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Battle of Inverlochy (1645)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Inverlochy (February 2, 1645) was a battle of the Scottish Civil War in which Montrose
routed the pursuing forces of the Marquess of Argyll
.
On January 14, 1645, having sacked Inverary, the seat of the Campbells of Argyll
, the Royalist forces left Inverary and headed north. It is believed that Montrose split his army at Glen Etive
sending part of it up past Ballachulish
while the bulk continued across Rannoch Moor
, into Glencoe
.
At Glencoe the army crossed the high passes into Glen Nevis, moved around the north slopes of Ben Nevis
, circumventing Inverlochy Castle
, and then continued up the Great Glen
, arriving at Kilcummin to re-supply. Montroses' army was dwindling as his highlanders continued to head home leaving him with about 1500 men. He was aware that a Covenanter
army under the command of the Earl of Seaforth
was waiting to confront him Inverness. Montrose was also aware that Argyll, with a force of 3000 men, was pursuing him and was only thirty miles behind at Inverlochy. What followed was one of the greatest flanking marches in British history across some of the toughest and wildest terrain in the British Isles. Instead of marching back down the glen, Montrose decided to surprise Argyll and marched south through the mountains around Ben Nevis to mount a surprise attack.
The Montrose army spent a cold night in the open on the side of Ben Nevis. Argyll was aware that a small force was operating in the area, he did not know however that it was the entire royal army. Just before dawn on February 2, 1645, Argyll and his covenanters were dismayed at the sight that lay before them, as far as they were aware Montrose should have been 30 miles north.
Argyll did not stay for the battle, but instead he left the command of his army to his General, Duncan Campbell of Auchinbreck and retired to his galley that was anchored on Loch Linnhe
. Auchinbreck lined up the covenanters in front of Inverlochy castle, which he reinforced with 200 musketeers to protect his left flank. In the centre he placed the Campbells of Argyll and put the lowland militias on the flanks. Unlike at Tippermuir
and Aberdeen
, where Montrose had annihilated hastily conscripted and poorly trained militia
s, the troops he faced at Inverlochy were veterans of the war in England
. Montrose lined his army up in only two lines deep to avoid being out flanked, placing his 600 highlanders in the centre with the Irish on the flanks, the right being commanded by MacColla
. The fight did not start straight away and instead skirmishes broke out along the line. This is probably due to the fact that Auchinbreck and his officers believed that they were only fighting one of Montrose's lieutenants and not the man himself, believing he was still far up the glen. Just before first light, the Royalists launched their attack.
The Irish clashed violently with the lowlanders on both flanks and routed them while the highlanders closed with the Campbells in the centre. The Campbells broke, and their retreat to the castle blocked by the Royalist reserve cavalry under the command of Sir Thomas Ogilvie. Auchinbreck was shot in the thigh while trying to rally his men and died shortly afterwards. The remaining Covenanters briefly rallied around their standard, then broke and ran, trying to reach Lochaber. The small garrison in Inverlochy castle surrendered without a fight. Over 1500 Covenanter
troops died, while Montrose is reputed to have only lost 250 men, the most notable being Sir Thomas Ogilvie who was killed by a stray bullet.
Montrose, through his lieutenant, MacColla (who commanded the 2000 Irish troops sent by the Irish Confederates
), was able to use this conflict to rally Clan Donald
against Clan Campbell
. In many respects, the Battle of Inverlochy was as much part of the clan war between these two deadly enemies and their allies as it was part of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
and that is how it was portrayed in Gaelic folklore.
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose was a Scottish nobleman and soldier, who initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, but subsequently supported King Charles I as the English Civil War developed...
routed the pursuing forces of the Marquess of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll, 8th Earl of Argyll, chief of Clan Campbell, was the de facto head of government in Scotland during most of the conflict known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, also known as the British Civil War...
.
On January 14, 1645, having sacked Inverary, the seat of the Campbells of Argyll
Duke of Argyll
Duke of Argyll is a title, created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1701 and in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1892. The Earls, Marquesses, and Dukes of Argyll were for several centuries among the most powerful, if not the most powerful, noble family in Scotland...
, the Royalist forces left Inverary and headed north. It is believed that Montrose split his army at Glen Etive
Glen Etive
Glen Etive is a glen in the Highlands of Scotland. The River Etive rises on the peaks surrounding Rannoch Moor, with several tributary streams coming together at the Kings House Hotel, at the head of Glen Coe. From the Kings House, the Etive flows for about 18 km, reaching the sea loch, Loch...
sending part of it up past Ballachulish
Ballachulish
The village of Ballachulish in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, is centred around former slate quarries. The name Ballachulish was more correctly applied to the area now called North Ballachulish, to the north of Loch Leven, but was usurped for the quarry villages at East Laroch and West Laroch,...
while the bulk continued across Rannoch Moor
Rannoch Moor
Rannoch Moor is a large expanse of around 50 square miles of boggy moorland to the west of Loch Rannoch, in Perth and Kinross and Lochaber, Highland, partly northern Argyll and Bute, Scotland...
, into Glencoe
Glen Coe
Glen Coe is a glen in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies in the southern part of the Lochaber committee area of Highland Council, and was formerly part of the county of Argyll. It is often considered one of the most spectacular and beautiful places in Scotland, and is a part of the designated...
.
At Glencoe the army crossed the high passes into Glen Nevis, moved around the north slopes of Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. It is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands, close to the town of Fort William....
, circumventing Inverlochy Castle
Inverlochy Castle
Inverlochy Castle is a ruined, 13th-century castle near Fort William, Scotland. The site of two battles, the castle remains largely unchanged since its construction. It is now in the care of Historic Scotland.-History:...
