Battle of Leckmelm | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the Scottish clan wars | |||||||
![]() Leckmelm | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Clan Gunn | Clan Aberach Clan Sutherland Clan MacLeod of Lewis | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
George Gunn [1] | Niel Mackay William Sutherland James MacLeod | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
32 killed [2] [3] | Unknown |
The Battle of Leckmelm was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1586, in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between the Clan Gunn against the Clan Sutherland, Mackays of Aberach and the MacLeods of Assynt.
The Battle of Leckmelm was fought shortly after the Battle of Allt Camhna had taken place where the Clan Gunn, supported by men of the Clan Mackay had defeated the Clan Sinclair from Caithness. [4] Another branch of the Clan Mackay, the Mackays of Aberach were enemies of the Gunns at this time and fought against them at Leckmelm. [2] [4] [5]
An account of the Battle of Leckmelm is written in the 1829 book History of the House and Clan of the Mackay by Robert Mackay, quoting from 17th-century historian Sir Robert Gordon, 1st Baronet:
In consequence of this defeat at Allt Camhna, Lord Caithness was exasperated against the Guns, and Hugh MacKay withdrew from them his support. Caithness and Sutherland, with their forces, met at Bengrime in Sutherland, along with Sir Patrick Gordon of Achindown, who was sent north by Huntly, with a determinate resolution to exterminate them. This service was now laid upon Sutherland, as his men had not come forward at the late conflict. The Sutherland-men, under command of William Sutherland, grandson of Alexander the heir, were joined by Niel MacKay and his clan, together with James Macleod, chieften of the Slight-ean-Voir and the MacLeods of his tribe. The Guns took the alarm, and fled towards the Western Isles; "but as they were on their journey thither, James Mack-Rory (Macleod) and Niel Mack-ean-Mack-William (Mackay of Aberach), rencountered with them at Lochbroom, at place called Leckmelm, where after a sharp skirmish, the clan Gun were overthrown, and most part of their company slain." [6]
George Gunn who was the Captain of the Gunns escaped by swimming a nearby loch, but was wounded and later captured. He was handed over to the Earl of Caithness but later released, and the scattered remains of his clan found their way back to their ancestral lands. Mackay restored the Gunns to their holdings in Strathnaver, but eight years later James Sinclair of Murkle invaded the Strathy Gunns and killed some of them in revenge for his brother's death. [1]
Clan Mackay is an ancient and once-powerful Highland Scottish clan from the far North of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Kingdom of Moray.
Clan Gunn is a Highland Scottish clan associated with lands in northeastern Scotland, including Caithness, Sutherland and, arguably, the Orkney Isles. Clan Gunn is one of the oldest Scottish Clans, being descended from the Norse Jarls of Orkney and the Pictish Mormaers of Caithness.
Clan Sutherland also known as House of Sutherland is a Highland Scottish clan whose traditional territory is the shire of Sutherland in the far north of Scotland. The chief of the clan was also the powerful Earl of Sutherland, however in the early 16th century this title passed through marriage to a younger son of the chief of Clan Gordon. The current chief is Alistair Sutherland who holds the title Earl of Sutherland.
The Battle of Drumnacoub was a Scottish clan battle involving factions of the Clan Mackay fought in the far northwest of Scotland, some time between 1429 and 1433. It took place on a hill called Carn Fada at the southern end of the Kyle of Tongue, between Ben Loyal and the village of Tongue. It was fought between members of the Clan Mackay and men of the Clan Sutherland. The battle was recorded by the 15th century chronicler, Walter Bower, in his work Scotichronicon.
The Sandside Chase was a Scottish clan battle which took place in 1437 in Caithness, about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Thurso. The Clan Mackay launched a raid from Strathnaver towards Thurso until they encountered resistance from the locals at Dounreay. The Mackays then pulled back to Sandside, where they were joined by reinforcements and slaughtered the defenders on the coast north of Reay.
The Battle of Tannach was a Scottish clan battle fought about 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Wick, in the far north of Scotland. It was fought between men of the Clan Keith and Clan Mackay from Strathnaver against men of the Clan Gunn and possibly their allies the Clan Oliphant and Clan Sutherland from Caithness. The date is uncertain, it was probably in 1464 but may have been in 1438.
The Battle of Torran Dubh also known as the Battle of Torran-dow or the Battle of Torran Du was a Scottish clan battle that was fought in 1517 in Sutherland, in the Scottish Highlands.
The Battle of Alltan-Beath, also known as the Battle of Ailtan-Beath, was a Scottish clan battle said to have taken place in 1542 in the village of Knockarthur, in Sutherland, in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between men of the Clan Mackay and men of the Clan Sutherland whose chiefs were the Gordon, Earls of Sutherland.
The Battle of Allt Camhna was a Scottish clan battle fought in 1586 between the Clan Gunn and Clan Mackay against the Clan Sinclair.
The Mackays of Aberach also known as the Clan Aberach are a Scottish family and a branch of the ancient Clan Mackay of the Scottish Highlands. They were the senior cadet branch of the Clan Mackay and were seated at Achness, in Strathnaver, which is in modern-day Sutherland. In Scottish Gaelic they are known as the Sleaght-ean Aberigh.
Huistean Du Mackay, 13th of Strathnaver, was the thirteenth chief of Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan.
Angus Du Mackay, 7th of Strathnaver was the seventh chief of the Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan. He is recorded in the 15th-century Scottish chronicle, Scotichronicon, as Enneas-en-Imprissi meaning Angus the Absolute due to his power of commanding 4000 men.
The Battle of Clynetradwell was a Scottish clan battle that took place in 1590 in the county of Sutherland between the forces of Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland and George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness.
The Murrays of Aberscross were a minor noble Scottish family who were seated at Aberscross Castle, in the county of Sutherland, Scotland. The Murrays in Sutherland are recorded specifically as a clan in two acts of the Scottish Parliament of the 16th century.
Iye Du Mackay, 12th of Strathnaver, was the chief of the Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan, from 1550 to 1572.
The Mackays of Scoury were a minor noble Scottish family and a branch of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan. They were seated at Scourie Castle, in Scourie, in the parish of Eddrachillis, county of Sutherland. However, Scourie was part of the Mackay chief's province of "Strathnaver" until it was sold to the Earl of Sutherland in 1829.
The Sutherlands of Kilphedder (Killipheder) were a minor noble Scottish family and a branch of the ancient Clan Sutherland, a Highland Scottish clan. They were seated at Killipheder, in the county of Sutherland, Scotland.
Donald Mackay, 11th of Strathnaver, was the eleventh chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.
George Sinclair was a Scottish nobleman, the 5th Earl of Caithness and chief of the Clan Sinclair, a Scottish clan based in northern Scotland.
Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland was a Scottish landowner.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location (link)Written from a manuscript wrote in the reign of James VI of Scotland (Sir Robert Gordon's A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland).
Quoting: The Miscellanea Scotia
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location (link)Quoting: Gordon, Sir Robert, "A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland". p. 184
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location (link)