Battle of Tippermuir

Montrose's Highlanders and the Irish regiments together possibly made up no more than 2000 men, perhaps rising to 3,000 through further recruitment on the march from Blair Atholl.[3] The Irish troops were likely experienced soldiers, although the remaining Royalists were either levies or 'irregulars'. The traditional historiography of the battle suggests that Elcho had up to 7,000 foot and 800 horse, the latter being considered the "cream of the army",[4] along with local militia and a number of small frame guns. However, these figures are based largely on Royalist accounts, and a figure of 2,000 foot – mainly untrained militia – and 400 horse may be more accurate for the Covenanter side.[2] Indeed, some modern historians such as Stuart Reid have suggested that the Royalist forces outnumbered the government troops.

• Royalist (James Graham, Lord Montrose)
  • Patrick Graham of Inchbrackie's Regiment
  • Irish Brigade (Alasdair Mac Colla)
    • Thomas Laghtnan's Regiment
    • Manus O'Cahan's Regiment
    • James Macdonnell's Regiment
  • Badenoch levies
  • Perthshire levies (Lord Kilpont)
  • MacDonalds of Keppoch
• Covenanter (John Wemyss, Lord Elcho)
  • Earl of Tullibardine's Regiment
  • Lord Elcho's Regiment
  • Dundee and Forfarshire levies
  • Perth Trained Bands (Captain David Grant)
  • Sir James Scott of Rossie's Regiment of Horse
  • Lord Drummond's Regiment of Horse

The two armies deployed on the relatively flat ground at Tippermuir, three miles outside of Perth.[5] On the Covenanters' side, Lord Elcho commanded the right wing of cavalry, Tullibardine commanded the centre, made up of infantry, and the left flank of cavalry was given over to Sir James Scott of Rossie, the only veteran soldier present in the Covenant army that day. Montrose put Lord Kilpont and his 400 levies on the left, directly in front of Elcho, along with the Keppoch MacDonalds.[6] Montrose commanded the right wing, made up of Inchbrackie's Athollmen, himself: in the centre he placed the Irish under Mac Colla, backed with the Badenoch men.[5][6] According to Ruthven, Montrose drew up his troops in a line only three deep, outflanking Elcho's front, though it seems likely the Royalist centre was kept a more conventional six lines deep.[6]

Again according to the traditional historiography of the battle, the battle cry of Elcho's force was said to have been "Jesus and no quarter!"[7] Montrose's Irish troops were said to have been reduced to a single round of ammunition each, and Montrose is supposed to have delivered a speech saying: "Gentlemen: it is true you have no arms; your enemy, however, to all appearance, have plenty. My advice to you therefore is that as there happens to be a great abundance of stones upon this moor, every man should provide himself, in the first place, with as stout a one as he can manage, rush up to the first Covenanter he meets, beat out his brains, take his sword, and then I believe he will be at no loss how to proceed!"[7] Another version of the speech runs "Be sparing of your powder, we have none to throw away. Let not a musket be fired except in the very face of the enemy. Give but a single discharge, and then at them with the claymore, in the name of God and the King".[8]

Tullibardine first sent forward a group of cavalry and foot in skirmish to engage the Irish, possibly to take advantage of the latter's shortage of ammunition.[5] However, the Irish skirmishers drove back their opponents, causing a degree of confusion in the government centre.[5] Montrose then gave an order to charge, and Mac Colla's experienced troops moved forward, clashing violently with the largely untrained militia making up Tullibardine's infantry: the first and second ranks rapidly lost their composure and began to fall back.[5]

Scott of Rossie attempted to hold the left flank, but Montrose led his Athollmen in a charge that placed them in front of Scott's men, and pushed them back into the main body of the Covenanters. While there was an attempt by some of the Covenanters to rally and regroup, most of their troops quickly broke and were routed. As was common in fighting of the era, the majority of casualties occurred in the rout as the battle now turned into a bloodbath. A group of townspeople had come to view the battle, believing Montrose's army would be quickly subdued. Now they were caught up in the slaughter, and in the confusion many died. It was reported that a man could walk from Tippermuir to Perth on the bodies of the slain.[9]

Elcho is reported, in some accounts, to have lost up to 2,000 men and Montrose only one, plus another man who died afterwards.[4] Others suggest that only twelve men in total were killed on the field, but the bodies of a further 400 were found between Tippermuir and Perth where they had been cut down in the rout.[10] The dead included several prominent gentry: Captain David Grant, who had led the Perth militia, William Forbes the Laird of Reires, Patrick Oliphant the Laird of Bachilton, and George Haliburton of Kelior.[10][11] However, there are no independent estimates of casualties and as with the relative size of the two armies, the largest figures may likely represent Royalist propaganda.