THE BATTLE OF GLENSHEIL,
By sunrise on the 10th of June, the shrill pipes playing "Tulloch
Ard" (the gathering and war-cry of the MacKenzies) rang in Glensheil,
the dwelling place of the wild MacRaes, as the British redcoats, and
the Dutch in yellow uniforms, were seen to enter that beautiful
valley, which is fifteen miles in length, forming line by regiments
as they advanced into the open space.
The Marquises of Seaforth and Tullybardine, as the loyalists termed
both, with Rob Roy, took up a position at the narrow pass of
Strachells, the highest part of Glensheil. With them was an
expatriated chieftain, Campbell of Glendaruail--a place which means
the Vale of Red Blood, where Magnus, King of Norway, perished with
his army in defeat.
The first troops that appeared were Harrison's Foot, a wing of the
15th Regiment, which thirty years before fought against Viscount
Dundee at the battle of Killycrankie. They had philemot yellow
facings, and coats elaborately laced with white braid.
On their left were some of the clans who were adverse to the House of
Stuart, the Munroes in gay scarlet tartans, the Rosses, Sutherlands,
and others, whose appearance in the ranks of the enemy filled the
insurgent Highlanders with rage; and in front of the Rosses marched a
tall grey-bearded harper, playing on his harp. This was Gillian
Ross, who had guided the MacGregors to Glensheil; and Rob Roy vowed,
if he came within arm's length of him, to "tear his chords asunder."
The other corps came up in succession, and gradually formed across
the valley, the Grenadiers marching in front of the line, with their
pouches open and fuses lighted.
General Wightman, a Dutch colonel named Van Rasmusson, and Major
Huske alone were mounted.
Seaforth's men, including the MacRaes, under Duncan nan Creagh, were
about a thousand strong, and all armed in the usual Highland fashion.
On their left were six companies of Spanish Infantry under Colonel
Don Alonzo de Santarem, and his brother Don José, a Knight of Malta.
A quarter of a mile eastward on their left flank were posted the
MacGregors under Rob Roy, whose orders were to make an attack upon
the enemy in flank.
On perceiving how the insurgents were posted, and that they had
formed a breastwork (which still remains) to protect the pass,
Wightman sent forward a line of skirmishers, who were completely
exposed to the long muskets and deadly aim of the Highland marksmen.
Thus, during the sharpshooting only one MacKenzie fell, while Huske's
horse was shot under him, and many soldiers of the line were killed
and wounded.
Here the clan of Munro, becoming impatient, made a rush forward, but
were driven back by the MacKenzies and Spaniards, and their leader,
George Munro of Culcairn, fell severely wounded. As the Spaniards
continued to fire at or over him, while he lay on the ground, he said
to his servant, who was also his foster-brother, and who lingered
affectionately beside him,--
"Retire; leave me to my fate; but say to my father that I died here
with honour, and as became the race we spring from."
"Never," replied the other, bursting into tears; "how can you suppose
that I would forsake you now? No, no, George Munro; I will save you
if I can, or remain and die with you!"
He then spread himself and his plaid over the body of Culcairn, to
interrupt the balls of the Spaniards, and received several severe
wounds before they were both rescued and dragged off the field by a
sergeant of the Munroes, who had sworn upon his dirk--the Holy
Iron--to accomplish the deliverance of his leader.
Prior to this, the MacGregors had been--_repulsed_!
"Rob Roy," says the new statistical account of Scotland, "acted with
more zeal than judgment by attacking the _rear_ of the enemy, before
their front became engaged."
On seeing the steady array of red and yellow uniforms advancing, the
impetuosity of his men could no longer be restrained by the same
rules of discipline which ordered Don Alonzo and his six companies of
Spaniards.
"Strike up, Alpine!" cried Rob to his piper; "fall on, my lads, and
cleave them down as a boy would cleave the thistles!"
Then in the usual Highland fashion, the whole tribe came down like a
living flood upon the foe, with their uplifted swords flashing in the
sunshine. An officer thus describes the _fine_ motions of a
Highlander when charging:--"His first motion when descending to
battle was to place his bonnet firmly on his head by an emphatic
_scrug_; his second, to cast off his plaid; his third, to incline his
body horizontally forward, cover it with his target, rush to within
fifty paces of the enemy's line, discharge and drop his fusee or
rifle; his fourth, to dart within twelve paces, discharge and fling
his iron-stocked pistols at the foeman's head; his fifth, to draw
claymore and at him!"
The MacGregors wheeled round in a half circle, fired their muskets
and pistols, and then fell on the rear of the Dutch and 15th, who
faced about and received them on their bayonets, while some companies
of the second line opened an oblique fire which drove them back in
rout and confusion; not, however, until Rob had actually his hand
upon a regimental colour, after which, closing up hand to hand with
the Dutch colonel, Van Rasmusson, he unhorsed and slew him. Dawnes,
a captain of the 15th, came rushing to the rescue of the Dutchman;
but a pistol-shot broke the blade of his sword near the hilt just as
Rob was closing on him.
"Pass on," said MacGregor, nobly, as he saluted with his sword the
defenceless officer, who almost immediately after was killed by a
stray bullet.
Driven up the hill in confusion and rage, the MacGregors now joined
the MacKenzies and MacRaes in defence of the pass; but previous to
this, a young clansman named Eoin MacPhadrig (John, son of Patrick
MacGregor) rushed back furiously among the Dutch like a tiger, and
slew five of them before he was bayoneted and killed. With a
thousand reverberations the steep hills echoed the reports of the
firearms, the cries of the wounded, and the cheers of the combatants,
as the lines drew closer.
General Wightman now recalled his skirmishers, and ordered the
Grenadiers to advance. They did so, blowing their matches and
throwing their hand-grenades as fast as possible. By the bursting of
these, several Highlanders were wounded, and Lord Seaforth fell
severely injured by a splinter, while to add still more to the
confusion and sufferings of the wounded, the heather, which was dry
as tinder, soft, and deeply rooted, caught fire by these explosions,
and now sheets of flame rolled up the mountain sides, with clouds of
murky smoke.
Under cover of this the British and Dutch infantry made no less than
three desperate attacks upon the insurgents, but were repulsed, and,
after a three hours' engagement, these combined forces had to retire,
leaving the Highlanders in complete possession of the pass, where,
according to Wightman's despatch, lay one hundred and forty-two of
his soldiers, killed and wounded.*
* Captain Dawnes and two lieutenants of the 15th were killed;
Captains Moore and Heighington of the 14th were wounded; Culcairn's
thigh was broken.
Next day, seeing the utter futility of further resistance, Don
Alonzo, whose Spaniards were naturally cold and indifferent to the
cause, and who had suffered in the conflict, surrendered the
survivors, two hundred and seventy-four in number, to Major Huske, as
prisoners of war.
On this the MacKenzies and MacRaes dispersed to places where none
could follow them; and Wightman began his retreat for Edinburgh, a
march of more than a hundred and fifty miles.
The Marquis of Tullybardine, the Earls Marischal and Seaforth, and
Sir James Livingstone, after long concealment, and though £2,000 were
offered for each of their heads, escaped and reached the Continent in
safety; and thus ended, says Salmon, "this mighty Spanish invasion,
which had so much alarmed the three kingdoms." Traces of this
conflict are still to be seen. Gun-barrels and bullets are found in
the valley, and especially behind the manse of Glensheil, where the
Spaniards, before surrendering, blew up their magazine; and there is
yet shown the green grave of the Dutch colonel, Van Rasmusson, who
fell by the hand of Rob Roy, near the small cascade which flows into
the glen.