Donald Cameron of Lochiel
Encyclopedia
Donald Cameron of Lochiel (c.1700 – October 1748), was an influential Highland Clan Chief known for his magnanimous and gallant nature. His support of Charles Edward Stuart
was instrumental in the Jacobite Rising of 1745
and the eldest son of the 18th chief John Cameron of Lochiel
. After his father, a key participant in the Jacobite Rising of 1715
, fled to a permanent exile in France Donald became the acting chief of the clan at a time when the old ways were rapidly changing. The Highlands had historically been a society of contending groups each dominated by an elite which valued fearlessnes and daring above all things; held wealth as cattle; used ostentatious ornamentation; and spent much time in drinking feasts where bards told of the clan's great exploits. It was a way of life that lowlanders had not known for generations and although some aspects of it survived far into the 18th century, by Lochiel's time measures such as the Statutes of Iona
had obliged chieftains to spend more time in Edinburgh. Being extremely status conscious, they attempted to cut a dash by purchasing clothes in the latest French fashion, elaborate homes, imported furniture, fine wines and other trappings of gentility rather than patronizing Gaelic
bards, pipers and harpists as was the traditional way to distinction for a chief. The expenditure strained their finances as the Highlands were the poorest land in Europe (tenants have been described as much poorer than Plains Indians
) and the chiefs sought to increase the income from clan lands. As loyal supporters of the Royal House of Stuart
the Camerons had a formidable enemy in the huge Clan Campbell
which was firmly allied to the British government. At Sheriffmuir
in 1715, John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll
had halted a run of successes for the Jacobite clans and their commander John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar. However in 1737 Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll
decreed that tacks were to be let out to the highest bidder rather than being given to a tacksman
with family connections, consequently many of the older sort of tacksmen were dispossessed. Because they mustered the tenants, acted as officers and functioned as shock troops
in time of war, Argyll
had inadvertently made himself militarily weaker through breaking the traditional bond with tacksmen.
A huge fine for participating in the '15 had damaged Clan Cameron and it was not prospering in the way the Campbells and others loyal to the Hanoverian dynasty
were, however although Lochiel was acculturated to Lowland norms in many ways he maintained the old arrangements with tacksmen. As a consequence the Camerons possessed an enhanced potential to take a military initiative. With the resumption of hostilities between Britain and France the Stuart cause received powerful backing, but while Lochiel had averred that Jacobite clans were willing to rise up if the French landed in force the French wanted the Jacobites to take up arms beforehand. The proposed invasion of England was abandoned but the government had discovered Lochiel's communication with the exiled Stuarts and in June 1745 they issued an arrest warrant.
Charles Edward Stuart
arrived on the west coast of Scotland in August 1745 with a handful of men and no supplies, munitions or money. He found that after coming out for the Stuarts in the 1689, 1715 and 1719 Jacobite Risings the key chiefs showed no enthusiasm for yet another insurrection, most believed that taking up arms against the government without French help would end in disaster.
. When Charles Edward required him to attend in person Lochiel's brother John urged him not to go - warning him that emotion would get the better of his good judgment. Lochiel initially attempted to convince the Prince to go back while he could. However Charles Edward played on Lochiel's sense of honor by protesting that returning to France would be a humiliating admission that he had no friends in Scotland and he would prefer to be a hunted man with a handful of followers, as for Lochiel he could stay at home and read what happened to his Prince. Lochiel fulfilled his brother's predictions by declaring that he and his clan would take up arms and share Charles Edward's fate. When the standard was raised the Camerons were the largest contingent present and formed the elite core of the army while Lochiel's prestige influenced other chiefs like his cousin Ewen MacPherson of Cluny
to join the rising. However there were many chiefs, including ostensibly Jacobite ones like Norman MacLeod
, who did not rally to Charles Edward's cause and most would later fight against him. Under the 'regelian rights' a clan chief possessed the power of life and death over those living on his land (Norman MacLeod became known as 'The Wicked Man' for exploitative behaviour which including selling tenants into slavery). Although Lochiel was regarded as a gracious chief by the standards of the time his decision to participate in the '45 meant that those living on his territory were obliged to take up arms with him, some who were recalcitrant received whippings or had their cattle killed by Archibald
until they agreed.
's judgement on strategy and tactics, but he quickly showed himself to be a capable commander who led from the front. The Camerons' elite status was emphasized by their bloodless capture of Edinburgh
and successful attack at the Battle of Prestonpans
. During the attack at Prestonpans, O'Sullivan, an Irishman whose opinions the Prince greatly valued, ordered some Camerons into an exposed position and they subsequently came under heavy fire, Lochiel appealed to Lord George Murray
rather than the Prince, a harbinger of the discord between the Scottish Jacobites and Charles Edward's Irish favorite. In late 1745 Lochiel was appointed the Governor of Edinburgh and was injured by cannon fire from the government forces in Edinburgh Castle
.
