Manus O'Cahan's Regiment facts for kids
The Manus O'Cahan's Regiment of Foot was a group of Irish soldiers who fought in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms in the mid-1640s. These wars were a series of conflicts across England, Scotland, and Ireland. Many of these soldiers had already gained experience fighting in Europe during the Thirty Years War. They were known as very skilled fighters.
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A Regiment of Experienced Soldiers
Manus O'Cahan's Regiment of Foot was made up of soldiers, many of whom had fought in Europe. Historians sometimes called them 'Gallowglass' soldiers, which meant they were professional fighters or mercenaries. These soldiers traveled from Ireland to Scotland to support the Royalist side. Their leader, Manus O'Cahan (Irish: Maghnus Ó Catháin), never fought in England. All his battles were in Ulster (Northern Ireland) and Scotland. Their experience in European wars made them some of the most skilled soldiers in the Civil War.
Some of the men in the regiment are mentioned in a letter from 1644. This letter, found in the Ormond papers, lists "men gone unto the Isles" sent by the Lord of Antrim.
Why They Fought
The MacDonald lands in Scotland were once closely linked to their Irish relatives, the MacDonnells in County Antrim. But these connections broke in 1493. This led to almost 200 years of fighting over who owned these lands. The main groups fighting were the MacDonalds, the McLeans, and the Campbells. Islands like Islay and Colonsay were held by a MacDonald leader named Colkitto. His mother was an O'Cahan. But in 1614, the Scottish King gave these islands to the Campbells.
Religion also caused problems. The Protestant Reformation created a Calvinist Church of Scotland. By 1640, the Catholic faith was mostly found in Gaelic-speaking areas of the Highlands and Islands. King Charles I, who was Episcopalian, fought with the Scots in the 1638-1639 Bishops' Wars. This led to the Covenanters, a Scottish religious and political movement, gaining a lot of power.
In Ireland, after 1609, the "Plantation of Ulster" meant that traditional Irish landowners, like the MacDonnells, lost their lands. These lands were given to Protestant settlers, many of whom were Scots. This caused anger and led to the Irish Rebellion of 1641. The Covenanters first stayed neutral in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. But they later sent troops to Ulster to help their fellow Protestants. This conflict made feelings very strong in both countries.
The Royalists were hesitant to use Irish troops outside Ireland. But by 1644, the war in England was going badly for them. Randal MacDonnell, Marquess of Antrim, formed an Irish Brigade. This brigade included three regiments of foot soldiers, and O'Cahan's was one of them. Colkitto's son, Alastair McColla, was put in charge of the Brigade. But his goal of getting back his family's lands in South-West Scotland would later conflict with the Royalist leader, James Graham.
James Graham, the Marquess of Montrose, had fought for the Covenanters before. In Scotland, both Covenanters and Royalists agreed that monarchy was important. But they disagreed on who should have more power in religious matters. This meant many Scots, like Montrose, fought on different sides at different times. The Second and Third English Civil Wars were fought by the Covenanters to put King Charles I, and then his son, back on the English throne. In June 1644, O'Cahan's Regiment sailed to Scotland with the rest of the Brigade.
McColla and O'Cahan's Partnership
In 1641, McColla was gathering his army in Ulster for Randal MacDonnell, a strong Royalist supporter. At this time, the Irish Rebellion of 1641 began. Catholics fought against Protestant settlers who were moving into the country. McColla and his cousin by marriage, Manus O'Cahan, joined a mixed Catholic-Protestant force.
However, they felt disliked by the Protestants in this force. So, McColla and O'Cahan rebelled. They began fighting using guerrilla warfare tactics across Northern Ireland. During this time, they developed a new fighting method called the 'Irish Charge'. This involved dropping heavy weapons like pikes and muskets. They would then rush the enemy to fight them up close with daggers, swords, or even bare hands. This tactic was very effective, especially against musketeers who needed time to reload their guns. They also learned to run directly at cavalry, cutting the horses' legs to make them throw their riders.
McColla became unpopular in Ireland because he changed sides. He first served the Protestants, then switched back to serve Antrim and the Irish Catholic Confederation. When Scottish Covenanter forces decided to support the English Parliament in late 1643, Antrim planned to send Catholic troops to Scotland. The goal was to cause enough trouble to make the Scots leave Ireland. Antrim arranged this plan with the Confederation's leaders and with the blessing of James Butler, Earl of Ormonde, an advisor to King Charles.
In one battle in Ulster, McColla was badly hurt. O'Cahan bravely dragged his tall friend to safety under heavy fire. King Charles I initially wanted to raise an army to stop the Irish rebellion. But when his Parliament refused to help, his attempts to accuse them of treason led to the English Civil War.
