Ossian Collection > History of the Highlands and of the Highland clans > Volume 3

172 HISTOKT OF THE HIGHLANDS.
Grant of Grant at the head of five hundred of his clan, and on the eigh-
teenth they proceeded, in conjunction, to Strathbogie. Next day it was
agreed upon between IMacleod and Culcaini, that wliilst the former sliould
march next morning from Banff' to Old Meldrum, which is twelve miles
from Aberdeen, tlie latter, with Grant and his men, should at same time
proceed to Inverary, which is about the same distance from Aberdeen ;
but Grant, apprehensive that his own country would be harassed in his
absence, returned home.*
When Lord Lewis Gordon heard of the arrival of IMacleod at Inver-
urj', he resolved to attack him. With his own regiment, the men whom
Lord John Drummond had sent, and a battalion of three hundred Far-
quharsons, commanded by Farquharson of Monaltry, he left Aberdeen
on the twenty-third, and arrived near Inverury with such expedition and
secrecy, that he almost surprised Macleod in his quarters. It was
late before Lord Lewis reached the place, and Macleod had barely time
to put his men under arms, and to seize some advantageous posts in the
town. Day-light had disappeared before the action commenced ; but
the light of the moon enabled the combatants to see one another. Both
sides continue<l to fire for some time ; but Lord John Drummond's sol-
diers and the Farquharsons having advanced close upon the Macleods,
the latter fled, and never halted till they had reerossed the Spey. Very
few men were killed on either side ; but the victors took forty-one pris-
oners, among whom were Mr Gordon, younger of Ardoch ; Forbes of
Echt ; Maitland of Petrichie ; and John Chalmers, one of the regents of
the university of Aberdeen. f
Shortly after this skirmish. Lord Lewis Gordon marched his men to
the general rendezvous at Perth, where, about the time of Prince
Charles's return from England, about four thousand men were collected.
These consisted of the Mackintoshes, the Erasers, the part of the
Mackenzies attached to Charles, and the Farquharsons ; of recruits
sent from the Highlands to the clan regiments that had gone to
England ; of the forces raised by Lord Lewis Gordon, Sir James Kin-
loch, and other gentlemen in the low country of the north ; and of the
troops brought over from France by Lord John Drummond.
While this mixed body lay at Perth, a disagreement occurred between
the Highlanders and the other troops, which might have led to serious
consequences if the arrival of an order sent by the prince from Dumfries,
requiring them to hold themselves in readiness to join him, had not put
an end to the dispute. This disagreement was occasioned by the con-
duct of Lord Strathallan and his council of officers, on receiving the
order which Charles had sent from Carlisle by Maclauchlan of Maclauch-
lan, to march with all their forces, and to follow the army into England.
This order, contrary to the opinion of Maclauchlan and all the High-
land officers, they had considered it inexpedient to obey. The result
. Culloden Papers, p. 462. t Kiikcomid MS. Ilomi-s Wuiks, vol. iii. p. i;i8.