om the toun of
Falkirk. The P. finding General Hawley did not move from his camp at
Falkirk to attack him, held a council of war, January the seventeenth,
about midday, wherein it was resolved to march and attack Hawley.
Accordingly we set out in two columns, and under the cover of the Tor
wood passed the water of Carron at Dunipace; moving on very quickly to
gain the hill above and lying on the south west of Falkirk our two
columns kept at an equal distance of about two hundred paces till we
came in sight of the enemy about a mile and a half distant from us. At
the same time that we began our march Lord John Drummond with most of
the horse had gone to reconnoitre the enemy, and made a movement as if
he intended to march by the high way through the Tor wood close up to
them, and this might occasion what some accounts tell us of General
Hawley's perceiving a body of the Highlanders in the Tor wood, took this
appearance to be our whole army, and finding they did not advance,
allowed his troops to dine in their camp.

But to return to our main body; whilst we were making up towards the
hill above Falkirk (as was said) the enemy at last perceived us and
immediately their three regiments of dragoons were ordered up to gain
the ground upon us and hinder our forming till their foot should form
and their cannon be brought up the hill to support them. The P. seeing
the intention of the enemy, ordered 1500 or 2000 of his Highlanders,
led on by Lord George Murray and Lochiel, to advance and drive the
dragoons from the eminence they had possessed, till the main body of our
men should come up, and to form the right of our army. This attack upon
the dragoons was very quick and regular; as we came within pistolshot
the dragoons made up to us at a full trot, thinking to bear us down by
their weight, and break us at once, and indeed being well mounted and
accoutred they made a glorious show, sufficient to have struck other
hearts than ours with a pannick. We received them, however, with a very
smart fire, upon which they reeled and broke into several divisions,
some falling back upon their own foot on the left, others flying out of
the field, whilst one body of them fled off to the right betwixt the
front lines of both armies, which by this time were formed.... As the
enemy's dragoons rode off to their right betwixt the lines, our men ran
eagerly in pursuit of them, but were much surprised to find themselves
stopped by our generals and