I received his stroke on the back of my Ferrar; and, by a
back stroke, I gave him a deep cut on the cheek. And, before he could
recover a position of defence, my sword fell with a terrible blow on his
steel cap. Stunned by the blow, he bent himself forward, and, grasping
the mane, he tumbled from the saddle, and his steed galloped over the
field. I did not repeat the blow. His left hand presented his sword;
his right arm was disabled; his life was given to him. My companions
having disposed of their adversaries (and some of them had two a-piece),
we paused to see the fate of the battle. Dalziel and Livingstone were
riding over the field, like furies, cutting down all in their way.
Monmouth was galloping from rank to rank, and calling on his men to give
quarter. Clavers, to wipe off the disgrace of Drumclog, was committing
fearful havoc. ’Can we not find Clavers?’ said Haugh-head. ’No,’ said
Captain Paton, ’the gallant Colonel takes care to have a solid guard of
his rogues around him. I have sought him over the field; but I found
him, as I now perceive him, with a mass of his Guards about him.’ At
this instant we saw our General at some distance, disentangling himself
from the men who had tumbled over him in the mélé. His face, and hands,
and clothes, were covered with gore. He had been dismounted, and was
fighting on foot. We rushed to the spot, and cheered him. Our party
drove back the scattered band of Dalziel. ’My friends,’ said Sir
Robert, as we mounted him on a stray horse, ’the day is lost! But—you,
Paton; you, Brownlee of Torfoot; and you, Haugh-head, let not that flag
fall into the hands of these incarnate devils. We have lost the battle;
but, by the grace of God, neither Dalziel nor Clavers shall say that he
took our colours. My ensign has done his duty. He is down. This sword
has saved it twice. I leave it to your care: you see its perilous
situation.’ He pointed with his sword to the spot. We collected some
of our scattered troops, and flew to the place. The standard-bearer was
down, but he was still fearlessly grasping the flag-staff; while he was
borne uprightly by the mass of men who had thrown themselves in fierce
contest around it. Its well-known blue scarlet colours, and its motto,
Christ’s Crown and Covenant, in brilliant gold letters, inspired us with
a sacred enthusiasm. We gave a loud cheer to the wounded ensign, and
rushed into the combat. The redemption of that flag cost the foe many a
gallant man. They fell beneath our broad swords, and with horrible
execrations dying on their lips, they gave up their souls to their
Judge. Here I met in front that ferocious dragoon of Clavers, named Tom
Kalliday, who had more than once, in his raids, plundered my halls, and
had snatched the bread from my weeping babes. He had just seized the
white staff of the flag. But his tremendous oath of exultation had
scarcely passed its polluted threshold, when this Andro Ferrara fell on
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