ut, once that was past, there would be no stop; and
though we should be long on our march, yet, when the whole line was past
the defile, they had nothing to do but to face to the left, and in a
moment the whole was formed, and then to attack. The Prince was highly
pleased with the proposal, as indeed the whole officers were; so, after
placing a few pickets, everybody lay down at their posts; and supped
upon what they had with them. At midnight the principal officers were
called again, and all was ordered as was at first proposed. Word was
sent to the Atholl brigade to come off their post at two in the morning,
and not to make the least noise."

Before four in the morning the army began to march, and an arrangement
of the first line, which had been previously agreed upon, was now put
into execution. Those who had had the right the day before, were to have
the rear and the left; and this alteration was made without the least
noise or confusion. The Duke of Perth therefore went into the front,
Lord George giving up his guides to him. No horse marched at that time,
for fear of being discovered. When the army had advanced within a
hundred paces of the ditches, they marched on to the attack, Lord George
calling on Cameron of Lochiel to incline to the left. As the enemy
discovered their approach, the noise of the cannon announced that the
engagement had begun. Notwithstanding that Lord George Murray's regiment
was the last to pass the defile towards the enemy, it was the first to
fire. "Our whole first line," writes the gallant soldier, "broke through
the enemy. Some of them were rallying behind us; but when they saw our
second line coming up, they then made the best of their way."

Lord George pursued the enemy to the walls of Bankton House, the
residence of Colonel Gardiner; and here a party of the enemy got over
the ditch, and fired at the Highland foe. This little company, brave as
it was, was composed of only fourteen men, headed by a Lieutenant-Colonel.
"I got before a hundred of our men," writes Lord George, "who had their
guns presented to fire upon them, and at my desire they kept up their
fire, so that those officers and soldiers surrendered themselves
prisoners; and nothing gave me more pleasure that day than having it in
my power to save those men, as well as several others." This declaration
was perhaps necessary, to rescue the memory of Lord George from the
opprobrium of cruelty; since it has been asserted, that