Battle of Glen Affric facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Glen Affric |
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| Part of the Jacobite rising of 1719 | |||||||
 Loch Affric in Glen Affric |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Clan Mackenzie Clan Macrae |
Clan Ross | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Colonel Donald Murchison | William Ross, 6th of Easter Fearn | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 350 men or 300 men |
80 men or "a small company" |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
The Battle of Glen Affric (Scottish Gaelic: Blàr Ghleann Afraig) was a small but important fight. It happened in 1721 in a beautiful place called Glen Affric in the Scottish Highlands. This battle was part of a bigger conflict known as the Jacobite rising of 1719. In this fight, the Clan Ross, who supported the government, battled against the Clan Mackenzie and their friends, the Clan Macrae. The Mackenzie and Macrae clans were fighting for the Jacobite cause.
Contents
Why the Battle Happened
The Battle of Glen Affric was part of a series of fights known as the Jacobite rising of 1719. These risings were attempts to bring back the House of Stuart to the throne of Great Britain. The House of Hanover was the ruling family at the time.
Clan Ross and the Government
During an earlier uprising in 1715, the leaders of the Highland Clan Ross had supported the British government. This uprising was defeated in 1715. Another rising happened in 1719, which also failed. In that battle, troops from Clan Ross helped the government. They fought against clans like the Jacobite Clan Mackenzie.
Mackenzie's Exile and Rents
William Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Seaforth, was the chief of Clan Mackenzie. He had been forced to leave Scotland and live in France because of his part in the 1715 uprising. He briefly returned for the 1719 uprising. After that, he went back to France.
In 1720, two men from Clan Ross were given an important job. William Ross of Easter Fearn and his brother Robert Ross became "factors." A factor was someone who collected money, like rent, for a landowner. They were supposed to collect rents from the lands of Mackenzie of Seaforth and other clans.
The Rosses' Journey
In 1721, the Ross brothers set out to collect these rents. They started from Inverness with thirty armed men. Along the way, they picked up fifty more armed men from Bernera Barracks.
However, Colonel Donald Murchison was Mackenzie of Seaforth's own factor. He was already collecting rents and sending them to his chief in France. Murchison was part of the Murchison family, who were closely linked to Clan Mackenzie.
The Fight in Glen Affric
As the Rosses traveled towards Mackenzie of Seaforth's lands, they met a large group of men. This group included three hundred men from the Clan Mackenzie and their allies, the Clan Macrae. This meeting happened in Glen Affric.
The Ambush
Historians say that the Rosses were "ambushed" near Loch Affric. Colonel Donald Murchison led the Mackenzies and Macraes. He was the one who had been sending the rents to Mackenzie of Seaforth in France.
A small fight broke out between the two groups. The Rosses were greatly outnumbered. William Ross of Easter Fearn was the first to be hurt. Shots hit him from his right side. But he kept telling his soldiers to move forward. He wanted them to clear the area of the hidden clansmen.
Rosses Retreat
The Rosses had some success at first. They managed to move into a narrow valley in Kintail. This valley led into Loch Affric. But there, Murchison's men ambushed them again. William Ross's son, Walter Ross, was also hurt. His nephew, William Ross (son of Robert Ross), was wounded too.
William Ross realized that fighting more was pointless. He met Colonel Murchison between the two groups. They talked, and the Rosses agreed to go home. They promised they would never try to collect rents as factors again. To show they were serious, they gave their official papers to Donald Murchison.
What Happened Next
Sadly, Walter Ross died from his wounds. Colonel Murchison insisted on walking his defeated foes past a thick forest. He claimed a "fierce" group from the Clan Cameron was hiding there.
When they reached Beauly, Walter Ross was buried in Beauly Priory. Later, government troops tried a second time to take Mackenzie of Seaforth's lands by force. This led to the Battle of Coille Bhan, which did not have a clear winner.
