In the field he
lived no better than the meanest of his men, sharing their coarse food
and hard lodging, and often marching on foot by their side over the
roughest country and in the wildest weather. His powers of endurance
extorted the wonder even of those sturdy mountaineers who had been
inured from childhood to the extremes of hunger and fatigue. More than a
century after his death it was still told with admiration how once,
after chasing Mackay from dawn to sunset of a summer's day over the
ruggedest part of the Athole country, he had spent the night in writing,
only resting his head occasionally on his hands to snatch a few moments
of sleep. Among the Camerons he was always spoken of as the General, and
honoured next to Lochiel himself. At the same time, he was careful to
maintain his authority and to exact the respect due to his position. He
knew well that among those lawless spirits he who would be obeyed must
be feared. On one occasion he administered a public rebuke to the
arch-thief, Keppoch, who had found time for another raid on the
Mackintoshes. In the presence of all the chiefs Dundee told the offender
that he would sooner serve in the ranks of a disciplined regiment than
command men who were no better than common robbers; that he would
countenance such outrages no more, nor any longer keep in his army those
who disgraced the King's cause by their private quarrels.
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