Soon afterwards Archie received a message that Wallace had returned.

He at once took with him fifty men, and leaving the castle in charge of Sandy Graham, with the rest of his vassals, two hundred and fifty in number, he rejoined his former leader.

Many others gathered round Wallace's standard; and throughout Edward's march to the north and his return to the Forth Wallace hung upon his flanks, cutting off and slaying great numbers of the marauders, and striking blows at detached bands wherever these were in numbers not too formidable to be coped with.
Stirling was now the only great castle which remained in the hands of the Scotch, and King Edward prepared to lay siege to this.

Save for the band of Wallace there was no longer any open resistance in the field.

A few holds like those of Archie Forbes still remained in the hands of their owners, their insignificance, or the time which would be wasted in subduing them, having protected them from siege.