The force landed at Ardmurchan on July 8, 1644, and found that the promised help of the Earl of Seaforth had evaporated - he had joined the Covenanters. However, the two Argyll forts of Mingarrie in Ardmurchan and Lochaline in Morven were poorly guarded and quickly seized. These were to be important staging posts for the Irish forces in the months ahead.

MacColl then unleashed his ferocious band of about 1200 on northern Argyllshire and the Seaforth lands punishing the Clan Mackenzie. Arriving at Badenoch he sent a fiery cross to the Covenanters of Moray commanding them to rise and follow Montrose.

History is unclear which band saved which but Montrose, learning of MacDonald's arival in Badenoch, moved out to meet him at Blair Athol leaving the Irishmen to fight their way there. This they did, even though outnumbered and pursued by Argyll with three times the men, they had stormed the castle at Blair Athol before Montrose got there.

Tippermuir: September 1, 1644

Needing provisions, the combined force of hardened military Irishmen and Montrose's local recruits turned to attack St. Johnstone (Perth). Arriving on the plain of Tippermuir they were confronted by the Covenanter "Army of God" of 8000 men, armed with nine cannon and a detachment of cavalry numbering 800.

Montrose placed MacColl and his band at the centre, his bowmen under Lord Kilpont to the left and Montrose and his Athol men to the right. The royalist victory lay in the daredevil charge of the Irish who, having only one round for their muskets, dashed in close, fired their one shot, then reversed their weapons and used them as clubs - an unknown tactic in those days.

Then, having gained a foothold, the Irishmen resorted to using the skein or short sword with which they were so adept. The Covenanter cry of "Jesus, and no quarter" was of little use to them as they broke ranks and fled, with over 1300 of them dead on the battle field. and 800 taken prisoner.