donald, looking over his shoulder, noticed the stop which Ronald put to the pike-men; but turning his hand, the man who happened to be before him, let fly an arrow at him, which went through his cheek, and partly out at the other; he lost his durch, his bow proved useless, he then threw away his gun, and put his hand to his sword, (his left holding the shield, being stretched out to defend himself against the pikes); but it would not draw, the cross hilt tirled about; he tried it again, but it would not come; he tried it at the third taking, the shield hand to hold the sheath, and succeeded; but while he was thus employed, five pikes pierced his breast, but were not an inch deep. Seeing his breast pierced, and his cheeks wounded, and several pikes stuck into his shield, he set his back to the wall to examine his wounds, and made a shift to gain the door; the pikemen being hard put to at that moment, did not come any more upon him, except one man whose pike was not cut off, and who thought to have struck him. Ronald was in the mean time listening to Alexander Macdonald talking to the Gordons, observing of how little service they were to him to relieve him from the situation he was in, and happening to come to the door of the enclosure, which he thought of gaining, he gave a spring away from the pikeman, turned his back upon him, and his face to the door, the pikeman still following him, until he bowed his head under it; Alexander Macdonald happening to be at hand watching his motions, gave the pikeman a stroke in the neck, and struck off his head, which hit upon Ronald's houghs; the head fell in the inclosure, and the body in the door;

when Ronald lifted up his head, and looked behind him at the door, he saw his companion Alexander Macdonald, he cut away the arrow that stuck in his cheek, restored his speech which the arrow deprived him off. It may be easily conjectured that the rest of the king's army. was not idle all this time, the brave warlike Marquis of Montrose, and the gallant hero Lord Gordon and his followers, the brave hardy clan Macdonald, and the equally brave and hardy tribe of Clan-Ronald; they all fought like true heroes, without the least fear of strokes or shot. Montrose stood upon a high eminence beholding the battle, and perceiving the dangerous situation of Alexander Macdonald, and how he had so wonderfully extricated himself, called out to his men to encourage them, telling them what a shame it would be, if, by the exertions of one man, the victory should be obtained, and carry the laurel away from us, for he saw that Macdonald had routed all who were opposed to him.

Meantime he called to him to come to the assistance of the rest; which he immediately did, and advancing with his victorious band, he charged them so briskly, that in a short time both the horse and foot of the enemy began to give way, the horse being driven among the foot put them into confusion. Then Alexander Macdonald went to take his men out of the enclosure (with the royal standard) as many of them as were alive or could come out, for he left seventeen wounded gentlemen within who could not come out, besides those who were killed. After he got his men out, he set upon the enemy upon one side and Montrose on the other, in such a way that the Laird

of Lawers's men fell fast in their ranks, and those of the men of Lewis along with them, who fled to the town of Inverness. Seaforth hardly escaped upon horseback, after losing his men and his honour. Many were the warlike feats performed that day by the Macdonalds and Gordons, many were the wounds given and received by them, in so much that Montrose said after the battle, that he himself saw the greatest feats performed, and the greatest slaughter ever he saw made before, by a couple of men, namely, Nathaniel Gordon, and Ronald Og Macdonald son of Alexander son of Alexander son of Angus Uaibhrach, and likewise by Lord Gordon himself and other three.

The battle was fought in summer 1645.

The army rested for some time after the above battle in the Earl of Marshal's lands, he being a cove

nanter.

Alexander Macdonald went to the Highlands to bring Maclean and John Muideartach. Meantime, the council of Scotland raised an army, commanded by General Baillie, accompanied by Argyle; and hearing that Macdonald was on the west coast, they thought of surprising Montrose while his men were dispersed, and so it happened, they met at Alford, namely, General Baillie and Argyle, with the council of Scotland's army, which were very numerous. Montrose, who commanded the royal army, had only the Lord Gordon with his excellent cavalry, and Angus Mac vic Alister, Laird of Glengary, part of Clanronald's men, the Macphersons of Badenoch, and part of the Athole men. When

