=54. Battle of Killiecrankie.=--The war now broke out again. It was the great aim of each party to win over the adherents of Athole. The Marquess himself, to keep out of harm's way, had gone to England, and of those whom he had left to act for him some were for James, others for the King and Queen. It was of importance to both sides to secure the castle of _Blair_, which belonged to _Athole_, and near there the two armies met, at _Killiecrankie_, a pass leading into the Highlands. Here the Celts won a brilliant and decided victory. The clansmen charged sword in hand down the pass with such fury that they swept their foes before them; and Mackay, with a few hundred men, all he could gather of his scattered army, was forced to flee to Stirling, July 27, 1689. But this success had been dearly bought by the death of Dundee. Thus left without a leader, the victors thought more of plunder than pursuit; nor was there anyone among them fitted to fill Dundee's place, and to follow up the advantage he had won. Recruits came in, their numbers increased, but this only made the disorder greater. =55. Attack on Dunkeld. Buchan's Attempt.=--A month later they attacked the _Cameronian_ regiment stationed at Dunkeld. They took the town at the first attack, but the soldiers defended themselves in the church and in a house belonging to _Athole_ in the town with such spirit, that the Highlanders were driven back. They blamed the _Irish_ for the defeat, and the _Irish_ blamed them, and the end of it was that the clans dispersed, and _Canon_ and his Irish withdrew to _Mull_. In the spring of the next year the clans gathered again, under an officer named _Buchan_, who came from James with a commission to act as his commander-in-chief in Scotland. But they were surprised and scattered in the strath of the _Spey_, by _Sir William Livingstone_, who held _Inverness_ for _William_. This action ended the _Civil War_ in _Scotland_, for _Gordon_ had long since given up Edinburgh Castle. To keep the western clans in order, _Mackay_ built a fort in the west of _Invernesshire_, which was called _Fort William_, in honour of the King. The castle on the _Bass_, a rock in the _Firth of Forth_, was the last place which held out for _James_, but the garrison were at last obliged to give in, from want of food.