THE EXACT NARRATIVE OF THE CONFLICT AT DUNKELD, Betwixt the Earl of Angus' Regiment and the Rebels, Collected from several Officers of that Regiment, who were Actors in, or Eye-witnesses to, all that's here Narrated, in reference to these Actions.  
THe said Regiment being then betwixt seven and eight hundred men, arrived at Dunkeld Saturndays night, the 17 of August, 1689. under the Command of lieutenant-colonel William Cleland, a brave and singularly well accomplished Gentleman, within 28 years of age. Immediately they found themselves obliged to lie at their Arms, as being in the midst of their Enemies. Sunday at nine in the morning, they began some Retrenchments within the Marquis of Athol's Yard-dykes, the old breaches whereof they made up with lose Stones, and Scaffolded the Dykes about. In the afternoon, about three hundred men appeared upon the Hills on the North side of the Town, who sent one with a white Cloth upon the top of a Halberd, with an open unsubscribed Paper, in the fashion of a Letter, directed to the Commanding Officer, wherein was Written, We the Gentlemen assembled, being informed that ye intent to burn the Town, desire to know whether ye come for Peace or War, and do certify you, that if ye burn any one House, we will destroy you.  
The lieutenant-colonel returned Answer in Writ, to this purpose, We are faithful Subjects to King William and Queen Mary, and enemies to their enemies; and if you who send those threats, shall make any hostile appearance, we will burn all that belongs to you, and otherwise chastise you as you deserve. But in the mean time he caused solemnly Proclaim in the Mercat-place His Majesty's Indemnity, in the hearing of him who brought the foresaid Paper.  
Monday morning two Troops of Horse, and three of Dragoons, arrived at Dunkeld, under the Command of the Land Cardross, who viewed the Fields all round, and took six Prisoners, but saw no Body of Men, they being retired to the Woods.  
Monday night they had intelligence of a great gathering by the Firey Cross; and Tuesday morning many people appeared upon the tops of the Hills, and they were said to be in the Woods and Hills about Dunkeld more than 1000 men. About eight of the Clock, the Horse, Foot, and Dragoons made ready to March out, but a Detatched Party was sent before of forty Fusiliers, and fifteen Halbertiers, under the Command of Captain George Monro, and thirty Horse with Sir James Agnew, and twenty Dragoons with the Lord Cardoss his own Cornet; after them followed Ensign Lockhart with thirty Halbertiers; the Halberds were excellent Weapons against the Highlanders Swords and Targets, in case they should rush upon the Shot, with their accustomed fury: They Marched also at a competent distance before the Body; one hundred Fusiliers more under the Command of Captain John Campbel, and Captain Robert Hum●, two brave young Gentlemen; and upon the first fire with the Enemy, Captain Borthwick, Captain Harry's, with 200 Musquetiers and Pikes were likewise commanded to advance towards them; The lieutenant-colonel having proposed by that method to get advantage of the Enemy in their way of lose and furious fight. The Body followed, having left only an Hundred and Fify Foot within the Dykes. The first Detatched Party, after they had Marched about two Miles, found before them in a Glen, betwixt two and three hundred of the Rebels, who fired at a great distance, and shot Cornet Livingston in the Leg: The Horse retired, and Captain Monro took up their Ground, and advanced, firing upon the Rebels to so good purpose, that they began to reel and break, but Rallied on the face of the next Hill, from whence they were again beat. About that time the lieutenant-colonel came up, and ordered Captain Monro to send a Sergeant with six Men to a House on the side of a Wood, where he espied some of the Enemies; upon the Sergeants approach to the place, about twenty of the Rebels appeared against him, but he was quickly seconded by the Captain, who beat them over the Hill, and cleared the Ground of as many as appeared without the Woods; and upon a Command sent to him, brought off his Men in order. Thereafter all the Horse, Foot and Dragoons retired to the Town: And that night the Horse and Dragoons Marched to Perth; the Lord Cardross who Commanded them, having received two peremptory Orders for that effect. The second was sent to him upon his answer to the first, by which answer he told they were Engaged with the Enemy, and it was necessary he should stay.  
In that Action three of Captain Monro's Party were wounded, one of which died of his Wounds. William sandiland's a Cadee, Nephew to the Lord Torphichen, and a very young Youth, being of that Party, Discharged his Fusie upon the Enemy eleven times. The Prisoners taken the next day, told that the Rebels lost about thirty Men in that Action.  
