queries to Cromwell, to which the latter replied. Strachan did not sign the Western Remonstrance drawn up at Dumfries on 17 October against fighting for Charles II unless he abandoned the malignants. Instead he took the more extreme position that if the Scots rejected Charles as King of the Scots, then English army would have no reasons to remain in Scotland and so that was the better strategy for the Scottish nation to follow. He was dismissed from his command but at first refused to leave. When he did he remained close to his regiment. On 1 December troops from the Scottish Western Association army under Ker assaulted John Lambert's English forces in Hamilton but were beaten. The day after the battle those troopers who had not been killed or captured rallied to Strachan. He persuaded those who would not follow him (between 200–300) to disband, while he and another officer led thirty men to join Cromwell. He is said to have helped to bring about the surrender of Edinburgh Castle. He was excommunicated at Perth on 12 January 1651; in April he was declared a traitor and his goods were forfeited. Robert Wodrow says (on the authority of his wife's uncle, who had married Strachan's sister) that he took the excommunication so much to heart that "he sickened and died within a while". He adds that Cromwell offered Strachan the command of the forces to be left in Scotland, but he declined it. Notes References Attribution Endnotes: S.R. Gardiner, Commonwealth and Protectorate, vol. i. Alexander D. Murdoch and H.F Morland Simpson (eds) Wishart's Memoirs of MontroseSir James Balfour [ Historical Works], vol. iv. Robert Baillie Letters, ii. 349, etc. Thomas Carlyle Cromwell Letters, etc. John Nicholl A diary of public transactions and other occurrences: chiefly in ScotlandWilliam Row Life of Robert Blair'' External links short biography Scottish soldiers 1652 deaths Year of birth unknown