Confederate Ireland
Aided by 2,000 men sent by Confederate Ireland, Montrose won surprise victories at Tippermuir and Aberdeen in September 1644. His troops plundered large parts of the west Highlands that winter, before routing and destroying the forces of key government supporter the Marquess of Argyll at Inverlochy on 2 February. Finally, Montrose defeated a larger government army under Sir John Urry at Auldearn on 9 May.