Roman camp. Return and dine-at Cemerie. Near this place, on a plain ^fl
fome extent, is the famous camp which Mr. Gordon contends to I
have been occupied by Agricola, immediately before the battle oil
Mons Grampius ; and to which, in order to fupport his argument,!
be gives the name of Galgachan, as If derived from Galgacus, leader!
of the Caledonians, at that fatal engagement. This camp lies be. I
tween the river of Earn and the little ftream called the Rucbel: and!
on a plain too contrafted for fuch a number of combatants, as f t !
citus fays there was, to form and to aft in, or for their charioteers oil
cavalry to fcour the field. There are indeed fmall hills at the foot of |
the greater, where the Britijh forces might have ranged themfdva |
before the battle; but the diftance from thefea is an infuperablear-|
gument againft this being the fpot, as we are exprefly informed I
that Agricola fent his fleet before, in order to diftraft and divide the I
attention of the enemy, and that he himfelf marched with his!
army till he arrived at the Grampian mountain, where he found!
Galgacus encamped. From the whole account given by To,cilia, I
it ihould be fuppofed, that aftion was fought in an open country,!
at the foot of certain hills, not in a little plain amidft defiles, as I
the vallies about Comerie confiil of. A conjefture may be made!
hereafter concerning the fpot where the Grampian viftory was oh-1
tained. The battle which was fought here, might have been that !
occafioned by the attack o f the Caledonians on the ninth legion.!
Claflical authority informs us, that, in the general infurreftion of I
that gallant people in the fixth year of Agricola’s command, h i
divided his army into three parts; one might be at Ardoch; the!
other at Stragetb; the third or the ninth legion might be fent toll
pulh up the defiles of Comerie, in order to prevent the enemy from
fu r r o u n d in g