| Battle of Bun Garbhain | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Cameron-Mackintosh feud | |||||||
 Loch Arkaig | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Clan Cameron | Chattan Confederation | ||||||
The Battle of Bun Garbhain was a Scottish clan battle fought in 1570, in the Scottish Highlands, between the Clan Cameron and the Clan Mackintosh. [1]
Donald Dubh Cameron, XV Chief of Clan Cameron, died, leaving an infant son, Allan, at the head of the clan. As the young boy could not lead, this brought about internal disagreements between two main branches of the family, the Lochiel and the Erracht. Cameron of Erracht claimed chiefship himself. To add to the confusion the little boys mother was from Clan Mackintosh, a clan with a long history of enmity towards Clan Cameron.
In this pretext, the chief of Clan MacKintosh, led 200 men, into the Cameron lands near Loch Arkaig whereupon a bloody battle ensued.
Though outnumbered, the Camerons had the high ground and soon there were many dead and injured from the MacKintoshes. MacKintosh led his men in retreat around the head of Loch Eil to the Ardgour shore and rallied his men.
The Camerons were in swift pursuit and a second engagement took place, with similar results as the first. In the midst of this action, the chief of MacKintosh is believed to have been killed by Donald 'Taillear Dubh na Tuaighe' Cameron (son of the XIV Chief of Clan Cameron), with a fearsome Lochaber axe. MacKintosh's followers took their stricken chief and fell back to Bun Garbhain (Bun Garvan).
Both sides met once again for an indeterminate time, before disengaging for the night. The MacKintoshes made camp in a small hollow called Cuil nan Cuileag, and thought that they were safe. However, the Camerons stormed the encampment and killed every MacKintosh.
The mother of Allan Cameron, the infant chief of Clan Cameron, was in fact a MacKintosh. After the battle, Taillear Dubh came to give her an account of the fighting. He apparently said “Gun robh bian cait au diugh air plang, agus rogha’s taghadh air peighinn” which translates to "A cat’s skin might be had this day for a plack (coin)" in obvious reference to the killing of the Mackintosh whose symbol was the highland cat. Enraged with the news of all her dead kin, she tried to kill her son, but Taillear Dubh intervened in time. Allan Cameron was safe, but his mother was banished from Lochaber forever. [1]
Lochaber is a name applied to a part of the Scottish Highlands. Historically, it was a provincial lordship consisting of the parishes of Kilmallie and Kilmonivaig, as they were before being reduced in extent by the creation of Quoad Sacra parishes in the 19th century. Lochaber once extended from the Northern shore of Loch Leven, a district called Nether Lochaber, to beyond Spean Bridge and Roybridge, which area is known as Brae Lochaber or Braigh Loch Abar in Gaelic. Lochaber is now also used to refer to a much wider area, one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region. The main town of Lochaber is Fort William.
Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel was a Scottish soldier and the 17th Chief of Clan Cameron. He fought as a Cavalier during the Civil War and was one the principal Jacobite leaders during the 1689 Rising. He is regarded as one of the most formidable Scottish clan chiefs of all time. Lord Macaulay praised him as the "Ulysses of the Highlands" and further wrote, "Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel was in personal qualities unrivalled among the Celtic Princes. He was a gracious master, a trusty ally, a terrible enemy." An incident demonstrating Lochiel's strength and ferocity in single combat, when he bit out the throat of an enemy, is used by Sir Walter Scott in Lady of the Lake.
Clan Chattan is a unique confederation of Highland clans. This distinctive confederation is acknowledged as a community, currently of twelve separate Scottish clans, who each had their own clan chief recognized under Scottish law, but who were united under and bound to the superior chief of the confederation for mutual solidarity, sustenance and protection in the Middle Ages and early modern period in the Scottish Highlands.
Clan Mackintosh is a Scottish clan from Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. The chiefs of the clan are the Mackintoshes of Mackintosh. Another branch of the clan, the Mackintoshes of Torcastle, are the chiefs of Clan Chattan, a historic confederation of clans.
Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, also known as Clan Ranald of Knoydart & Glengarry is a Scottish clan and is a branch of the larger Clan Donald. The clan takes its name from River Garry where the river Garry runs eastwards through Loch Garry to join the Great Glen about 16 miles (25 km) north of Fort William, Highland. The progenitor of the MacDonells of Glengarry is Reginald, 4th great-grandson of the warrior Somerled. The clan chief is traditionally designated as the "Son of Alexander's son".