As war started in England, Scottish Royalists brought the conflict to Scotland. On Antrim's orders, McColla and O'Cahan, along with Thomas Lachnan and James MacDonnell, gathered 1,500 men. They sailed to Scotland to get revenge on the Campbell clan, who were strong Covenanters. Their sea journey was difficult. They didn't have all the ships they planned for. Many men and most weapons had to be left behind. Their small fleet captured some Covenanter ministers sailing for Ulster. One captive, John Weir, kept a diary that helps historians understand these events.
The Scots-Irish landed in Mull on July 5, 1644. They began causing trouble and securing the coast, hoping more men would arrive from Ireland. On July 7, O'Cahan led a group that captured Kinlochaline Castle. They faced heavy cannon fire but won. They then rejoined McColla's main force in their captured territory, Loch Sunart.
Some Irish soldiers stayed behind to hold Kinlochaline fortress. They dug trenches and built earthworks to protect the areas. Their ships were soon lost to attacks from enemy vessels. Realizing they were outnumbered with only 1,500 men, O'Cahan and McColla moved inland. They tried to recruit local clansmen. Many refused, and some were hostile. However, help came from an unexpected person: James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose.
O'Cahan and Montrose's Alliance
Montrose had planned to bring an army from England to Scotland. He went to meet Prince Rupert of The Rhine. But Montrose arrived just days after the English Royalists lost badly at Marston Moor on July 2, 1644. Rupert took most of Montrose's men to replace his own lost soldiers. Montrose decided to go to Scotland secretly with two allies. On his journey through Scotland, where he was now an outlaw, he heard about McColla's arrival. He quickly went to meet him.
McColla and O'Cahan met Montrose at the Mull of Kintyre on August 29, 1644. Their alliance became very strong.
They won major battles and many smaller fights across Scotland. This period became known as their 'Year of Glory' (1644–1645).
O'Cahan led a division for McColla throughout Montrose's campaigns.
Their first big victory was at Tippermuir on September 1, 1644. The next, at Aberdeen on September 13, 1644, was very harsh. The Royalists, including O'Cahan's men, were involved in a difficult battle where many lives were lost.
Montrose wanted to make his army bigger and march south to England to help the King. The King was struggling as Cromwell's New Model Army grew stronger. Most of the Scottish Covenant army was fighting for Parliament in England. However, Montrose and McColla's successes made the Covenanters bring men back from England to defend their homeland.
McColla and the Scottish Highlanders who fought with him had little interest in England. They wanted to settle their feud with the Campbells. The Highland warriors often left the battlefields to take their spoils home. They would disappear for months but most usually returned. The Scottish soldiers with Montrose often pulled him away from his plans to attack the English border. They wanted to fight the forces of the Earl of Argyll, leader of the Campbell Clan.
McColla was very loyal to Montrose. But he often had to leave to recruit more men when the army's numbers dropped. While McColla was away, O'Cahan usually stayed with Montrose. He became a very important ally. O'Cahan briefly went to Ulster to try to recruit more fighters, but he was not successful. When McColla was away recruiting on October 21, 1644, Montrose, O'Cahan, and their men were trapped at Fyvie Castle by Argyll's forces. O'Cahan led a brave night raid into the Campbell lines to break the siege. The Campbells fled, and O'Cahan took the gunpowder they left behind. He famously joked to Montrose, "We must at them again, for the rogues have forgot to leave the bullets with the powder." This is one of the few direct quotes from him that history remembers.
McColla returned soon after the battle at Fyvie with a battle plan that Montrose thought was impossible. McColla had gathered a strong group of Scottish Highlanders. They all wanted to completely defeat the Campbell Clan. They were mostly MacDonald allies. McColla suggested a raid through the heart of Campbell lands, aiming to destroy Argyllshire. The march on Inverlochy happened despite Montrose's doubts, though he joined the force. Argyllshire was indeed devastated. This was especially remarkable because it happened during the winter blizzards of early 1645. The sea off the coast even froze. The final attack and defeat of the Campbells at Inverlochy on February 2, 1645, happened after a two-day march over the hills of Ben Nevis. Argyll left his men and sailed away to save himself.
Inverlochy was McColla and O'Cahan's greatest moment. It is said that O'Cahan was the first to strike. Few Campbell captives were allowed to live.
The 'Year of Glory' was now past its best. Montrose became too confident and started making mistakes. He wrote letters claiming all the victories were his own doing, not mentioning his Scots-Irish allies.
