"Kilsyth- What was Baillie's Plan?" Topic

I'm about to put a Kilsyth game and so have been thinking about the battle.

From what I've read poor General Baillie, tormented by the Covenant Committee, had intended to link up with a second Covenant force and defeat Montrose. As it happened the second force failed to appear. Baillie who had drawn up in a strong position where he could neither attack or be attacked was close to Montrose's army. He had the larger army and half of it was made up of experiened troops. It seems he was content to stay there until Montrose moved off or more Covenanters turned up.

The Committee though ordered him to engage and so off he marched taking care to screen his force with detached musketeers. I imagine he intended to take the higher ground and then wait inviting Montrose to attack.

As it happened no one paid any heed to their orders and the army was lost.

Once he was ordered to engage what do people think might have been General Baillie's plan?

IIRC, based on my readings of the work of Rogers, and others, and the novel of Nigel Tranter (I know, it's historical fiction), General Baillie decided, or was 'persuaded' by his Covenant Committee tormentors, to march along the high ridge from one end of the valley to the other where the assent/decent was easier, to prevent Montrose escaping. While his army was strung out along the ridge line Montrose attacked up the steep hillside which was totally unexpected and routed the Covenant army.

Gaming Kilsyth, I guess it would be little of a cavalry affair but more highlander against lowland infantry – veteran or otherwise.

Interested to know how you get on.

D'Ewell

According to Reid and in fairness the sources Baillie took care to screen his march with a strong force detached musketeers. His cavalry were at the head of the column.

Once the ground was occupied the infantry were supposed to turn to face. I think then the veteran regiments were to move forward leaving the levies in support as a second line. Once that was accomplished the battle line was formed with cavalry on the flank. At this point the detached musketeers presumably were intended to rejoin their units and the deployment was then complete.

I think he would have wanted to remain on the higher ground. So perhaps a defensive plan relying on firepower and steady pike with the cavalry sweeping any halted enemy.

Instead his detached musketeers got into a fire fight, against his orders, they were reinforced by the veteran regiments, Worse according to Baillie they became seperated from their pike. They blazed away at longe range and then the cavalry charged without orders.

The levies seem to have done what they were told.

At that point it really went wrong for them.

I'm thinking of trying a new set of rules for this battle and doing a photo report once I have finished all the figure basing.