#Onthisday in 1645, the Royalist commander in Scotland, the Earl of Montrose, scored another spectac

#Onthisday in 1645, the Royalist commander in Scotland, the Earl of Montrose, scored another spectacular victory against the Scottish Covenanters at the Battle of Auldearn. Outnumbered by more than two to one, Montrose destroyed half the Covenanter forces arrayed against him. With limited resources at his disposal Montrose had already secured a series of victories over Covenanter forces across the Highlands of Scotland. His latest assault on Dundee however was not so successful, and so Montrose retreated northwards, closely pursued by a Covenanter detachment commanded by Sir John Hurry.
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Having joined forces with local militia loyal to the Covenanter cause, Hurry led a surprise attack on Montrose’s position close to the village of Auldearn, early in the morning of the 9th May. The intense fighting that followed continued for much of the day, with attack and counter attack until the Covenanter army finally broke and fled. Many of the casualties were inflicted after the Covenanter army broke and fled, in a merciless pursuit which was continued for 14 miles.
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Montrose’s string of victories would make him master of Scotland, which the Covenanter leaders even fleeing to England as he took Glasgow. His fortune ran out in August 1645 at Philiphaugh. His first major defeat was decisive and he was unable to pose a serious threat to the Covenanters again. After the surrender of King Charles in England, Montrose received orders to disband his remaining forces. He negotiated terms for surrender in July 1646 and sailed away into exile in Norway on 3 September.
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Levitt Parkes

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