they came in sight of each other, they were equally keen to engage ; part of the Macphersons were sent against a scout, but a reinforcement was sent by the covenanters to oppose them. One of the covenanters said to their own men, that it was the custom of the enemy to begin the attack, "let them not do so today, attack you them first briskly and courageously." One of the king's army, Lord Gordon, said to his men, "let none of you be afraid, I shall bring Baillie by the neck from among his army." The two armies engaged with equal ardour and animosity, (after the scouts and the Macphersons began the attack) they fired at each other, when an unlucky shot hit Lord Gordon, while he was seizing General Baillie by the sword belt; by this time the battle became general; while they were thus keenly engaged, the foot could not advance for the raging of the horse. Alexander son of Ronald son of Allan, (for he and Ronald Og son of Mac vic Alister commanded the clan Ronald) said he himself, stood with his drawn sword, not knowing how to strike a stroke, as he knew not a friend from a foe by the confusion they were in, until the brave active Major Leith called to the horse to separate from the foot, which they immediately did, and every man was at liberty to use his hand and blade as best suited him, and the covenanters were not allowed to advance any further, but were totally routed and pursued, and the rage of the victors for the death of Lord Gordon caused a great slaughter of the covenanters, the men being so bent upon revenging the death of such a brave hero; for not a man

turned from the chase until the whole disappeared. The Laird of Glengary pursued Argyle until his horse failed him, which was the only thing that saved Argyle, for he changed his horse three times.

Sir Alexander Macdonald came from the west coast with a great number of men to join the king's army, viz John Muidartach, with a band of good young men of his own country and kin, and Donald his son along with them; and the clan Maclean from Mull, the Stewarts of Appin, the clan Macgregor, and others. When they reached Montrose's camp they were joyfully received, and made heartily welcome by him and all the rest, when each clan were placed by themselves in proper order. One of John Muidartach's company, namely, Donald Macdonald Niameratach (a youth of twenty years of age) gave his friend a good soldier, some affront, which came to the general and major-general's ears. The major general, Sir Alexander Macdonald, then observed, that Montrose had said, that the captain of Clanronald had brought a great addition to the camp without taking any spoil to maintain them. Alexander answered that he did, and rose up immediately from the general's tent, and said to Donald his son, who was at the head of the men,“ Rise, prepare your men, go and bring a spoil to the king's camp; take none with you but your own men; be ready to-morrow morning, and go only to the place pointed out to you." Donald having received his orders, set out in the morning, and soon returned with a great spoil, which pleased Montrose and the rest of the army; for Donald and his men brought the greatest spoil of any. Some who raised a spoil carried it away to their own coun

try; but John Muidartach would never allow such practices either to his men or to any other in the Isles or neighbourhood. Hence this spoil which was taken from the Earl of Marshal's lands of the Mearns and Angus supplied the camp during the whole summer.

When driving off the spoil from the Mearns, an honourable old man met them, who told them many things, and among the rest, that the Mearns had not been spoiled since Donald Lord of the Isles spoiled it, when he fought the battle of Harlau against Duke Murdoch; " and I suppose, young gentleman, that you are descended of him, if you be the captain of Clanronald." About this time the council of Scotland met, and observed, that it was a great shame to them to allow a small party of Highlanders to harass the kingdom. They therefore collected the whole forces of the nation, at least as many as were in arms, and sent them against Montrose and his Highlanders. This great army, with all their great men and officers, contained some thousands of seamen who never fought on land before. When the small army of Highlanders and others of the king's side knew that, they thought of avoiding them as carefully as they could, by retreating from place to place in the best order their situation required.

When the king's army arrived at the wood of Methven, in their retreat from the greatest army they ever saw, closely pursuing them; John Muidartach's son happened to be in the rear, the major-general being at his post along with him, constantly skir mishing with the enemy: a gallant horseman came out before the rest with his men, and endeavoured to stop their march at every ford or pass

they came to; his name was Cornel; he was a distinguished officer, and thought to be the principal champion of Scotland; he took three or four of our baggage horses. Angus the son of Allan Du, being the hind most of his party, was riding upon horseback without either saddle or pilleon, with a long gun tied before him; but had not been accustomed to fight upon horseback; he eyed this bold warrior; lighted off his horse; set his gun upon a large stone, and shot the hero of the red apparel, who fell under his horse's feet, with all his silver, crape, and finery; his men gave a sorrowful cry when they saw their principal hero fall. The enemy did not molest them any more that day, nor the day following; but the retreat continued, Montrose endeavouring to weary them out in that manner, and to oblige part of their army to separate from the main body, in hope that he would in that event be enabled to give them battle, for his men were much fatigued, and in want of victuals and sleep. Coming at night to Kilsyth, after a night march, they encamped in the adjacent hills; but upon the morning of the next day, they perceived the great army of the covenanters in pursuit of them. Here the royal army had no other choice, but either to break up their camp without flesh or bread to eat, or fight that great army. Upon which they immediately called a council of all the great men and officers to consult ahout their safety, whether they were still to retreat or fight the great army that was in pursuit of them. Montrose requested to have the opinion of the common soldiers and the whole army, which was immediately complied with; and the common soldiers gave it as their opinion, that it

