RP No 125 Battle of Killiecrankie - Cannon's Irish

After the Siege of Derry, Colonel Nicholas Purcell and his unit were sent by King James to join the Highland forces of the "Bonnie Dundee". The London Gazette reported 300 Irish troops and 60 horses were landed in Argyllshire, having been transported there by three French men-of-war and several other vessels from Carrickfergus. Colonel Purcell  had brought with him 35 barrels (5.6 m3) of powder, ball, match and flint, and was under the command of Major-General Alexander Cannon.

On the morning of 17 May 1689, 400 men of Colonel Purcell's regiment landed in small boats at Lochaber and escaped capture by Sir George Rooke by hiding in the mountains of Mull. On 12 July 1689 they landed at Duart in the Isle of Mull. During their short passage the French frigates had captured the Scottish privateer Pelican and her consort after a sharp encounter. Purcell's Dragoon's joined Dundee's Highlanders about 16 July, as the clans were gathering to meet the Williamite forces under Lieutenant-General Hugh Mackay. On 27 July the opposing forces met at Killiecrankie.

On his extreme right flank of the battle line, facing Balfour's Regiment, Dundee placed Clan Maclean, under Sir John Maclean of Duart, and Purcell's Dragoon Regiment, on foot.

Dundee held his fire until a half hour before sunset, at which time the Highlanders charged down from the heights of Killiecrankie, and finally at muzzle-point, drawing their claymores and stampeding the Williamite troops. Purcell's Dragoon Regiment participated in the charge with gallantry.

Unfortunately for the Jacobite cause the "Bonnie Dundee" was mortally wounded in the battle, Col Alexander Cannon took over the command of the Jacobite army. He was in command of the losing side at the Battle of Dunkeld. Purcell's Dragoon Regiment returned to Ireland and joined the squadron which had stayed behind and served with Major-General Buchan before Enniskillen on 30 July.

As they were previously a Dragoon regt, and I had figures left over I used dis-mounted Dragoons for the mainstay of this unit. I'm not usually keen on figures firing apart form in skirmish games,. but I think these look the part and are certainly distinctive to their Scots allies. There is no record as to what Purcell's Dragoons wore, so again to add a little colour I chose red for their coats, but it could well have been white or grey, who knows?? And the flag is pure conjecture also, I did consider using a Dragoon guidon for their banner, but chose this one which is a take on Lord Bellows brown and black stripped banner.

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