Following James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose's victory at the Battle of Inverlochy in February 1645, George Mackenzie, 2nd Marquess of Seaforth briefly supported the Royalist cause in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Seaforth, however, later switched sides and joined the forces of the Covenanters. Following Seaforth were his own clansmen, the Mackenzies, as well as the Macraes, MacLennans and the Macaulays of Lewis. In May 1645, the Covenanter forces vastly outnumbered Montrose and the Royalists at the Battle of Auldearn, yet suffered a crushing defeat and heavy casualties (almost half their entire force). According to Lewis tradition, the eldest son of Donald Cam, Angus ("Aonghas Beag"; "Fear Bhrèinis", "the tacksman of Brenish"), did not, at first, intend to join the Lewis contingent. However, tradition states that his scornful wife shamed him into joining the Lewismen and that he fell in battle with them. Of the 300 Lewismen who set off for battle only 3 returned; of these 300, 60 were from Uig which was the heartland of the Macaulays. The lone Uig survivor was John Macaulay ("Iain Ruadh"), tacksman of Kneep, and another son of Donald Cam. According to tradition, in his escape from the rout, John wounded a chasing enemy; years later, a blind beggar came to John's house and when asked how he lost his sight, the beggar replied that he lost it at the battle while chasing down a fleeing enemy. Donald Cam's youngest son, William was one of the killed. William was tacksman of Islivig; tradition states that he was ambidextrous, and could fight with a sword in each hand. He was cornered against a wall and fought off his attackers until another climbed into a loft above him and slew him.