Viscount Dundee

by Louis A. Barbé

From the various branches of the Macleans, another thousand men gathered around the blue standard of the tribe. The two hundred retainers of Stewart of Appin, together with those of Macneill of Barra, of Macleod of Raasay, of Fraser of Fayers, of Fraser of Culduthill, of Grant of Urquhart, of Macnaughten, Macallister, Maclaughlane, and Lamont, helped to swell the ranks of Dundee’s infantry, and to bring up its numbers to a total, which, if the enumeration of one who was present, and bore the leader’s standard, be not grossly exaggerated, must have amounted to close on four thousand. Dundee’s own following consisted of some eighty horse, composed of his veteran troopers, reinforced by a few noblemen and gentlemen. The most notable of these were the Earl of Dunfermline, Lord Dunkeld, Sir Alexander Innes, Edmonstone of Newton, Clelland of Faskin, the three recruits who had joined Dundee after the raid on Perth, a Bruce, who may have been Captain Bruce of Earlshall, Graham of Duntroone, and David Graham, the leader’s own brother.

On the same day, after a stirring address from Dundee, who promised them that they should see him in the van whenever he hurled their united bands against the foe, the Highlanders marched forth towards Glen Spey. Glengarry, accompanied by thirty horse, opened the march. The rear was brought up by Fayers with his marshalled clan. By the evening of the 28th of May, Dundee had pitched his camp near the Castle of Raits, a few miles from Kingussie.

The 29th of May was a date which the adherents of the Stuarts held in special reverence. It was that of the birth of Charles II., and it was also that of his entry into London, at the Restoration. A day marked by two such events was considered specially auspicious; and its annual recurrence was hailed by commemorative celebrations. It offered an opportunity for a general and public expression of loyalty to the cause, which Dundee did not neglect; and with impressive ceremony he himself lighted a huge bonfire in the middle of the camp, and drank to the memory of the late King, and the success of his brother.

But the day was to be kept in a more practical way. Within accessible distance lay the Castle of Ruthven. In it Mackay had placed a garrison under Captain John Forbes, for the purpose of facilitating communication with Ramsay, who was expected with reinforcements from the south. Dundee opened hostilities by sending a force under Keppoch to demand the surrender of the Castle. Forbes returned a spirited answer to the summons, and made a brave show of resistance; but perceiving how futile it would be, in view of the preparations which were being made for the assault, he came to terms, and promised to lay down his arms, if, within three days, Mackay did not come to his relief. But the General remained at Alvie, to which he had advanced from Inverness, and the Castle was evacuated at the expiration of the delay agreed upon.

Forbes was treated with remarkable consideration by Dundee. He was allowed to pass through the camp with his garrison; and having noticed that the horses were all saddled and bridled, he concluded that immediate action was intended, and reported accordingly when he reached Mackay. On his way to join his chief, he met two of his troopers making for Dundee’s camp. They alleged that they had been sent out to reconnoitre; and though warned of the danger which they ran of being captured, they pursued their way towards Raits. This circumstance having also been communicated to Mackay, he opened an inquiry from which it resulted that the troopers were messengers who had been sent to arrange for the desertion of the Scots dragoons. By the measures which the General at once adopted, the plan was again frustrated.

In the meantime, Dundee, whom rumours of an intended attack had reached, sent Bruce with a dozen troopers to ascertain their truth. He returned with the information that Mackay was encamped near Alvie, and did not appear to have made any preparations for an advance. At this, Dundee himself determined to move forward. As he was pressing towards Alvie, he was startled to see that the Castle of Dunachton which he had passed shortly before, and left unharmed, was in a blaze. The marauding Keppoch had again been at work. After setting fire to Ruthven, as he had been ordered to do, he had further gratified his own love of plunder and of revenge by pillaging and destroying the old castle of his enemy the Mackintosh.

If discipline was to be maintained, Dundee could not tolerate such conduct, even on the part of so powerful a chieftain as Keppoch, and he sharply called the offender to task for it. He told him in presence of all the officers of his small army, that ‘he would much rather choose to serve as a common soldier amongst disciplined troops, than command such men as he, who seemed to make it his business to draw the odium of the country upon him.’ Keppoch, whom no man had probably overawed before, muttered an excuse, and promised to abide strictly by the commander’s orders for the future.

On reaching Alvie, Dundee discovered that Mackay had broken up his camp and was in full retreat. For four days he followed him so persistently and so closely that, on one occasion parties of his Highlanders were within shot of the rear-guard. If night had not come on, nothing, in all probability, could have saved the retreating troops. But the ground was dangerous, the march had been long, and the open country of Strathbogie, now only three miles distant, would have given Mackay’s cavalry too much advantage over their pursuers. Dundee ordered a halt.

Next morning, having learnt that Mackay had marched ten miles further, he lay still all day. This was on the 5th of June. That same day, he received information that Barclay and Lesly’s regiments, from Forfar and Cupar-Angus, had joined Mackay at Suy Hill. His old friends in the Scotch dragoons, who had dispatched the messenger with these tidings, communicated the further intelligence, that the Duke of Berwick was reported to have been captured, and that a party which had endeavoured to effect a landing in Scotland was also said to have been beaten back. They told him, too, that they were now surrounded by English horse and dragoons themselves, and that, in spite of their desire to cast in their lot with his, they could not avoid fighting against him, if there were an engagement. Under these circumstances, they begged him to go out of the way for a time, until better news should come.

The advice was judicious. Dundee adopted it, and turned back towards Badenoch. His action was fully justified by the event. With the reinforcements which he had received from the south, Mackay at once turned back upon his pursuer, whom he hoped to take by surprise. But his night march was in vain. When he reached Edinglassie, where the Highland camp had been, it was only to find that Dundee was already on his way to Cromdale. He sent a party of horse in pursuit; but the troopers never came within sight of the rear-guard, though they succeeded in cutting off some of the plundering stragglers.