Achnacarry is a hamlet, private estate, and a castle in the Lochaber region of the Highlands, Scotland. It occupies a strategic position on an isthmus between Loch Lochy to the east, and Loch Arkaig to the west.
Clan Cameron is a West Highland Scottish clan, with one main branch Lochiel, and numerous cadet branches. The Clan Cameron lands are in Lochaber and within their lands lies Ben Nevis which is the highest mountain in the British Isles. The Chief of the clan is customarily referred to as simply "Lochiel".
The Battle of Mulroy was a Scottish clan battle fought in August 1688 in the Lochaber district of Scotland. It was fought between the Clan Mackintosh who were supported by government troops under Kenneth Mackenzie of Suddie against the Clan MacDonald of Keppoch who were supported by the Clan Cameron over disputed lands in the Braes of Lochaber. The battlefield has been inventoried and protected by Historic Scotland under the Scottish Historical Environment Policy of 2009.
Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, also known as Clan MacDonellof Keppoch or Clan Ranald of Lochaber, is a Highland Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald. The progenitor of the clan is Alistair Carrach MacDonald, 4th great-grandson of the warrior Somerled. The clan chief is traditionally designated as the "Son of Ranald's son".
The Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh was a Scottish family and a branch of the larger Clan Donald.
The Battle of Achnashellach was a Scottish clan battle said to have taken place in the year 1505, in the Scottish Highlands at Achnashellach. It was fought by the Clan Cameron against the Clan Mackay and the Clan Munro.
Donald Cameron, known as Black Taylor of the Axe was a famed warrior of the Scottish Highlands during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots. Born illegitimate, his father was Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, 14th chief of Clan Cameron, and his mother was the daughter of the chief of Clan MacDougall. Donald Cameron is claimed as the eponymous ancestor of the Taylor sept of Clan Cameron. He is alluded to in the coat of arms of the chief of Clan Cameron, as a likeness of him appears as the supporters holding a Lochaber axe.
The Battle of Lochaber was fought in 1429, in the Scottish Highlands, between the forces of Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross, Lord of the Isles and chief of Clan Donald against the Royalist army of King James I of Scotland.
The Raid on Ross was a conflict that took place in 1491 in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between the Clan Mackenzie and several other clans, including the Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh, Clan MacDonald of Clanranald, the Clan Cameron, and the Chattan Confederation of Clan Mackintosh.
The Stand-off at the Ford of Arkaig occurred in September 1665 at Achnacarry, about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Fort William, Scotland. The Chattan Confederation led by the Clan Mackintosh assembled an army to challenge Clan Cameron in a 360-year-old dispute over the lands around Loch Arkaig. After a week of stalemate, the long-running feud was ended by a deal in which the Camerons bought the land from the Mackintoshes.
Tor Castle is a ruined castle, about 3 miles north east of Fort William, Highland, Scotland, west of the River Lochy and east of the Caledonian Canal, near Torlundy.
The Battle of Craig Cailloch was a Scottish clan battle fought in 1441 between the Clan Cameron and Clan Mackintosh. The two clans had defected from Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross during his war with James I of Scotland. Alexander lost the war but was subsequently appointed Justiciar of Scotia by James and became reconciled to the Chattans. Alexander encouraged the Chattans to invade the lands of the Camerons which resulted in a battle on Craig Cailloch in 1441. The battle was bloody and several leading Chattan men were killed. Afterwards Malcolm Mackintosh led further raids into Cameron territory to avenge the deaths. Donald Dubh, leader of the Camerons was later forced into exile in Ireland.
The Camerons of Erracht were a minor noble Scottish family and a branch of the Clan Cameron, a Highland Scottish clan. In Scottish Gaelic they are known as the Sliochd Eòghain mhic Eòghain.
Donald Dubh Cameron was the first authentic chief of Clan Cameron. Traditionally, it is held that the Camerons are of ancient Celtic origin and descend Banquo, Thane of Lochaber, while other legends include descent from a Danish prince.
Ewen Mór Cameron of Lochiel was the 13th Chief of Clan Cameron in Lochaber.