[1]
At Oxford Charles heard of the victory gained at Kilsyth, in the
neighbourhood of Stirling, by Montrose, who, if he had been compelled to
retreat from Dundee, was still able to maintain the superiority in the
Highlands. The first who ventured to measure[d] swords with the Scottish
hero was the veteran general
[Footnote 1: Clarendon, ii. 677. Rushw. vi. 131. Carte's Ormond, iii. 415,
416, 418, 420, 423, 427. Baillie, ii, 152.]
[Sidenote a: A.D. 1645. August 21.]
[Sidenote b: A.D. 1645. August 24.]
[Sidenote c: A.D. 1645. August 28.]
[Sidenote d: A.D. 1645. May 5.]
Hurry: but the assailant fled from the conflict at Auldearn, and saved
himself, with the small remnant of his force, within the walls of
Inverness. To Hurry[a] succeeded with similar fortune Baillie, the
commander-in-chief. The battle was fought at Alford, in the shire of
Aberdeen; and few, besides the principal officers and the cavalry, escaped
from the slaughter. A new army of ten thousand men was collected: four days
were spent in fasting and prayer; and the host of God marched to trample
under foot the host of the king. But the experience of their leader was
controlled by the presumption of the committee of estates; and he, in
submission to their orders, marshalled his men in a position near Kilsyth:
his cavalry was broken by the[b] royalists at the first charge; the
infantry fled without a blow, and about five thousand of the fugitives are
said to have perished in the pursuit, which was continued for fourteen
or twenty miles.
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