A Royalist victory in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms in which Montrose routed a Covenanter force near Aberdeen in September 1644.
Key Facts
- Date
- 13 September 1644
- Also known as
- Battle of Justice Mills; Crabstane Rout
- Conflict
- Wars of the Three Kingdoms
- Royalist commander
- James Graham, Lord Montrose
- Covenanter commander
- Robert Balfour, 2nd Lord Balfour of Burleigh
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, Royalist forces under James Graham, Lord Montrose were campaigning in Scotland against the Covenanter-dominated Parliament of Scotland. The Covenanters raised a local army under Robert Balfour, 2nd Lord Balfour of Burleigh to oppose Montrose's advance toward Aberdeen.
On 13 September 1644, Royalist forces under Montrose engaged the Covenanter army outside the city of Aberdeen, near the area known as Justice Mills. Montrose's troops routed the opposing Covenanter force in a decisive engagement, giving the Royalists clear superiority on the field.
The Covenanter army was routed, leaving Aberdeen exposed to the Royalist forces. The battle, sometimes called the Crabstane Rout, reinforced Montrose's campaign momentum in Scotland during the wider Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The battlefield was later assessed under Scotland's Historical Environment Policy of 2009 but did not qualify for formal inventory and protection.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
James Graham, Lord Montrose.
Side B
1 belligerent
Robert Balfour, 2nd Lord Balfour of Burleigh.