or wisdom. The battle of Bothwell Bridge
was lost that moment. The battle was lost before a shot was fired.
Hamilton surrendered before he met Monmouth. He had displaced the truth
for the sake of harmony. His flag is already furled, there will be no
fighting now except by the heroes of the van-guard. The Divine favor
that gives victories has been withdrawn. The martial spirit has fled
from the leader and his men are weak as women.

On Sabbath morning, June 22, 1679, the king's army, 15,000 strong, was
massed on the north bank of the Clyde; on the south side, the
Covenanters numbering 5,000 confronted them. The narrow bridge lay
between them. Hackston, Paton, and Balfour, with 300 Covenanters stood
at its south end. The rest of the army was behind them on the moor with
gunshot, standing in eleven solid squares; six banners waved proudly
over them. They had one cannon, two detachments of cavalry, and a body
of skirmishers.

Monmouth orders his troops across the bridge. A solid column pushes
forward broad as the bridge is wide; step follows step in that dread
procession, when lo, a spreading puff of smoke rises on the bank in
front, and a cannon ball is hurled among them, while muskets pour forth
volleys of death. The bridge is strewn with bleeding men and the broken
ranks fall back. The Duke orders another charge. A second column moves
hurriedly over the gory path of their fallen comrades to meet the same
fate. Again and again, the attack and the repulse. They attempt to ford
the river, but Balfour with his sharpshooters hurls them back, while
many a brave man lies down in the cool stream to rise no more. The
bridge drips with blood; the Clyde is crimsoned. After three hours the
Covenanters' ammunition fails, and Monmouth rushes the bridge. The
Covenanters meet them with swords, but are overpowered; they fall back
upon the main body and find it unfit for action.

[Illustration: THE BATTLE OF BOTHWELL BRIDGE.

The Battle of Bothwell Bridge was fought on Sabbath, June 22, 1679 The
king's forces numbering 15,000, under the Duke of Monmouth, assailed
5,000 Covenanters under Robert Hamilton. For three hours Captain
Hackston, with 300 Covenanters, held the bridge. At length their
ammunition was exhausted, and the royal army forced their way across.
The Covenanters took flight and were savagely slaughtered in the
stampede 400 were slain, 1,200 captured, and the rest scattered. A
granite monument has been erected at the bridg