A gentleman of the
Grants, who was fighting that day among the Macdonalds, was knocked over
by a spent ball which struck his target. "Sure, the Boddachs are in
earnest now!" he said, as he leaped to his feet with a laugh. It was not
till they had reached the level ground that the Highlanders delivered
their fire. One volley they poured in, and then, flinging their muskets
away, bounded forward sword in hand with a terrific yell. The soldiers
had not time to fix their bayonets in the smoking muzzles of their
muskets before the claymores were among them and the battle was
over.[103] On the left wing scarcely a trigger was pulled: the men broke
and ran like sheep. The famous Scots Brigade, in fact, set the example
of flight. Their officers behaved like brave soldiers. Balfour,
abandoned by his men, defended himself for a time against overwhelming
odds, till he was cut down by a young clergyman, Robert Stewart, a
grandson of Ballechin. Eight officers of Mackay's own regiment were
killed, including his brother, the colonel; and many of Ramsay's. In
vain was the cavalry ordered to charge. In vain did Belhaven like a
gallant gentleman gallop to the front. In vain did Mackay place himself
at their head, and, calling on them to follow him, spur into the thick
of the flashing claymores. Before his horse they fell back right and
left in such a way as to justify his boast to Melville that with fifty
stout troopers he could have changed the day even then; but one of his
own servants alone followed him.
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