would be much better for them to fight, although attended with danger, than to be constantly retreating before the enemy day and night. Upon which Montrose sent a trumpeter to the enemy to inform them, that he was ready to give them battle, upon which they gave a great shout for joy, and immediately went in order of battle; they placed three thousand musket and pikemen in three divisions in the front, and eleven thousand in battalions behind these. It may be easily supposed; what a hardship it was for such a small army of royalists, consisting only of four thousand foot, and five hundred horse; to encounter them, bare-footed, with their shirt tails tied between their legs, the cavalry having their shirts above their garments. This brave heroic band marched to the attack in the face of the enemy's cannon and musketry, with great courage and caution. The attack was begun by an excellent Irish and Scottish regiment of Gaels; Major Lauchlan going before them directed by Sir Alexander Macdonald; other two regiments were ordered to their relief, namely, Mac-lean's and Donald the son of John Muidartach's gallant regiments; but Maclean's men were nearer the enemy, and were sooner in order than Clanronald. When Major Lauchlan was hard put to, Sir Alexander Macdonald sent him immediate relief; but there happened to arise some difference between Donald the son of John Muidartach, and Donald son of Hector Og son of Gileon, (i. e. Maclean) about precedency; meantime, the clan Ronald made their way to the attack through the Macleans. Donald's men, and Patrick Caoch Magregor's men, made but one regiment; they gained the

trenches, and Donald was the first man that leaped over them; his men followed, and by the rushing on of the rest of the army who followed the clan Ronald, the great army of the covenanters were routed; they continued a great part of the day pursuing the enemy. After the battle of Kilsyth they encamped at Hamilton, and the keys of the great castle were sent to us from Edinburgh, and all Scotland submitted to us. What induced me to write this much was, that those who have written upon these wars have taken little or no notice of the Gael, (the Highlanders,) who were the principal actors in it, and did all that was done on the king's side. After the battle of Kilsyth, Montrose marched with part of the army to the south, intending to go to England to relieve the king, who was sorely pressed by the English; but he was defeated at Philiphaugh, and had it not in his power to assist the king.

Sir Alexander Macdonald went from the camp at Hamilton to Cantyre, which he cleared of the enemy, the Campbells, and drove them out of it, and took in Dunaverty as a place of strength. Donald, son of John of Muidart, went home. Montrose, after the battle of Philiphaugh, came with his small party to the north, and remained in it for some time. John Muidartach and his son went to Isla with their men, and drove away all the Campbells from it.

About this time the Earl of Antrim came to Cantyre, in order to take the army over to Ireland; he sent for Montrose who came to him

immediately; they both agreed that Montrose should go abroad to solicit assistance from foreign powers, in order to relieve the king. After Montrose returned from abroad, he was dishonourably destroyed by the covenanters, together with the Marquis of Huntly, and many other great men of the king's loyal subjects. A good many of the gentry of the isles flocked in to the Earl of Antrim, such as the Macleans and the clan Ronald, intending to set an army on foot for the king; meantime the Earl of Antrim received an order from the king to disband the army, for he was then in the hands of his enemies, the parliament of England and Scotland, who wrought to one another's hands against him. The Earl of Antrim disbanded the army, and went back to Ireland. Alexander Macdonald remained in Cantyre, in Dunaverty, a strong fort, and in Isla. The rest of the Gael went home to protect their own country. Sir David Lesly came unexpectedly upon those in Cantyre and Isla, without their having the least suspicion of their being in that country, or in that part of the kingdom, until they came to Larg, where Sir Alexander and his men were spread over the country, where they were totally routed.

Young Ronald son of Alexander son of Angus Uaibrach, was taken prisoner, and put to death at Inverary + with 300 others, by Argyle's covenanters, some time thereafter. Alexander escaped to Ireland, where he was killed at Knoc an Dos, with many more of the Macdonalds, in that battle fought against