shrubs, and within a carbine shot of the place whereon we stood, whereby
they could undoubtedly force us with their fire in confusion over the
river, he galloped back in all haste to the forces, and having made
every battalion form by a Quart de Conversion to the right upon the
ground they stood, made them march each before his face up the hill, by
which means he prevented that inconveniency, and got a ground fair
enough to receive the enemy, but not to attack them, there being, within
a short musket shot to it, another eminence before our front, as we
stood when we were up the lowest hill, near the river, whereof Dundee
had already got possession before we could be well up, and had his back
to a very high hill, which is the ordinary maxim of Highlanders, who
never fight against regular forces upon anything of equal terms, without
a sure retreat at their back, particularly if their enemies be provided
of horse; and to be sure of their escape, in case of a repulse, they
attack bare footed, without any clothing but their shirts, and a little
Highland doublet, whereby they are certain to outrun any foot, and will
not readily engage where horse can follow the chase any distance....
Shortly thereafter, and about half an hour before sunset, they began to
move down the hill.

The General had already commanded the officers, commanding battalions,
to begin their firing at the distance of 100 paces by platoons, to
discourage the approaching Highlanders, meeting with continual fire:
That part of their forces which stood opposite to Hastings, who had the
right of all, before the Generals', Levin's and Kenmore's regiments,
came down briskly together with their horse, and notwithstanding of a
brisk fire, particularly from the General's own battalion, whereby many
of the chief gentlemen of the name of Macdonald, who attacked it, were
killed, pushed their point, after they had fired their light pieces at
some distance, which made little or no execution, with sword in hand,
tho' in great confusion, which is their usual way. Which when the
General observed, he called to the Lord Belhaven to march up with the
first troop of horse, ordering him to flank to the left hand the enemy,
the fire being then past on all hands, and coming to handy strokes if
our men had stood, appointing the second troop to do the same to the
right; but scarcely had Belhaven got them without the front of the line,
where they had orders to wheel for the flank, tho'