors closed with the enemy before the bayonets
were fixed. The Highland broadswords then played such
fearful havoc that in a few minutes Mackay's army was
driven down to the river. At the same time Dundee and
his horsemen captured the Artillery. But Hastings' and
Leven's regiments, in the Royalist centre, were left
unopposed owing to the wide interval here between the
clans. They retreated in good order down to the Pass,
where they were opposed by 800 of the Athole men and
almost exterminated. The dead were piled up in heaps at
the bottom of the Pass, on a small plain where a rivulet
enters the Garry at the end of the pool called Linnlochie.
A Royalist Highlander actually leaped across the cataract
at the head of the pool and so saved his life.
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