Battle of Allt Camhna facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Allt Camhna
Part of the Scottish clan wars
Allt Camhna
Date 1586 Location Allt Camhna, Scottish Highlands, Scotland Result Mackay/Gunn victory
Belligerents
Clan Mackay Clan Gunn	Clan Sinclair
Commanders and leaders
William Mackay	Henry Sinclair (KIA)
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	140 (seven score)

The Battle of Allt Camhna was a fight between Scottish clans in 1586. It involved the Clan Gunn and Clan Mackay fighting against the Clan Sinclair. This battle was part of a bigger series of conflicts between these powerful families in the Scottish Highlands.

Why the Battle Happened

In 1585, some important clan leaders met in Elgin, Scotland. These leaders included George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly, Alexander Gordon, the 12th Earl of Sutherland, George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness, and Huistean Du Mackay, 13th of Strathnaver (also known as Hugh Mackay).

The main goal of this meeting was to fix problems between the Earl of Sutherland, the Earl of Caithness, and Hugh Mackay. There had been some trouble caused by the Clan Gunn and Hugh Mackay in a place called Assynt.

At the meeting, it was decided that the Clan Gunn should be "made away" with. This meant they wanted to get rid of the Gunns because they were seen as the main cause of the problems. However, both Hugh Mackay and the Earl of Caithness didn't want to attack their old friends, the Clan Gunn. So, they left the meeting without agreeing to the plan.

Because of this, in 1586, George Gordon, the Marquess of Huntly, traveled north to Sutherland. He asked Hugh Mackay and the Earl of Caithness to meet him at Dunrobin Castle. At this second meeting, the Earl of Caithness finally agreed with the Gordons to attack the Gunns. But Hugh Mackay still refused to join the plan to destroy the Gunns.

The Battle Begins

After the meetings, the Earl of Caithness sent his men, led by Henry Sinclair, to attack the Clan Gunn. Henry Sinclair was the uncle of two brothers, Hugh Mackay and William Mackay.

The Gunns found out about the attack and quickly gathered their fighters. They were joined by a strong group of men from the Mackay clan, led by William Mackay. When William Mackay arrived, he suggested they attack the men of Sutherland instead. However, the Gunns decided they wanted to fight the Sinclairs of Caithness.

There's another story about how the Mackays and Gunns met. It says that William Mackay (Hugh's younger brother) had just raided the MacLeods and taken many cattle. On his way home, he ran into the Earl of Sutherland's men, who were looking for the Gunns. A fight broke out over the cattle. William Mackay's men fought hard to protect their cattle.

The next morning, William Mackay's group accidentally met the Gunns, who were retreating from the Sinclairs. Together, the Mackays and Gunns decided to fight the Sinclairs.

The Fight and Victory

The combined forces of the Mackays and Gunns attacked the Sinclairs. They fought bravely and defeated the Sinclairs. Their leader, Henry Sinclair, who was a cousin of the Earl of Caithness, was killed in the battle.

A historian named Sir Robert Gordon, 1st Baronet, who lived around the time of the battle, wrote about it. He was the son of the Earl of Sutherland. He agreed that the Mackays and Gunns won and that Henry Sinclair was killed.

What Happened Next

Soon after the Battle of Allt Camhna, the Clan Gunn faced another defeat. They were beaten at the Battle of Leckmelm in Ross-shire. In that battle, they fought against the Clan MacLeod of Assynt, the Clan Sutherland, and a branch of the Clan Mackay called the Mackay of Aberach.