9th May 1645 saw the Battle of Auldearn.Since late 1642, England had been embroiled in a civil war b

9th May 1645 saw the Battle of Auldearn.Since late 1642, England had been embroiled in a civil war between King Charles and Parliament. At this time Scotland was controlled by Covenanters but did not immediately join the war despite previous conflicts against the King. However in August 1643, after a sustained diplomatic mission the Solemn League and Covenant was signed between Scotland and the English Parliamentarians, Scotland would enter the war against King Charles I.Scottish forces invaded England in January 1644 under the command of Alexander Leslie, Earl of Leven and played a key role at The Battle of Marston Moor, and then at Naseby, however back in Scotland Charles I had appointed James Graham, Marquis of Montrose as Captain General, who had earlier fought with Covenanters against the King during the Bishops War, he had opposed the subsequent power of the Presbyterian leadership under Archibald Campbell, Marquis of Argyll. Montrose effectively mobilised the Highland forces, many of whom were opposed to Campbell, and achieved a number of rapid successes.His latest assault on Dundee however was not so successful, and so Montrose retreated northwards, closely pursued by a Covenanter detachment commanded by Sir John Hurry.The Covenanters, reinforced by troops withdrawn from England because of the threat from Montrose, gathered at Inverness before marching overnight in an attempt to surprise Montrose Having joined forces with local militia loyal to the Covenanter cause, Hurry led an attack close to the village of Auldearn, early in the morning of the 9th May.The intense fighting that followed continued for much of the day, with attack and counter attack until the Covenanter army finally broke and fled. Greatly outnumbered and against the odds, the Earl of Montrose had secured yet another victory. -- source link

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