The fame of the Caledonians had reached Rome long before the arrival of Aglicola in this island, though that general was the first who actemlly came in contact with them. After having, in the preceding campaigns, con quered the country south of the Forth and Clyde, secured his conquests by establishing a line of forts between these two rivers, and conquered several nations till then un known, on the northern shores of the western xstuary, Agricola, in his sixth campaign, resolved to invade the " powerful states," as Tacitus calls them, " beyond the Forth." This expedition was conducted both by land and sea, the army marching along the coast, and the fleet. by way of precaution, attending them. Having proceed ed in this order for many days, along the shores of Fife, engaging in frequent actions with the natives, and con quering the country, they seem to have established them selves in these quarters for the winter ; for we may gather from Agricola's that the action of the ninth legion happened the summer preceding the great battle, which was on the eighth year of Agricola's wars in the island.
Whilst the Romans were thus engaged in the conquest of Fife, Stirling, and the lowlands of Perth and Angus, distracting the attention of the natives by the manoeuvres of their fleet along the coast ; the tribes of Caledonia took the alarm, entered into a formidable confederacy, and were reported to be actually on their march from the westward to attack the line of forts in the rear of the Ro mans. The tribes inhabiting Caledonia, says Tacitus, rising in arms with a vast preparation, increased by fame, uti 77208 est de ig-notis, as is the case concerning unknown nations, being reported to have attacked the forts, in spired the greatest terror as having commenced offensive operations. Many of the Romans were accordingly now for returning to this side the Frith of Forth, regrediendum citra Bodotriam, lest they should be disgracefully driven back by this new enemy. But Agricola, no ways intimi dated, dividing his army into three divisions, marched during the seventh campaign across the country, from the eastern coast, to prevent their attempts upon his fortifi cations on the isthmus. The Caledonians perceiving they could not cut him off from his lines, suddenly changed their plan, and falling unexpectedly with their whole force upon the ninth legion, in the night time, nearly overwhelmed it. They were already within the camp ; but Agricola, informed of their route, had previously dis patched the swiftest part of his troops, horse and foot, to harass their rear. In the mean time, he himself proceed ed by forced marches to the relief of the legion, and the Roman standards appearing at the break of day, and the Britons being attacked in front and rear, a dreadful con flict ensued in the gates of the camp. The Caledonians were thus compelled to relinquish their prey, and made the best of their way into the fens and fastnesses. Those of the Romans who were formerly terrified at the ap proach of these formidable and new antagonists, and wished to retreat, were now so elated by this victory, that flying into the opposite extreme, they were for penetrating directly into Caledonia. We are not inform ed what were the further achievements of Agricola this summer, nor where he quartered his troops during the winter. His next appearance in the field, was in the fol lowing year, towards the end of summer, when the great battle of the Grampians took place, being the eighth year since his arrival in Britain, and the 85th of the Christian :era.
The Caledonians, no ways disheartened by their late failure, had spent the remainder of that season in pre paring for the succeeding campaign, by providing places of retreat for their wives and children in case of an inva sion, arming and organizing their youth, forming allian tes which they ratified with religious rites, and holding consultations and councils, in which they mutually exas perated each others minds against the common enemy ; and having arranged these matters, they separated for the winter. When Agricola took the field, he at the same time sent his fleet along the coast, which, by making frequent descents and predatory excursions into the coun try, might distract the attention of the confederates. These, however, were not deficient either in zeal or conduct. :Mustering probably the whole of their forces, to the amount of 30,000 combatants, they awaited to wards the end of autumn, the attack of Agricola at the foot of the Grampian mountains. This army consisted of the flower of their youth, and of men inured to war, commanded by their greatest chiefs, each bearing his trophies and his badges of honour. Among these Gal gacus, as being pre-eminent in valour and lineage, held the chief rank, and acted as commander. The Caledo nians were drawn up on the face of a hill, one line rising above another from the plain, thus making a magnificent as well as terrible display of power to their enemies. The level grounds in front were scoured by their cavalry, intermixed with armed chariots. The Romans, on their side, were drawn up with consummate skill ; 8,000 foot auxiliaries composed the main battle ; 3,000 cavalry protected the wings ; while the legionaries, probably consisting of as many more troops, were stationed in the rear—a bulwark, says Tacitus, in case of a repulse, an honour to the leader should he be able to render unne cessary the effusion of Roman blood. After an energetic speech from each of the generals to their respective armies, the light troops, on both sides, began the battle by a general discharge of their javelins. The Caledo nians, while at a distance, displayed much address in avoiding and parrying these with their small bucklers and huge swords, while they at the same time overwhelmed their antagonists with showers of darts ; but they could not withstand the close onset of some German heavy armed foot, who drove them up the hill sword in hand. The other cohorts, following the example of these Ger mans, fell upon the whole front of the Caledonians, and threw their horse, infantry, and chariots, into inextrica ble confusion, and a terrible slaughter ensued. In the mean time, however, the Caledonians on the higher grounds made a stout effort to turn the enemy, and at tack them on the flanks and rear ; but the Roman ca valry observing this movement, attacked these insulated bodies on all sides, and put them to the rout. Though the clay was now irrecoverably lost, and the Caledonians retreated in all directions, yet the fight was kept up with great obstinacy, and the foremost of the Romans paid dear for their temerity. In this great battle, so honoura ble to the valour of our ancestors, 10,000 of the Caledo nians, by the Roman accounts, remained upon the field, while the enemy are said to have lost but 350 men ; a re turn in which it is probable the legionaries only are in cluded.