sperse a meeting of the enemy at
Campsie; but upon going there, they found no such thing, which made them
believe it was only a stratagem to get free of Mr. King and the rest of
the faithful officers; upon which they returned.

The faithful officers were Mr. Hamilton, general Hackston of Rathillet,
Hall of Haugh-head, captain Paton in Meadow-head, John Balfour of
Kinloch, Mr. Walter Smith, William Carmichael, William Cleland, James
Henderson, and Robert Fleming. Their ministers were Messrs. Donald
Cargil, Thomas Douglas, John Kid, and John King; for Mr. Richard Cameron
was then in Holland. Henry Hall of Haugh-head, John Paton in
Meadow-head, William Carmichael, and Andrew Turnbull, were ruling elders
of the church of Scotland.

Thus the protesting party continued to struggle with the Erastian party
(in which contending captain Paton had no small share) until that fatal
day June 22d, when they were broke, and made to flee before the enemy.
The captain, at this time, was made a major; and some accounts bear,
that the day preceding, he was made a colonel. An author[210], when
writing upon that affair, says, That he supposes John Paton, Robert
Fleming, James Henderson and William Cleland were chosen to be colonels
of regiments; however, as he did not enjoy this place long, we find him
still afterward continued in the character of captain John Paton.

After the defeat at Bothwel-bridge, captain Paton made the best of his
way homeward; and having had a fine horse, with all manner of furniture
from the sheriff of Ayr, upon the way he gave him to one to take home to
his master, but being robbed of all its fine mounting, by an old
intelligencer (of the same name as was supposed), which very much
surprised the sheriff when he received the horse, and the captain when
he got notice thereof. This was a most base and shameful action,
designing to stain the character of this honest and good man.

The sufferers were now exposed to new hardships, and none more than
captain Paton, who was not only declared rebel by order of proclamation,
but also a round sum offered for his head, which made him be more hotly
pursued, and that even in his most secret lurking places. In which time,
a little after Bothwel, he had another most remarkable escape and
deliverance from his blood-thirsty enemies, which fell out in this
manner.----

The captain, with a few more, being one night quartered in the
forementioned house of Lochgoin[211], with James