Following work to finish off my shared article with Angus Konstam on the Marian Civil War and the Battle of Corrichie I had a chance to review my existing notes and maps for two other encounters between the representatives of the factions fighting to control the throne of Scotland and settling their own scores into the bargain.
At Tillyangus Black Arthur Forbes tried to stop a band of Gordon's from getting to Edinburgh by blocking their route south - it didn't go well for them.
At Craibstane, the Forbes family with professional troops tried to drive Adam Gordon from Aberdeen, which he was holding for the Queen. The fight took place at the edge of the town and once again it didn't go well for the Forbes family.
What makes these two battles interesting is that neither is a pitched battle. At the former the Forbes's tried to physically block the road and destroy the Gordon's against their position. At the latter Adam Gordon's men were of variable quality but many were defending their homes, fighting amongst the gardens and plots that made up the towns unfortified boundary. Tillyangus is fought hand to hand whilst Craibstane has lots of firearms and bows. The area around Clatt near which Tilllyangus was fought is still mostly open farmland, however Aberdeen has long since overrun the area over which the Gordon's and Forbes's fought at Craibstane - even the stone itself has been moved. It is possible to trace the line of the original road into town from the medieval Bridge of Dee.
So earlier this week I drew the maps for each game and had a chance to test one scenario which seemed to go ok.
As a wee taster, here are the maps for the two games.
