Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 35.djvu/132

Mackay than five thousand men. On the other hand, Mackay, in the measures he took to minimise or retrieve disaster, displayed admirable promptitude. Within two days of reaching Stirling he was in command of two thousand foot and horse, and with these he at once marched towards Perth, to protect it against the enemy, and prevent their march southwards. Near the city he routed three hundred of the Robertsons sent forward to collect supplies (31 July 1689). His bold attitude paralysed Cannon's resolution, who, against the advice of Lochiel and other chiefs, withdrew northwards along the slopes of the Grampians, with the apparent intention of occupying Aberdeen. In this he was frustrated by Mackay, who, keeping a parallel course along the low ground, stayed a night at Aberdeen, and then followed Cannon into the territory of the Gordons. Near Strathbogie the two armies were within six miles of each other, but Cannon avoided battle by retreating towards Atholl, where, learning that Dunkeld was occupied by a single regi- ment of Cameronians, under Cleland [see {sc|Cleland, William}}, 1661 ?-1689], he determined to risk an attempt to capture it. The remarkable feat of the Cameronians in baffling the attempt practically decided the campaign. Cannon's aimless wanderings had already excited the contempt of his highland followers, who now retired to their homes and left him to his fate. With his Irish troops Cannon withdrew to Mull. Mackay, after reaching Perth, proceeded to Blair Castle, to receive its surrender and the submission of the Stewarts (24 Aug.)

In 1690 Mackay commenced the erection of the stronghold at Inverlochy, which, in honour of the king, was named Fort William, and after suppressing a rising in the north under Major-general Buchan [see ], who had been sent from Ireland to succeed Cannon, he, in November 1690, laid down his command, and, accompanying the king to the Hague, spent the winter with his family in Holland. He assisted the king in arranging the measures for the campaign of 1691 in Flanders, but was himself sent to Ireland as second in command to General Ginkel [q. v.] He headed the fifteen hundred grenadiers who on 30 June 1691 achieved the brilliant feat of carrying Irishtown by assault, after crossing the deep and rapid ford of the Shannon. At the battle of Aughrim, on 12 July, he performed an equally remarkable exploit by leading the cavalry across an almost impassable bog, on which he succeeded in making a pathway of hurdles. He turned the flank of the Irish army, and was thus chiefly instrumental in winning the victory. After the capitulation of Limerick on 3 Oct. he returned to Holland. In 1692 he was sent, with the rank of lieutenant-general, to command the British division of the grand army in Flanders. At the battle of Steinkirk, 24 July 1692, he led the attack, and after a desperate struggle drove back the Swiss with great slaughter. To avert disaster the French household troops were sent to their support. Mackay, discerning his imminent danger, asked for immediate reinforcements, without which, he affirmed, he could not hold his position. He was commanded to hold it, but reinforcements were denied him. 'The will of the Lord be done,' he exclaimed, on receiving the fatal message. He was slain, along with the greater part of his division.

His defeat at Killiecrankie has possibly unduly tarnished Mackay's reputation ; but during his highland campaign, when he held independent command, he on no occasion appeared to very much advantage. The victory at Dunkeld was gained by Cleland, and the victory of Cromdale by Livingstone. There is no evidence that he could have coped on anything like equal terms with Dundee, who, had he survived Killiecrankie, would probably have soon had all Scotland at his mercy. Yet Mackay continued to enjoy the full confidence and respect of King William, and his subsequent achievements also show that if lack of initiative unfitted him for supreme command, he had few or no superiors as a general of division. His conscientiousness, single-mindedness, and unfailing self-possession atoned to some extent for his lack of military genius. ' The king/ says Burnet, 'often observed that when he had full leisure for his devotions he acted with a peculiar exaltation of courage. He had one very singular quality : in councils of war he delivered his opinion freely, and maintained it with due zeal, but how positive soever he was in it, if the council of war overruled, even though he was not convinced by it, yet to all others he justified it, and executed his part with the same zeal as if his own opinion had prevailed ' (Own Time, 1838 ed. p. 582).

Mackay had an only son, Hugh, major of his father's regiment, who was killed at Cambray in 1708, and three daughters, of whom Margaret was married to George, third lord Reay. The descendants in the male line became extinct in 1775. A portrait of Mackay from a painting in possession of Lord Reay is prefixed to his ' Memoirs ' and to his ' Life.' Mackay was the author of ' Rules of War for the Infantry, ordered to be observed by their Majesties, Subjects encountring with