After the Horse and Dragoons were Marched, some of the Officers and Soldiers of the Earl of Angus' Regiment proposed, that they might also March, seeing they were in an open useless place, ill provided of all things, and in the midst of Enemies, growing still to greater numbers (the Vanguard of Canon's Army having appeared before they came off the Field) The brave lieutenant-colonel, and the rest of the Gentlemen Officers amongst them, used all Arguments of Honour to persuade them to keep their Post: And for their encouragement, and to assure them they would never leave them, they ordered to draw out all their Horses, to be shot dead. The Soldiers than told them, they needed not that Pledge for their Honour, which they never doubted: And seeing they found their stay , they would run all hazards with them.  
Wednesday with the morning's light, the Rebels appeared, standing in order, covering all the Hills about (for Canon's Army joined the Athole men in the night before, and they were repute in all above 5000 Men). Their Baggage Marched alongst the Hills towards the West, and the way that leads into Athole, consisting of a Train of many more than 1000 Horses. Before seven in the morning, their Cannon advanced down to the face of a little Hill, closely upon the Town, and 100 Men all Armed with Back, Breast, and Head-piece, Marched strait to enter the Town, and a Battalion of other Foot closely with them; two Troops of Horse Marched about the Town, and Posted on the South-west part of it, betwixt the Ford of the River and the Church; and other two Troops Posted in the North-east side of the Town, near the Cross, who in the time of the Conflict shown much eagerness to encourage and push on the Foot.  
The lieutenant-colonel had before possessed some Out-posts with small Parties, to whom he pointed out every step for their Retreat. Captain William Hay and Ensign Lockhart were Posted on a little Hill, and the Ensign was ordered with 28 Men to advance to a Stone Dyke at the foot of it, they were Attacked by the Rebels, who were in Armour, and the foresaid other battalion: And after they had entertained them briskly with their fire, for a pretty space, the Rebels forced the Dyke, and obliged them to retire, firing from one little Dyke to another, and at length to betake themselves to the House and Yard-dykes: In which Retreat Captain Hay had his Leg broken, and the whole Party came off without any more hurt.  
A Lieutenant was Posted at the East end of the Town with 18 Men, who had three advanced Sentinels ordered, upon the Rebels closely approach, to fire and Retire, which accordingly they did; And the Lieutenant, after burning of some Houses, brought in his Party.  
Lieutenant Stuart was placed in a Baricado at the Cross, with 20 Men, who seeing the other Lieutenant retire, brought his Men from that Ground, and was killed in the Retreat, there being a multitude of the Rebels upon them.  
Lieutenant Forrester and Ensign campbel were at the West end of the Town, within some little Dykes, with 24 Men, who fired sharply upon the Enemy's Horse, until great numbers of Foot Attacked their Dykes, and forced them to the Church, where were two Lieutenants, and about one hundred Men.  
All the Out-posts being forced, the Rebels advanced most boldly upon the Yard-dykes all round, even upon those Parts which stood within less than forty paces from the River; where they crowded in Multitudes, without regard to the shot liberally poured in their Faces; and struck with their Swords at the Soldiers upon the Dyk, who with their Pikes and Halberds returned their Blows with Interest: Others in great numbers possessed the Town-houses: out of which they fired within the Dyks, as they did from the Hills about. And by two shots at once, one through the Head, and another through the Liver, the brave Lieutenant Colonel was killed; While he was Visiting and Exhorting the Officers and Soldiers at their several Posts, He attempted to get into the House, that the Soldiers might not be discouraged at the sight of his Dead body; but fell by the way. And immediately thereafter, Major Henderson received several Wounds, which altogether disabled him, and whereof he died four days after. Captain Caldwal was shot in the Breast, and is not like to recover. Captain Borthwick was shot through the Arm, going with succours to the Church: And Captain Steil got a Wound in the Shoulder, which he caused Pance, and returned again to his Post.  
