In September 1667, a marauding party of MacDonalds had invaded Glen Esk and stolen cattle from Lindsay of Edzell, whose daughter Mackintosh had recently married.

Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch died in 1682 and was succeeded by his son, Coll of the Cowes, who sent his own account in petition to the Privy Council of Scotland to settle the dispute by a "legal decision or amicable determination".

[7] For a few years both sides remained quiet, but in 1688 matters came to a crisis with the Privy Council having renewed to Mackintosh the commission he had originally received in 1681.

[11] Mackintosh-Shaw states that as the daylight had appeared, Mackintosh discovered that the MacDonalds had drawn up on a ridge above them which gave them a decided advantage over his own force down below.

Mackintosh immediately resolved on attacking them and his army had nearly surmounted the height of Mulroy when the battle began, which was maintained with obstinacy on both sides.

[13] Cameron of Lochiel was held responsible by the Privy Council for the conduct of his vassals and was accused as the principal author of the bloodshed.

However, with the help of George Mackenzie, Viscount Tarbat who was a relative of Lochiel's and also a member of the Privy Council,[10] he managed to escape back to his friends in Lochaber.

[14] According to the Clan Donald account, in the aftermath of the battle of Mulroy, Mackintosh did not want to risk a repetition of his defeat which gave MacDonald of Keppoch an opportunity: in April 1689, MacDonald at the head of just under one thousand men, marched through Mackintosh's lands causing severe loss of property and halted on the outskirts of Inverness.

[15] The famous pipe tune MacDonald took the Brae on them highlighted the advantage the Highlanders had by initiating the attack from the high ground.