[1] Strachan took a more extreme position than those who supported the Western Remonstrance drawn up at Dumfries on 17 October against fighting for Charles II unless he abandoned those excluded from public office and the army by the Act of Classes (1649).
[7] As the castle of Edinburgh was still in the hands of the Covenanters, Cromwell could only spare a force of about seven thousand horse, which he accordingly sent west about the end of November, under the command of John Lambert, to watch Ker's motions.
[8] Before Montgomery arrived, Ker, decided to attack the John Lambert's English Parliamentary force at Hamilton.
Lambert's force was considerably superior in strength to Ker's, and were upon the alert, and when the Scots charged their quarters on the 1 December, at four o'clock in the morning.
[1][10][11] With the defeat and Hamilton and the loss of their two most prominent commanders the Western Association ceased to exist as an effective fighting force.