Ossian Collection > History of the Highlands and of the Highland clans > Volume 1

BATTLE AT THE BRIDGE OF DEE. 327
nhicli ho kept up during the whole day without producing any material
effect. Lieutenant Colonel Johnstone defended the bridge with deter-
mined bravery, and his musketeers kept up a galling and well directed
fire upon their assailants. Both parties reposed during the short twi-
light, and as soon as morning dawned, Montrose renewed his attack
upon the bridge, with an ardour which seemed to have received a fresh
impulse from the unavailing efforts of the preceding day ; but all his at-
tem]its were vain. Seeing no hopes of carrying the bridge in the teeth
of the force opposed to him, he had recourse to a stratagem, by which
he succeeded in withdrawing a part of Aboyne's forces from the defence
of the bridge. That force had indeed been considerably impaired before
the renewal of the attack, in consequence of a party of fifty musketeers
having gone to Aberdeen to escort thither the body of a citizen named
John Forbes, who had been killed the preceding day ; to which circum
stance Spalding attributes the loss of the bridge ; but whether the ab-
sence of this party had such an effect upon the fortune of the day is by
no means clear. The covenanting general, after battering unsuccessfully
the defences of the bridge, ordered a party of horsemen to proceed up
tlie river to some distance, and to make a demonstration as if they in-
tended to cross the river. Aboyne was completely deceived bj' this
manoeuvre, and sent the whole of his horsemen from the bridge to dis-
pute the passage of the river with those of Montrose, leaving Lieuten-
ant Colonel Johnstone and his fiftj' musketeers alone to protect the bridge.
Montrose having thus drawn his opponent into the snare set for him,
immediately sent back the greater part of his horse under the command
of Captain Middleton, with instructions to renew the attack upon the
bridge with redoubled energy. This officer lost no time in obeying
these orders, and Lieutenant Colonel Johnstone having been wounded
in the outset by a stone torn from the bridge by a shot, was forced to
abandon its defence, and he and his party retired precipitately to
Aberdeen.
When Aboyne saw the colours of the covenanters flying on the bridge
of Dee, he fled with great haste towards Strathbogie after releasing the
lairds of Purie Ogilvy, and Purie Fodderinghame, whom he had taken
prisoners, and carried with him from Aberdeen. The loss on either
side, during the conflict on the bridge, was trilling. The only person of
note who fell on Aboyne's side, was Seaton of Pitmedden, a brave ca-
valier, who was killed by a cannon shot while riding along the river side
with Lord Aboyne. On that of the covenanters was slain another valiant
gentleman, a brother of Ramsay of Balmain. About fourteen persons
of inferior note were killed on each side, including some burgesses of
Aberdeen, and several were wounded.
Montrose reaching the north bank of the Dee, proceeded immediately
to Aberdeen, which he entered without opposition. So exasperated
were Montrose's followers at the repeated instances of dcvotedness shown
by the inhabitants to the royal cause, that they proposed to raze the
I. 2 T