KILLYCRANKY.* THE battle of Killycranky was the last stand made by the Clans for James, after his abdication. Here Dundeet fell in the moment of victory, and with him fell the hopes of the party.-General Mackay, when he found the Highlanders did not pursue his flying army, said, "Dundee must be killed, or he never would have overlooked this advantage."-A great stone marks the spot where Dundee fell. Clavers and his highland-men, Came down upo' the raw, man, The battle of Killycranky was fought on the 17th June, 1689. This song may be regarded as the first of the numerous series now called Jacobite songs.-RITSON. + Within an hour of sunset the signal was given by Dundee, and the Highlanders descended in thick and separate columns to the attack. After a single desultory discharge, they rushed forward with the sword, before the regulars, whose bayonets were then inserted within the musket, could be prepared to receive or to resist their furious attack. The weight of their columns pierced through the thin and straggling line, where Mackay commanded With sword and terge into their hand,' The lads began to claw, then. commanded in person; and their ponderous swords completed the rout. Within a few minutes the victors and the vanquished intermixed together in the field, in the pursuit, and in the river disappeared from view: Mackay alone, when deserted by his horse and surrounded, forced his way to the right wing, where two regiments had maintained their ground. While the enemy were intent on plundering the baggage, he conducted them in silence and in obscurity across the river beneath the defile, and continued his flight for two days through the mountains to Stirling. But Dundee, whose pursuit he dreaded, was himself no more. After a desperate and successful charge on the artillery, which he seized with his horse, he returned to restore the battle on the left, and to renew the attack against the two regiments that remained entire. At that moment, while his arms was extended to his troops, and while his person was conspicuous to the enemy, he received a shot in his side, through an opening in his armour, and dropt from horseback as he rode off the field. He survived to write a concise and dignified account of his victory to James. With the loss of nine hundred of his men, two thousand of the enemy were killed or taken; and but for his untimely fate, not a man would have escaped. Had he survived to improve this dis tinguished victory, little doubt can be entertained that he would have recovered the whole of Scotland beyond the Forth. His party were prepared to take arms on the borders, and his pro gress O'er bush, o'er bank, o'er ditch, o'er stank, Hur skipt about, hur leapt about, gress southwards might have arrested William's attention and arms, till James was firmly established in Ireland. But his death was fatal to his party; and among the papers found on his body, a letter from Melfort, intimating that the indemnity was couched in such terms as might be broken or revoked by the king at pleasure, excited deep disgust at the insincerity of James. A rude stone was erected on the spot, to mark his victory to future times. His memory was long lamented by his party, and his name is still celebrated in their poetry, as the last of the Scots. Laing's History of Scotland. The solemn league and covenant Sir Evan Du, and his men true, All fled and ran awa' then. Oh' on a ri, oh' on a ri, Why should she lose king Shames, man? Oh' rig in di, oh' rig in di, She shall break a' her banes then; With furichinish, an' stay a while, And speak a word or twa, man, She's gi' a straike, out o'er the neck, O fy for shame, ye're three for ane, Had bent their brows, like highland trows, They'd sav'd their king, that sacred thing, And Willie'd 'run' awa' then. THE EWIE WI' THE CROOKIT HORN. ANOTHER excellent song of old Skinner's. Were I but able to rehearse My Ewie's praise in proper verse, As ever piper's drone could blaw; Hereabout nor far awa', Sic a Ewe was never born, Hereabout nor far awa'. |