42

mSTOBY OF ESTGLANII.

CnAP.

Till.

u.ss.

turned the keys in the doors. In one single dwelling sixteen■ of the enemy were burnt alive. Those who were in the fightdescribed it as a terrible initiation for recruits. Half the townwas blazing; and with the incessant roar of the guns weremingled the piercing shrieks of wretches perishing in theflames. The struggle lasted four hours. By that time theCameronians were reduced nearly to their last flask of powder;but their spirit never flagged. “The enemy will soon carry thewall. Be it so. We will retreat into the house: we will defendit to the last; and, if they force their way into it, we will burnit over their heads and our own.” But, while they were revol-ving these desperate projects, they observed that the fury of theassault slackened. Soon the Highlanders began to fall back:disorder visibly spread among them; and whole bands beganto march off to the hills. It was in vain that their generalordered them to return to the attack. Perseverance was notone of their military virtues. The Cameronians meanwhile,with shouts of defiance, invited Amalek and Moab to comeback and to try another chance with the chosen people. Butthese exhortations had as little effect as those of Cannon. In ashort time the whole Gaelic army was in full retreat towardsBlair. Then the drums struck up: the victorious Puritansthrew their caps into the air, raised, with one voice, a psalmof triumph and thanksgiving, and waved their colours, colourswhich were on that day unfurled for the first time in the face ofan^enemy, hut which have since been proudly borne in everyquarter of the world, and which are now embellished with theSphinx and the Dragon, emblems of brave actions achieved inEgypt and in China.’*

* Exact Narrative of the Conflict at Dunkeld between the Earl ofAngus’s Regiment and the Rebels, collected from several Officers of thatRegiment who were Actors in or Eyewitnesses of all that's here narruted inReference to those Actions; Letter of Lieutenant Blackader to liis brother,