By starting from a Highlands and Islands base and taking over Scotland Charles Edward had done what only Macbeth and Robert the Bruce had previously managed. At this point Lochiel counselled the Prince to stop; he argued that Jacobite forces with French support could mount an effective defence against what troops were available in England. He returned to this position at Derby
in December, when the army finally called off the march on London
and turned back northwards. He was again wounded at the battle of Falkirk
in January 1746, and travelled north to Fort William, where the government garrison still held out. He abandoned the siege in April, and rejoined the Prince's army outside Inverness in time for the Battle of Culloden
, which effectively ended the rising.
in which many failed to use their firearms. Grapeshot
shattered Lochiel's ankles 50 yards from a gun detachment, from where he lay he saw the charge sweep over the detachment and achieve some initial success before Coehorn mortar shelling and devastating volleys of musket fire killed those who had made a breakthrough. Survivors of the charge carried him from the field.
to mount a second landing, he never returned to Scotland. He took command of a French regiment in 1747, and died in Flanders in October 1748.
It is notable that one of his acts whilst in charge of Edinburgh was to order that there be no reprisals against the Whigs
for their opposition to the Prince. He had previously given orders to care for the prisoners after Prestonpans, and later he would ensure that Glasgow
did not suffer any reprisals for its loyalty to George II
. Such acts contributed to his reputation for humanity; he became known to both friends and foes as the "Gentle Lochiel", a name that carried into the romantic myths which would grow up around the Rising.
Charles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
was instrumental in the Jacobite Rising of 1745
Jacobite Rising of 1745
The Jacobite rising of 1745, often referred to as "The 'Forty-Five," was the attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for the exiled House of Stuart. The rising occurred during the War of the Austrian Succession when most of the British Army was on the European continent...
Lochiel and the Jacobite cause
Donald Cameron of Lochiel the "Gentle Lochiel" of Scottish folklore, was the grandson of Ewen Cameron of LochielEwen Cameron of Lochiel
Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel was a Scottish highland chieftain, the 17th Chief of Clan Cameron.Macaulay called Ewen the "Ulysses of the Highlands". He was a man of enormous strength and size...
and the eldest son of the 18th chief John Cameron of Lochiel
John Cameron of Lochiel
John Cameron of Lochiel was the 18th chief of Clan Cameron and a significant Jacobite. He was the eldest son and heir of Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, a fervent Royalist and one of the first to join the rising of 1652 in favour of King Charles II, by whom he was knighted in 1681.He joined the Earl...
. After his father, a key participant in the Jacobite Rising of 1715
Jacobite Rising of 1715
The Jacobite rising of 1715, often referred to as The 'Fifteen, was the attempt by James Francis Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for the exiled House of Stuart.-Background:...
, fled to a permanent exile in France Donald became the acting chief of the clan at a time when the old ways were rapidly changing. The Highlands had historically been a society of contending groups each dominated by an elite which valued fearlessnes and daring above all things; held wealth as cattle; used ostentatious ornamentation; and spent much time in drinking feasts where bards told of the clan's great exploits. It was a way of life that lowlanders had not known for generations and although some aspects of it survived far into the 18th century, by Lochiel's time measures such as the Statutes of Iona
Statutes of Iona
The Statutes of Iona, passed in Scotland in 1609, required that Highland Scottish clan chiefs send their heirs to Lowland Scotland to be educated in English-speaking Protestant schools. As a result some clans, such as the MacDonalds of Sleat and the MacLeods of Harris, adopted the new religion...
had obliged chieftains to spend more time in Edinburgh. Being extremely status conscious, they attempted to cut a dash by purchasing clothes in the latest French fashion, elaborate homes, imported furniture, fine wines and other trappings of gentility rather than patronizing Gaelic
Goidelic languages
The Goidelic languages or Gaelic languages are one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic languages, the other consisting of the Brythonic languages. Goidelic languages historically formed a dialect continuum stretching from the south of Ireland through the Isle of Man to the north of Scotland...
bards, pipers and harpists as was the traditional way to distinction for a chief. The expenditure strained their finances as the Highlands were the poorest land in Europe (tenants have been described as much poorer than Plains Indians
Plains Indians
The Plains Indians are the Indigenous peoples who live on the plains and rolling hills of the Great Plains of North America. Their colorful equestrian culture and resistance to White domination have made the Plains Indians an archetype in literature and art for American Indians everywhere.Plains...
