A Legend of Montrose Page 21

  CHAPTER XIX.

  As meets a rock a thousand waves, so Inisfail met Lochlin. --OSSIAN.

  The trumpets and bagpipes, those clamorous harbingers of blood anddeath, at once united in the signal for onset, which was replied toby the cry of more than two thousand warriors, and the echoes of themountain glens behind them. Divided into three bodies, or columns,the Highland followers of Montrose poured from the defiles which hadhitherto concealed them from their enemies, and rushed with the utmostdetermination upon the Campbells, who waited their charge with thegreatest firmness. Behind these charging columns marched in line theIrish, under Colkitto, intended to form the reserve. With them was theroyal standard, and Montrose himself; and on the flanks were about fiftyhorse, under Dalgetty, which by wonderful exertions had been kept insome sort fit for service.

  The right column of Royalists was led by Glengarry, the left by Lochiel,and the centre by the Earl of Menteith, who preferred fighting on footin a Highland dress to remaining with the cavalry.

  The Highlanders poured on with the proverbial fury of their country,firing their guns, and discharging their arrows, at a little distancefrom the enemy, who received the assault with the most determinedgallantry. Better provided with musketry than their enemies, stationaryalso, and therefore taking the more decisive aim, the fire of Argyle'sfollowers was more destructive than that which they sustained. The royalclans, perceiving this, rushed to close quarters, and succeeded on twopoints in throwing their enemies into disorder. With regular troopsthis must have achieved a victory; but here Highlanders were opposed toHighlanders, and the nature of the weapons, as well as the agility ofthose who wielded them, was equal on both sides.

  Their strife was accordingly desperate; and the clash of the swordsand axes, as they encountered each other, or rung upon the targets, wasmingled with the short, wild, animating shrieks with which Highlandersaccompany the battle, the dance, or indeed violent exertion of any kind.Many of the foes opposed were personally acquainted, and sought to matchthemselves with each other from motives of hatred, or a more generousemulation of valour. Neither party would retreat an inch, while theplace of those who fell (and they fell fast on both sides) was eagerlysupplied by others, who thronged to the front of danger. A steam, likethat which arises from a seething cauldron, rose into the thin, cold,frosty air, and hovered above the combatants.

  So stood the fight on the right and the centre, with no immediateconsequence, except mutual wounds and death.

  On the right of the Campbells, the Knight of Ardenvohr obtained someadvantage, through his military skill and by strength of numbers. He hadmoved forward obliquely the extreme flank of his line at the instant theRoyalists were about to close, so that they sustained a fire at onceon front and in flank, and, despite the utmost efforts of their leader,were thrown into some confusion. At this instant, Sir Duncan Campbellgave the word to charge, and thus unexpectedly made the attack atthe very moment he seemed about to receive it. Such a change ofcircumstances is always discouraging, and often fatal. But the disorderwas remedied by the advance of the Irish reserve, whose heavy andsustained fire compelled the Knight of Ardenvohr to forego hisadvantage, and content himself with repulsing the enemy. The Marquisof Montrose, in the meanwhile, availing himself of some scattered birchtrees, as well as of the smoke produced by the close fire of the Irishmusketry, which concealed the operation, called upon Dalgetty to followhim with the horse, and wheeling round so as to gain the right flank andeven the rear of the enemy, he commanded his six trumpets to soundthe charge. The clang of the cavalry trumpets, and the noise of thegalloping of the horse, produced an effect upon Argyle's right wingwhich no other sounds could have impressed them with. The mountaineersof that period had a superstitious dread of the war-horse, like thatentertained by the Peruvians, and had many strange ideas respecting themanner in which that animal was trained to combat. When, therefore, theyfound their ranks unexpectedly broken, and that the objects of theirgreatest terror were suddenly in the midst of them, the panic, in spiteof Sir Duncan's attempts to stop it, became universal. Indeed, thefigure of Major Dalgetty alone, sheathed in impenetrable armour, andmaking his horse caracole and bound, so as to give weight to everyblow which he struck, would have been a novelty in itself sufficient toterrify those who had never seen anything more nearly resembling sucha cavalier, than a SHELTY waddling under a Highlander far bigger thanitself. The repulsed Royalists returned to the charge; the Irish,keeping their ranks, maintained a fire equally close and destructive.There was no sustaining the fight longer. Argyle's followers beganto break and fly, most towards the lake, the remainder in differentdirections. The defeat of the right wing, of itself decisive, wasrendered irreparable by the death of Auchenbreck, who fell whileendeavouring to restore order.

  The Knight of Ardenvohr, with two or three hundred men, all gentlemen ofdescent and distinguished gallantry,--for the Campbells are supposed tohave had more gentlemen in their ranks than any of the Highland clans,endeavoured, with unavailing heroism, to cover the tumultuary retreatof the common file. Their resolution only proved fatal to themselves,as they were charged again and again by fresh adversaries, and forced toseparate from each other, until at length their aim seemed only to be topurchase an honourable death by resisting to the very last.

