This page brought to you by Clan Cameron Online

The Battle of the
Pass Near Tullich

1652

Cameron of Lochiel's Own Website

At long last, in the spring of 1652, the 22 year old "Colonel" Ewen Cameron, XVII Captain and Chief of Clan Cameron was able to join with the Earl of Glencairn's army.  Glencairn was holding out in the Eastern Highlands against Cromwell's occupying army, with approximately seven hundred Camerons (soon after "augmented" by fresh arrivals from Lochaber).  Encamped at Tullich, in Braemar, the Camerons were given the honor of acting as an outpost to Glencairn's army, being posted at a pass to prevent the Earl from being taken by surprise.  Positioning Cameron guards and sentries in suitable places, Ewen was informed the next morning that the English army was approaching.  He sent on advance word to Glencairn and held the pass for several hours.

Driving back the enemy offensive several times, regrouping and eventually causing Cromwellian General Lilburn to alter his tactics and attack Ewen from around the hill.  The Cameron men held firm.  Ewen was eventually given orders to retreat and to leave the pass open to the enemy, but by this time the Cromwellians were in no position to force any engagement or deploy their forces.  They fell back and returned to Inverness, "hounded" by Ewen and his men for several miles.  Having seen the Cromwellian army out of the district, the Camerons returned in triumph to Glencairn, where Ewen was declared "The Deliverer of the Highland Army."  He would receive written praise from King Charles II after this action, citing the young Cameron chief's courage in battle.  

Over the next two years the Cameron men, under the brave command of Ewen, would have the distinction of being assigned to the most distant posts, where they had the "pleasure" of being more frequently engaged against the enemy than the majority of the Highland army.  Ewen would have it no other way; he desired to measure swords with the enemy whenever the possibility presented itself.