) and the chiefs sought to increase the income from clan lands. As loyal supporters of the Royal House of Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
the Camerons had a formidable enemy in the huge 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:...
which was firmly allied to the British government. At Sheriffmuir
Battle of Sheriffmuir
The Battle of Sheriffmuir was an engagement in 1715 at the height of the Jacobite rebellion in England and Scotland.-History:John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar, standard-bearer for the Jacobite cause in Scotland, mustered Highland chiefs, and on 6 September declared James Francis Edward Stuart as King...
in 1715, John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll
John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll
Field Marshal John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll, 1st Duke of Greenwich KG , known as Iain Ruaidh nan Cath or Red John of the Battles, was a Scottish soldier and nobleman.-Early Life:...
had halted a run of successes for the Jacobite clans and their commander John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar. However in 1737 Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll, 1st Earl of Ilay was a Scottish nobleman, politician, lawyer, businessman and soldier...
decreed that tacks were to be let out to the highest bidder rather than being given to a tacksman
Tacksman
A tacksman was a land-holder of intermediate legal and social status in Scottish Highland society.-Tenant and landlord:...
with family connections, consequently many of the older sort of tacksmen were dispossessed. Because they mustered the tenants, acted as officers and functioned as shock troops
Highland charge
The Highland charge was a battlefield shock tactic used by the clans of the Scottish Highlands which incorporated the use of firearms.-Historical Development :...
in time of war, Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll
Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll, 1st Earl of Ilay was a Scottish nobleman, politician, lawyer, businessman and soldier...
had inadvertently made himself militarily weaker through breaking the traditional bond with tacksmen.
A huge fine for participating in the '15 had damaged Clan Cameron and it was not prospering in the way the Campbells and others loyal to the Hanoverian dynasty
House of Hanover
The House of Hanover is a deposed German royal dynasty which has ruled the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , the Kingdom of Hanover, the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
were, however although Lochiel was acculturated to Lowland norms in many ways he maintained the old arrangements with tacksmen. As a consequence the Camerons possessed an enhanced potential to take a military initiative. With the resumption of hostilities between Britain and France the Stuart cause received powerful backing, but while Lochiel had averred that Jacobite clans were willing to rise up if the French landed in force the French wanted the Jacobites to take up arms beforehand. The proposed invasion of England was abandoned but the government had discovered Lochiel's communication with the exiled Stuarts and in June 1745 they issued an arrest warrant.
Charles Edward Stuart
Charles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
arrived on the west coast of Scotland in August 1745 with a handful of men and no supplies, munitions or money. He found that after coming out for the Stuarts in the 1689, 1715 and 1719 Jacobite Risings the key chiefs showed no enthusiasm for yet another insurrection, most believed that taking up arms against the government without French help would end in disaster.
Lochiel's meeting with Charles Edward Stuart
Although he had become a wanted man with little to lose Lochiel shared the other chief's misgivings and, showing reluctance to even meet with the Prince, sent his brother Archibald Cameron of LocheilArchibald Cameron of Locheil
Dr Archibald Cameron of Lochiel was a prominent leader in the Jacobite uprising of 1745 and the last Jacobite to be executed for high treason on June 7, 1753.-Before the uprising:...
. When Charles Edward required him to attend in person Lochiel's brother John urged him not to go - warning him that emotion would get the better of his good judgment. Lochiel initially attempted to convince the Prince to go back while he could. However Charles Edward played on Lochiel's sense of honor by protesting that returning to France would be a humiliating admission that he had no friends in Scotland and he would prefer to be a hunted man with a handful of followers, as for Lochiel he could stay at home and read what happened to his Prince. Lochiel fulfilled his brother's predictions by declaring that he and his clan would take up arms and share Charles Edward's fate. When the standard was raised the Camerons were the largest contingent present and formed the elite core of the army while Lochiel's prestige influenced other chiefs like his cousin Ewen MacPherson of Cluny
Ewen MacPherson of Cluny
Ewen MacPherson of Cluny, also known as "Cluny Macpherson", was the chief of the Clan Chattan at the time of the Jacobite Rising of 1745. He took part as a supporter of Charles Edward Stuart and after the rebellion was crushed he went into hiding...
to join the rising. However there were many chiefs, including ostensibly Jacobite ones like Norman MacLeod
Norman MacLeod (The Wicked Man)
Norman MacLeod , also known in his own time and within clan tradition as The Wicked Man , was an 18th century politician, and a clan chief of Clan MacLeod. In the 20th century, one chief of Clan MacLeod attempted to have his nickname changed from The Wicked Man, to The Red Man...
, who did not rally to Charles Edward's cause and most would later fight against him. Under the 'regelian rights' a clan chief possessed the power of life and death over those living on his land (Norman MacLeod became known as 'The Wicked Man' for exploitative behaviour which including selling tenants into slavery). Although Lochiel was regarded as a gracious chief by the standards of the time his decision to participate in the '45 meant that those living on his territory were obliged to take up arms with him, some who were recalcitrant received whippings or had their cattle killed by Archibald
Archibald Cameron of Locheil
Dr Archibald Cameron of Lochiel was a prominent leader in the Jacobite uprising of 1745 and the last Jacobite to be executed for high treason on June 7, 1753.-Before the uprising:...
until they agreed.