Challenges and Defeat
Montrose now had support from Royalist cavalry from the Gordon's Clan. He barely spoke to the men who had served him all along. On May 9, 1645, came the difficult battle at Auldearn. Many early historians saw Auldearn as Montrose's greatest achievement and a well-planned battle. But it was actually a very close call. Only luck and the bravery of the Scots-Irish forces saved the day.
Montrose had led his men after Covenanters who were seeking more soldiers in Inverness. Failing to catch them, Montrose camped at Auldearn. He didn't expect the enemy to attack right away. But the Covenanters marched all night to attack the Royalists at dawn. Covenanter musketeers cleaning their guns by firing them warned McColla's men. Montrose had spread his men out instead of keeping them together. While McColla and O'Cahan fought off the attack, Montrose rushed to gather the rest of his camp.
The traditional story of Auldearn says Montrose hid his main army and used McColla and O'Cahan as a decoy. Then he supposedly made a brilliant move to trap the enemy. But Montrose was actually caught by surprise. McColla's defense was much more desperate and heroic than often told. Modern accounts have re-evaluated the battle, showing Montrose's difficulties. The Scots-Irish brigades fought fiercely. When some of Clan Gordon's men started to panic, McColla personally stopped them to prevent others from running away. One of McColla's men kept fighting even after a pike went through his mouth.
Montrose arrived with reinforcements only after he had woken up and gathered his scattered forces. This saved the day. Montrose had not hidden his army for an ambush.
Only two major Royalist victories came after this in the 'Year of Glory'. The Royalists won a clear victory on July 2, 1645, at Alford. They followed this with an even bigger victory on August 15, 1645, at Kilsyth. These victories made the Covenanter forces of the Earl of Argyll largely ineffective.
Philiphaugh and O'Cahan's Last Stand
Montrose was now ready to head south through Lowland Scotland and into England. But many of his allies left him. They were not interested in fighting outside Scotland. McColla is often accused of leaving, but it's more likely he went to recruit more men, as he had done before. This time, he would be too late.
O'Cahan stayed with Montrose as he prepared to advance towards the Scottish-English border. Unfortunately, the Royalist forces in England were collapsing. This meant more Scots could be sent back to fight Montrose and his allies. David Leslie, a leading Covenanter general, attacked O'Cahan's men as they were waking up at their camp in Philiphaugh on September 13, 1645. This was exactly one year after the difficult battle at Aberdeen.
O'Cahan's forces and the other Irish divisions who stayed with Montrose were caught by surprise. They were greatly outnumbered. Within hours, their numbers were reduced to less than five hundred. But they fought bravely. Montrose, who had camped separately from the Irish, tried to fight his way to help them. But he was forced back and eventually fled. Many were upset by this, but his officers might have advised him to leave.
David Leslie offered O'Cahan terms of surrender. If his men put down their weapons and agreed to leave Scotland forever, they would be allowed to go free. O'Cahan agreed. However, Leslie captured the now unarmed force. O'Cahan witnessed the harsh treatment of almost his entire army. The women and children who had followed his forces also suffered greatly. Colonels O'Cahan and Thomas Laghtnan were taken to Edinburgh Castle and executed without a trial.
What Happened Next
McColla and Montrose continued to fight, but separately. They never met again. In his late seventies, Colkitto recaptured the Isle of Islay. But he was captured on July 1, 1647, and executed soon after. McColla returned to Ireland, where the rebellion continued. McColla fought and died on November 13, 1647, at the Battle of Knocknanuss. Montrose continued fighting in Scotland until the King was captured. The King then ordered all Royalist fighting to stop. The victorious Covenanters forced Montrose into exile. He traveled through Europe. Later, he led an attack on the Covenanters for King Charles II, using an inexperienced army. He was defeated at Carbisdale in Scotland on April 27, 1650. Captured a few days later, Montrose was tried and executed in Edinburgh on April 30, 1650.
Manus O'Cahan in Stories
- Marianne Lamont, Nine Moons Wasted (1976): This is a romantic story about the Irish women who followed O'Cahan and Montrose during their campaigns.
- Sir Walter Scott, A Legend of Montrose (1819): This novel is loosely based on the assassination of Lord Kilpont. O'Cahan's men were initially suspected of the murder.
- Nigel Tranter, The Young Montrose; Montrose: The Captain General (1973): This novel tells the story of Montrose's life, with O'Cahan as a smaller character.
- Maurice Walsh, And No Quarter (1937): This book tells the Royalist campaign of 1644-1645 from the viewpoint of two members of the regiment.
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