Stand-off at the Fords of Arkaig facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stand-off at the Ford of Arkaig |
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| Part of the Scottish clan wars | |||||||
 Mackintosh marched on the north bank past the outflow of Loch Arkaig into the River Arkaig. There was no bridge then. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Chattan Confederation | Clan Cameron | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Lachlan Mackintosh | Ewen Cameron | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1500 | 1200 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| None | None | ||||||
The Stand-off at the Ford of Arkaig was a tense meeting between two powerful Scottish clans in September 1665. It happened near Achnacarry, about 10 kilometers (6 miles) northeast of Fort William, Scotland. The Chattan Confederation, led by the Clan Mackintosh, gathered a large army. Their goal was to challenge Clan Cameron over land they had argued about for over 360 years. This land was located around Loch Arkaig. After a week of facing each other without fighting, the long-standing family quarrel, known as a feud, finally ended. The Camerons bought the disputed land from the Mackintoshes, bringing peace to the area.
Contents
Why the Clans Were Fighting
A Long History of Disagreement
The Camerons and Mackintoshes had been fighting over land around Loch Arkaig and in Glen Loy since the early 1300s. The Mackintosh clan believed the land belonged to them. They said that before 1291, it was owned by Dougal Dall MacGilleCattan, a chief of the old Clan Chattan. His daughter, Eva, married Angus Mackintosh, the 6th chief of Clan Mackintosh. This marriage brought the two clans together into the Chattan Confederation.
Angus and Eva lived in Glen Loy for a few years. But then Angus had to leave because of the Lord of Islay. The Camerons then moved into the lands. This started a feud that lasted for about 360 years. The clans even fought their first battle, the Battle of Drumlui, around 1330 or 1337. William Mackintosh, Angus and Eva's son, had his right to the land confirmed by official papers. These papers came from John of Islay, Lord of the Isles in 1337 and from King David II in 1359. These documents and the marriage were the basis of the Mackintosh claim. However, the Camerons lived on the land for many years.
Events Leading to the Stand-off in the 1660s
In 1660, Lachlan Mackintosh of Torcastle became the new chief of Clan Mackintosh. He immediately wanted to get back the land his clan had claimed for so long. In 1661, he got a special order from Parliament saying the land was his. At the same time, Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, the Cameron chief, was in London. He was trying to get his own land claims approved.
A powerful official, Lord Glencairn, wrote a letter in 1661. He told the Scottish court to stop Mackintosh's actions. He said the King had a plan to solve the problem and reward Cameron for his loyalty. Glencairn and Cameron had both helped the King in an earlier uprising. But nothing more was heard from the King's court.
So, in July 1662, Mackintosh got another order. This one told the Camerons to leave the area. Cameron then spoke to the King. He explained that the Camerons would not leave their old lands peacefully. The King did not want to get directly involved. So, a letter was written on his behalf to the Earl of Middleton. This letter, dated May 30, 1662, asked Middleton to find a peaceful solution.
Meanwhile, an order was issued to arrest Cameron. But he convinced the Privy Council (a group of royal advisors) to delay it. This allowed him to go home to Lochaber.
Later that summer, Mackintosh asked for a "Commission of fire and sword" against Cameron. This was a special order allowing him to use force. At first, he didn't get it. But in 1663, the whole Clan Cameron was declared outlaws. The commission allowed certain noblemen to help Mackintosh. But when Mackintosh asked them, they all told him to accept money from Cameron instead. So, Mackintosh decided to act on his own. He couldn't get his neighbors to join him, so he offered them money.
In January 1665, the Duke of Rothes, another powerful official, ordered the "Commission of Fire and Sword" to be put on hold. He wanted the Privy Council to decide what to do.
Both Cameron and Mackintosh appeared before the Privy Council. They agreed to accept whatever the Council decided. The Council first told them to agree on a payment amount themselves. When they couldn't, the Council ordered Cameron to pay Mackintosh 72,000 merks. This was about £3600 in English money at the time.
Mackintosh tried to leave Edinburgh secretly, but he was arrested. He was made to promise to keep the peace. However, as soon as he got home, he called on the Chattan Confederation to attack Lochaber. Some of his friends tried to stop him, but Mackintosh ignored them. He led 1500 men to the south end of Loch Lochy.
Cameron gathered his own clan. He was joined by men from MacGregor and a small group of MacIans of Glencoe. They had 300 archers and 900 men with guns, broadswords, and targe shields. They marched to Cameron's home at Achnacarry. This place was important because it was on the south bank of the River Arkaig, between Loch Arkaig and Loch Lochy.
The Stand-off Begins
On September 16, 1665, Mackintosh marched his army through the woods to Clunes. He then took a position in an area now called Caig Parks, north of the River Arkaig. Cameron's men moved across the river to Achnacarry. They made sure to guard the only place where the river could be crossed. For two days, the two armies faced each other across the river.
Since Mackintosh had no boats, he started to move his forces along the side of Loch Arkaig. He got as far as Achnasaul. Cameron left 50 men to guard the river crossing. He then moved the rest of his army west to face Mackintosh across the loch.
Meanwhile, the Earl of Argyll had sent 300 of his own men, led by John Campbell of Glen Orchy. Their orders were to end the dispute, using force if needed. Campbell started talking with Mackintosh. Mackintosh moved his camp back a little to the east, opposite an island called Eilean Loch Airceig. But they couldn't agree on anything that day.
On the 19th, friends of both sides worked out a deal. But Mackintosh refused to accept the terms. Even his own men refused to fight for him. Mackintosh and his army marched back to Clunes. On the morning of the third day, he finally agreed to a deal. He sold the land to the Camerons for 72,500 merks. His friends paid the extra money he wanted.
At the same time, Campbell met a group of Cameron men. Cameron had sent them across the loch by boat the night before. Cameron himself had started an 18-kilometer (11-mile) march with the rest of his men. He planned to go to the western end of Loch Arkaig and then down the north bank. His idea was to surprise the Mackintosh army from the west. On his way, Cameron met Campbell. Campbell told him about Mackintosh's agreement. Cameron still wanted to continue his march. But Campbell threatened to join his men with the Mackintosh army and use all the Earl of Argyll's forces against the Camerons.
What Happened Next
On September 20, 1665, Cameron crossed the river. He met his former enemy at the House of Clunes. There, they signed a contract for the sale of Loch Arkaig and Glen Loy. Cameron and six of his friends agreed to pay in three parts over two years. Along with 24 of their most important clan members, the two chiefs greeted each other. They drank together and exchanged swords. This showed that the long feud was finally over. That afternoon, Mackintosh marched in an orderly way north from Clunes to Laggan.
People used to say that for over three centuries, "a Mackintosh and a Cameron had never even spoken together." But this wasn't entirely true. They had sometimes worked together, like at the Battle of Inverlochy (1431). The Camerons felt that winning the land was a "Pyrrhic victory". This means it was a victory that cost them too much. Over the years, fighting for their claim to Arkaig and Glen Loy had cost them other lands worth four times as much.
Cameron had trouble getting the money to pay Mackintosh. The Earl of Atholl offered him a loan. He wanted to reduce the power of Argyll. But Argyll offered a similar loan with lower interest. However, there were conditions. Cameron had to pay £100 Scots in feu-duty (a type of rent). He also had to accept Argyll as the superior owner of the lands. The Camerons were still paying rent to Argyll's agent in 1749.
More to Explore
- Achnacarry Castle - the Cameron family home, built ten years before this stand-off.
- Battle of Drumlui - the very first battle between these two clans.
