38

HISTOKY OE ENGLAND.

chap. It was perceived, that what had happened at Killiecrankie was■ an exception to ordinary rules, and that the Highlanders werenot, except in very peculiar circumstances, a match for goodregular soldiers.

Disorders Meanwhile the disorders of Cannon’s camp went onHighland increasing. He called a council of war to consider what coursearmy ' it would he advisable to take. But as soon as the council hadmet, a preliminary question was raised. Who were entitled tobe consulted? The army was almost exclusively a Highlandarmy. The recent victory had been won exclusively by Highlandwarriors. Great chiefs, who had brought six or seven hundredfighting men into the field, did not think it fair that they shouldbe outvoted by gentlemen from Ireland and from the lowcountry, who bore indeed King James’s commission, and werecalled Colonels and Captains, but who were Colonels withoutregiments and Captains without companies. Lochiel spokestrongly in behalf of the class to which he belonged: butCannon decided that the votes of the Saxon officers should bereckoned.*

It was next considered what was to be the plan of the cam-paign. Lochiel was for advancing, for marching towardsMackaywherever Mackay might be, and for giving battle again. It canhardly be supposed that success had so turned the head of thewise chief of the Camerons as to make him insensible of thedanger of the course which he recommended. But he probablyconceived that nothing but a choice between dangers was leftto him. His notion was that vigorous action was necessary tothe very being of a Highland army, and that the coalitionof clans would last only while they were impatiently pushingforward from battlefield to battlefield. He was again overruled.All his hopes of success were now at an end. His pride wasseverely wounded. He had submitted to the ascendency of* Memoirs of Sir Ewan Cameron.