Inverlochy February 2, 1645

The army went then to Lochaber where they were joined by an advance party of the MacLeans under their chieftain Sir Lachlan MacLean of Dowart in the Isle of Mull and about 30 soldiers. Going to Glengarry where more joined them, Montrose learnt that Argyll and his cousin, Sir Duncan Campbell of Auchinbrack, who had been recalled from Ireland, were at Inverlochy.

The 3000 Campbells gathered at Inverlochy were confident that they were safe in their remote lands in winter especially, but that did not deter Montrose. He marched his army through the Glen of Albin, along the rugged river valley of the Tarf, over Lochaber mountains and round the edge of Ben Nevis to do battle on Sunday, February 2, 1645.

At Inverlochy on the Saturday evening, Argyll again set himself aside from his troops, taking to a barge on Loch Linn from where he dictated his battle orders. Argyll's forces opened fire on the Royalists with cannon and muskets shortly after sunrise but again after the first exchange of muskets the Irish troops advanced and took Argyll's standard and the standard bearer.

The loss of the standard was followed by the army breaking up and there followed a hot pursuit for over nine miles in which hundreds of the Campbell men were slaughtered. Auchinbrack was killed, beheaded - helmet and all, by one sweep of Alexander McColl's claymore, with 16 or 17 other Campbell chiefs and some lowland chieftains; 4 more Campbells were taken prisoner at Bearbrick on Loch Awe.

In all some 40 ranking Campbells were killed and 22 lowland chieftains released on giving their oath not to bear arms again; and 1700 of Argyll's troops were also killed.