The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

Gene7'al Monc/Ss Campaign. 85
THREE UNPUBLISHED DESPATCHES
FROM GENERAL MONCK,
DESCRIBING HIS MILITARY OPERATIONS IN THE
HIGHLANDS IN 1654.
15v \VILLL\M MACKAV, Solicitor, Inverness.i
ENERAL MONCK'S campaign in the Highlands in
C"^ ^ 1654 has strangely escaped the notice of Scottish
historians. Except by Hill Burton, who only refers to his
operations in the Southern Highlands, and evidently did
not know of his expedition into the counties of Inverness
and Ross, it was not even alluded to until Mr Julian
Corbett published his interesting life of Monck, in
1889 ("English Men of Action Series"). The following
despatches, which have never been published, throw a flood
of light on the event, and show what a brilliant affair it
was. The transcripts are taken from Monck's own copies,
which are preserved in the Library of Worcester College,
Oxford—and for them I am indebted to the courtesy of
the Rev, the Warden of the College, and the Librarian.
A few words by way of introduction to the despatches.
Although the Scots surrendered Charles the First to the
English Parliamentary Party, they disapproved of his execu-
tion, and brought his son, Charles the Second, home to reign
in his stead. The new King's supporters were, however,
defeated by the English at Dunbar, in June, 1650, and
again at Worcester, in September, 165 1. After Worcester,
Cromwell's soldiers over-ran the greater part of Scotland,
and ruled the country—establishing, among other garrisons,
one at Inverness—at the Citadel, or Sconce—and another
at Brahan. Certain Highland chiefs, however, including
Lochiel and Glengarry, still held out for the Stewarts, and
^ Read before the Gaelic Society of Inverness.