The military campaign
Lochiel was frank about his lack of military experience and deferred to Lord George MurrayLord George Murray (general)
Lord George Murray was a Scottish Jacobite general, most noted for his 1745 campaign under Bonnie Prince Charlie into England...
's judgement on strategy and tactics, but he quickly showed himself to be a capable commander who led from the front. The Camerons' elite status was emphasized by their bloodless capture of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and successful attack at the Battle of Prestonpans
Battle of Prestonpans
The Battle of Prestonpans was the first significant conflict in the Jacobite Rising of 1745. The battle took place at 4 am on 21 September 1745. The Jacobite army loyal to James Francis Edward Stuart and led by his son Charles Edward Stuart defeated the government army loyal to the Hanoverian...
. During the attack at Prestonpans, O'Sullivan, an Irishman whose opinions the Prince greatly valued, ordered some Camerons into an exposed position and they subsequently came under heavy fire, Lochiel appealed to Lord George Murray
Lord George Murray (general)
Lord George Murray was a Scottish Jacobite general, most noted for his 1745 campaign under Bonnie Prince Charlie into England...
rather than the Prince, a harbinger of the discord between the Scottish Jacobites and Charles Edward's Irish favorite. In late 1745 Lochiel was appointed the Governor of Edinburgh and was injured by cannon fire from the government forces in Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
.
By starting from a Highlands and Islands base and taking over Scotland Charles Edward had done what only Macbeth and Robert the Bruce had previously managed. At this point Lochiel counselled the Prince to stop; he argued that Jacobite forces with French support could mount an effective defence against what troops were available in England. He returned to this position at Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
in December, when the army finally called off the march on London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and turned back northwards. He was again wounded at the battle of Falkirk
Battle of Falkirk (1746)
During the Second Jacobite Rising, the Battle of Falkirk Muir was the last noteworthy Jacobite success.-Background:...
in January 1746, and travelled north to Fort William, where the government garrison still held out. He abandoned the siege in April, and rejoined the Prince's army outside Inverness in time for the Battle of Culloden
Battle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
, which effectively ended the rising.
Culloden
To the dismay of Lord George Murray Prince Charles Edward insisted on offering battle to the pursuing army of the Duke of Cumberland on the open moorland of Culloden with the intention of fighting defensively, a decision that most historians have seen as playing into the hands of the British. Cumberland's artillery mounted a devastating bombardment on the Jacobite army which was vulnerable in ranks of six deep on the open terrain; up to a third of Charles Edward's force were dispersed or made casualties, (including a groom decapitated while holding the Prince's horse). Lochiel relayed a warning that his men - maddened by the cannon fire - were becoming difficult to restrain and asked for permission to charge, eventually Charles Edward agreed however the messenger was killed before passing the order on. At this point - and without orders from the by now unnerved Jacobite command - Clan Mackintosh in the centre of the Jacobite line charged. Led by Lochiel the Camerons started after them, other clans then joined in a spontaneous, uncoordinated and disorganized Highland chargeHighland charge
The Highland charge was a battlefield shock tactic used by the clans of the Scottish Highlands which incorporated the use of firearms.-Historical Development :...
in which many failed to use their firearms. Grapeshot
Grapeshot
In artillery, a grapeshot is a type of shot that is not a one solid element, but a mass of small metal balls or slugs packed tightly into a canvas bag. It was used both in land and naval warfare. When assembled, the balls resembled a cluster of grapes, hence the name...
shattered Lochiel's ankles 50 yards from a gun detachment, from where he lay he saw the charge sweep over the detachment and achieve some initial success before Coehorn mortar shelling and devastating volleys of musket fire killed those who had made a breakthrough. Survivors of the charge carried him from the field.
Later life and reputation
Clan Cameron lost about half their strength at Culloden, and Lochiel himself was badly wounded; he eventually made it to safety in France along with the Prince in October. Despite attempting to persuade Louis XV of FranceLouis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
to mount a second landing, he never returned to Scotland. He took command of a French regiment in 1747, and died in Flanders in October 1748.
It is notable that one of his acts whilst in charge of Edinburgh was to order that there be no reprisals against the Whigs
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
for their opposition to the Prince. He had previously given orders to care for the prisoners after Prestonpans, and later he would ensure that Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
did not suffer any reprisals for its loyalty to George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
. Such acts contributed to his reputation for humanity; he became known to both friends and foes as the "Gentle Lochiel", a name that carried into the romantic myths which would grow up around the Rising.
Further reading
- John Sibbald Gibson, "Cameron, Donald, of Lochiel (c.1700–1748)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University PressOxford University PressOxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, Sept 2004