The Lieutenent Colonel being dead, and the Major disabled about an hour after the Action began (which was before seven in the morning) The Command fell to Captain Monro, who left his own Post to Lieutenent Stuart of Livingstoun. And finding the Soldiers galled in several places by the Enemies Shot from the Houses; He sent out small Parties of Pike-men with burning Faggots upon the points of their Pikes, who fired the Houses: And where they found Keys in the Doors, locked them and burned all within: which raised a hideous noise from these Wretches in the fire. There were sixteen of them burnt in one House, and the whole Houses were burnt down, except three; wherein some of the Regiment were advantageously posted. But all the Inhabitants of the Town, who were not with the Enemy, or fled to the Fields, were received by the Soldiers into the Church, and sheltered there.  
Notwithstanding all the gallant Resistance which these furious Rebels met with, they continued their Assaults uncessantly until past eleven of the Clock. In all which time, there was continual thundering of Shot from both sides, with Flames and Smoke, and hideous cries filling the Air. And which was very Remarkable, though the Houses were burnt all round, yet the Smoke of them, and all the Shot from both sides, was carried every where outward from the Dyks upon the Assailants, as if a wind had blown every way from the Centre within.  
At length, the Rebels wearied with so many fruitless and expensive Assaults; and finding no abatement of the Courage or Diligence of their Adversaries, who treated them with continual Shot from all their Posts, they gave over, and fell back, and run to the Hills in great Confusion. Whereupon they within beat their Drums, and flourished their Colours, and Hollowed after them with all Expressions of Contempt, and Provocations to return. Their Commanders assayed to bring them back to a fresh Assault, as some Prisoners related, but could not prevail; for they Answered them, they could fight against Men, but it was not fit to fight any more against Devils.  
The Rebels being quite gone, they within began to consider, where their greatest Danger appeared in time of the Conflict, and surrendering these places more secure, they brought out the Seats of the Church, with which they made pretty good Defences, especially they fortified these Places of the Dyk which were made up with loose-stones, a poor Defence against such Desperate Assailiants. They also cut down some Trees on a little Hill where the Enemy galled them under covert. Their Powder was almost spent, and their Bullets had been spent long before, which they supplied by the diligence of a good number of Men, who were employed all the time of the Action, in cutting Led off the House, and melting the same in little Furrows in the Ground, and cutting the Pieces into Slugs to serve for Bullets. They agreed that in case the Enemy got over their Dyks, they should retire to the House; and if they should find themselves overpowered there, to burn it, and bury themselves in the Ashes.  
In this Action, fifteen Men were killed, besides the Officers named, and 30 wounded.  
The account of the Enemy's loss is uncertain, but they are said to be above three hundred slain, amongst whom were some Persons of Note.  
That handful of unexperienced Men, was wonderfully animated to a steadfast Resistance against a Multitude of obstinate Furies. But they gave the Glory to God, and Praised Him, and sung Psalms, after they had fitted themselves for a new Assault.  
Amongst many who shown extraordinary Courage, some young Gentlemen Cadees deserve a special Testimony and Remembrance, As William sandiland's above named, James Pringle of Hultrie, William Stirling of Mallachen, James Johnstoun a reformed Lieutenent, and others,  
Divers Officers besides those above specified, viz. Another Captain John Campbel, Captain Harry's, Lieutenent Henry Stuart, Lieutenent Charles Dalyel, Lieutenent Oliphant, Lieutenant Thomas Haddo, Ensign William Hamilton, and most of all the Officers behaved very worthily at their several Posts throughout the whole Action, and deserve well to be Recorded as Men of Worth and Valour. And the whole Soldiers did every thing with such undaunted Courage, and so little concern in all the Dangers and Deaths, which surrounded them and stared the in their Faces, that they deserve to be recommended as Examples of Valour to this and after Ages, and to have some Marks of Honour fixed upon them. And it is expected His Majesty will be graciously pleased to take Notice both of Officers and Soldiers.  
Upon the Saturday immediately after those Actions, the young Laird of Bellachan came in to Dunkeld, to treat for the benefit of His Majesty's Indemnity for all those of Athole. And he Declared that Lord James Murray was willing to accept thereof.  
But Major General Mckay (Who by his gallant and wise Conduct, prevented the conjunction of Ill-affected People, with the Rebels, and baffled all their Designs upon the Low-Countries) is now in the Highlands, with a brave Army. And with the Blessing of GOD, will shortly give a good Account of them all, and put an end to the Troubles of this Kingdom.   

Edinburgh, Printed according to Order, 1689.