  "Good quarter, Sir Duncan," called out Major Dalgetty, when hediscovered his late host, with one or two others, defending himselfagainst several Highlanders; and, to enforce his offer, he rode up tohim with his sword uplifted. Sir Duncan's reply was the discharge of areserved pistol, which took effect not on the person of the rider, buton that of his gallant horse, which, shot through the heart, fell deadunder him. Ranald MacEagh, who was one of those who had been pressingSir Duncan hard, took the opportunity to cut him down with hisbroadsword, as he turned from him in the act of firing the pistol.

  Allan M'Aulay came up at this moment. They were, excepting Ranald,followers of his brother who were engaged on that part of the field,"Villains!" he said, "which of you has dared to do this, when it was mypositive order that the Knight of Ardenvohr should be taken alive?"

  Half-a-dozen of busy hands, which were emulously employed in plunderingthe fallen knight, whose arms and accoutrements were of a magnificencebefitting his quality, instantly forbore the occupation, and half thenumber of voices exculpated themselves, by laying the blame on theSkyeman, as they called Ranald MacEagh.

  "Dog of an Islander!" said Allan, forgetting, in his wrath, theirprophetic brotherhood, "follow the chase, and harm him no farther,unless you mean to die by my hand." They were at this moment left almostalone; for Allan's threats had forced his own clan from the spot, andall around had pressed onwards toward the lake, carrying before themnoise, terror, and confusion, and leaving behind only the dead anddying. The moment was tempting to MacEagh's vengeful spirit.--"That Ishould die by your hand, red as it is with the blood of my kindred,"said he, answering the threat of Allan in a tone as menacing as his own,"is not more likely than that you should fall by mine." With that, hestruck at M'Aulay with such unexpected readiness, that he had scarcetime to intercept the blow with his target.

  "Villain!" said Allan, in astonishment, "what means this?"

  "I am Ranald of the Mist!" answered the Islesman, repeating the blow;and with that word, they engaged in close and furious conflict. Itseemed to be decreed, that in Allan M'Aulay had arisen the avenger ofhis mother's wrongs upon this wild tribe, as was proved by the issue ofthe present, as well as of former combats. After exchanging a few blows,Ranald MacEagh was prostrated by a deep wound on the skull; and M'Aulay,setting his foot on him, was about to pass the broadsword through hisbody, when the point of the weapon was struck up by a third party,who suddenly interposed. This was no other than Major Dalgetty, who,stunned by the fall, and encumbered by the dead body of his horse, hadnow recovered his legs and his understanding. "Hold up your sword," saidhe to M'Aulay, "and prejudice this person no farther, in respect thathe is here in my safeconduct, and in his Excellency's service; and i
nregard that no honourable cavalier is at liberty, by the law martial, toavenge his own private injuries, FLAGRANTE BELLO, MULTO MAJUS FLAGRANTEPRAELIO."

  "Fool!" said Allan, "stand aside, and dare not to come between the tigerand his prey!"

  But, far from quitting his point, Dalgetty stept across the fallen bodyof MacEagh, and gave Allan to understand, that if he called himselfa tiger, he was likely, at present, to find a lion in his path. Thererequired no more than the gesture and tone of defiance to turn the wholerage of the military Seer against the person who was opposing the courseof his vengeance, and blows were instantly exchanged without fartherceremony.

  The strife betwixt Allan and MacEagh had been unnoticed by thestragglers around, for the person of the latter was known to few ofMontrose's followers; but the scuffle betwixt Dalgetty and him, both sowell known, attracted instant attention; and fortunately, among others,that of Montrose himself, who had come for the purpose of gatheringtogether his small body of horse, and following the pursuit downLoch-Eil. Aware of the fatal consequences of dissension in his littlearmy, he pushed his horse up to the spot, and seeing MacEagh on theground, and Dalgetty in the attitude of protecting him against M'Aulay,his quick apprehension instantly caught the cause of quarrel, and asinstantly devised means to stop it. "For shame," he said, "gentlemencavaliers, brawling together in so glorious a field of victory!--Are youmad? Or are you intoxicated with the glory which you have both this daygained?"

  "It is not my fault, so please your Excellency," said Dalgetty. "Ihave been known a BONUS SOCIUS, A BON CAMARADO, in all the services ofEurope; but he that touches a man under my safeguard--"

  "And he," said Allan, speaking at the same time, "who dares to bar thecourse of my just vengeance--"

  "For shame, gentlemen!" again repeated Montrose; "I have other businessfor you both,--business of deeper importance than any private quarrel,which you may easily find a more fitting time to settle. For you, MajorDalgetty, kneel down."

  "Kneel!" said Dalgetty; "I have not learned to obey that word ofcommand, saving when it is given from the pulpit. In the Swedishdiscipline, the front rank do indeed kneel, but only when the regimentis drawn up six file deep."

