Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 5, 1897

TOO
THE CRLTTC MONTHLY
llaukeJ by some of tbo many masses in
his front ordered a body of cavalry, amongst
whom were the " Greys," to move along
the morass and fall upon the left flank of
the Highlanders. This movement was executed
by Colonel Cathcart with skill and promptitude.
Receiving the fire of the opposing cavalry he
instantly charged them, and was met with
great firmness, but the veterans of the wars of
Marlborough, the " second to none," unused to
defeat, soon bore down all opposition and forced
the Scottish yeomanry to give way, and then
turned upon the infantry. Argyll now seeing
his opportimity pressed upon the Highlanders
in front, who also were forced to give ground,
and now foot and horse coming in contact they
mixed together and a general rout ensued, yet
the brave yeomanry of Perth and Angus,
though roughly handled by Argyll's dragoons,
attempted to rally and charge in their turn,
but it was in vain. The veterans of Marl-
borough steadily advanced in regular order
upon the receding multitude, repelling every
attack.
These cavaliers made repeated efforts to stay
or defeat their enemy, and in the course of the
retreat made as many as a dozen attempts to
rally and charge the advancing foe. To the
brave stand made by these gallant horsemen
may be ascribed the safety of the foot, who would
probably have been cut to pieces by the vic-
torious dragoons, notwithstanding the humane
efforts of Argyll, who endeavoured by every
means in his power to restrain carnage. " Oh!
spare the blue bonnets " was his emotional
order. He offered quarter to all, and was seen
on one occasion to parry with his sword three
strokes which a dragoon had aimed at a
wounded Highland gentleman.
The MacRaes, uuder the command of
" Donnacha Mor," made a desperate resistance,
and are said to have died almost to a man.
During the struggle, while his men were fast
falling around him and before he himself fell,
he was frequently seen to wave on high his
reeking sword, and heard to shout, " Cobhair !
cobhair I an ainm Dhia 's Righ Seumas ! "
(Relief, relief, in the name of God and King
James). Before " Big Duncan " fell, fifteen of
his opponents bit the dust. His hand, it is
said, was so much swollen in the hilt of his
claymore that difficulty was experienced in
extricating it.
During all this time what was Mar doing ?
He had defeated Argyll's left without much
opposition, having caught it when deploying
into formation, and pursued it for half a mile,
when he was informed that his left wing was
giving way. He stopped the pursuit and took
up a position on Kippendavie hill, and there
remained without making any attempt to go to
the assistance of his left. Then it was that an
aged Highland warrior, enraged at the
inactivity and incapacity of Mar, raised his
eyes to Heaven, and in the bitterness of his
heart, exclaimed —
" Oh ! for one hour of Dundee."
Had Mar returned to the field with his
infantry and cavalry he would have won the j_
fight. He had 4000 unwounded men, while
Argyll had no more than 1000 horse and foot
with him.
Neither commander at Sheriffmuir evinced
any military skill. Mar had some military
training, was possessed of a graceful and
commanding appearance, but none of the
decision of Montrose or Dundee, while Argyll,
newly arrived from Flanders with well-earned
honours as a Division General under Marl-
borough, evinced a want of capacity in promptly
dealing with emergencies, and a want of
vigilance in ascertaining in time the probable
numbers and position of the opponents he was
so soon to encounter. Had he taken the pre-
caution his late Great Chief was wont to do
when advancing on the enemy, Sheriffmuir
would be otherwise sung in ballad and in song,
than —
" We ran, and they ran.
They ran, and we ran."
Argyll was directing the pursuit of Mar's
left when he was informed of the defeat of his
own left. He immediately stopped the pursuit,
put his men into order, and marched to the
bottom of the hill, on the top of which stood
Mar with 4000 men, while Argyll mustered no
more than 1000. Mar showed no disposition
to engage, and both as if by mutual consent
began to retire from their positions. The
Duke filing off to the right to Dunblane and
Stirling, the Earl to his left for Ardoch and
Perth. Both leaders claimed the victory. The
advantage of the contest remained with Argyll.
On arriving at Perth the Highland Chiefs,
enraged at the manner in which the Earl of
Mar conducted the campaign, began to leave
him. The Camerons, Mackenzies, and Gordons
retired, while other clans melted away and
went home to their mountain fastnesses.
{To be continued).
St. Andrew's Day in Argentine Republic
was celebrated in grand style by the members of
the Rosario St. Andrew's Society. We are indebted
to the able Secretary, Mr. C. D. Macdonald,. for a
copy of the meiui card of the anniversary dinner,
which is beautifully embellished with designs of the
Scotch thistle and otlier national devices.