the Highland army began its march. Having brought up the
rear of the front-line troops the previous day, it was now
the turn of the MacDonalds to take the van, and led by Clanranald's
regiment the first column moved off from the left. Following
Clanranald's were Glengarry's and Keppoch's regiments, including
the MacDonalds of Glencoe; Perth's men and the MacGregors;
and in rear, the Stewarts of Appin and Lochiel's Camerons.
By virtue of seniority the van, or right of the line, was
commanded by the Duke of Perth, and the rear, or left, by
Lord George Murray. Closely following the front-line troops
was the reserve under the Prince and Lord Nairne, consisting,
in order of march, of the two regiments forming the Atholl
Brigade, and the MacLachlans. Silence was essential, and for
this reason Lord Strathallan's troopers were ordered to remain
in rear until the infantry had passed the defile, and all
officers were required to fight on foot lest the movement
of their horses should betray the army's approach.
Guided by Anderson, and moving very slowly north-eastwards
down the ridge, the head of the leading column passed safely
through the narrow defile close to the farm of Riggonhead.
So far there had been no sound or movement on the part of
the enemy, but shortly before Anderson was about to lead the
way through the morass there was a shout of 'Who's there?'
from a party of patrolling dragoons. No answer was returned,
but the troopers' suspicions were aroused, and they galloped
off to raise the alarm. By this time dawn was beginning to
break, and a cold morning mist hung low over the marshland
as the shadowy column wound its way forward in almost complete
silence. Here, at its eastern end, the morass was bounded
on the north by nothing more formidable than a four-foot ditch,
and having crossed it by a narrow plank bridge the Highland
vanguard entered the plain about 1,000 yards to the east of
the royal army's left flank.
Continuing in a northerly direction towards Cockenzie, the
head of the column marched on until it was estimated that
the rear of the front-line troops had got clear of the marsh,
but in the half-light this was largely a matter ofguesswork,
and anxious to be on the safe side, Perth carried on for too
long a distance. In consequence, when he eventually halted
and turned left to form line, the rear, which had already
done so, became separated from his wing by a gap until just
before the Highland attack began. It may have been their failure
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