The Fall of Montrose at Carbisdale
Tain’s Role in a Turning Point of the Civil War
In the spring of 1650, the renowned James Graham, Marquis of Montrose—poet, general, and former Covenanter turned Royalist commander—found himself in a desperate situation. Once hailed for his string of improbable victories on behalf of Charles I, Montrose had become a hunted man. The political landscape of Scotland had shifted under his feet, with the King executed, the Covenanters dominant, and Charles II seeking favor with the Presbyterian Scots by distancing himself from Montrose’s Royalist cause.
Despite being denounced as a traitor by the very monarch he fought to restore, Montrose launched one final campaign, landing in Orkney with foreign troops and raising a modest army of Orcadians and Highland loyalists. His goal was to rally Royalist support in the Highlands and reignite civil war in Scotland on behalf of the monarchy.
His path took him south from Orkney, across Caithness and Sutherland, into Easter Ross. But as he camped near Carbisdale, Montrose’s hopes would meet their tragic end—with the nearby town of Tain playing a crucial supporting role in the downfall.
Tain: The Royalists’ Unexpected Adversary
Tain was more than just a northern town in 1650—it was a hub of Presbyterian loyalty and military organization. Word of Montrose’s march reached Edinburgh, and the Earl of Sutherland, a staunch Covenanter, acted swiftly. He gathered local forces and withdrew from Sutherland to the Ross side of the Dornoch Firth, making his way to Tain. There he linked up with Lieutenant-Colonel Strahan, an experienced commander, along with local chieftains like Ross of Balnagown and Munro of Lumlair.
Tain provided more than just a staging ground—it was a strategic, logistical, and ideological center. Its people were known for their commitment to the Presbyterian cause, having long resisted Royalist interference. The alignment of local militias under Strahan’s command was swift, as the town’s resources and manpower were channeled into preparing a decisive blow against Montrose’s forces.
In total, Strahan assembled five troops of cavalry, bolstered by 500 infantry—a respectable but modest force given the unpredictable terrain and enemy.
The Battle at Carbisdale
As Montrose encamped near Carbisdale, he awaited reinforcements from Highland Royalist clans. Meanwhile, Strahan and his allies from Tain and Easter Ross devised their approach. According to accounts, Strahan wished to avoid engaging in battle on a Sunday, but news arrived on Saturday, April 27th, that Montrose was in a vulnerable position, unaware of their presence.
Taking advantage of the natural cover in the landscape, Strahan maneuvered his forces under concealment. His troops hid in the broom and heather, presenting the illusion of a much larger army. Montrose’s scouts, deceived by this maneuver, assumed a large Covenanting force was on the verge of attack.
In panic, Montrose fled to the north-west, while his foreign mercenaries—German and Scandinavian troops—sought refuge in the surrounding woods. Local forces from Tain and the Ross area pursued and overwhelmed the disoriented enemy. The rout was catastrophic:
Over 400 Royalist troops were captured
An estimated 200 drowned trying to ford the Kyle of Sutherland
Dozens were killed in the field or later executed
The field itself bore witness to the carnage: for two miles, burial mounds would eventually mark the site of this one-sided battle. For decades, locals would uncover weapons, silver spoons, and bones when plowing the earth—a physical reminder of the day Montrose’s ambitions were shattered.
Montrose’s Capture and Aftermath
Montrose, disguised and on foot, wandered the rugged Highland terrain in Sutherland. After several days of evasion, he was betrayed by Neil MacLeod of Assynt, captured, and delivered first to Skibo Castle, then Brahan, and finally to Edinburgh.
His execution in May 1650 was designed to humiliate. Dragged through the streets in a cart, dressed in sackcloth, he was hanged and his limbs dismembered, sent to different cities as a warning to Royalists.
Though history often romanticizes Montrose as a noble warrior or tragic figure, his fall at Carbisdale was the result of miscalculation, poor intelligence, and the determined opposition of ordinary Scots—especially those from Easter Ross.
Tain’s militia, civic leadership, and clergy played a subtle but vital role. Their Presbyterian loyalty, organized resistance, and support for Covenanter leadership made them an indispensable part of the victory. This was not just a military defeat for Montrose—it was a moral and ideological loss, signaling that the Highlands were not his to claim without consequence.
Legacy in Local and National Memory
The Battle of Carbisdale holds a special place in the history of Tain—not as a site of combat, but as a town that mobilized swiftly and effectively to halt a national threat. In a time when Scotland’s future was uncertain, and when foreign armies and shifting allegiances made every decision critical, the people of Tain chose order over chaos, conscience over loyalty to a fallen king.
Even today, local historians and descendants take pride in the role their ancestors played. The cairns, fields, and burial mounds near the Kyle of Sutherland still whisper stories of April 1650. Schoolchildren hear of how their town stood firm in the face of a storied general. And visitors to Tain can still walk the streets once traversed by those who helped stop one of the last Royalist threats before the Cromwellian conquest.
The fall of Montrose at Carbisdale wasn’t just the end of a campaign. It was the moment a small, principled town helped change the course of Scottish—and British—history.
Adapted From: Taylor, W. (1882). Researches into the History of Tain: Earlier and Later. A. Ross.
