| The loss on the side of the Highlanders
amounted only to about 40 men, among whom were two or three captains, and some subaltern
officers. They had, however, nearly double that number wounded. Besides Lord John
Drummond, young Lochiel and his brother, and Dr. Archibald Cameron, were slighly wounded.
Hawley's army could boast of only one prisoner, who fell into their hands by mere
accident. This was Major Macdonald of Keppoch's regiment, cousin to the chief. Having
pursued the flying English farther than any other person, he was in the act of returning
to his corps, when in his way he observed, in the dusk of the evening, a body of men at
some distance standing in a hollow near the bottom of the hill. Imagining this body to be
Lord John Drummond's regiment and the French piquets, he ran forward towards the party
with his sword still drawn, and when near them, cried out with a feeling of strong
emotion, "Gentlemen, what are you doing here? Why don't ye follow after the dogs, and
pursue them?" Scarcely, however, had he uttered these words, when he discovered that
the body he accosted was an English regiment, (Barrel's,) and the cry, "Here is a
rebel! here is a rebel!" at once met his ears. Escape
being impossible, the major, thinking that he would not be discovered by the colour of his
white cockade, which was quite dirty with the rain and the smoke of the firing, pretended
that he was one of their own Campbells; but General Huske observed that it was easy to
discover what the prisoner was by his sword, the blade of which was covered over with
blood and hair. Huske gave orders "to shoot the dog instantly," and a party of
musketeers immediately presented their pieces at the major’s breast; but Lord Robert
Ker generously interposed, and, beating down the muskets, saved the major's life. The
general having refused to receive the major's arms, they were accepted by Lord Robert.
When pulling his pistol from his belt, previously to surrendering his arms, Huske was
alarmed, and exclaimed with an oath, that "the dog" was going to shoot him; but
Macdonald indignantly observed , that he was more of a gentleman than to do any such
thing, and that he was only pulling off his pistol to deliver it up.
The Major was carried to Edinburgh, and committed to the
castle next day, and, after a few months' confinement, tried, convicted, and executed. |