  "Nevertheless," repeated Montrose,--"kneel down, in the name of KingCharles and of his representative."

  When Dalgetty reluctantly obeyed, Montrose struck him lightly on theneck with the flat of his sword, saying,--"In reward of the gallantservice of this day, and in the name and authority of our Sovereign,King Charles, I dub thee knight; be brave, loyal, and fortunate. Andnow, Sir Dugald Dalgetty, to your duty. Collect what horsemen you can,and pursue such of the enemy as are flying down the side of the lake. Donot disperse your force, nor venture too far; but take heed to preventtheir rallying, which very little exertion may do. Mount, then, SirDugald, and do your duty."

  "But what shall I mount?" said the new-made chevalier. "Poor Gustavussleeps in the bed of honour, like his immortal namesake! and I am made aknight, a rider, as the High Dutch have it, just when I have not a horseleft to ride upon." [In German, as in Latin, the original meaning of theword Ritter, corresponding to Eques, is merely a horseman.]

  "That shall not be said," answered Montrose, dismounting; "I make you apresent of my own, which has been thought a good one; only, I pray you,resume the duty you discharge so well."

  With many acknowledgments, Sir Dugald mounted the steed so liberallybestowed upon him; and only beseeching his Excellency to remember thatMacEagh was under his safe-conduct, immediately began to execute theorders assigned to him, with great zeal and alacrity.

  "And you, Allan M'Aulay," said Montrose, addressing the Highlander, who,leaning his sword-point on the ground, had regarded the ceremony of hisantagonist's knighthood with a sneer of sullen scorn,--"you, who aresuperior to the ordinary men led by the paltry motives of plunder, andpay, and personal distinction,--you, whose deep knowledge renders you sovaluable a counsellor,--is it YOU whom I find striving with a man likeDalgetty, for the privilege of trampling the remains of life out of socontemptible an enemy as lies there? Come, my friend, I have other workfor you. This victory, skilfully improved, shall win Seaforth to ourparty. It is not disloyalty, but despair of the good cause, that hasinduced him to take arms against us. These arms, in this moment ofbetter augury, he may be brought to unite with ours. I shall send mygallant friend, Colonel Hay, to him, from this very field of battle,but he must be united in commission with a Highland gentleman of rank,befitting that of Seaforth, and of talents and of influence such asmay make an impression upon him. You are not only in every respectthe fittest for this most important mission, but, having no immediatecommand, your presence may be more easily spared than that of a Chiefwhose following is in the field. You know every pass and glen inthe Highlands, as well as the manners and customs of every tribe. Gotherefore to Hay, on the right wing; he has instructions, and expectsyou. You will find him with Glenmorrison's men; be his guide, hisinterpreter, and his colleague."

  Allan M'Aulay bent on the Marquis a dark and penetrating glance, asif to ascertain whether this sudden mission was not conferred for somelatent and unexplained purpose. But Montrose, skilful in searchingthe motives of others, was an equal adept in concealing his own. Heconsidered it as of the last consequence, in this moment of enthusiasmand exalted passion, to remove Allan from the camp for a few days, thathe might provide, as his honour required, for the safety of thosewho had acted as his guides, when he trusted the Seer's quarrel withDalgetty might be easily made up. Allan, at parting, only recommendedto the Marquis the care of Sir Duncan Campbell, whom Montrose instantlydirected to be conveyed to a place of safety. He took the sameprecaution for MacEagh, committing the latter, however, to a party ofthe Irish, with directions that he should be taken care of, but that noHighlander, of any clan, should have access to him.

  The Marquis then mounted a led horse, which was held by one of hisattendants, and rode on to view the scene of his victory, which was moredecisive than even his ardent hopes had anticipated. Of Argyle's gallantarmy of three thousand men, fully one-half fell in the battle, or in theflight. They had been chiefly driven back upon that part of the plainwhere the river forms an angle with the lake, so that there was no freeopening either for retreat or escape. Several hundreds were forcedinto the lake and drowned. Of the survivors, about one-half escaped byswimming the river, or by an early flight along the left bank of thelake. The remainder threw themselves into the old Castle of Inverlochy;but being without either provisions or hopes of relief, they wereobliged to surrender, on condition of being suffered to return to theirhomes in peace. Arms, ammunition, standards, and baggage, all became theprey of the conquerors.

  This was the greatest disaster that ever befell the race of Diarmid, asthe Campbells were called in the Highlands; it being generally remarkedthat they were as fortunate in the issue of their undertakings, as theywere sagacious in planning, and courageous in executing them. Of thenumber slain, nearly five hundred were dunniwassels, or gentlemenclaiming descent from known and respected houses. And, in the opinionof many of the clan, even this heavy loss was exceeded by the disgracearising from the inglorious conduct of their Chief, whose galley weighedanchor when the day was lost, and sailed down the lake with all thespeed to which sails and oars could impel her.