, and then continued up the Great Glen
Great Glen
The Great Glen , also known as Glen Albyn or Glen More is a series of glens in Scotland running 100 kilometres from Inverness on the Moray Firth, to Fort William at the head of Loch Linnhe.The Great Glen follows a large geological fault known as the Great Glen Fault...
, arriving at Kilcummin to re-supply. Montroses' army was dwindling as his highlanders continued to head home leaving him with about 1500 men. He was aware that a Covenanter
Covenanter
The Covenanters were a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played an important part in the history of Scotland, and to a lesser extent in that of England and Ireland, during the 17th century...
army under the command of the Earl of Seaforth
Earl of Seaforth
Earl of Seaforth was a title in the Peerage of Scotland and Peerage of Great Britain. It was held by the family of Mackenzie from 1623 to 1716, and again from 1771 to 1781....
was waiting to confront him Inverness. Montrose was also aware that Argyll, with a force of 3000 men, was pursuing him and was only thirty miles behind at Inverlochy. What followed was one of the greatest flanking marches in British history across some of the toughest and wildest terrain in the British Isles. Instead of marching back down the glen, Montrose decided to surprise Argyll and marched south through the mountains around Ben Nevis to mount a surprise attack.
The Montrose army spent a cold night in the open on the side of Ben Nevis. Argyll was aware that a small force was operating in the area, he did not know however that it was the entire royal army. Just before dawn on February 2, 1645, Argyll and his covenanters were dismayed at the sight that lay before them, as far as they were aware Montrose should have been 30 miles north.
Argyll did not stay for the battle, but instead he left the command of his army to his General, Duncan Campbell of Auchinbreck and retired to his galley that was anchored on Loch Linnhe
Loch Linnhe
Loch Linnhe is a sea loch on the west coast of Scotland....
. Auchinbreck lined up the covenanters in front of Inverlochy castle, which he reinforced with 200 musketeers to protect his left flank. In the centre he placed the Campbells of Argyll and put the lowland militias on the flanks. Unlike at Tippermuir
Battle of Tippermuir
The Battle of Tippermuir was the first battle James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose fought for the king during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms....
and Aberdeen
Battle of Aberdeen
The Battle of Aberdeen was an engagement in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms which took place between Royalist and Covenanter forces outside the city of Aberdeen on 13 September 1644....
, where Montrose had annihilated hastily conscripted and poorly trained militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
s, the troops he faced at Inverlochy were veterans of the war in England
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. Montrose lined his army up in only two lines deep to avoid being out flanked, placing his 600 highlanders in the centre with the Irish on the flanks, the right being commanded by MacColla
Alasdair MacColla
Alasdair Mac Colla was a Scottish soldier. His full name in Scottish Gaelic was Alasdair Mac Colla Chiotaich Mac Domhnuill . He is sometimes mistakenly referred to in English as "Collkitto", a nickname that properly belongs to his father. He fought in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, most notably...
. The fight did not start straight away and instead skirmishes broke out along the line. This is probably due to the fact that Auchinbreck and his officers believed that they were only fighting one of Montrose's lieutenants and not the man himself, believing he was still far up the glen. Just before first light, the Royalists launched their attack.
The Irish clashed violently with the lowlanders on both flanks and routed them while the highlanders closed with the Campbells in the centre. The Campbells broke, and their retreat to the castle blocked by the Royalist reserve cavalry under the command of Sir Thomas Ogilvie. Auchinbreck was shot in the thigh while trying to rally his men and died shortly afterwards. The remaining Covenanters briefly rallied around their standard, then broke and ran, trying to reach Lochaber. The small garrison in Inverlochy castle surrendered without a fight. Over 1500 Covenanter
Covenanter
The Covenanters were a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played an important part in the history of Scotland, and to a lesser extent in that of England and Ireland, during the 17th century...
troops died, while Montrose is reputed to have only lost 250 men, the most notable being Sir Thomas Ogilvie who was killed by a stray bullet.
Montrose, through his lieutenant, MacColla (who commanded the 2000 Irish troops sent by the Irish Confederates
Confederate Ireland
Confederate Ireland refers to the period of Irish self-government between the Rebellion of 1641 and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649. During this time, two-thirds of Ireland was governed by the Irish Catholic Confederation, also known as the "Confederation of Kilkenny"...
), was able to use this conflict to rally Clan Donald
Clan Donald
Clan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clans. There are numerous branches to the clan. Several of these have chiefs recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms; these are: Clan Macdonald of Sleat, Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, and Clan...
against Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell is a Highland Scottish clan. Historically one of the largest, most powerful and most successful of the Highland clans, their lands were in Argyll and the chief of the clan became the Earl and later Duke of Argyll.-Origins:...
. In many respects, the Battle of Inverlochy was as much part of the clan war between these two deadly enemies and their allies as it was part of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
Wars of the Three Kingdoms
The Wars of the Three Kingdoms formed an intertwined series of conflicts that took place in England, Ireland, and Scotland between 1639 and 1651 after these three countries had come under the "Personal Rule" of the same monarch...
and that is how it was portrayed in Gaelic folklore.
See also
- Battle of Inverlochy (1431)Battle of Inverlochy (1431)The Battle of Inverlochy was fought after Alexander of Islay , Lord of the Isles and Earl of Ross, had been imprisoned by King James I...
- Scottish Civil WarScottish Civil WarBetween 1644 and 1651 Scotland was involved the Wars of the Three Kingdoms during a period when a series of civil wars that were fought in Scotland, England and in Ireland...
- Wars of the Three KingdomsWars of the Three KingdomsThe Wars of the Three Kingdoms formed an intertwined series of conflicts that took place in England, Ireland, and Scotland between 1639 and 1651 after these three countries had come under the "Personal Rule" of the same monarch...