One officer of the Covenanters alone, trained in the Italian wars, made a desperate defence upon the right wing.

In every other point their line was penetrated at the first onset; and this advantage once obtained, the Lowlanders were utterly unable to contend at close quarters with their more agile and athletic enemies.
Many were slain on the held, and such a number in the pursuit, that above one-third of the Covenanters were reported to have fallen; in which number, however, must be computed a great many fat burgesses who broke their wind in the flight, and thus died without stroke of sword.
[We choose to quote our authority for a fact so singular:--"A great many burgesses were killed--twenty-five householders in St.Andrews--many were bursten in the flight, and died without stroke."-- See Baillie's Letters, vol.ii.page 92.] The victors obtained possession of Perth, and obtained considerable sums of money, as well as ample supplies of arms and ammunition.

But those advantages were to be balanced against an almost insurmountable inconvenience that uniformly attended a Highland army.

The clans could be in no respect induced to consider themselves as regular soldiers, or to act as such.

Even so late as the year 1745-6, when the Chevalier Charles Edward, by way of making an example, caused a soldier to be shot for desertion, the Highlanders, who composed his army, were affected as much by indignation as by fear.