in 1644 , following the signing Sign_agreement of a treaty UNK the solemn league and covenant Commitment UNK with the english parliament , the bulk of the covenanters ' armed forces were sent Sending south to fight Hostile_encounter on the parliamentarian side in the english civil war .

The troops were interrupted Hindering by four covenanters and then supported Supporting by the local populace , who disarmed Removing the soldiers .

although the numbers of casualties Death were relatively small ( 1,300 royalists and 1,200 parliamentarians ) , historians who have studied Education_teaching the battle Hostile_encounter consider Statement it to be one of the most crucial of the first english civil war , marking Recording the high point of the royalist advance Cause_to_make_progress and leading to Causation the signing Sign_agreement of the solemn league and covenant Commitment , which brought Bringing the scottish covenanters into the war on the side of parliament and led to Causation the eventual victory of the parliamentarian cause Causation .