Ossian Collection > Reliquiae Celticae > Volume 2

THE BOOK OF CLAXRAXALD. 201
opinion of the soldiers and of the -whole ami}' on the case. The
■v\-hole arm}' unanimously replied that it would be better to give
battle, even with the greatness of its danger, than to be constantly
pursued by day and night. Montrose sent a tmmpeter to the
great army to inform them that they should have a field of battle
to tight with them. When the great army heard that their glad-
ness was so great that the}' gave loud shouts of delight and joy,
and they were dressed into rank and order. Three thousand pike
and musket men were placed on three bulwarks in the front, and
eleven thousand men were drawn up in battalions in the rear of
these, and you may suppose what a hardship it was for a small
force to encounter them at that time. The defending, hard-
hearted, clean armed army of the Gael were arranged, and their
numbers were four thousand foot and five hundred horsemen,
appearing barefooted, every one of them having his tunic between
his legs, and the cavalry having white shirts over their garments.
These heroic, very fierce bands marched to the attack in the
face of the musketry and great guns. The fight began by an
excellent regiment of Irish and Scottish Gaels who were expert at
shooting, and inured to fighting, and Major Lachauain before
them, and Alaster, son of Colla, directing and encouraging them.
There were two other regiments to give relief to Alaster and to
tlic party that went down first, viz., the regiment of Maclean and
the regiment of Donald, son of John Moydartach, but Maclean's
men were nearer the fight as regarded their order than the Clan-
ranald, but the heat of the fight was so great upon Major Lach-
auain that Alaster, sou of Colla, ordered him immediate relief ;
some difterence happened then to arise between Donald, son of
Jchn Moydartach, and Doiiald, son of Hector Og Maclean, about
the precedency of engaging, but, however, the Clanranald made
their way in front of the Clan Maclean, and rushed at the walls on
which their enemy were. Donald, son of John Moydartach, with
his- men, and Patrick Caoch Mac Gregor and his men in one
regiment with the Clanranald. The assault was then made simul-
taneously by the fortunate army of the King of Britain, and the
first man of them that leaped the enemy's wall was that son of
John Moydartach, followed by his men ; they were driven back in
a routing defeat among the great army which was behind them,
and all pursued them impetuously and fiercely, and the entii'e of
the great army were routed, and were piirsued during the day,
cutting them down and slaughtering them. After the battle was
ended they encamped at Hamilton, and the keys of the great
Castle came to them from Edinburgh, and all Scotland submitted
to them.
I had many stories to write on the events of the times if I