Bonnie Dundee first sent a small group of highlanders down the main road towards Killiecrankie as a feint, whilst the main Army left their camp in Old Blair around mid afternoon and circled behind the hill of Lude coming down Allt Chluain . (Ambush stream) with Creag Eallaich (rock of the charge) on their left. As the highlanders emerged around the side of the hill they saw McKay's army jump to their feet, they had been resting after passing through the pass of Killiecrankie. The battle took place in Raon Ruairidh (Rorie's sloping field) at about 2000h just after the sun had gone down behind the Tulach (green hill) beyond Blair Atholl. The two armies had faced each other for nearly two hours. Finally Bonnie Dundee gave the order to charge, the highlanders cast off their plaids and uttering the eerie high-pitched battle cry of the Celt leapt down the hill towards the enemy. The battle lasted approximately 15 minutes. Iain Dubh nan Cath (Dark John of the Battles or Bonnie Dundee) was killed shortly after giving the order to charge probably hit by a musket ball. The details of his death are confused but his body was later removed and buried in the Kirk at Old Blair. Estimates of the casualties vary, but it appears that between 500 and 700 men of the highland army were killed and about 200 wounded, with the chiefs and the clan officers suffering disproportionately highly because of the tradition of leading their men from the front. The government troops suffered heavy casualties with between 1300 and 1700 killed more than 500 were also taken prisoner. The graves of the dead lie just to the south of the A9 next to Urrard House and are marked with a small plinth and brass plate.
“No sword was in scabbard and no dirk was in sheath there. Was there not smashing of skulls and tearing of shoulders, giving their evening strokes to the red-cassocked folk.” Mac Alasdair Ruadh (Bard of the MacDonalds of Glencoe)
