Battle of Cromdale The Battle of Cromdale took place at the Haugh of Cromdale near Cromdale in Speyside on April 30 and May 1 , 1690 . The battlefield has been inventoried and protected by Historic Scotland under the Scottish Historical Environment Policy of 2009 . Background . After their defeat at the Battle of Dunkeld in 1689 , the Highland clans had returned to their homes in low spirits . Sir Ewen Cameron assumed control over the army ' s remnant . Sir Ewen and the other Jacobite chiefs complained to King James over the precarious state of his support in Scotland , and the necessity of sending them aid . Unfortunately , James was occupied with preparations for resisting a threatened invasion of Ireland . To aid his supporters in Scotland , James sent clothing , arms , ammunition and provisions . He also directed a few Irish officers to Lochaber , among whom was Major - General Thomas Buchan , as commander - in - chief of the Jacobite forces in Scotland . On Buchan ’ s arrival , a meeting of the chiefs and principal officers was held at Keppoch to formulate a plan of action . While some of the clans proposed to submit to the government , this proposition was resisted by Sir Ewen . The meeting unanimously resolved to continue the war , but not until the labours of the spring season were complete in the Highlands . The large scaled muster of the clans was postponed . In the mean time a detachment of 1 , 200 infantrymen was to be placed at Buchan ' s disposal , to weaken the enemy ’ s quarters along the borders of the Lowlands . General Buchan advanced his men through Badenoch , intending to march down Speyside into the Duke of Gordon s country , where he expected to muster additional forces . Due to desertion , Buchan ’ s force had dwindled to 800 men . Ignoring counsel from his Scottish officers , to not advance past Culnakill , Buchan marched down the Spey as far as Cromdale , where he encamped on the last day of April . Battle . He was met near Grantown - on - Spey at Cromdale by a larger government force under Sir Thomas Livingston , commander of the garrison of Inverness . As Livingston approached with his men , on the opposite bank of the Spey , the Jacobite forces started to retreat . Livingston ' s cavalry crossed the river and intercepted the Jacobites , who made a brief stand at the foot of the hill of Cromdale . Fortunately for the outnumbered Jacobites , a thick fog came down the side of the mountain and enveloped them , compelling Livingston to discontinue the pursuit . According to reports , the Highlanders had 400 men killed and taken prisoners . Livingston ' s losses were reported as between none and 100 killed . A group of around 100 men , who had separated from the main Jacobite force , crossed the Spey the following day . After being pursued by some of Livingston ’ s men , they were overtaken and dispersed on the moor of Granish near Aviemore , where some of them were killed . They attempted to seize the castle of Lochinclan , but their attack was repelled by the proprietor and his tenants . Aftermath . The defeat at Cromdale effectively ended the rebellion in Scotland . Nevertheless , Jacobite propagandists declared the action a victory for the royalist forces , and composed a popular song , " The Haughs of Cromdale " , to promote that viewpoint . It is listed in James Hogg ' s " Jacobite Reliques " as song number 2 . The last verse reads : Strangely , the hero of the song , James Graham , 1st Marquess of Montrose , died forty years before the battle took place . The tune has remained popular , and is still played by pipe band s .