His opponent, receiving large accessions from the Highland clans, planned a winter campaign, marched south-westward into the country of the Campbells, devastated it frightfully, drove Argyle himself front his castle at lnverary, and then wheeled intending to attack Inverness, where the covenanters were posted in strong force under the earl of Seaforth. The "estates" at Edinburgh greatly alarmed, and raising a fresh army, placed it under the command of gen. Millie, a natural son of sir William Mille of Lamington. After consulting with Argyle, it was arranged that he should proceed by way of Perth, and take Montrose in front, while Argyle should rally his vast array of vassals, and attack him in the rear. The royalist leader was in the great glen of Albin—the basin of the Caledonian canal—on his way to Inverness, when he heard that Argyle was following him. lie instantly turned on his pursuer, fell upon 111111 unexpectedly at Inverlochy, Feb. 2, 1645, and utterly routed hisforees. Fifteen hundred of the Campbells were slain, and only four of Montrose's men. He then resumed his march northwards, but did not venture to assault Inverness—his wild mountaineers being admirably fitted for rapid irregular warfare, but not for the slow work of beleaguer went. Directing his course to the e., he passed—with fire and sword—through Elgin and Banff into Aberdeenshire, which suffered a similar fate. Baillie, and his lieutenant, Hurry, were at Brechin, but Montrose, by a dexterous movement, eluded them, cap tured and pillaged the city of Dundee (April 3), and escaped safely into the Grampians. On the 4th of May, he attacked and routed Hurry at Auldearn, near Nairn, and after enjoying a short respite with his fierce veterans in Badenoeh, again issued from his wilds, and inflicted a still more disastrous defeat on Baillie himself at Alford, in Aber deenshire (July 2). There was now nothing to prevent his march s., and about the end of the month, he set out with a force of from 5,000 to 6,000 men. He was followed by Baillie, who picked up re-enforeements on his way, and on the 15th of August again risked a battle at Kilsyth, but was defeated with frightful loss-6,000 of the covenanters being slain. The cause of Charles was for the moment triumphant; Montrose was virtually master of the country. The king formally appointed him lieut.gov. of Scotland, and the commander-in-chief of the royal forces. All the principal cities in the w. hastened to proclaim their fidelity, and laid the blame of the recent troubles on the unfortunate Presbyterian clergy. But affairs soon took a very different turn. Great numbers of the Highlanders returned home—we might even say, deserted—burdened with multifarious plunder; and the earl of Aboyne withdrew with all his cavalry.
Montrose's position in a district teeming with enemies, was growing critical, and on the 4th of September he broke up his camp at Bothwell, and marched for the eastern counties, where Charles had informed hint that the earls of Traquair, Home, and Rox burgh were ready to join him. In this he was disappointed, and on the 13th of the same month he was surprised at Philiphangh, near Selkirk, by David Leslie, who fell upon the relics of Montrose's army and his raw levies with 6,000 cavalry—the flower of the SCottish forces then serving in England—who had been hurriedly dispatched home on the news of Montrose's startling successes. Leslie completely annihilated his opponent.
On Philiphaugh," says sir W. Scott, "Montrose lest the fruit of six splendid vie. tories." Escaping from the field of battle, he made his way to Athol, and again endea vored, but in vain, to rouse the Highlands; and at last Charles, now beginning to get the worst of it in the civil war, was induced to order him to withdraw from the king dom. On the 3d of September, 1616, lie sailed for Norway, whence he proceeded to Paris. Here he endeavored, but in vain, to induce Ildnrietta Maria to bestir herself on behalf of her husband. The queen coldly received all his suggestions, and at last Mont rose, in despair, betook himself to Germany, in hope of service under the emperor, but soon after returned to Holland, and entered into communication with the prince of Wales, afterwards Charles II. It was here that news of Charles I 's execution reached him. Montrose fainted on receipt of the dreadful intelligence, and gave way to the most passionate regrets. Charles II. now re-invested him with the dio.nity of lieut.gov. of Scotland, and Montrose undertook a fresh invasion, on behalf of the exiled monarch. In March, 1650, he arrived at the Orkneys with a small force, and after the lapse of three weeks, proceeded to Caithness; but neither the gentlemen nor the commons would rise at his call. He forced his way as far s. as the borders of Ross-shire, where his dis pirited troops were attacked and cut to pieces at a place called Corbiesdale, near the pass of Inverc0rron, by a powerful body of cavalry under col. Strachan. Montrose fled to the wilds of Assynt, where lie was nearly starved to death, when he fell into the bands of M`Leod of Assynt, who delivered him up to gen. Leslie, by whom he was brought to Edinburgh. Condemned to death as a traitor to the covenant, he was executed, May 21, 1650. His detheanor in his last moments was very noble and dignified.