Battle of Coille Bhan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Coille Bhan
Part of the aftermath of the Jacobite rising of 1719
Attadale Forest
Date 1721 Location Attadale, Scotland, Great Britain Result Tactical Government victory Strategic Jacobite victory
Belligerents
Great Britain	Jacobites
Commanders and leaders
Captain McNeil	Donald Murchison
Strength
Unknown	160 men
Casualties and losses
Unknown	1 killed

The Battle of Coille Bhan (which means White Wood in Scottish Gaelic) was a small fight that happened in 1721. It took place near Attadale in the Scottish Highlands. This battle was part of the events that followed the Jacobite rising of 1719. It was fought between soldiers from the British government and Highlanders from the Clan Mackenzie.

Why the Battle Happened

Trouble Over Land and Taxes

The Battle of Coille Bhan happened after another fight called the Battle of Glen Affric in 1721. In that battle, government forces tried but failed to take control of the lands belonging to the Mackenzie of Seaforth family.

The Mackenzie family leader was living in France. He had been involved in an earlier uprising in 1715. Because of this, the taxes from his lands were being sent to him in France. They were not going to the British King.

The British government wanted to stop this. They decided to try again to take over the Mackenzie lands.

Government Soldiers Prepare

This time, 160 soldiers from Colonel Kirk's regiment were sent. They left Inverness and were led by Captain McNeil. He had served in a group called the Highland Watch.

Captain McNeil chose a longer, easier path. This was different from the previous group who had been ambushed. His route went from Inverness to Dingwall, then through Strath-garve, and finally to Loch Carron.

Mackenzie's Plan

The Mackenzie forces were led by Colonel Donald Murchison. He had also been in charge during the fight at Glen Affric.

Donald Murchison marched his main group to the top of Mam Attadale. Meanwhile, a relative named Kenneth Murchison went ahead. He had 13 men with him, all carrying muskets. Their job was to set up an ambush at Coille Bhan, or White Wood.

The Fight at Coille Bhan

Captain McNeil and 18 of his government soldiers moved forward. They approached Kenneth Murchison's hidden position. The Mackenzie men opened fire. Several government soldiers were hurt, and one was killed.

But Captain McNeil kept pushing forward. His soldiers attacked the Mackenzie men. Eventually, Kenneth Murchison's men could not fight any longer. They had to retreat.

However, Captain McNeil soon learned about the larger Mackenzie group. They were waiting at Attadale with Donald Murchison. Because of this, Captain McNeil and his men decided to return to Inverness.

What Happened Next

After this battle, the government did not try again to take the Mackenzie of Seaforth lands.

In 1725, a general named George Wade wrote a report to the King. He said that the Mackenzie tenants, who used to be rich, were now poor. They had focused on fighting instead of their work.

General Wade also mentioned that Donald Murchison was still collecting the rents. He sent the money to the Mackenzie leader in France. The tenants were even a year and a half behind on their rent.

William Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Seaforth did not come back to Scotland from France until 1726.